The S-class Awakening

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Chapter 5 – In the Quiet Before

The soft hum of the shower ceased, and the lingering heat of the steam clung to the walls. Droplets of water glided down smooth, taut muscle, tracing every sharp curve of his defined chest and abdomen. Kim Seojin emerged from the glass enclosure, his hair dripping, damp strands sticking to his forehead. He dragged a towel down his neck, the fabric brushing against the hard lines of his torso.

The suite was dim, bathed only in the cool glow from the cityscape beyond the towering windows. Seoul stretched beneath him—glittering, distant, and cold. It suited him.

The apartment, immaculate and pristine, was a place of control, where every surface was wiped clean, every detail in place. His life was as meticulously curated as the space around him—calculated, composed, and always in his grasp.

He wiped his hair once more and glanced at his reflection in the large mirror. Angular features, sculpted physique—power embodied. But in his eyes, there was something else. Something unsettled.

A memory surfaced without permission.

—Faint green eyes. Wide and unguarded. The fleeting shock in their depths. That guide. Him.

Seojin's brow furrowed. His grip on the towel tightened briefly before he tossed it aside. That encounter had been nothing—a passing moment. Yet it had followed him like a whisper all day.

There was no reason for this. He didn't chase fleeting glances or care for meaningless faces. A guide, especially a low-level one, was insignificant.

And yet...

The air felt warmer than it should. His skin prickled, not from the shower but from something crawling deeper, under his guard.

"What was that?" he muttered, his voice a low growl.

That moment—their eyes had met, and something twisted inside him. A strange pull, deep and primal, like his core was recognizing something his mind could not name.

He hated it.

Kim Seojin did not chase feelings. He hunted threats. Controlled his world. Took what he wanted without hesitation or doubt.

And yet here he was, standing still, plagued by the face of a guide he hadn't even spoken to.

His lips pressed into a thin line. Enough of this.

With a turn, he strode to the console near his bed. A flick of his hand brought the holo-interface to life—a soft glow filling the room. His voice, low and edged with authority, broke the silence.

"Secretary Yoon."

The response was immediate, the secretary's voice crisp and professional. "Yes, sir?"

"Find the man who was with me during the monster outbreak," Seojin ordered. His tone was cold, sharp. "Check the CCTV footage from the scene—every angle. I want his name, background, everything."

A slight pause. Then: "Understood, sir. I'll compile the report immediately."

"Also…" His voice dropped lower, threading with something darker. "Look into his Esper compatibility records. If he's a guide, I want his match rate."

The line cut with a chime, but silence did not return.

Because his blood still wasn't silent. It thrummed with something slow and simmering. Something that made his jaw clench and his fingers curl.

Why is this bothering me?

He closed his eyes, but instead of the darkness behind his lids, he saw him. That startled expression. The faint tremor in his lips.

It had only been a second. But it had felt—

Unavoidable.

Seojin's eyes snapped open, and for once, there was frustration in their depths.

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The city outside pulsed with life, but his suite remained a world apart—cold and immaculate, untouched by chaos. But inside him, a disruption had already begun.

An hour passed before the holo-screen brightened again, signaling the arrival of the requested data. With a flick of his wrist, the file unfolded before him.

A photo.

A name.

Name: Han Jonghyun.

Occupation: Government Guide, Low-level Assignment Division.

Esper Compatibility Records: Data Restricted – Authorization Required.

Seojin's gaze sharpened instantly. Restricted? For a low-level guide?

The tension in his jaw returned, and his thumb hovered over the file's header. Restricted compatibility records were standard for high-risk individuals—guides of significant potential. Yet, this man was supposedly C-class.

No. Something didn't add up.

With a quick motion, he scanned the rest of the profile.

Age: 26.

Rank: Registered C-class Guide.

Assignment: Low-level Esper Guidance Program.

Background: Middle-class family. Father, a retired civil servant. Mother, housewife.

Seojin's fingers tapped against the console—a soft, rhythmic beat. On the surface, there was nothing extraordinary.

But that moment...

No C-class guide could make his senses flare like that. His instincts never lied. And his instincts screamed that this man was something else.

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Without hesitation, Seojin's voice cut through the air once more.

"Yoon."

The secretary's prompt acknowledgment followed. "Sir?"

"Override the authorization block. I want his full compatibility results." His tone was glacial, final. "And…" His voice slowed, darkened with something closer to possession. "Start surveillance on him. I want to know his every move."

A pause, then: "Understood, sir."

The line ended, and the screen faded to black.

Seojin stood in the sudden quiet. But inside, nothing was still.

There was something about Han Jonghyun that had reached inside him, unseen and unexpected.

And now… he wanted to reach back.

To find. To know.

No—

To have.

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The evening had settled into its usual routine for Han Jonghyun. The quiet of his apartment was almost suffocating, the only sound the occasional hum of passing traffic outside. He sat, staring blankly at his tablet, the dim glow of the screen the only light in the room. The air was chill, and though the windows were shut tight, the cold crept in, settling around him like an unwelcome guest. He pulled his blanket tighter, but even the warmth from it couldn't fully chase away the sense of unease that lingered in his chest. Everything felt still, almost too still.

Then, without warning, the air grew colder. The temperature dropped sharply, as if the world had suddenly exhaled a breath of frozen air. Jonghyun frowned, tugging his blanket closer. The floor creaked beneath him, just a soft tremor, but enough to make him pause. Something was off. He glanced around the room, the shadows in the corners seeming longer than usual, moving in ways they shouldn't. A flicker of light in the lamp caught his eye, but it was gone in an instant. He shook his head. It was nothing.

But then, the sound came—a low, distant rumble that seemed to come from far beneath the earth itself. The walls groaned, a faint crack appearing in the far corner of the room, glowing ever so slightly. Jonghyun's heart raced. His phone flickered and went dark, and for a moment, he wondered if the building itself was shifting. The air grew thick, as if it were pressing in from all sides. His breath caught in his chest. Before he could react, a sudden force grabbed him, yanking him out of his seat. His vision blurred, and his body felt weightless as though gravity had ceased to exist.

His pulse pounded in his ears as the room seemed to stretch, distort, and fold in on itself. He reached out for something, anything, but his body moved too sluggishly to respond. The cold clung to his skin, freezing him in place as his mind fought against the overwhelming pull. His fingers twitched, but nothing he did could stop the pull, the sensation of being drawn toward something unknown, something dark and vast.

And then—everything went black.

End of Chapter 5

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