“So, he really just came and went like that?”
“Yeah. I’m telling you, that’s exactly what happened.”
Kang-woo, who had come to visit Rion in the hospital, tilted his head after hearing the story. Rion popped a strawberry into his mouth as he spoke.
“Seriously, that guy…… just when I think I understand him a little, I don’t. I don’t even know what he’s mad about, or if he’s mad at all. I appreciate him worrying about me, but if he’s going to worry, shouldn’t he do it properly? Isn’t that how it’s supposed to work?”
“No, but honestly, you do deserve to get scolded a bit. Take better care of your body.”
“No, I mean…….”
Rion had brought it up for nothing and gained nothing from it, so he pouted and shut his mouth. Kang-woo, having listened long enough, launched into a full-blown lecture.
“I heard everything. You charged in again without thinking about your condition. Yeah, you’re capable, and yeah, you’re an S-rank Esper—but you’ve still only got one life.”
“Ah, ah, ah! Not the nagging again!”
“This isn’t something you can just let go in one ear and out the other. Even machines have to recharge between jobs. Who do you think you are, throwing your body around like that? And you’re not even a machine—you’re a person.”
“But…… just like when there are multiple machines and all the work naturally piles onto the one with the best performance, I think it’s the same for us.”
“Nice try. You think high-performance machines don’t get overloaded? Don’t spout nonsense. Honestly, it’s a good thing you can rest like this. Maybe getting hurt once in a while isn’t such a bad thing.”
“What kind of terrifying thing is that to say?”
Rion shuddered dramatically and grabbed another strawberry. Chewing on it, he spoke to Kang-woo.
“Where’d these strawberries come from anyway? They’re not exactly typical hospital-visit fruit, but I’m kind of touched.”
“Huh? I didn’t buy those. They said they were for you when I was coming in, so I just brought them along.”
Kang-woo said it as if Rion should’ve known. Rion, who obviously didn’t, widened his eyes and stared at the impossibly fresh, out-of-season strawberries.
“Then who sent them?”
“No idea. But if they know you like strawberries, it’s probably someone from the Center. And this is the VIP ward—the Center reserved the whole thing for security reasons, so only related people can get in. How’d they leave it here? You know, like that person who always left health drinks in front of your dorm. Maybe…… a fan.”
“That person……? They could’ve just come and given them to me.”
“Maybe they’re really shy. I’m curious who it is, too. They’re not some fairy tale bride, but they keep sending stuff like this without a word. If it were me, I’d at least leave a note.”
“Hmm. Should we try asking around? I’m kind of curious.”
Rion said seriously. At this point, he was beyond curious—he was downright restless about who this kind anonymous benefactor might be. Of course, with how busy he was, he couldn’t obsess over it all day, so he tended to forget about it quickly.
Could it really be a fan?
Getting gifts from fans wasn’t exactly rare for Rion. But no one had ever looked after him this quietly and consistently, which made it stand out all the more.
If it was to this extent, why not just come forward and say something? Why only take care of him from the shadows?
“Drop it, drop it. If they wanted to come out and talk to you, they would’ve done it already. They probably don’t have the courage. You should be considerate.”
“Hmm…… yeah. That might be it. I’d be fine with it even if it’s later—I just hope they show up someday and say it was them.”
Rion nodded, easily convinced. Digging up the identity of someone who didn’t want to reveal themselves would be rude, after all.
“More importantly, take better care of yourself. Whoever’s bringing you this stuff would probably just sigh nonstop watching how you live.”
“Ah, okay. I get it. I really do.”
“Don’t just say you get it—actually pay attention. You’re always saying Yu-won nags you nonstop, but honestly, there’s not a single thing he’s wrong about. I heard you got a bit closer inside the Gate this time?”
“Ah, yeah. I mean, he even came to visit me and said all that stuff, so I think he really has started to like me a bit more, right?”
In a slightly excited voice, Rion explained what had happened inside the Gate. He conveniently left out the part where he’d cried his eyes out from exhaustion.
After giving a fairly detailed account, Rion hesitated for a moment before asking Kang-woo quietly.
“Doesn’t it seem like we’re on pretty good terms now? I listened to the sunbaes’ advice in there, and after going through all kinds of things…… I ended up thinking a lot. I get angry less, too. When he came to visit, I didn’t even get mad.”
“Oh? Finally growing up a little?”
“Hey, don’t say it like that. Seriously, doesn’t it seem like there’s potential?”
“Potential for what?”
“For a 100 percent matching rate.”
Rion said it with unmistakable excitement. Kang-woo clicked his tongue and shook his head.
“That number even make sense to you?”
“Hey, if you put it that way, 99 percent doesn’t make sense either.”
“Well, yeah, but…… 100 percent is really pushing it.”
“You shouldn’t give up that easily. I’m seriously aiming for it—100 percent matching rate.”
“Well…… sure. You’re allowed to dream.”
“Just watch. Once I’m discharged and get back to the Center, I’m remeasuring it first thing. Even when we were at each other’s throats, it was 99 percent—now that we’re a bit better, isn’t it possible we’ll hit 100 this time?”
