Chapter 165

The PTSD from the unfair dogpiling that started the moment I announced Shooting Star nearly hit—then passed. Roy snapped his head toward the rain and asked,

"Galbi, am I scary?"

Flinch-

But even his only friend’s reaction wasn’t all that different from the classmates who avoided him.

No way.

Galbi, you too...!

'Why? What’s the reason?'

Was it because he used skills that were too violent during the Final broadcast?

He thought the bigger and flashier the technique, the more people would like it—but apparently not.

If he’d known, he would’ve toned it down....

Just as Roy, off the mark, was thoroughly misunderstanding the situation, Rain mustered his courage and answered with conviction.

"Your face is a little—"

"My face?"

Of all things, a dig at his looks.

An idol’s self-consciousness flared, and Roy snapped.

"Why! What’s wrong with my face!"

Bristling, Roy hurriedly pulled out his phone and used the screen as a mirror—

"Ha— damn, that scared me."

Thud-

He came face to face with a look so cold it was downright menacing, and fumbled the phone.

It was the same face he’d seen yesterday and the day before, every day—yet he suddenly felt the vibe had changed.

'Like I’ve... become a real man?'

Contrary to Rain’s intention, Roy felt a quiet swell of pride, forgetting he’d felt wronged just moments ago.

He picked up the phone again, brought the camera to his face, and slowly took in his own features.

'Hmm. Definitely worse than the old face... but this is a decent rebound.'

He shifted angles, admiring the sharpened jawline, when a welcome label popped up across the top of the screen.

[My Nemesis]

For the first time since he’d puked on him, Han Gyeol was calling instead of texting.

Roy had been about to reach out anyway, so even though there wasn’t much break time left, he hit the call button at once.

At the very least, he’d tell him to set something up over messenger—no more dodging contact.

But before he could even bring the phone to his ear, a muffled sob came through the receiver.

["Hic... Roy...."]

Roy’s eyes widened a fraction. He knew at once something had happened to Han Gyeol.

Crash!

Roy shot to his feet; the chair went over backward with a clatter.

Classmates’ eyes snapped to him, but {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Roy didn’t care.

"What is it? Why, what’s wrong?"

["W-what do I do? I think I’m in big trouble, Roy. I’m so scared...."]

In the original world, he might have thought Han Gyeol was just messing with him.

But the Han Gyeol he’d met in the Wasteland wasn’t close enough yet for that kind of back-and-forth. High odds something had really happened.

Roy’s voice dropped low as he bolted from the classroom.

"Wait. I’m coming."

✧

He ran straight to Han Gyeol’s place in Hannam-dong.

Roy had no time to stand at the front gate and fill out visitor logs; without hesitation, he vaulted the wall.

With all his skills unlocked, this much was a piece of cake.

Closing in on Han Gyeol’s building, Roy again chose not to use the front door. He went straight for the terrace.

Hop!

The building wasn’t that tall; one leap was enough.

Tap-tap-

He landed lightly on the terrace floor, and through the wide pane of glass he saw Han Gyeol curled up on the sofa.

Not wanting to startle him, Roy rapped the glass gently.

Knock knock-

At the knocks breaking the quiet, Han Gyeol’s head jerked up.

Then he spotted Roy standing at the window, and his eyes went round.

"Hyung, it’s me. Open up."

Han Gyeol hurried over and unlocked the door.

"Why—why are you out there? How did you get in?"

"Is that what matters right now?"

Roy cupped Han Gyeol’s cheeks in both hands and turned his face left and right, then spun him once.

His eyelids were puffy, but nothing else looked notably injured. No signs of a Blood Fiend breaking into the home either....

So why was this guy moping alone in the middle of the day?

"What happened?"

"Huh?"

"What happened that you called me crying? You’ve never done that."

Roy stared at him, face set.

Han Gyeol glanced at Roy’s face and thought,

Maybe it was the odd sense of security that came from the fact that, younger than him or not, Roy was an S-rank Awakener.

The moment their eyes met, relief welled up with the desire to lean on him, and his eyes went red all over again.

"Roy, I...."

"Mm. It’s okay, go on."

But Han Gyeol still couldn’t get the words out; his lips just worked without sound.

Then, at last:

"I think I awakened. My physical exam came back today and they told me to get an Awakening test."

Silence briefly settled over the living room.

"...That’s it?"

Roy looked at him like, That can’t be all. Surely there was bigger news.

Because Roy already knew Han Gyeol had awakened.

He’d also thought Han Gyeol knew. They’d gone to a sheep ranch together—how was he only realizing this now?

After the puke incident, he’d been contacting Roy with unusual persistence; Roy had thought he meant to share the news about awakening.

Judging by this reaction, apparently not.

"What do you mean, ‘that’s it’...? I said I awakened. I’m—an Awakener...."

A wave of emptiness washed over Roy; he bit down on his lip, at a loss for what to say.

