OMH Chapter 46
by VolareThe kids at least gained some sense of reality, so they listened a bit better during training. Just a tiny bit.
The biggest achievement was that Director Kim was pleased with Cha Woojin’s performance.
She liked it so much that she personally picked out another patrol mission for him to go on next week.
‘It’s better to be liked than disliked.’
Even though the price is that I get the most work, I can endure this much for Woojin.
“So, we’re going on a mission next week like yesterday. This time, you have to learn shooting properly. Go over there and practice quickly.”
From morning, I diligently drove the kids into the shooting range I had set up.
The next mission is to patrol the boundary area of Downtown.
Since it’s a place where civilians live, we need to be able to quickly and reliably eliminate external threats.
It would be convenient to have an ability to accurately kill from a distance, but that’s something only specific Espers can do.
But using such specific personnel only for patrols is a complete waste of manpower.
It’s not like that ability is only needed here.
So, for this mission, a gun is the best.
With a gun, Guides and even ordinary people can have the physical power to protect themselves to some extent.
Of course, it’s also an excellent weapon for non-combat Espers.
Woojin, who handles that weapon well, is a talent that people on the field would like. No wonder Director Kim likes him.
And Woojin has also captured the hearts of the young friends taking my class.
They like him so much that they don’t even listen to me and are clinging to Woojin, trying to learn shooting tips.
‘I’m glad everyone recognizes Woojin’s competence, but this is my class. At least listen to me. Why don’t you listen to me even when I say the same thing, and only listen to Woojin?’
It feels a bit strange to see them letting what I taught earlier go in one ear and out the other, but nodding and seriously taking it in when they hear it from Woojin.
‘Woojin also needs to practice shooting, but he can’t because of you guys.’
To make matters worse, Cha Wooreen is even clinging to Woojin.
“Hey, you guys stop it! If you have questions, ask me. I can shoot a gun too, you know? I can hit moving targets too? Woojin also needs to practice shooting. Stop clinging. Cha Wooreen, let go of your brother’s pants.”
“No, I’m going to be with my brother.”
“The Guide is much more reliable than the senior.”
“That’s right. You can’t even hit the center.”
“I don’t think it’s the Guide who needs to practice shooting.”
“I agree that Woojin doesn’t need to practice, but aren’t you guys looking down on me too much? I may not be good at shooting, but I’m a veteran in the industry.”
While I was passionately preaching my value, the kids didn’t leave Woojin.
But Woojin’s complexion is strange? Woojin, who was already pale, has turned as white as a sheet of paper.
‘His eyes are also unfocused, like… someone about to collapse. He’s also tilting… this is…’
He’s really collapsing?!
“Gasp! Woojin!!!!!!”
I hurriedly ran and caught Woojin as he fell.
Thanks to running at full speed, I was able to catch Woojin before he fell to the ground.
“Woojin, what’s wrong? Are you okay? Are you sick?”
I hugged Woojin and asked urgently, but the poor Woojin couldn’t even answer my questions and went limp in my arms.
‘What’s wrong? Why is he like this?’
I touched Woojin’s forehead to assess his condition.
‘His forehead is burning up.’
I told the kids to practice shooting among themselves, and with Woojin on my back, I ran to the Medical Bureau.
I had contacted Lee Hwayoung while going to the Medical Bureau, so I was able to get a checkup without waiting long.
Soon, Lee Hwayoung, who had finished examining Woojin, opened her mouth.
“It’s just a bad cold. I’ll give him an IV drip. But I heard the mission ended yesterday, are you just coming back now?”
“No? We came back yesterday, and Woojin collapsed while training at the Research Center today, so I came here.”
“…Then go to the Research Center infirmary, why did you come here? They can also give IV drips there. I thought something big had happened since you called me so urgently. It wasn’t something that urgently required calling me here. ”
Lee Hwayoung calmly rebuked me for calling her when it wasn’t urgent.
“But Woojin collapsed, so it’s a bit much to go to a mediocre place like an infirmary rather than a professional Medical Bureau.”
“The infirmary also has a lot of medicine, and the staff there are also medical professionals. Why do you always crawl into a place that’s about to die when it’s not a big deal? Do you think I’m easy? I thought you came here because you were seriously injured in the field. Are you calling me here for a cold caused by overwork? If it’s something like this, just check in downstairs and come up.”
“But… Woojin can’t come to his senses. He also has a high fever.”
“Humans don’t die from 39 degrees. Don’t call me unless it’s an emergency.”
