“Kim Jun, can’t you see our entire cohort is getting trashed because of you? Didn’t you feel anything when all the upperclassmen walked out with sour faces at the welcome party?”

“Exactly. Thanks to this piece of shit, we’re all being treated like losers.”

It was true that this year’s freshman welcome party had been a mess.

Normally, it would last all night, but this time, it ended shortly after Joo Seunghyuk and I left.

But that wasn’t Kim Jun’s fault.

The welcome party was meant to help graduates, current students, and new students build connections. The main point was to break the ice with high-ranking newcomers, exchange contact info, and scout talent.

However, this year’s incoming class had an unusually low number of high-rankers, so the graduates weren’t interested.

It wasn’t because Kim Jun was F-rank—it was because there weren’t any Espers worth the investment.

Not that the freshmen were to blame for that.

It would’ve been nice if the upperclassmen showed some consideration to the younger students, but it wasn’t something you could force.

Everyone just had their own reasons. It wasn’t a situation where anyone deserved blame.

And yet, they were putting it all on Kim Jun. It was nothing more than a cheap excuse to vent their frustrations.

“How the hell did an F-rank piece of trash even get in here?”

“My point exactly. Who even gave him a letter of recommendation? Did he bribe someone? Or sleep with them?”

“Don’t insult the teachers!”

Whether it was because the original story was a hardcore angsty novel, or simply because these assholes were trash, their insults were becoming increasingly vile.

Even I, who had nothing to do with it, felt my blood boil. But I clenched my fists and bit my lip.

Just this once. Just ignore it, just this once.

If I walk away now, Seunghyuk will find Kim Jun and take him to the infirmary. If that happens, everything will fall into place again.

I won’t end up murdered by Seunghyuk like in the dream.

Everything I’ve been hoping for since realizing the truth of the original novel would finally come true.

I bit down on my lip and turned my body away.

This is the right thing.

“Look at this bastard flinch—must’ve hit a nerve.”

“Yeah. Let’s strip him. Let’s find out exactly what it takes for an F-rank piece of trash to get a recommendation.”

Startled, I whipped around.

They weren’t just talking—they were actually trying to take Kim Jun’s clothes off.

Doing that at school? So this is what makes it an R-rated novel. Did Seunghyuk just stand there and watch this? Is he fucking insane?

No. Hold it together. You can endure this, Lee Yeonsu.

This is the last chance to exit the story and put everything back the way it was. If I mess this up, it might end up just like the dream.

This really is my last chance...

“Hands off!”

But I yelled at the bastards trying to undress him.

Screw last chances and storylines—there was no way I could walk past someone in danger and pretend not to see.

Besides, even if Seunghyuk showed up, he wouldn’t help Kim Jun. He’d just stand back and watch until the situation resolved itself.

Right now, the only person who could help Kim Jun was me.

“Lee Yeonsu...!”

“Sunbae.”

They were visibly startled when they saw me.

I guess I was at least well-known enough for them to recognize my face.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Well, that is...”

They glanced at each other, looking for cues. Among them, the Esper who’d been the most aggressive spoke up.

“We were protesting Kim Jun’s admission, as he’s brought shame to the school by enrolling despite being F-rank...”

Utter bullshit not even worth listening to. I cut him off mid-sentence.

“You’re the ones who’ve brought shame to the school.”

“Sunbae...!”

They raised their voices as if they were the ones wronged. Shameless, considering they’d just been caught assaulting someone.

“Kim Jun received a recommendation because of his above-average matching rate.”

Matching rates correlated with rank.

S-rank Guides had an average matching rate of 72% with Espers, excluding fellow S-ranks. A-rank was 67%, B-rank was 61%. The lower the Guide’s rank, the lower their average match rate.

Of course, those were just averages. In practice, it didn’t matter as long as you were assigned to Espers you matched well with.

But since most Guides had to handle multiple Espers unless they were imprinted or exclusively contracted, higher /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ average match rates were seen as better.

And the average for F-rank Guides? Six percent. They had low mana to begin with, and with such poor match rates, they were practically useless in the field.

But Kim Jun’s average match rate was 65%. Equivalent to an A-rank Guide.

As far as I knew, he was the only F-rank in the world with a rate that high.

The so-called protagonist buff.

Because of this rare condition, Kim Jun received a recommendation despite being F-rank.

And just as Kim Jun had protagonist buffs, I had a unique ability befitting a key supporting character.

I could see the shape of an Esper’s mana and intuit their rank.

“All of you are C-rank or lower.”

The moment I revealed their ranks, they all flinched.

“You’re aware that if the match rate is high, guiding efficiency can exceed rank difference by up to two levels, right? Kim Jun’s average rate is 65. He’s in no way inferior to you.”

