Guide Me If You Dare
Chapter 40: CHAMPION

Chapter 40: CHAMPION

"W-WHY are you getting your Esper involved here? Are you a coward?!"

"I am," Yuno said, nodding confidently. "I get scared easily, and I don’t like getting hit. That’s why I’m choosing a champion to fight for me."

Choi Kangmin gulped hard, but he wasn’t done yapping yet. "Aren’t you embarrassed? You’re a grown adult. You should fight your own battles!"

"Why would I do that when I can borrow other people’s strengths? Espers borrow Guides’ power all the time when Espers are a lot stronger than us, but I don’t see anyone complaining."

Fortunately, this time, Choi Kangmin couldn’t say anything.

He actually looks scared.

"Why are you afraid, Kangmin-ah?" Rebecca asked. She didn’t sound supportive, though. It was obvious that she was just having fun as a bystander. "You have an Esper, too. Why not ask Yang Youngjae to be your champion?"

Right?

"Yang Youngjae is the 5th strongest Esper in the country," Rebecca continued egging on Choi Kangmin. "Esper Ki Gayoon is more of a business tycoon now than an Esper."

Excuse me?

As expected, these people really use the term ’business tycoon’ as an insult to Ahjuhyung.

Choi Kangmin’s face beamed as if he was enlightened by Rebecca’s "supportive" remark. "Right. My Esper is strong, too."

Aigoo.

Yuno didn’t know why, but he felt really upset that Ki Gayoon was being looked down.

It’s probably because he’s my partner now— an insult to Ahjuhyung is an insult to me.

"I bet it will be so funny if the business tycoon you belittle ends up thrashing your Esper," Yuno said bluntly. "Imagine your Esper losing to an Esper who spent his time expanding his business while your Esper was busy raiding dungeons to level up."

Choi Kangmin grabbed Yuno by the collar despite Kim Jaeha’s plea for the two of them to stop fighting. "Don’t insult my Esper."

"It’s okay if you insult my Esper but it’s bad when I do it?"

Choi Kangmin was about to open his mouth as if to curse at him but— all of a sudden— the Guide’s body was sent flying until he hit the wall.

Aigoo.

What happened... oh.

"Nobody touches my Guide and gets away with it without at least a rib broken."

Yuno was half-relieved and half-scared that Ki Gayoon suddenly showed up there unannounced. "Ahjuhyung..."

***

KI GAYOON didn’t really want to go to the National Guide Bureau because he knew Ho Jungwon— no, Bambi— would be there.

But his desire to annoy the hell out of Noh Yuno was stronger.

I wonder how he’ll curse me this time if I show up at his workplace unannounced.

Of course, Gayoon knew Noh Yuno would ’forgive’ him once he tasted the lunch that he made just for him.

"Sir, you need an ID or a visitor’s pass to enter..."

Gayoon raised an eyebrow. "As far as I know, my face allows me to enter any establishment in this country— especially those properties owned by the government."

The guard who blocked Gayoon’s way looked up, and then the poor old man gasped as if he was about to get a heart attack. "I-I apologize Esper Ki Gayoon-nim!" he said, bowing his head deeply. "Y-You may enter, sir!"

Gayoon just scoffed before passing through the security.

Since the guard made a scene, everyone in the lobby was now looking at him in shock.

Haaah.

It’s only a matter of time before Ho— Bambi hears that I’m here.

Gayoon quickly entered the elevator, using his Esper ID to activate the button that would lead him to the 17th floor. He was the former #1 Esper, and so he had access to the floor where the best Guides in the country gathered.

Although he lost his status as the official #1, he didn’t lose most of his privileges.

"Don’t insult my Esper."

Hmm?

Gayoon heard loud voices from inside the office.

Is there a fight? Now that’s fun.

"It’s okay if you insult my Esper but it’s bad when I do it?"

That was Noh Yuno’s voice.

Now it’s not fun.

Gayoon immediately entered the office, and his vision turned red when he saw Noh Yuni’s nose bleeding while some bastard was holding him by the collar.

He waved his hand, throwing the bastard away from Noh Yuno.

I don’t care if that bastard is a high-class Guide, but...

"Nobody touches my Guide and gets away with it without at least a rib broken."

Yuno, instead of looking pissed, actually looked relieved to see Gayoon.

Now that’s a refreshing reaction.

"Ahjuhyung..."

"What happened to your face?" Gayoon asked, knitting his eyebrows. He then grabbed Yuno’s chin, moving the punk’s head so he was looking up at him. "Did that bastard break your nose?"

"I don’t think so," Yuno said while shaking his head. "His punch wasn’t that strong."

What?

Gayoon clenched his jaw tight. "That bastard punched you in the face?"

He was about to kill the bastard who dared to punch his Guide, but Yuno grabbed him by the arm.

"Noh Yuno, don’t stop me—"

"I’m not stopping you, Ahjuhyung," Yuno said firmly. "I slapped him with my glove after he punched me."

"Huh?"

"I’m saying I threw down the gauntlet."

Gayoon paused for a moment, and then he sighed. "Is this your new dumb way to die? You’re a Guide— a weak Guide, at that. You don’t even exercise, so how do you expect to win a physical fight?"

"It’s not like that, Ahjuhyung," Yuno said, clicking his tongue. "I started the fight, but I’m choosing you as my champion."

"What?"

"I chose you as my champion because you are my Esper, Ahjuhyung."

Ah.

This punk said I’m his again.

When Gayoon entered the office earlier, he heard Noh Yuno call him ’his’ Esper. And it seemed like the punk defended him or something.

Hearing Noh Yuno claim him again as his Esper wasn’t a bad feeling.

But when he’s being like this, it only makes me want to tease him more.

"What do I get if I fight as your champion?" Gayoon asked while raising an eyebrow. "Will you call me ’hyung’ properly?"

"No," Yuno said while avoiding Gayoon’s gaze. "But I won’t skip breakfast again if you become my champion."

Hmm.

That sounds like a better reward than hearing this punk call me by the right honorifics.

"Alright," Gayoon said, smirking because he was satisfied with his deal with Noh Yuno. "So, who do I need to kill for my precious Guide?"

***

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