Lee Hwayoung scolded me for a while and prescribed medicine for Woojin.
I was relieved that Hwayoung still handles things reliably, but then she chased us out, telling us not to bother her.
She’s heartless, even though Woojin hasn’t woken up yet.
*
Leaving Woojin to get an IV drip, Cha Wooreen and I came out of the Medical Bureau.
I was going to watch the kids practice shooting, but my wrist vibrated.
I checked my Smartwatch, and it was Director Kim.
‘Why is this person always so eager to call me out? I came as soon as the mission ended yesterday. Why call me out again today?’
What’s more, it’s currently “High-Risk Esper Special Education” time.
“Sigh… There’s no benefit in refusing what directors ask, so I have to listen.”
I put Cha Wooreen under my arm and headed to the Guide Director’s office.
I sent a message to the high-risk Esper kids telling them to clean up and leave when it’s time after practicing shooting, so they’ll take care of it.
Cha Wooreen whined about why I was leaving her brother behind, but I just picked up the kid and went inside the director’s office.
*
“I’m busy with class, why did you call me?”
“Why else would I call you? Because I have something to say. Sit there.”
I greeted her crookedly because I was called out and had a hectic morning, but our Director Kim didn’t even look at us while looking at documents and greeted us.
Director Kim is someone who makes me run a lot of errands, but she is ultimately the director of the Guide Bureau.
The things she calls me out and makes me do are all related to the Guide Bureau.
So, the reason why this person called me is obvious.
“You called me because of Woojin, right? But Woojin is sick and can’t come right now.”
“I called you because of that guy. I know all about your situation. Isn’t the reason I called you now is because you’re alone during a time when no one can interfere?”
Director Kim finally took her eyes off the documents and looked at us.
So, this woman knows that I can’t move because it’s class time, but she also knows that Woojin collapsed and I was separated from the S-grade kids and kicked out of the Medical Bureau, so I’m temporarily floating around?
‘No, what is it? Is she my stalker, not the Guide Director?’
I got goosebumps at Director Kim’s intelligence.
I vaguely knew that the Association would be aware of the members’ every move, but experiencing it like this is really creepy.
Whether she knows what I’m thinking or not, Director Kim only says what she wants to say.
“You should know this. I’m going to make that guy the Field Team Guide Team Leader before spring comes. You stick close to him and nurture him well. I’ll take care of the education and supervision.”
Director Kim immediately got to the point, as usual.
The ‘Field Expert Guide Team Leader’ she’s talking about is a position that’s currently vacant.
Until three years ago, there were many ‘Field Expert Guides’ that Guide Director Kim Hana had nurtured.
‘Field Expert Guides’ were different from the Guides who came along as a sidekick to the field team.
As the word ‘Field Expert’ suggests, they are experts in the mission field.
Although they are Guides, they know the methods of dealing with hooligans and monsters as a basic, and they have professional knowledge of the field, so they are qualified to participate in mission planning meetings.
The best person among them was appointed as the team leader, and the ‘Field Expert Guide Team Leader’ has a position equal to the team leader of the field team that commands the field.
So, three years ago, I saw a lot of fights between the ‘Field Expert Guide Team Leader’ and the field team leader, who was an Esper.
‘Now there’s no one, so she’s trying to raise a new one?’
“But why are you trying to make Woojin the Field Expert Guide Team Leader? It’s only been a month since he was rescued by the Association.”
“There’s no one suitable other than that guy. If we don’t hurry, we’ll lose him to another place again. We can’t lose him twice.”
Director Kim crossed her arms and closed her mouth as if she had finished speaking.
But wait a minute.
“I understand why you’re pushing someone who’s not even fully recovered. But you didn’t tell me that. Why are you trying to make Woojin the team leader?”
“He’s moderately young, healthy, his survival skills are somewhat guaranteed, and he’s handsome, so it’s easy to attract attention. His topicality would be very good. The Guide Team Leader appointed in three years. It’s nice to see a handsome guy appear in such a position.”
“I understand that you chose him because he’s young and handsome, but survival skills? I rescued him from being eaten by a monster?”
“If he survived for 7 years in that mess with a newborn baby, it’s not just good luck, but he has his own special skills. He seems to have a better sense than you in the field you went to yesterday? He’s also good at shooting, so he has the basics.”
Director Kim seemed to be evaluating Woojin’s shooting skills very highly. I didn’t know she would change her attitude like flipping her hand.
‘Anyway, isn’t it good to be good?’
It’s a good thing that the Guide Director sees D-grade Guide Cha Woojin positively.
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