"Hey, hey! How about we take a chill pill and forget any of this ever happened?" I said.For some reason, the two men were still standing there, glaring at me."Don't make me repeat myself. We're not taking any orders from you. If we fail to capture this monster, that's our problem, not yours."The monster looked at me with longing, whimpering softly.I wanted to take it back to my apartment right then and there.There was no way I could leave it alone here.But I had to think about this objectively. I spoke to it telepathically, hoping I didn't need to say a word while I waited for the monster to respond.The fluffy monster nodded its head several times.Good, good, good. Let's see... I said.The monster climbed onto my back like a parrot, clinging tightly to my neck.I was surprised that it actually trusted me enough to climb on my back without hesitation. I said.With that, I jumped and grabbed hold of a streetlight above us.Using it as leverage, I swung myself up to the second
"Shut up, gutter trash." The man spat, glaring at me.My smile faded as he drew a gun and pointed it at my head.I kept my cool, though.I raised my hands in the air, as if surrendering."Please, I'm begging you... Don't shoot."It was a lie.I wanted him to.I wanted it to seem real so bad.I wanted it to feel real.And now, I found myself feeling disgusted with myself.All I needed was the right time to strike, and I could've killed him. All I needed to do was act like I was going to surrender. But I couldn't bring myself to do it the moment the one with the gun pointed it at me.I made a clenching gesture, causing the gun to implode in on itself.The man fell onto the ground, clutching his bleeding index and middle fingers in pain."Ah... Ahhhhhh!! AAAAAHHHHH!!" He screamed, rolling around on the ground."Ahaha! That hurt, huh?" I laughed, stepping forward."You little... You fucking...!" He struggled to stand up, but he was too weak."An Esper!! This person is an awakened Esper!!"
Home!I had finally gotten into my house, Quip not too far behind.[WARNING, Monster detected!] Cho alerted.Several weapons popped out of the wall, aimed at Quip, and ready to fire.If it were an intruder worthy of this sort of greeting, I would have been proud about the installation that came with C.H.O.A brief silence filled the air before Quip let out a loud bark.Its fur was standing on end as it growled."Quip, stop it," I commanded.It obeyed, but only temporarily, and began barking again.Its eyes glowed red, and I sensed a powerful aura emanating from it."Stop it," I ordered.Quip cocked its head to the side, puzzled.Damn, I forgot Quip is still considered a threat under normal circumstances."Cho, Quip here is a different kind of monster, and it's not a threat to me, so please don't activate any security measures for Quip."[Understood, Mr. Han,] Cho replied.We entered the kitchen and sat down.[Would you like something to drink, Mr. Han?] She asked."Nah, I'm good. Than
Yoona should have at least chipped in this earlier.There was no way I would have missed that info since our previous interactions.I would have prepared myself mentally."Yeah, she's going to prepare a feast for us. I was wondering what kind of food Hyung likes, so I thought I'd ask you, since Soo Min wants to make sure she gets it just right.""She's still hung up on Minseok? That girl is so obsessed with him," I said, shaking my head.I never understood why she would put herself through such torture when Minseok clearly doesn't care about her."That's the thing, though, Oppa. Soo Min said she heard that you and Hyung are in an open relationship. Is that true?" she asked, sounding disappointed."I don't know who's spreading that rumor around, but no, we're definitely not in an open relationship," I replied."Well, I guess that's something Soo Min is trying to find out," Na Ri teased. "You know how we love making you happy. And our Director really loves you too, you know that, right?
