It seemed that the other espers were being filmed from mission preparation to the mission's conclusion and their return to their lodgings, but due to security reasons, this was not possible for Block C. Under the violet sky, two cars were parked by the deserted roadside.
Joo-hyun stood alone some distance away from Beom-jin, who was engaged in various conversations with the Block C staff. Leaning against a fence, Joo-hyun smoked a cigarette and stared blankly at the setting sun.
Reflecting on how people would react once the broadcast aired only brought heavy sighs. He didn't use his powers for others, he released monsters, and as a runaway esper, he was fortunate to be matched with Cha In-ho. By this point, he was curious about how much he would be criticised.
As Joo-hyun stubbed out his cigarette and wrapped the butt in a tissue to put it in his pocket, he noticed someone approaching.
"In-ho just contacted me. He suggested we all have a meal together. What do you think?"
Beom-jin, who looked exhausted and disheveled unlike his neat appearance in the morning, asked while holding his phone.
"Then I suppose this is where we part ways."
"You're included too, Joo-hyun."
Joo-hyun met Beom-jin's gaze. Behind his slightly dirty glasses, Beom-jin's eyes smiled lightly but showed no sign of backing down.
"They're buying us meat! Of course we should go," chimed in Seo-chan, suddenly approaching, making it hard for Joo-hyun to refuse.
"In-ho said he won't come if you don't."
That was the deciding factor. Unable to refuse the earnest looks of those who had worked hard all day, Joo-hyun reluctantly nodded.
It was just a meal; how long could it take? He doubted he would go out of control in such a short time, despite his anxiety and fear.
Moreover, if Cha In-ho really came, he might receive guiding. If that happened, it would be the third time this week, which was a significant benefit for Joo-hyun.
The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like the right decision. Thinking of Cha In-ho's smile, Joo-hyun nodded more firmly than before.
And that was why Joo-hyun now found himself sitting in the corner of a luxurious restaurant he had never been to before, staring intently at unfamiliar dishes. He berated his earlier self. He should have known it would turn out like this, and his stomach churned at the thought that he hadn't anticipated it.
Upon entering the restaurant Cha In-ho had reserved, they were immediately led to a room—a spacious and antique one that had been prepared in advance. The room had no windows, possibly out of consideration for Joo-hyun.
At first, he was glad about this. No one would see him and report a runaway esper. But he hadn't considered that he wouldn't be alone in the room.
You might wonder why this mattered when they had all come for a meal together, but it was unavoidable. For eleven years, Joo-hyun had lived in isolation, receiving boxed meals and eating alone in his room. Occasionally, he ate with colleagues when the timing was right, but comparing that to the current situation was meaningless.
"Doesn't it suit your taste?" Seo-chan asked.
"No, I'm eating," Joo-hyun replied, carefully picking up a side dish with his chopsticks. Satisfied that he was eating, Seo-chan turned back to his colleagues, laughing and talking loudly.
The only people in the enclosed room were Joo-hyun and several civilians. There was the driver who had brought Joo-hyun to the mission, but he wasn't an esper and wasn't armed.
The café had been bearable. One wall was a large glass window, so he could dash out if something happened. But this place was enclosed, windowless, and lacked anyone who could restrain Joo-hyun.
He felt suffocated. If he went out of control in such close quarters, everyone in the room would die before the bomb around his neck even detonated.
He wanted to punch himself for thinking he had become accustomed to his companions in just half a day and for following them so recklessly.
He was a runaway esper. He shouldn't forget that, yet the moments when he did were increasing. This had certainly started after Cha In-ho appeared in front of him.
"Ah, In-ho just messaged. He's stuck in traffic and will be a bit late. There are a lot of espers around, probably due to a gate," Beom-jin said, showing everyone his phone. The photo, seemingly taken by Cha In-ho, showed a controlled road with uniformed espers scattered around, looking busy.
"Is there a gate near here?"
"There are quite a few, including undisclosed ones."
"The nearest to the road in the photo is AN-32, inside a closed tunnel."
At the low murmur, everyone in the room turned to Joo-hyun. He felt a subtle tension but remained composed, his senses alert. He had never liked being the centre of attention.
