By the time they finished their meal, it was past 11 PM. With a beaming face, Heewoo thoroughly packed up all the leftover food and gathered everything into a white plastic bag. Just before leaving the restaurant, Heewoo bowed his head to the owner who was cleaning up the dining area.
“Thank you for the meal, sir…!”
“Oh, alright. Heewoo, come back again when you want jjajangmyeon. Okay? Don’t worry about money. Got it?”
“Yes, yes…!”
The owner, who knew that Heewoo hadn’t set foot in the Chinese restaurant even once since losing his paternal grandmother, urged him several times as he was leaving. Even when packing up the leftover food today, he had included several dishes they hadn’t ordered, telling him to eat them for days to come.
Feeling so grateful and honored by this kindness, Heewoo bowed his head repeatedly to express his thanks even as he was leaving. Finally, the two who had difficulty leaving the shop stood on the street where cold wind was blowing.
Heichi watched Heewoo rejoicing that his hands were full, and asked quietly.
“Why does he tell you to come eat even without paying money?”
“…Yes, what?”
“Don’t Earth shops only sell food if you pay money? So why does that owner tell you to come eat without paying?”
At that question, Heewoo smiled bashfully. At times like this, it really hit home that he was an alien. Thinking he might not know, Heewoo slowly began to explain.
“Well… I’ve been coming here often since I was little…”
“If you come often, you can eat for free? Then if I come often, will it be free for me too?”
“Hei, Heichi-ssi, it won’t work for you.”
“Then that’s a privilege given only to Heewoo-ssi.”
Is it really… a privilege?
Heewoo’s lips moved wordlessly. The owner did this because he remembered Heewoo’s childhood, when he was so thin from eating even less than now that he looked emaciated. Back then, Heewoo really looked like he couldn’t even afford watery porridge, to the point where people passing by couldn’t bear to watch and would press a thousand won into his hand.
Now that he had completed compulsory education and become a proper adult, he knew how to get around without looking shabby. But back then, with no adult to care for him, he could barely wash once a week, and he lived being grateful if he could eat even one meal a day.
When such a child came to his shop holding the hand of an old woman who collected cardboard, the owner must have been deeply concerned about Heewoo. He still gratefully looked after him because he couldn’t forget the Heewoo from back then.
“It’s, it’s just goodwill, goodwill…”
“I was told that human goodwill is a heart that gives because one thinks well of the other person.”
Heewoo nodded slightly. At least the owner of Hwanggung Sichuan Jjajang thought well of Heewoo.
“That owner doesn’t have inappropriate feelings toward Heewoo-ssi, does he?”
“…What?”
What would normally have been answered with a simple “what?” came out pitched up because he was so surprised. Inappropriate feelings? What inappropriate feelings?
“Like having sexual feelings for Heewoo-ssi, or wanting something…”
“Wh-what? But he’s a man. Ex-extreme, and he’s married too. He has three daughters…”
At the unpredictable alien thought process, Heewoo hurriedly defended the owner. But even after hearing Heewoo’s defense, Heichi didn’t seem particularly convinced, not even attempting to smooth out the furrow between his brows.
“Um, we, we’re here, this is it…”
As they exchanged nonsense while walking together, the neighborhood had changed before they knew it and they’d arrived in front of Heewoo’s house. Standing before his black front gate, Heewoo fidgeted.
At any other time, he would have sent Heichi away without hesitation. However, currently Heewoo had about two concerns.
One was sending away Heichi, who had bought him food, from in front of his house without even offering him a glass of water, and the other was his promise with him. Hadn’t he said that after eating, if there was time, he would hold his hand?
While returning home, the two had walked about half a step apart, so there was no chance for even their fingertips to brush. It wasn’t what Heewoo had intended, but it had somehow turned out that way. The hesitating Heewoo carefully said to him.
“Um, Heichi-ssi…”
“Yes.”
“Would you like to come in and have a glass of water…? And if you want, I’ll, I’ll hold your hand too.”
Formally inviting someone into his home was something he had never done once in his life. That’s because the semi-basement room Heewoo lived in was too small and shabby to invite anyone. Moreover, until just a few years ago, his paternal grandmother would collect cardboard and pile it up inside the house, so there was often an unbearable stench.
“It’s very c-cold and cramped, but if you don’t mind…”
“I don’t mind.”
At the answer that flowed out in an instant, Heewoo nodded as if he had expected as much. Somehow, it seemed like Heichi wouldn’t refuse.
Creak.
