Chapter 8
Meanwhile, a rumor began to spread at the center. It was the rumor that Cha Dowoon had found a Guide.
And supposedly, this Guide had a matching rate of over 60% with two out of three Espers.
“No way. Really? What grade is he?”
“C-grade. The grade is a bit disappointing, but isn’t it still amazing? If he were just one level higher, they would have rolled out the red carpet for him.”
All the Espers agreed. That level was needed to Guide that overly sensitive guy.
“And I heard he’s cute too?”
“Ohhh?”
The rumors grew and grew until they spread that he was an exceptionally beautiful Guide with a 60% matching rate with all Espers.
Espers began searching for the Guide with the confirmed 60% matching rate. From where they could see him to wanting to receive Guiding from him themselves.
Various conversations circulated as they searched for the rumored Guide. But no one had seen him anywhere.
“Is he even at the center?”
“He’s registered, from what I heard.”
“But why isn’t he visible? He should be somewhere around here.”
The fastest way would be to ask Dowoon directly, but no one had the courage to ask that sensitive, ill-tempered guy.
But there was one person. The only Esper who could speak to Dowoon.
“Hey, I heard you got a Guide?”
It was Ji Sunghun, an A-class Esper who was second only to Dowoon in rank and ability.
Although Dowoon’s rank was one level higher, since he couldn’t receive Guiding, Sunghun was effectively the center’s ace.
Whether because of this, or simply because of his good nature, Sunghun always managed to speak to Dowoon, who would otherwise ignore or curse at people.
“Where are you hiding him? Everyone’s going crazy wanting to see your Guide!”
“What do you mean, hiding?”
Dowoon snorted but didn’t turn his head. Hiding? Why would he need to hide him?
The reason Seoyul couldn’t be seen at the center was because he had an extremely limited range of movement, just like Dowoon.
The difference was that while Dowoon moved according to his mood, Seoyul always moved in the same pattern.
He always woke up at 7 AM, had breakfast with Sunjeong until 9 AM, and watched boring intermediate Guiding videos from the center until noon. After that, he would eat lunch and take a nap without fail.
He slept for exactly one hour, then Guided Dowoon from 2 PM to 4 PM, exercised at the gym until 6 PM, had dinner with Sunjeong again, and went to bed.
His range of movement was limited to his dormitory, the lab, the cafeteria, and the gym. Since all these facilities were located in the research building and Guide dormitory, Espers could rarely see him.
“You’re hiding him all to yourself, aren’t you? Where is he? Hmm? Let me see him too.”
Sunghun rolled up his sleeves as if ready to go searching right away, making a fuss. Since he would talk like this every time they met, what had started as giving brief answers to get rid of him had now escalated to this point.
‘Sigh. Exhausting.’
It was obvious that if he didn’t get what he wanted this time, he would continue to be annoying. But Dowoon couldn’t completely brush him off.
No matter how reckless an Esper he was, he still had a slight conscience.
Since Sunghun was the second most skilled person at the center after Dowoon, he had been taking on dangerous jobs meant for Dowoon. One might argue that these jobs could be passed on to guilds, but since Dowoon’s inability to receive Guiding was top secret, in many cases, it couldn’t be helped.
“When are you receiving Guiding? Can I come watch then?”
“Get lost if you’re going to talk nonsense.”
“Aish. Are you already trying to monopolize him?”
Sunghun shook his head, starting to spout nonsense like “that’s too much,” “is this all our friendship amounts to,” and “if you keep being so petty, I have my ways too.”
While there was no reason to hide Seoyul, seeing this attitude made Dowoon’s mood sour.
‘If I let them meet, he’ll be even more exhausting.’
Hadn’t he been teased by Sunjeong for a long time already? He had a strong conviction that Sunghun would be even worse, not less.
“Esper-nim!”
But what a bolt from the blue…
Far away, the Guide in question was scampering towards them.
‘Why is he coming from there?!’
This was the Esper building. While there were Guiding rooms in the Esper building too, they had always conducted sessions in the Guide building, so Dowoon wondered why that squirrel was here. This place wasn’t part of his usual range of movement!
Given his personality, someone must have put him up to it. And as far as Dowoon knew, there was only one person who would do such a thing.
‘Sigh…’
Regardless of the reason, why now of all times? Dowoon let out a small sigh.
“Oh! Dowoon’s Guide?”
Instinctively certain that Seoyul was Dowoon’s Guide, Sunghun quickly bounded forward.
When such a large man approached unhesitatingly, Seoyul habitually froze in place.
‘Huh? W-what’s going on?’
He had just been informed by Sunjeong that Guiding rooms were also available in the Esper building. Feeling sorry for always making Dowoon come to the Guide building, he had decided to go to him today instead.
But he hadn’t been able to tell Dowoon about this, and he was fretting when he spotted him. Thinking what a coincidence it was, he had run over joyfully, but…
“Are you Dowoon’s Guide?”
