“The matching rate is neither particularly good nor bad.”
Ilkyung nodded. It was exactly as Section Chief Kang said.
“It doesn’t matter yet, does it?”
Ilkyung said gloomily. He was going to the field, but there was nothing for him to do there. So he probably wouldn’t need guiding for a while.
“This is difficult. I thought the matching rate would generally be good for an S-rank.”
“Even at 70%, we all applaud.”
At Ilkyung’s words, Section Chief Kang nodded. That’s why people applauded when they saw Director Ha Daehoon’s matching rate with Esper Lee Seonju. What about Esper Yoon Bomi? After they became a pair, people talked as if they’d even date. Even though their matching rate wasn’t that impressive either, there was talk about them becoming a pair, then lovers, and even getting married.
Director Ha Daehoon’s Guide compatibility usually matched well, but what was this about himself?
“By the way, why isn’t the Director coming for the matching rate test?”
Section Chief Kang muttered while organizing documents.
“What?”
Ilkyung looked at Section Chief Kang and asked.
“Are you doing a matching rate test today? With whom?”
He had many questions but asked cautiously.
“I don’t know the details, but Executive Secretary Min said he seems to be trying to form a pair soon, but he has no intention of coming to the matching room. And he won’t say who he’s trying to pair with either.”
Ilkyung furrowed his brow.
“He’s still not cooperating well these days?”
“Well, the Director hasn’t been doing guiding lately.”
“What? Why?”
When Espers go on missions so many times a day, an S-rank isn’t guiding? Ilkyung looked at Section Chief Kang with a sullen face.
“The Director has been continuously working on explosion team matters, so he was excluded from guiding.”
Was that so? Since when? What was it like when Ilkyung was on the Field Support Team? The last time was when Ilkyung requested guiding from Director Ha on his way home from work, and Esper Yoon Bomi and Esper Lee Seonju happened to be there, so the two had a big fight.
“Huh?”
Ilkyung tilted his head. It really seemed like there hadn’t been anything after that. Because after that, the explosion team was created and Ilkyung and Director Ha seemed to have been busy with that damn contract dating. Then Ilkyung became an Esper. But why is he suddenly forming a pair?
“Esper Woo Ilkyung!”
Henry burst in.
“Ah! Henry.”
“We need to go now.”
“Ah, yes.”
Ilkyung snapped to attention. Director Ha kept squeezing into his mind whenever there was an opening, giving him a headache. Really, why am I like this? Ilkyung tried to leave the matching examination room as if shaking off Director Ha.
“Oh, Daehoon!”
“Are you leaving? Are you leaving, Esper Woo Ilkyung?”
At Daehoon’s appearance, Ilkyung stopped short. Why did he come here? Really to form a pair? Ilkyung stared at Daehoon intently. But because there were people around, he couldn’t outright ask, “Why did you come here? Are you really forming a pair?”
Ilkyung felt like someone was poking his chest. He felt needlessly upset in his stomach. His heart was beating fast, probably because he was nervous before his first mission.
“Esper Woo Ilkyung. Are you sick somewhere?”
Daehoon examined Ilkyung’s complexion. When his face came close, Director Ha’s characteristic refreshing and cool scent pierced right into his nostrils. It was a scent that had become familiar since they’d been together this morning and last night. Somehow his chest felt even more stuffy. Ilkyung took a step back and shook his head.
“N-no. I’m not sick.”
“Are you really okay?”
“Yes. I’m okay. I’ll be back.”
Daehoon stared at Ilkyung intently. Then he nodded.
“Be careful and come back safely.”
Ilkyung bowed in greeting and went outside first. Henry and Section Chief Kang watched the two people, then Henry followed Ilkyung out.
“Is something wrong?”
Henry asked carefully. Ilkyung quickly composed his expression and shook his head as if nothing was wrong. Even so, he kept glancing at the matching room.
* * *
Ilkyung, holding a bunch of snacks, awkwardly sat down on a convenience store parasol chair following Henry. He’d come out tensed up saying it was his first mission, but what was this? When he looked at Henry with a bewildered face, Henry just grinned. How can he be so handsome? Someone might think he’s sunshine.
Henry opened a canned drink with a click, gulped it down, and ate snacks.
“Ilkyung-ssi, you eat too.”
