LIAR PARADOX
CHAPTER 12
A strange silence hung in the air.
"Ha ha, Jei. Let's talk for a moment, shall we?" Pyo Myeongho forced an awkward smile as he pulled Gu Jei out of the room.
After walking down the corridor for some time until they were out of Hanseo's earshot, Pyo Myeongho glanced around.
"No one's here," Gu Jei assured him.
Only then did Pyo Myeongho open his tightly pressed lips.
"Jei, what on earth are you thinking? A 98% matching rate! 98%! Do you even realize what that means? He even likes you! This is an incredible opportunity!"
His anger seemed to rise with each word. Pyo Myeongho took off his glasses and pressed hard against his temples.
"He's just a naive kid who barely knows anything about the world, having just come out of the Gate. He's not even a proper Guide, so he hasn't been matched with any other Esper! We need to secure him while he's still easy to catch."
Pyo Myeongho's demeanor was a stark contrast to the obsequious attitude he displayed before Hanseo, where he would bow his head and call him "Benefactor, Benefactor." But to Pyo Myeongho, his nephew was naturally more precious than any stranger. After all, he was the one who watched over Gu Jei more closely than anyone else.
No one knew better than Pyo Myeongho what the five-year-old child had endured after being dragged to the Center the moment his Esper abilities awakened.
Unaware of his uncle's deep concern, Gu Jei retorted with detached sarcasm, "Director, your words sound like you're suggesting we exploit that child's feelings."
"Exactly! That's the only way you'll survive!" Pyo Myeongho roared before letting out a heavy sigh.
"And you can't call him a kid. You guys are only a year apart, technically."
"It's hard to see someone who was sucked into a Gate at 13 and returned seven years later as their actual age."
Pyo Myeongho put his glasses back on. His nephew's face, now much clearer, looked sculpted and incredibly rational, yet Pyo Myeongho knew Gu Jei was being stubbornly childish.
"Jei, you know we need to handle this before the higher-ups find out. If it reaches them, they'll try to manipulate you using Yeo Hanseo. You know the Center routinely uses Guides to blackmail Espers—why are you acting like this?"
As an uncle, he naturally didn't want his nephew to be married off like this.
But the Center was already eyeing Gu Jei, eager to manipulate him as they pleased. Since Gu Jei desired neither money nor fame, they lacked leverage. If they learned about his compatible Guide, they'd be the first to make a move.
If Yeo Hanseo became a Team Guide, the Center would gain complete control over him. They'd deliberately assign him to a different team to interfere with Gu Jei's training, knowing that even Gu Jei couldn't remain unaffected with his sole Guide captured.
Yeo Hanseo appearing before Gu Jei without being a formally registered Guide could only be described as a stroke of divine fortune for them.
However, Gu Jei didn't seem to share that sentiment.
"I've managed just fine without a compatible Guide until now."
"That's not 'managing fine,' it's barely surviving," Pyo Myeongho retorted sharply.
"Admit it, Jei, you've already reached your limit. Back in your teens, even Guiding from a low-compatibility Guide provided some stability, but recently there's almost no effect. You've developed immunity to both sedatives and sleeping pills, so they barely work anymore. Isn't this the result of all that stress finally boiling over?"
"...The Guiding drug will be completed soon. Just hold out until then."
"You mean the one Barunmunje Pharmaceutical is developing? Even if it passes testing at that absurdly fast pace and gets released next year, there's a much higher chance you'll go berserk again before then. Now that your compatible Guide has finally appeared, why risk such uncertainty?"
Pyo Myeongho studied Gu Jei's expression, a dawning realization crossing his face. "Could it be... because of the marriage?"
"Marriage is for people who love each other."
Pyo Myeongho was inwardly taken aback by his nephew's response.
Until now, Gu Jei's sole focus had been the Gates and monsters. Yet, it's surprising that despite his impassivity, there was still this romantic side to him.
Even though Gu Jei is hailed as a national hero, he's only 21 years old. Moreover, having devoted himself solely to conquering Gates since childhood, he had never mingled with ordinary people and had remained distant from television and the internet. This isolation likely explained why such a naive side still lingered within him.
Pyo Myeongho, after a moment of contemplation, cautiously opened his mouth.
"Jei, for every gain, there must be a sacrifice. And marriage isn't as grand as you imagine. Frankly, it's just a matter of stamping a document; you can become strangers again just as easily. If the Guiding drug proves truly effective, then divorce him. I won't stop you then."
"......"
"Let's not worry about the distant future. We don't have the luxury to think that far ahead."
Did Pyo Myeongho's sincerity finally reached him? Gu Jei no longer voiced his refusal. Instead, he slowly turned his gaze away from Pyo Myeongho, looking toward Yeo Hanseo.