When he opened the rusty gate, a multi-family house built with two floors appeared. One owner’s residence on the second floor, one monthly rental house with two rooms on the first floor, and one semi-basement room where Heewoo lived—these were all the households living in this house.
Instead of going toward the bright stairs with flower pots, Heewoo headed down the dark path under the stairs. Passing two storage rooms under the stairs and going deep inside along the wall, an old door appeared. That was Heewoo’s home.
When he opened the door with his key, an unpleasant creaking noise sounded. Embarrassed by the key that didn’t turn well because of the cold, Heewoo hurriedly opened the door and went inside. Heewoo, bringing a guest into his home for the first time, began moving busily from then on.
“Wait here for a moment. I’ll, I’ll turn on the boiler for you.”
Heewoo, who had turned on the light by pressing the old switch, hurriedly put on his shoes and went back to the boiler room. Normally he would have been pathetically stingy about saving on gas bills and just turned on the electric blanket, but today was different. Heewoo, who touched the boiler that hadn’t been turned on enough for dust to accumulate, confirmed that fortunately it was working well and returned to the room.
Not stopping at the boiler, Heewoo even turned on the single-person electric blanket and spread out the familiar floral cotton quilt to guide Heichi over there. The blanket had a musty smell, but fortunately Heichi didn’t seem to mind.
“The house is, it’s very cold… Since I turned on the boiler, it’ll warm up soon.”
Since it was a boiler that was hardly ever turned on even when Grandmother was alive, honestly Heewoo doubted whether the room would really get warm. Still, that was the best Heewoo could do for the guest who had visited his home.
Heewoo opened the refrigerator, poured the cold barley tea into a dented kettle, then turned the lever on the gas stove right in front of the entrance. But when the gas stove only made clicking sounds without lighting well, Heewoo blew a puff of breath toward the gas stove’s ignition hole. Only then did it light up with a whoosh.
“Ah! Do you drink barley tea?”
Heewoo, who had been barely heating the barley tea, only then recalled that he hadn’t even asked the guest what he wanted to drink. Of course, there was nothing to drink besides barley tea anyway. The bottled water that ordinary households have was too expensive for Heewoo to buy, so he bought barley tea and boiled it thoroughly just as Grandmother used to do when she was alive.
“Yes. I do. But…”
“Yes. Yes?”
“Before that, this first.”
Suddenly Heichi stood up from his seat. Then he strode, strode toward Heewoo and abruptly extended his hand to clasp it. The hand that had been exposed to cold air all day was completely enveloped by a large, warm hand.
Only then did Heewoo realize that he had been cold. It was natural, since the boiler hadn’t been running long enough for warmth to circulate yet. Every time he breathed with a “haah,” white breath kept bursting from his mouth.
So when Heewoo was naturally enveloped by a hand that was not just warm but hot, he unconsciously thought to himself that he felt like he could live. But Heichi spoke first.
“…I finally feel like I can live.”
Heewoo didn’t really know what it felt like for a Guide to hold an Esper’s hand, but hearing his expression “I finally feel like I can live,” he thought it might be similar to sharing warm heat when it’s cold.
“Um, this takes some time to boil… It’s c-cold, shall we go to the electric blanket?”
“Yes.”
The two men returned to the electric blanket without letting go of their clasped hands. Finally taking off his shoes, Heewoo discovered a hole in his sock and awkwardly curled his foot inward. Embarrassed, Heewoo hurriedly reached for the remote control and said.
“I have to watch the news…”
As he turned on the television, the public broadcast news naturally flowed from the TV that had no reason to change channels. Coincidentally, it was news related to Espers.
—Today, through the US government, the Espers announced a new official position. According to the Esper side, Guides are divided from Grade 1 to Grade 9 according to their standards…
—The Esper side made it clear that they are prioritizing the search for Guides of Grade 5 and above. Additionally, it was reported that if a Guide meeting these conditions reports directly, a corresponding reward will be paid. Meanwhile, the amount of the reward…
“Re-reward?”
Heewoo, who had been listening to the news, unconsciously bounced his bottom. It was not only about Guides of Grade 5 and above, which he could be considered related to, but also the ‘reward’ that caught his attention enough to perk up his ears. But Heichi, who had been listening to the news beside him, suddenly spoke.
“This has nothing to do with Heewoo-ssi.”
“Wh-what? Why… why not?”
Heichi gestured with his chin toward the continuing news. Then the anchor’s stiff voice was heard in succession.
—This reward applies only to Guides who have not yet formed a pair with an Esper, and they explained that Guides who have formed an official relationship with an Esper are excluded from this reward.
