Guide Me If You Dare-Chapter 123: THE PARTY (2)

YUNO almost fell asleep while listening to Chief Kim Munhee’s long opening speech.

I miss the time Sajangnim was the Chief of Natural Guide Burea. His speeches were short and funny. Chief Kim’s speeches are always long and a bit boring. Sajangnim and Chief Kim are the same age, so it’s amusing how different they performed their role as the chief. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

"The stage is now yours, Team Leader Bambi-ssi."

Finally.

When the audience clapped, Yuno snapped back to reality.

Right now, the Top 5 Guides were standing on a make-up stage in the center of the grand ballroom behind the podium.

Of course, our respective Espers are just in front of the stage.

Yuno could also see Yang Youngjae and Eun Rina in the front row.

He met Eun Rina’s eyes for a moment, and the female Guide grinned at him.

Aigoo.

Come to think of it, it’s the E-Class Guides’ way to stand out because it’s our duty to act as a decoy. But Eun Rina wasn’t raised in the Lab. So, who taught her the E-Class Guides’ way?

Anyways, Yuno’s thinking moment was interrupted by what happened next.

Bambi took the stage when Chief Kim Munhee stepped down.

Cameras kept flashing, but Yuno didn’t blink.

Yes, there were "reporters" there to cover the event in order to make it more realistic.

In reality, those "reporters" are agents from the Awakened Police Department. They are Civilians, but they are trained to fight dungeon monsters if needed. Hence, even if the serial killer— or serial killers— appear, the "reporters" will be able to protect themselves and evacuate the Civilians to the shelter.

It was Ryu Sungbin’s idea to ask for the cooperation of the Awakened Police Department.

Because he knows the Espers would be busy protecting the Guides during this event.

"We now officially welcome Guide Noh Yuno-ssi as the newest Top 5 Guide in South Korea," Bambi said in a calm yet commanding voice. "Everyone, let’s give a round of applause for Guide Noh Yuno-ssi."

Everyone in the hall clapped.

Yuno even heard some cheering from the crowd.

"You’re pretty, Yuyu!"

"Sly fox, do you want to die?"

Pfft.

Those were definitely Moon Noa and Ki Gayoon.

Anyways, Yuno stepped on the podium when Bambi asked him to.

Right.

I’m supposed to give a speech while waiting for the enemies to attack.

"First of all, I’d like to thank my partner— Esper Ki Gayoon-ssi— for giving me this spot. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here today. After all, he is my champion," Yuno said indifferently. His face was definitely as apathetic as his voice. But he was being sincere. "To my fellow Guides, please watch me. I’ll make the most out of the position I hold at the moment."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Bambi giving him a warning look.

But he ignored the Team Leader.

Not because Yuno was busy with his speech, but because he felt the sudden shift in the air. It seemed like only he could feel it yet.

But he couldn’t be mistaken.

The sudden gust of cold wind made the hair at the back of his neck rise.

They’re finally here.

Yuno immediately looked for Ki Gayoon in the crowd— and it wasn’t hard to do because his Esper was tall and eye-catching. "Gayoon Hyung."

As soon as he called for Ki Gayoon, he felt his body shot up.

Yuno felt like an invisible hand grabbed him by the nape and lifted him as if he were just a piece of trash getting picked up from the ground.

Of course, a commotion instantly occurred below him.

Above all of that, he heard Bambi’s loud, calm, and clear voice.

"Espers, protect all the Guides here with your lives!"

Oho?

Yuno felt proud of Bambi at the moment, but he didn’t have the luxury to enjoy that feeling because his body kept shooting up in the air.

Of course, that meant the ceilings were collapsing as he passed them by.

Whoever or whatever it was that was pulling him up was making a hole out of the holes for him to pass through, but they were also protecting him from getting hit by the debris.

I guess they want me alive.

Argh.

I wanna throw up.

He closed his eyes tight because getting pulled upwards by an invisible force was making him dizzy— a feeling similar to when riding a tower drop ride in an amusement park.

Are they going to drop me to my death?

Instead of getting plummeted to the ground after reaching a certain height, Yuno’s back actually hit something solid.

Argh!

If I was a normal Civilian, I would have broken my back already.

Fortunately, Yuno was a Guide.

Hence, he survived the impact.

But he realized that he was trapped by two invisible forces that were keeping him suspended in the air.

When did I get to the hotel’s rooftop?

"Good job, Youngjae Oppa~"

Hmm?