So he’d ditched school to hear... this?

Oblivious to Roy’s feelings, Han Gyeol just kept unloading his worries.

"What about the penalty fee? I shot a Maru Group ad yesterday—should’ve shot it a day later...."

"...."

"And I have to go take the awakening test—could you maybe come with me? I’ll treat you to something good. I’m a little scared to go alone...."

As Han Gyeol’s complaints kept coming, Roy closed his eyes and let out a quiet sigh.

If he didn’t get a grip like this, he might snap at Han Gyeol.

"You said it was something big. So I thought a Blood Fiend had shown up at your place."

"What? Ugh—just imagining that is awful. If that happened I wouldn’t call you—ah, or would I?"

Since the broadcast aired, he hadn’t budged from #1 in topic rank—an S-rank Awakener, and his acquaintance to boot.

Han Gyeol still couldn’t believe it, joking now, the fear from a moment ago forgotten.

Roy had to admit it.

'I overreacted.'

This guy wasn’t that smart; he’d overestimated him.

Eyes still closed, Roy pressed his brow and wondered how he was going to explain himself once he got back to school.

'This is bleak.'

He’d revealed his identity and snagged the Detention Bureau team leader post, and now he’d skipped school rules like they were nothing—he had no excuse.

'Seo Han Gyeol is my nemesis....'

He was quietly cursing Han Gyeol in his head when a thought flashed.

Awakeners’ High School wasn’t under the Ministry of Education; it was a special academy directly under the Awakeners’ Management Department.

Which meant, if the entity that summoned him out of school was the Detention Bureau, the story changed.

"...!"

Roy suddenly gripped Han Gyeol’s shoulders, eyes flying wide.

And hadn’t there been business he needed to settle with this guy anyway?

This was it.

He felt a twinge of conscience that he was getting better at scheming—but this was what power was for, wasn’t it?

"Let’s go."

"Where?"

"The Detention Bureau. We’re getting you tested. Right now."

✧

Meanwhile, the principal of Seoul Awakeners’ High School received a call from the Minister’s Office of the Awakeners’ Management Department.

"Sorry? From where did you say?"

At first he hadn’t caught the caller’s affiliation and made the mistake of asking again; on hearing the name the second time, he sprang to his feet and held the handset in both hands.

"D-Detention Bureau...! Minister, to what do we owe—"

The topic, unexpectedly, was Lee Roy.

They were informing him that Student Roy’s leaving campus was at the official request of the Awakeners’ Management Department, and the school was not to treat it as an unauthorized absence.

Director Ho then apologized for failing to send a formal document in time.

There was only one answer the principal could give.

"Y-yes, I understand. I’ll make sure nothing becomes an issue for Student Roy. Yes, goodbye."

Bowing at the waist over and over even while standing, the principal treated Ho on the other end of the line with utmost courtesy.

And at that very moment, having been urgently summoned by the Detention Bureau’s call—Roy was....

"Sign there."

He cocked an eyebrow as he slid a sheet across to Han Gyeol—the one that read “Fixed-term Public Employee Hiring Contract,” which you could just as well read as slave contract.

"What is all... this?"

"It says right there. Hiring contract."

"Right, but why are you the one...?"

Han Gyeol had finished the awakening test and was walking a long corridor under an employee’s guidance.

Then he opened the door, and the scene that greeted him was Roy, right now, in front of his eyes.

Roy sat like he owned the place, lounging back in the chair with his legs crossed.

Not understanding any of this, Han Gyeol fired off questions, eyes wavering.

Roy straightened up and met his gaze.

"Do you not watch the news?"

"Mm. I only read the summaries my manager sends me."

...Show-off, idiot.

Did this guy not manage his image?

One thing was certain: the image Han Gyeol currently enjoyed was thanks to First Entertainment’s tear-streaked efforts.

Roy, momentarily at a loss for words, came to and tapped his phone a few times.

He pulled up an article and held the phone out to Han Gyeol.

Between the Taegeukgi and the Detention Bureau flag, a photo of Roy in agent dress uniform.

[Detention Bureau appoints S-rank Roy as Team Leader of Shooting Star (Special Team 2)]

"...Shooting Star?"

Han Gyeol’s eyes flicked between the Roy on the screen and the Roy in front of him, then dropped to the contract on the desk.

[Affiliation: Shooting Star]

So... it was a kind of scout.

But Han Gyeol just couldn’t understand. He was a D-rank.

Was the Detention Bureau some place you could get into on connections alone? No way.

Ever since he realized he might be an Awakener, his head had been choked with one thing: the penalty fee.

Maybe that was why.

Instead of asking why such an opportunity was being offered to him, the words that came out of his mouth didn’t fit the situation at all.

"But... because of my penalty fee—"

Roy slammed his palm down on the contract like, Are you kidding me? and stood up.

"How much is it! Name a number!"