That pitifully awkward sight made Yoo Ji-ho’s lips twitch for a moment. It was almost funny.
“Long time no see.”
“Yes…”
After nodding, Hye-seong pressed his lips together. Though he greeted him warmly, the awkwardness was impossible to hide. He’d been chasing after him for days, but this wasn’t exactly how he’d imagined their next encounter. It felt a little off.
“How’s your body?”
“Ah… I’m okay.”
“I see.”
“And you, Yoo Ji-ho?”
“I’m fine too. Thanks to you.”
Yoo Ji-ho stepped inside, passing Hye-seong, and headed for the bar table in the kitchen.
He was carrying a paper bag. After setting it down, he stared at it silently. Hye-seong stood at a distance, glancing around uneasily.
“…”
“…”
Yoo Ji-ho looked like he was seriously debating something.
Gasp.
Suddenly, he turned and stared directly at Hye-seong. The sharpness of his gaze caught him off guard.
Yoo Ji-ho scanned him from head to toe.
In that moment, Hye-seong snapped back to reality. This wasn’t the time to be happy about seeing Yoo Ji-ho. He was here as the captain of S Team and was clearly about to scold him.
“…”
Sensing the tension, Hye-seong’s hands moved instinctively.
He politely placed both hands in front of him and bowed slightly. The IV line attached to his arm clinked softly.
But then Yoo Ji-ho said something completely unexpected.
“You look grubby.”
His voice was calm and bone-dry. It took Hye-seong a long moment to process what that even meant. Then he blurted out in a panic,
“S-Sorry! I just woke up. S-Should I go wash up?”
Even he didn’t know what he was saying. Predictably, Yoo Ji-ho’s brow twitched again.
“This… is porridge.”
He motioned with a glance toward the bag he’d brought in.
“You’re going to eat before you leave, right?”
“Huh?”
The words burst out louder than intended.
“…Here? At your place?”
“Are you eating before you go?”
“…”
Hye-seong blinked rapidly, wide-eyed. Yoo Ji-ho was asking again, clearly expecting a specific answer.
His eyes trembled. He hadn’t anticipated anything like this.
He’d been mentally preparing to get scolded—maybe even stripped of his Pair status—for recklessly overstepping his limits.
But Yoo Ji-ho had handled his leave without being asked. He’d called in the inspector. And when he woke up, it had been in Yoo Ji-ho’s own bed.
And now, he was offering him a meal—something he’d gone out and bought himself.
Hye-seong responded like he was in a trance.
“Then… I’ll eat, thank you.”
You’re not supposed to refuse an adult’s generosity. He’d been taught that the polite thing to do was to accept graciously, like taking pocket money.
As he bowed with his lips pressed tightly together, Yoo Ji-ho let out a sigh, as if deeply relieved by the answer.
“…So you’re really going to sit at my table looking like that.”
He muttered to himself, and then, as if making a decision, moved lightly.
“Yeah, you should definitely go wash up. The bathroom’s over there.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll show you. Come on.”
“Uh—?”
Yoo Ji-ho herded him toward the bathroom like a rancher corralling a cow, complete with a gentle smile.
***
When Hye-seong stepped out of the bathroom, a faint unfamiliar scent clung to him. He looked down at his appearance.
The clothes Yoo Ji-ho had given him were far too big—both the sleeves and pant legs had to be rolled up multiple times. But at least this time, he wasn’t barefoot; he was wearing indoor slippers.
Only now did Hye-seong finally look around Yoo Ji-ho’s place properly.
The wall directly across from the stairs was entirely made of glass. The house was built on elevated ground—you had to climb stairs just to reach the front door. Outside the window, a lush, green landscape unfolded, part of the Center’s inner grounds.
The towering ceilings only added to the grandeur. It didn’t feel like a residence for an Esper—it felt like he’d been invited to a luxurious vacation home owned by some rich guy.
“…It really does feel like a villa.”
He muttered it under his breath, even though he’d never been to a place like this before. It made him laugh, a little sheepishly.
Of course, the lack of lived-in feeling contributed to the vibe. Just like the bedroom, the rest of the house felt like a pristine model home.
Still, it wasn’t all that surprising. Yoo Ji-ho probably visited his real home when he wanted to rest—so maybe it made sense.
