“Are you talking about the Imprint ring?”
“Yeah. Wearing it means you agree to be Imprinted.”
When I first received the ring, I was so happy it felt like a proposal. I thought the promise to be together meant we’d support one another.
But it wasn’t a proposal—it was just about Imprinting.
Of course. That bastard.
“Would… would it be good to be Imprinted?”
“Who knows? I don’t. But as a Guide, it’s probably the most important thing you can do.”
“The most important thing?”
“Caring for your Esper. Nothing is as complete a form of care as Imprinting.”
“……”
Why is there no future for a Guide as a Guide? Why is there always an Esper involved, even in this?
My spiraling thoughts were broken by the sound of a radio transmission.
[Some members of the group are attacking with single-use Ability Tools. Guide Support needed due to Eom Seong-chan’s rapidly dropping Guiding percentage.]
It was a message from the situation room.
“Fucking hell, how annoying.”
I muttered under my breath so the superior wouldn’t hear and got up.
The three of us, who had been on standby, started combing through the maze-like docks for Eom Seong-chan, playing a twisted game of hide-and-seek among the ships.
—KABOOM—
The blast of what was likely an Ability Product rang out, along with Eom Seong-chan’s voice.
I knew he was just around the corner, but I couldn’t move my feet.
What happens to my life if I save that asshole right now?
Am I supposed to live the rest of my life tethered to someone I don’t even like, just because I’m a Guide and he’s an Esper?
Tied down for life?
No future left?
Working in HR, excluding Eom Seong-chan, had actually been enjoyable.
I’d even felt a sense of pride when bringing in newly awakened Espers.
Besides, the Department Head had always been someone worth looking up to.
Kind, warm, and strict—but more than anyone else, he treated Guides as people first.
That’s why I could endure Eom Seong-chan spouting absurdities behind my back.
My desire to stay in the HR Department outweighed the betrayal.
—Thunk—
The ring I’d been holding slipped from my hand and clattered to the ground.
I stared at it spinning there for a long time.
“Yeon-woo, what are you doing? Not going?”
The senior who had checked the other side and found nothing spotted me and called out.
From the vibrations nearby, he must’ve also realized Eom Seong-chan was just ahead.
“I’m not saving that asshole.”
“What?”
“I don’t want him in my future.”
My legs finally moved—anywhere as long as it wasn’t toward Eom Seong-chan.
I didn’t want to be a Guide.
But if I was going to find a way to be happy as a Guide, it wouldn’t be by living for Espers.
It would be by finding a way to live for myself, even as a Guide. That’s what would bring me happiness.
In movies or dramas, the protagonist would have that realization, their hair fluttering in the wind as the story closes with a perfect happy ending.
But reality?
“You left the field without proper cause. You’ll be docked three months’ pay and face a disciplinary hearing.”
A full day had passed since I walked off-site.
When I returned to the office, an HR employee cautiously approached me.
“A disciplinary hearing?”
A civilian and an Esper. If those two face off, the Esper should win—that’s just common sense.
But Eom Seong-chan shattered that logic.
“He told them the mission failed because of you, Assistant Manager Bae Yeon-woo.”
“…Hah.”
“It’s not official yet, but you know how it is. In HR, once a rumor starts, it might as well be fact.”
That was the downside of being in HR.
Other departments only find out after everything’s decided—but HR always knows first.
Because of that, people hound HR employees on promotion or transfer days, trying to squeeze out intel.
“I want to speak with the Department Head.”
“I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to upset you, but… there’s a rumor going around. That the Department Head himself brought up canceling your promotion to Team Lead at the upcoming meeting.”
“What?”
It felt like a metal tray had been dropped on my head.
Not even a rock—no, something light and unexpected, and therefore all the more infuriating.
“The Department Head?”
“Shh. Someone might hear.”
The staffer lowered their voice, and I fell silent.
With that kind of reaction, it had to be true.
“…Ha.”
I stopped in my tracks and let out a hollow laugh.
I’d taken the Team Lead test a week before Eom Seong-chan and completed my field mission without a hitch.
The results were supposed to be released this week, but—true to HR style—everyone was already calling me Team Lead.
“And now it’s canceled?”
The same Department Head who’d pulled me aside, congratulated me, and thanked me for taking care of the incompetent Eom Seong-chan had stabbed me in the back.
He’d liked me more than Eom Seong-chan.
He’d listened to me more closely.
One memory after another piled up, pressing down on my chest.
“……”
I turned around.
People had already started whispering behind my back.
“I heard he left the mission just to screw over Eom Seong-chan after cheating with another Esper.”
“Seriously? That’s why he bailed? I always knew something was off about him.”
“Can a Guide really act like that? Disgusting.”
What is a Guide, really?
Are we supposed to turn everyone against us the moment we choose our own happiness?
All I ever wanted was to live for myself.
Two days passed.
Eom Seong-chan, now recovered, called me up to the empty rooftop.
I thought he’d curse me out the moment he saw me, but instead, he gave me a twisted little grin.
“If you get down on your knees and beg, I might forgive you.”
“…What?”
“Your reputation’s in the gutter. What Esper would want to work with you now? If you Imprint with me, I’ll clear up all the rumors.”
I should’ve known.
Of course he was the one spreading the rumors.
