After receiving the grade evaluation, he was busy without a moment to breathe. Yeoul, who received an A-grade rating, was called separately and had to have several vials of blood drawn. As a result of conducting a detailed examination, A-grade was confirmed, and he also had to stop by the personnel department to make a separate report.
When he returned to the training center, it was already 2 PM. Feeling peckish and hungry, he returned to his room and opened the door, when confetti burst above his head with a “pop!”
“Aah! You scared me.”
“Yeoul hyung! You’re here? Once again, sincere congratulations!”
“Yeoul! Come quick, let’s party right away.”
Jihu and Woojin, changed into casual clothes, welcomed Yeoul with bright smiles. Right, we’d decided to have a party commemorating the completion of the training course when we leave the training center. He was very grateful to his peers who hadn’t forgotten and prepared this, even though it was half joking, half sincere when they’d promised.
“Let’s eat outside. For now, I just bought cake.”
“Yeah! Let’s go out quickly and eat something delicious.”
Yeoul hurriedly started packing his things. The two people who had already finished packing their bags helped with organizing. Soon after, the three came out of the room side by side, pulling their suitcases. Perhaps because it was a room where the three of them had shared joys and sorrows for four weeks, now that they were actually leaving, he felt a bit wistful.
“Woojin-ah, did your official residence application get approved?”
“Yeah. They said I can move in starting today.”
“Jihu, are you just commuting?”
“Yes! My house is close to here.”
From tomorrow, when they would work as probationary guides for each team, free commuting was allowed. Team members who lived far away or worked on teams with frequent outside work and overtime could freely use official residences provided by the Center if they just applied in advance.
After deliberating, Yeoul decided to commute from home for now. Hyeseong also commuted from home every day, and since he himself was also assigned to the same team as him for now, it seemed good to discuss it with Hyeseong later.
The three people moved to a nearby buffet with excited hearts. They cut the cake with a topper that said “Congratulations! Safe Completion of Training Course,” ate delicious food to their heart’s content, and after finishing the meal, they walked around outside and took four-cut photos too.
“See you, guys! See you at the Security Bureau tomorrow.”
“Yeah! You all worked so hard too. Go home today and sleep well!”
“Hyungs, you worked hard! I’m already missing Woojin hyung’s sleep talking.”
Even though the three of them laughed and chatted all day, when it came time to part, the feeling of regret was great. Hoping they could see each other’s faces often while coming and going at the Center from now on, he moved his feet that didn’t want to leave.
Yeoul pulled his suitcase and took the subway. Beyond the window of the train running clatter-clatter affectionately, the sun was already setting. During the four weeks of diligently receiving training, summer had passed by in a flash and it had already come close to autumn.
‘Is Kang Hyeseong busy…’
He’d suddenly disappeared after being called earlier… Is he still near a gate? Or did he go out after receiving another call? He’d said that when there are many, he processes three or four gates in a single day, so that could be the case.
Yeoul took out his phone and flipped through it for no reason. He habitually checked the internet and looked to see if there was any new news. Fortunately, there was no particular news on the Esper and Guide Security Bureau site that reported situations in real time, so Yeoul put his phone in his pocket with a much more relieved face.
“Yeoul-ah! My baby. You worked so hard, really.”
“Now you’re Second Lieutenant Kim. Second Lieutenant, congratulations on your completion.”
Yeoul’s parents, who had gotten off work early after being contacted, greeted him with bright, smiling faces. His aunt, who was working overtime due to urgent business, unfortunately couldn’t join them for dinner, but sent a bouquet of flowers saying she congratulated him on his completion.
Yeoul carefully placed the flowers in a vase in the living room. Hyeseong hyung had also sent a flower basket during the commissioning ceremony. The touch of him personally placing the rank insignia on his shoulders and the moment when their gazes met under the service cap came to mind, making his heart feel ticklish for no reason.
“I got a call from Hyeseong. Our Yeoul became an A-grade Guide?”
His father smiled with a pleased face.
“That’s right. Congratulations, Yeoul-ah. And you’re on the same team as Hyeseong too.”
“Ah… Yes.”
An unnecessarily shy voice came out. Yeoul suppressed his lips from rising and tried hard to answer maturely.
That I’m really an R1 team member… He’d been secretly admiring them while steadily watching photos and videos of R1 team members posted on the internet, and now he himself was a member there. He still felt dazed.
“I’m a bit worried since they said you have to go to the field… But still, since Hyeseong will be there with you, it’ll be okay, right?”
