Guide Me If You Dare-Chapter 149: NOH YIHUN (5)

"I LEVELED UP!"

"Congratulations, Taesan Hyung-nim," Yihun said sincerely. He may have looked and sounded indifferent, but he was really happy for his partner. "You’ve finally become a C-Class Esper."

"I can finally enter dungeons!" Lee Taesan said excitedly. "Yihun-ah, I’ll become an Esper you can be proud of!"

Hmm.

To be honest, Yihun didn’t really get it.

D-Class and F-Class Espers weren’t allowed to enter dungeons— they were only trained to fight monsters that had come out of a Dungeon Break.

Unless it’s an emergency, of course.

C-Class Espers were allowed to raid mid and low-ranked dungeons as long as they had a B-Class Esper with them.

A-Class Espers were allowed to raid dungeons without other classes with them.

Then, finally, S-Class Espers— both natural and not— were allowed to raid dungeons on their own.

But, to be fair, only the Top 5 Espers had the guts and abilities to clear a dungeon alone.

There’s still a vast difference between a naturally awakened S-Class and an S-Class who leveled up. They have the same rank, but that’s it.

That was why the Top 5 Espers had remained unchanged for years.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Yihun-ah?" Lee Taesan asked, raising an eyebrow. "I won’t die— I’ll level up and become an S-Class Esper someday. So, don’t worry about me too much. I promise to make you proud, okay?"

"Yes, I’ll be cheering you from afar, Hyung-nim."

"From afar?"

"Now that Hyung-nim has been promoted to C-Class, our matching rate will probably decrease," Yihun reminded his future ex-partner. "Guides like me are only compatible with D-Class and F-Class Espers."

Saying that E-Class Guides were compatible with lower-ranked Espers was saying it nicely.

Actually, our compatibility rate with Espers is so bad that my peers feel useless.

And that was probably why his fellow E-Class Guides got easily attached to Charles Kang.

That Ahjussi is teaching us weird techniques.

"Yihun-ah, how can you say that easily?" Lee Taesan asked in a hurt voice. "We’ve been together for almost two years now."

For the record, they weren’t together together.

Hyung-nim is just saying that we’ve been partners from the beginning.

"Noh Yihun, are you really that cold-hearted?"

"Hyung-nim, you’re talking as if we’ll never see each other again," Yihun said calmly. "You can always come back here, you know?"

"What am I to you, Noh Yihun?"

"At first, I didn’t like you because you were brainwashed by your peers that Espers were above Guides. But Hyung-nim changed and became more respectful," Yihun said, and then he gently patted Lee Taesan’s hand. "I respect you, Hyung-nim."

He thought he expressed his feelings very well.

However, Lee Taesan pouted— his entire face red as if he was shy. "Noh Yihun, you’re so dense."

"What—"

"I like you!"

"Thanks?"

"I mean it in a romantic way, stupid," Lee Taesan said. "I’m in love with you."

Yihun immediately bowed his head. "I’m sorry—"

"No, don’t just answer immediately! Give it some thought!"

"But I don’t think my feelings would change—"

"One month," Lee Taesan said, cutting off Yihun. "I’ll pass the physical exam for newly promoted C-Class Espers. Once I have the license to raid dungeons, I’ll join an Away Team right away. I’ll make everything happen in one month."

Well, it was feasible.

The physical exam for newly promoted C-Class Espers will happen in two weeks. After that, they will be sent to a dormant dungeon. All rookie Espers are sent to explore dormant dungeons first because those are less dangerous than active dungeons.

"After I successfully clear a dungeon for the first time, I’ll confess again," Lee Taesan said cheerfully. "Give me an answer by then!"

Then, in just the blink of an eye, Lee Taesan had already bolted out of the room.

Aigoo.

"I’m sorry, Hyung-nim," Yihun said while shaking his head. "I’ll still reject you by then."

***

"CRYSTALLIZATION complete," Yihun said, letting out a long sigh. He was on the verge of collapsing, but it would be embarrassing to faint in front of his peers. And, so, his sheer stubbornness allowed him to keep standing despite his shaking legs. "Sir, I’ve managed to turn my flowing Mana into a gem that protects my heart and Core."

Yes, that was the Top 12 E-Class Guide’s lesson for that month: ’Crystallization.’

Yosef Lee and Charles Kang taught them the concept behind it a week ago.

Hence, their class tried to execute the new technique they were taught.

And, now, Yihun finally succeeded.

He was the first to do so.

Hence, his fellow Top 12 E-Class Guides were looking at him with different reactions. Some were in awe, but there were a few who looked displeased.

But no one in the Top 12 has bothered me anyway, so it will be fine this time as well.

