“Let’s see, this should be pretty much everything I need to pack…”
Yeoul stretched his arms out wide and yawned. Thanks to the Director’s instruction to rest for the day and prepare to move into the quarters, he had returned home after a long time, taken a short nap, and diligently packed his things.
Even though he only put in daily necessities and clothes, two large suitcases were full. I’ll just pack up to here, and I can buy what’s missing separately or come back to get it when I have time.
“Yeoul, come eat. Auntie’s here too.”
“Huh? Auntie! You’re off work?”
At his mother’s voice calling him from beyond the door, Yeoul happily opened the door. Hyeseong’s mother, who looked like she had just gotten off work, smiled brightly at Yeoul and waved her hand.
“Our Second Lieutenant Kim. How is it, is military life manageable?”
“Yes, yes, of course. I’m totally military material, you know?”
“Oh, how cute. That little chick is protecting the country.”
“Right? When I look at him after seeing our reliable Hyeseong, why does he look so much like a baby?”
Listening to the mothers’ conversation as they giggled continuously, Yeoul furrowed his eyebrows. Then the two laughed even louder, saying look at him frowning.
Hyeseong hyung is a soldier and I’m a soldier too, so I don’t know why one is reliable and the other is a chick or a baby. And to a full-grown adult at that…
“By the way, where’s Hyeseong? Did he go on deployment?”
“Ah… I’ll call him.”
Yeoul took out his phone and made a call. If he were inside a gate, there would be no signal at all, but seeing the ringing tone flow out, it seemed he wasn’t inside a gate.
It would be nice if we could have dinner together… As he gripped the phone with an anxious heart, he suddenly heard the sound of the door lock opening. The three people’s heads turned toward the entrance like meerkats.
“Oh my, Hyeseong! Welcome.”
“Kang Hyeseong, our son. It’s been a while?”
“I’m back.”
Kang Hyeseong took off his shoes and bowed his head lightly. Yeoul couldn’t hide his joy and rushed over to check on his condition first.
“Hyung! Welcome back. How’s your condition, are you okay? You’re not hurt anywhere?”
“Mm, yeah. Hyung is fine.”
Is there anywhere scratched, did he get hurt or bleed, and most importantly, did he use too much of his ability? As he scanned from head to toe with eagle eyes, Kang Hyeseong’s hand landed on top of his head. Then he stroked his fluffy hair like petting a puppy.
“How are your wave levels? Should I get the measuring device right now?”
“It’s okay. You can do it later when we go to the Security Bureau. Thanks for worrying, baby.”
When he asked with a worried face, a kind answer came back. He was anxious to check the wave condition even for a moment, but fortunately, from the outside, it didn’t seem to be in such a bad state, so he was relieved.
Then first I’ll feed him, and as hyung said, we’ll go to the quarters and measure the waves… Yeoul, who had been thinking up to there, noticed something strange and turned around.
“…Mom, Auntie. Why, why are you looking at us like that…?”
His mother and auntie were looking this way with very… very burdensome eyes. I don’t know why they’re looking at me with that pleased expression like they’d make at a kindergarten talent show…
“No, it’s just that our Yeoul has really… become Hyeseong’s guide.”
“Yeoul, seeing you take care of Hyeseong puts my mind at ease.”
“No, I’m just…”
Why is it suddenly so hot? Yeoul hurriedly ran into his room to hide his flushed face. The voice calling from beyond the door saying “Yeoul, you need to eat” still had laughter in it.
“What are you so embarrassed about?”
Soon the door opened again, and Kang Hyeseong strode inside. He glanced at the firmly packed suitcases and asked.
“You already packed everything? You should have rested a bit during the day. You could’ve packed with me.”
“I did it quickly.”
“It must have been burdensome when the Director suddenly said that.”
“No, it’s fine. I was going to live in the quarters anyway, and it’s even better if I do it with hyung.”
At Yeoul’s tone, trying to pretend to be calm as if it was nothing, he smiled gently and stroked his head. Actually, inside I’m this nervous.
When it comes to guiding efficiency alone, living together with Kang Hyeseong was the best choice. But from the perspective of someone who’s been watching him for a long time, it was a bit different. It was very, very nice and exciting, but it was also that much more nerve-wracking and tense.
But from his perspective, living together with the kid next door he’s seen his whole life probably isn’t a big deal. He might even find it more comfortable than other housemates. Because we know each other’s little preferences and lifestyle habits as much as the long years we’ve known each other.
“What about your stuff, hyung? Should I come help you pack?”
