“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I think I’ve said it about a hundred times already.”
“Don’t exaggerate. I only asked twice.”
“Did you?”
Lim Haeyul couldn’t wait for his broken leg to heal, so as soon as using crutches became less uncomfortable, he returned to school.
In the meantime, the building they had been using was already under reconstruction, but it couldn’t be used immediately. So, for the time being, classes were being held temporarily in the main building next door.
Although they took into account the unavoidable situation and counted the days he missed as attendance, he had fallen far behind in his studies.
Perhaps that’s why he kept getting irritated. Actually, Lim Haeyul had been irritable lately, getting angry and feeling frustrated.
It was all because of Cha Jae-woo.
“I’ve organized all the class notes for you. It’s not just mine; everyone pitched in to help, so you can trust it.”
“Oh… really?”
“Well, you basically saved our lives, so…”
Kim Geon-ung looked away, embarrassed. He found it difficult to express gratitude, but it was clear he was genuinely thankful.
“Well, be as grateful as you want.”
He should be grateful. After all, Lim Haeyul had ended up badly injured because of it.
Of course, Kim Geon-ung didn’t know the full story. Like Cha Jae-woo said, he thought Lim Haeyul had gotten injured after realizing Jung Hyun-soo was going berserk and helping everyone evacuate.
It wasn’t entirely false. It just left out the fact that Lim Haeyul had guided Jung Hyun-soo and that Jung Hyun-soo hadn’t left on her own—Cha Jae-woo had thrown her out.
“Wow, but wasn’t it lucky? Since she went berserk right by the gate, the monsters distracted her. If the gate hadn’t appeared, she would have attacked us, right?”
“…Probably.”
“It’s chilling, just chilling.”
Kim Geon-ung shuddered, saying it still sent a chill down his spine.
It was cruel that an Esper had to deal with the gate that appeared upon their awakening. But from the perspective of a normal person, it seemed almost fortunate.
At the same time, Lim Haeyul remembered Cha Jae-woo’s words: every Esper awakens inside a gate and is dragged out unconscious. Perhaps that was the first trial every Esper had to face.
“Lim Haeyul!”
Someone called out to him with an unfamiliar title, interrupting his thoughts. He turned to see a familiar face, flushed and excited—it was Jung Hyun-soo.
“Thank you so much!”
“Ah, uh… you’re welcome.”
Lim Haeyul responded awkwardly to the enthusiastic greeting. Unlike him, Kim Geon-ung was chuckling.
“I owe you my life!”
What did Jung Hyun-soo mean by saying she owed him her life? According to Cha Jae-woo, Jung Hyun-soo’s memories had been altered. She believed he had rushed out on her own.
But the truth was different because of Lim Haeyul. The memory alteration was done to erase the fact that Lim Haeyul had guided her. So, there was nothing Jung Hyun-soo should be thanking him for.
“I didn’t do anything…”
“Please, speak comfortably. I’m two years your junior!”
“Oh… okay. Then you too. Don’t call me senior, it’s weird.”
“Ah, okay! Then can I call you oppa?”
Lim Haeyul nodded vaguely, and Jung Hyun-soo’s face lit up. Lim Haeyul awkwardly looked away, feeling a pang of guilt.
In the end, Jung Hyun-soo might have been thrown to the monsters to hide Lim Haeyul’s guiding method. If Lim Haeyul hadn’t done it, perhaps Cha Jae-woo would have helped…
‘No, what am I thinking?’
Cha Jae-woo would have done the same even if it weren’t for Lim Haeyul. There was no need to make excuses for him.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“No! I got a little injured, but… being an Esper is really amazing. The recovery ability is…”
Jung Hyun-soo lowered her voice and gave a thumbs up. Seeing her so cheerful made Lim Haeyul smile, and Jung Hyun-soo giggled, fiddling with her hair.
“I heard you moved everyone to another classroom. If you hadn’t, everyone in that classroom would have been hurt.”
“…Yeah.”
“Oh, and I’m sorry. I should have said this first. I’m really sorry you got hurt.”
Jung Hyun-soo looked at Lim Haeyul’s leg and bowed her head.
“It’s okay. It’s not a big deal.”
“What are you talking about? You couldn’t come to school for over two weeks.”
“You be quiet.”