"...But Mr. Hanseo might not want this," he said, his tone suggesting he hoped that might be the case.
"I'm fine with it," Yeo Hanseo replied without hesitation.
Gu Jei was momentarily speechless. "...Are you serious?"
"Yes, I'm serious."
Despite Gu Jei having bluntly declared he had no intention of marrying someone like him, the man before him simply blinked his large eyes, as if he'd never heard such a thing. Feeling his briefly subsided headache returning, Gu Jei frowned slightly.
"Mr. Hanseo, we haven't known each other long. In fact, we've barely spoken to each other before."
"But... I've liked you since the first time I saw you."
Yeo Hanseo's response was unwavering, as if he had already rehearsed it in his mind.
Gu Jei's suspicion was closer to the truth than he realized.
"When I first saw Esper Gu Jei shortly after he emerged from the Gate, my heart started pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of my chest. My eyes followed him unwittingly, and I keep wanting to see him more."
Hanseo lowered his gaze slightly. Contrary to his inner thoughts, he appeared utterly forlorn, like someone heartbroken.
Hanseo's words weren't entirely false.
His heart had indeed raced the moment he saw Gu Jei—out of sheer terror!
He had also been watching Gu Jei intently—to assess his movements and intentions!
"You don't have to like me back. I'll do anything if it means I can be of help to you."
Hanseo swallowed a sigh, having just delivered a line that he adapted from a drama.
Marriage with Gu Jei?
Naturally, he'd never even considered such a thing. Just imagining himself and Gu Jei as a couple from a drama sent shivers down his spine.
But Hanseo had a compelling reason to avoid becoming a Team Guide at all costs, even if it meant resorting to marriage.
Finally, Gu Jei spoke.
"I understand your feelings, Mr. Hanseo."
"Then...!"
As planned, Gu Jei seemed to have lost any lingering suspicion. After all, it would be difficult to doubt a child who claimed to have fallen head over heels at first sight. Especially when that child was a "fragile victim" who barely survived the Gate.
Hanseo hadn't been feigning weakness for no reason. While it was partly to make Yeo Hanseo's backstory more convincing, his primary motive was that he knew Gu Jei was weakest toward someone like Yeo Hanseo.
'Got him!'
Just as Han Seo was about to bask in his victory,
Brrring
Gu Jei glanced at the watch on his wrist and looked up.
"What is it? A Gate?"
"Yes, I need to go."
What? He's leaving? Hanseo's eyes widened in disbelief.
'You haven't even answered me yet!'
"Wait, Jei," Pyo Myeongho said, thinking the same thing, and tried to grab Gu Jei's arm. But Gu Jei deftly evaded Pyo Myeongho's hand and darted toward the door.
"Ah."
Standing at the doorway, Gu Jei glanced back at Hanseo.
"Now that I think about it, I'm late with my greetings. Thank you for your help."
"No problem. But more importantly..."
"Let's discuss the rest after Gate is cleared."
Gu Jei gave a slight bow. Hanseo instinctively bowed in return, but when he looked up, Gu Jei was already far away.
Hanseo stared blankly at Gu Jei's retreating figure, which dwindled to a speck in the distance. His face suddenly crumpled in frustration.
'That bastard... he's not thinking of backing out, is he?'
The fact that someone who valued clarity had left without a definite answer left Hanseo feeling deeply uneasy.
Just then, a soft voice called out to him.
"Um, Mr. Hanseo?"
"Ah, yes?"
"I'm sorry to ask, but could you wait for Jei a little longer? I know it's presumptuous, but Jei really needs you. Please."
Seeing Pyo Myeongho bow his head, Hanseo frantically waved his hands.
"You don't have to do that. Of course I'll wait."
He started all this because of Gu Jei, there's no way he would give up now.
Pyo Myeongho seemed deeply moved by Hanseo's unwavering response.
"Thank you so, so much. Mr. Hanseo, you must be an angel sent from heaven for me."
...An angel? To Hanseo, who had only ever been called a devil or demon in the past, this was an unfamiliar title.
"Then take care on your way back! I'll contact you soon!"
Hanseo's face was conflicted as he left, leaving Pyo Myungho behind as he came out to the lobby to see him off.
What if Gu Jei refuses? Can Pyo Myeongho persuade him?
Pyo Myungho had cared for Gu Jei for a long time in place of his biological parents, so Gu Jie would probably listen to his words. But whether he could persuade Gu Jei was another matter entirely. Gu Jei was notoriously stubborn, rarely changing his mind once he'd made a decision.
For now, all Hanseo could do was wait.
It shouldn't take too long, he thought.
If this dragged on, he would find himself in a very difficult situation.
"Tch."
Hanseo clicked his tongue as he stared down at the paper containing his medical examination results.
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