“No. Mine’s mostly at the Security Bureau.”
He added that he had been living with just basic necessities and clothes in the room attached to the office where they had rested together yesterday, but now that he would be living with you, they got separate quarters.
“Then, should we eat quickly and go to the Security Bureau? Even if we organize our things tomorrow, it’s the first day, so I think it’d be better to go early and rest.”
“Yeah. Sounds good.”
Yeoul came out of the room shoulder to shoulder with Hyeseong. They went to the kitchen and diligently brought out food, then sat around the dining table and ate with their mothers. The mothers kept bringing out delicious food, saying they were sad they wouldn’t be able to see their sons for a while.
***
“Woooow…”
Yeoul, who had entered after pressing the number key, couldn’t help but let out an exclamation with a dazed face.
Am I… dreaming?
Yeoul looked around with a stunned expression, stuck right behind Hyeseong’s back as he strode in with suitcases in both hands.
At first, when they said official quarters, I imagined an ordinary old-fashioned apartment. Since two people would be living there, still, two rooms with a narrow living room and one bathroom.
But thinking about it, with Kang Hyeseong’s reputation and rank, it didn’t seem like they’d give such ordinary quarters. Then would they give a larger square footage? Or newly built quarters…? I was too naively innocent to have only thought up to there.
The place he was shown as where they would be living from now on was an annex building located deep inside the Security Bureau. As soon as he entered the building entrance, he could tell right away without any special explanation. That it was quarters mainly used by high-ranking officials.
They received the key from the caretaker and came up to the very top floor. Inside the quarters, which he was told had been completely cleaned today during the day on the Director’s orders and had basic furniture and appliances moved in… in a word, it was like a penthouse from a drama.
“Hyung, it’s… quarters, right? Why, why is it so big…?”
Yeoul urgently grabbed Kang Hyeseong’s shoulder as he entered without much surprise and whispered. Kang Hyeseong laughed quietly.
“Why are you whispering like someone’s listening?”
“No, the house is so nice…”
“I guess the Director wanted to do this.”
Ah… Yeoul could only nod with a blank face. Well, considering what Kang Hyeseong has contributed to the country from age fourteen until now… if I were the Director, I’d want to do at least this much too.
Originally, more furniture and appliances were supposed to come in, but Hyeseong’s side refused that. Saying he detested anything luxurious since it would be covered by taxes anyway.
Looking around while listening to his explanation, despite the spacious area, only the minimum furniture and appliances were packed in tightly. Because of that, it gave off a somewhat empty feeling.
Yeah, this is so Kang Hyeseong… To put it nicely, it was by-the-book; to put it badly, it was a space that clearly showed a slightly old-fashioned aspect. And Yeoul liked that Hyeseong was his superior and partner.
“You’re tired, Yeoul. Go in and wash up with warm water.”
“To organize? We should do it together.”
“No, hyung will go in soon too. You go first.”
With him even guiding that he should use the bathroom over there, Yeoul was pushed into the bathroom as if being shoved. Inside, new toothbrushes, soap, and shower supplies were all well-stocked.
‘A new start… I need to work hard here too.’
Yeoul, who had become drowsy under the hot water, had such thoughts as if dreaming. Since awakening as a guide, it feels like unbelievable things happen every day.
That I would be judged as an A-rank guide, become a pair with Kang Hyeseong, and on top of that, even live together… Would I from a few months ago have dared to imagine it?
After finishing his shower and putting on comfortable clothes, he came outside to see Kang Hyeseong who looked like he had just washed up. They stood shoulder to shoulder and applied lotion they brought from home to their faces. His heart beat pleasantly at the dollhouse-like act.
“I’ll dry your hair, so sit down.”
“Mm.”
Kang Hyeseong dried his hair with practiced skill. Warm air crumbled softly over his hair. Sleep poured out naturally, but Yeoul put strength in his eyes and endured. I need to take my daily medicine… and I need to measure Kang Hyeseong’s wave levels too.
As soon as the hair dryer that had been operating noisily stopped after drying both their hair, Yeoul took out the wave measuring device from his bag. He slapped the patch on the back of Hyeseong’s neck and pressed the power button.
“…We got it down to 60%, but it’s back up to 65%.”
Yeoul spoke in a serious tone and furrowed his brow. He removed the patch and took out guiding gloves and put them on firmly. Yeoul, who had finished all preparations, clenched his fist. With eyes full of motivation shining.
“Still, we should do some guiding, right? Hyung. It’s our first night.”
