79
“Guide Han Siwoo.”
Siwoo, who had been watching the elevator doors close firmly, gulped as he heard Team Leader Yoon calling him.
“Follow me.”
“…Yes.”
The team leader entered his office first. At the team leader’s low voice, Siwoo reluctantly moved his feet, following him in as he acknowledged his mistake.
He hadn’t thought to contact the team leader. Not because he was busy, but because he had completely forgotten while leisurely enjoying himself. This was despite the team leader even coming to visit him in the hospital.
“Sit down.”
The team leader, who had plopped down at his desk, gulped down some cold water and pointed to the chair opposite. It was the metal chair Siwoo often sat in.
Siwoo sat in the familiar chair and hung his head low. This time he had no excuses even if he got cursed at. Though he resolved to accept whatever scolding came his way without talking back…
“Are you dating Ha Seojun Esper?”
The insult was harsher than expected, causing a rude response to burst out.
“Are you crazy?”
“How dare you speak to your superior like that!”
“Why would I date that guy?!”
“That’s what I want to know! What kind of relationship do you two have then?!”
Siwoo’s mouth fell open as he chewed on his lower lip. After pondering where to start, he first conveyed the conclusion briefly and clearly.
“I… agreed to be his dedicated guide.”
This time, it was the team leader’s mouth that fell open wide. Though he was extremely shocked to the point of being unable to make a sound, this was only momentary. He quickly composed his surprised expression and nodded.
“I see, I thought so.”
It was somewhat expected. The team leader rubbed his forehead with a complicated expression and told Siwoo to continue.
“Report everything without leaving anything out.”
The team leader had a lot to hear from Siwoo. Siwoo also had accumulated news to report to him.
“Well… after being discharged—”
“Wait a minute.”
The team leader, who had told Siwoo to speak but then cut him off, suddenly reached out. Then he abruptly flicked Siwoo’s round forehead.
“Ow…!”
“Alright. Now talk.”
When the team leader explained it was payment for making him worry, Siwoo kept quiet even as his eyes widened. Just seeing that he had received over ten calls from the team leader, he could guess how much the man had worried about him.
Honestly, he hadn’t known the team leader would worry that much. That’s why Siwoo hadn’t thought to contact him. He simply hadn’t imagined someone would be worried about him.
“I signed the contract right after being discharged. The Baekya Guild’s secretary came to see me.”
“They thrust a contract at you right away?”
The team leader interjected with a frown. No matter if it was the Baekya Guild, he was displeased that they had suddenly approached and contracted a rookie guide who had just been discharged. He was especially irritated that they hadn’t gone through him, Siwoo’s direct superior.
“But the contract terms were really good. They let me do everything comfortably, and they pay a lot too.”
“Bring me the contract by tomorrow. I’ll look at it myself.”
Siwoo nodded and continued speaking. He was a bit taken aback by the team leader’s unexpectedly subdued reaction, having thought he would be pleased. It was especially puzzling since this was the person who had been constantly nagging him to join any guild quickly.
“And yesterday, ahem.”
Siwoo cleared his throat and shook his head, trying to erase the scene that had suddenly popped into his mind. He was going to say he had done contact guiding with Yoo Jihan, but that bastard’s face appeared. What an unpleasant guy.
“What about yesterday?”
“Yesterday… I did contact guiding.”
The team leader put down his water bottle with a thud and tilted his head. Somehow, he seemed more surprised than when he heard the news of Siwoo joining the Baekya Guild.
“Really?”
“Yes, we held hands and did it.”
“For how long?”
“I think it was over an hour…”
Siwoo shrugged and averted his gaze, saying he wasn’t sure. This earned him another flick on the forehead.
“Ow…!”
It was lighter than the first time, but it still felt unpleasant. Siwoo’s expression gradually sharpened as he covered his forehead. However, knowing he had done something wrong, he couldn’t bring himself to get angry.
“You don’t tell me such good news? Do you know how much I struggled trying to get you into a guild?!”
“I was overwhelmed. It happened suddenly, you know.”
Siwoo mumbled as he pulled his chair back. He glared at the team leader while covering his forehead, afraid he might hit him again. Fortunately, seeing him smile, it seemed he had no intention of hitting him again.
“You brat. You wouldn’t budge when I was begging you to just try it!”
The team leader laughed heartily and slapped the desk. He finally showed joy at the good news brought by the problematic rookie who had been his biggest worry.
“So! How was it when you actually did it? Not bad, right?”
Siwoo closed his mouth, indicating he didn’t want to talk about that in detail. He wasn’t ready to speak about the shocking contact guiding with Yoo Jihan.
