# Chapter 52
“You’re not going to refuse to answer my question after interrogating me with questions until just now, are you?”
Suhyun remained silent. There still seemed to be no certainty in his expression. He didn’t completely believe Jiwon’s words.
“…Have I often lied to Esper-nim?”
He was starting to feel a bit wronged by Suhyun’s continued suspicion.
“That’s not the case.”
If Suhyun hadn’t answered immediately, he probably would have let out a few more bitter remarks.
“I clearly said I won’t go. So believe me. What kind of wealth and glory would I gain by telling such a lie? I’m not crazy enough to want to die.”
Though guiding was his excuse, in truth, he no longer had the courage to enter a dungeon with any Esper other than Suhyun.
The reason he had gone in with Suhyun was because he already believed in his mental strength.
Even at the moment of awakening, he had maintained his reason, and even when his wavelength stability dropped to 10, he endured without going berserk.
It was because Suhyun was like this that Jiwon could accompany him. In reality, he felt uneasy about other Espers.
Well, there was no need to go into all that.
“So when are you going to tell me? How did you find out?”
Jiwon asked with a slight smile, trying to create a somewhat comfortable atmosphere.
There were many strange things. How this story had leaked out, who Suhyun had heard it from, and why he believed it to be true despite Jiwon’s repeated denials.
Until meeting Adam, Jiwon didn’t know why he had called for him. The same went for Jo Wooyeon. Adam had kept his mouth shut at the Association, saying he would only speak when Jiwon arrived.
“…I received a call.”
Finally seeming to decide to believe Jiwon’s words, Suhyun answered. But it was too brief to satisfy his curiosity at all.
“From whom? When? What did they say?”
Jiwon asked in quick succession, as if he had been waiting. Suhyun surely wouldn’t have thought that was enough of an answer.
“My parents are in the United States.”
That, Jiwon knew.
Although it’s generally accepted that there are no genetic factors in awakening, many still seek out the families of ability users as soon as they awaken.
The Association is the same. The Association kept track of the family relationships of all ability users.
Especially because Suhyun was S-class, everyone was desperate to find his family. However, they were already in the United States, and wavelength testing fell under the jurisdiction of the American Association.
If Suhyun had manifested around the time the LA-bound plane arrived in the United States, he might now be an Esper belonging to the United States.
Of course, it would have been the same if Suhyun had said at that time that he wanted to go to the United States where his family was.
“I received a call from my father.”
Anyway, that wasn’t immediately important.
“…Your father?”
He didn’t have time to dwell on the unusually respectful way Suhyun referred to his father.
“Yes. He said an employee from the American Association visited him.”
“And?”
“They told him that the Guide who had an exclusive contract with me would soon be coming to the United States, and since that person was the only Guide with a high compatibility rate with his son, he should persuade me well so I would also come to the United States.”
If it was his father’s word… perhaps he couldn’t help but trust it more.
By the way, it seems the American Association was confident that Jiwon would accept their offer. That’s why they had been pulling strings.
“What did Esper-nim reply?”
Well, that figures. It was unlikely they would place their hopes solely on him, the Guide. Since this wasn’t particularly surprising, Jiwon asked calmly.
“…I said that wouldn’t happen.”
Suhyun’s answer was more surprising.
“By ‘that wouldn’t happen,’ do you mean you wouldn’t follow even if I went? Or did you believe I wouldn’t go?”
The former was surprising because it meant he wouldn’t receive guiding, and the latter was surprising in that he had pressured Jiwon while thinking this.
“…Who knows.”
Unfortunately, Suhyun didn’t give a clear answer. Feeling that neither option would make him particularly happy, Jiwon didn’t press further.
But didn’t he want to see his parents? He awakened on a plane heading to LA, where his parents were, after staying alone in Korea.
It was Suhyun who chose to stay in Korea, but he might have done so without knowing how difficult it is for ability users to move to other countries. He had never been to the United States since his awakening.
