"There," I said and raised my head, smiling at him. "That's how it's done."
Sung-min looked at me, his barely readable eyes showing a hint of surprise.
This was a first for him. No one would've ever volunteered to hold his hand, not when he was as cold as ice.
He probably expected me to take my hand back after coming into contact with him, but he was wrong, and they surprised him.
'Don't worry, Sung-min. Your frost can't hurt me. At least, not in this life.' I thought and kept up my cheeky smile. "What's wrong? You look like you've never held hands with someone before." I laughed it off, making it known that I didn't know much of his relationship status or private info, even if I did know it all.
"You..." He paused, calming his nerves as he felt out of tone for a moment and then looked me in the eyes, asking, "... Who are you?"
Well, that was a surprise. If he was asking this now then that meant I was starting to get to him, right?
My lips curled up even more and I said,
"It's about time we did a formal introduction," I said. "My name is Choi Joon-ho and I'm a normal civilian." I introduced myself but he didn't feel so sure about that.
Maybe because my hand felt warmer than normal?
"Are you sure you're not a guide?" He suddenly asked, an expected question and I shook my head.
"Nah. All the guide tests showed negative." I said and gripped his hand. "Why? Is there something wrong with holding hands?" I asked but he didn't say anything and then turned around.
"No, I'm probably just imagining it."
For whatever reason, he was moved to hold hands with me, for whatever reason, he was putting up with me, a stranger, and for whatever reason, he wanted to keep me close... He could not find any clues and that made him want to observe me even more.
'Well, it's good for me.' I thought. 'This way, he won't start getting suspicious of me for no reason. If he thinks I'm a simple, reckless fool who would get close to anyone just to feel safe, then that's fine by me.'
We didn't talk much after that until we were in the parking lot, where a sleek black car that probably cost more than my entire apartment was waiting. The doors unlocked with a soft click, and Sung-min gestured for me to get in.
As soon as I sat on the absolutely comfortable chair that sank like a bed, the chill in the air intensified.
"Gosh, who turned on the AC?" I asked but the chill didn't come from the AC. Rather, it came from the holographic map lit up in front of us, flashing red.
Multiple points of distortion were marked across the city. Ah, this seemed familiar.
"Cracks?" I asked, leaning forward like a kid looking at candy.
He simply started the engine without giving a response, as if it would take a lot out of him to simply say a yes or no.
How stingy.
"Choi Joon-ho," he called,
"Oh, just call me Joon-ho," I said, grinning. "Better still if you call me honey. Anyone's fine."
He asked with an eyebrow at my remark, but didn't say anything regarding it and simply continued.
"I think I'm crazy for thinking this but I get this feeling that you knew." He said and I tilted my head.
"Knew what?"
"That there would be an incident at the center square. Before the quake happened, you were already attracting the crowd, doing all you could to attract as much attention as you could with your gaze fixed on the square." His tone was quiet, but there was something dangerous under the ice.
Ah. So he had noticed.
I smirked and then shrugged.
"That's a very bold thought," I said. "But it was just a coincidence. I was simply trying to end my life. There's no way I would know something like that. I'm not psychic."
"You don't seem like someone tired of life." He said and I glanced away.
"Who knows? I was probably tired before someone showed up and gave me a reason to continue living." I was spitting bullshit to him but since there was no evidence, he couldn't continue.
He still didn't give up though and said,
"Then why didn't you jump early on if you were so tired of life?" He asked sharply and I let out a sad sigh.
"Maybe... I was waiting for a miracle." My melancholic tone got the atmosphere silent for a while but that had nothing on Sung-min.
He gave me a look that could cut glass and said,
"You're definitely hiding something."
"Of course," I said cheerfully, folding my arms behind my head and leaning back into the chair. "I hide a lot of things. Everyone has their secrets, you know."
I wasn't going to give him the answer he wanted, and knowing that, he felt that no matter how much he asked, I wouldn't answer, so he gave up on asking and stayed silent.
I can't suddenly claim I have psychic powers. What would happen when they tested me and saw I had no single powers and wasn't even fit to be a guide?
Their machines couldn't even detect this special power I had so I wasn't taking risks.
After coming back, I felt this strange power within me. I thought maybe I had awakened something but when I took the test for both Espers and guides, there was nothing.
I was a normal civilian, on the outside.
But I could feel the power. It was hot. It was something that definitely countered the cold.
I felt it was the hope Sung-min needed, and our encounter today, the chemistry we had, proved I was right.
For now, I'll just keep it to myself.
"Anyway," I looked at the darkening clouds. The time surely flies by fast. How long was I in that interrogation room anyway?
I turned to Sung-min and brought it up.
"Dinner?"
He didn't answer, but his knuckles tightened on the steering wheel.
Good. That meant I was getting under his skin already. Better than being ignored.
I glanced at the flashing red points on the map again. One of them pulsed brighter than the rest and this caused my smile to fade.
That one… I remembered it.
If my memory was right, by the end of tomorrow, an entire residential block would be gone. And if I played my cards wrong, Sung-min would get caught up in it.
Sigh. It was from one situation to another.
'I guess I have to get to work tonight.' I thought and glanced out the window. 'Ah, do I have fire insurance on my house?'