“Oh my, of course. Hyeseong will take care of his younger sibling, right? Don’t worry, let’s just trust Director Kang.”
His mother and father exchanged such conversation while drinking tea. Though they were understandably worried since the field was dangerous, rather, being part of the strongest elite unit in Korea might be safer.
Hyeseong hyung… what does he think about being on the same team as me? Yeoul put down the mug cup he was holding onto the table with a heavy face.
‘Second Lieutenant Kim Yeoul will be taken by R1.’
When he said that, his expression hadn’t looked very good. Rather, his face had hardened like an angry person. Even the other Esper team leaders who had been chattering noisily shut their mouths and held their breath while gauging the situation. It didn’t seem like simply intimidation stemming from a rank difference.
From what he’d heard little by little at the training center, if you were rated B-grade or higher, you received pressure, even if just a little, to enter the rescue team. When he’d said he wanted to enter the rescue team, Kang Hyeseong, who had been very angry, took him because since he was rated A-grade, he must have judged that he would definitely be assigned to a rescue team.
…Probably, he didn’t want to send me to another rescue team. Kang Hyeseong always treated him, whose body was weak, carefully as if handling a glass bead, treated him like a baby, and sometimes even tried to overprotect him.
‘…So I really need to do well.’
The worries about what if he caused trouble for Kang Hyeseong or caused damage to the team were revived. However, Yeoul soon shook his head vigorously and shook off the distracting thoughts.
‘Let’s worry about that later.’
He hasn’t even started yet, so there’s no need to worry too much already. If his insufficient stamina becomes a problem, he’ll just have to work harder. If there are shortcomings, he can learn. He just has to work harder, harder…
Since he kept thinking only about Kang Hyeseong, he really started missing him. Yeoul subtly took out his phone and checked it. Seeing that there was still no contact, he must really be busy.
[Hyung. Are you very busy?]
[I got home safely. I wonder if you’re eating dinner while working.]
After sending the message, Yeoul took a long shower. After a long time, it was very drowsy to wash at home slowly and leisurely, putting his mind at ease.
After washing and even putting on pajamas, drowsiness came nodding. Yeoul flopped face-down on the bed without even drying his wet hair.
‘If I lie down without drying my hair, I’ll get terribly scolded by Kang Hyeseong… Ah, whatever.’
He’s not next to me right now anyway, so how is he going to scold me? Yeoul pouted his lips alone and checked his phone again. His eyes opened wide at the one message that had arrived.
[Did you get home safely? Hyung is a bit busy today. I think I’ll come home late. Rest well]
He read and reread the brief four-line message. Since they said phones don’t even work inside gates, this must have been sent while moving. Seeing that he still hasn’t gotten off work, it seems there’s more than just one or two gates to process, but even in the midst of that, he was grateful that he contacted him like this.
“I hope he at least ate well… Kang Hyeseong.”
It contrasted with the day he himself had spent today. While he laughed and chatted happily and ate to his heart’s content, Kang Hyeseong probably worked without even eating properly. He felt concerned for no reason.
It wasn’t just meals. If he processes several gates, he’ll use his ability a lot, and then naturally his body will be strained. After receiving proper education about guiding for a month, his worry about Kang Hyeseong grew even more.
At a glance, he seems to use a tremendous amount of ability, but I wonder if he’s receiving guiding properly…
‘Of course hyung is taking care of it well on his own… but still, just in case. When I meet him later, I should ask once if he’s receiving guiding well.’
Yeoul clenched his fist tightly while steeling his resolve. Even if such words might be a presumptuous recommendation as an ordinary person and the younger sibling from next door, as a member of the same team and as a Guide, wouldn’t it be okay to ask that much?
‘…Maybe, someday, I could also give Kang Hyeseong guiding…’
The moment his thoughts reached that far, Yeoul bolted upright from his seat without realizing it. The drowsiness that had been coming sleepily completely vanished. As if caught thinking indecent thoughts alone, Yeoul cleared his throat with a reddened face.
However, Yeoul soon decided to stop the absurd imagination. He didn’t even know if such a thing was possible in the first place. No matter how much he was an A-grade Guide, Kang Hyeseong was S-grade. Moreover, how could he dare to guide someone who was among the top three worldwide with the strongest wavelength intensity?
Probably I’ll be guiding other Espers in R1. Thinking that way, he suddenly became a bit nervous.
I can do well. I will do well. While making such resolutions and lying down covered with the blanket, it was quite a while later that he fell asleep.
