From early Sunday morning, Lee Heewoo’s white cheeks, having come out of the jjimjilbang, were exceptionally rosy. Traces of wetness remained in Heichi’s hair as he followed behind, and between the two of them, an awkward energy as cold as the chilly wind swept past.
Heewoo once again recalled that water bottle he’d witnessed with his own two eyes in the bathhouse just moments ago. Certainly when going in, since they were both men, he hadn’t looked closely so he didn’t know, but when coming out, his gaze inevitably went there. And only after facing that size could he understand why he’d mistaken it for a water bottle.
Of course, Heewoo fully understood the reason why his reproductive organ… no, his dick had been stiffly erect from morning. Heewoo was also a man, and the situation adult males essentially experienced every morning was no different for Heewoo. Of course, being sexually plain, even that would die on its own within a few minutes in Heewoo’s daily life.
“H-Heichi-ssi, shall we go eat breakfast…?”
Heewoo suggested to escape the awkward atmosphere. Heichi, who never refused any of Heewoo’s suggestions, naturally nodded, and soon the place they arrived at was an old soup restaurant.
Unlike ‘Today’s Soup’ which was newly built with neat and clean interior, the place Heewoo brought Heichi to was ‘Wonhee Soup Restaurant’ which had a heavy dusty smell. Deureuruk. When they opened the old iron door and entered, a grandmother whose back was bent almost 90 degrees greeted them.
“Heewoo’s here.”
“Yes, y-yes…”
“Sit over there.”
Jo Wonhee, the owner of Wonhee Soup Restaurant, had an acquaintance relationship with Heewoo’s maternal grandmother too. Though it was a shallow acquaintance, still, when his grandmother was alive they’d sometimes come to eat soup, so when it came to soup, the place that came to Heewoo’s mind was Wonhee Soup Restaurant.
Since the menu only had pork soup and nothing else, there was no need to order separately. Less than 10 minutes after waiting, the grandmother came out carrying two black ttukbaegi on a silver tray. The ttukbaegi delivered in front of each of them was sizzling and boiling so much that a few drops of broth were splattering out to the side.
“Thank you, Grandmother…”
“Yeah. Put money in the money box before you go.”
With those final words, the grandmother turned her back away from Heewoo and Heichi. Knowing that his maternal grandmother had run away a few times without putting money in the money box before, Heewoo replied with a sorry face that he understood in a small voice.
“It’s hot so m-make sure to cool it down before eating.”
Heewoo, who had placed an old spoon in Heichi’s hand, demonstratively blew on his own soup to show him. Nevertheless, when he put the spoonful in his mouth, he slightly burned his tongue, but when the hot and delicious broth hit his stomach, that didn’t matter anymore. The two continued their meal in silence for a while after that.
Even while eating frantically, Heichi would fill Heewoo’s water glass whenever it emptied. Thanks to that, he was able to safely cool his tongue burned by the hot soup.
After finishing the meal, Heewoo glanced at the grandmother focused on the television and headed to the counter money box. Heewoo, who sneakily looked around, pulled out a crumpled white envelope from his crossbody bag and shoved it into the money box. Then he led Heichi and went outside as if escaping.
“Why did you put in more money?”
Deureuruk, tak.
As soon as the sliding iron door closed, Heichi threw out a question. At that question, Heewoo hesitated then spoke while scratching the back of his head with an embarrassed face.
“Because I’m grateful…”
There was the memory of his grandmother eating without paying and without permission, but aside from that, there were many things to be grateful to Grandmother Jo Wonhee for. Because when young Heewoo was starving and wandering around the neighborhood entrance, she would call him in a blunt tone and hand him a bowl of rice mixed with meat broth.
Only after leaving his childhood and growing up a bit did Heewoo learn that his grandmother had often eaten without permission at the shop. After that, feeling ashamed and sorry, he didn’t even set foot toward Wonhee Soup Restaurant, but today he was finally able to repay that kindness.
“I… want to definitely repay those who were good to me.”
Adding that, Heewoo hung an awkward smile as if embarrassed. It wasn’t a lie that he wanted to repay people who’d been good to him. And naturally, Heichi was the very first among them.
Too embarrassed to say it directly, but inwardly thinking he would definitely repay this kindness to Heichi too, Heewoo gripped the strap of his crossbody bag.
Having finished breakfast, the two decided to part ways around here. Of course, it was because Heewoo had first brought up that he should head home now, but fortunately Heichi didn’t hold onto him further either. He too seemed to have something to do today.
“Then… take care.”
“Heewoo-ssi.”
“Yes?”
“You must be careful with contact. Don’t forget.”
Heichi, who didn’t forget his reminder until the last moment, turned around after those words. Left alone, Heewoo opened his eyes wide and stuttered over Heichi’s words.
Heewoo, who had been about to open the gate and enter his home, stopped firmly in place. Be careful with contact. Even he himself should be careful not just of bare skin touching but also touching over clothes…
After being lost in thought for a moment, Heewoo soon turned his body instead of heading to his semi-basement room. His steps walking as if his destination was firmly decided were somehow urgent. After riding the bus, getting off two stops later, then walking about 500 meters again, in front of Heewoo’s eyes was an unfamiliar commercial building.
