Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: The Supermarket Ceiling Opens
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Boom!
The ceiling opened.
Not figuratively—the supermarket ceiling literally popped open like the cap on a soda bottle.
Cracks spiderwebbed through the thick structure, exposing the concrete slabs and framework connected to the roof.
The debris from the separation floated in mid-air, defying the laws of physics like asteroids orbiting a planet.
In that utterly bizarre scene, we forgot even our pain and stared blankly up at the sky.
Crunch.
A red-haired man glared at the sky like it was his sworn enemy, grinding his teeth as he muttered.
"Fuck... Has Yeon Woo-jin lost his damn mind? Why the hell come to a place like this?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 📰 Breaking News [XX Mart] Yeon Woo-jin Shows Up
> Writer: SeriousAboutSexyMiddleAgedMen
> Views: 168,215 / Likes: 1,011
went to XX Mart and suddenly the shutters slammed shut a bit later cops show up and it's chaos. turns out robbers appeared then out of nowhere the mart's roof just... opens wtf right? but fr it opened (proof pic1.jpg) (proof pic2.jpg) is there any other esper in our country besides yeon woo-jin who could pull this off? 💬 Comments — AnonymousUser1 Holy shit this is what they mean by biting off more than you can chew. Our ancestors were spot on. — ReplyGuy lmao — AnotherReply I doubted my eyes for a sec... They really peeled the roof off a supermarket? — LocalResident ?? Where'd the roof on the mart near my house go? — MemeLord ↳ Reply open crime ↳ Reply nah it's Laputa: Castle in the Sky — LOLKing lmaooooooooo — Breezy gonna feel breezy in there now^^7 — EsperFan whoa insane; not many could even do that but only yeon woo-jin would actually do it — AgreeBot agreed — TwoGuy 2222222 ⭐ Top Comment — NumberFour 44444444444444 — ConcernedCitizen but doesn't yeon woo-jin have to report appearances? shouldn't disaster alerts go off when he shows up? — RealTalk fr at that level they should make it public — Cynic a country that doesn't even release criminal faces? what public safety lol — LawyerBro awakeners' appearances are their own business. spreading pics without permission is lawsuit bait — Curious so what happened to the robbers? — Jokester went up with the roof maybe...; — DenseAF robbers matter rn? why is everyone so oblivious smh — BreakupMeme babe we're breaking up — WhoDis ;;;;who are you ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 📰 Breaking News The Intersection's Laputa Mart Meme is Real
> Writer: FragrantOctopus
> Views: 74,252 / Likes: 655
that intersection mart thing was yeon woo-jin right i know an awakener who saw him at the center once that awakener got called in with the cops too but flashed a permit and dipped. def yeon woo-jin. no way they'd mistake that face 💬 Comments ⭐ Top Comment — GodWoojinFan god woojin caught the robber?? why would he bother with something as trivial as a mart robbery??? haven't seen him active outside gates/dungeons latelyㅠㅠ my heart swells... i love you god woojin. i believe in you god woojin. descending to personally watch over us lowly folk, even extending your hand to the pettiest matters. — MemeLord2 messiah cultist appears lmao — GuildHater insane how even the followers match the guild name — Defender why lol it's facts he carries our country's guild rankings right? at that level achievements personality doesn't matter lol. bet none of the shit-talkers here contribute as much to the world — Dyslexic? dyslexic? read the context — TiredOfThis why are kids these days so angry all the time? — FaceFan guess it really is him. guy's famous for his killer looks lol someone said just seeing his face calms you down wonder if it's true wanna see for myself — RudeRumors ;;;; but he's also famous for being a dick — Curious2 how handsome to make up for that... — SharePlz share that pretty face plz — TwoAgain 222222 wanna know too messiah responds fast af — SneakyPic got a sneaky pic from center last time. attaching rn — Deleted (deleted comment) — Deleted (deleted comment) — OhNo Oh……………. — Nooooo NO……………. — Wowser WOW — LawsuitWatch high chance of lawsuit? ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The air turned ice-cold in an instant, making the hairs on my body stand on end.
The massive roof hovering high above, along with its debris. The scene evoked a gravity-less space floating beneath the midday blue sky.
I stared at it for a long while.
