Chapter 11
After that day, the two of them put their heads together to figure things out. They researched materials and tried dividing the Guiding into several attempts.
But the materials yielded nothing useful, and the Guiding remained at C-level.
“Ah, what the hell! What are the activation conditions?!”
“I’m sorry…”
Seoyul looked like a criminal. Even when he tried to guide like before, it wasn’t working well. That was because for a guide, Guiding wasn’t a process but a result.
The cleanly guided state of an Esper. The cleanly produced Guiding drug. That was how one could determine whether it was done well or not.
So trying to recapture that sensation wasn’t likely to succeed. For Seoyul, he was guiding the same way now as he did then.
“Haah. Are you sure you can’t think of anything?”
“Hmm…”
“Seriously, even something trivial. Like it was noisy that day, or quiet, or there was a smell—just tell me anything.”
Seoyul tried to retrace his thoughts again. But no matter how much he thought, everything seemed the same. There was nothing different from that time. The location was the same, the situation was the same. Even the time was the same.
“Ah!”
Just then, something flashed across his mind.
“I have something! One thing, Esper-nim!”
“You do?! What is it?!”
Dowoon also shouted excitedly. Seoyul opened his mouth right away.
“I think I was hungry that day!”
“…Hungry?”
Dowoon couldn’t hide his dumbfounded expression. But Seoyul continued explaining with a confident voice.
“Actually, I only ate a little lunch that day. So I think I was slightly hungry. Maybe being hungry is the activation condition?”
“…”
Dowoon didn’t know how to respond to that confident statement. Before him was a face with sparkling eyes, claiming it was certain.
He looked just like a squirrel delighted at finding an acorn it had hidden.
‘I can’t exactly starve the kid…’
Though he had gained some weight since they first met, Seoyul still looked small and thin to him. There had been more than a few times when he was startled, thinking Seoyul might fly away if he pushed him.
And now hunger was the activation condition?
It was neither believable nor something he wanted to believe. But since Seoyul himself said so, he couldn’t help it.
“…Then let’s try… skipping just one meal.”
“Yes!”
Dowoon thought that Seoyul was probably the only person who’d be happy about skipping meals.
* * *
The next day.
Just to be sure, Seoyul skipped both breakfast and lunch before meeting Dowoon. After missing two meals he usually ate regularly, he felt like his stomach was stuck to his back.
But the excitement of whether he could do it this time was even greater.
“Esper-nim. I’ll try now.”
“Okay. Go ahead.”
Dowoon also swallowed nervously. Seoyul showed more concentration than ever as he began Guiding.
The soft, pliant energy was still transmitted through his fingertips. Dowoon kept his eyes closed, feeling the energy, then gently opened them.
“…”
“…”
“…”
“H-how is it?”
Seoyul asked, trembling with anxiety.
For Dowoon, Seoyul’s Guiding was like an oasis. Like a ray of light appearing when you’re thirsty and about to die of dehydration. Simply put, it was incredibly good.
How could it not be good? It was the first Guiding he had ever received.
But a part of him was screaming for more.
‘I’m really spoiled.’
At first, he had made such a fuss about how good even that was, but now after tasting Guiding just once, he was complaining about wanting more.
“…Let’s just go eat.”
Dowoon sighed deeply. At that response, Seoyul’s shoulders drooped dejectedly.
‘What was the problem…?’
Was skipping breakfast the issue? Was it that he needed to be completely hungry instead of just slightly hungry?
Whatever the problem was, the most painful thing for Seoyul was seeing Dowoon disappointed.
“I’m sorry, Esper-nim…”
Seeing Seoyul drooping like a rain-soaked squirrel, Dowoon’s brows furrowed.
‘…’
His conscience had returned.
Seoyul was a guide with a gentler heart than anyone. Just by looking at his downcast eyebrows, he could tell that Seoyul was more disappointed than he was.
‘Get it together.’
He was already doing well enough. Just being able to guide him made Seoyul the best guide. Forgetting that and sighing—what was he doing?
Feeling apologetic, Dowoon grabbed his hand and said, “It’s fine. I’ll buy you something delicious, so let’s go.”
“Something delicious?”
Seoyul tilted his head at the sudden suggestion. But he soon realized this was Dowoon’s way of comforting him.
‘Esper-nim is really kind after all.’
Seoyul followed Dowoon’s lead while looking up at his gentle back. Right now, the person having the hardest time was Dowoon, who couldn’t receive Guiding, yet he was still offering comfort.
‘Right! I can’t give up here. Tomorrow, I’ll eat breakfast and try again!’
With renewed determination, Seoyul walked with resolute eyes. Seeing such an easy-to-read reaction, Dowoon unwittingly broke into a smile.
It was truly unintentional, and needless to say, the people around who witnessed that expression were shocked.
‘Was that rumor true?’
An Esper who happened to notice the two couldn’t take his eyes off them in surprise.
That was because it was Cha Dowoon.
