HIDDEN CARD: Hidden Card

ESPER: Psychic [03]

Since then, the heroine has repeatedly used her powers to save countless students, many without their knowledge. She pretended not to notice the throbbing in her palms and casually walked outside, only to find all the students gathered before the teacher.

"The grade results are in. I'll tell you the names and grades one by one, so listen carefully. Kang Ye-rin, Class B, Go Young-hoon, Class B, ……."

The names of the students in the class and their classes were listed in order, and the female protagonist stood a little distance away from the students and scanned her surroundings with all five senses.

A mutant creature has been discovered, so I need to report it to Senior Seojun quickly... but it seems like it won't be possible right now because there are so many people.

"Kim Taehyung S-class, Park Jimin S-class, Jeon Jungkook S-class, Kim Yeoju S-class, Park Danbi A-class."

"Teacher, wait a minute. Why is Kim Yeo-ju an S-class? Isn't she that girl? I haven't seen her use her powers."

김여주

"……."

"Oh, you don't know Kang Hyun-min, who just transferred, do you? Kim Yeo-ju is the Guardian's 'Joker'. Her abilities can go up, but they can't go down."

Despite the student's question about what he meant, the homeroom teacher continued to list the names and classes of other students. A few students were seen murmuring in agreement with Kang Hyun-min's words, but Yeo-ju's gaze was fixed on the homeroom teacher.

김여주

“Kill that thing… Stop it.”

It was a well-known fact to everyone at the school that the female protagonist was a Guardian, but she was reluctant to reveal it. But to say it so openly in front of the students from the North... I was furious.

"Guardian? What's that?"

"It's a club created by the government, and only those in Class A or higher are eligible to apply... We just call it the Cursed Club."

"What? Only the very best can join Class A or higher. But why the cursed club?"

"I've seen people join that club, but I've never seen anyone leave. And… if you join that club, eight out of ten people die. Last year, two college seniors died."

With my senses heightened, I could hear the whispering voices of students from afar. Guardian. The cursed club. To the other students, Guardian was both respected and feared.

The three people who had been quietly listening to the students and observing Yeoju took a few steps back. This was to prevent them from overhearing their conversation.

박지민

“If you’re a Guardian… isn’t that the club the chairman said we absolutely had to join?”

김태형

"You can enter if you're Class A or higher. We're Class S, so we're out of luck."

박지민

“But eight out of ten die. Didn’t you get tricked by our CEO…?”

김태형

“…I see. Hey, Jeon Jungkook. What do you think? Are you going to go in as a guardian or something?”

전정국

"……."

김태형

"Oh, answer me,"

박지민

"It was the Chairman's order anyway, so you have no ability to refuse, right, Jeon Jungkook?"

김태형

"No, shit. Are you really a palace maid? Are you interested in Jeon Jungkook? How did you know when you didn't even say anything!!!"

박지민

"Ah, Jeon Jungkook's face is talking, his face!!"

전정국

"……."

김태형

"How can you know anything just by looking at the face of a kid playing a phone game!!!"

Although they kept their distance from the other students, they didn't lower their voices. The students who overheard Taehyung and Jimin's conversation learned that they were joining the Guardians, and eventually...

The rumor spread throughout the school in no time.

As soon as I returned to school after the test, the next class, incredibly, was club time. Despite the distance from the school to the hill behind the school, rumors spread in just a few hours.

It was clear that among the students in the class were telepaths or sound wave espers. The female protagonist, already weary of the attention being poured on her and the seven others, rubbed her forehead.

한서준

"Hey, Kim Yeo-ju. How are the new S-Classes?"

김여주

“…Why don’t you just go and see for yourself instead of asking me? You’re right around the corner.”

As if the heroine's words were a signal, three familiar faces and four unfamiliar ones entered the Guardian Room together. Ah, I could even see the short sister behind them. And so, the Guardians were complete.

단미래

"Hey, heroine!!! I missed you so much!!!!!"

Before Seojun could even begin to greet the newcomers, Mirae, who had been far behind them, leaped out and rushed at Yeoju. Unable to bear the weight of her body, she fell onto the sofa. Mirae grinned, grabbed Yeoju's face, and kissed her cheeks and forehead.

단미래

"Ah, our youngest Yeoju!!! She's still pretty even after seeing her after a long time!!!!"

김여주

“Sister… We saw it last week too….”

단미래

"Oh my, now we're all lumped together as 'us'?! Can't you even speak informally to me now, heroine?!"

