“You embarrassing brats, cut it out. The kids are here.”
The Center Director, who had been watching the two argue like he’d seen it a hundred times before, noticed the group standing dumbfounded and quickly stepped in to break it up.
“Tch, nothing ever goes right when this old hag’s around.”
“Oh, please. Like I’m gonna take that from some drunk old fart?”
Dignified, strict, impressive— Each of those hopeful expectations was decisively crossed out in one fell swoop.
The first to snap out of it was Hyeon-seo. With a face as composed as if she’d never been shocked to begin with, she stepped forward and extended a hand.
“I’m Lee Hyeon-seo. Among this group, I’m the oldest and technically the senior. We’re in your care.”
“Oh, you’re the metal-ability Esper, right?”
“Yes. So you already know about us?”
“I memorized your names and abilities on the train ride here.”
“Wow, bragging about that like it’s some big deal…”
The way they picked a fight over every little thing brought a certain duo to mind. Joo-chan glanced sideways between Rion and Yu-won, only to snap out of it with a sharp kick from Seo-ha.
“Eyes forward.”
“Y-yeah, sorry…”
Joo-chan grumbled as he rubbed his shin.
Once the noise died down, the two who had been loudly bickering finally introduced themselves.
“You might’ve heard already, but I’m Oh Tae-hwan. My ability’s physical strength, so I’m not great at long-range combat, but I’m still an S-rank, so I should be of some help.”
“And I’m Joo Hee-soo, this musclehead’s pair. I’m A-rank. I’ll be doing my best to keep this reckless old man from getting into trouble.”
“Says the woman who can’t even take care of herself.”
“At least I don’t act half my age like some people.”
Their childish bickering forced the team to suppress their laughter with all their might.
It wasn’t just the absurdity of the situation—it was also that the way the two interacted felt very familiar.
Are those two gonna be like that when they’re older…?
They didn’t seem to have a bad relationship, but the way they squabbled made it obvious this was nothing new.
The Center Director, watching the two with an expression of long-suffering disappointment, muttered,
“These idiots are your seniors. They may not look like much, but back in their prime, they were known as the strongest combo around. They’ve gotten a bit rusty, but they’ll be useful.”
“Rusty?!”
“Idiots?!”
Both of them immediately shot back in protest.
The group couldn’t help but let out some awkward chuckles. No wonder the Center Director’s so good at handling Espers.
“Oh, you’re Rion, right? You’re famous enough I knew about you even before this.”
“I’m Kang Rion.”
Rion smiled smoothly and offered his hand to Hee-soo. She shook it, then commented,
“Your Guide must be really good at matching, huh? Heard you just finished training, and you still look fresh as ever.”
“Oh, so that document was real? Your matching rate is really 99%?”
Tae-hwan’s eyes lit up as he showed interest.
Rion pulled a sour face and glanced back over his shoulder.
“…That tall guy over there is my matching Guide.”
“I’m Lee Yu-won.”
Yu-won stepped forward and offered a short, polite greeting.
“Twenty years old, right? Damn. I’ve lived a long time, but still—an S-rank Guide at twenty, and a 99% match with the famous Kang Rion? On top of that, he’s tall and ridiculously good-looking. Seriously, God has no sense of fairness.”
Tae-hwan gave Yu-won a once-over as he spoke.
Well, yeah, no denying he’s good-looking. Rion thought, letting his gaze linger on Yu-won a little.
He got a bit worked up earlier when we were talking… Hopefully, he doesn’t act like an ass in front of the seniors now.
Rion watched nervously. Then Yu-won finally opened his mouth.
“I’ve only been at the Center for about six months, so I still have a lot to learn. I hope I can count on your guidance.”
“Wow, he’s polite too? Center Director must be proud.”
Yu-won’s tone was perfectly respectful.
Nothing like how he spoke to Rion.
Of course, Rion had seen him behave politely with others at the Center before—but still.
If he’d acted even a fraction that civil with me, I…
A wave of irritation washed over Rion, and Jin-ha noticed it too, giving him a quick pat on the back.
“Of course he’s being respectful. They’re his seniors.”
