Declaration of Extra Strike

My question caused Yeon Seung-yeon’s eyes to shake. In a split second, Yeon Seung-yeon’s expression turned gloomy.

His mouth trembled, but all he managed to say was that he was violently shaking.

“I-I don’t have money but……”

“What? Money?”

“I’m so sorry! O-o-o-o-of course not! I know it’s information that can’t be converted into money, but it can’t be compared to anything else ….”

Listening to Yeon Seung-yeon, I leaned over with my eyes shining.

“No need for the money, and I have a lot of questions.”

“What questions……?”

“This guide thing, how do I quit?”

“Eh?

I leaned back heavily while looking at Yeon Seung-yeon, who questioned my ears and asked me again with confusion.

“Guide. How do I stop being one?”

“Stop…………. being a guide……….”

“How do you get out of the island? Is there any other way besides an airplane? How to go out quietly for hanging out? Guides have restrictions on the status window, so can you see the status window? If you know how to release the constraint, please release it. Oh, and I don’t know the way to my dorm. I think you should take me there later.”

Yeon Seung-yeon’s expression was strangely wrinkled to the point where it was difficult to read what he was thinking.

“I-I’m sorry, but I don’t understand why you’re curious about that…………. Are you making fun of me….?”

“It’s not like that. I just don’t remember well because I have memory loss.”

“Y-you lost your memory? You’re kidding me!”

“It’s true though.”

Yeon Seung-yeon looked at me with a confused face. Even with a suspicious face, he began to answer my questions one by one. “We also have to report the status window to the center, but unlike Esper and guides, there are no restrictions. So I don’t know how to release the constraint………….”

“Well, it can’t be helped. The way out is?”

“The easiest way is indeed the flight……………. Any employee can ride it. It will be hard for people to ride ships because they are mainly freighted. Esper’s team travel by helicopters, scrolls, or portals depending on the situation, but they’re all heavily guarded…”

“So you don’t know.”

“I’m sorry!”

Yeon Seung-yeon gave me an almost tearful look as he turned to look at me.

“And the way to quit being a guide…”

“It would be?”

“I-I have no idea. I’m so sorry!!”

After a few seconds of silence, the question finally popped out of my mouth in bewilderment

“What the hell do you actually know??”

“I’m sorry. I’m in a different department…………. So I don’t usually talk to Esper or the guide.…………….”

I thought I could get some help from Yeon Seung-yeon, but it was all a dream in vain. He’s not timid. He’s just stupid.

Yeon Seung-yeon grew agitated and spoke as if he had made his own decisions.

“I-I’m sorry that I couldn’t be any help to Hohyun-nim. But I will try to find out how…………….”

“…”

“It’s the truth! I’ll try to find out somehow. For sure.”

“….Yeah, sure, try it.”

“Yes!!”

Looking out the window, it was late at night. It’s really time to go back, so I came out of the lab with Yeon Seung-yeon.

Yeon Seung-yeon, who went down to the underground parking lot, led me to a small light car in a remote corner.

“You have a car?”

“Of course, I need it to commute. Hohyun-nim, please get in.” 

“Wow… It’s so small.”

I lowered my gaze to the car’s body.

I’ve never been in a car this small. If I ride it, would it even move? Yeon Seung-yeon could be seen nicely seated in the driver’s seat when I knelt down and looked inside. He’s a squirrel, so he always drives a squirrel wheel.

***pic

Well, as long as it’s convenient for the owner. It looks pretty good on him.

Trying to suppress his dissatisfaction with the car, I opened the rear door and crumpled myself in. I couldn’t sit properly, no matter what I did, so I took two seats and sat at an angle, and then my legs became storage.

Yeon Seung-yeon glanced at the rearview mirror and started the car.

“I’m sorry, the car is too small for you.”

“It’s alright. It’s because my legs are too long.”

“Then, let’s go, Hohyun-nim. Please fasten your seat belt.”

The car made a slow start.

The island, which I took a leisurely look at on a road that was completely different from the road I came with Han Seo-jin. The island was much larger than I thought. There were many people living on the island; there were department stores, movie theaters, and large marts, so it did not feel like a remote island.

“Didn’t you say this was an artificial island? So it’s a safe zone?”

“Yes. The sudden gate doesn’t open, and there are only a few dungeons owned by the center nearby.”

That’s nice. If it’s an island, it’s hard for me to go out, so I can get out of Tae Jaeheon’s sight. The facilities are better than I thought.

I thought it would be okay to hide and live here for a while, but I quickly came to my senses and shook my head.

I can’t believe I’m thinking about this knowing how the guide is being managed at the center. Tae Jaeheon alone was enough to be controlled.

Now I wanted to live alone making money and not belong anywhere.

The car, which entered the residential area while driving on a dark road, entered a familiar street. I finally saw the team accommodation far away. Yeon Seung-yeon, who was nervous on his first trip, sighed as he wiped his sweat away. Then he looked at me in the rearview mirror.

“Phew, I heard that the top team’s accommodation is like a villa, but it’s really huge. It’s my first time seeing it in person………….”

“Yeon Seung-yeon! In front of you!”

Creeeeeak!