“You’re the one who started all that?”
“Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. So what? Your reputation’s already shot across the whole Corporation. You gonna go back to moping like before?”
“…?”
“You remember how you used to be? Man, I was a saint back then. Talking to you even though you were a total wreck. Boosting your confidence. Honestly, I kinda miss that version of you. You weren’t all sharp-tongued like now—you used to be so obedient.”
“…….”
“Maybe I should’ve Imprinted you back then, huh? Anyway, you should be grateful. I’m the one who got you out of that depressing Guiding Center.”
He looked up at the sky, all nostalgic.
Meanwhile, the rage burning in my head had turned ice cold.
“So this is who you really are.”
As my mind cleared, my thoughts began firing on all cylinders.
God must’ve been watching over me.
I’d almost Imprinted with this piece of shit.
Thank God I found out before I did.
“Good thing I figured out you’re trash before I Imprinted with you.”
Without even realizing, I lifted a hand to my cheek.
I could’ve sworn something had fallen, but luckily there was no moisture.
Maybe it was just in my head.
Yeah, everything must’ve been in my head.
Back when I was depressed, my moods swung from rock bottom to soaring highs.
Eom Seong-chan just happened to approach me when I was on an upswing.
Everything I felt—it was all just a trick of the mind. That’s how I rationalized it.
“The ring you gave me? I tossed it at the dock. Go fetch it. I’ll Imprint with you if you do.”
“What?!!”
“No need to freak out. That was my polite way of saying I won’t Imprint with you. Got it? Then fuck off, you garbage truck. Actually, no—I’m the one who should fuck off. Ugh, what a mess.”
I dramatically pinched my nose like it stank.
The rooftop door handle, heated by the sun, was blazing hot.
The coldness in my hands was gone now.
You did the right thing. Good job, Bae Yeon-woo.
“…Uh, hey.”
“Ah—shit!”
The moment I stepped outside, I nearly slammed into Nam Woon-soo’s chest.
Judging by his startled face, he’d heard everything from the rooftop.
“So, uh…”
“……”
“Th-the Department Head asked to see you…”
“Got it.”
Nam Woon-soo and I hadn’t had much interaction before.
Maybe because I was always paired with Eom Seong-chan, or maybe because Nam Woon-soo just didn’t leave much of an impression.
Either way, this was the first time we were really talking face-to-face.
“Move. I need to get by.”
His eyes, barely visible beneath his bangs, were unreadable.
Was it pity?
Or did he hear the rumors and now despise me?
“W-wait…”
I couldn’t get down the narrow stairs unless he moved, but Nam Woon-soo stood there awkwardly, fumbling through the inside pocket of his jacket.
Not finding anything, he pulled out the front and back pockets of his pants instead.
I stared blankly at the pocket he’d turned out—there was a hole.
“Did you drop something? From here?”
I pointed at the torn pocket.
Nam Woon-soo’s face flushed bright red as sweat beaded on his forehead.
“Ah, um… sorry.”
“??”
Suddenly apologizing, he grabbed his sleeve and gently pressed it to my cheek like he was stamping it.
“Huh?”
The pale blue sleeve had darkened from moisture.
Even though I hadn’t felt any tears earlier… maybe some had fallen when I opened the door?
“I-it’s done.”
“…….”
His odd gesture left me speechless.
“It, it would’ve been better with a handkerchief… s-sorry.”
“Right. By the way, did you always talk down to me?”
“W-we’re HR colleagues… and you told me to…”
“Oh, did I? Right.”
A small chuckle escaped me.
Why did that even matter now?
I gave his shoulder a pat and walked away.
The results of the disciplinary hearing were exactly as expected.
The mission failure was blamed on Guide Bae Yeon-woo’s unauthorized field abandonment.
As a result, I forfeited my Team Lead promotion and was barred from taking any promotion exams for the next two years.
Word was, Eom Tae-seok pulled a lot of strings behind the scenes.
“I’m deeply disappointed in you.”
That’s what the Department Head said when I went to his office to discuss transferring departments.
No “Why did you leave the scene?”
No “What happened between the two of you?”
Just that.
“I’m disappointed in you, sir. Why are you only blaming me? Your nephew’s the one spreading baseless rumors—doesn’t that warrant disciplinary action too? Why is it always me?!”
“That’s enough. I don’t want to hear anything more from you.”
I was practically thrown out of his office.
As I stood outside, dazed, the once-noisy office fell silent.
Only the sound of keyboards echoed through the room.
They were probably blowing up the group chat—the chat, the one without me.
I grabbed an empty box from the corner of the room and started packing up my things.
This was a company that wouldn’t fire me no matter what.
No matter how much I cried or screamed to explain, these people would still see more of Eom Seong-chan’s face than mine.
“……”
Just as I was about to pick up the box, a pale hand reached for it before I could.
It was Nam Woon-soo.
I wanted to say something like “Why bother helping me when we’re not even close?”
But what came out was:
“Thanks.”
In that office where no one was on my side, having someone beside me in that moment—it meant a lot.
Still, I wasn’t about to be fooled again.
Espers are all the same.
He might’ve been helping me out of some Eom Seong-chan-style agenda.
That’s what I believed…
Until Nam Woon-soo followed me into the Special Division.