Rion said confidently. He wasn’t exaggerating—he genuinely believed it.
Even now, he wouldn’t say his relationship with Yu-won was great, but compared to the complete disaster it had been before, he thought it had at least reached a normal level.
We haven’t fought since that conversation. Maybe it really did go up by 1 percent.
“I think there’s a pretty good chance.”
“Geez…… I don’t know. Do your best. And don’t be too disappointed if it doesn’t happen.”
Kang-woo said that, shaking his head. Rion brushed it off and grabbed another strawberry from the pile that was still far from gone.
***
Rion started grumbling about wanting to be discharged before even a full week had passed since his admission. The one most stressed out by his complaints was the Center Director.
“You saw the test results. They said there’s nothing seriously wrong now.”
“And why’d you leave out the part where the doctor said you still shouldn’t overdo it? And how is a broken bone ‘nothing wrong’? They said you needed at least two weeks of rest.”
“Doctors always exaggerate. That’s how hospitals make more money.”
“That’s complete nonsense. This isn’t some private clinic, and you’re not in a drama. Maybe watch a few more dramas while you’re here and then get discharged.”
The Center Director shot Rion an irritated look at his pointless excess of energy, then flicked him on the head.
“Ow! Why are you hitting me?”
Rion grumbled, clutching his head. The Center Director let out a deep sigh.
“Because you’re frustrating. That’s why.”
“See? You only hit me because you know my head’s fine.”
“I’d rather die than deal with this.”
“Anyway, just let me come back. Everyone says I should rest another week, but I’m so frustrated I feel like that stress is going to make me sicker.”
“Oh, please. I’m the one going crazy from stress because of you. Two weeks was only possible because you’ve got good stamina. If you were a normal person, you’d need over a month.”
“Exactly—that’s because I’m not a normal person. Like you said, I recover fast.”
“Rion. Charging into Gates nonstop isn’t always a good thing. If you go in injured, get hurt even worse, and then can’t lend your strength when you’re really needed, wouldn’t that be even more painful for you?”
The Center was always short on manpower, but unless something especially dangerous cropped up, things wouldn’t fall apart just because Rion was absent.
“The others were begging me to please not let you come back yet. Especially……”
“Especially who?”
“Yu-won.”
“Ah, come on…… he’s always kind of extreme.”
“Better extreme than as dense as you. Still, I heard you two didn’t fight inside the Gate this time?”
“Well…… I learned a few things from the sunbaes.”
“Ah, from those two…… yeah, that makes sense. In a way, they were in a similar situation to you.”
The Center Director said it like he understood. Having spent his active years alongside those two, he’d learned that even pairs didn’t always have affectionate relationships.
“What did they say?”
“They said that with a pair—especially a matched Guide—you can’t help but expect them to understand you instinctively. And that expectation might be what makes things grind against each other even more. When I thought about it, it really did seem true.”
“They said something like that? Huh…… guess getting older really is the best way to grow up.”
The Center Director said, eyes widening in surprise.
“So? Did you gain some enlightenment?”
“Hmm…… yeah. So I tried talking to him. He talks kind of rudely, but it didn’t feel like his personality was rotten at the core. It was sudden, but he even came to visit me. Oh—how’s he doing?”
“You’re saying things got better, but you haven’t even contacted him?”
“There wasn’t really a reason to…….”
Now that he thought about it, he really hadn’t contacted him once since then. Rion scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. The Center Director clicked his tongue like he’d expected it.
“Well, he’s doing fine. He’s always diligent. Out of everyone who went into that Gate, he was the only Guide who wanted to come back early. In that way, you two are kind of similar. A similarity you really don’t need.”
“That’s a good thing, though. Working diligently helps the Center, too—”
“Everything in moderation. Still, at least Yu-won isn’t as severe as you. He said he just didn’t want to overthink things and would rather work instead.”
The Center Director recalled Yu-won’s voice when he’d said he wanted to return immediately. When asked why, worried he’d picked up Rion’s worst trait, Yu-won had replied calmly.
“At least when I’m working, I can focus without thinking about other things.”
The Center Director didn’t know what it was that made Yu-won want to focus so badly—even if it meant working—but he was relieved it wasn’t for the same reason as Rion. In the end, since the schedule had been difficult to secure, he’d sent Yu-won back and told him to rest one more day as planned.
“Don’t teach the kid anything weird. Just focus on resting. Got it?”
“Ah, I’m just asking to come back already…….”
“I’m leaving. This isn’t the VIP ward for nothing. Don’t think you can pull some half-baked escape—just rest. If you come back early, I’ll do nothing but suspend you, so decide for yourself.”
With only that said, the Center Director practically fled the hospital room. Rion stared at the door he’d exited through, looking disappointed.
“He’s doing well, huh…… Well, that’s good, then.”
Murmuring softly, Rion lay back down on the bed. If he rested like this for another full week, he felt like his muscles would all waste away.