I was startled by the sudden burst of light in front of us and simultaneously heard a fricative sound tearing.

Yeon Seung-yeon, who had turned white, clutched the handle firmly while shaking. An automobile twice as big was just stopped in front of Yeon Seung-yeon’s car as I raised my head to look.

“Fuck, They can’t even drive a fucking car.”

“W-w-w-w-what……..”

“Get out of here, let’s see that crazy guy’s face.”

I was trying to loosen my seat belt and turn around to grab the handle,while someone got off the driver’s seat on the other side. I muttered in surprise when I saw the familiar expressionless face in the headlight.

“Han…Seo-jin?”

Our eyes definitely met but Han Seo-jin approached the driver’s seat without even looking at me. Han Seo-jin, who stopped in front of the driver’s door, tapped the window with his black gloves.

“Please get out.”

The sound was transferred through the soundproof door as it is. Yeon Seung-yeon glanced at me while trembling and ignored the doll that was hanging next to the window.

“Ho, Hohyun-nim, are you moving here?”

“……My team member is there. I’ll get off.”

“Hohyun-nim…….”

I left the frightened Yeon Seung-yeon and got out of the car. Han Seo-jin, facing Yeon Seung-yeon’s car in between, knocked on the driver’s seat again as if to look at me. 

Inside the car, Yeon Seung-yeon ‘s frightened cry leaked out.

“Get out.”

“Why are you telling him to get off?”

“I’m sure you can guess why.”

I looked around hearing Han Seo-jin’s snarky question. A sedan suddenly changed direction after making a menacing charge, and a small compact car stood in front of it.

“To say sorry?”

“…”

Han Seo-jin’s expression crumpled excessively.  You can just say no. Why are you looking at me like that?

Han Seo-jin sighed and spoke softly.

“I need to know why he is with our team guide, who has lost his memory, and what he has been doing so far.”

“You can just ask me. Yeon Seung-yeon just took me there……….”

“I’m not going to ask him. I’m going to find out.”

It was only when I saw the dangerously shining black eyes that I understood the meaning of the words. Han Seo-jin was saying that he would read Yeon Seung-yeon’s memory.

I could cover for Yeon Seung-yeon, who had nothing to do with Joo Ho-hyun, but Han Seo-jin, who knew the real Joo Ho-hyun, would be suspicious if he was suddenly working with potions.

“Han Seo-jin!”

Surprised that he might read what happened with Yeon Seung-yeon today, I hurriedly ran and grabbed Han Seo-jin’s arm. 

Looking at Han Seo-jin, who was staring down at me, I said,

“You left me.”

“When did I? I definitely told you to follow that person.”

“He is someone I don’t know.”

For a moment, Han Seo-jin stopped talking. In the meantime, I beckoned Yeon Seung-yeon through the windshield to go quickly.

Yeon Seung-yeon, who seemed to have understood the words, bowed his head as in goodbye and reversed the car. Fortunately, Han Seo-jin did not try to stop him.

The car disappeared, and the silence between Han Seo-jin and two men filled the darkness.  Han Seo-jin, who had been silent for a while, opened his mouth.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“What?”

“You, not following someone you don’t know.”

‘What nonsense……………?’

I crumpled up my expression, and when I realized that Han Seo-jin had asked me about what I had just made up on the spot. I waved my hand vaguely,

“It’s literally what I said. Why would I follow someone other than you?” 

“……what?”

Han Seo-jin, who became speechless, took a step back. I was more interested in the sedan that appeared after that rather than Han Seo-jin’s strange attitude. 

I approached, whistling at the sleek bodywork.

“Your car is good. Is it yours?”

“Where were you going? By the way, I really need to practice driving more. I almost got into an accident.”

There was no answer to the question.

So I wondered why and looked back, and saw Han Seo-jin who was standing with one hand covering his face. A slightly reddened face peeped through the black gloves.

Are you mad because you can’t drive?  

I approached him sneakily. As soon as I got closer, Han Seo-jin turned his back on me and stepped towards the team’s quarters.

“Let’s go.”

He’s doing that again! Like he thinks I am a dog who would follow any command.

…………… Since there was nowhere else to go, I followed Han Seo-jin.

“Hey! Let’s go together. Can you even leave the car there?”

“It doesn’t matter anyway since it’s our team’s site.”

“Really? …… Hey, Han Seo-jin. Let’s go to Seoul while we’re out.”

“What nonsense are you saying about all of a sudden?”

I sneakily asked just in case, but the answer came back like an iron wall. I grumbled as I followed Han Seo-jin back to the dorm.

“Where did you come from?”

“I was wandering around and lost my way. Did you get on the elevator and didn’t press the button?” 

“A checkup center?  Except for the first floor, you must have a card to press.”

“Yes, Yeon Seung-yeon, who was riding in the back, informed me. Then we became close and went to the lab for a while and then ate a cake.”

Even at Nox, I was good at lying. If you want to fool that crazy bastard, Tae Je-heon, you can’t help but perfect your facial expressions and voice.

As I spoke in a calm voice, I felt Han Seo-jin’s gaze on me withdraw.

“……..Don’t pick up and eat strange things.”