<Top Specs Equipped: We Are The PC Room>
The PC room he arrived at by taking the elevator had unusually many students, perhaps because it was Sunday afternoon. Though he’d only come as a part-timer until now so visiting as a customer was his first time, Heewoo still purchased time quite familiarly and headed to his seat. Heewoo’s body sank deep into the old leather chair.
Having safely completed login, Heewoo moved the mouse with a trembling face. Fortunately, having experience working part-time at a PC room, handling the computer itself wasn’t awkward. That said, he also didn’t know how to familiarly navigate communities or play games like his peers, so the hand gripping the mouse was somehow awkward.
What Heewoo clicked on first after accessing the internet was the most famous search site. Heewoo, who had been glaring at the keyboard with a tense face, typed simple letters in the search bar.
[Esper]
In an instant, a messy amount of related articles, videos, communities, and SNS that could overwhelm Heewoo popped out. While roughly scanning through them with his eyes, this time Heewoo erased the letters ‘Esper’ in the search bar and wrote something else instead.
[Guide]
Then this time, an even greater amount of information than when searching for Esper flowed out. Gulping down his saliva, Heewoo rolled the mouse wheel and began scanning the information one by one. At first he tried reading mainly articles, but most of them were content he’d heard on the news he watched every night, so they weren’t very helpful. Eventually, the direction Heewoo flowed toward was communities in a slightly more private domain.
The title that first caught his eye was ‘How to Make Money as a Guide,’ but when Heewoo clicked on the post, he scrolled through a post full of all kinds of emoticons only to see it end without substance as ‘That was how to make money as a Guide👽,’ so he closed the post with a hollow feeling.
If only there were Guides around instead of Espers, he could at least ask various curious things… Then one post caught his eye.
Yo Guides gather here
It was a post with views approaching a whopping 100,000. The content was also very interesting.
First I’ll reveal myself. I’m a Guide. Don’t know what grade but doesn’t seem to be Brown or above ㅇㅇ Honestly at first when they said Espers get guided just by holding hands I was like what the fuck are you talking about? But is it just me that the more contact times increase, the more I get a weird feeling? It’s kinda like I’m connecting with them… It’s hard to explain but really literally feels like connecting; is it just me?
Heewoo’s eyes lit up. Feeling a strange welcomeness that it wasn’t that he was strange but other Guides were like this too. Since there were over 500 comments on that post, Heewoo clicked on the comments with an excited heart.
Only members can view comments.
All 500 comments were plastered like that. Heewoo’s heart, which had been excited with anticipation, sank in an instant. Wondering if he could sign up right now, he fidgeted around, but only a notice saying it wasn’t currently the membership registration period was posted. Heewoo’s lips stuck out sullenly.
After that too, he looked at posts here and there, but aside from the post he’d found earlier, he didn’t discover any particularly helpful posts. With a regretful heart, Heewoo read the earlier post one more time then shut down the computer. It was because the time he’d purchased was running out.
When he tidied up his seat and went outside, the sun was already setting. It must be because the sunset time was faster since it was winter. Heewoo fastened the coat he was wearing a bit more tightly and hurried his steps to return home before sunset.
That’s when it happened.
“H-help! Someone please help here!”
At the sudden voice, the heads of all the people around including Heewoo turned toward the direction of the sound. In front of the crosswalk on the street were two men, and one of them had collapsed on the ground. But the appearance of the collapsed man was somehow familiar.
“Good grief, if someone collapsed you should call an ambulance first!”
“This person is an Esper! There’s no point calling an ambulance!”
At some lady’s cry, the standing man suddenly shouted. People who had been trying to somehow help also simultaneously stopped moving abruptly. Not knowing what the story was at all, but the man who preciously embraced that Esper looked around desperately and shouted.
“A Guide, is there a Guide here by any chance? Please help me!”
—
Is it true you need a tour guide interpreter certification to become a Guide??
—
Will you pick my dinner menu? ㅠ
Vegetable gopchang
Gopdoritang
‣Likes(16)│Comments(4)
Anonymous1: I really want to kill you lololololololololololol
Anonymous2: I laughed so I’ll acknowledge it
⤷Anonymous4: lololololol That’s why I’ll let it slide because it’s absurd;
Anonymous3: Vegetable gopchang go
—
Seeing this, Guides must be fucking frustrated too
If it were me I’d be too scared to carelessly hold Espers’ hands and do stuff like that;
And there still doesn’t seem to be any place to get info related to Guides..
Honestly aren’t they too few in number to even communicate?