“I’m his senior too…”
God, this was annoying.
He’d heard people say Yu-won was polite to others, but seeing it in person somehow made it worse.
Rion tried to calm himself down.
That Lamaze breathing technique I picked up because of him… haven’t had to use that in a while.
“In… out… in… out…”
Rion slowly inhaled and exhaled, managing to rein in his irritation.
Meanwhile, Tae-hwan and Hee-soo—who had no idea about Yu-won’s true nature—seemed to find the twenty-year-old Guide endearing, chatting with him nonstop.
“Twenty, huh? So you joined right after your birthday? Why’d you start so early? Flunk your college entrance exams or something?”
“I actually got in… but I felt this was the more meaningful path.”
“Oho? Where’d you get accepted?”
“Law school at H University…”
“…What?!”
Everyone in the room turned to Yu-won in shock.
He’d passed into H University’s law school straight out of high school? That wasn’t just “smart”—that was elite. And he gave that up to join the Center?
“Wait, did you… not really want to study law or something?”
“No, that wasn’t it.”
He didn’t even answer when I asked him that exact question.
Rion puffed out his cheeks in frustration.
But everyone else was too focused on Yu-won to notice his sulking.
“I’d wanted to work in this field since middle school. I originally considered law school because of the Gate system, but in the end, I decided I’d rather be closer to the action—so I came here.”
Unbelievable. That smug little bastard is really Lee Yu-won? Where did that rude, sour-faced punk who always looked like he hated me go?
“And what does law school have to do with Gates, anyway?”
“Okay, okay, let’s put a pin in that,” the Center Director clapped loudly to cut off the conversation. “These kids just wrapped up training, they’ve gotta be starving. Let’s not keep them too long.”
Rion had been leaning in to hear Yu-won’s answer when the clapping interrupted them.
Seriously? Right now?! He shot a look full of betrayal at the Center Director, who was completely oblivious and just pulled out his wallet.
“Haven’t seen some of you in a while, and with two weeks of hell ahead, you’ll need the energy. I’m giving you my card—go eat something good.”
“Wooo!”
“Damn, when did you become such a cool adult?”
Everyone except Rion and Yu-won cheered as the Center Director raised his card high.
Especially Joo-chan, who practically started snorting in excitement at the mention of meat.
“We can order as much as we want?”
“Yeah, yeah. As long as you don’t eat the whole place out of stock, go crazy.”
The Center Director threw on his coat. Seemed like he’d been planning this little feast from the start.
“Meat! Meat! Beef!!”
“Calm down, will you? What, are you possessed by the ghost of a starving orphan or something?”
Seo-ha looked at Joo-chan, who was bouncing in excitement, with an expression of sheer pity.
While everyone celebrated, Rion quietly shook his head, the unanswered question still nagging at him.
“We’re all going together like this?”
“What’s the point of having Center cars if we don’t use them? We’ve got at least three people with licenses, right?”
The Center Director waved the keys and gestured for them to head out.
Well… like Tae-hwan said, I’m sure there’ll be other chances to talk.
With that resigned thought, Rion followed the group out of the office.
***
A short while later, Rion stood blankly outside the restaurant they’d arrived at with the others, staring at the sign.
“Sunbae, aren’t you going in?”
“Meat!”
“Y-yeah… go ahead first…”
Of course this was the place. If the Center Director was treating them to meat, it had to be here. How had he not seen that coming?
“Oh my, it’s been a while, Center Director! And the Espers too! I’ve cleared out a whole section inside—come on in!”
“I don’t get why someone who can’t even protect himself is trying to save the world.”
“There’s a difference between risking your life and running in like you want to die. You always acted like you wanted to die, Hyung.”
The restaurant run by the widow of an Esper who’d died in a Gate.
The place where Yu-won had pulled that cold, clinical psycho-comment the moment they walked out—just after learning the truth.
“…Ma’am. It’s been a while.”
“Oh… weren’t you the one who came to my husband’s funeral…?”
It wasn’t a place Rion or Yu-won had particularly fond memories of. And yet, here they were again—after all these months.
