Churu for the Angry Guide

14

The secretary buried his face in his hands and let out a silent scream. He tried his best to suppress his voice and calmly opened his mouth.

“Esper Geonho.”

The secretary, who was also a long-time colleague of Taebeom, knew his personality better than anyone.

“Can you handle this?”

As much as he knew Taebeom, he also knew Geonho, his brother. It was a fact known to all team members that Geonho’s mood was swayed by a single word from the leader and that he worried about it all day.

“You know the leader detests animals. What are you trying to do?”

‘What does he detest?’

Siwoo perked up his ears and widened his eyes.

He had just been prevented by Geonho from licking some seasoning that had fallen on the table. He bit the thick finger blocking his face and pondered the secretary’s words.

How could someone dislike animals when his own younger brother is a beastkin?

‘What a complete jerk.’

Siwoo looked up at Geonho, feeling irritated just thinking about it. He was quietly scratching under Siwoo’s chin with downcast eyes.

Geonho’s eyes were on Siwoo, but he seemed to be looking elsewhere. He had an expression as if lost in thought.

Somehow, it looked a bit sad. Unlike his usual foolish self.

Meow…

Siwoo pressed his paw firmly on Geonho’s knee. Seeing the usually energetic guy looking deflated made him feel drained too.

“What, you want Churu?”

However, Siwoo’s eyes immediately lit up at the mention of treats, and he headbutted Geonho’s stomach. He wasn’t one to refuse Churu.

While Geonho was preparing Siwoo’s treat, the secretary looked around the living room, sighing repeatedly.

“Hah… He’s already set up a whole household.”

Cat supplies were strewn about everywhere he looked. Seeing the stacks of cat food boxes, it seemed he had firmly decided to keep the cat.

He had known that Geonho liked cats for a long time. He had been feeding stray cats alone for years since entering the center.

According to what he heard from Taebeom, he had been like that since childhood. He had always preferred cats to dogs much more.

“Are you really planning to keep it?”

The secretary asked Jihan, not Geonho. He also looked to Seojun for help, but as the youngest, he wouldn’t have any power in this situation.

“For now, we’ll try to hide it as best we can.”

Jihan answered lightly. He seemed to have distanced himself from this issue.

“What if the leader finds out? It’s obvious he’ll kick it out right on the spot.”

The secretary looked with a serious expression at the carefree cat enjoying its Churu. That happiness would be short-lived.

“What sin has that young one committed?”

The secretary’s sigh deepened as he pressed his eyes. He was actually an animal lover too.

“It will think it’s been abandoned. Getting kicked out after being loved like that can cause depression.”

“Wouldn’t it be okay if we give it lots of treats?”

Seojun chimed in cautiously. He seemed to genuinely think that would solve the problem. And for good reason.

Meow! Nyaong.

‘Hey! Give me one more. The shrimp flavor.’

Though usually expressionless, life came to its white face whenever it was given treats. Even now, it was passionately grabbing Geonho’s pant leg, asking for more Churu. It seemed far from depressed.

“No. Only one per day.”

‘Use more, you fool! You’ve got plenty of money!’

The secretary watched Geonho and Siwoo squabble over treats, his worry growing.

“So when are you going to tell him?”

There’s no such thing as a secret that can be kept forever. Eventually, the leader would find out. But before that…

“Wait, you are planning to hide it, right?”

The secretary pointed at the toys scattered everywhere with a dumbfounded expression. It didn’t look like there was any intention to hide the cat’s existence at all.

“What if the leader suddenly comes?”

“He hardly ever comes to the guiding room.”

The secretary shook his head at Seojun’s words and firmly said that you never know what might happen.

“I rarely come here too, but I came today, didn’t I?”

“I don’t think the leader will come unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

Jihan added. The secretary couldn’t argue further when told that Taebeom hadn’t come once this year. Still, he couldn’t relax.

“What if he does come?”

He asked again, hoping Geonho would respond to his words. Seeing his hand slow down as he petted the cat, it seemed he was listening to the conversation.

“What will you do if the leader comes to the guiding room right now?”

They say words can become reality.

Geonho and Seojun, with the keenest hearing, turned to look at the entrance door in succession. Soon after, Jihan and the secretary also looked at the door simultaneously.

Once again, Siwoo alone failed to detect the outside sound. Even in an animal’s body, only Espers could sense presences outside the soundproofed walls.

The four Espers, listening to the approaching footsteps towards the door, swallowed dry saliva simultaneously. Siwoo, on the other hand, licked his lips.

“Q-quickly, hide it…!”

The secretary stammered as if out of breath, flailing like a fish out of water. His mind froze as the situation he had worried about most suddenly arrived.

The leader was coming to the guiding room now. His characteristic steady and upright footsteps were gradually getting closer.

Even if they could hide the cat immediately, there wasn’t time to clean up all the scattered supplies. It was over now. The secretary’s eyes suddenly widened as he took a deep breath.

“Huh…?”

