No unauthorized entry.
The testing room where countless matching tests were conducted had strictly controlled access. It was a natural measure, given the primal and embarrassing things that took place there.
― Hnngh, I can’t take any more… Ah, hic…….
“The matching rate is rising, so please continue to maintain it.”
― You heard them? Just hang in there a little longer, okay?
― Esper-nim, wait a moment… Augh!
The esper, accustomed to matching tests, instantly skipped several stages and easily got his hands on the rookie guide who was in the middle of their first guiding. Despite the staff being quite used to such situations, they somehow looked uncomfortable. Eventually, the employee who had turned off the microphone looked back at their superior with visible concern.
“Shouldn’t we stop this?”
“Can’t you see the esper’s lost it? You wanna stop him yourself?”
“No, but still, the guide is a rookie.”
“The guide said okay. They knew it was during a test and still went that wild, so unless it’s the Center Director, no one can stop this.”
It was a situation where an esper had gotten carried away after meeting a guide who was a perfect match.
― Hnngh. Esper-nim, please, slowly…….
― Spread wider. You can still take more, right?
It was common during matching tests, and just from the guide’s reaction, it wasn’t forced. Everyone became serious because the esper undergoing the matching test was Ryu Jaegeon.
Ryu Jaegeon was an A-rank esper who stubbornly insisted on only Han Seoha, a mere C-rank guide. Despite not being able to become a pair due to the rank difference and having to remain as partners instead, he was famously known as a romanticist who meticulously kept only his guide by his side.
― J-just a little… slower. Augh!
― See? You’re taking it so well.
The moment that very Ryu Jaegeon started a matching test with a rookie A-rank guide, he completely changed. They’d seen plenty of espers who gently coaxed fleeing guides while thoroughly devouring them to the end, but no one had imagined that that Ryu Jaegeon would act like this.
Even if the compatibility was good, you could tell just from the wave readings displayed on the monitor that it wasn’t enough to make him lose his reason.
“Ugh, as expected, there’s not a single esper you can trust.”
“It’s impressive he lasted this long with C-rank guiding. This is just the natural order of things.”
“But isn’t this too cruel to his partner, Guide Han Seoha?”
“Cruel, my ass. He’s C-rank but enjoyed the benefits an A-rank esper provides for a whole year. That’s enough.”
Unlike usual, the staff wore troubled expressions as they glanced at the two entangled together naked. Guilt and faint betrayal flickered in their gazes, which were normally businesslike.
Splash.
All eyes turned toward the sound from the entrance that should have been firmly locked. There stood the C-rank guide who had just been mentioned, Han Seoha, frozen in place after dropping the coffee he had prepared for them.
During the brief silence, Ryu Jaegeon and the rookie guide’s moans spread out nakedly. When Han Seoha’s gaze turned toward the observation room’s glass wall, only then did the team leader block it with his body and shout.
“Why is Guide Han Seoha here… What were you guys doing, not stopping the guide!”
“Oh my, Guide-nim. You know you’re supposed to wait outside during matching tests, don’t you?”
“Could you please wait outside for now?”
“Um, I need to wait for Jaegeon…….”
“Guide Han Seoha, please return to your quarters and wait. We’ll contact you.”
Han Seoha, who had been driven out under the guise of a gentle request, stood frozen in front of the quickly closed door. The corridor was crowded with espers waiting for their next matching and passing employees, yet it was quiet as a lie. Everyone who had seen the lewd sounds heard through the briefly opened door and the deathly pale guide guessed what was happening inside. The worst thing a partner guide would never want to experience had occurred.
Han Seoha, who had been frozen like a statue, began to silently shed tears. No one dared to speak up to the guide who was crying his heart out as if his tear ducts had broken.
Unable to watch the delicate guide who had been utterly devastated, a security team esper cautiously approached. Han Seoha lifted his head with a bright smile toward the familiar esper uniform that had approached him.
“Jaegeon-ah, I just heard something scary…….”
The smile that had bloomed like a flower gradually faded as he lifted his head to confirm the esper’s face, then soon crumbled completely.
“Guide-nim, are you alright?”
Though there was no way he could be alright, this was the best the security team esper, who had no way with words, could manage. Even in his confused state, the gentle Han Seoha, who recognized the consideration meant for him, showed a faint smile on his crumbling face.
“Ah, yes. I’ll be… alright.”
“I’ll escort you to the lounge.”
“No. Jaegeon will look for me.”
Even while trembling, Han Seoha’s voice carried strength—it was the voice of someone desperately trying to pull himself together.
“He always did. Because my rank is low, I had to take tests with higher-ranked guides every time, but each time Jaegeon came back… Will he come… back?”
The voice of Han Seoha, who had finally spoken, faded. The esper couldn’t bring himself to give an honest answer to the trailing words that even the speaker himself couldn’t be certain of.
The matching test department was a place where all kinds of emotions poured out, enough to have the security team stationed there. Jealousy, anger, betrayal. Before all sorts of negative emotions, the security team espers maintained their composure without wavering. Despite being a security team esper who didn’t show emotions that much, pity showed at the sight of the delicate guide who only revealed longing even while shedding tears.
