#145
“How many laps is this?”
“It’s the fifth lap.”
“After completing the remaining laps and showering, we’ll start firearms training immediately.”
Everyone responded clearly to Eunseok’s words and started running around the field again. Eunseok watched them for a moment before heading inside the building to prepare for firearms training.
It’s always Espers or Hunters who directly fight against the strange life forms. However, without guides, they were only half-capable ability users unable to control their energy. They always needed guides to become complete. Because of this, Hunters were abnormally obsessed with guides.
That’s why guides basically need to be protected. If a guide were to die or get injured after entering a gate together, there was a high chance that Hunters would lose their sanity. This was precisely why guides accompanying gate conquests needed to be highly capable.
Eunseok put a lot of effort into thoroughly training volunteer guides to prevent unfortunate incidents. He intended to carefully nurture each one into a proper talent.
After personally inspecting and maintaining each firearm the trainees would use, Eunseok finally took out the phone that had vibrated in his pocket earlier.
Choi Hanseo
[What time are you coming back?]
It was a message from Choi Hanseo.
Choi Hanseo knew well what time Eunseok usually returned to the guild. But every day Eunseok came to the administration bureau, Choi Hanseo sent a message asking what time he’d return.
It was Choi Hanseo’s small way of expressing dissatisfaction. He didn’t like being separated from Eunseok. More precisely, he felt anxious when Eunseok was outside his domain.
Eunseok replied with the time they both already knew. As soon as he put the phone back in his pocket, trainees started flooding into the shooting range one by one.
Firearms training, combat training, and so on. There were separate skilled instructors for all training. Eunseok observed the training process without interfering with the instructors’ domain. When trainees wanted, he also provided individual guidance and advice.
The trainees were basically volunteers who had some confidence in themselves. Therefore, there were no complaints about the training process, and most of them learned quite quickly. It was rewarding to teach them.
Finally, it was time to leave work. The administration bureau was responsible for Eunseok’s commute.
As soon as he entered the guild building, he ran into Moon Bora and Kwon Eunchae. The two were smiling oddly as they waved at Eunseok.
“What is it?”
Eunseok asked the two who had obviously been waiting for him. But instead of answering, they whispered into each other’s ears and giggled. Yet they kept glancing at Eunseok with strange eyes, as if they were plotting something.
Eunseok looked at the two alternately with suspicious eyes.
“Do you have something to say?”
When Eunseok asked, the two giggled again and shook their heads as if on cue.
“No. We’re just happy to see you. Go on up quickly.”
Kwon Eunchae said with sparkling eyes.
“That’s right. Hurry up and go.”
Moon Bora urged along.
‘What’s going on?’
Eunseok narrowed his eyes at their suspicious behavior. But regardless, the two kept whispering something to each other while looking at Eunseok.
He had no intention of prying into their secret conversation. Eunseok went up to the penthouse with a strangely uneasy feeling. As he got off the elevator, passed through the hallway, and arrived at the living room, he saw two people sitting on the sofa.
“Secretary Lee?”
Eunseok called out in a puzzled voice to Lee Eunju, the chief secretary, who was with Choi Hanseo.
“You’re back?”
Choi Hanseo greeted Eunseok with a gentle smile. Then he gestured for him to sit down.
Eunseok sat down on the sofa Choi Hanseo had pointed to. It was right next to Secretary Lee.
As soon as he sat down, Secretary Lee slid an approval file on the table towards Eunseok.
“What is this?”
When Eunseok asked, Secretary Lee spoke.
“The contract with Baekho Guild expires tomorrow. I’ve prepared a new contract for renewal. Please review it.”
“Ah.”
Eunseok made a short sound as he recalled today’s date. Come to think of it, it was around this time last year that they officially contracted with Baekho Guild. He had completely forgotten about it, clearly his mental state had become quite lax lately.
The gazes of Choi Hanseo and Secretary Lee fixed on Eunseok were intense. They were waiting for him to quickly check the contract.
Eunseok opened the thick leather approval file. And unlike a year ago, he started skimming through the contract content with somewhat careless eyes.
But before he could finish skimming the first page of the contract, his eyes stopped.
“The contract period is blank.”
Eunseok said, looking up at Secretary Lee.
Indeed, the contract period was left blank in the contract.
“You can fill in the contract period as you wish, Guide Lee. The guild will accept whatever number of years you write.”
After saying that, Secretary Lee rose from the sofa. She nodded slightly in greeting and left the penthouse.
Eunseok followed the departing Secretary Lee with puzzled eyes. He hadn’t even signed the contract yet, but she left. Was there something that required them to be alone?