In the brief moment he had looked at the entrance door, all the objects strewn about had vanished without a trace. Even the toy fishing rod and tattered scratching post were nowhere to be seen.

Geonho had used his telekinesis to compress the objects and shove them into the cabinet drawers. Those items had reached the end of their lifespan today, but that wasn’t the issue.

“Just for a moment.”

Geonho, who had tidied up in just one second, laid Siwoo on his bedroom bed. Then, covering him with a blanket, he asked him to stay quiet.

“Don’t cry. I’ll be back soon.”

He seemed to firmly believe that the cat could understand his words.

He was indeed a fool. Siwoo burrowed into the blanket with a sulky face, keeping his mouth shut tight. He had roughly grasped how the situation was unfolding.

To keep getting food, he mustn’t be discovered.

“D-did you practice this or something?”

The secretary deeply admired Geonho, who had hidden even the cat in an instant. He had never seen him move this fast even at gate sites.

“I’ll tell him myself, so don’t bring it up first.”

Geonho warned the secretary and sat at the table, rubbing his face. He intended to confess immediately if his brother’s condition seemed okay.

If not… he’d wait for another chance.

Finally, the doorknob turned.

As the door lock disengaged, the Adam’s apples of three Espers moved in unison. The missing one was Jihan. He had already left the scene before the situation became serious.

Seojun and the secretary swallowed sighs, envying Jihan’s teleportation ability. They too wanted to slip away if they could. But the door had already opened.

“Oh, leader. What brings you here?”

The secretary, anxious, approached the door first. He stood in front of Taebeom, imagining passing by him and leaving the guiding room.

“Why are you here?”

Taebeom slightly furrowed his brows as soon as he entered the guiding room. He seemed displeased to see the secretary, who usually avoided the guiding room as much as he did.

“I came to set tomorrow’s guiding schedule. I thought it might be troublesome to call everyone to the conference room.”

The secretary rattled off words rapidly, as if there really were matters to convey.

“Where’s Yoo Jihan?”

Taebeom casually looked around the guiding room. Seojun, who had jumped to his feet, answered that Jihan had finished his meal and left. He looked as uncomfortable with Taebeom as Geonho did.

Taebeom’s sharp gaze, as if pierced by thorns, fell on the guiding machines. He carefully examined the densely arranged machines and narrowed his brows.

“Open a window.”

At his words, Seojun reflexively moved to open a window. The secretary quickly followed him.

“Did you just come?”

Geonho, awkwardly sitting alone at the table, broke the silence. Even when they had a dedicated guide, Taebeom had received guiding in his personal office.

“You don’t come here often, hyung.”

He had thought Taebeom wouldn’t visit this place for a while longer. He hardly ever came to the shared dormitory either.

“Did something happen?”

Geonho looked up at his brother while fiddling with the end of his spoon. The expressionless, rigid face was no different from usual. He couldn’t tell if his condition was good or bad.

“Why are you staying here?”

Taebeom, who had been quietly looking down at Geonho, asked in a chilly voice. It seemed he had come after receiving reports that Geonho hadn’t been coming to the dormitory recently.

“It’s just comfortable.”

Geonho shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. Then he cleared his throat very softly. Seeing him seemingly organizing his thoughts, Seojun and the secretary, standing far away, exchanged glances.

“Hyung, you know.”

Geonho slowly started, taking a sip of water.

“I was thinking of raising something.”

His voice, escaping with a shallow sigh, gained strength. However, he couldn’t easily continue to the next words. He could anticipate his brother’s reaction.

“What?”

Taebeom’s gaze grew colder. Though their eyes were identical, the way they looked at each other was completely different.

“You know what.”

Geonho raised his head and looked straight at Taebeom. His attitude suggested he believed his brother would know without him saying it directly.

As expected, Taebeom didn’t ask what it was. He just coldly looked back at Geonho, reading the wavelength emanating from him.

The report that he was receiving guiding every day seemed to be true, as his wavelength was very stable. He also looked the brightest he had ever seen.

“Alright, raise it.”

Taebeom’s answer came back briefly.

Geonho, who had expected his brother to object, just blinked with his mouth open. Seojun and the secretary, who had been watching their conversation, also widened their eyes in surprise.

“Really?”

Geonho stood up.

He hadn’t expected to get permission so easily. He even felt like bringing the cat from his room right now to show his brother.

“Is it really okay to raise it?”

His brother would surely like it too. He hoped so.

Taebeom, having sufficiently read Geonho’s wavelength, scanned the guiding room one last time as if he had finished his business. At the same time, he opened his mouth, pulling Geonho’s elated mood back down to the ground.

“After you retire, you can raise whatever you want.”

Taebeom’s monotone voice continued indifferently.

He ignored Geonho, who was moving his lips, and headed for the entrance door. He had no reason to stay here any longer.

“Hyung.”

Just as Geonho faintly opened his mouth,

Boom!

Suddenly, a loud presence was heard from Geonho’s room.

It was the sound of something falling to the floor. Simultaneously, the sound of thin glass breaking rang out.