The stronger energy was, naturally, Guiding. An energy that stabilized the mind and body of all ability users at the scene spread out.
Because Onyul was shocked by Gu Baekyoung’s condition, the Guiding that would normally have been directed only at a specific target escaped his control and flowed out in all directions.
It was a common mistake that rookie Guides made.
“……!”
The other ability users were once again shocked by that perfect energy that healed regardless of compatibility.
“Are you insane? This is way better than last time?”
Cha Hyeran, whose mouth was foul, didn’t hide her surprise. The other Alpha Team members had the same reaction.
“I know, right. It feels really good…… Team Leader, can you feel it too?”
“Yeah. It feels like being with a paired Guide.”
That made it even more nonsensical.
‘This is Guiding?’
A confused light passed through Na Geonwoo’s eyes beneath his glasses.
Whatever had happened, the energy had become much more solid and stronger than before.
Had there ever been a Guide who could heal all nearby Espers with mere radiation Guiding rather than physical contact?
Na Geonwoo clicked his tongue at the energy that caressed everyone while even ignoring compatibility.
Without a doubt, this was the first time something like this had happened since he’d become an Esper…….
‘No, wait. There was Onyul.’
If it was someone who healed everyone without discrimination, there was Kang Onyul.
But Kang Onyul was an Esper. He was a healing-type Esper, so he could heal everyone regardless of compatibility.
The energy flowing from Kang Ian was closer to Guiding.
However, there was also a somewhat heterogeneous energy mixed in to call it just Guiding.
‘What could his identity be? Is he a special S-rank Guide?’
In any case, it was clear that he possessed an ability that all Espers in current South Korea would covet. He could be certain of at least that much.
Unaware that others had fallen into confusion, Onyul focused only on caressing Gu Baekyoung’s hand.
Gu Baekyoung was strangely silent. Unable to tell if it was having any effect on him, Onyul felt like he was going crazy.
The energy was clearly flowing out well, so why on earth.
The moment he was about to call Gu Baekyoung’s name again, he finally made a sound.
“Honey…….”
“Hey, are you okay? Say something.”
“Home…… I want to go home.”
“Okay. Can you stand up?”
“Yeah.”
Gu Baekyoung, who answered immediately, raised his body. Even as he did so, he swayed several times, so Onyul embraced him.
“Hold on tight.”
Gu Baekyoung wrapped his arms around the nestled Onyul’s back and leaped greatly like the previous day.
It was such a fast speed that it was hard to believe he was the same person who had been groaning and unable to even stand up just moments ago.
‘……What?’
Onyul was suspicious for a moment, but hearing Gu Baekyoung’s continued groaning sounds, he withdrew his suspicion.
“Ugh…… I feel like I’ll live now that honey is here…….”
Right, when he’s suffering this much, the guy must be doing his best too.
There’s no way he’d be acting sick to get my attention…….
Onyul gently patted Gu Baekyoung’s back. As if he didn’t need to try that hard.
‘Poor thing…….’
Because his face was buried in Gu Baekyoung’s chest, Onyul couldn’t see his expression.
A deep smile was spreading across his lips.
When Onyul and Gu Baekyoung disappeared, the gentle energy that had enveloped the surroundings vanished.
The Guides who had been attacked by the assailants arrived belatedly and checked on Alpha Team’s condition, but they barely needed Guiding anymore. They were in a perfectly recovered state.
“Does anyone know the identity of that cat helmet?”
Cha Hyeran, whose condition had completely improved, bounced on the spot and tilted her head.
Yoon Jihyuk, who had already figured out the cat helmet’s identity, spoke with puffed-up hair.
“Noona, are you really asking because you don’t know?”
“What? Jihyuk, you know?”
Then she looked at Na Geonwoo, but he too showed no signs of surprise and looked peaceful.
“What?! Even Na Geonwoo knows? Am I really the only one who doesn’t know? Huh?”
“Noona, you’re good at everything, but sometimes you’re so clueless it’s a problem…….”
“Wait, that strange energy and the person Gu Baekyoung has been following well recently is the convenience…….”
“Shh! You can’t say it. The cameras are still rolling, Noona.”
As Yoon Jihyuk said, the situation was still being broadcast live.
However, it was somewhat ironic that the focus of interest was not Alpha Team but ‘the cat helmet who disappeared with Gu Baekyoung once again.’
Cha Hyeran, who hastily closed her lips, widened her eyes like a rabbit. She belatedly realized the cat helmet’s identity.
“Huh? It’s really him? What’s his identity? Is he really a Guide? Na Geonwoo, you know, right?”
Na Geonwoo, who had been silent for a while, heavily opened his lips.
“……I don’t know.”
At first, he’d thought it was Guiding. But the energy he felt today was a bit different.
It felt like Guiding was fundamentally laid down, but above it, a somewhat special energy seemed to be hovering.
An energy whose identity was impossible to pin down.
If he had to say, the man seemed like a hybrid between an Esper and a Guide.
But he’d never heard of such a case. Na Geonwoo concluded that couldn’t be it.
“Even you don’t know? But wait, why is Gu Baekyoung acting like that when he’s not hurt at all?”
Cha Hyeran, still confused, couldn’t contain her frustration and vented.
