---
*beep*
"Ah, Guide Jung Hanseong-ssi~" Yuri's voice came through the speaker, smooth and dangerously sweet. "Report to Headquarters immediately."
"No." Taehyun's answer was instant, cold, and final.
Yuri let out a soft, amused scoff. "I wasn't speaking to you, Esper Lee Taehyun-ssi."
Her tone shifted, becoming almost playful. "Hanseong-ssi, are you there? I'd like to hear your answer."
I opened my mouth.
Taehyun's large hand clamped over the phone, nearly crushing it in his grip. His mismatched eyes burned into mine with clear warning.
"He said no," he growled.
"No, I didn't," I shot back, heart hammering.
[My god, Host. Are you trying to get us killed?!]
'Shut up.'
I snatched the phone from Taehyun's hand before he could react.
His expression became frighteningly blank, gaze dropping to the fading bruise on my neck like he was considering making it worse.
"I'll… be there as soon as I can, Director," I said quickly.
Yuri's delighted laugh rang through the speaker . "Splendid! I'll be waiting, Hanseong-ssi~"
*click*
The call ended.
The room fell into heavy silence. Taehyun slowly turned his head toward me, towering over me with a terrifyingly calm expression.
"You're going?" His voice was deceptively calm.
I swallowed. "She's the Director of the Guide Association. I can't just ignore her"
"Interesting."
Taehyun's gaze locked onto mine.
"You claim you don't know why she's calling."
"Yet you're eager to run to headquarters"
[He has a point]
"I—"
"I'm coming with you.
"But first, you eat" He cut me off and before i could react he shoved a spoonful of rice into my mouth.
I glared at him while chewing.
"No"
He chuckled softly.
"We'll see"
'I'm beginning to regret every decision I've made since waking up in this stupid manhwa.'
[Good for you host.]
'Oh absolutely not.'
I shoved the blanket aside and scrambled toward the edge of the bed.
"You're not coming with me."
Taehyun raised an eyebrow.
"You don't have a choice."
"Fuck you."
[Host]
[You are arguing with a man who summons demon hounds.]
'Shut up!'
'Wait, what?'
[Just saying...]
I pointed accusingly at Taehyun.
"And don't you think of teleporting me anywhere!"
A dangerous smile curved across his lips.
Too late.
Dark energy unfurled from beneath his feet like living shadows.
My survival instincts immediately filed a resignation letter.
"Hanseong."
He stood up slowly.
"Get dressed."
"No."
"Last warning."
"I said no."
The shadows snapped upward.
Cold pressure wrapped around my waist.
My eyes widened.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me."
The world folded.
My stomach churned.
Black light swallowed everything.
For one horrific second I was convinced my organs had teleported to separate continents.
[Host is experiencing standard S-class teleportation side effects.]
'Why is it worse than the last time?!'
CRACK.
Solid ground slammed beneath my feet.
My knees buckled instantly.
I stumbled forward, grabbing the nearest thing available.
Unfortunately the nearest thing was Taehyun.
'No...'
Bright marble floors.
Towering glass walls, dozens of sharply dressed guides stared at us in shock.
Guide Association Headquarters.
BEEEEEP!
Red emergency lights exploded across the lobby.
Several nearby guides staggered.
One receptionist nearly dropped her tablet.
A suffocating wave of dark energy rolled through the building before stabilizing around Taehyun like an obedient predator.
"Lee Taehyun."
A cold female voice sliced through the chaos.
Kim Yuri stood across the lobby.
Her slender fingers pressing against her temple.
"S-class espers are prohibited from unrestricted teleportation inside civilian facilities."
Taehyun looked unimpressed.
"We're here."
"You released enough unstable energy to trigger four emergency barriers!"
"Then your barriers are weak"
Yuri clenched her jaw then her gaze landed on me. She adjusted her glasses.
"...Guide Jung Hanseong."
Her lips twitched.
"Why are you in pyjamas?"
I looked down and my face burned with embarrassment.
[I feel your pain host]
'This bastard'
Taehyun's arm was wrapped around my waist. We were standing like a couple in a photoshoot.
I tried pulling away from him but his grip on my waist tightened.
Whispers erupted around us.
"Is that Jung Hanseong?"
"The stalker?"
"Of course he'd let his esper teleport him like that..."
"Typical stalker behaviour"
'I can hear you, you bastards!'
[Looks like host is pretty famous.]
Yuri's eyes narrowed behind her glasses.
"Release him, esper Taehyun. This is a professional facility."
Taehyun's grip loosened just enough. And I slipped out immediately, putting a full three feet between us.
"I'm fine," I muttered.
"Totally fine. Love it here. Great building."
[Host is in shock.]
'I'm not in shock!'
[You're complimenting architecture. You're in shock.]
Yuri adjusted her glasses again. Her eyes scanning me from head to toe. They lingered on the faint bruise on my neck.
She tapped on her tablet once.
"Interesting..."
'God, I hate that word'
"Guide Jung Hanseong."
"According to your official registry, your guiding aptitude is A-rank."
My blood froze.
Yuri smiled but it didn't reach her eyes.
"So tell me… Why is your guiding energy reading higher than that of a standard A-Class guide?"
'WHAT?!'
[SYSTEM WARNING!]
[Hidden information Exposure risk: 97%]
'WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!'
---