“Is it really true?”
“It is. But seriously—how do you keep barging into the Center Director’s office like it’s your own room?”
“I didn’t really have a choice this time.”
It hadn’t even been that long since their last meeting, yet Rion had stormed into the Center Director’s office again and spoke to him directly. The Center Director looked a little flustered too, but his reaction made it clear there wasn’t much he could do.
“It’s not like I’m the one putting the list together—the system does that. What do you want me to do? The announcement hasn’t gone out yet, but there hadn’t been any Gates for nearly two weeks, and now there are signs that three might open simultaneously. Up until yesterday there was only one, but two more reports came in just today.”
“Three? Then I—”
“If another Gate opens on top of the ones already showing signs, then you might be deployed on an emergency basis too. But something like that… we can only hope it doesn’t happen.”
The Center Director spoke with a splitting-headache kind of expression. Gates had never opened with people’s convenience in mind, but this time it really felt excessive.
“I thought things would ease up a bit since two S-rank Guides joined this year, but honestly, it’s like we’re cursed.”
“Two S-rank Guides and even an A-rank healing-type Esper did join, so… yeah, there were quite a few big rookies this year.”
Rion nodded as he spoke. Of course, it was far more likely to be coincidence—but in situations like this, it was easy to start buying into superstitions.
“S-rank Gates are bad enough, but when Gates pop up like this, everyone’s going to be run ragged for a while. Haa… I’m worried something like an S-rank Gate might explode out of nowhere at this rate.”
“There’s no way that’ll happen. Anyway… so the roster isn’t an error, and it can’t be changed.”
“Right. You two aren’t registered as a pair, so there’s nothing we can do. The person involved didn’t say anything either—I didn’t expect you to come running in to ask.”
“Well, it’s the first time he’s entering a Gate separately. It is an unusual situation.”
Rion said quietly, biting his lip. Now that he’d heard the explanation, he understood how things had turned out—but he still didn’t like it.
“I don’t know if it’ll really be okay.”
“What wouldn’t be okay? Yu-won’s capable. He’ll do just fine even without you.”
“No, but still… it just feels off.”
“What feels off? You’re the one who’s only been sticking together halfheartedly anyway.”
That wasn’t really true anymore. But given everything he’d said up until now, pushing back hard would just make him look ridiculous.
Rion pressed his lips together and took a step back.
“Alright. We’re leaving in a few days anyway… I guess I’ll be the awkward one left behind.”
“Oh, right—you’re living together now. So you’ll be staying alone in someone else’s place.”
The Center Director let out a small chuckle, saying that was a bit amusing. But with consecutive Gate alerts coming in, he was busy too and didn’t have time to keep talking.
“If there’s nothing else, get going. I’ve got more than enough to deal with already.”
“Okay.”
“Oh—and for the time being, no dropping by without notice unless it’s something important.”
Half chased out of the office, Rion let out a small sigh. He understood the situation, but the thought of Yu-won entering a Gate alone—without him—still felt strange and hard to imagine.
He didn’t say it to the Center Director, but isn’t he worried too? Of course, the other Espers are all capable, but…
Ever since joining the Center, every Gate had been entered together. Going in alone would probably feel awkward for Yu-won too—and nerve-wracking in its own way.
“I’m worried.”
Thinking that way, Rion found himself genuinely concerned about Yu-won. He even felt certain that Yu-won must be more tense than usual because of his absence.
“I should talk to him when I get back.”
Muttering to himself, Rion returned to his seat.
***
“I’m back.”
Yu-won arrived home a little late, opening the front door as he stepped inside. Since Rion had already been told he’d be late, he wasn’t surprised and spoke to him casually.
“You saw the roster, right?”
“The… oh, the Gate roster.”
Yu-won nodded. Since he always checked notifications immediately due to guiding requests, he’d seen the list almost as soon as it came out.
He’d been a little surprised, but the assumption that he wouldn’t enter a Gate just because Rion wasn’t was only that—an assumption. So he figured this could happen.