That’s right, Gu Baekyoung had exited the Gate without overexerting himself much in the Gate on the verge of rampage.
People get fooled once, but not twice.
As soon as they entered the rampaging Gate, Na Geonwoo had said words that could stabilize Gu Baekyoung’s mind and body.
<Baekyoung, don’t get excited. If you run wild, you might cause trouble for the manager too. Handle it calmly and let’s get out.>
Even without any particular explanation, Gu Baekyoung understood those words properly. Without getting excited, he followed Na Geonwoo’s instructions to the letter.
Thanks to that, Na Geonwoo had been able to safely subdue the Gate with his sorcerer ability and exit.
“Huh? Na Geonwoo, answer me. Why?”
Na Geonwoo gave the answer to Cha Hyeran, who was as clueless as ever.
“Hyeran, you’ve never dated, have you?”
“Fuck! Why are you suddenly attacking me?”
“He’s acting to look pitiful.”
“What does dating have to do with looking pitiful?”
“……Haah.”
Na Geonwoo, who let out a deep sigh, shook his head. It seemed like much more explanation would be needed to make Cha Hyeran understand.
“I’ll explain when we get back to the Management Bureau.”
“What the hell is it!”
“The important thing is that we need to keep the helmet’s identity a secret for Baekyoung’s sake.”
Na Geonwoo grabbed Cha Hyeran’s shoulder as if demanding an answer.
“Team Leader, I have at least that much sense, you know?”
Yeah, yeah, thank goodness for that, really.
Na Geonwoo boarded the Alpha Team’s exclusive vehicle before Park Hanil, who was staring at him persistently, could approach.
Park Hanil stood frozen in place without stopping Alpha Team from leaving the scene.
***
“I’m too late, aren’t I?”
Onyul, who opened the convenience store door and entered, exhaled with a “phew.” He felt strangely drained of energy.
‘Well, I suppose that’s understandable.’
He’d been carried by Gu Baekyoung to his house, confirmed that Gu Baekyoung had fallen asleep, and then returned to the convenience store.
Whether it was because of his energy or he was truly exhausted, Gu Baekyoung fell into a deep sleep as soon as he was laid down. Fortunately, Gu Baekyoung’s face looked peaceful as he slept with an angelic expression.
Onyul quietly left the house without waking him.
Today felt particularly long.
“Manager…… I almost filed a missing person report.”
Ji Sanghyeon, who was holding the barcode scanner all too naturally, looked at Onyul with concern.
Onyul blurted out the excuse he’d hastily thought up on his way to the convenience store.
“Ah…… Something suddenly came up at my family home, so I had to resolve it urgently and couldn’t even contact you. Anyway, I’m sorry. I’ll calculate the substitute pay at double the hourly wage.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Ji Sanghyeon waved his hand in the air as if he didn’t need the money.
“Instead, let’s put me down for a favor.”
Not taking money?
It was a somewhat unsettling transaction. Onyul looked at Ji Sanghyeon suspiciously.
“Don’t worry. I won’t ask for anything difficult.”
“……Do I have the right to refuse?”
“Of course. You can decide after hearing it.”
Well, if he’s saying that much. Onyul nodded.
“Never mind that, look at this. Something big happened while you were gone, Manager.”
Ji Sanghyeon tapped the phone he was holding.
Obviously, he was talking about what had just happened being reported. About the rampaging Gate, Alpha Team, and the cat helmet who had once again stabilized Gu Baekyoung.
Onyul didn’t even look at it and fell into thought. They say if a tail is too long it gets caught, so he was worried about how long this double life could be maintained safely.
Especially, Park Hanil’s sticky gaze that he’d seen at the scene bothered him.
‘That was a look that said he’d find out my identity no matter what.’
The Park Hanil that Onyul knew was a somewhat cunning type who clearly calculated gains and losses. Should he say he doesn’t miss out on things that would benefit him?
A suspicious man who not only Guided Gu Baekyoung, who was suffering from a lack of Guiding because he couldn’t find a compatible Guide, in one go, but also demonstrated high-quality radiation Guiding.
He was exactly the talent that Park Hanil, the Guide Center Director, would want.
Just as he thought that far, a voice he didn’t particularly want to hear rang out.
[“……I’m not ignoring the cat helmet’s contribution, but no matter how much he’s Esper Gu Baekyoung’s lover, the fact that he’s an unregistered Guide remains unchanged.”]
Park Hanil was openly interviewing with reporters standing by. He subtly revealed his hostility toward the cat helmet.
[“According to Guide law, Guides whose Guide abilities have manifested but haven’t registered with the Center are classified as criminals. It’s the same even if they helped Alpha Team. We can’t make exceptions.”]
Park Hanil had a quite serious face as he talked about criminals.
What exactly was he trying to say by acting like that…… A strange sense of resistance climbed up his spine.
[“I’m informing Esper Gu Baekyoung and the unregistered Guide. I’ll give you one week. If you voluntarily visit the Center and undergo a Guide examination, we’ll acknowledge your hard work and treat you well. However…….”]
Onyul gulped down dry saliva.
[“If you refuse, we will issue a wanted notice for the cat helmet.”]
Crazy! Has he lost his mind? Issuing a wanted notice for a civilian?
Onyul, who heard Park Hanil’s words to the end, jumped.
