“Jin-ha, I…”
“Uh-uh. You should be getting guiding from your guide.”
Hyeon-seo shoved Rion, who had been walking toward Jin-ha, straight in Lee Yu-won’s direction.
“You’re not seriously planning to keep things awkward even inside the Gate, right? Don’t let personal feelings cloud your judgment. Okay? I’m trusting you.”
“Sunbae…”
Rion hesitated for a moment.
Even if he’d resolved to set his personal feelings aside, acting on that decision was a whole different matter. He hadn’t given it much thought when he moved, but getting stopped like this was enough to make him falter.
Still, she was right. No matter what he’d decided for himself, letting emotions get in the way and messing up inside the Gate would be unforgivable.
“…Here.”
Rion held out his hand to Yu-won with a curt attitude. Anyone else might’ve taken offense at his clearly dismissive tone, but Yu-won just silently took his hand without batting an eye.
I’m annoyed, but at least when he’s guiding me…
Rion relaxed slightly as that familiar, pleasant warmth began to seep through their joined hands. He gave a light squeeze in return.
“Water.”
“Huh?”
“I said, drink some water.”
Still holding his hand, Yu-won calmly offered him a water bottle with his other hand.
Rion glanced around and noticed that everyone else was doing the same—drinking water and resting while receiving guiding. He awkwardly accepted the bottle.
“Thanks.”
He mumbled the words, clearly reluctant, then looked away as he took a drink. The training had been rougher than expected.
Dealing with someone who could attack intelligently while avoiding doing major damage was far more challenging than just brute strength.
“Alright, five more minutes, then we’re going back in.”
“Five minutes? That’s way too short!”
“There might not even be that much of a break once we’re inside the Gate. We’ll gradually be reducing the rest time, so get used to it.”
At Hyeon-seo’s firm tone, Min-hyeon looked like he was about to burst into silent tears.
As a support-type Esper, he was more or less treated like baggage in battle, and being right in the thick of it clearly wasn’t easy for him.
“By tomorrow, or at the latest the day after, your seniors will be joining us. Do you want to look like a bunch of weaklings in front of them?”
Hyeon-seo clapped her hands sharply to regain everyone’s focus.
“…Is it not too much for you?”
Poor Min-hyeon.
That’s what Rion was thinking as he continued receiving guiding—when Yu-won suddenly spoke up.
Where the hell did that come from? Rion frowned, thinking the question didn’t match the situation. He kept his mouth shut, but then wondered if he was just being childish.
“It’s what I have to do.”
“Don’t give me that kind of answer. I’m asking if you’re okay.”
The response came back sharper than before.
This jerk, seriously. Rion shot Yu-won a sideways glare.
“What does it matter? I have to do it either way. It’s not like I can just say, ‘Oh, this S-rank Gate is too much for me,’ and walk away, right?”
“You could at least talk about it.”
Why’s he running his mouth so much today? Was it because the S-rank Gate was getting to him? Well, Yu-won was human, so maybe.
Rion replied in his usual brusque tone.
“…There’s nothing for me not to be okay about. Sure, I’m worried, but that’s the same with any Gate. The difference this time is that if I mess up, the consequences are bigger—so I just have to focus more than usual. That’s all.”
Saying he wasn’t anxious would’ve been a lie.
Rion had already been losing sleep over it. But that didn’t mean he wanted to admit it out loud.
Rion might look like he was completely unfazed, but if he started showing signs of stress, it would ripple through the entire team.
So even if he wasn’t okay, he had to say he was. Even if he was scared, he couldn’t show it.
“…Figured you’d say that.”
Of course you did. Rion let out a scoffing snort at Yu-won’s reply.
And yet, ironically, that simple line actually eased his nerves a bit.
Knowing that someone like Yu-won would stay exactly the same no matter how anxious Rion was—that somehow lifted a little weight off his shoulders.
“Break’s over. Back to your positions, everyone.”
“Ughhh…”
With groans and grumbles, the team members got up and returned to their places.
Rion handed the water bottle back to Yu-won without a word, then walked off to take his position.
***
“I’m seriously dying… We have to keep doing this for at least another week? At this point, I’d rather just dive into the damn Gate right now.”
Joo-chan looked like he’d lost weight just over the past few hours. Min-hyeon, standing beside him, just nodded weakly, too drained to speak.
