#114
The data that hadn’t been digitized was hidden deep within the corporation, and Oh-yul kindly led her there. After passing through several security doors, the space surrounded by thick walls mixed with steel looked like a giant vault.
Among the thousands and tens of thousands of pieces of information stacked by date, Seong Ha-young picked up a few files placed in the most conspicuous spot.
A long time ago, even before this city was created. Experiment logs from the country that existed on this land, files of experiments conducted on young Oh-yul 21 years ago, and brief journals on researching monsters.
When she discovered those files, Seong Ha-young was startled. Most scientists generally believed that espers and guides were newly evolved beings for human survival, and this was accepted as the established theory.
But to think they were derived from the monsters now roaming outside the city.
This was information that would cause a huge stir if revealed to the outside. Information that could never be leaked externally, as the city’s very existence depended on espers and guides.
And through the research records documenting his childhood growth and energy amplification, Seong Ha-young realized what Oh-yul wanted to convey to her.
The monster wearing human skin had kindly informed her. That what she needed to research for Ho-woo and herself was not humans, but monsters.
Returning from her brief thoughts to reality, she looked at Ho-woo with concern. She couldn’t be certain whether this was truly good for Ho-woo.
“Well, then I’ll just listen to the good parts,” Ho-woo said, resting his chin on his hand with a faint smile. It was a familiar smile to Seong Ha-young. He often smiled like this when faced with difficulties. Then she would either change the subject or comfort Ho-woo, pretending not to notice.
“…Alright. I’ll only tell you the good points.”
As Ho-woo expected, she continued her explanation carefully with a small sigh.
“First of all, Oh-yul is a growing esper. You know that, right?”
Ho-woo nodded lightly. It was one of the first things he had learned when he started researching espers. Seong Ha-young continued her explanation, adding the most basic principles of energy.
“Energy doesn’t just disappear when used. It’s like water, a limited resource that’s endlessly recycled.”
She showed two water bottles. One was half-drunk by Ho-woo, and the other was completely empty.
“Let’s say this bottle with water is an esper, and the empty one is a guide. Espers can use the water in this bottle to manifest their abilities. But when used, this water becomes too impure to use again.”
Seong Ha-young shook the water bottle, then poured the remaining water into the empty bottle designated as the guide.
“To use this water again, the esper needs guiding from a guide, and in that process, the esper uses the guide’s body like a filter. Once the water is clear again, it should be brought back, right?”
She transferred the water from the guide bottle back to the esper bottle.
“In this process, residual energy remains with the guide.”
She held up the wet guide bottle. There was moisture inside. The small droplets seemed to have little impact on the total volume left in the bottle due to their small quantity. As if reading Ho-woo’s thoughts, Seong Ha-young quickly added:
“To be honest, this doesn’t have much impact on the esper. Rather, as residual energy remains, it can have a good effect of increasing the matching rate. But you’re a bit different.”
Seong Ha-young poured a considerable amount of water from the esper bottle to the guide bottle again. The water sloshing at the bottom was quite a lot, and the amount of water in the esper bottle had noticeably decreased.
“Your situation is like this. The residual energy remaining with you is quite substantial. From an esper’s perspective, they lose so much energy that it might be better not to attempt guiding in the first place. But for that man, this can’t be a disadvantage.”
“It’s because he’s growing, right?”
The unique difference between Oh-yul and other espers was that Oh-yul’s energy kept increasing. So Seong Ha-young’s guess was that even if Ho-woo took energy, Oh-yul’s total power wouldn’t decrease, though it might not increase.
“And what if it decreases a bit? It’s fine since there’s plenty to spare.”
“It’s true there’s plenty to spare, but I feel a bit hurt. I’m also a valuable human resource for this city.”
“Oh-yul?”
He greeted Ho-woo’s call with a smile in his eyes as he entered the chamber. Slightly ducking as he entered through the low entrance, he approached Ho-woo, peering at his face, ignoring Seong Ha-young’s glaring gaze.
“…What is it?”
“Give me a big smile.”
