A Small Boat on the Sea (4)
While quietly watching Sa Hae-geon burning with determination, I suddenly felt doubtful. How was Sa Hae-geon planning to join me? Was there even a way for that to happen?
“By the way, Hae-geon.”
“Yes.”
When I called softly, he promptly responded as if he had been waiting. It felt like having a highly loyal large dog in front of me.
“The Central Center isn’t rescuing Espers, so how do you plan to come with me?”
At my question, Sa Hae-geon just smiled brightly. His attitude was excessively calm and confident… Did he have something he was counting on? I tilted my head and pressed the power button on the phone in my hand.
After a brief boot screen, the power turned on shortly after. That’s when it happened. The phone, which was gradually coming to life, began to vibrate vigorously. It was an incoming call.
[Guide Center Director]
The hand holding the phone flinched. I was flustered because I hadn’t expected to talk directly with the Guide Center Director like this. Sa Hae-geon, standing next to me, must have seen the incoming call on my phone and spoke.
“Hyung, there’s a call.”
“Ah, y-yeah…”
“A call right after turning it on. Is it always like this?”
Sa Hae-geon looked at me with what seemed like reproachful eyes. What exactly had upset him? I couldn’t tell, but I decided to answer the call first. I pressed the green phone button and put the phone to my ear, and the generous voice of the Center Director came through.
– Is this Do-min?
“Hello… Ah, yes.”
– Do-min, are you doing well?
“What? Yes, I’m… Have you been well too, Director?”
– Yes, I’ve been doing about the same as always. Have you seen the news, by any chance?
“The news… Are you referring to the S-class dungeon announced by the Ability Department?”
– Yes, yes. That’s right. That’s what I’m talking about. You seem to know roughly what’s going on, judging by your understanding. That’s a relief.
“…Yes.”
I heard the soft sigh of the Guide Center Director through the receiver. After a moment of silence, the Guide Center Director spoke again.
– Well… Come back quickly. I’ll be waiting at the Center, Do-min.
“Yes…”
– I really… Not even properly asking how a kidnapped child is doing, what am I doing? I’m sorry.
“What? No, no. I’m fine. I was planning to return soon anyway.”
– Is that so? Ah, so that’s why the call was possible today. I’ve been so absent-minded lately. Ah… Oh, by the way, a new Esper will be joining Field Team 1. You’ll be able to meet them when you return.
“Yes, what?”
Surprised by this unbelievable statement, I reflexively looked at Sa Hae-geon as I asked for clarification. Standing right in front of me and blinking his eyes, he tilted his head at my sudden glance.
“But I’m sure the Esper Center Director…”
The Guide Center Director, who seemed to sense what I was about to say, let out a laugh mixed with a sigh and explained.
– Yes, that’s right. But the situation is quite urgent… and we can’t keep refusing to bring in new personnel forever. I should have broken the Esper Center Director’s stubbornness earlier.
“Ah…”
– Actually, we’re still bringing them in quite late. Their grade is high, but they’re essentially new to the field, so there’s still a lot to teach, and we need to establish coordination, so things will be hectic for a while. Anyway, I wanted you to know.
High grade but new to the field? Wasn’t that the case with a certain someone right here? A chilly sensation swept through my entire body. I carefully asked the Guide Center Director.
“Who is this Esper…?”
– You probably won’t know even if I tell you. The name is… hmm, right. Sa Hae-geon. Sa Hae-geon. Min Yu-jin’s only son.
“Ah, I see…”
It was a moment when my suspicion became certainty. Come to think of it, Sa Hae-geon’s mother had asked me. If I really wanted to work with Sa Hae-geon at the Central Center. At that time, it was just something I said out of courtesy, so I didn’t think much of it…
If I had known things would turn out this way, I would have been more careful with my words. I glared at Sa Hae-geon, who was smiling irritatingly, then focused back on the call.
– Do-min, you’ll probably have to work hard. Right after returning… Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow, Do-min. You are returning tomorrow, right?
