# Chapter 17
“Ah…”
“Where do you think you’re going!”
Haegang snapped at the dazed Dohyun. Dohyun thought he had gone home… He couldn’t understand why Haegang was in front of him, but he mumbled a response to the question.
“There’s a fire…”
“So you’re planning to go in there?”
“But, I’m an Esper. Somehow…”
“Are you crazy?”
Dohyun turned his head toward the demanding Haegang. Dohyun looked like he was about to cry, but he didn’t. He just blinked, alternating his gaze between Haegang and the raging flames. The fire was growing increasingly fierce.
“……”
“Whose house is it?”
“……”
“Is it Esper Baek Dohyun’s house?”
Dohyun nodded with difficulty. Now he had nothing left. Well, he had some money, but it was nothing compared to losing the home he had lived in for so long.
It had been his shelter, though old. It had protected him from snow and rain when it was cold, and from the scorching sun when it was hot. And now it was all disappearing.
As Dohyun bit his lip firmly, the hand gripping his arm tightened, and Haegang clicked his tongue. A large figure suddenly appeared in front of Dohyun, whose eyes kept turning toward the flames.
“What are you doing? Hurry up and contact the guild.”
“…Pardon?”
Haegang pushed away Dohyun, who didn’t understand. The flames that were about to engulf Dohyun receded. Though the fire was still not contained and red flashes appeared behind Haegang, most of the flames were no longer visible, blocked by his large body. All Dohyun could see filling his vision was a sharp-featured person who looked completely black, and who could be mistaken for the grim reaper if seen incorrectly. Dohyun had no choice but to look up at him, craning his neck.
When Dohyun looked up at him in confusion, Haegang steadily gazed back at him. The flames had receded, but it seemed as if fire was blooming in Haegang’s eyes. For Dohyun, Haegang looking down at him with his back to the fire was even more frightening. That gaze and atmosphere seemed to envelop his entire body.
“……”
When Dohyun fidgeted with his fingers, Haegang finally let go of his hand. Dohyun, who had been staring intently at him, also blinked. What is this? Just as he was catching his breath at the strange feeling, the grim reaper-like person offered an answer.
“What good is joining a guild with expensive fees if not for times like this?”
Ironically, the person who had ruined his image from the first day they met was now extending a lifeline to Dohyun.
❖ ❖ ❖
“Well, we don’t usually get involved in personal matters.”
“I’m sorry…”
“No~. Don’t say that~. Chan’s father said he couldn’t just stand by and watch his son’s friend’s situation, so…”
Guild Master Cheon Somyeong smiled and shook his head. Dohyun sat dejectedly, just fiddling with the cup of steaming hot citron tea. He decided to ignore Chan, who was chuckling, saying it was partly thanks to him.
“But it’s surprising… Guide Choi Haegang knew exactly what to do?”
“Pardon?”
“Guilds are fundamentally established to protect their affiliated awakened ones. Especially for Espers who manifested at a young age, since they’ve lived closed-off lives from early on, they often don’t handle legal or social problems well. When I first created the guild, it was to prepare for that and take care of awakened individuals.”
As the guild master turned his head, Chan, who was sitting beside him, handed Dohyun the temporary guild membership agreement that Dohyun had signed.
“See here. Even with temporary membership, you can request the same rights as a formally registered awakened one. The concept of temporary membership was created specifically for awakened ones in their pre-manifestation period. So don’t feel too sorry.”
Dohyun’s expression softened slightly in relief at the sight of the guild master smiling brightly, saying it had been a while since he had a substantial task. Just a moment ago, Dohyun hadn’t known how to respond. After all, he had lost his residence, and everything seemed bleak. When suddenly told that everything would be billed to him, his mind had gone blank.
“Our legal team leader does a really good job, so don’t worry.”
“…Yes. Thank you…”
“The guild will help with the legal processing as much as possible. If compensation is needed, Esper Dohyun might have to do it, but even in such cases, you don’t need to worry about the financial aspect. The guild will handle it.”
“What? Is it a debt?”
Are they trying to put me in debt to the guild? As if reading Dohyun’s thoughts, the guild master burst into laughter, “Puhahaha.”
“If you put it that way, I suppose it is~.”
“Ah…”
“But don’t think of it as debt; think of it as an investment. It’s not a bad thing at all. Isn’t it the rule that the investor bears the risk of investment failure?”