They weren’t registered as a pair, and unlike Rion, Yu-won was perfectly healthy without a single injury.
“I saw it. Looks like we’re leaving on Friday.”
Contrary to Rion’s expectations, the response was completely calm. He hadn’t expected open anxiety or panic given Yu-won’s usual personality—but he hadn’t expected him to be this unfazed either.
I thought he’d be at least a little tense.
There wasn’t the slightest difference from his usual expression. Rion didn’t know why that bothered him, but either way, he didn’t like it.
“…Aren’t you worried?”
“About what?”
When Rion hesitantly asked if he wasn’t worried, a genuinely puzzled voice came back. Was he really not bothered at all? Rion replied awkwardly.
“Well… it’s the first time you’re entering a Gate without me.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Yu-won seem to understand Rion’s reaction, nodding.
He wasn’t wrong. From the moment Yu-won had drawn attention as Rion’s matching Guide right after joining the Center, they’d entered Gates together even during the period when their relationship was at its worst.
He thought it might feel a little awkward—but he wasn’t worried. The work itself would be the same as always, and if anything, Yu-won felt like his mind would be a bit more at ease.
At least I won’t be constantly worried about hyung. If only one of us has to go in, it’s better if it’s me.
And thinking it over, there were actually advantages to not entering a Gate with Rion.
“It might be a little awkward, but I’ll be fine. Some of the people going in are ones I’ve entered Gates with before.”
“Oh, like Hyeon-seo sunbae and Ji-soo noona?”
Well, if an S-rank Guide was going in, there’d probably be an S-rank Esper too. At least it was a relief that he’d be entering with people he knew.
As long as Rion himself wasn’t going in, it wasn’t a bad lineup—but even so, Rion couldn’t help worrying whether this combination was really okay.
No—honestly, no matter the combination, the fact that he wasn’t there was what made him uneasy. Not being able to see what was happening, not being able to respond if something went wrong—Rion hated this situation.
“The system didn’t remove my name, so I figured something like this could happen. There’s no such thing as a Gate that isn’t dangerous, and it’s been a while since I started working, so I’m not really worried.”
Unlike Rion, Yu-won didn’t see this situation as negative at all. It was good that he’d adapted well to the job and wasn’t anxious—but somehow, it left Rion feeling unsettled.
“Then I guess it’ll be a good experience.”
“I guess so.”
Rion didn’t like the situation at all, but with the person involved reacting so calmly, it would’ve been ridiculous for him to keep pushing the issue.
He pressed his lips together and nodded.
“Yeah… I suppose.”
Was it really just him who felt worried and thought this was strange? He felt like an idiot.
Rion nodded repeatedly as he spoke. After waiting all this time to bring it up, the conversation ended so flatly that it felt anticlimactic.
“Am I the only one… bothered by this?”
A little later, alone in his room, Rion muttered to himself. Yu-won truly seemed fine, making Rion feel like he was the only one overreacting and making a fuss.
“You two aren’t registered as a pair, so there’s nothing we can do.”
He’d lived believing that not being registered as a pair wasn’t inconvenient in the slightest—but this time, the fact that he and Yu-won weren’t a pair felt like a serious problem.
But that thought belonged to Rion alone. Everyone else treated it as obvious—since they weren’t a pair and their names were in the system, this kind of assignment was inevitable. Even Yu-won did.
It had been Rion himself who withdrew the pair application right before it was approved—yet somehow, in this situation, he was the only one feeling hurt.
Still, suggesting they reapply for a pair wasn’t easy either. There had been reasons he’d hesitated in the first place, and his pointless pride wouldn’t allow it. Yu-won looked completely unbothered—if Rion spoke up now, it’d feel like he was the one losing.
“Whatever. He says he’s fine.”
In the end, Rion gave up on thinking any further and threw himself onto the bed. No matter how much he thought about it, nothing would change. Resolving not to dwell on it, Rion quietly closed his eyes.
