# Chapter 80
Jaeha’s eyes wavered at Jaeyoon’s unexpected gratitude. The sudden sincerity that hit him made his chest ache beyond mere embarrassment.
‘What is this? It feels like that same lump in my throat from when we lit candles and called for our mother during the school trip.’
Sure enough, the teacher who had seemed kind and sensitive was applauding with reddened eyes.
“I appreciate your valuable words. I can’t keep you two busy people standing any longer. Now that you’ve greeted each other, would you please take a seat?”
At the teacher’s suggestion, Jaeyoon naturally sat in a chair, and Jaeha also moved to the remaining chair. Unlike Jaeyoon, who comfortably leaned back, Jaeha sat awkwardly.
“When you’re ready, could you raise your hand?”
Wondering what preparation this was, Jaeha glanced at Jaeyoon, whose hands were neatly placed on his knees. As Jaeha hesitated, the teacher explained in a warm voice.
“When you judge that you can perform guiding, the guide should raise their hand first.”
“What’s the standard for judgment… why are you taking off your clothes?”
Jaeha, who had been asking the teacher a question, instinctively shifted his body to the outer edge of the chair when he saw Jaeyoon unbuttoning his uniform. Small screams and applause were heard from the darkness, but the teacher quickly attached electrode patches to Jaeyoon’s upper body, which was only opened to the chest. Only then did the previously quiet monitor start making sounds and the graph began to move.
Jaeha’s mouth opened seeing the graph movement was more intense than expected. He felt frustrated and upset that his brother had been walking around perfectly fine despite this.
“The judgment is the guide’s responsibility. If an Esper makes demands first or makes uncomfortable requests, you can immediately tell the observer. Right now, I’m the observer, so if you feel the situation is inappropriate for guiding, please tell me, Guide Seo Jaeha.”
Realizing that’s why Jaeyoon was quietly waiting without raising his hand, Jaeha quickly put his hand on the table. At other times, he might have wanted to postpone it, but seeing Jaeyoon’s mana waves weren’t good, he couldn’t delay.
But Jaeyoon just stared at Jaeha’s hand without raising his own.
“Why? Did you come all this way not to do guiding?”
“My brother needs to give permission.”
“I raised my hand already. Do I need to offer it respectfully with both hands?”
Small laughter could be heard from various places at Jaeha’s complaint. It was a bit embarrassing, but seeing the monitor next to Jaeyoon drawing steep curves made him anxious, and he wiggled his hand.
“Hurry up and take my hand.”
Despite Jaeha’s urging, Jaeyoon looked straight ahead and didn’t spare his advice.
“This is a guide demonstration, and I’m worried it might set a bad example. Guides should absolutely proceed according to the guidelines.”
“Yes~!”
As the guides answered in unison, Jaeyoon showed a satisfied smile.
This kid had become comfortable talking to people after going around doing interviews outside. But he was still the shy brother who always avoided guiding by running here and there.
Jaeha spread his hand, ready to firmly grasp his brother’s hand, drawing on his experience of tightly holding various men’s hands while performing guiding. Only then did Jaeyoon slowly remove his glove.
“What’s this? Your hand has become like a spotted cow.”
“Since you like cows, that’s good, isn’t it?”
Wondering what nonsense this was, Jaeha looked at him with a bewildered expression, but his brother just smiled innocently.
It was hard to believe this was the same person who had absolutely avoided contact, as he raised his hand so obediently.
When their hands finally met, the teacher lightly clapped to focus attention.
“We will now demonstrate primary guiding. Everyone, please focus on the monitor.”
When holding Jaeha’s hand, Jaeyoon didn’t do unnecessary things like Kyun Jiho, such as interlacing fingers between each of Jaeha’s or stroking the back of his hand. It was a normal contact where palms touched and the other’s fingers slightly covered the back of the hand.
A heavy wave pushed through their palms. It seemed that hand guiding was quite fast, perhaps because of all the practice they had done. Sure enough, the graph on the monitor also visibly settled down.
