# Chapter 35
“…Was that family okay?”
Dohyun looked at Haegang as if such a question was unexpected. After confirming that Haegang’s eyes showed no trembling that would indicate negative emotions like pity or sadness, Dohyun nodded.
“They were good people. They even legally changed my surname since children would immediately know if it was different from their parents’.”
Answering lightly, Dohyun changed the subject as if unwilling to say more.
“The second adoption isn’t important anyway. As soon as they figured out there was an issue with my first adoptive home, the association worked quite diligently to get me out of there. It was handled well.”
That’s why he developed a certain level of trust in the association. It was also why he didn’t think of refusing when the association introduced Haegang as his Guide, or when they discussed an exclusive contract.
Dohyun didn’t have to return to his original orphanage. The man who hadn’t known that the child he adopted would become an Esper tried to keep Dohyun, but the association acted more quickly. When the association asked if he wanted to go back to the original orphanage, Dohyun hastily shook his head. If it were anywhere else, maybe, but he had no good memories of that place.
Fortunately, the facility Dohyun was sent to was under the association’s management. It housed many children who were expected to awaken or were children of awakened ones who died in accidents during attacks. Dohyun lived normally as one of them. He came to avoid people who were older and bigger than him, but it wasn’t bad.
“…I heard later. That there was a major accident at my previous orphanage.”
Haegang furrowed his brow.
“I heard there were no survivors.”
“Everyone died?”
“…As far as I know, yes. And I heard Han Jiwhan died then too.”
But the person who appeared earlier was clearly Han Jiwhan. Given how natural his blue hair looked, different from before, he must have manifested as an Esper. Thanks to being able to distinguish between Espers and ordinary people since gaining the ability to use his power, Dohyun immediately knew Jiwhan was an Esper.
Dohyun’s second adoption happened before he entered middle school. Han Seonwoo, who became Baek Dohyun, donned a middle school uniform.
Late at night, Dohyun’s new parents, who had thanked God for being able to be with their beloved family again today, greeted their pre-adolescent son and went to their room.
‘Honey, should we tell Dohyun about it?’
‘It’s not good news, so I don’t think we need to tell him. It’s a new semester, and our son is going through a busy time. Let’s tell him when Dohyun is older.’
‘But he might have had close friends there…’
‘Let’s wait until the child is a bit older. When our son is more stable.’
Predictably waking up thirsty, Dohyun overheard the adults talking as they sat facing each other. They weren’t talking about the facility he was in right before his adoption. Dohyun’s new parents also knew that Dohyun had been previously adopted and before that was in a different orphanage. The adults didn’t want to cause more trauma to an already wounded child, so they kept quiet, but Dohyun knew. Partly because he was naturally quick-witted.
When he looked up news articles, it was reported as an accident. An explosion in the early morning had caused so much damage that the bodies couldn’t be properly identified. Looking at the list of people marked as deceased, Dohyun actually felt relief.
Dohyun’s new adoptive parents bought him a phone, and occasionally calls came in from the orphanage’s number. But after the accident, messages came from an unfamiliar number, somehow knowing how to reach him.
Not answering?
Afraid of the messages from unknown numbers, Dohyun couldn’t carry his phone for a while. He blocked both the orphanage’s number and the number the texts came from. Even so, the feeling of fear didn’t easily disappear. Afraid they might suddenly open the door and come in, Dohyun sometimes sat in the living room for a long time, watching the door.
‘Today we thank God again for being able to be with our son Dohyun.’
Noticing that Dohyun sat in the living room every dawn before returning to his room, his parents took turns watching over Dohyun’s room. It took several weeks before he could fall asleep in his room without going outside.
Dohyun thought he was despicable for feeling relieved knowing that many lives had been lost. While it’s true there were people who had harmed him, there were many who hadn’t. It took too long to escape from that thought. It was a painful memory.
“But he appeared. Han Jiwhan.”
Somehow, he had appeared as an Esper with blue hair.
“So he didn’t die that day?”
“Han Jiwhan was the only person in his twenties among the orphanage residents.”
“Someone in their twenties at an orphanage…?”
At Haegang’s words, Dohyun nodded. While the principle is that one must leave at age 19, in some cases they could stay until college graduation. He was exactly 9 years older than Dohyun. He would be approaching thirty now.