The moment Minseok and I locked eyes, his smile dropped, and the atmosphere around him changed drastically.He snapped his mouth shut and gave a curt nod as a greeting to me before turning away.I didn't know how to react, so I simply stood there.Minseok's reaction was unexpected. My heart started racing even faster.As I watched him walk past me, I felt my body tense up.A shiver ran down my spine, and my throat tightened."Wait!" I called out to Minseok. "You're not leaving yet."Fuck! Fuck!!!Did I just blurt out what I was thinking?!Minseok turned around, looking surprised and confused."Did you want something?" he asked, cocking his head."No, not really..." I replied, feeling completely awkward.Why did I say that?"Then why did you use such a commanding tone, Captain?" he asked, tilting his head again.Captain? He's actually called me by that distant title?!I bit my lip and couldn't reply.He took another step towards me, causing me to shrink back. His arm came forward and g
My heart skipped several beats at the sight of Quip smiling at me with those cute, big green eyes and fluffy fur. I should have been briefing my team on some new plans I came up with, but I couldn't concentrate.Quip—a monster—is at a building full of people who would do anything just to kill his kind. This was a freaking Guild dedicated to KILLING monsters. The very thought of it made my stomach churn. And here I am, grinning like an idiot because I was greeted by a cute little monster.I had to calm down, but I couldn't stop myself from getting excited. I couldn't believe a part of me was actually glad. I telepathically communicated with Cho. If it could only understand when I do this, I wouldn't have to shout.Quip shook his head, wagging his tail.He looked up at me with those big, innocent eyes. I tried really hard to keep my face neutral. I shouted without thinking. I didn't mean to scream, but I guess I did.Quip barked and jumped towards me. His ears perked up, and his tongu
The moment I stepped into the briefing room, Soo Min zoomed behind me, rushing over to meet the rest of our teammates sitting on swivel chairs arranged in a semi-circle around the table.I scanned the room, looking at the eight additional members, which included four from my team—Soo Min, Na Ri, Hye Jin, and Minseok...Sigh!Why did my heart break at the mention of his name? But that wasn't just all; why am I also getting hard? Why? WHY?For the second time today, I cursed myself for falling harder after I had blatantly rejected his advances.Control your thoughts!I couldn't get hard at the mere sight of him, especially not in front of everyone else."Oppa, what's with you? You've been acting strange lately," Soo Min mouthed with a pout.I had to distract myself somehow, so I shifted my gaze to who sat beside Minseok—Nikolai!His presence was enough to have my arousal subside slightly. I could feel the blood rush through my veins as he gazed back at me with a smile on his lips.For t
"Let me explain," I continued. "There has to be some place where each category of monsters lives. There must be a specific location where each category of monsters assembles, similar to a den. If we can find the location of that spot, then we could easily infiltrate their nest and attack them. The problem is, we don't know which monster is living in the same area as the ones we've encountered. Also, how these gates tend to open up at random locations makes it hard to track them down as well. This is why I believe it's more beneficial to study the terrain surrounding us right now."Commander Moon, who had been quiet until now, broke his silence. "You want to figure out the route to the monsters' lair?" He sounded rather surprised."Yes. This is why we need some monsters alive as bait and a study on possible clues on their bodies. I'm hoping the monsters we encounter are similar enough to the monsters we encountered in the past. Once we gather evidence, we should be able to know the gen
The air was thick with tension, each breath I took feeling heavy as the creature staggered, its form flickering like a dying flame. My mind buzzed, trying to piece together what we had just faced—what we were up against. The Veil was not a simple opponent, not some fleeting threat we could easily brush aside. It was relentless, and it seemed to find new ways to push us to our limits. The creature’s howls echoed in the stillness, but as I looked at it, I realized something even more unnerving. Its body wasn’t just crumbling. It was unraveling. There was something inside it, something far more dangerous than any physical form."Minseok," I whispered, my voice trembling despite myself. "It’s not just a monster, is it? It’s... something more."Minseok’s eyes never left the creature. He was steady, even in the face of the chaos around us. I could see his mind working, always thinking ahead. He was calculating, strategizing, even now, as the creature’s remnants crumbled into the dust of th
The figure before us—this shadowy creature—loomed like a specter in the midst of the darkened forest. My heart hammered in my chest, every beat a reminder that this wasn’t just some mind game. The air crackled with a palpable tension as if the very atmosphere had turned against us.I could feel the heat of Minseok's presence at my side, his hand gripping mine like an anchor in the storm. But it wasn't enough. The pressure was suffocating, and this time, I couldn’t wait for him to act.I could feel it—the surge of energy that always came when I was backed into a corner. The sensation was familiar now, this hum that resonated deep within me. My mind raced, calculating the best course of action, even as fear clawed at the back of my throat. Minseok’s voice broke through the rush of thoughts. "Seojin, stay calm. We’re not alone in this. Whatever happens, don’t lose focus."I swallowed hard, nodding without taking my eyes off the creature in front of us. The figure’s dark, featureless fac
The man’s departure left an odd silence in the air, one that hummed with the tension of uncertainty. We stood at the edge of the safe house, the stone walls half-covered in ivy, the structure itself appearing to blend in with the forest as though it had been abandoned for years. The faint hum of the wind rustling through the trees seemed louder now, as though the world itself was holding its breath.Minseok’s hand tightened around mine again, his grip steady, but there was a flicker of hesitation in his eyes that I couldn’t ignore. "We need to go inside," he said, his voice low, but his usual calm demeanor was tinged with unease. "If he’s right about the Veil knowing we’re here, we might not have much time."I nodded, though the feeling in my chest didn’t subside. Every instinct screamed that something wasn’t right, that the man who’d led us here was hiding something. But I didn’t have time to question it, not now.Together, we stepped toward the small wooden door of the safe house. I