“As you all have studied, Esper Seo Jaeyoon’s current mana wave is at a very dangerous level. Normally, guiding should have been done before it got this bad, but due to his busy schedule and using a lot of mana for rank re-examination, the graph looks like this. Primary guiding has low efficiency at times like this.”
At the teacher’s explanation, Jaeha deliberately kept his gaze on the floor. He had originally agreed to only demonstrate primary guiding, and he had no intention of doing secondary guiding with a clear mind. He couldn’t offer his neck in front of others either. Plus, his partner was his brother. Unless it was a dangerous situation like that day, just holding hands was embarrassing enough.
Of course, the teacher wasn’t asking for other types of guiding either, just mentioning various information for the guide trainees.
“But looking at the graph now, can you all tell what’s different?”
“The mana wave level is improving quickly!”
When someone answered, the teacher smiled brightly and continued with questions.
“That’s right. Why do you think that is?”
“You said intimacy determines guiding efficiency.”
“Exactly. That’s why even though this is primary guiding, it shows efficiency no less than secondary guiding, as Esper Seo Jaeyoon and Guide Seo Jaeha are close.”
The information that followed was content that made Jaeha want to cover his ears.
The teacher emphasized the intimacy between Espers and guides, saying it was an exceptional situation that Jaeyoon could recover quickly and immediately use his ability again after the brief secondary guiding on the golden turtle’s shell.
“But being close doesn’t mean being exploited. Most show the same guiding aftereffects. If excited Espers attack with force, guides can only be in danger. To prevent guides from crossing the line due to momentary sensations, observers will accompany them for the time being.”
Jaeha, who had been hanging his head in embarrassment at the talk of aftereffects, looked at the teacher.
“Are there aftereffects from guiding?”
To Jaeha’s almost innocent question, the teacher showed an ambiguous smile and covered the microphone with her hand, answering in a small voice.
“Guide Seo Jaeha may not know about guiding information that was revised or added later because you’ve been so busy. New information about aftereffects has been updated for new guides.”
“What is it? If it’s an aftereffect, shouldn’t I know about it too?”
“Ah… as I just mentioned, in most cases, guides experience the same symptoms as Espers getting excited.”
“By excitement, you mean…?”
When Jaeha showed his fist wondering if it was like this, the teacher burst into small laughter.
“There are cases of violent tendencies, but most show sexual excitement.”
“…What?”
“Of course, we know that Guide Seo Jaeha is an exception. That’s why we could ask you for this demonstration.”
“…Whaat?”
The teacher, confused by Jaeha’s dumbfounded response, looked at Jaeyoon helplessly, but he seemed to have nothing to say either, just moving his lips.
“I hope I’m not too late.”
“Ah, Esper Joo Dojoon!”
The teacher enthusiastically welcomed Dojoon, who appeared in the awkward atmosphere, as if he were a savior. The guides also greeted him, calling out his name and “Guardian.”
As Jaeyoon stood up and positioned himself behind Jaeha, and Dojoon sat in the seat, the teacher approached with patches. Unlike Jaeyoon, Dojoon just slightly pulled his shirt, making it somewhat difficult for the teacher to attach the patches.
Seeing Dojoon’s cautious behavior, Jaeha gave Jaeyoon a look. It was a glance of disapproval for his brother who had boldly opened his chest in front of others, but Jaeyoon misunderstood Jaeha’s look and patted his shoulder.
This touch, as if saying it’s okay, don’t be tense, seemed odd for guiding that they did every day. As Jaeha started guiding by holding Dojoon’s hand as instructed by the teacher, with only the monitor sound being heard, he finally became concerned about the conversation they had just had.
‘Aftereffects are excitement? Pleasure? What is that? Wasn’t it just embarrassment?’
Just looking at Jaeyoon who had just finished guiding or Dojoon who was currently guiding, they both seemed completely calm.
But conversely, the actions and words of the Vice Minister he had encountered earlier became even more horrifying when connected to the content about aftereffects.