When Yuno looked down, he wouldn’t say he was surprised to see Yang Youngjae and Eun Rina looking up at him.

Yang Youngjae’s eyes looked soulless, so he was obviously being controlled.

Eun Rina, on the other hand, was smiling as if she had already won.

Hmm.

How did Guide Eun Rina-ssi get here this fast?

"Got you, Yuno Oppa," Eun Rina said in a mocking tone. "How does it feel to be caught by the person you crossed, huh?"

"Not bad," Yuno said, smirking. "I like looking down on brats like you, Rina-ya."

He wasn’t the type to talk down to people younger than him. After all, he didn’t care that much about the age hierarchy that was a big part of the Korean culture.

However, he liked talking down to young people who didn’t know their place.

"Arrogant until the end, huh?" Eun Rina said, sighing while shaking her head. "Youngjae Oppa, bring Yuno Oppa down."

That was how Yuno plummeted to the ground.

Argh!

I think I heard my back break this time.

Yuno almost fainted from the pain, but his sheer stubbornness kept him conscious— and it wasn’t like he would allow himself to lose consciousness when Eun Rina suddenly straddled him by the hips.

And then Eun Rina placed his hands on Yuno’s chest.

That made his skin crawl.

"When would people like you learn how to respect other people’s personal space?" Yuno complained weakly. "And keep your hands to yourself, young lady."

"Oh, shut it, you prude," Eun Rina complained. "You’ll only stop yapping when your heart stops beating, won’t you?"

"Can you?"

"What?"

"Can you make my heart stop beating?" Yuno asked coldly, his eyes turned glowing red as he released his power. "You’re the one who’s being arrogant, kid."

Eun Rina opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

And then she grabbed her throat as if she couldn’t breathe.

"Make my heart stop beating like how you killed your previous victims?" Yuno asked, and his voice only sounded more and more apathetic to the point that he couldn’t recognize it anymore. He couldn’t help it. After all, he was very angry. "How dare you use the very technique I invented against me?"

Well, technically, it wasn’t only Yuno who invented that technique.

Same difference, though.

Eun Rina looked shocked at first, and then her eyes widened as if she was terrified.

Then, in the blink of an eye, she disappeared on her spot.

Yuno got up slowly, watching Eun Rina step away from him.

Ah, she’s scared.

"Noh Yihun?" Eun Rina asked in a shaking voice. "Father’s greatest masterpiece?"

Haaah.

Yuno combed his fingers through his hair, annoyed that releasing his power also meant retrieving the memories that he buried in the deepest corner of his mind.

Let’s get this done and over with—

"Youngjae Oppa!" Eun Rina yelled. But, this time, she sounded thrilled instead of scared. "Change of plans! We’re bringing Noh Yuno to Brother!"

’Brother?’

And why does this brat look excited now as if she wasn’t shaking in fear a moment ago?

Yuno was about to ask Eun Rina about this ’Brother,’ but Yang Youngjae looked scary when he raised his hand as if he was about to hit him with his gravitational force or something.

But, all of a sudden, thick walls emerged from the ground— surrounding him.

Those walls appeared at the perfect time because they protected Yuno from whatever it was that Yang Youngjae threw at him.

He could see the walls getting dented, but they didn’t collapse.

Whew.

Only one person here can conjure these walls.

"Yuno-ya, I will never listen to your plan ever again."

Pfft.

Yuno let out a relieved soft laugh when he heard Ki Gayoon’s voice behind him. "Was my request to wait for at least three minutes before coming to my rescue that difficult, Hyung?"

"Those three minutes almost gave me a heart attack, you punk," Ki Gayoon said, wrapping his arms around Yuno’s shoulders. "I should stop drinking coffee. Your antics are already bad enough for my heart— I don’t need palpitations to make it worse."

That was funny.

But Yuno couldn’t really laugh.

"Hyung."

"What?"

"You heard it, didn’t you?" Yuno asked, a bit scared. "I was one of the people who invented the technique to kill Guides."

"So what?" Ki Gayoon asked, scoffing. "I like my punk a little bit murderous, Yuno-ya. How do young people say it these days?" He paused for a moment before letting an "ah" as if he had just reached enlightenment. "You match my freak, Noh Yuno."

Aigoo.

Yuno smiled while leaning against Ki Gayoon’s warm and solid body.

Hyung really knows the right things to say to make me feel better.

***

Please ADD <GUIDE ME IF YOU DARE> to your LIBRARY to be notified when an update is posted. Thank you! :>