# Chapter 75
Setting down the ladle with trembling hands, he thought that even his patience had grown a lot.
“What nonsense are you saying like it’s normal?”
“Second guiding. I’m asking if you should have done it with me first.”
Though he was grumbling as if jealous, he was just hugging Jaeha, so it was closer to teasing. When the frozen Jaeha casually held out a soup bowl, Jiho moved it to the table while still complaining. Once Jiho stepped away, Jaeha felt more comfortable and acted lightly as usual.
“It was an emergency.”
“Then do it with me now.”
“Aren’t you busy? Just eat and go quickly.”
He scooped out a full bowl of steaming rice, but Jiho didn’t take it, instead glancing sideways with a hurt expression.
“Just give me an advance payment.”
It might work on girls, but for Jaeha, holding back from throwing the rice paddle at him was the best he could do.
“Hey, it was an emergency situation. It was CPR.”
“Who does CPR like that? You might have been that way, but your brother, pretending to be unconscious, obviously kissing you…”
“Ah! Don’t say it! Don’t make me remember what I’ve barely deleted from my brain!”
As Jaeha denied it by frantically messing up his hair, Jiho approached, lightly clapping his hands.
“Senior, if you want to forget, I know a method.”
“What is it? If it’s hitting my head hard to erase memories, that won’t work.”
Jaeha couldn’t confess that he had actually tried banging his head against the wall, and as he rubbed his forehead, Jiho smiled brightly and tilted his head.
“You can cover it with other memories. I’ll properly engrave new memories for you.”
He felt pathetic for thinking, even for a moment, that a normal answer would come from Gaeho.
Jiho sat quietly at the table, dejected by Jaeha’s look of contempt. Since Jiho knew when to back off before crossing the line, he barely avoided being kicked out.
Later, after guiding Haeil who came to check his condition and talk, Jaeha fed him dinner and sent him home. He invited Dojoon and Dorim for dinner together in the evening, and after a short guiding, gave them snacks to take home. He even caught Cheonoh, who had been refusing all day, as he was leaving work and fed him a late-night snack.
He had fed everyone around him, but the brother he should have taken care of was nowhere to be seen.
“Wow, he’s really not coming even with this?”
He became worried about what would happen if Jaeyoon struggled again due to lack of guiding. He had completely forgotten that he himself had decided to avoid Jaeyoon.
Jaeyoon not returning to the lodgings meant he was that busy. The TV constantly showed new images of Jaeyoon, making Jaeha wonder if he was even sleeping.
“It was revealed through an internet broadcast that there was a dangerous moment for Esper Seo Jaeyoon.”
“I feel ashamed for showing such an inadequate side.”
“Not at all. I watched the video myself and almost shed tears. Thanks to that, there’s great public interest in guides and guiding, which was only vaguely known before.”
“Ugh, stop the attention please.”
Whenever questions about guiding came up, Jaeha wanted to cover his ears and hide in a mouse hole. But seeing Jaeyoon’s calm interview made him wonder if he was the only one feeling embarrassed, and gradually his awkwardness faded.
When the desire to blindly avoid everything disappeared, he felt like he should do something too. Especially when they showed citizen interviews or the bustling scenes around the association, his heart raced at their goodwill.
It seemed like he couldn’t stay in the lodgings meeting only close friends forever.
Jaeha’s restlessness subsided when Cheonoh knocked on the door with documents and a new uniform.
“Guide Seo Jaeha.”
“…The title seems longer now.”
“From today, you have scheduled activities as a guide. An official notice came down to be careful with titles during public activities.”
“Is that for me in your hand?”
“Yes, please change and attend.”
Cheonoh was still expressionless, but he couldn’t hide his flushed cheeks.
“Um, it seems like you’re acting as my personal secretary, Cheonoh.”
“I heard that dedicated guards are like managers. I think a personal secretary is correct too.”
In a way, he seemed pleased. At Cheonoh’s incomprehensible goodwill, Jaeha asked again.
“You’ve become a D-class Esper. Are you really okay staying like this?”
Jaeha genuinely asked because he thought Cheonoh was too valuable for this role. However, that question made Cheonoh’s flushed face look dejected. Seeing the mood change because of his words, Jaeha quickly changed the topic.
“Wow, the uniform still looks cool. I’ll come out after changing.”
“Yes, there’s still time, so you can take it slow.”
Jaeha gave an awkward smile to Cheonoh, who seemed to know his schedule, and went inside but left the door open. Even if he invited him in, Cheonoh would guard from outside, so he just left it open.
