Ho-eun checked his Guide Watch.
Do In-ho’s guiding percentage was steadily dropping—meaning he was actively using his ability.
The newly updated Guide Watch also showed the location of the assigned Esper.
When Ho-eun opened the menu to check, he was startled to see that Do In-ho was in the same building.
He hurried to the information desk on the first floor and asked which training hall Do In-ho was in.
After tapping the keyboard a few times, the staff member told him: Second floor, Section A-5.
Ho-eun chose the central staircase over the elevator.
As he walked down the second-floor hallway, he spotted the tightly closed metal door of Section A-5.
The soundproofing was excellent—despite standing right in front of it, he couldn’t hear a thing.
With the flower still in his left hand, he reached out with his right and opened the door.
The moment the door opened, he was hit by a wave of heat.
And right before his eyes—blue flames exploded like fireworks.
Stunned by the burst of color, he froze briefly but quickly forced himself to take a step forward into the training hall.
Each step into the heat made it feel like his entire body might melt.
—BOOM!
A thunderous explosion erupted right beside his ear, and a gust of scorching wind blew toward where he stood.
His heartbeat pounded harder and faster.
Flashes from that video replayed in his mind—the one of an Esper annihilating an armed military unit, wiping out an entire village.
Espers who instilled fear just by existing—those images swept past him.
Ho-eun stopped walking.
Someone was emerging from the haze of heat.
Beep, beep, beep, beep
A warning alarm blared from his Guide Watch.
He glanced at his wrist—red lights blinking, and a large 10% flashed across the screen.
When he looked back up, a man’s chest was inches from his face.
Wind tousled black hair.
Piercing golden eyes that made him want to keep staring.
A muscular, compact upper body.
And as his gaze lowered, he saw a hand blazing with blue flame.
As soon as Ho-eun’s eyes landed on it, the fire disappeared with a whoosh.
Beep, beep, beep, beep
Ho-eun raised his right hand and grabbed Do In-ho’s.
The other man flinched and tried to pull away, but Ho-eun quickly intertwined their fingers to stop him.
He closed his eyes.
The hand he held was warm.
If he weren’t human, it wouldn’t feel like this.
“Espers aren’t human. They’re monsters.”
Hosoo’s voice echoed in his head.
But look, sir.
This hand—there’s no fur, no strange texture. Just a palm with calluses. A warm hand. Rough joints that somehow fit perfectly in mine.
“…It’s just Do In-ho, after all.”
The Guide Watch, which had been shrieking with alerts, fell silent.
His chaotic emotions melted away.
The truth right before him was something he already knew.
The blue flames from Do In-ho had vanished before they ever posed a threat.
The fire that had filled the entire training hall disappeared in an instant.
What Ho-eun wanted to save wasn’t a monster.
Just like the first time they met—he wanted to help the real Do In-ho, the one being bullied and tormented. And he was sure of one thing: Do In-ho would never hurt anyone.
The flower in Ho-eun’s left hand bloomed in full.
“Why didn’t you come for Broadcast Guiding yesterday?”
At his question, Do In-ho blinked with a puzzled look.
As if to say, Were you really planning to guide me?
Ho-eun had been ready to scold him, but seeing that expression made him pause.
He knew Do In-ho’s situation all too well—rock-bottom self-esteem, chronic self-deprecation.
He truly believed all Guides hated him.
Ho-eun thought back to the blue flames he’d just seen.
Yeah, if someone thought that kind of ability might spiral out of control, it’d definitely be scary.
Not just the power—he was a difficult Esper to guide, too.
Maybe that’s why Do In-ho had grown used to being rejected.
He’d become someone who expected nothing from anyone.
Ho-eun stepped closer to him.
They were now standing so close that a light nudge from behind would push them together.
“Is it okay if I visit your dorm tonight?”
This time, I’ll definitely give you proper Broadcast Guiding.
When Ho-eun said that, Do In-ho gave a small nod.
If guiding was a hassle for Ho-eun, he wouldn’t have to do it.
Do In-ho was used to rejection.
In fact, someone like Ho-eun approaching him was so rare he had no idea how to react.
A naturally kind person.
Ho-eun was the kindest person Do In-ho had ever met.
That’s probably why he’s being nice to someone like me.
Squelch, squelch.
The two of them were still staring at each other, lost in thought, when they heard footsteps in the training hall and turned.
The floor was dry, but the sound was unmistakably that of wet feet.
Through the hazy smoke left behind by the earlier fireworks-like display, a figure slowly approached.
“…What’s this? A Guide?”
As the smoke cleared, a voice rang out, followed by a man’s appearance.
The first thing that stood out—yellow.
Bright yellow rain boots, a yellow raincoat, and a yellow umbrella.
Soaked as if he’d walked through a storm, the man was dripping wet as he appeared before them.
He walked right up and began circling Ho-eun with a goofy grin, as if fascinated by something.
Sensing the intent behind the man’s actions, Do In-ho gently took Ho-eun’s wrist and pulled him behind himself.
“Assistant Manager, that’s enough.”
“What, why are you hiding him? I’ve already got a Guide I’m bonded with!”
Irritated, the man shouted as Do In-ho shielded Ho-eun.
Peeking past Do In-ho’s shoulder, Ho-eun looked at the man. The guy locked eyes with him and adjusted his tone.