Ilkyung looked around and opened his drink cap. Didn’t they say this was a stakeout?
“But Henry. Is it okay for us to be here?”
“Why? Is it hot? Isn’t it cool now?”
As they entered autumn and the heat subsided, it wasn’t very hot. The occasional breeze was cool. But Ilkyung’s chest was swaying and going back and forth just as much—it was chaos.
“No, it’s not because it’s hot, aren’t we standing out too much?”
At Ilkyung’s question, Henry tilted his head as if he didn’t understand what he meant. His brilliant blonde hair swayed in the breeze. He’s incredibly pretty. If his build was a bit smaller, in Director Ha’s arms…… No! Ilkyung shook his head vigorously. This was serious. Ha Daehoon kept appearing at any time or place. Ah, I must be crazy.
“What stands out?”
“No, people are staring at us too much as they pass by.”
Ilkyung said in a lowered voice.
You’re the one who stands out too much right now! What kind of foreigner sits at a convenience store table and calmly eats snacks like this? And not just any foreigner, but someone who stands out from their appearance. Passersby kept glancing at them. That’s why you should be moderately good-looking.
Ilkyung sighed.
“Hey, Henry.”
“Yes?”
Ilkyung thought he wouldn’t understand even if he explained anyway, so he changed the topic of conversation. Henry, who was drinking a beverage, looked up at Ilkyung’s call. Ilkyung’s lips moved. Is it okay to ask something like this? Won’t he think it’s strange?
“Um… how long have you and the Director been…?”
“What?”
Something about the question was strange. After throwing out such a question to a foreigner, Ilkyung thought ‘oops.’
“No, I mean, since when have you known the Director?”
“Ah, by Director you mean Daehoon?”
“Yes. Director Ha.”
Henry tilted his head. Ah, he’s really handsome. Handsome in a different way from Ha Daehoon.
If there was an orthodoxy to being handsome, Director Ha Daehoon was that. On the other hand, Henry was somewhat flashy. The blond hair itself was like that. When the two of them stood together, Ilkyung felt bitter in his mouth for no reason. Because he thought they looked too good together.
No, since when has this country had so many gays? Even though ability users sometimes guide with the same sex because of matching rates, Korea was still a conservative place.
“Hmm, how long has it been? About 8 years.”
As expected, they’d known each other for quite a while.
“You must be really close. That’s why you came all the way here from far away.”
“Mm, right? We’re close.”
Henry nodded obediently.
Actually, Ilkyung wanted to ask what kind of relationship they had. No matter how close they were, to throw everything away and come to this place when the only person he knew was Director Ha was amazing.
“Where did you learn Korean?”
“I was originally interested in Korea, so I learned it.”
Ilkyung nodded slowly. As expected, while dating Daehoon, did he become this good at learning his lover’s language?
“My old lover was Korean, you see.”
“What? Really?”
Yeah, I knew it. It must be true that Director Ha and Henry were lovers. But what kind of Hollywood couple is this? If they broke up, that should be the end of it. Why are they still close? Ilkyung’s mood strangely sank.
“Ilkyung.”
“Yes?”
“How is it being an Esper?”
Ilkyung frowned.
“You heard the conversation with noona earlier. I really didn’t know it would be like this so late.”
“Who did you decide to receive guiding from?”
“I wonder what’s the point. Why doesn’t Henry receive guiding from Director Ha?”
After saying it, he thought ‘oops.’ He thought Henry might misunderstand what Ilkyung just said. Even though they had been lovers, Henry hadn’t said it directly with his own mouth. Telling such a person to receive guiding from someone of the same gender was the same as openly asking if he was gay. Worried that Henry might misunderstand, Ilkyung hurriedly made excuses.
“No, I don’t mean it like that… ability users often receive guiding from the same sex.”
“Hmm, what percentage did you get with the Guides earlier, Ilkyung? Matching rate?”
“65% and 63%.”
“Wow, that’s pretty high.”
“Is it?”
Ilkyung tilted his head.
“I was a bit disappointed.”
“Why?”
“Well, you know. I thought S-ranks would generally have good matching rates with everyone. When I was on the Field Support Team, I paired Director Ha with guiding a lot, and each time Director Ha had decent matching rates with most Espers, so I thought everyone was like that.”
