“Even if it’s an Esper whose face we don’t know, just hearing that someone went explosive makes the atmosphere among the Espers in the Center bad.”
“That’s true…. There’s emotional attachment since they’re fellow Espers, and even aside from that, there are many Espers who admire Esper Seo Gangwoo.”
“Admire?”
“Yeah. After all, he’s S-rank. On top of that, Esper Seo Gangwoo is an ability user rumored to be strong even among S-ranks, and though Guides can’t feel it, Espers can feel the gap just from him staying still. Then if you go out on a mission together, the performance he shows is completely different.”
“That’s why the training ground’s energy has been exceptional lately. Really heated up.”
Minhyeok said with a grin.
“This is all thanks to our Jiwon. Aww, this precious thing. So if there’s anything I can help with, tell noona anytime. Got it?”
If anyone bullies you, tell me everything! Gayeon earnestly entreated Jiwon with a serious expression.
“Before that, let go of Jiwon’s hand first before you talk!”
“Why? You want to receive guiding if I let go?”
“Yeah.”
“You shameless bastard! Even cold water has a top and bottom.”
“The higher up someone is, the more they should look after those below…!! No, wait. I should respect my elders, so I was wrong. Ah! No violence! No violence!”
“Medicine is what you need, medicine.”
Jiwon giggled at the comical sight before his eyes. Even though they bickered every day, they worked well together, and these two were famous at the field as Esper Team 1’s fantastic duo.
Jiwon laughed so much that he wiped away the tears that formed in his eyes and wrapped the two in broadcast guiding.
“Ohhh.”
“Ah! You don’t need to do it for this guy Lee Minhyeok.”
“Noona, that’s really too much. Are you really going to hurt my feelings?”
“Do I care?”
As he guided while listening to the two’s teasing, time passed quickly.
“Vehicles are coming in over there. Looks like Esper Seo Gangwoo arrived.”
In the distance, three or four special vehicles could be seen coming toward the Center entrance.
“You’re right. Then I’ll go now. Noona, hyung, see you again~!”
“Yeah, hurry and go~.”
“Go on. Thanks for the guiding, Jiwon!”
Jiwon waved goodbye and ran out of the building. Leaving behind the two who chuckled at his urgent appearance, he approached where the stopped cars were.
As he made eye contact with the Espers getting out first and gave a light nod, he spotted Seo Gangwoo getting out of the very last vehicle.
Besides the driver, it seemed Seo Gangwoo was alone in that vehicle as no other ability users were seen getting out.
As soon as Seo Gangwoo got out, he spotted Jiwon and immediately approached with long strides, taking the luggage Jiwon was holding.
“Oh! It’s not very heavy though.”
Though Jiwon was on the weaker side in terms of strength, just desserts weren’t burdensome to hold, but in Seo Gangwoo’s eyes, it wasn’t so.
Since his comparison target was himself, to Seo Gangwoo’s eyes, the soft and light Jiwon seemed like he’d break if poked and fly away if blown on. Though sometimes the overprotectiveness was burdensome, Jiwon was grateful to be taken care of.
Besides, he couldn’t say anything since to others, he himself was also excessively caring for Seo Gangwoo. He guided whenever he saw him, and even now, he was the only Guide who came out to greet an Esper returning from a mission just because they were a pair Guide.
“I’m back.”
“You’re not hurt anywhere today either, right?”
“I barely had any reason to use my ability.”
Jiwon held Seo Gangwoo’s hand and guided as he nodded and answered. The two chatted warmly as they moved to where the car for their familiar return home was parked.
The ability users who had returned from the mission together couldn’t take their eyes off that affectionate sight. Some looked on with warm eyes, while others let out sighs mixed with lamentations about their lot in life.
“Oh… what a good time for them.”
“I’m jealous. So jealous.”
“I know, right. He really comes out to greet him every time.”
“He does that every time?!”
“Wow….”
“Hey, it’s because it hasn’t been long! Later on, forget greeting, they probably won’t even come to the Center much?!”
There were even those who became jealous.
“Why are you being so petty? Then did your Guide come out to greet you in the early days of your pair?”
“……”
Those around teased the Esper who couldn’t say anything to that question.
“Geez. Why are you being so pathetic? It just looks nice, what’s the problem?”
“I wish someone like Guide Kim Jiwon would manifest as a Guide again. Ugh. My stomach suddenly hurts.”
“Agreed, and I hope they definitely come to Center 1!”
“Will they pair with you if they come? Wake up from your dream.”
“Stop talking nonsense and let’s hurry inside.”
The team leader chided the team members who were dawdling instead of going in.
“Who says what? And you have a pair Guide, is that it?”