A high-stakes confrontation awaited us. Minseok’s words echoed in my mind as we made our way toward the mountains, the early morning mist swirling around us like an omen. Despite the calm exterior we presented, both of us knew the gravity of what we were about to face. The Veil was more than a looming threat—it was a relentless force that would stop at nothing to devour everything we held dear.The forest ahead was dense, its towering trees casting long shadows across the path. The air was thick with moisture, the earthy smell of wet leaves filling my lungs with each breath. I could hear the distant call of a bird, the only sign of life in the otherwise silent wilderness. It felt like the calm before a storm, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready for what was coming.Minseok’s hand was still in mine, his grip steady and strong, a silent reminder that I wasn’t alone in this. His presence was a comforting anchor, grounding me in the chaos of our mission. But as we walked, I couldn’t shake t
It was an odd sensation, walking alongside Minseok in the dim light of the underground space, his presence both a comfort and a reminder of the growing distance between us. The air felt colder, as if the basement’s chill wasn’t enough to explain the icy tension that hung between us. Every step I took felt heavy with the unspoken words we hadn’t shared. We had come here for answers, but instead, all I felt was a growing sense of dread. The path we were on, no matter how necessary, was unraveling everything we thought we knew."Seojin," Minseok murmured, breaking the silence that had settled around us. His voice was quieter than usual, almost thoughtful. "Are you sure you’re ready for this?"I paused, glancing up at him, surprised by the concern in his eyes. "I don't know," I admitted, my throat tight. "But what else can we do? We’ve already crossed the line." He didn’t respond immediately, as if weighing my words. His eyes were distant, like he was searching for something in the flick
The morning stretched out before me like a long road I wasn’t sure I was ready to walk. Minseok’s presence beside me felt distant, as if a rift had silently formed overnight, pulling us apart. I had no idea how to bridge the silence, especially when I was unsure of how I felt myself. The tension was thick enough to choke on. I had spent so many nights trying to convince myself this wasn’t real—that what Minji had said, what we were facing, couldn’t be the truth. But reality had a way of catching up, no matter how fast you ran.As we walked through the familiar streets, I couldn’t shake the feeling that things weren’t the same anymore. The world, the city, even the air felt different. It was as if everything was holding its breath, waiting for something inevitable to happen. And I couldn’t decide if I was prepared for it or terrified. The silence between Minseok and me felt suffocating, but I didn’t know how to break it. What was I supposed to say? That I was worried? That I didn’t kn
The next morning, the city felt unnaturally quiet, as if it had held its breath overnight, waiting for something to shift. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows on the streets, and I could almost hear the echo of our footsteps from the night before. But today, I wasn’t sure if we were walking toward an answer or deeper into the darkness.Minseok and I had barely exchanged a word since Eunji’s visit. He was quiet, too quiet. His usual confidence was overshadowed by the weight of the previous night's events. As we moved through the bustling streets, the usual vibrancy of the city seemed muted, like the sound had been turned down. People hurried on, heads down, trying to avoid the tension that hung in the air.We reached the outskirts of the district, where the more rundown buildings stood, their walls cracked and weathered. The contrast between the gleaming upper levels of the city and the poverty-stricken lower districts was always jarring, but today it felt like a stark re
The air in the council chambers felt thick, like the weight of unseen expectations pressing against my lungs. Golden light filtered through the high-arched windows, casting long shadows across the polished marble floors. The room, usually a place of cold, calculating decisions, now carried an edge of something else. **Uncertainty.** I sat beside Minseok, my posture deceptively relaxed, though my fingers remained curled against my lap. Across the table, Grand Esper Hwang’s sharp gaze raked over me before settling on Minseok. His disapproval was practically tangible. “The situation is escalating,” he said, his voice measured. “We’ve received word that a faction of Guides is rallying under an unknown leader. They demand reformation—an equal footing with Espers.” I scoffed, leaning back. “Reformation? More like a coup.” Minseok’s fingers tapped lightly against the table, his face unreadable. “How credible is this threat?” Hwang’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Credible enough t
I could barely hear myself breathe over the chaos. The clash of weapons, the crackle of energy, the heavy thuds of bodies hitting the ground—it all blurred together in a cacophony of battle. Every strike I blocked sent vibrations up my arms. Every counter I made was met with resistance. Minseok was right. If we tried to run now, we’d be slaughtered. But if we stayed— I dodged a spear aimed for my gut, twisting to the side before driving my own blade into the enemy’s exposed flank. They barely reacted, as if pain was irrelevant to them. As if they were something beyond human. Which meant they were exactly what I feared. Corrupted. Not just the mindless ones, either. These were the intelligent kind, the ones who still held onto fragments of their former selves. The ones who could strategize. Who could anticipate. Who could corner us if we weren’t careful. I gritted my teeth. We needed to break through. “Soo Min!” I shouted over the chaos. “Do you have enough energy l