“Go ahead and review it.”
Choi Hanseo urged. Eunseok felt that Choi Hanseo’s eyes were somewhat different from usual. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly what, but it was definitely meaningful.
Anyway, Eunseok continued to skim through the contract.
With each page he turned, he only noticed conditions that had improved from a year ago.
First, the annual salary had increased, and the share received for each gate conquest had also increased. Overall, it was a contract favorable to Eunseok, and there were no particularly noticeable changes.
Eunseok paused as he turned the last page.
Unlike the contracts filled with densely arranged text, a single white A4 paper was placed there. And in the center of that paper, two simple platinum rings were fixed side by side with Scotch tape.
Eunseok stared at those rings for a long time before slowly raising his gaze. As if he had been waiting, Choi Hanseo got up from his seat, approached Eunseok, and knelt on one knee in front of him. Then he peeled off the smaller sized ring from the paper and held it out to Eunseok.
A ring and a man kneeling on one knee.
The situation was clear.
Suddenly, heat rushed to his face.
“…What embarrassing thing is this…”
As Eunseok spoke in a flustered voice, Choi Hanseo opened his mouth.
“Will you marry me, Eunseok?”
The direct frontal attack made him dizzy. Uncharacteristically, Eunseok blinked his eyes and couldn’t make any response. Honestly, it was so sudden that his head was spinning. Choi Hanseo quietly gazed at Eunseok like that and waited patiently.
It was quite a while before Eunseok finally opened his mouth.
“We haven’t even been dating for a year yet.”
“It’s okay if the engagement period is long. As long as you accept the proposal, I’ll wait however many years, even ten years, until the wedding. Just get engaged to me for now.”
Eunseok didn’t know how to respond.
Marriage. He had never even imagined it.
Marriage.
The word “marriage” spun around in his head as if dancing, making him dizzy. Eunseok was almost in a state of panic.
“Lee Eunseok.”
Choi Hanseo called, grabbing Eunseok’s hand. Then he smiled slightly and asked.
“Do you think you can meet someone better than me?”
“……”
“I don’t think I can meet anyone better than you. That’s why I’m desperately clinging to you. Marry me. Live with me for the rest of your life. I want to become family with you.”
After finishing his words, Choi Hanseo gazed intently at Eunseok with deep eyes. Eunseok stared back at Choi Hanseo as if mesmerized.
Family.
That word caused a great ripple in Eunseok’s heart.
Becoming family with this man. Becoming family to live together for a lifetime.
That thought alone filled his head.
Eunseok didn’t know how long he had been looking at Choi Hanseo. It seemed like a very long time, but also a very short time. As he gazed into Choi Hanseo’s eyes like that, he suddenly realized that even if he had to look at Choi Hanseo like this for the rest of his life, he felt he could do it sufficiently.
Eunseok found it hard to say yes out loud. It was too big of an answer.
After moving his lips several times, Eunseok finally nodded. And he answered in a whisper.
“Okay.”
At Eunseok’s answer, a whirlwind of joy swept through Choi Hanseo’s deep and calm eyes.
As if worried Eunseok might change his answer, Choi Hanseo quickly slipped the ring onto his finger. The ring fit perfectly, as if it had been made to measure. After putting the ring on Eunseok’s hand, Choi Hanseo tore off the remaining ring and put it on his own finger. Rings of the same design sparkled on both of their fingers.
“We’re engaged now.”
Choi Hanseo declared as he tightly embraced Eunseok. Through the arms that held him so strongly it almost hurt, Eunseok could feel the joy Choi Hanseo was experiencing. Eunseok raised his arms and hugged Choi Hanseo back.
“I love you, Lee Eunseok.”
Choi Hanseo whispered into Eunseok’s ear. Instead of answering, Eunseok hugged Choi Hanseo even tighter.
A person to spend a lifetime with. A person who will become family.
Thinking like that, Choi Hanseo felt so dear and precious that he wouldn’t be worth trading for the whole world.
Yes. If there was an emotion that suited the word love, it would be what Eunseok was feeling right now.
After moving his lips several times, Eunseok whispered so softly it was almost like a sigh.
“Me too.”
Choi Hanseo, who somehow heard that voice as soft as a breeze, held his breath.
Choi Hanseo’s body, which had been frozen like a stone without even breathing for a moment, relaxed. Then he hugged Eunseok so tightly it almost choked him and let out a shallow breath as if in relief.
He’s really cute, after all.
Eunseok muttered inwardly and slightly raised the corners of his mouth.
End.
*Continues in the side story.
Note:
No side stories was posted yet huhuh author-nim plese hurry!
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
