# Chapter 38
I had been mentally rebutting each of Haegang’s statements one by one, when unconsciously I blurted out that final thought aloud. Closing my mouth tightly again, Dohyun looked at Haegang with incomprehensive eyes.
Talking with someone of a different disposition was this frightening. Dohyun was someone who believed he could sufficiently manage his emotions and organize his thoughts at home, but Haegang seemed unable to leave Dohyun alone when he stayed cooped up in his room. Dohyun really wanted to stay holed up at home. After all, it’s dangerous outside the blanket, and hell beyond the bed.
“Come out. Change your clothes too.”
In the end, Dohyun reluctantly followed him and got in the car.
❖ ❖ ❖
Technically, he was forced out because of Haegang, but it wasn’t as bad as he expected. That’s because Haegang had suggested they go look at a house for Dohyun to move into.
“Do you have a good property in mind?”
“Yes.”
“How did you find out about it? When I looked, I didn’t see anything good.”
“I asked an acquaintance. Doesn’t everyone know a real estate agent or two?”
“……”
It seems I’m not included in that “everyone.” Is he indirectly criticizing my lack of social skills? Dohyun glared at the water bottle he was holding as he pondered. If he got a little angry and turned the water pink and burst it, he’d just be a bit hurt, but this person next to him was an ordinary person with low durability… so he decided to hold back.
“But… what if some strange person follows us?”
He was still anxious. Now a “Han Jiwhan” whose real name he didn’t even know might follow him again.
“That won’t happen.”
“I’m saying, what if?”
“Then we run.”
Why did it feel like they had come out without thinking things through? Was Dohyun the only one who was anxious? Haegang looked too calm.
“The guild knows we’re out. Every action is being reported.”
“Ah…”
“There were probably Somyeong’s Espers on standby around the house, and they’re likely following us now too.”
It was literally a security detail. Dohyun felt somewhat relieved and relaxed, leaning back in his seat. Trees whizzed by outside the window. Pushing away his fear, he thought of something new. With his mind full of the idea of finding a new home, the corners of Dohyun’s lips turned up slightly.
Unlike when he sat at home making potions one by one as if preparing for something, coming outside brought a strange sense of peace to his heart.
Dohyun suddenly thought it was fortunate he wasn’t a combat-type. Though it was only once, Dohyun clearly remembered the movements of Espers he had seen during a gate conquest. They formed formations and coordinated attack sequences while checking the direction of close-range attacking Espers and generating barriers, as well as monitoring the condition of physical enhancement-type Espers.
Of course, he could memorize it if asked to, and if someone gave him instructions, he could go to that position and stand there. But if asked to check the status of people and think and move on his own, he wasn’t confident.
Also, even now after awakening with the potion maker ability, he thought it fortunate that his appearance wasn’t much different from ordinary people. If he had vibrant colors like Handam with his pink hair and sky-blue eyes, or the healing Esper in the guild with blonde hair and blue eyes, wouldn’t he stand out everywhere? Dark hair was ordinary wherever you looked, so it wasn’t bad.
Dohyun gazed at his reflection in the window with a slightly pleased expression.
“Ah, is the Esper looking for a house?”
How did you know I’m an Esper? Dohyun’s eyes wavered significantly. With a stiff expression, Dohyun received the business card with both hands and roughly shoved it into his pocket. Following behind the real estate agent who was walking ahead to guide them, Dohyun glanced slightly at Haegang. Haegang, who was following the agent, also glanced at Dohyun.
“Do you have something to say?”
As expected, he noticed right away. Was it because they lived in the same house? Haegang was becoming skilled at reading expressions, like Dohyun’s friends.
“Um… how did they know I’m an Esper?”
“Wouldn’t it be stranger not to know?”
“What?”
Does that person have some kind of Esper radar? No, that can’t be right, since I misunderstood Haegang too? Or is this person someone who specializes in introducing houses to Espers? Dohyun’s mind was covered with all sorts of thoughts.
“I have an ordinary appearance and nothing that stands out, so how?”
“…You say your appearance is ordinary?”
Isn’t it ordinary? Dohyun made an expression as if this was obvious. From Dohyun’s perspective, his face was ordinary except for having a somewhat gentle impression. His eye corners turned downward, making him look sad if he opened his eyes even slightly wider, so he generally avoided opening his eyes wide. His friends sometimes made expressions saying he looked creepy like a dog when he opened his eyes wide, so he at least knew he had a basically gentle impression.