C-ranks averaged 54%, D-ranks 38%. Kim Jun not only had a high match rate, but his mana was also high for an F-rank. According to the original novel, if his mana was just 1% higher, he would’ve been ranked D.

He had no reason to be looked down upon by these bastards. But their eyes still brimmed with dissatisfaction.

They didn’t like what I said, but they couldn’t talk back because I was an S-rank Guide.

“Also, any sexual harassment on campus leads to expulsion—no exceptions.”

“That’s not what this was...”

“Then what was it? Are you saying I misread the situation?”

“No, sunbae. We’re sorry.”

They bowed their heads in apology.

“Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to the person you wronged.”

At my stern demand, they awkwardly turned and bowed to Kim Jun.

It wasn’t true remorse. And if I pushed harder, it would only backfire.

“Get lost. If something like this happens again, I’ll report every detail to the school.”

God, I wanted to get those bastards expelled on the spot.

But if this incident spread, it would only make things harder for Kim Jun. People would say that some F-rank punk stirred up trouble by enrolling here.

They’d probably pity the expelled ones instead, and rumors would spread that a lowly F-rank Guide tried to seduce someone and got rejected. Even if it wasn’t true, that was the reality.

If I blew this up out of some self-righteous sense of justice, the one who’d suffer in the end would be Kim Jun.

“Thank you, sunbae.”

The group bowed to me one last time, then scrambled to leave.

“Are you okay?”

I helped Kim Jun to his feet.

“Don’t let trash like that get to you.”

“Yes. Thank you for helping me.”

“It’s nothing. I didn’t do much.”

I brushed off the dust that had gotten all over his uniform. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

“Geez, it’s really caked on.”

“Oh, it’s fine.”

“These uniforms are such a pain to take care of. They should’ve made them black like the Espers’.”

“Right.”

Kim Jun gave a faint smile. A face as gentle as in the dream.

No wonder Seunghyuk fell for him.

After being stuck in that pitch-black house, wearing black clothes, riding in black cars, and walking the halls in black uniforms—how could he not fall for someone as radiant as sunlight?

Not that that excuses locking someone up.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No.”

“Your face is red. Shouldn’t we take you to the infirmary—”

Just as I reached out to check his temperature, someone yanked my wrist away.

“What are you doing?”

“Seunghyuk...”

Joo Seunghyuk’s gaze passed over me and landed on Kim Jun. His eyes gleamed with obsessive intensity, and I knew—the moment had arrived.

The main characters had finally met. The story that had veered off course was starting to get back on track.

Now’s my chance to hand the obsessive seme over to the main uke!

I quickly introduced them.

“Jun-ah, this is Joo Seunghyuk, a second-year Esper.”

“Ah, yes. Hello.”

“And Seunghyuk, this is—”

“Hyung.”

Seunghyuk’s voice dropped like ice. A chill of mana began to seep into the air.

I flinched.

Why? What did I do? I just introduced them...

Did seeing Kim Jun make him want to kill the third wheel—me?

I looked at him nervously. He spoke in a cold, low voice.

“Hyung, is that all you’re going to say?”

“...Huh?”

“You’re supposed to say I’m Lee Yeonsu’s lover and soon-to-be fiancé.”

“...What?”

What kind of bullshit is that?!

I barely stopped myself from blurting that out. But then Seunghyuk yanked my arm and pulled me into a tight embrace. It wasn’t a backhug—it was more like being locked in his arms.

No, what the hell are you doing in front of the main uke!!

I was horrified, but not brave enough to push away the obsessive seme.

Kim Jun looked startled, then gave a small bow.

“Nice to meet you, Joo Seunghyuk sunbae. I’m—”

He must’ve decided to introduce himself properly. But Seunghyuk cut him off immediately.

“Piss off.”

“...What?”

“I don’t care who the fuck you are. I said piss off.”

“O-okay.”

Even the same Kim Jun whose eyes had sparkled with dignity while enduring humiliation just now looked shaken.

“Thank you again for today, sunbae.”

He gave me one last bow and turned to leave.

“W-wait...!”

I shouted in a panic.

You can’t just walk away like that, main uke! You’re supposed to take the obsessive seme with you! What’s going to happen to the original plot if you leave now?!

But before I could worry about the story, a greater danger loomed.

“Lee Yeonsu, you must think I’m a joke.”

Joo Seunghyuk’s voice crept in like a shadow.

“You’re always flirting with other guys whenever I look away.”

“S-Seunghyuk, no, that’s not—”

“Maybe I should lock you up.”

The imprisonment switch had been flipped.

And this time, he wasn’t aiming at Kim Jun—he was aiming straight at me.