“Is that it?! Does being team leader mean everything!”
“Sheesh.”
The team leader shook his head with a sigh at the team members who pounced at any opening.
Unaware of the other Espers murmuring behind him, Jiwon let go of the hand he’d held to get in the car, then as soon as he sat in the passenger seat, he slipped his hand back into the large hand. He intended to guide during the ride.
Soon the engine started and the car moved.
“I’ll make you that wonderful dinner I mentioned before today.”
Jiwon, who had been doing meaningless footwork below, said.
“Aren’t you tired?”
Seo Gangwoo couldn’t grip the small hand that had entered his own with force, but as if afraid to let go, he pulled it slightly and stroked the soft back of the hand once with his thumb.
“I’m a bit tired, but I rested in between at the private room. Anyway, tomorrow is the weekend so I’m resting, so this much is fine. I’ll make it delicious. Look forward to it!”
“I’ll look forward to it. Is there anything I can help with?”
“No. It’s okay. I’ll try making tonight’s dinner by myself. Since it’s a gift. Esper Seo Gangwoo, just rest comfortably.”
Jiwon spoke firmly as if steeling his resolve.
“…Understood.”
The corner of Seo Gangwoo’s mouth slightly rose as he answered.
The two who arrived home parked the car in the garage and got out. In front of the entrance, the ingredients Jiwon had ordered had arrived in a large insulated box. Seo Gangwoo, who had approached ahead of Jiwon, lifted the insulated box in one go and brought it all the way into the kitchen.
“Thank you. I’ll do it from here. Hurry and go rest.”
Seo Gangwoo wanted to stay nearby, but he had to move his feet because Jiwon kept gesturing for him to go in.
With Seo Gangwoo going into his room, Jiwon first put the macarons and strawberry tarts in the refrigerator, then opened the insulated box and took out the ingredients.
“Hmm, is it a bit much?”
After taking everything out, it filled and overflowed the large island table in the kitchen.
“No, I can do it!”
Jiwon bit his lip and raised his tension. He unfolded the soft green apron with a cat drawn on it with a snap, hung it around his neck, and tied the ribbon-shaped strings firmly behind his waist.
Having pondered what dish to make all this time, Jiwon ultimately chose a classic.
Because the basics are always right. Steak with pasta, and wine too.
Jiwon, who washed his hands more meticulously than a doctor entering an operating room, first took out the Korean beef for steak and seasoned it with salt and pepper.
The chef said the taste of cooking is in the ingredients. Choosing expensive Korean beef was also a bit of a trick—even if his cooking skills were somewhat lacking, Korean beef would at least guarantee a certain level of taste.
He prepared the garlic, mushrooms, potatoes, and tomatoes to use as garnish on the side, and also prepared the vegetables to use in the pasta. Though his clumsy hands were slow, doing them one by one, the basic preparation was finished.
“Phew. I’m done with all the ingredient prep now….”
Since he’d greedily bought a lot of this and that to make a fancy meal, it took quite a while just to prepare the basic ingredients.
Jiwon made a groaning sound and leaned back, then pulled out a dining chair and sat down for a moment.
His neck hurt from bending down while cutting, his legs hurt, and his back ached. His weak body screamed from all over, telling him to rest.
Using muscles he hadn’t used while exercising at the Center and having his body be stiff, then trying to do cooking on top of that was too much of a forced march for Jiwon.
Still, he didn’t want to break his promise to make a wonderful dinner. If he kept postponing it until the next payday came, it wouldn’t be in commemoration of his first paycheck.
Moreover, since the intensity of physical training kept increasing without time to adapt, it was uncertain when the day his body would be comfortable would come.
Jiwon gathered his strength again and stood up with a heave! Though it was difficult, cooking was a fun task.
Trimming the colorful ingredients, stir-frying, boiling, simmering, and grilling. Each process was new and completing them was enjoyable.
If I’d known it would be like this, I should have learned a bit from Mom at home.
He even felt regret that he should have done it sooner.
But thinking that it wasn’t too late to start now, Jiwon took out the recipe notebook he’d organized in advance and read it carefully while retracing the order he’d thought of in his head.
Since he wasn’t just making one dish, he had to adjust the order well.
Having finished reviewing, Jiwon put water in a pot for spaghetti and placed it on the gas range.
On the opposite side, he heated a frying pan, sprinkled olive oil, and grilled the garnish ingredients for the steak one by one.
A moment later, when the water he’d put on boiled, he took out the pasta noodles.
They said if you grab as much as a 500 won coin, it’s one serving, right?
As he tried to gauge the amount by rounding his fingers into a circle bit by bit, the size of the 500 won coin in his memory shrank and grew, making Jiwon waver.
