"What are you doing? Not signing."
Even if the unlucky Cheon Yeo-ju falls backwards, her nose will break. It would be better if her head were to crack. Just die. As I've said before, life doesn't always go as planned. With hesitant hands, I boldly signed the partnership agreement. And so, finally! Park Jimin and I became partners. It was the outcome I chose, but my luck was truly unbearable.
Pride and Prejudice B
Still, since it was my first day at the center, the staff member irresponsibly handed me over, telling me to at least give me a briefing, and left everything to Jimin. Still, I wondered if the staff member's explanation was any different from this person's. Perhaps with some conscience, he walked me to the dormitory. My bag was starting to feel a little heavy, and I decided I should rest there, so I spoke to Jimin.
"You don't know the center well anyway, do you? Can't I just go to my room and rest for a bit?"
"Do you know where the room is?"
"A room?"
Don't you know? Of course not. If you just pass by, you'll probably find a room with my name on it, right? Either way, I don't want to be with this man. I just want to spend as little time with him as possible. The man scoffed at my confident tone, suggesting I didn't know much about the center. He pointed to a building in the distance. I don't know why his straight finger was so annoying. He didn't look like it, but he must have carefully read the results report the center gave me, calling it a self-introduction.
"What are you doing?"
"Isn't that teleportation?"
"That's right."
"Anywhere is possible as long as you know the location."
"You need to tell me the exact location, because I can't tell you exactly where it is just by poking it with my finger."
"Room 702. The room next to mine."
The room next door? For a moment, I thought I'd been temporarily deafened. Jimin, seeing my obvious confusion, explained this and that with a pitiful expression, crossing his legs. Out of all the long, tedious words, all I could make out was, "Partners are supposed to live as close to each other as possible." It was probably a precautionary measure, perhaps, for emergencies.
X-Center, known for having the most useless rules of all centers, was already a reputation I'd already acknowledged a few hours after arriving. Why were these centers so strict and disciplined? Now that I knew where my room was, I knew I had no business and planned to use my powers immediately. Even if he hadn't spoken again.
"Let me know if you need guidance."
"No need."
I regret my previous choice so much that if I could change partners right now, I'd rush over and tear up the partnership contract. I don't know why I hated Park Jimin so much back then, but it was probably because of the arrogance and pride I so openly displayed in front of him. I know it's just my own bias that keeps me from viewing him in a positive light, but really...
"Okay, do whatever you want."
If you look at me with those insignificant eyes, like a child, you'll lose whatever little grace you had left. He stood by my side until I teleported, but only after I left did he move. No, it's hard to say he moved, because he slowed down again at the sight of someone walking from far away. The saying that enemies meet on a bamboo bridge is a classic, but it certainly holds some truth. Park Jimin's eyes were fixed on someone.
"Long time no see."
"What's the reason?"
"For what reason?"
Someone, namely Jeon Jungkook, immediately approached Park Jimin without saying hello and muttered something incomprehensible. Perhaps Park Jimin immediately understood why. He was asking why Cheon Yeo-ju had chosen to partner with him. From the moment they locked eyes, Park Jimin, who had been on one leg, shifted his gaze to the ring on Jeon Jungkook's left ring finger.
"Why? Now that I took it away, are you scared again?"
"······"
"You know, all the Sentinels I left in your care died. If I were to hand over a mere nineteen-year-old brat to you..."
"hey."
"Isn't that what your lover looks like?"
Jeon Jungkook's fist felt like it was about to touch Park Jimin's face. His hands, shaking so violently that he could barely contain himself, wouldn't stop. That didn't mean Park Jimin was completely fine, either. He clenched his molars until he finally chewed his lower lip. Jimin, seeing Jungkook's expression as if he were about to cry, let out the same hollow laugh he had before, then spat out a warning.
"Don't be greedy."
"I am···."
"Never again. I will never see any Sentinel become like Sein. At least not from you."
With those words, Jimin turned away first, his back trembling with unease. Jimin, who had looked troubled even as he uttered the word "sein," and Jungkook, who instinctively backed away the moment it came out, were no longer bright. Yet, his once-dry, noble eyes showed no sign of shedding tears.
I felt like anything would be possible if I had you. Was it a sin to hold you in my arms, even though you weren't mine? Her dry eyes still held emptiness and resentment. It was so miserable that, while deep inside, I was filled with longing, that outward expression was all I could muster. I wanted to cry.
***
B! B-rank! Those were the words I kept spitting out as I buried my face in the bed after entering the room. B-rank is on the low side, but since the number of As and S-ranks is small, I'll probably be out in the field a lot. That's fine. But teleportation... Isn't teleportation just too much? In the field, the only things a Teleport Sentinels can do are transporting high-ranking Sentinels and guides to the center, or moving citizens. Since I'm already in the center, I wanted to do something cool... I must have been muttering to myself, my tone filled with resentment, when a noise started coming from the next room.
The soundproofing here is seriously bad. At first, it was barely loud enough to be called noise, but as time went on, it grew louder and louder, to the point where I was worried something was wrong. I was about to drag my heavy body out of the room, struggling to get up. As soon as I opened the door, a man appeared. Jungkook, who had just come close to signing a partnership agreement with me, was standing right in front of me.