“Yes. That was the plan. It’s Monday, after all…”
– Yes, yes. The timing of your return happens to be like this, so I’m both sorry and worried… but I believe you’ll do well as always. Is that okay?
It was such a burdensome statement that if I had been eating, I might have choked, but as a subordinate, I had no choice but to pretend it was fine.
“Yes. Of course. I’ll work hard after having rested well.”
– Yes, alright. See you tomorrow.
“Yes. Take care.”
After ending the call with the Guide Center Director, bowing even though they couldn’t see me, I looked at Sa Hae-geon. He looked down at me with a bright face. I felt frustrated but couldn’t blame anyone. It was me who first brought up the topic to his mother. It was my fault for completely forgetting that fact.
Would it be okay to take someone who was essentially a rookie in the field directly to an S-class dungeon? Was Sa Hae-geon’s mother okay with this? And was Sa Hae-geon really okay with it?
Those were the concerns that came to mind.
“…So, how do you want to handle training today?”
Instead of bringing up the topic of returning to the Center, I changed the subject.
“We should go. I need to practice in advance so that Guide Chae Do-min will like me.”
“I was planning to Guide you regardless of whether we trained or not.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about.”
“…Then what?”
“Who knows?”
Sa Hae-geon, who had responded vaguely, took hold of my wrist with a smiling face and pulled me along. Following him as if I couldn’t resist, I swallowed a sigh. How did the situation end up like this, why was I the one who brought all this upon myself, and since when had I been dancing in the palm of Sa Hae-geon’s hand…
The more I thought about it, the more absurd and dumbfounding it was.
* * *
On the way home after finishing training, I asked Sa Hae-geon.
“When we go to the Central Center tomorrow, Team Leader An Jong-hyeok will probably teach you.”
“The Esper you mentioned before?”
“Yes. He’s someone with a lot of field experience, so there will be much to learn from him.”
“Then I won’t see you tomorrow?”
“Me?”
Sa Hae-geon answered by slightly nodding his head. I wasn’t sure how tomorrow would unfold, but when training, one naturally uses abilities. And the only Guide who could Guide him was me.
It was a problem with an obvious answer, but today Sa Hae-geon seemed particularly irritating, so I decided to tease him a bit and gave an evasive response.
“I don’t know. If there’s a lot to train, we might not meet. I’ll be busy with my own work too.”
“I see. Then I’ll just manage with regulators tomorrow.”
I burst into laughter seeing Sa Hae-geon come to such an absurd conclusion so nonchalantly. Although I had been the one to speak mischievously first, how could he say such a thing with the only Guide who could Guide him right in front of him? It felt strange, as if he was saying he would receive Guiding from another Guide.
Even with no knowledge of the Center or the field… this doesn’t make sense. The most important job for a Guide is to stabilize an Esper’s wavelength.
“Hae-geon.”
“Yes.”
“What I said… was a joke. I was just teasing you. And if you say you’re going to manage with regulators without Guiding at the Center, you’ll get in big trouble, so be careful.”
Sa Hae-geon blinked for a moment, then responded with a smile.
“Yes. I was joking too.”
“W-what…?”
“You seemed to be joking, so I was just joking too. Was it not funny?”
I couldn’t respond to his question as he glanced at me. My uncomfortable and strange feeling was quickly improving just knowing he wasn’t serious.
“I-I was… I was surprised because I thought you were seriously saying such strange things.”
“How could I manage with regulators when you’re right beside me?”
“You said such things quite well before.”
“That was because I thought Guiding me put a great burden on your body. Now that I know that’s not the case, there’s no reason for me to say I’ll manage with regulators.”
Feeling pleased with his clear-cut response, I carefully patted Sa Hae-geon’s head as he drove and praised him.
“That’s right. You understand well.”
Sa Hae-geon’s face instantly turned red as he received the praise. Seeing his face change to the color of a well-ripened tomato, I couldn’t help but laugh.