"I’m not surprised. Congratulations, Yihun-ah. Now let’s put your new technique on a test then," Charles Kang said cheerfully. It really seemed like he wasn’t surprised, like he had already expected Yihun to excel again. "Ni-ki."

"Yes, sir," Ni-ki said cheerfully while cracking his knuckles. "Yihun Hyung-nim, this might hurt you a little."

"Ah, sure," Yihun said indifferently. "I don’t think Teacher Kang will let you kill me anyway."

Charles Kang chuckled, and the other E-Class Guides "coughed."

On the other hand, Ni-ki’s face darkened.

Kids these days are scary.

Yihun’s thoughts were interrupted when Ni-ki suddenly placed his hand on his chest.

Argh!

This kid wants me dead.

Yihun almost blacked out because of the painful pang in his chest.

He could feel it— the heat coming from Ni-ki’s hand was trying to melt the Crystallization of Yihun’s Mana around his heart and Core.

It freaking hurt.

If that’s the case, then...

Yihun kicked Ni-ki between his legs.

"Argh!" Ni-ki groaned in pain, immediately falling to his knees. And then he looked up at Yihun with a glare. "That’s foul, Hyung-nim!"

"Kid, in a real battle, your enemy won’t let you kill them. We’re not fighting for honor here," Yihun said, scoffing. But, having said that, it didn’t mean that he wasn’t worried about the damage he caused a dongsaeng. "Did I crack your eggs, lil bro?"

"Now you’re mocking me—"

Ni-ki wasn’t able to finish his complaints because Charles Kang suddenly burst out laughing.

Ahjussi is always smiling, but this is the first time he laughed out loud.

Everyone was shocked, including Yihun, of course.

"Yihun-ah, I heard your Esper has been promoted to C-Class."

"Yes, sir."

"Then it means you don’t have an Esper at the moment," Charles Kang said, and then he pointed at himself. "Yihun-ah, be my temporary Guide."

Tsk.

That was the beginning of Yihun receiving unwanted hostility from his peers because of Charles Kang’s too much interest.

***

EXTRA STORY (in case you miss present Yuno and Ki Gayoon):

"YUNO-YA, look at this."

Aigoo.

Yuno, who was still half-asleep, glared at Ki Gayoon who almost shoved his phone to his face. "What’s that, Hyung?"

"Look at how I saved your number in my phone now that we’re dating."

<Babe Princess>

How predictable.

"Okay, I saw it clearly, Hyung. Can I go back to sleep?"

"Show me how you saved my number in your phone."

"Hyung, why are you suddenly curious about that?"

"I read it in your old webcomics. The couple changed how they saved their partner’s name in their phone when they started dating."

"Hyung, why do you keep reading my old webcomics?"

"I don’t have dating experience, so I read your old works," Ki Gayoon said bluntly. "You wouldn’t have agreed to draw a story that you don’t like, so I figured you don’t mind the things that the main characters did there. So, I use that as a basis for how I should act as your boyfriend."

Pfft.

I’m glad I don’t draw non-con, dub-con, and sexual violence.

"Here," Yuno said lazily, showing Ki Gayoon his phone. "Your number is still saved in my phone as ’Ahjuhyung.’"

Ki Gayoon clicked his tongue. "Change it then."

"To what?"

"Aren’t you the reincarnation of King Sejeong? You invented the word ’Ahjuhyung’ just because you didn’t want to call me ’hyung’ before. So, I’m sure you’ll come up with a proper endearment for me."

Yeah, but I’m too lazy to use my brain so early in the morning.

"I’ll change it to ’Sugar Daddy’ then."

"Did your creativity go on a vacation?" Ki Gayoon complained. "I’m disappointed, Noh Yuno. It’s obvious that you’re just being lazy—"

"Hyung, having a handsome, hot, rich, considerate, and just slightly older than me sugar daddy is my one and only fantasy. Can you be that person for me?"

"You should have said so from the beginning."

Whew.

Thank goodness Hyung can be gullible sometimes—

"But your description, aside from the "just slightly older than you" part, also fits Moon Noa. So, did you see him as a sugar daddy before?"

"Eww, Hyung. That’s gross. Sajangnim is just a hyung-nim and a boss to me. I’ve never seen him anything more than that."

"Are you sure?"

"Why are you jealous of Sajangnim anyway? It’s rare for a Guide to find a fellow Guide attractive."

"I’m jealous of anyone who knows you before I did."

Aigoo.

"Hyung, let me just brush my teeth first."

"That’s so random—"

"I want to kiss Hyung."

To shut you up.

"Alright," Ki Gayoon said, suddenly scooping up Yuno in his arms. "Let’s brush our teeth together."

Pfft.

Yuno chuckled while shaking his head. "Hyung, you’re so childish sometimes."

***

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