As soon as he heard that, Heewoo flinched as if struck by lightning and asked back.
“I-I don’t have a pair though…?”
“Why don’t you have a pair?”
“Then who is my pair…?”
Heewoo asked with an innocent face that really didn’t know. Heichi, who slowly closed and opened his eyes, said.
“Here.”
“What?”
“It’s me.”
“Why would Heichi-ssi be my pair…?”
He said he would hold his hand, but didn’t say he would do something like being his pair. Thinking up to there, Heewoo tried to stealthily pull his hand away. Then Heichi firmly pressed down on that hand and muttered in a voice that sounded somewhat grinding.
“Didn’t you say you liked me?”
—
[Comment Thread 1]
What? Grade 5 and above Guides??????
tlqkf (Seriously) Guides have grades too?
First time hearing this? No but more than that, there are so few Guides around that I wonder if they even exist, what’s with Grade 5;
‣Likes(12)│Comments(5)
Anon1: Are you a Guide?
Anon2: ㄹㅇ (For real) they’re getting picky; At first they were happy to death with just any Guide, now they’re dividing by grade;
⤷Anon4: ㄴㄴ (No no) Lower-grade Espers and below still just like any Guide, it’s a problem starting from high-grade ones
Anon3: I can meet the minimum college entrance exam requirement of Grade 5 though..
Anon5: Do Guides even exist tq (really) there’s not a single one around me
—
[Comment Thread 2]
The reward amount is insane ㅁㅊ (crazy)
What????? 100 million??? Did I hear wrong????
And from what I’m hearing now, they’re also giving out special material ores that only come from their planet?????? Strictly speaking, isn’t this just like their planet’s specialty gemstone? Am I misunderstanding?
‣Likes(26)│Comments(6)
Anon1: Yo, that’s even in dollars;
Anon2: The special material ore, there are already rumors among rich Americans that they’re secretly collecting it. They say if we give just a fingernail’s worth of that ore to Korea’s scientific community, Korean science would advance 100 times more than now
⤷Anon4: ㄷㄷ (Wow wow) Then if you sell that, the reward isn’t just 100 million?
Anon3: ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ (LOL) There really are ㅂㅅ (idiots) falling for this. They’re making a fuss saying they’ll give it because Grade 5 and above Guides are that rare. Meaning they won’t have to give it ㅇㅇ (yeah yeah)
Anon5: For now, there are no Grade 5 and above (what they call Brown Dwarf) Guides discovered on Earth so far.
Anon6: Wow then if you’re a Grade 5 or above Guide, it’s ㄹㅇ (literally) the same as winning the lottery
—
[Comment Thread 3]
I’m a Guide and this is info I heard from an Esper I got close to recently.
Grade 5 and above Guides, meaning Brown Dwarf Guides, can be considered almost non-existent.
No, up to Red (Grade 4), if you’re lucky, about three or four pop up in each country.
But from above that (from Yellow, Grade 3 onwards), there’s barely one per planet
As a concrete example, among the Guides currently existing on their planet Epsilon, there are less than 100 Yellow and above.
Because of that, the highest-grade Espers are in complete chaos. Because supply can’t keep up with demand..
I heard their Captain also stays shut in for that reason. Because he can’t find his Guide.
‣Likes(45)│Comments(10)
Anon1: ㅋㅋㅅㅂ (LOL fuck) An expert has arrived
Anon2: No but then how do the highest-grade Espers receive guiding??? They say you die if you can’t receive guiding
⤷Anon(OP): From what I heard, until they find a Guide, they refrain from using their abilities as much as possible. If that still doesn’t work, they go out begging for guiding.. What I mean by begging for guiding here = receiving guiding from another Esper’s Guide. By the way, most Espers are obsessive so that’s hard too
Anon3: ㅁㅊ (Crazy) So there’s a good reason they throw 100 million dollars every time they find a Grade 5 or above Guide
Anon4: But the Guide color? How does that order work? Someone who knows please explain
⤷Anon6: ㅈㄴㄱㄷ (Fucking for real) Brown<Red<Yellow<White<Black / The closer to Black, the higher the Guide.
⤷Anon7: ㅈㄴㄱㄷ2 (Fucking for real 2) I heard from Yellow onwards they’re really precious, but does a Black Guide even exist?
Anon5: So the Captain does exist ㄷㄷㄷ (Wow wow wow) Then what is that person who appears at official events?
⤷Anon8: Vice Captain. Name is AJ.
Anon9: If you’re at the Captain level, you’d be a super-super-super-top-grade Esper, can he even find a Guide…? How many stars are there in the universe;