"To be exact, it's a tunnel that was closed after a gate appeared. It wasn't disclosed because it caused public anxiety, being too close to the city."
"Joo-hyun, that's understandable, but how do you know this, PD-nim?"
"My brother told me."
Beom-jin grinned bitterly, placing his empty glass down with a thud.
As Beom-jin said, AN-32 was a gate that had abruptly appeared in the middle of a tunnel used by many cars, forcing its closure and the construction of a new road. While its location was inconvenient, AN-32 was otherwise a typical gate, gaining the Association's attention because of the monsters it produced.
"I didn't hear all the details, but the monsters that come out of there are quite troublesome."
Though smaller than other monsters and not capable of spitting poison or fire, these creatures excelled at hiding. Not just in the usual sense—they could make their bodies transparent, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
A few years ago, on another gate mission, Joo-hyun had encountered such monsters. Thanks to an esper's abilities on the team, they had captured the creatures without much difficulty, but alone, Joo-hyun would have struggled significantly.
"Ah, this is confidential, so don't go spreading it around," Beom-jin said playfully but seriously, making everyone gulp and nod.
Meanwhile, Joo-hyun was deep in thought. If espers were controlling the road, a monster must have crossed the gate. AN-32 was one of the few gates monitored by standby espers, yet if a monster had escaped, it meant the guards had likely been severely injured or killed.
Feeling bitter, Joo-hyun quietly stood up. Everyone else was too engrossed in their conversation about interesting gates to notice.
Wearing Beom-jin's borrowed jacket and pulling the hat low over his face, Joo-hyun stepped outside. The tightness in his chest eased a little.
For the first time, Joo-hyun realised that a company dinner wasn't just about eating. Everyone seemed far more interested in drinking and talking than in the meal itself. As an obvious outsider, the more time passed, the more he was consumed by the fear that he might go out of control in the city.
"If Cha In-ho were here, it might be a bit better," he muttered, feeling embarrassed at his own thoughts. He kicked a stone and rubbed his face with his hands.
"Going for a walk?"
Joo-hyun had already sensed the approaching presence and slowly turned around. Seo-chan, with a camera slung over his shoulder, was grinning.
"...You're not drinking more?"
"An esper's walk can make for good footage too."
Despite being faced with a runaway esper, Seo-chan approached fearlessly, raising his camera. Amused by his consistent attitude, Joo-hyun couldn't help but chuckle and nodded in acknowledgment.
"I won't take responsibility if it's boring."
"Documentaries don't need to be exciting."
It was funny how he had fled the company of others out of fear, yet felt comforted by someone's presence. Smiling sardonically, Joo-hyun began to walk the night streets.
"Where are you heading?"
"Somewhere with no one around."
"Why's that?"
Passing a bright shopping district and entering a dark alley, Joo-hyun glanced at Seo-chan. He still had the camera. Would this scene be aired? It seemed too mundane and dull for anyone to watch.
"Because that's what I've always done."
Just as everyone had said, he was a time bomb, surviving by staying hidden. It was dirty and dangerous, and yet that was his life.
Joo-hyun realised he had walked quite far. He turned around, deciding to head back to the restaurant, thinking it might be too dangerous for Seo-chan to go further. Then he stopped abruptly.
As he continued, Joo-hyun noticed the streets becoming grimier, the alleys more dilapidated. With light, even the darkest places in the city had their dangers. The city's back alleys were notorious, a labyrinth of decrepit buildings built by desperate people who couldn't afford better. A careless step could lead to harm or worse, although it was rare for even bodies to disappear completely.
The authorities had attempted various policies to clean up the areas due to the danger, but these efforts failed to keep the alleys spotless for long. They had been neglected for too long, and refuse had piled up.
They hadn't fully entered the dump, but already the smell was overwhelming.
"Do you know this area well?"
"…I've been here a few times when I was young."
Other areas had changed over the past eleven years, but the dumps and their surroundings remained the same.
Even during the day, it was difficult to navigate. At night, the darkness seemed to swallow everything. The damp, green-stained streets gave off a stench, familiar to those who'd visited frequently, yet still evoking a sense of unease.
They had walked a long way. Fearing for Seo-chan's safety in such a perilous place, Joo-hyun decided to return to a restaurant they had passed earlier.