Cha Dowoon, famous among the Center’s Espers for being the most reckless and bad-tempered. Cha Dowoon, the Esper who was always sensitive like a time bomb because he couldn’t receive Guiding.
And now that person was not only holding hands with a guide as they went outside but was even smiling. His care and protectiveness toward the guide was too obvious.
Of course, the two had no such thoughts, but to the observers, that’s how it looked.
But regardless, the two earnestly walked until they arrived in front of a small restaurant.
Squeak.
“Wow.”
As soon as they entered, Seoyul exclaimed in admiration. A neat hanok (traditional Korean house) had appeared between the buildings in the middle of the city.
The sound of a waterwheel turning in a small pond in the well-maintained garden could be heard, and looking up, a clear blue sky was visible.
It felt like they had come to another world.
“It’s so pretty!”
Seoyul shouted with a bright smile. Then, with a feeling like white flowers were blooming, a ticklish sensation came to his fingertips.
‘Huh…?’
Dowoon twitched his ticklish hand and quietly looked down at Seoyul.
“Esper-nim?”
Seoyul tilted his head, finding his behavior strange. And with that, the sensation vanished without a trace.
‘What was that?’
Dowoon silently furrowed his brow. He was engulfed in a mysterious feeling that he almost understood but couldn’t quite grasp. But since they couldn’t stay there forever, they went inside.
Seoyul, who had no idea why Dowoon was acting that way, just tilted his head before breaking out in another big exclamation.
“Wow!”
When they entered the room, another scene unfolded. Along with the neat interior of the hanok, they could see a stone wall through the large open window. Beyond that, a well-groomed garden welcomed them.
His heart raced at the feeling of moving from one new space to another.
“It’s so pretty!”
Seoyul repeatedly exclaimed how pretty and impressive everything was, as if he knew no other words. Seeing him like that, Dowoon smiled briefly before his expression hardened again when the food arrived.
“Wow!”
Seoyul was surprised again with his mouth wide open. Dozens of dishes were continuously being placed on the large table.
Having never been to such a restaurant before, nor seen such a sight, his eyes widened and sparkled.
‘Is it okay to have so much food for just the two of us?’
Dowoon didn’t know if Espers ate large quantities. Seoyul, seeing a proper traditional Korean meal for the first time, thought “As expected of Esper-nim!” and his eyes sparkled again.
“This is a place I often come to when I have no appetite. Even when I’m not feeling well, I can at least eat the food here.”
Dowoon casually made a sad statement. Watching him, Seoyul recalled his own past.
He also had memories of not being able to eat properly because he had no appetite. He still vividly remembered forcibly chewing food, thinking that something terrible would happen if he didn’t.
Perhaps Dowoon was having a similar experience?
Now Seoyul had completely regained his appetite because he no longer made Guiding drugs recklessly and lived a regular life. But for Dowoon, it was still ongoing.
‘I really need to work harder.’
Seoyul clenched his fists firmly once more.
Meanwhile, Dowoon swallowed a laugh as he watched Seoyul, who had suddenly looked teary-eyed before pursing his lips and making his eyes shine. It was so obvious what he was thinking that Dowoon didn’t know whether to correct him or not.
For him, food was nothing more than a means to fill nutritional needs. These days, nutritional supplements for Espers were well-developed, so honestly, he could get by just taking those.
Yet there was only one reason why he ate food. It was because Munjin and Sunjeong would nag him, saying that people need to eat to live.
‘If I don’t eat, they’ll be annoying about it either way.’
It was better for his mental health to endure and eat. But Seoyul didn’t know these circumstances, which is why he had such a combative expression.
Well… not feeling too bad about it, Dowoon urged him to eat.
“Then, I’ll enjoy the meal.”
Seoyul politely greeted him and picked up his chopsticks. Not knowing what to eat first, his chopsticks wavered.
Then he picked up some deodeok (bellflower root) that looked bright red and delicious, and carefully put it in his mouth.
‘W-wow!’
The bright red sauce melted softly in his mouth. He thought it might be spicy because of the red color, but it wasn’t spicy at all—it was sweet. The crunchy texture along with the sauce was wonderful.
“Th-this is delicious, Esper-nim!”
Seoyul exclaimed in excitement. His sparkling eyes scanned the side dishes excitedly.
From then on, Seoyul busily moved his chopsticks, putting food in his mouth and marveling at it. He gave one exclamation per side dish, not knowing what to do with himself from joy.
Dowoon blankly took in the sight.
‘…’
Each time Seoyul loaded side dishes into his mouth, fluffy energy was being emitted around him.
It spread throughout the room like soap bubbles, and when it touched his body, it went “pop-” and was absorbed.
It was as if he could hear a “pop-pop-pop-” sound in his ears. The energy slowly absorbed into Dowoon’s body, gently untangling the sticky energy residue.
‘This, is crazy…’
Dowoon blushed and dropped his head.
It was S-class Hidden Guide radiating Guiding.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