Excluding the bastards lying, how many real Guides are even here;
‣Likes(8)│Comments(5)
Anonymous1: This is real, I’m a Guide and when I ask the guys here claiming to be Guides through comments, it’s obvious they’re lying ㅇㅇ
Anonymous2: Agreed lol And what, they say becoming a Guide is like winning the lottery but the reality might be different; crudely speaking, what if an Esper kidnaps them to their home planet
⤷Anonymous5: They say Epsilon has so much planetary exchange that stuff like that is all established by law lol
Anonymous3: Fuck I’m a Guide and I’m upvoting, people around me say they’re jealous and shit but I’m fucking frustrated;
⤷Anonymous4: Are you really a Guide? If it’s okay wanna verify each other?
—
Did you guys see Kim Sowoon’s SNS?
I heard like five or six Espers are attached around Kim Sowoon, is this real?
Wow if you’re around Brown level does it become like that?
‣Likes(64)│Comments(8)
Anonymous1: Seeing it, that’s on the low side
Anonymous2: They even say the Espers attached to her are at least mid to high level and above;
⤷Anonymous8: One day mid-to-high level Espers are obsessed with me? This is totally a novel~
Anonymous3: If she’s at this level, I wonder how much the South Sudan one is..
⤷Anonymous4: Rumor has it over ten are attached, and only top levels too lololololol
Anonymous5: I’m jealous, Espers are generally all top-tier in looks
⤷Anonymous6: So what, Kim Sowoon is a guy
⤷Anonymous7: Even if it’s a guy, at that level it’s totally possible
—
Yo Guides gather here
First I’ll reveal myself. I’m a Guide. Don’t know what grade but doesn’t seem to be Brown or above ㅇㅇ Honestly at first when they said Espers get guided just by holding hands I was like what the fuck are you talking about? But is it just me that the more contact times increase, the more I get a weird feeling? It’s kinda like I’m connecting with them… It’s hard to explain but really literally feels like connecting; is it just me?
‣Likes(999+)│Comments(512)
Anonymous1: ㅇ I’m a Guide
⤷Anonymous2: Starting with a lie from the first comment;
⤷Anonymous5: WTF what if it’s not a lie lol
Anonymous3: Yeah I’m a Guide too! But right~~ When I first contacted my Esper I didn’t feel anything special but gradually I felt more like I was connecting! Kind of a feeling like I’m healing them?? too! When I asked my Esper, they said they just liked it so much they couldn’t express it in words..
⤷Anonymous6: This one seems credible
Anonymous4: But do Guides absolutely have to contact to guide?
⤷Anonymous7: ㅇㅇ As far as I know yes
⤷Anonymous9: Efficiency fucking sucks; ah can’t it work like wifi lol
Anonymous8: I’m leaving this here because it’s hotter than other posts, but if another Esper asks to hold hands, is it right to definitely hold it? Or not hold it?
⤷Anonymous10: Are you a Guide?
⤷Anonymous11: WTF ㅇㅇ Guide is correct, can verify if you want
⤷Anonymous12: Verify it lol
⤷Anonymous13: WTF(photo) Done?
⤷Anonymous14: What the fuck is this
⤷Anonymous15: WTF That jumpsuit Espers wear all the time; Don’t know if anyone knows but it’s a landing-only jumpsuit
⤷Anonymous16: Holy fuck wow I saw this on TV
⤷Anonymous17: Holy fuck2 I saw it on SNS too wow;
⤷Anonymous18: But this is Esper proof, isn’t it not Guide verification?
⤷Anonymous20: WTF Since I’m a Guide, photographing in this composition is possible; I took my Esper’s jumpsuit
Anonymous19: Anyway I’m the commenter above, if there are any Guides here besides me please comment
⤷Anonymous21: I’m a Guide too and not holding is right
⤷Anonymous22: WTF oh finally a Guide appears but why???
⤷Anonymous23: I heard that if you accidentally hold hands and the matching rate is high they become fucking obsessed, so even in Epsilon Guides with pairs are extremely careful with contact because if you’re careless an awakened ability battle happens;
⤷Anonymous24: WTF is that real?????? That awakened ability battle is fighting with superpowers right..?
⤷Anonymous25: ㅇㅇㅇ Until someone dies
⤷Anonymous28: Holy fuck fuck the Asura field because of Guides is legendary;
Anonymous26: If what the comment above said is real, it’s legendary..?
⤷Anonymous27: I’m Anonymous21 from above, anyway so Guides don’t just carelessly hold other Espers’ hands~ You could really get fucked like that
⤷Anonymous29: WTF but I’m just asking out of curiosity, why obsess..? If they don’t meet, isn’t it better to just go find another Guide; what’s the reason to fight to the death?
⤷Anonymous32: Sorry I’m Anonymous21 but I was busy eating; anyway to conclude, it’s because of imprinting ㅇㅇ
⤷Anonymous33: Holy fuck imprinting??? What’s imprinting?????
⤷Anonymous34: Holy fuck2 wow this is fucking newly interesting again;
⤷Anonymous35: Holy fuck3 Anonymous21 where’d you go..? After getting me this excited..?
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.
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Anonymous511: Fuck is this the legendary post that Anonymous21 bombed?
⤷Anonymous512: Only bastards who died of curiosity are left in this post…