“……”
Ho-woo looked at Oh-yul sleepily. Among the photos Choi Seon-woo had shown, there was one where Ho-woo looked particularly innocent and bright. Thinking Oh-yul had come to scold Choi Seon-woo, Ho-woo was surprised to see undisguised joy on Oh-yul’s face. While internally writhing with a sense of betrayal, Ho-woo calmly put his hands together and held them out.
He meant to ask for the phone to delete the photos, but Oh-yul just placed his hand on top of Ho-woo’s. Ho-woo raised an eyebrow at the heavy weight of the large hand.
“I wasn’t asking for your hand.”
“Please give me the phone.”
At Ho-woo’s bold request, Oh-yul obediently took out his phone and placed it in Ho-woo’s hand. Even couples might hesitate a bit, but Oh-yul handed it over without reservation, watching Ho-woo with expectant eyes like a mischievous prankster. Though that gaze made him uneasy, Ho-woo turned on the screen to delete the photos. And he was speechless at the sight of his own face on the first screen.
One of the photos Choi Seon-woo had just shown, where Ho-woo was smiling particularly brightly, was set as the lock screen wallpaper. While Ho-woo froze for a moment, the phone, which had no pattern or password set, briefly lit up before returning to a black screen.
“This…”
“I had the original photos deleted, so only I have this one.”
Oh-yul spoke as if he knew what Ho-woo was worried about, but that wasn’t it at all. Ho-woo didn’t argue and calmly turned on the phone again. Quickly moving past the lock screen, Ho-woo finally reached the home screen and his fingers twitched at the sight of his face again.
The first awkward photo taken on the day Ho-woo went to the training center was set as the background. Ho-woo with his lips slightly protruding in concentration while taking the photo, and Oh-yul shining with perfect beauty even in the picture.
He had wanted to delete it because he didn’t like it, but Oh-yul had insisted on keeping it.
“You still haven’t deleted this?”
“It’s a memorable photo for me.”
It was just a photo. Although it was their first photo together, there would be many more opportunities to take photos in the future. But the way he attached meaning to it and cherished it made Oh-yul seem like a very ordinary person. Ho-woo was about to delete the photos taken by Choi Seon-woo but stopped and returned Oh-yul’s phone.
Oh-yul looked puzzled as he received the phone back, but Ho-woo cleared his throat and awkwardly changed the subject.
“So you came to tease me with the photos?”
“That’s one of the reasons I came.”
One of the reasons?
“Esper Baek Sang-jin is returning to the southern city today. Would you like to say goodbye?”
“Today?”
Ho-woo checked the time. It was just past 2 o’clock, neither too early nor too late. However, it was a bit late to leave the city.
“Han Seong-won esper should be seeing him off alone right about now.”
“What?”
“The departure time is exactly 30 minutes from now.”
Checking the time again, there was less than 30 minutes left until departure. Ho-woo looked at him with an incredulous face.
“Are you going?”
If he had known earlier, he could have bought a gift or something. He had a pleasant time in the southern city thanks to Baek Sang-jin’s consideration and kind guidance. He should at least be able to say a final goodbye.
“Where should I go?”
“I’m going too, so let’s go together. And it looks like it will be difficult to return together today. There’s someone who insists on meeting me.”
“Can’t be helped, I guess.”
This must be one of the reasons he came, Ho-woo guessed. His lover was very busy, and they couldn’t always be together. Although he felt anxious because bad things tended to happen whenever they were apart, they couldn’t stick together all the time.
As if sensing Ho-woo’s anxiety, Oh-yul added to the slightly dejected Ho-woo:
“Han Seong-won esper will bring you back when you return.”
“Hmm… Alright.”
Reporters were still camped out in front of the old apartment complex and the corporation. The position of being the only guide to the new minister and the city’s first esper leader attracted attention whether Ho-woo wanted it or not. It was quite tiring to chase away the reporters who had pushed their way even onto the lawn before the sense of relief from the corporation’s wall falling had fully faded.
“Okay. Shall we go now?”
“Ah, let me say goodbye to your mother first.”
“My mother?”
“I’m still not used to calling her Doctor…”