When he returned to the kitchen, the paper bag was right where Yoo Ji-ho had set it down earlier. There was some noise from upstairs—he must’ve gone up to do something.
“Hm…”
After a brief internal debate, Hye-seong opened the bag without hesitation.
Yoo Ji-ho had come down from flipping his bedroom upside down after someone else had intruded on it—and then froze.
There sat Hye-seong, now looking much more lively than earlier, asking:
“You’re eating too, right? There’s enough for two…”
He’d set up both portions at the table and was just sitting there, not eating yet, waiting.
“…Can’t believe I’m actually having a meal with Baek Hye-seong.”
He muttered in disbelief.
“Right? I can’t believe it either.”
Why the hell did I buy two? Yoo Ji-ho bit down hard as that thought crossed his mind.
As soon as Yoo Ji-ho sat down, Hye-seong took the opposite seat and looked down at the table.
Everything had been so chaotic—and now, out of nowhere, he was eating with Yoo Ji-ho?
He remembered hearing once, a long time ago, that a single meal with a famous person had been auctioned off for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Back then, he couldn’t comprehend it. Even more so because he’d been younger and far less experienced.
But now, he got it. He totally understood what that auction winner must’ve felt.
Right now, he was eating a meal worth hundreds of thousands of dollars!
Hhk…
“What is it?”
“N-No, nothing.”
Hands trembling, Hye-seong picked up his spoon and slowly brought the porridge to his mouth.
It was the most delicious porridge he’d ever tasted. Or at least, it would’ve been if he’d been in a better state to appreciate it. Right now, he didn’t have the clarity or stamina to savor anything.
Still, just before taking another bite, he lifted his head as if remembering something important.
He still hadn’t said the most crucial thing.
“Yoo Ji-ho, I’m sorry for barging in yesterday. I heard you’d gone into combat and got worried. I was waiting out front, but then I got a weird feeling and… I’m not usually like this. I swear.”
“Really? You already tried to follow me into a Gate before, so I’m not all that surprised.”
His fumbling hands stilled.
“…Ah.”
Oh. So it wasn’t that weird to him. That’s… kind of a relief.
Nodding as if having reached a profound realization, Hye-seong suddenly felt a sharp gaze.
Right—there was still something else he hadn’t asked.
“Are you really okay? I was really worried…”
“Yeah. Thanks to you.”
“…Because of me?”
“That’s what I was told. So I should try to stay on your good side.”
“Wait—really because of me?”
“Everyone seems to be in a great mood. You did something impressive, Hye-seong. When you go back to work tomorrow, you’ll get tons of praise.”
“Well… It wasn’t a big deal or anything.”
He wasn’t sure if it was okay to feel this way, but he was incredibly proud that he’d been able to help. What happened yesterday really had meant something.
As he lowered his head again and resumed eating, Yoo Ji-ho stared at him for a moment, then spoke.
“There’s something I don’t get.”
“Yes?”
“Why is what you did yesterday being praised? Why is it now my responsibility to treat you nicely?”
“…?”
“Shouldn’t I have gotten angry, scolded you, and made sure you never pull that again?”
Their eyes met. Yoo Ji-ho’s expression was as gentle as always.
“I mean, yeah—I’m alive because of you. But I’m not talking about me. I’m talking about the Center.”
His low, soft voice didn’t waver.
“It’s lucky I’d already been sedated with medication. If not, you could’ve been in serious danger. You’re top of your class, right, Baek Hye-seong? Do they really teach Guides at the Center to throw themselves into danger like that?”
“….”
“I hate that crap. Isn’t the system still stuck in the past?”
He wasn’t wrong. The Center never taught Guides to offer their bodies to Espers on the brink of rampage.
Even before becoming a Guide, back when he still dreamed of being a researcher, Hye-seong had learned how to respond to those situations:
“Never approach. Evacuate immediately.”
He hadn’t known at the time whether Yoo Ji-ho had been treated with drugs or not. But even so, he couldn’t leave him like that.
When Hye-seong still didn’t answer and just glanced around, Yoo Ji-ho’s voice dropped further.
“Unless… you had some special reason for doing all that?”
“….”
Hye-seong froze at the question and hastily dropped his gaze. Yoo Ji-ho’s stare was sharper than ever.