He was saying he was investing in Dohyun’s future. However, Dohyun felt uncomfortable, as that felt even more burdensome.
“It’s really an investment. Not a debt. Don’t worry about it.”
“…How can I not worry?”
“Because when Esper Dohyun becomes able to use his ability properly, we’ll bill you for everything.”
That IS a debt! Dohyun’s mouth fell open at the guild master’s cheerful voice. Seeing Dohyun’s expression, Somyeong laughed loudly again. Surprisingly, it was an annoying laugh that perfectly matched his annoying friend.
“I’m not billing you with money. And I won’t charge excessively.”
“Then…”
“Our guild is extremely eager for talent.”
What was presented to Dohyun was a formal guild membership agreement. As Dohyun’s eyes widened, Somyeong tapped the table.
“You will formally join our guild when your ability manifests. Of course, the contract period is a bit longer than for other Espers. That’s why we want to secure the priority for guild membership.”
“That’s a loss for you.”
I don’t believe it. Though I know she’s my friend’s mother and a good person, adults don’t do these things solely out of goodwill. According to the guild master, this would be an absolute loss for the guild, and there’s no way they would do that. Seeing Dohyun’s suspicious gaze, the guild master shook his head.
“I’m looking at the bigger picture. The graph of Esper Dohyun that our research lab verified had quite a good feeling.”
“Ah…”
“So I’m just securing you in advance. That’s also why I called it an investment. Instead, there’s a condition that if the ability level we expect doesn’t materialize, we will cancel the contract. Anyway, one building like that is cheap compared to the contract fee for a high-grade Esper.”
Dohyun flinched momentarily at the phrase “one building like that.” Even if it was a dilapidated building, being located in Seoul, it would be worth quite a bit, right? But Dohyun nodded as he thought about the contract fees for high-grade Espers that his friends had chattered about. While it was a large amount, considering the income awakened individuals earned, it wasn’t that much money.
“Well then, Esper Dohyun’s accommodation is the issue. The guild has a dormitory for common use. It’s usually used by employees, and while it’s difficult for a long time, you can stay there briefly until you find a place.”
“…About that, there’s something I want to tell you.”
“Oh? Do you have somewhere to stay?”
“…Guide Choi Haegang…”
“Huh?”
“He told me to come to his house.” Dohyun answered with an extremely haggard face.
❖ ❖ ❖
Not long after contacting the guild, the fire was contained. Fortunately, it didn’t spread to the neighboring building, so there wasn’t a situation requiring Espers to come. Dohyun, who was staring blankly at the building reduced to ashes, was led by Haegang’s hand, practically loaded into the car, and headed to the guild. To Dohyun, who couldn’t say anything, Haegang opened his mouth while staring ahead.
“Do you have a place to stay?”
“No…”
There wasn’t an immediate financial problem. Well, there could be issues because of the house that burned down, but not yet. Since he had the stamina to go several nights without sleep, he thought he could solve the housing problem by increasing his part-time jobs. He would explain the situation, pause training for a while, and quickly find a new place during that time. It was incredibly fortunate that he had received the gate conquest participation allowance today.
“Then where are you planning to stay?”
Dohyun pondered before answering.
“I could look for a monthly rental room, I suppose?”
“…Do you mean accommodation? A hotel?”
“No.”
A hotel? That’s too expensive to enter. Whether Haegang caught the meaning in Dohyun’s words or not, the moving car stopped with a screech.
“Even if not a hotel, with the amount of money you have now, if you use it sparingly, you could find a room to stay for about half a year…”
“No.”
“…Excuse me?”
I’m saying I’ll stay there, so why are you saying no? As Dohyun frowned, Haegang shook his head firmly.
“It would be better if you came to my house instead.”
“…What?”
What did you just say? Dohyun asked stupidly, thinking he had misheard, and Haegang repeated once more.
“I said come to my house and live there.”
“Why… why?”
It was perplexing. They weren’t that kind of relationship. No, it wasn’t just about being lovers; they weren’t even close to begin with. Moreover, Haegang didn’t seem to think favorably of Dohyun. So living together in his house? Not understanding Haegang’s intention, Dohyun stammered, “Uh, uh.” Haegang’s expression was very serious, and it seemed genuine.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
