“Huh?”
Did it just say… my ability?
[Yes. Your ability. I’m the manifestation of another power you’ve kept hidden—an ability that’s never been discovered before, one that finally took form through me, beyond your purification ability as a Guide.]
The potato tapped its belly matter-of-factly as it continued.
For a second, I found it pitifully cute. But that didn’t last long. I straightened my expression, which had momentarily softened, and scoffed at the absurdity.
“You should know when to quit lying. I’ve never heard of a Guide or Esper’s ability physically manifesting like this.”
I had to laugh at myself for even entertaining the idea that something like this talking potato might be worth listening to.
In truth, I did have an ability aside from my power to purify an Esper’s corruption.
As a Guide, I’m ranked SSS.
That rank wasn’t awarded just because I was exceptionally good at healing through physical contact.
I was classified as an outlier because I possessed a unique ability thought to be exclusive to Espers—something no other Guide had ever shown.
The ability I had was self-healing. A special power completely unheard of in other Guides.
Most Guides were ordinary people who could only purify the corruption that built up inside Espers. They needed constant protection.
But me? I had self-healing. So even though I was just a Guide, I could fight monsters spilling out from the gates just like an Esper. No—I had to.
Because Espers were dying every day, and the higher-ups wanted to throw anything and everything into the front lines. I was just another tool to them. And what’s more convenient than a “monster that won’t die” no matter how many times you send it into battle?
That single trait landed me as the assigned partner of Hyun Je-ha, one of the most powerful Espers.
And then I went and died in his place.
If that dream earlier was real, then Je-ha must’ve died too. The bitter memory gnawed at me as I barked at the potato.
“Hey—you. My ability is classified. So how the hell would a potato like you know about it? And while we’re at it, how do you know my real name?”
[Because I am your ability! Ugh, why don’t you get it?! So frustrating!]
“Don’t give me that crap.”
I grabbed the potato roughly and, with my other hand, snatched up a fruit knife.
Someone—either the manager or the CEO—had left a fruit basket while I was unconscious. The knife had come with it.
I removed the sheath and aimed the blade at the potato.
[Mmph! (You’re seriously gonna stab me with that thing?!)]
“If you’re not a pet, then you’re just a rogue beast wandering outside a gate. I’ve heard your ridiculous claim that you’re my ability, but any beast with telepathy could pull that off.”
[Mmph! MMMMPH! (You crazy bastard! Help! Save the potato!)]
“I’ll make it quick and painless.”
But hold on… why could I still hear it clearly in my head, even with its mouth covered?
Just as I was about to plunge the knife down in confusion…
Screeeak.
The door to the hospital room creaked open. Someone was approaching.
“…Yeon Yu-jin, are you awake?”
That voice…
“I’m coming in.”
The light caught the incoming person’s hair, making it shimmer.
The one who stepped inside, the one who had slapped me earlier—it was none other than Ra Ho-yeon.
“You’re awake, huh? I felt kinda bad for hitting you when you were at death’s door, so I brought something.”
“……”
He stood there holding a bundle wrapped in cloth and a pack of juice bottles in both hands.
So he’s playing nurse after punching me?
After getting slapped the moment I opened my eyes, I wasn’t exactly thrilled to see him. But he shamelessly walked over and set the bundle down beside me.
“I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I just got what I felt like buying.”
His hand suddenly froze as it hovered over the bedside.
“What? What is it?”
“You…”
Shit. I hadn’t had time to put the knife away. It was still in my hand, aimed directly at the potato.
“You… you weren’t about to self-harm, were you?”
“What?”
What the hell kind of wild misunderstanding is that?!
“What kind of nonsense is that? Why would I do that? Are you insane?”
“Then why are you holding a knife while sitting on the bed like that?”
“No, that’s—!”
Shit. I had no comeback.
He can’t see the potato!
Only I could see this talking potato that claimed to be a physical manifestation of my ability.
My ability’s classified, and this thing somehow knew about it, which was suspicious as hell. So I grabbed a knife to peel it, to figure it out.
But if I say all that out loud, I’ll just sound like a complete lunatic.
This was a disaster.
“I-I mean… it’s just….”
As I stammered, unable to come up with a plausible excuse, Ra Ho-yeon grabbed the knife from my hand.
“Hey!”
