Dirty Sweet Baby Chapter 2

As an A-class guide belonging to the Center, Baek Heeheon lived a breathless life, becoming hardened through arduous training. He adapted to the hierarchy and system unique to the special residential district, which was entirely different from the peaceful life in the general residential district, and a sense of camaraderie and fellowship was born.

The first year was just unfamiliar,
then the second year was difficult,
and the third year was so agonizing that he shed tears of blood.

Entering the fourth year, he barely managed to find stability,
and now, after five years, he was just beginning to feel a sense of duty, a resolve to dedicate his entire life to the life-and-death struggle of killing creatures.

But.

But why!

「Breaking News, Musan Group’s second-generation heir, Director Cha Mugyeol… awakens as an S-class Esper」

「Chaebol heir, to join the ranks of S-class? ‘Unprecedented late manifestation’」

「New S-class Esper… identity is Musan Group’s heir, 24-year-old Cha Mugyeol」

‘This is a lie, right…?’

After reading the breaking news alerts that popped up one after another on his pad screen, Heeheon immediately turned on the TV mounted on the wall. When he tuned it to a news channel, an anchor was reporting on that very news. The anchor’s voice, delivering the shocking news, echoed loudly in the simply furnished dormitory room.

“The Ministry of National Defense of the new government has officially announced that Musan Group’s Director Cha Mugyeol has awakened as an S-class Esper. As this is an unprecedented and exceptional case of late manifestation, all eyes are on the developments. Meanwhile, Musan Group has stated that it will take additional measures in response to Director Cha Mugyeol’s awakening….”

The news screen switched to show archival footage. It was a place familiar to Heeheon’s eyes as well. Several heavily tinted vehicles glided to a stop in front of the Musan Group building, which was swarming with reporters. A man emerged from the back seat door, which a chauffeur had opened for him.

Dressed in a black suit made of an expensive, glossy material, his mere appearance drew everyone’s attention.

‘Cha Mugyeol…….’

His hair, styled back to reveal his forehead, looked more mature than Heeheon remembered, and just as unfamiliar. But his overwhelming presence that dominated his surroundings as if it were a matter of course, and his brazen attitude of calmly entering the company building without even glancing at the reporters bombarding him with questions and the continuous flashes of cameras, were exactly as he had known them.

‘To think that Cha Mugyeol has awakened.’

An arrogance that made it seem natural for everyone to cling to him and be swayed by him. An omnipotence that made him act as if this wide world were a playground designed solely for him. From his sculpturally handsome features that were sickeningly good-looking to his tall, slender body that made him stand head and shoulders above everyone else.

Cha Mugyeol, who had it all, was as special as ever, and as always, a desperate fever bloomed in the eyes of the people who chased after him.

Much like the hotly burning eyes of Baek Heeheon.

‘Ha…….’

It was dizzying.

The ground swayed as if he were seasick, and his legs grew weak. Heeheon, who was holding on to a table, shut his eyes in despair.

The situation was so cruel it was stupefying. The fearsome opponent he had once so desperately wanted to avoid, the troublesome existence he thought he had finally buried in his memories, to appear so suddenly. And after five whole years at that…….

‘Why won’t that bastard just leave me alone.’

He had been relieved, thinking he would never have to face him again. He thought their eyes would never meet, that they would never have to exchange words. He had believed that as long as Baek Heeheon did not leave the special residential district, the high gate separating the residential zones would protect him safely like a castle wall.

But that just proved to be a vain hope.

‘Why does he have to senselessly get me involved…….’

In that moment, a surge of emotion made his chest boil. Even the deep feelings he had carefully folded and hidden from view erupted and burst forth all at once. Anxiety welled up at the thought that he, who had barely escaped and finally preserved his safety, would be invaded again. He felt as if he had returned to the age of 17, when he had first met him.

‘…….’

Heeheon turned off the blaringly loud news screen. Even so, the inside of his chest was still in turmoil. If Cha Mugyeol had awakened as an Esper, and an S-class one at that, just like his extraordinary nature, he would soon belong to the Center and come to the special residential district.

His departure would mean the Musan Group would lose its only heir, causing no small amount of chaos, but… since that was the national policy, there would be no exceptions. After all, they could not just leave an S-class Esper to fend for himself among civilians.

‘Right… so he’s coming here in the end.’

Even though I ran for my life.

Even though I thought I had finally found a place to live.

For my whole life… here, alone…….

Beep, beep, beep.

He must have been lost in thought for a long time, as he reacted a step too late to the sound of his pager.

Coming to his senses, Heeheon immediately turned to find the pager. After checking the message, he put on the designated uniform from his closet.