“We’ll need to look into this.”
After hearing the lengthy story, Haegang wore a complicated expression. Dohyun thought he might feel a bit better now. He had consoled himself that he didn’t need to cling to memories of the past, that he could move on. Even as he suffered from nightmares that woke him from deep sleep, he had calmed his mind by telling himself it was all in the past.
But now I have power, so it’ll really be okay. Thinking this, he clenched his fist tightly. Then suddenly realized something. Without knowing it, he had been gripping Haegang’s hand. Through their touching skin, a very subtle flow of Vigor entered him. As if to soothe him…
Dohyun released his hand with an awkward expression. Thanks to it, he had calmed down significantly, but he was tense, worried Haegang might say something mean like, “I thought you didn’t like me Guiding you?” However, Haegang withdrew his hand without any particular comment.
“I need to go to the guild.”
“Let’s go tomorrow.”
“…It’s dangerous, you should stay at home. He saw us together. Plus, Han Jiwhan is an Esper.”
“It seems more dangerous for Esper Baek Dohyun to go alone.”
“I have the better abilities.”
It’s natural for Haegang to worry like this. But though he hadn’t mentioned it, Dohyun could also use explosion abilities. That’s why he was thinking of making emergency potions imbued with his power. It seemed better to have Haegang stay at home while he went alone with potions…
“Isn’t Esper Baek Dohyun weaker than me?”
“…?”
Is this person really thinking he’s stronger than me just because he won at arm wrestling…?
❖ ❖ ❖
“Even though there wasn’t much news coverage, the records of the damage are rather accurate. All the orphanage residents were on the list, and if those children had survived somewhere, it would have been revealed.”
“Bbakdo, I mean Esper Baek Dohyun. Do you have a sense of how strong he might be? I heard Espers can gauge the amount of energy another Esper has.”
“If you’re talking about that, he felt similar to Esper Ye Handam.”
The only people gathered in the Guild Master’s office were Guild Master Somyeong, Chan, Dohyun, and Haegang. There were too many people absent due to high-grade gate attack missions today to discuss this openly with many people. It wasn’t something to tell the research staff who only did research either. Thinking it would be better to speak directly to the Guild Master, Dohyun relayed yesterday’s events in considerable detail.
“His name is… Han Jiwhan?”
“Yes.”
“Guild Master? Could you do the honors?”
When Chan spoke to Somyeong after confirming the name, Somyeong nodded. Haegang quietly explained to Dohyun, who didn’t understand what they meant.
“As Guild Master, she has ways to check the Esper registry.”
“How?”
“There’s the Association’s Ability Support Team, isn’t there?”
“Ah…”
“It’s not guaranteed to check everything, but if it’s not classified information that the Association blocks, it’s possible to confirm at least names and guilds.”
Moreover, the Awakening Support Team within the Association directly meets most awakened individuals as they support Espers and Guides. Even if they haven’t met, they can often establish contact through a few connections.
“If we’re just searching for a name and affiliation, it won’t take long. Esper Dohyun, want to come with me to the Association to see our team leader?”
Dohyun pressed his lips firmly together at Somyeong’s playful tone even in this situation. Does she not take this seriously, or is she just good at lightening the mood? Looking at her, it’s clearly not the former. Rather, there’s a sense of confidence from trusting her own ability, which Dohyun found fascinating.
Would he be able to become that confident when he achieves a lot as a high-grade Esper and becomes capable of doing more? Though his ability is supposedly good, Dohyun thought it would take some time before he could act that way.
“Yes. I’ll go with you.”
Still, to learn confidence, or at least to become more mature, it would be better to observe and learn from adults. Dohyun decided to follow Somyeong to the Association.
“Then Esper Baek Dohyun, you can ride in my car.”
“…?”
Dohyun’s expression clearly showed his thought: You’re coming to the Association too?
“Having come this far, am I not going?”
“You don’t really need to come, do you?”
And there’s no reason for you to bother coming. Dohyun added the latter part silently, but Haegang stood up and buttoned his jacket.
“What use is it for me to stay here when my assigned Esper isn’t at the guild? It’s better for me to just follow the Esper.”
What would you do coming to the Association? He had words to challenge him, but since Haegang was with him when yesterday’s incident happened, he decided to consider him a relevant party. Dohyun nodded with a resigned expression.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