“You can’t say stuff like that. If we’d gone in like this, we’d have been running around like headless chickens and wasted days. This training is a blessing in disguise.”
“I know that. I was just saying…”
Joo-chan stuck out his lower lip in a pout and mumbled. Despite the complaints, everyone was clearly taking training seriously.
“…Do you think we’ll actually do okay? I feel like I spent the entire day just getting wrecked by Rion-sunbae.”
“Well, obviously I’m stronger than the monsters. Don’t compare me to brainless beasts that don’t even know how to think, okay?”
Rion replied, sounding almost offended. But his tone was clearly joking, and the others just laughed and teased Joo-chan more.
“You better train harder. Rion was laser-focused on you today.”
“He’s just trying to toughen you up.”
“Tomorrow’s your turn, so get ready.”
“What?!”
Seo-ha gaped in horror at the bombshell announcement, looking like the sky had fallen.
Rion just chuckled and reached into his pocket as he felt his phone vibrate.
“Hello?”
[How’d the training go?]
“Decent enough for day one. Calling to check in?”
[If you’re all together, head up to the Center Director’s office now. Your seniors just arrived. You should at least say hello.]
Already? Rion blinked in surprise. They’d expected the seniors tomorrow or the day after.
“Really? So soon?”
[They said they couldn’t just sit around doing nothing and flew over like bullets. They’ll be joining training starting tomorrow, but I figured it’d be good for everyone to get acquainted today.]
After hanging up, Rion explained the situation to the team.
Since they’d all planned to head out for dinner after training anyway, switching destinations wasn’t a big deal.
“I wonder what they’re like?”
“Heard they’re juniors who used to work with the Center Director.”
“Is it true they’re an S-rank pair?”
With nearly ten people moving together, conversation flowed freely.
At the mention of an S-rank pair, Rion perked up and started listening more closely.
“Yeah, but I heard only the Esper’s S-rank. The Guide’s A-rank. Still, it caused a stir back then because it was the first time an S-rank Esper got officially paired in Korea.”
“Do you know what kind of ability they have?”
“All I’ve heard is that it’s short-range.”
An S-rank pair, huh…
Rion glanced at Yu-won.
If things had gone according to plan, they should’ve been a pair too. If only that jerk had been a bit more polite.
“Even so, an S and A-rank pair must be crazy strong. A-ranked pairs alone are insane.”
“Hey now, don’t say that right in front of them. That’s kinda embarrassing.”
Min-ho and Su-jin laughed with their arms linked.
The two of them, currently the most effective pair in Korea, were a powerhouse combo.
“It’s all thanks to my baby here.”
“Oh stop, you’re the one carrying us~.”
Rion rolled his eyes.
He was already annoyed that he’d have to keep watching this lovey-dovey act inside the Gate too. But the stronger the bond, the more efficient the pair. So as much as he hated the sight, he couldn’t exactly tell them to knock it off.
“Pairs are practically couples… Are those two married?”
“Haven’t heard anything like that… But maybe they just don’t talk about it.”
Hyeon-seo shrugged.
They chatted as they walked and soon arrived in front of the Center.
“Well, let’s just go ask them.”
“I’m kinda nervous. If they were active during the same era as the Center Director, they must’ve worked when things were way less structured. I bet they’re super intense and strict.”
“And since they’re a pair, probably even more impressive.”
Even in the elevator, the chatter continued.
And it wasn’t just the Espers who were curious.
“They’re probably really cool, huh?”
“Definitely. I mean, even now it’s tough for a Guide inside a Gate, even when we go in fully loaded with equipment. They were doing it back when there was no real system…”
Ye-ju’s eyes sparkled with excitement. As the most senior Guide in the team, she seemed especially eager.
“I’m really looking forward to this. Ugh, I just hope I don’t embarrass myself in front of them.”
“Oh, we’re here. Let’s get off.”
The elevator stopped, and the group walked toward the Center Director’s office, each holding their own expectations.
Then the door opened.
“What the hell are you doing acting like a fool? Everything was already prepared anyway!”
“Oh please! And what kind of senior just sits around not lifting a damn finger?! Is that what you call setting an example? You really haven’t matured at all!”
With that, every single expectation they had was spectacularly shattered.
