Jin Su-hui was not in a good mood. When she achieved the unexpectedly high C+ grade, the facility staff had made a fuss about opening the special measurement room for the first time, making her secretly dream, ‘Could I possibly be B-class or higher?’

And as she hoped, when she was reassessed, she achieved B- grade. Though it was barely a B-class, as it was rare for District 2, Su-hui had secretly expected an enthusiastic response.

However, when she revisited the facility after a week’s interval for accurate measurement, their attitude was clearly different from when she first got C+ grade. Even after the results came out, the staff’s attitude remained calmer than before.

Though staying quiet would have been best, her curiosity burst out.

‘Did something happen?’

‘Pardon?’

‘Things seem… more unsettled than before.’

To be precise, she asked because it felt like she had suddenly become yesterday’s news, but the excited staff member didn’t catch the hidden meaning in her words and ended up leaking information.

‘Ah. We had an A-class come from here.’

‘What?’

‘I shouldn’t be saying this, please keep it confidential.’

The staff member, having already spilled the beans, asked with a troubled expression, seemingly realizing their mistake.

An A-class could appear. It was good news as it meant more talent contributing to the nation. But why did it have to overlap with her measurement timing?

Standing in front of the Special Abilities Agency headquarters in District 1 with her recommendation letter, Su-hui renewed her determination. She couldn’t let herself be discouraged on her first day entering the training center just because of one person.

“Oh?”

“…?”

As Ju-eon was entering the training center with Gu-young, he furrowed his brow at the young student who seemed surprised to see him. The face looked familiar, but he couldn’t immediately recall where he’d seen it.

“Excuse me. How old are you?”

“…Thirty.”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Ju-eon answered. Su-hui looked at his clear and neat face for a moment before muttering doubtfully.

“Then it can’t be…. Who is it?”

Watching Su-hui’s retreating figure as she shook her head, Ju-eon belatedly realized where he had seen her.

“Hyung. Do you know each other?”

Gu-young, who had been following behind while marveling at every little thing, had apparently been watching as he immediately asked when she disappeared.

“She was there when I got measured before.”

“They specially disclosed information this time, was she that B- class esper they mentioned?”

“Seems like it.”

Gu-young, for some reason declaring he couldn’t lose, strode ahead with determined steps.

Before entering the building, Ju-eon stopped briefly to look up at the massive structure that was incomparable to the buildings in District 2.

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t nervous. He was afraid of recovering his memories. He feared that he might turn out to be a worse person than expected. But he instinctively sensed it. His past was sleeping here.

Though no memories came clearly to mind, Ju-eon was certain.

**

Yun-jae cleared out his office in District 2 and returned to the headquarters where he originally worked. With Ju-eon gone to District 1, there was no need for Yun-jae to stay there.

Though they weren’t in contact, he had heard the news that Ju-eon entered the training center today.

He pointlessly peeked through the gap in the blinds to look outside. It should be time for position changes now. The chances of Ju-eon passing by at the exact moment he lifted the blinds were slim. Still, he wanted to assign meaning even to small things. If they were destined, perhaps such a coincidence bordering on inevitability might occur, such absurd thoughts crossed his mind.

Yun-jae leaned back in his chair. He tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling.

“Woo Ju-eon.”

It was just a small thing, something he’d hoped for on his own, but his mood hit rock bottom. Ju-eon’s existence always messes up Yun-jae’s normally rational and cool-headed mind. Though he knows it’s stupid to pin hopes on such slim chances, he just can’t stop acting like an idiot.

The one fortunate thing was that while the training center and headquarters were in the same building, the training center and S-class office were on opposite sides.

The darkest place might be under the lamp. His coming here could avoid suspicion since it coincided with Yeo Ji-woong’s request. As long as Ju-eon wasn’t discovered, everything Yun-jae had built up would quickly fall back into place.

Yun-jae took out his phone and pressed speed dial 1. The ring was brief. Instead of answering, Ju-eon hung up and immediately sent a message.

—There’s an orientation soon. What’s up? I’ll contact you later if it’s not urgent.

Talk to you later. After sending his reply, Yun-jae pressed his fingers between his eyebrows. The unlikely coincidences that didn’t happen to him wouldn’t happen only to Yeo Myung-hwon. Because Woo Ju-eon was his person now.

Yun-jae and Ju-eon were in a cold war until Ju-eon wrote his application for the District 1 training center. When they ran into each other as Ju-eon came home after several days to get clothes because he’d run out, the two were able to talk again.