Going to his room and properly putting on the white uniform, Jaeha struck a slight pose as his reflection in the mirror looked quite impressive. The cape on his shoulders was a bit embarrassing as he didn’t know why it was there, but the shoulder boards and badge looked decent. Even the buttons on the sleeves had the association emblem, showing attention to detail.
After touching the hat and wondering if he should wear it, he came out to the living room thinking about how to style his hair, and found a splendid back view in a black uniform waiting for him.
His confidence from looking in the mirror instantly disappeared as he squinted at the broad back and angular shoulders. The person immediately turned around. The always incredibly handsome Haeil was perfectly set up.
“Jaeha, I’ve come to pick you up.”
“But Cheonoh is here?”
Thinking that since Cheonoh was also an awakened person, they might not need another Esper when moving, Jaeha asked, and Haeil answered with a gentle smile.
“It’s your first time appearing in public, so being alone would be difficult. I’ll help you, Jaeha.”
“Ugh, do I have to appear in front of people? I think I’ll ramble.”
“I’ll answer anything that’s difficult.”
Jaeha gained courage from Haeil’s reassuring offer.
Many people would have seen an Esper collapse and then rise after guiding. Even if the association had explained about guides and guiding to satisfy curiosity, the person involved needed to appear for authenticity.
Jaeha left the lodgings following the reliable Haeil. Behind him, the quiet Cheonoh followed, ready to make his best effort for Jaeha at any time.
“For safety, it will take place inside rather than outside. Once you formally appear before people, their curiosity will be satisfied, and there won’t be any more need for Jaeha to come out like this.”
“Do I have to do interviews too?”
“I’ll answer the difficult ones. If it’s hard for Jaeha, I’ll make sure you can return to the lodgings after greeting.”
“Whew, I’m nervous but feel reassured.”
Since Haeil always handled interviews and speeches, trust in him was natural and solid. However, until today, no one knew that all those things would change depending on Jaeha’s presence.
When they arrived at the spacious hall-like space, it was noisy with people’s murmuring. But when the person who appeared to be the host stopped reading about the Esper Association’s ideology and Daesung’s promotions and introduced “Guide Seo Jaeha,” it became unbelievably quiet.
Everyone focused so much that the sound of stepping up a few stairs to the platform echoed.
Everyone was careful even with their breathing, concentrating to see the first guide to formally appear before people.
Jaeyoon, who hadn’t been seen for a while, went up to the platform first, and then Haeil took Jaeha’s hand and led him. It was a consideration for Jaeha, who was worried about tripping, but it looked like an Esper escorting a guide. Kwon Haeil’s gentlemanly attitude further created such an atmosphere.
At any other time, Jaeha would have teased Jaeyoon about where he had been staying out, but being nervous in front of many people, looking straight ahead was the best he could do.
Haeil took the microphone first so that he could naturally continue with the introduction.
“Thank you for taking your precious time despite being busy. This is an occasion to introduce the guide everyone has been curious about.”
Instead of pulling him to the microphone, Haeil lowered the stand to match his height, giving him courage despite his nervousness. The belief that Haeil would help even if he made a mistake allowed him to open his mouth.
“Hello, I’m Seo Jaeha. Um… I am a guide.”
The voice he squeezed out as normally as possible was starkly contrasted with Haeil’s earlier solemn one. Jaeha’s slightly trembling voice, combined with the white uniform, the light swirls during guiding, and the image of him being lightly lifted when Haeil picked him up, made him look small, harmless, and even gentle.
Reporters who spotted their prey wouldn’t miss this opportunity.
“Guide Seo Jaeha! Look over here, over here please!”
“Yes, sure.”
“Please wave your hand!”
“My hand? Like this?”
“According to the information we received, there are levels to guiding. Could you explain it directly?”
The reporters, who seemed to keep order at first, rushed in like a pack of dogs and poured out questions the moment Jaeha answered awkwardly.
“Please stand between Esper Seo Jaeyoon and Esper Kwon Haeil!”
“Does it also work on diseases?”
“They say guiding efficiency differs according to intimacy. With whom do you have the highest efficiency?”
Questions came in waves without giving him time to answer. It was more like a market than an interview.
No matter how much the reporters rushed, they were below the platform, and other guards, including Cheonoh, were already blocking them. No reporter would break through the intimidating guards, but Haeil also protected Jaeha by pulling him close, ready to pull him back at any time. While doing so, he stood in front of the microphone again in place of Jaeha.
“If you behave rudely, we will end this now.”
“Esper Kwon Haeil! The people have a right to know!”
“My priority is protecting this person.”
Everyone froze at Kwon Haeil’s sudden bombshell declaration, who had been an Esper for the people, for the nation. Jaeha also stared at Haeil with a surprised, frozen expression.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