Still, wasn’t his appearance not particularly outstanding? Seeing Dohyun’s puzzled face, Haegang looked at him with a complicated expression.
“Usually, this is called being unable to objectify oneself.”
“That’s not true.”
I’m very objective about myself. He wanted to refute, but Haegang spoke as if it was ridiculous.
“The real estate agent must have seen Esper Baek Dohyun for the first time, so how could they have recognized you right away?”
“Uh…”
“Do you need to hear compliments directly to be satisfied?”
“No.”
I tend to find it burdensome, actually.
“Don’t feel burdened. It’s the truth.”
“…I don’t understand how you can read my thoughts.”
“Esper Baek Dohyun, it all shows on your face. Like you’ve put sticky notes all over your face.”
“Ah…”
“Esper Baek Dohyun, you’re quite pretty. They call it a beautiful face.”
Please stop! Dohyun’s face turned bright red. It was beyond burdensome—it was seriously embarrassing. Especially since Haegang said it so calmly, it was all the more uncomfortable. Dohyun raised his hands to cover his ears.
“With that overly gentle look and small face, anyone would…”
“I was wrong.”
“I’m just stating facts. Anyway, anyone would recognize you as soon as they see you.”
Dohyun had no immunity to compliments. If Haegang had spoken with an edge like before, it might have been different, but hearing such things in that low voice made it impossible to get used to. When Haegang showed signs of no longer mentioning appearance-related matters, Dohyun let out a sigh of relief.
“And your eyes.”
“Eyes?”
Dohyun raised his head at the mention of eyes.
“They’re red.”
“Ah, that’s because I’ve been getting less sleep lately…”
“No. Your pupils are red.”
Dohyun didn’t understand what Haegang meant for a while. My pupils are red? Dohyun lowered his hands and picked up his phone to check his eyes directly. Through his long bangs, he could vaguely see his pupils. When he slightly pushed his bangs aside, he saw red glowing pupils.
“Anyone who sees those eyes would recognize you.”
When someone awakens as an Esper, their appearance changes first due to energy. Typically, there are changes in hair color or eye color. Despite this, Dohyun thought that because he hadn’t changed, he would continue to stay the same. Of course, he knew his hair color had become slightly lighter than before. However, his hair had just changed from nearly black to having a brownish tint, so he had been relieved that it was still a normal color.
He looked in the mirror every day, so why hadn’t he noticed? Now his pupils had turned so red that it would be strange not to notice.
Just like the first potion he made.
“You didn’t know until now?”
“No.”
“Your objectivity about yourself is remarkably lacking.”
“…Yes.”
Dohyun occasionally spoke carelessly to his friends. Even when his friends complained about him speaking carelessly, he sometimes replied that he was like that, so they should let it go. But receiving that treatment back made him regret it.
Haegang occasionally—no, frequently—spoke carelessly. The sad thing was that Haegang’s words were correct, so there was no way to refute them. When Dohyun answered docilely, Haegang walked ahead as if pleased.
The place they arrived at, guided by the real estate employee, was in front of a large door. As Dohyun stood in front of the door blinking his eyes, Haegang briefly placed his hand on Dohyun’s shoulder and then removed it.
“Why are you making that face?”
“Isn’t it… too big?”
“Big? It’s not particularly large.”
No, of course your current house is this size, I know that…! Dohyun was at a loss for how to make Haegang understand.
“It’s too big.”
“Bigger is better. It’s good for maintaining safety, and also good for giving rooms to acquaintances or friends when they visit.”
Dohyun thought about that for a moment. He didn’t have many acquaintances, but friends.
‘When Sa Gongchan, Oh Jaewon, and Jung Haesu come over?’
When his thoughts reached there, his eyes deadened instead. Except for Jaewon, whose father ran a chicken business, Chan and Haesu came from quite well-off families. If he lived in such an expensive house, the owner would be anxious while the two guys who barged in would carelessly wreck the place. Weren’t they the ones who would casually crumple and toss jackets worth hundreds? Dohyun shook his head with a serious face.
“I’d prefer somewhere smaller than this. It seems difficult to clean.”
“…Usually, houses this size have a separate person for management.”
“Does Guide Choi Haegang have someone like that at his house too? My room has never been cleaned without me knowing?”
“Of course I didn’t touch Esper Baek Dohyun’s room. Should I spend my own money to request cleaning for your room too?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