“I’m just saying the truth. You’re saying it’s okay, but it’s not!”
“That’s right! I know it wasn’t okay! So… um, I want to treat you to a meal…”
“Oh, I’m in. I want to go too.”
“Of course, Geon-ung, you should come too.”
When did they get so close?
Lim Haeyul sighed, watching the two get along so well. He appreciated the gesture, but he wasn’t really in the mood. He had been feeling down because of Cha Jae-woo.
“How about today? We can have dinner and drinks.”
“I’m good with that!”
“……Kim Geon-ung, do you want to mooch off your junior?”
But it seemed hard to get out of it.
‘Never mind. Maybe it’s for the best.’
It was better than going home and facing Cha Jae-woo. Besides, he had already guided him that morning.
Lately, Lim Haeyul had been guiding Cha Jae-woo as soon as he woke up. He didn’t want to, but he had a contract to fulfill.
Naturally, there was no conversation between them. Lim Haeyul guided out of obligation, and Cha Jae-woo accepted it without a word.
Cha Jae-woo didn’t need to talk; he just needed the guiding. Lim Haeyul felt foolish for having shared so much with him before.
“I got a lot of money this time. Don’t worry.”
Jung Hyun-soo whispered, covering her mouth. She must have received a lot of pocket money—or rather, money from becoming an Esper.
Lim Haeyul smiled and shook his head.
“I have money too.”
“Wow, Lim Haeyul, you’ve grown up.”
“You buy your own food.”
“Why! Aren’t I invited?”
“Yeah. You’re not invited, you’re a freeloader.”
It wasn’t a particularly funny conversation, but Jung Hyun-soo laughed. She seemed so different from the person who had been in agony during her awakening.
Anyway, Lim Haeyul was glad she was safe. It felt a bit strange, like he was proud of a child he had raised.
* * *
“B-rank. Fortunately, there are many compatible Guides.”
“That’s really fortunate.”
“Yes. But I still can’t believe it. Me, an Esper… I heard most Espers awaken before they turn twenty.”
“Ah, I see.”
As Jung Hyun-soo drank more, she became more talkative.
Lim Haeyul, however, felt his mood worsen with each drink and had stopped drinking a while ago. Perhaps because of his cast, neither of them offered him more alcohol.
“Espers get money?”
“Huh? …Oh, yes! From now on, I’m basically a government employee, so I get a salary. It’s more than I thought!”
“Wow, that’s amazing.”
Kim Geon-ung, on the other hand, was completely drunk, his speech slurred. He had been in high spirits from the start. Lim Haeyul clicked his tongue and shook his head.
‘Amazing, my foot.’
That salary was essentially hazard pay for entering the grim gates and dealing with monsters. There was always a reason behind generous pay.
‘Not that I’m in a position to judge.’
Lim Haeyul thought it best to keep his mouth shut, considering he had moved into Cha Jae-woo’s place for the money. He glanced at Kim Geon-ung briefly, and Jung Hyun-soo turned to him with a grin.
“Haeyul, I was really surprised.”
Jung Hyun-soo seemed genuinely shocked, and Lim Haeyul couldn’t help but laugh at her odd way of speaking.
“That you’re a Guide.”
However, the laughter faded with the next words.
Did it matter if Jung Hyun-soo knew? After all, as an Esper, she would find out about Guides eventually. Lim Haeyul quickly suppressed his momentary surprise.
“Yeah, it happened recently.”
“Oh, right. You were the one in that article, weren’t you?”
It had to be the article titled “Cha Jae-woo’s Guide.” Thanks to the initial information Cha Jae-woo had leaked, it was easy to pinpoint Lim Haeyul.
“You’re amazing.”
Jung Hyun-soo’s eyes sparkled. What was so amazing? Just being around Cha Jae-woo? Lim Haeyul was curious but didn’t ask. He didn’t want to talk about Cha Jae-woo right now.
“Why are you mumbling…”
Kim Geon-ung, now completely drunk, muttered with his head on the table. Lim Haeyul wondered how he would get him home.
“You must be really skilled to handle Cha Jae-woo.”
Turning his attention back to Jung Hyun-soo, Lim Haeyul saw her still looking at him with shining eyes. She leaned in as if sharing a secret, covering her mouth and whispering conspiratorially.
“I remember everything.”
