DPGR 162

The Baek Dojin of the first life was very, very different from the one Jiho knew. For one thing, he wasn’t the Alpha Team’s captain.

‘Why? He’s an S-rank with multiple abilities.’

Baek Dojin was part of the Beta Team. Not even as a team leader, just a regular esper.

Jiho couldn’t understand why someone as capable as Baek Dojin was kept as “just an esper.” It was a waste of talent.

But it didn’t take long for him to find out why.

‘Ah…’

Within a single day, Jiho’s trust in Baek Dojin shattered.

‘His social skills… they’re worse than mine…?’

That’s right. Baek Dojin of the first lofe was even less socialized than Jiho, who had been locked away for years.

First of all, he didn’t speak to anyone. If someone did try to talk to him, he would just stare with those black eyes of his. The icy glare he gave off made everyone steer clear of him.

‘What’s wrong with him…?’

He also seemed to harbor a deep grudge against the world. The only person he interacted with at all was Jiho. Baek Dojin didn’t participate in team training, and during dungeon raids, he only half-heartedly tagged along.

‘Seriously, what’s with him…?’

Jiho found this version of Baek Dojin unfamiliar. A delinquent, defiant, lazy Baek Dojin?

What on earth had happened since his awakening? He acted just like a rebellious teenager going through puberty.

Jiho had to hold himself back from nagging him to adjust his attitude, be friendlier with others, and stop skipping training.

Still, there was one saving grace: Baek Dojin was (somewhat) kind to Jiho.

“Uh, h-hyung.”

“Yes? Do you need something?”

“Yeah. Um…”

Thanks to all the effort Jiho put into loosening his stiff tongue, he was finally able to communicate, even if his pronunciation was clumsy.

“I ha-have a question.”

“Yes, what is it?”

Speaking in this babyish way again after so long made Jiho feel frustrated with himself. But even when Jiho’s words came out garbled and hard to understand, Baek Dojin never got irritated or showed any signs of impatience.

This part was just like the Baek Dojin Jiho knew.

“About an artifact.”

“An artifact? Why? Is there something you want?”

“N-no, I mean, yes.”

Jiho shook his head but quickly corrected himself. Dojin acted like he could get him anything, like it was no big deal.

If it had been the Dojin Jiho knew, he would have found that reassuring. But seeing this delinquent version of Baek Dojin trying to act that way just made it seem like he was bluffing, and kind of cute.

“Um, have you ever heard of… a resurrection artifact?”

“Resin?”

“Nuh-uh! Re! Sur! Rec! Tion!”

“Re…surrection? There’s an artifact like that?”

“……!”

Jiho’s eyes widened. Baek Dojin didn’t even know such a thing existed, let alone where it might be.

That meant Grandpa Kwak Jiheon hadn’t given him the artifact yet.

‘When exactly does Grandpa give it to him? Should I just wait?’

Still, Jiho laid the groundwork carefully.

“Mm. I heard about it somewhere. If you ever end up getting one, hyung, you have to show me, okay? Promise.”

Baek Dojin stared blankly at the finger Jiho held out. Then he smiled faintly and hooked his pinky around it.

“Alright. Promise.”

That was it. Now, if Baek Dojin ever received the artifact from Gwak Jiheon, Jiho would definitely hear about it.

Jiho continued diligently as Baek Dojin’s pair guide.

Time passed.

“Hey, is that the kid?”

“Yeah. That bastard cleaned up his act thanks to that one. Who else would put up with that guy’s nasty attitude? He’s got himself a sucker, that’s all.”

Every now and then, Dojin’s bad reputation rubbed off on Jiho. People would talk behind his back loud enough for him to hear, steal and hide his belongings, or bump into him on purpose in the halls.

Petty bullying followed Jiho everywhere. But Jiho didn’t really mind.

His mind was too full of thoughts about the resurrection artifact.

‘Why… why is there still no news?’

Before he knew it, four months had passed. In that time, Baek Dojin had gradually recovered, started attending training, and no longer acted hostile toward others unnecessarily.

He even began interacting with a few team members and showed concern when Jiho was being harassed.

But that was it.

‘He hasn’t contacted Grandpa even once in four months…’

A creeping sense of crisis set in. Jiho’s instincts were sounding the alarm, he’d gotten something wrong.

Unable to hold back any longer, Jiho approached Baek Dojin again.

“Hyung.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“Um, why don’t you… use a spear?”

“…Spear?”

“Yeah. You always use guns.”

That was right. Baek Dojin of the first life used guns, not a spear. That only made Jiho more anxious.