“Hey there. You an intern? Name’s Leo.”
Leo introduced himself and snapped open his umbrella.
The moment droplets from the umbrella touched Ho-eun’s cheek, a shhhhhh rainfall sound played right beside him.
The ceiling was clearly intact.
How the hell was it raining inside a training hall?
Ho-eun reached out his hand to feel the falling raindrops.
“My ability lets me make it rain.”
It was cold.
The droplets on his palm felt surreal. And now that he noticed, despite the rain, he wasn’t getting wet.
He looked up—rain poured over the entire hall except for the space immediately around him and Do In-ho.
Turning to the right where heat radiated, he saw Do In-ho’s blue flame flickering faintly.
Ho-eun’s gaze rose.
The rain definitely fell right up to the edge of where Do In-ho stood—yet the drops never reached them.
His flames were evaporating the water before it could touch them.
“Enough with the tricks.”
“It’s not a trick—it’s my intro. So, Intern Guide, what brings you to an Esper training hall? Worried about your boyfriend’s low guiding percentage?”
There was a teasing lilt in Leo’s voice, like he was enjoying the whole scene.
Flustered, Ho-eun rushed to explain they weren’t anything like that—but who knew if Leo even heard him properly?
When Ho-eun stepped forward, seemingly to leave, Leo noticed the flower in his hand.
“Aha. I get it. You two are guiding partners for practicum, huh? Brings back memories. Four years ago, I was—”
Clearly about to start rambling, Leo was cut off as Do In-ho, unfazed, gently pulled Ho-eun toward the training hall exit.
“Once he starts talking, it never ends.”
Now’s our only chance to escape.
Do In-ho’s voice was firm.
It surprised Ho-eun.
In front of another Esper, he wasn’t the timid man he usually was.
Making sure Leo didn’t notice, Ho-eun gave him a silent nod and slipped out of the training hall.
Leo, still mid-monologue, didn’t realize Ho-eun had left.
When he finally finished his story and opened his eyes with a laugh, only Do In-ho remained—expressionless.
“What? When’d he leave?”
“……”
At Leo’s question, Do In-ho simply shrugged, feigning ignorance.
Leo clicked his tongue in disappointment and folded his umbrella.
The rain, which had been falling hard, stopped immediately.
“Let’s continue practice.”
“Nah, I’m good. Let’s be real—you figured it out too, didn’t you? This training only exists because the higher-ups told us to. No real purpose. And I’m not up for pointless drills either.”
“……”
“Though I gotta admit, sparring with you is kinda fun. But tanking another Esper’s guiding percentage just for that? Feels wrong. Tch. Listen to me sounding noble. I guess having a family really changes a guy. Do In-ho, man—you should treat your boyfriend better.”
“He’s not… anything like that.”
Do In-ho felt nothing at Leo’s half-hearted apology.
‘Training drills,’ they said.
He’d walked into that room fully expecting some thinly veiled top-down command.
The only thing he hadn’t expected was Ho-eun showing up.
Maybe it was the artificial rain, but the training hall felt muggy.
“Well, I’ll get going then.”
“Yeah, yeah. Go.”
Using his ability drained his guiding percentage. That would only make it harder on Ho-eun later.”
‘Why didn’t you come for Broadcast Guiding yesterday?”
He remembered the way Ho-eun asked—with those shining brown eyes.
Did he disappoint him?
Reading others’ emotions was always hard for Do In-ho. But that expression Ho-eun had worn—it wasn’t the kind of anger he was familiar with.
He looked upset… maybe even sad.
Was he… worried?
No way. Someone like him wouldn’t worry about someone like me.
The training hall felt unusually stuffy today. Breathing was hard.
Normally, he would’ve just gone along with the higher-ups’ plan and done ability training alone, even without Leo.
A tool shouldn’t have thoughts.
Like a stray tube floating in the sea—it should just drift along with the waves. But this time was different.
If he went ahead with the training, Kwon Ho-eun would worry.
That kind, overly meddlesome Kwon Ho-eun.
Leaving the training hall, Do In-ho went to the physical training area.
Since the scheduled training had to be completed anyway, he switched to a physical workout instead of using his ability.
After finishing, he returned to his dorm.
He showered, changed into comfortable clothes, and noticed it was already past 6 p.m.
It was just another routine day, and yet his heart was racing oddly fast.
With damp hair dripping water, he lazily wrapped a towel around his head and sat on the couch.
The ticking clock broke the silence in the room.
Right then, as if on cue, the doorbell rang.
The intercom screen filled with Kwon Ho-eun’s face.
Just like when he’d rushed out of the training hall, Do In-ho moved quickly to open the door.
“Have you eaten yet?”
“Ah… no, not yet.”
“Perfect. Mind if I use your kitchen?”
Ho-eun was holding a large shopping bag.
Do In-ho took it from him and led the way into the kitchen.
Inside the bag were groceries—onions, carrots, potatoes, a pack of meat.
There were also cutting boards and knives, probably brought from his own kitchen.
“I figured we could make dinner together. Looking at the ingredients, you can probably guess what we’re making, right?”
The unexpected appearance of a pack of curry powder caught Do In-ho off guard.
He blinked at it in surprise.