“This is being confiscated. You’re still unstable, and who knows what kind of incident you’ll cause next.”
“Hey! Wait a sec—!”
“Good thing I stopped by. I better go call your manager.”
“Hey!!”
Before I could even grab his collar, he darted out the door to get the manager.
“Hyun-soo hyung? Can you come here real quick?”
“What is it?”
“Do you have any idea what Yeon Yu-jin just tried to do? God… he had a knife in his hand—looked like he was about to self-harm. He denies it, but there was no fruit in sight, just the knife. What do you think that looks like?”
The longer Ra Ho-yeon explained, the more mortified I became.
This goddamn potato is ruining my life.
[What? What did I do?]
The potato scurried away, hopping up onto the top of the fridge to keep its distance.
You’re not coming back here?
[If you were about to peel me, would you come back? You won’t even listen to me!]
Forget it.
Just then, my manager—Kim Hyun-soo—burst into the room, eyes brimming with tears.
“Yu-jin!!”
His glasses lenses fogged over from the moisture, making him look pitiful.
…There goes the image of Ahn Ga-hyun.
If Je-ha were here, he’d be laughing his ass off. He would’ve said I’d lost my edge, couldn’t even sense someone coming close. That I should just retire already.
“Kim Hyun-soo—no, Manager? So, about that….”
I was trying to figure out how to explain when fat tears started pouring down his face.
“You can’t self-harm!”
No, seriously, I had zero intention of doing that!
I gaped, stunned by the ridiculous accusation.
Can I even recover from this?
How do you explain anything to people who won’t even listen?
Meanwhile, my manager fumbled for his phone.
“W-We need to call the CEO—!”
“Wait!”
He couldn’t see the damn potato either. Goddamn it.
“Wait, wait! Manager, that’s not it….”
“Then what were you doing with a knife in your hand?!”
As a last-ditch effort, I grabbed the sprouting potato again and held it up.
“…Um. Do you see this?”
[Mmmph!! (Let go of me!!)]
I squeezed the thing tightly and lifted it, but Kim Hyun-soo’s eyes didn’t even glance at the potato.
“What? All I see is your fist, Yu-jin…”
So it’s not a beast after all?
[I told you I’m not!]
If it were a beast, even an ordinary civilian like Kim Hyun-soo should’ve been able to see it. But since he couldn’t, maybe the potato’s nonsense wasn’t nonsense after all.
It slipped out of my hand and darted off to hide again.
“Anyway… what the hell were you doing with a knife? That’s dangerous. You just woke up, and—”
“Well…”
He looked at me with an expression so full of worry, it was hard to lie. His hand clutched his phone like a lifeline.
What was I supposed to say? That I tried to stab a talking potato that only I can see because I thought it was a monster?
In their eyes, I was a recovering amnesiac with a history of questionable behavior—an unstable idol they had to keep an eye on.
If I mess this up, things could spiral out of control again, like last time.
If the CEO or the directors show up, they’ll probably bring those damn junior Espers too.
I do not want to see those monkey-brained punks right now.
No way I’d ever accept those fools as my Espers. Not in a million years.
So, after wracking my half-functional brain, the best excuse I could come up with was:
“Honestly, I was just hungry. I wanted to cut up some fruit….”
“And?”
“…But I guess I’m still weak, so the fruit kept slipping from my hands. I got frustrated and held up the knife… and that’s when you happened to walk in.”
Ugh, goddamn it.
No way they’ll buy this half-assed excuse.
I missed Hyun Je-ha. That bastard was sharp as hell. He would’ve mocked me, sure, but at least he’d help clean up this mess.
…Not that he’s alive anymore.
As I wallowed in that thought, Kim Hyun-soo looked at me and said:
“Is… is that what happened?”
“…Yeah?”
Wait—he’s actually buying this?
“If you wanted fruit, you should’ve just told me… Geez, don’t go scaring people like that. Here, give me the knife. I’ll cut some up for you.”
Is he an idiot?
I kept the thought to myself and obediently handed him the fruit knife and the basket.
“Uh… thanks.”
He pulled up the spare chair and sat down, placing a plate on the table beside the bed. His hands were surprisingly practiced as he began peeling an apple.
“You must be starving. You should’ve just called me—my phone was right there.”
“…Sorry.”
I’m not Yeon Yu-jin. I’m Ahn Ga-hyun.