단미래

"I feel bad because you only speak informally to Han Seo-jun and are formal to me... If the female protagonist spoke informally to me, I would have no more wishes!!!"

한서준

"Hey, Danmirae... why don't you sit down? Can't you see the new kids?"

단미래

"Of course, what else is there to see besides our pretty heroine?"

Danmirae. She's in the same grade as Seojun, and she's known Yeoju for a little over a year. Unlike Seojun, Yeoju always used formal language with Mirae. The reason is...

김여주

“Sister… please come down now.”

단미래

"Whoa! The heroine called me her older sister! Hey, did you hear that? This is how we're related–."

…Isn’t that why?

From the moment she first saw Yeoju, Mirae hugged her tightly, saying she was so pretty. Even though she was a head shorter than Yeoju, she was cute and cuddly, so Yeoju didn't seem to particularly dislike her.

Ignoring the two noisy people, Seojun sighed and seated the seven people who had just arrived. Some looked around curiously, while others stared blankly, seemingly disinterested. This seemed to be where their personalities were revealed.

한서준

"Is it a bit noisy? Sorry. He's just so outgoing."

김석진

"It's okay. I'm in the same class as him, so I've gotten used to it to some extent."

한서준

“Ah… It’s been hard from the start….”

When Seojun offered words of comfort with a pitiful look in his eyes, Seokjin smiled faintly, expressing his gratitude. A strange sense of kinship developed between the two.

한서준

"I'm Han Seo-jun, a sophomore in college. I'm the head of Guardian, and I have clairvoyance."

단미래

"Ah- Do I have to introduce myself? This is really boring... I'm Danmirae. I'm in the same grade as Han Seojun and Kim Seokjin, and I'm a psychometer."

단미래

"Don't worry, if you're of a higher class than me, you won't be able to read it. Our heroine is mine, so don't touch her!!!!"

Seojun shook his head as he watched Mirae cling to Yeoju's shoulder and scream. Just as a year ago, he was still Kim Yeoju's exclusive gum.

김남준

"Well, should we introduce ourselves too? I heard the Chairman already passed our information on to Guardian…."

한서준

“Oh, that’s….”

He remembered the file he'd given Yeoju last night. Seojun, unsure whether Yeoju had read it or not, smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head.

한서준

"Yes, there are so many that it would take too much time to introduce them all one by one. Let's ask each other questions from time to time, and I'll explain about the Guardians."

From the heroine's perspective, it was like hearing something she already knew over and over again, so she took out a piece of bubble gum from her pocket and put it in her mouth. Perhaps because she hadn't chewed it in a while, the sweetness lingered in her mouth.

한서준

"There are four control zones around the school. Control zone S-1, Control zone S-2, Control zone S-3, and Control zone S-4. There are four in total."

I listened to Seojun's words with one ear and let them go out the other, glancing at Jeongguk, who was sitting across from me. He was still burying his face in his phone.

한서준

"Our Guardians are guarding those control zones. From students and normals alike."

정호석

"What's in it?"

한서준

"A monster created by anti-government forces."

The female lead's eyes, which had been turned toward Jungkook, and Jungkook's, which had been turned toward his phone, simultaneously lifted and met. A slight awkwardness flowed, but that only lasted for a moment. Both of them turned to Seojun.

한서준

"Unknown to the world, anti-government forces are currently creating monstrous creatures through biological experiments. Judging by their evolving nature, the government believes they will soon be able to be transplanted to Espers."

김여주

"Has the government not even given them names yet? We can't keep calling them monsters and mutants."

한서준

"…'Walta'. The first monster created will be called 'Walta', and the second monster created recently will be called 'Volta'."

한서준

"You must keep in mind that while Walta is irrational and violent, Volta can use the powers of an Esper."

A monstrous creature capable of using Esper's abilities... I was reminded of the Cobra I saw in Control Area S-1 earlier. That must be Volta.

한서준

"We don't have time for a leisurely welcome party or anything, so you'll be joining us on patrol starting this evening. I'd like to ask for your opinions, but we're pressed for time, so I ask for your understanding."

한서준

"We'll definitely be moving in groups of three, and since today is the first day, Yeoju will naturally be joining us. Tonight's patrol is..."

Seojun looked around at the seven faces, then smiled faintly at exactly two. To anyone else, it might have been a benign smile, but Yeoju understood the meaning behind it. That was…

한서준

"Yoongi and Hoseok, let's go."

It was a devil's smile.