“Ask me anything you’re curious about. You didn’t even receive proper education, you know.”
“Later. I’ll come ask later.”
The team leader, now in a good mood, welcomed him to come anytime. With a smile blooming on his face, he tapped the desk and then focused on the conversation again.
“So. Why did they scout you?”
The team leader rubbed his palms together like a fly, anticipating the answer. In fact, he had some idea about this reason too.
“I have a high matching rate with the leader.”
“I thought so. How high?”
“Just… pretty high.”
Siwoo’s lips quivered, wondering if he should state the exact figure. It was awkward to say because he still couldn’t believe the number himself. He felt like they wouldn’t believe it even if he said it.
“How high is it? Above average?”
The team leader probed, imagining the highest possible figure. Even an average rate with the Baekya Guild’s leader, a mental Esper, would be considered very high.
“Or… 70%?”
Judging by Siwoo’s expression, it didn’t seem to be that. The team leader swallowed hard as he carefully observed the white face that was hanging low again.
“75%…?”
Siwoo shook his head at the timidly increased number. At this, the team leader’s Adam’s apple bobbed even more noticeably. He recalled all sorts of numbers internally before deliberately speaking lightly.
“Haha, what, is it 90% or something?”
He threw out the matching rate of protagonists from popular recent movies. What was the title again? “Our Guide,” was it?
“What, huh?”
The team leader was dumbfounded and lost for words as he saw Siwoo suddenly nodding.
“It’s 91%.”
And at Siwoo’s subsequent confession, he jumped up from his chair in surprise before slumping back down.
“91%?”
“Yes…”
“What kind of… number is that…”
“91%?” The team leader repeated the unbelievable matching rate to himself. If it was true, it answered all questions and then some. It all made sense why the famous Baekya Guild had shown such keen interest in a rookie guide.
But still, 91% was extreme.
“It’s true. I swear to heaven.”
“Who, who said that?”
Noticing seeds of doubt sprouting in the team leader’s mind, Siwoo made a fierce expression. Perhaps influenced by Geonho whom he had been hanging around lately, his eyes looked even fiercer.
The team leader just gulped as he looked at the sky-blue eyes that were glinting almost menacingly. Seeing those eyes, he had no choice but to believe.
Besides, Guide Han Siwoo wasn’t the type to lie. The team leader took a deep breath, recalling Siwoo’s excessively honest personality.
“But why haven’t they announced you as the dedicated guide?”
He asked calmly after settling his surprised heart. It was even more suspicious that such big news hadn’t been revealed yet.
A guide connected to the Baekya Guild’s leader with a 91% matching rate – it was news that would prompt interview requests from every broadcasting station. Tremendous good news.
“Are they supposed to make an announcement?”
Siwoo blinked and asked casually.
“Of course. Famous high-ranking guilds always publicly announce when they change dedicated guides.”
The Baekya Guild especially announced formally every time, despite changing dedicated guides quite frequently. However, it had been over two weeks since Siwoo signed the contract, but there was still no talk of an announcement.
“Well… maybe they’re planning to do it later.”
Team Leader Yoon awkwardly averted his gaze after examining Siwoo’s expression.
Not making an official announcement could also mean they didn’t have high expectations for the guide. But judging by the matching rate with the leader, that didn’t seem to be the reason.
“Anyway, congratulations! Do well.”
The team leader clapped his hands together and rejoiced as if it were his own good fortune. Although he still had many worries, it was clearly a good thing. He felt relieved of one concern now that Siwoo, who had struggled emotionally while drifting between various guilds, could settle in one place.
“I’ll keep my mouth shut too until they make the announcement.”
Team Leader Yoon, known for being tight-lipped, stretched with a pleased expression. Siwoo nodded vaguely and responded calmly. He seemed lost in thought for a moment.
“If you have any difficulties or questions, contact me right away. If you really can’t handle it, don’t get angry first – come consult with me.”
The team leader was still a bit uneasy that the Baekya Guild hadn’t made an official announcement. Given Siwoo’s unusual personality, it was too early to feel at ease.
“Team Leader.”
Siwoo, who had been lost in his own thoughts, pulled his chair closer with a serious face. He had something he wanted to ask the team leader.
“Yes, what is it?”
“You know the Baekya Guild leader, Kang Taebeom.”
Siwoo cautiously began.
He believed that Team Leader Yoon, who had stayed at the center for a long time, would know something. At least, he thought he could distinguish whether the rumors circulating on the internet were true or not.
“Is that person a beastkin hater?”