‘I heard he learned the spear from Grandpa. But this version of hyung only uses guns.’

His question was soon answered.

“I just prefer guns.”

“But…”

“A spear, huh… Maybe it’s because the person I hate most uses a spear? I just can’t bring myself to touch that thing.”

“……!”

The person he hated most? Surely not Grandpa Kwak Jiheon?

Jiho’s pupils trembled like. Oblivious, Baek Dojin kept talking.

“Just seeing a spear puts me in a bad mood… no, it makes me feel sick. Reminds me of that nagging guy. Gives me a headache. Why? Do you want me to use a spear?”

“Uh… uh…”

“Hm? What’s wrong, Guide Jiho?”

“H-hyung…”

“Yes? Are you feeling sick? Dizzy?”

“No, no. Do you… do you not have a teacher?”

“A teacher…? Where did that come from?”

Baek Dojin raised an eyebrow, like he’d just heard some nonsense. His expression made it clear, he had no such person in his life.

That’s when Jiho had to admit it to himself.

‘Baek Dojin! What did you do?!’

The assumption that Kwak Jiheon would give Baek Dojin the artifact had been wrong. This Baek Dojin had no connection to Kwak Jiheon. No, in fact, they seemed more like enemies.

“Guide Jiho? Guide Jiho. Are you okay?”

“N-not okay…”

“Sorry?”

“Hyung… I hate you…”

“G-Guide Jiho?”

The four months he’d wasted felt too bitter to bear, and Jiho’s eyes welled up.

He needed to find another way, and fast.

***

Every method Jiho could think of was either useless or flimsy. He’d never been the type to come up with brilliant ideas.

“Hmmm…”

Jiho pouted and stared at the paper in front of him.
1. Take a taxi to Grandpa’s house. → Failed. Doesn’t know Grandpa’s address.
2. Ask the Esper Director for Grandpa’s contact info. → Failed. Got interrogated instead.
3. Ask Hyung to help him meet Grandpa. → On hold. Would probably get interrogated again.

The first idea had already failed.

Now that he was Dojin’s pair, he could move around freely, so he thought it might work. He even managed to get into a taxi.

‘But so what…’

When the driver asked where he was headed, he froze. Cold sweat ran down his back.

‘Ah… I don’t even know where Grandpa lives.’

By the time that hit him, he’d already been scolded by the driver and kicked out. Jiho clutched his head and cursed his stupidity.

Then the second idea. That went just as badly.

‘Hm…? Why do you want Kwak Jiheon’s number?’

“Uh, well, I just… I wanted to ask something…”

“That’s personal information. Wait, what’s your affiliation? You look unfamiliar.”

“I-I, um…”

“Suspicious. Wait here a moment.”

“I’m so sorry…!”

The Esper Director interrogated Jiho harshly. He even almost called security, and Jiho had to bolt.

Thankfully, Jiho looked different now, he’d gained some weight and cleaned up thanks to Dojin’s care. Otherwise, the director might’ve recognized him and reported him to Dojin, leading to an even worse round of questioning.

“Sigh…”

Jiho tapped the paper with his fingertips as he recalled his two failures. The third idea was on hold, he had no idea how to explain it to Dojin.

‘If it were the Dojin from the third life, he’d listen to whatever weird request I made…’

He couldn’t trust the current Baek Dojin like that. Sure, he was being kind to him, but that wasn’t enough.

Once again, Jiho couldn’t come up with a good idea, and he groaned, scratching at his head.

‘This is too hard…’

In his old life, there had always been someone to help him when he had problems.

Dojin, of course. But also Sehun, Kijoon, Jihye, Yulchan, Sena, Geonwoo… and Grandpa Kwak Jiheon, who always smiled and called him “kid.” Even Heendungi, who had now become Hayan. Even Dojin’s mom and dad, and Team Leader Yoon of the Beta Team.

He missed them all.

‘I want to go back…’

Tearing up, Jiho sniffled. Then he rubbed his eyes with his sleeve and slapped both cheeks.

‘No. I’m the one who said I wanted to come here.’

It was lonely, hard, and painful, but he could bear it. If it meant he could save Dojin, he could endure this much.

‘I’ll sleep on it and think again tomorrow.’

Maybe he’d feel better after some rest. Maybe he’d come up with a new idea. A new way to meet Kwak Jiheon.

Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Jiho crawled under the covers.

And the next morning.

“Kid. Are you alright?”

“…?”

“Come on, up you get.”

‘G-Grandpa…?’

Jiho came face to face with the person he’d missed so desperately. The one who was supposed to have the artifact, Kwak Jiheon.