“What…?”
W-who is this?
Seoyul was terrified as Sunghun suddenly appeared right in front of him. Still, he needed to answer the question, so he just nodded slightly instead of speaking.
“Wow!”
The man exclaimed in admiration, opening his eyes wide. Though the rumors seemed a bit exaggerated, he was still as beautiful as they said.
His slightly curly chestnut hair and large, anxiously trembling eyes strongly stimulated an Esper’s protective instincts.
Understanding why such rumors had spread, he acknowledged his rudeness and spoke.
“I’m sorry. I just got too excited. I’m Dowoon’s friend. You don’t need to be so wary.”
“You’re his… friend?”
Seoyul carefully lowered his guard at this keyword that perked up his ears. Somehow, hearing “friend” made him feel a little better.
‘If it’s his friend… then it should be okay.’
Seoyul encouraged himself once more and gathered his courage.
“I’m… Seoyul.”
“I’m Ji Sunghun. An A-class Esper. Nice to meet you, Seoyul-ssi.”
Sunghun extended his right hand with a friendly smile. It was clear that not shaking it would make the person in front of him uncomfortable, but Seoyul couldn’t easily reach out his hand.
“Stop bothering him and get lost.”
It was Dowoon who saved Seoyul from this situation.
“Wow. Already taking care of him? The great Cha Dowoon? Whaaat! Did the sun rise from the west today? Huh?!”
“It’s not like that, so stop being annoying and leave.”
“Aish. That’s too harsh, dude.”
“F*ck off.”
Seoyul’s eyes widened in shock at Dowoon’s rough curse. He knew Dowoon had a rough personality, but hearing it again made him feel like the closeness he thought they had developed had suddenly shrunk.
However, Sunghun acted as if those words didn’t bother him at all, continuing the conversation while hovering around them.
“Ah. When did you grow up so much? Your father is proud. So proud.”
“Are you crazy? Who’s a father?”
“Ah, right. Your father is the Center Director, isn’t he? Then, mother?”
“…Please get lost.”
Dowoon’s face contorted unpleasantly. But Sunghun was still smiling brightly, throwing out frivolous jokes like, “Aish. If you don’t like that either, I’ll be your Hyung.”
‘They must be… close.’
If Dowoon had heard this thought, he would have said, “What nonsense,” but to Seoyul, they really seemed close, which was fascinating. To think there was someone else who could talk to Dowoon like that.
Sunjeong had seemed impressive, but considering his age, Sunghun seemed even more impressive.
“Oh! Guide-nim. Have you finally recognized that I’m a kind and harmless person?”
Sunghun turned his head with a broad smile, interrupting his verbal sparring. Though slightly startled by this action, Seoyul lowered his guard, thinking he really wasn’t a bad person.
“I’m sorry. I’m just very shy around strangers…”
“No, it’s my fault for being too forward… WAAH!!”
Sunghun, who had been continuing the conversation amiably, suddenly flew to the far end of the corridor. The culprit was Dowoon, who had sent him flying with just a slight pushing motion, which startled Seoyul more than anything.
“He’s not a friend. Don’t worry about it.”
Though he said that, the hand that held Seoyul’s still felt warm and gentle. Only then did Seoyul feel relieved and turned his head.
In the distance, he could see Sunghun, complaining that it was too much and asking if Dowoon was abandoning him now that he had a Guide.
‘Is this an ability?’
What he had seen before was spatial movement ability, but he wondered what kind of ability this was. Seoyul thought about asking him once, but then shook his head, thinking he would look it up himself later.
“Why did you come without saying anything?”
“Um… I’m sorry.”
Seoyul quickly apologized, as this point had been bothering him too. But Dowoon’s mood still didn’t seem to have improved as he continued while walking.
“Do you know how many weirdos wander around here? Why are you coming here without any fear?”
Weirdos…?
Were there many strange people at the association?
Seoyul, not knowing the situation, became very frightened. So he hesitated several times about whether to ask, while still holding onto the large hand.
“What is it? If you have something to say, say it.”
At his seemingly caring yet indifferent tone, Seoyul carefully opened his mouth.
“By weirdos… do you mean… as bad as… the people from the organization?”
“…”
That was Seoyul’s standard. All the strange and bad people he had seen so far were organization members. If there were that many strange people around, he had silently vowed never to come to the Esper building again.
But Dowoon, who had been staring at Seoyul, sighed softly and said:
“…Not that bad.”
“Really?”
“But if you want to come, tell me first. Got it?”
“Yes.”
Though Seoyul answered with relief, he didn’t understand why he needed to tell Dowoon first. If they weren’t as bad as organization members, couldn’t he move around freely?
But seeing Dowoon’s insistence, he thought there must be another reason, so he nodded and continued walking.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
