Choi Hyerin was angry at such a Seo Gangwoo.
Of course, Seo Gangwoo had his circumstances too. As the period of guiding deficiency lengthened, he had to pour more and more strength and time into controlling the energies that kept accumulating.
Anyway, with the low matching rate and Choi Hyerin’s half-hearted guiding, he couldn’t see meaningful results, and especially with his senses already heightened, he couldn’t bear to participate in crowded gatherings and become Choi Hyerin’s doll anymore, so he didn’t go.
‘So this is how you dare act.’
After nearly 2 years passed like that, thinking this couldn’t go on, Choi Hyerin made a bold move.
It was none other than the termination of the pair contract.
Terminating a pair contract was not an easy matter. A thorough investigation into the grounds for termination was conducted, and it took a long time until a judgment was made that continuation of the relationship was no longer possible due to those grounds.
Even if it passed, there had to be a substitute Guide depending on the Esper’s situation, and the procedure only ended after one of their activity zones was also moved.
The process was difficult, and even after contract termination, penalties were imposed for 5 years. Not only were salaries cut, but considerable additional work and mandatory performance were imposed, so unless the two parties were fighting like mortal enemies ready to kill each other, they didn’t apply for contract termination. Even if there were problems in the relationship, they roughly endured it and occasionally maintained a pair in name only for reports to superiors.
Terminating such a pair was not an easy matter, but Choi Hyerin persuaded her father, the Center 8 director, and got it passed. Naturally, while ignoring the above processes.
Anyway, it was just to show Seo Gangwoo a hot taste, and they would pair up again soon, so she skipped unnecessary procedures like penalties.
It was possible because her family had been entering politics for generations and had many connections even in the Ability User Management Headquarters. Right now, her grandfather was one of only three chairmen of the Ability User Management Headquarters.
Of course, her grandfather, who valued honor more, opposed it, but her father persuaded him, saying that as Choi Hyerin said, they should definitely secure the leash of the possible S-rank Esper.
Those with power wanted to definitely control those with stronger power than themselves, and Choi Hyerin’s grandfather couldn’t escape from that either.
In the end, as soon as the contract termination application was received, the approval process went through in an instant, and that fact was only conveyed to a small number of management personnel.
Among the personnel who found out late, there were people who opposed that fact, but they either persuaded them while preparing separate gifts or suppressed them with position.
Thinking that the matching rate between Seo Gangwoo and other Guides was extremely bad, so a matching rate higher than her own could absolutely never come out, Choi Hyerin was confident that Seo Gangwoo would definitely request to pair up again.
The problem was that Seo Gangwoo’s response wasn’t coming for longer than Choi Hyerin had expected.
Though the pair contract was terminated two months ago, since they hadn’t met even before that, it had been almost 4 months without seeing him. Even though there had been many times before when they hadn’t seen each other for several months, Choi Hyerin, who was no longer the pair of an S-rank Esper on paper, was starting to feel anxious for no reason.
On top of that, she was also getting nagging calls from her father asking when she would pair up again.
Still, Choi Hyerin endured. Thinking it was for drawing a big picture, she didn’t contact Seo Gangwoo first.
As if the world was helping Choi Hyerin who knew such things, simultaneous gates occurred and a request came from the Center to guide Seo Gangwoo.
Choi Hyerin thought the opportunity had come. Seo Gangwoo’s body condition, having not received guiding, would be a mess.
She thought that if she guided such a Seo Gangwoo while bringing up the pair contract, there would definitely be a response from Seo Gangwoo.
“……”
Though the private room had become awkward from not being used, Choi Hyerin placed a classical record on the turntable she had brought in before.
Listening to the flowing music, she returned to the sofa and sat with her legs crossed.
Even after a long wait, she didn’t mind because she had already heard that the simultaneous gate creation amount was large.
When she was getting bored, she picked up the work tablet she was seeing after a long time, turned it around, and turned on the power. Looking at the guiding application list, Espers’ names continued endlessly. It seemed like everyone had returned after dealing with gates and were applying for guiding and waiting.
“…What?”
While flipping through the list with her slender fingers, she noticed something strange.
Choi Hyerin picked up her phone.
While looking around at people she knew among Espers belonging to Center 1, she brought her finger to one name. He was the grandson of a high-ranking political family that had long exchanged with her family, and an Esper who had clung to her asking to pair up as soon as Choi Hyerin manifested as a Guide. Of course, she had refused because he was an A-minus rank Esper who had barely just made it to A-rank.
As soon as the signal went through, the other Esper’s voice came through the connected phone, sounding surprised.