Only now did several incidents flash through Jaeha’s mind: an Esper who wouldn’t let go of his hand during the guiding test and cursed, or situations where he continued tests without revealing his face.
He wanted to ask why such terrifying aftereffects hadn’t been explained before, but he and the acquaintances who performed guiding daily had no problems.
While Jaeha was lost in thought, Dojoon’s guiding ended. Dojoon must have really carved out time from his busy schedule, as he immediately left, and the whispering sounds grew louder from various places. The teacher turned the lights back on for the guides’ side to refresh the atmosphere.
“You learned that compatibility between guides and Espers mostly follows rank, right? But Guide Seo Jaeha here has special abilities that show excellent results not only with A-class Espers but also with S-class Espers’ guiding. I hope you all work hard so you can also guide Espers of different ranks.”
“Yes!”
“Thank you, Guide Seo Jaeha!”
When Jaeha, who had squinted momentarily as his vision suddenly brightened, opened his eyes and saw the bright-eyed guides, he felt awkward and looked at Jaeyoon. Jaeyoon seemed unaffected, lightly waving or nodding in acknowledgment when someone quietly called out to him.
‘He’s become a complete celebrity.’
Jaeha’s eyes gradually narrowed at his brother who seemed composed – or perhaps showboating. As Jaeha shook his head, uncomfortable seeing his brother’s public persona, laughter erupted from various places again.
In this cheerful atmosphere, the guide trainees couldn’t ask their prepared questions and just laughed along. When the guide demonstration was announced, they had questions they really wanted to ask Jaeha.
They had wanted to ask if the rumors about Jaeha were true – that he was the only guide of an S-class Esper, known as a guide without penalties.
However, Jaeha and Jaeyoon, who looked like brothers from any angle, maintained distance despite their intimacy, and no unusual undercurrents were felt. In this situation, asking about the sensuality that occurs during guiding would seem inappropriate. In fact, the two showed tremendous guiding efficiency without even a change in expression.
It seemed like questions would pour in, but the teacher skillfully wrapped things up, helping Jaeha and Jaeyoon leave.
After exiting the practice room/lecture hall and entering a quiet hallway, Jaeha immediately tried to take Jaeyoon’s hand again. But when Jaeyoon quickly avoided it and stepped away, just like in the past, Jaeha was dumbfounded.
“What are you doing?”
“I was surprised because you suddenly approached me.”
“You avoided my slow-moving hand because you were surprised?”
When Jaeha lifted his hand, loosened his wrist and moved it limply, Jaeyoon laughed a little and then stepped backward.
“I just dropped by, and I still have work to do, so I’ll go ahead.”
“Didn’t you come for a rank re-examination?”
“I came for the examination while investigating a gate. I’m really busy, brother.”
As Jaeha stared intently at his suspicious behavior, Haeil appeared from somewhere and patted Jaeyoon’s shoulder.
“You’re late, Mr. Seo Jaeyoon. We need to hurry.”
“Oh, Haeil Hyung. So both of you can’t have dinner together tonight?”
“Unfortunately, it’s hard to give a definite answer.”
“Ah, I see. Please take him away. Don’t overwork yourselves. And you should come by for guiding tomorrow.”
Seeing Haeil’s troubled expression, Jaeha quickly agreed and didn’t forget to nag Jaeyoon. After taking in the sight of Jaeha with Cheonoh guarding his back, Jaeyoon lightly nodded and quickly moved away with Haeil.
After walking just a short distance, Haeil found an empty room and opened the door. Jaeyoon quickly rushed in and leaned against the wall. Though they hadn’t walked far, Haeil was concerned about Jaeyoon’s condition as he took labored breaths and appeared to be in pain. Keeping his distance, Haeil cautiously spoke.
“You pushed yourself too hard. I won’t ask why you’re wary of Joo Dojoon since only you know that, but isn’t it too burdensome to step forward yourself when you want to avoid guiding with Jaeha? If you had called me in advance, I would have rushed over.”
“That’s not it.”
Jaeyoon tried to hide his bright red face by wiping it with his hands.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