“Guide-nim.”
“I’m fine. It’s the espers who have it hard. They always risk their lives entering gates and suffer from insufficient guiding. This is a better opportunity.”
While there were quite a few guides who thought things like ‘espers are useless without guides since they’ll eventually go berserk anyway,’ Han Seoha was someone who understood and supported the espers’ hard work.
“Today’s matching test partner, the rookie guide-nim, is A-rank, so Jaegeon will be safer. Right?”
“……That’s right.”
“Then I’m really okay. If that’s the case… I’m completely fine.”
The relief on his gentle face was too clear to be a lie. For someone who had already prepared to be abandoned, all that remained was purely affection toward the esper he had lived with like a lover.
If it were a guide like this, you’d want to keep them by your side even if their guiding was a bit insufficient. The security team esper held out the handkerchief that sat decoratively on his uniform.
“Guide-nim, would you like to come with me…….”
― Today’s matching examination has concluded. Those waiting should revisit according to future instructions.
At the emotionless instruction that flowed through the speaker, the espers stood up without much reaction. Everyone knew it meant that the guide being tested for guiding today had found a pair.
“Ah…….”
“Guide-nim!”
The security team esper caught Han Seoha as he staggered before him. He had witnessed guides collapse at this spot several times. Those who lost their partners typically caused a commotion with screams and despair, curses and anger.
Han Seoha simply crumbled. The security team esper had never seen anyone fall apart so quietly and beautifully. He even envied Ryu Jaegeon, who had taken both this guide’s joy and pain.
The espers who had naturally been watching while waiting their turn felt similar emotions.
“That guide is free now, right?”
“……Even C-rank might be good.”
Most of the espers who had been about to leave watched Han Seoha intently. They didn’t even think to hide their eyes filled with greed toward the C-rank guide who would soon be abandoned.
***
Association cafeteria.
As a common space for espers, guides, and each center, many people came and went today as well, and news from both sides spread quickly.
Among them, the topic that became the talk of the town was undoubtedly the news of Ryu Jaegeon and Han Seoha’s breakup. To be precise, it was Ryu Jaegeon’s declaration of partner termination.
“Wow, how could Ryu Jaegeon do that? He kept Seoha by his side to a sickening degree.”
“Exactly. They weren’t even a pair but partners, so originally he should have guided other espers too, but Ryu Jaegeon insisted so stubbornly that he kept him sitting in his quarters.”
“He didn’t even let him meet other espers. But he himself switches right away as soon as he meets an A-rank guide.”
“And they did it right away in the matching room as soon as they met. He has no conscience.”
The whispered sounds from the table where guides had gathered carried straight over to the espers’ side.
A large-built esper who had been shoving heaps of fried rice into his mouth glanced around. As he quietly stood up from his seat, espers at other tables were moving similarly. The gazes of those who knew they were competitors to each other crossed rapidly once more, and realizing most were B-rank, they quickly exited the cafeteria.
The matching department was suffering from an unexpected boom.
“Don’t line up. This isn’t a place to line up.”
“Guide Han Seoha? No, the partnership hasn’t been terminated.”
“Guide Han Seoha’s matching test schedule hasn’t been set.”
“Talking about reservations and shit. If you all don’t want to get blacklisted, get lost!”
The guide center was a place where regular staff or guides could be tough with espers.
“Step back. This is your only warning.”
“Hey, what did we even do.”
After the entire security team rushed in, all the espers who had filled the corridor to the brim were cleared out. The matching department team leader who had watched that spectacle was so dumbfounded that he looked over Han Seoha’s information again.
“Guide Han Seoha is C-rank, so why are even B-rank espers making a fuss?”
“Well, he guided an A-rank esper for a whole year. Whatever they did all night, a C-rank stabilized and maintained an A-rank, so it’s worth coveting.”
“Just for that? There are B-rank guides too, you know?”
“Well, Guide Han Seoha is famous.”
Just yesterday in this very place, Han Seoha had been abandoned.
The image of Han Seoha dripping with tears yet only caring for Ryu Jaegeon shook not only the espers but even the guides and staff who had secretly envied him. Han Seoha’s sorrowful crying, not revealing even a shred of resentment toward the esper who abandoned him, changed everyone’s attitude.
“He didn’t even cling on and signed all the partner termination papers before collapsing… it was really pitiful to watch.”
“Honestly, all guides are pretty shameless.”
“Shh. Watch your mouth. We in the matching department always have to be fair.”
Even while saying this, the team leader also felt sorry for Han Seoha. That’s why he deliberately didn’t bring out the partner termination papers with Han Seoha that Ryu Jaegeon hadn’t signed yet because he was too busy looking after the rookie guide.
The moment this single piece of paper was officially registered, Han Seoha would be immediately evicted from Ryu Jaegeon’s quarters. It was to give the guide even one more day to pull himself together.
***
“What the hell, why aren’t they here yet.”
This was Han Seoha’s grumbling as he waited for the eviction team, ready to pretend to be out of it and cry at any moment.