“…I see.”
But Jiwon didn’t make the mistake of voicing his curiosity. This was because he couldn’t sense any longing for his parents in Suhyun’s face.
Even if there had been, he wouldn’t have asked. He had only spoken about his own story because various circumstances overlapped; otherwise, he wouldn’t have said a word.
“Anyway, it’s good that you don’t want to go. I don’t want to go either. Esper-nim’s Guide won’t be leaving.”
Jiwon wrapped up the situation with a smile.
Probably the American Association hadn’t grasped the relationship between Suhyun and his parents. So they seemed to believe that he would be somewhat swayed by his parents’ words.
No matter how precious one’s country is, it was still a dirty trick. If Suhyun and Jiwon were to leave together, Korea would become a completely abandoned land.
“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”
Jiwon asked with a bitter smile.
It was funny that he wasn’t completely angry about the American Association’s backdoor maneuvers in this situation. Hadn’t they created an opportunity for him to have a surprisingly comfortable conversation with Suhyun, whom he had found it burdensome to even look directly at since realizing his feelings?
It was outrageous, but still, strong anger didn’t well up.
“…I’d like to know exactly on what grounds they said they needed Guide-nim.”
He had almost been unable to say anything, stuck in his room. Indeed, it didn’t seem like something to be angry about. He had also declined well and returned.
“Of course.”
Jiwon nodded. It was quite an interesting story that he wanted to share with Suhyun anyway.
“You know that only part of Espers’ brain regions are affected by guiding, right?”
Jiwon pointed to his own head.
The brain regions of Espers affected by guiding. Guiding stabilizes an Esper’s wavelength through that area. It’s like infusing power into it.
“But apparently, when Esper-nim resists Riska’s wavelength, you use a wider region than other Espers.”
Though not strikingly noticeable, in a small brain, the enlarged region that receives guiding couldn’t be dismissed as nothing.
Moreover, this brain region is of the same size for everyone regardless of rank. In other words, Suhyun alone was the exception.
Adam didn’t consider this to be Suhyun’s innate ability. He believed that the region had expanded through encountering Riska, and that Jiwon’s influence had been significant in this change. There was also the possibility that the Esper had evolved on his own, but
‘I must believe it’s the influence of the Guide, not the Esper. The change in Esper Seo Suhyun must be due to Guide Moon Jiwon’s power.’
Adam had a definite reason why Jiwon had to be the key.
“I understand they’re in a situation where they can only rely on circumstantial evidence…”
Jiwon also understood Adam’s perspective to some extent.
“But if that’s what we’re betting on, we should first confirm with the Espers here. Of course, after confirming that Suhyun Esper-nim has definitely escaped from Riska’s control.”
‘It’s unfortunate that many people are dying. So I understand why they place their hopes in me. But that’s precisely why I can’t participate in such experiments. If I truly am the hope, and if I alone can do it, it means the solution depends on my survival.’
Entering a dungeon with an Esper other than Suhyun is dangerous. Setting aside the fact that he could die, if that power Adam spoke of truly resided within him… the hope itself would be futilely lost.
“I wish I had such power too. So that everyone wouldn’t have to depend solely on Esper-nim.”
“…I alone am enough.”
“To protect world peace by yourself? You know that’s impossible unless you develop teleportation abilities, right?”
It’s not just about Korea’s survival. If the world collapses, Korea will lose a lot too. Unless they wanted to return to the primitive age of self-sufficiency, they had to join forces.
“After both you and I become safer, more certainly, I’ll try at that time. Of course, in a way that’s safe for me. Is that okay?”
Jiwon asked with a light smile. Suhyun didn’t respond, but Jiwon knew that was his own form of agreement.
‘I hope Adam’s guess is right.’
How good it would be if he truly had that power. Then Suhyun wouldn’t have to shoulder all the burden alone. Fighting alone like this was too harsh on Suhyun.