‘I won’t stop you.’

Yun-jae changed his mind. Because now, the moment he tried to stop him, their relationship would break like a tree that doesn’t bend but snaps when pressure exceeds a certain point.

‘What?’

‘Register as a B-class guide, saying you have a chronic illness.’

‘What?’

‘Then I might be able to feel a bit more at ease. You can always update it later. You’re always my priority.’

It wasn’t wrong. Ju-eon’s safety was Yun-jae’s top priority.

‘Okay.’

Feeling he couldn’t ignore this compromise, Ju-eon’s lips moved slightly, but soon agreed to Yun-jae’s answer.

Ju-eon probably believed it was because Yun-jae worried about him going berserk while guiding, but Yun-jae didn’t bother to correct this fact. It was best not to know about either Yeo Ji-woong’s existence or Yeo Myung-hwon’s.

He kept the house as it was, just in case. So Ju-eon could return anytime.

Enough thinking about things that haven’t happened yet. Yun-jae shook his head and got up from his seat. There was no more time to be lost in thought.

‘I don’t understand why they need a drug that can cause esper berserking…’

Yun-jae put on his glasses and lab coat. Now that he was back, he needed to show results so no one would know the real reason he came here. As always, the only way to establish his position here was to constantly demonstrate his abilities.

Knock knock.

“Yes, come in.”

He wondered if it was already the chief researcher who had particularly followed him when he was a senior researcher at headquarters, saying they would transfer to Yun-jae’s newly established team. Since they produced good results compared to other researchers, it would be good for Yun-jae if they joined.

‘They’re not a chief researcher anymore, but a principal researcher now, right?’

At Yun-jae’s permission, the door swung open. Before Yun-jae could identify the person beyond the door, they greeted him first.

“It’s been a while.”

Yun-jae’s gaze, which had been looking elsewhere as he prepared to leave, instantly shifted to the door.

Yun-jae stared in surprise at the figure before him, someone he had just been thinking about but hadn’t expected to encounter. The research department was a place difficult to come across by chance unless one deliberately visited.

“…Indeed.”

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost?”

Yeo Myung-hwon tucked his chin and smiled. Though he was clearly smiling, the air grew taut. Compared to his upturned lips, Myung-hwon’s gaze toward Kang Yun-jae was utterly cold.

“I just arrived today, and didn’t expect you to be the first person I’d see.”

Instead of entering, Myung-hwon stopped at the threshold and scanned Yun-jae’s office. Though it was quite empty having just arrived, Myung-hwon’s gaze was persistent.

“News travels fast? What brings you here?”

“I should at least say hello to someone who’s returned to headquarters after participating in a confidential experiment.”

He didn’t ask who had told him this news. He didn’t seem inclined to tell either. Seeing Yeo Myung-hwon up close after a long time, he exuded an unfamiliar and dangerous aura compared to before.

This was the first time they’d faced each other and exchanged greetings since seeing each other four years ago, before Ju-eon officially disappeared.

His lowered gaze swept over Yun-jae, searching for something. Not wanting to appear concerned, Yun-jae also straightened his chin and met Yeo Myung-hwon’s gaze.

“Really?”

“We’re not such strangers that we can’t even greet each other, are we?”

“……”

Yun-jae looked at Myung-hwon, measuring him up.

“Or are we? Are we such strangers that we can’t even greet each other?”

“We’re certainly not close enough for this kind of wordplay.”

Yeo Myung-hwon smirked and shrugged.

Did he come knowing something?

Yeo Myung-hwon had become harder to read than before. If in the past it was difficult to guess because he was simply stoic, now he skillfully hid his expressions making it hard to even guess what he was thinking.

“Thanks for coming specially to greet me.”

No, that couldn’t be. If he knew something, he wouldn’t make such probing greetings.

Yun-jae smiled composedly as he greeted him and picked up the documents he was about to gather. Though he didn’t know what the ulterior motive was, he didn’t want to know. He tried to quickly pass by after just exchanging greetings, but Myung-hwon naturally blocked the door.

“Well, we’re certainly not close enough that I’d come just to say hello.”

“…What do you want? You’re very busy, aren’t you?”

Myung-hwon was the agency’s most famous S-class esper. Just the Attack Team 1’s work alone kept him busy. Even with team reorganization and staff increases, dungeons kept appearing endlessly.

It wasn’t hard to guess that his schedule was divided by the minute, just from his public appearances as requested by the agency.