The highest-rated S-rank Esper, measured by danger level, growth potential, ability versatility, and more.
Though we'd crossed paths before, it was always after the fact—like coming home to find the house gone. This was the first time witnessing it firsthand.
Facing that power directly for the first time, I couldn't close my mouth.
The moment the roof opened, the robbers were subdued in a flash.
Boom! Their arms twisted behind their backs and slammed into the wall like magnets snapping to metal.
"I'm seriously gonna kill that fucking bastard!!"
Oh, and the red-haired guy got subdued too.
Pinned to the wall right next to the robbers, spewing curses—I figured he must not get along with Yeon Woo-jin either.
The heavy, brief silence ended as the shutters rolled up.
Armed police stormed into the mart. I approached the red-haired man stuck to the wall.
"Excuse me, may I have your name?"
"...What?"
The man looked at me like I'd lost my mind.
"...You got a screw loose or something? You asking for my name in this situation?"
"You said earlier you'd help and I'd repay you. Not right now, but someday when I get the chance. So I figured I should at least know your name."
"Ha..."
The man furrowed his brow in disbelief before reluctantly opening his mouth.
"...Seo."
"Pardon?"
"Ah, fuck. Seo Yun-ho, you embarrassing idiot!"
He slammed his forehead into the wall as he said it.
Hard enough that it echoed with a thud against the concrete.
Weirdo, I thought, subtly putting some distance between us.
After that, the police asked for a quick ID check and incident statement. I put down Ju Yeon-woo's address as my contact and residence. Explaining the events got a bit muddled.
The cops advised me not to jump in next time—could've been seriously hurt—and I nodded obediently.
Besides the police, a few plainclothes folks were chatting about cleanup and such.
Stepping outside, I checked my phone clock. Part-time shift time had long passed.
Messages I'd sent while trapped in the mart had gone through fine—missed calls and texts from Yang Hyun-woo. And several from Han Se-young.
Surprisingly, Ju Yeon-woo had just one call. Nothing else.
'...Colder than I thought.'
Odd, and strangely disappointing.
Maybe not an odd reaction. I owed him my life, but our relationship was just short-term guest and gracious host providing the room.
Still, he's kind, and knowing I'm a Guide, he'd probably worry a bit more—I'd unconsciously expected that.
"Yeah, yeah. That's what happened..."
I texted the three that it was resolved and fine now, then immediately called the cafe boss.
The moment it connected, the boss asked where I was. I calmly explained everything.
Listening quietly, the boss exclaimed in surprise, "Wait, you were at the Laputa scene?"
When I asked what that was, the boss brushed it off as nothing.
"Should I come now?"
[No, don't. You went through something big—rest up.]
"But I'm off tomorrow too. That'd make three days straight."
[You'll work the last two anyway. Not many customers today, so just rest.]
"Alright, then..."
"Noona!"
A familiar voice made me whip my head around—there was Ju Yeon-woo.
Messy hair, just a thin cardigan over his clothes. His faint breath puffed out into the cold air and vanished.
"Oh, uh? Yeon-woo? ...Ah, boss. See you the day after tomorrow. Thank you."
I hurriedly hung up and walked over to him.
"God, aren't you cold? What's with that outfit?"
Where'd all his fancy clothes go? Out in just a cardigan.
Rummaging in my bag for a hot pack to give him, something cold touched my cheek.
His fingertips barely grazed it, arm stretched out just enough. In a trembling voice, he asked,
"...You hurt?"
Only then did I remember the cut on my cheek.
It stung right after, but the bleeding had stopped, and it was shallower than expected, so I'd ignored it.
"From the robbers?"
"Yeah, but it's not bad. Ah, you called the cops, right? Must've been shocked by that sudden text. Thanks. You didn't actually come all the way here after that text, did you?"
"I was nearby anyway on some business."
Ju Yeon-woo stared at my face, brow slightly furrowed. Then he worried I should treat the wound quickly. I shook my head.
"It's fine. Looks worse on the face, but it'll heal fast. Here, take this."
"...?"
"It's cold out, and you look freezing in so little. Whatever your business is, better get inside."
"For me?"
"Yeah."
"I'll treasure it."
I gave it for him to use, but he held it so delicately like he'd actually cherish it as a keepsake. For a moment, I was speechless.