It consisted of a black combat uniform, top and bottom, with gloves, and he even fastened a belt around his waist to which he could attach the pager. He was ready once he put on his goggles.

Various pieces of information popped up on the transparent goggle screen, greeting him. From minor details like the weather and terrain maps to important notices such as the ranks and detailed personal information of the Espers waiting to receive guiding, everything was visible at a glance.

This was no time to be standing around blankly.

Baek Heeheon was now a fifth-year guide, and there was a truckload of Espers who would be in trouble if he did not guide them. Because some of them were likely engaged in a fierce battle with creatures right now.

The fluorescent light on the white, clean ceiling of the guiding room blurred his vision. The objects before his eyes seemed to waver.

He didn’t know what state of mind he had been in while performing guiding for the past few days. On the outside, it might look like the simple act of taking off gloves and holding hands, but in truth, guiding was high-intensity labor that consumed a guide’s core. Overusing guiding could deplete the core, even causing severe pain.

‘Though I’m used to even this by now.’

The threshold for an A-class was not low. As long as he stopped guiding before depletion, all he felt was a heavy fatigue.

In the first place, A-class was the highest rank among the awakened. Although S-class existed above it, it was treated as an exception, being in a transcendent realm that meant ‘immeasurable.’

“Second Lieutenant Baek-nim. Is something wrong?”

“Pardon?”

“Like, a health problem. Or you can’t sleep. Or maybe you miss your hometown?”

“Ah. No.”

“Your hands are cold.”

“No, they are not.”

Heeheon, who had replied in a businesslike tone, pulled his captured hand back. He had intended to end the guiding, but as is common with Espers who crave guiding, the Esper sitting across from him in the guiding room would not let go.

The other’s hand stretched out and grasped Heeheon’s hand even more firmly.

“Let go. Esper-nim.”

“I’m Captain Seong Ahwon. From the 2nd Special Operations Unit.”

“Yes. I am aware of your personal information. Let go.”

“Ah… haha.”

Espers, I swear.

To an Esper, a guide was an absolute existence. As much as they used transcendent abilities, the considerable aftereffects left on their bodies made them instinctively crave guiding, which could heal the imbalance caused by the recoil of their powers. Just like a drowning person struggles to breathe.

Because of that, there were Espers who sometimes lost their minds while receiving guiding. Even though they must have learned self-control through long, repetitive training, it seemed an Esper’s fundamental craving was not easily suppressed.

At least Captain Seong Ahwon was on the more gentlemanly side, only trying to hold his hand. There had been an Esper who pounced on him, wanting to receive mucous membrane contact guiding no matter what. Because that method was far more efficient.

“The guiding is over.”

In the end, Heeheon twisted and bent Captain Seong’s wrist, which kept clinging to him.

“Ack.”

“You may leave, Esper-nim.”

“No, I think I need to go to the infirmary. Look, it’s all red here….”

“Yes. Go to the infirmary and file a report with your superiors as well. I will gladly accept the disciplinary action.”

“When you say it like that, Second Lieutenant Baek-nim, it doesn’t sound like a joke.”

A deep sense of disappointment was evident on his face as he let go of Heeheon’s hand, feigning that it was throbbing. In any case, Captain Seong Ahwon was an A-class enhancement-type Esper, so something like this wouldn’t faze him at all.

“I’ll be going then. Make sure you have lunch. Today’s menu was sweet.”

“The spicy chicken soup? With the seasoned chamnamul.”

“There was fried kelp too. And I am Captain Seong Ahwon.”

Captain Seong left the guiding room, and Heeheon let out a long sigh as he slowly put his gloves back on.

“Hoo…….”

The area around his eyes felt particularly dry. The gazes of the Espers, who looked at him with eyes flushed red with craving, also felt especially blatant today for some reason.

‘Have I lost my composure?’

My hands are cold, he said…….

Even while guiding Captain Seong, he couldn’t focus properly even once. The reason was obvious. The image of someone who had filled the TV screen was stuck to his retinas and wouldn’t come off.

‘Tsk, what’s with the tailored suit. Who was he trying to show off to, dressing up so ostentatiously.’

That bastard would look good even in shabby rags. He should have at least rolled around in a mud puddle before being filmed by the cameras. Is there a need to advertise it to the whole country?

‘And what’s with the slicked-back hair. Did he style it himself, or did he leave it to a professional…?’

The thought of that bastard Cha Mugyeol looking in the mirror and applying gel to slick his hair back himself made an unknown irritation surge up. But then, the thought of a professional stylist setting it strand by strand was just as infuriating in its own way.

‘Why does he have to be so damn handsome, that bastard.’