"hello."
"hello···?"
"······."
“Why are you standing in front of my room···.”
"ah."
Jungkook, who seemed to have just realized that he was the one standing in front of my room and saying hello, stared at the name tag on the door for a long time before walking towards his own quarters. But... why are you going to the room next to mine? Am I living among these men? Why, of all people, between the two who were engaged in a bloody war of nerves earlier? Of course, I didn't have any luck to begin with, but today seems even worse. This is misfortune itself. Cheon Yeo-ju, the very misfortune that even Seo In-guk, who called her destruction, would run away from. It seemed like the perfect line for a grandiose self-introduction.
"Mr. Jungkook!"
"yes?"
"Are you by any chance in the room next to mine?"
"Ah, that 701..."
"This is room 702. Please take care of me."
My awkwardly extended hand was offering Jungkook a handshake. Jungkook hesitated for a moment, then quickly took my hand firmly. Perhaps not his naturally cheerful disposition, he didn't even smile once. Jimin laughed so hard I wanted to punch him in the face. Jungkook was someone I couldn't help but notice. Perhaps that's why I even momentarily forgot why I'd left the room.
"Oh, right. I came to file a complaint in the room next door."
"If it's the room next door, it's Park Jimin..."
"That's right, Mr. Park Jimin. You've been making noise lately, so I was wondering if something was wrong."
"That, heroine... Miss!"
As I was walking to Jimin's room, I suddenly heard a voice calling me from behind. Jungkook hesitated for a moment, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't. If only he had spoken a little faster, I would have been able to hear him. Before he could even begin, the door to the next room burst open.
"What are you doing."
"Oh, you're out. It was so noisy I thought something was wrong..."
"go away."
"yes?"
He looked completely different from before, swearing at me the moment he saw my face. He had been smiling brightly earlier and telling me to let him know if I needed guidance. Perhaps he was glaring at Jimin out of frustration, but his gaze was not on me, but on Jungkook. The abyss in his eyes was so deep. It seemed like no matter what I said, it wouldn't be able to alleviate the resentment he felt towards Jungkook. I couldn't figure out the reason or the cause, but it seemed like it was because he looked so tired just being in this situation. Maybe he was upset about being sworn at earlier. In any case, what I wanted to say in my next words was that I had no selfish motives.
"Guiding, you said to let me know if you need it."
"······."
"I need it now. Please do it."
"Come in."
With his gaze still fixed, I stepped into his room. A box was filled with various items, broken or crushed, haphazardly placed. For some reason, the box felt pitiful. It was so heartbreaking to have left someone I could never forget in a corner of the room, even as I tried to forget them. He seemed oblivious to me, going into the kitchen and downing a pre-filled glass of ice water.
"What do you need?"
"yes?"
"How much do you need?"
He put his water glass down on the table and approached me, saying, "How much do you need?" "How much do you need guidance?" Is that something you say to a high school student? Honestly, I don't even need guidance right now, so how much should I say?" I looked at him with frightened eyes. He was standing right in front of the sofa where I was sitting, looking down at me, not knowing when he'd gotten so close.
"Just your hands..."
"Just hold hands?"
"I'm a high school student..."
"I'm a guide."
Surely he didn't answer like that because he was copying my tone? Jimin, who was just smiling unluckily like before, as if he had never cursed before, told me with an uncomfortable expression that holding hands would be enough, and he plopped down next to me as if nothing had happened and grabbed my hand. It felt strange, the two of us pressed against the edge of this long sofa. His hand looked surprisingly cute, so I played with it for a moment before suddenly holding my breath at the guiding that came in. It really is a high level, to see him feel this good just by holding hands.
"good?"
But if you ask me like that, I'll lose interest again. He took out his phone and looked at it with a look of obvious nonsense. What would an S-class guide do with his phone? Out of curiosity, I peeked at his phone screen. This marked the second time I'd regretted a thousand times, "peeking at Park Jimin's phone." He went into the gallery and didn't come out for a long time. To be exact, he was in a certain album stored in the gallery.
"Who are you?"
"three."
"Who is Se-in?"
"My last love. Jeon Jungkook killed her."
Only now did I understand. Where did the sorrow that filled his eyes whenever he looked at Jeongguk come from? Unable to offer comfort, I gripped his hand tighter. The other person's fingers, tucked between my fingers, felt quite firm.
I hope you're happy, the one who chose me, the one who wanted me. I unconsciously leaned my face against his shoulder. Really, I hope you're not sad. It was even harder because he acted as if nothing happened even while looking at the photo. Still, I thought, if Jimin is my partner, I might be able to survive here for a little while. Maybe.
This gif fits the two of them so well...
The first one I saw was Park Jimin, and the first one to leave was Park Jimin...
Despite that, Jeon Jungkook is still staring intently...
What are those pink shoes you're holding? Are they Se-in's or Yeo-ju's?
Anyway, have a nice day. Have a nice night🥰