—Wow! Guide Choi Hyerin, what’s the occasion? For you to call first.
“Taesu-ssi, you went to deal with gates today, right?”
—Haha. Of course. The scene is almost being cleaned up now. I’ve also entered the Center.
“You really worked hard. But… the scene is being cleaned up?”
—Yes. There may still be places finishing up. But most are done. Right now, the recovery team and monster corpse disposal team should be remaining.
“Ah… I see.”
Choi Hyerin bit her lip. As expected, most scenes had been cleaned up. Then why isn’t Seo Gangwoo coming?
—But Guide Choi Hyerin, why did you suddenly call?
“Ah! An acquaintance said they had an appointment this evening and were in the city, but I couldn’t reach them and was worried…. But I thought of you, Taesu-ssi, so I called. You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”
—…Ha, hahaha. Of course. I defeated the monsters without getting hurt at all! You must be worried that you can’t contact your acquaintance. Guide Choi Hyerin is also kind-hearted.
“No. It’s natural. You must be tired after fighting, and I’m keeping you? Rest soon, Taesu-ssi. See you next time.”
—Not at all, I’m not tired from just this much. Guide Choi Hyerin’s acquaintance will be fine. Don’t worry too much. Then, if by any chance tomorrow….
“Thank you for saying that. I’ll hang up now.”
Choi Hyerin’s expression hardened as she ended the call, cutting off the rest of the words pretending not to hear.
He wouldn’t not come, would he? Since they said there were still scenes being finished, she decided to wait calmly.
An hour passed.
She uncrossed her legs and got up from the sofa.
Another hour passed.
She crossed her arms and paced back and forth in the private room.
Another hour passed.
Choi Hyerin grabbed her head with both hands.
It couldn’t be…. It won’t be….
Time didn’t stop and flowed until day broke.
“……”
An empty laugh leaked through Choi Hyerin’s coldly hardened lips. Choi Hyerin couldn’t believe this impossible, completely incomprehensible situation.
The Center’s notification that she was waiting had definitely gone to Seo Gangwoo.
Yet Seo Gangwoo didn’t come.
“…Did I just get stood up by Seo Gangwoo again?! In this situation where even the Center requested?! Why on earth?!”
Though she even used the bold move of pair contract termination on Seo Gangwoo who didn’t go her way. Choi Hyerin couldn’t understand how he could be so indifferent even though the pair was terminated and he was abandoned by the only Guide who could guide him.
“Ugh, damn Seo Gangwoo…! Kyaaaah—!”
Choi Hyerin, with anger rising to the top of her head, screamed and threw visible objects.
Room 701’s interior, which had been perfectly managed despite not being used, became a complete mess due to the room owner returning after a long time.
The sounds of breaking and crashing echoed for a long while.
Choi Hyerin, who barely stopped when she couldn’t see any more things to throw, heaved her upper body with rough breathing.
She didn’t know whether Seo Gangwoo was at the Center or hadn’t even entered the Center, but it was obvious he was alone holed up in a corner, suppressing his waves with substitute guiding medicine without her guiding.
“Haah, haah….”
Does he have pride because he’s an S-rank Esper? At best, what can he do without a Guide? Substitute guiding medicine definitely has limits too. The more he endures, the harder it will only be on himself.
“Anyway, there’s no other way besides me. In the end, he’ll have to cling and beg to pair up again. Seo Gangwoo, if you don’t want to die, you’d better stop enduring.”
After pouring out her anger and regaining her reason, Choi Hyerin regained her composure, thinking that even Seo Gangwoo’s stubborn attitude was only a matter of time, and he would definitely request to pair up with her again in the end.
However, the fact that she had waited for such a Seo Gangwoo until dawn was an irritatingly unbearable matter.
* * *
Ugh… Idiot. I didn’t need to show my newbie side with something like this….
Jiwon, who understood the situation late while looking at the notice, felt embarrassed that he didn’t know about such an emergency situation and unnecessarily scratched his chin with his finger. If Seo Gangwoo hadn’t been in the private room, he might have been jumping on the bed, kicking the air and throwing cotton punches.
It hadn’t been long since he proudly told Team Leader Lee Juyeon that he had mastered all Guide duties, and now this clumsiness.
No. It can happen! I’m still a newbie! A Guide who’s only been working for a week! I just won’t make mistakes from now on! Right! It’s not like I was just playing around!
Jiwon, who raised his head with a jerk, rearmed his mental state that had been digging underground for a moment. And he turned his gaze to look at the list of Espers applying for guiding again.
