“Really?”
At Seo Gangwoo’s answer, Jiwon’s expression brightened even more as he scooped some pasta onto a small plate and tasted it.
“Wow… I actually have talent for cooking?!”
The pasta was delicious too, with perfectly cooked noodles, smooth sauce, and a savory depth of flavor.
Jiwon had been taking quite an interest in cooking lately anyway, and seeing his talent made him excited. On top of that, there was the relief of successfully completing the wonderful dinner he’d promised Seo Gangwoo.
“Let’s toast~”
Jiwon lifted his wine glass and held it forward. At that request, Seo Gangwoo also raised his glass and lightly clinked it.
The vivid-colored wine swirled in the round glass. It wasn’t a particularly high-proof wine, so even Jiwon, who was weak with alcohol, could enjoy it without burden.
“At this rate, am I going to end up opening a restaurant at the Center later?”
Jiwon’s face looked utterly serious in a rather cute way.
“Then I’ll be the assistant chef.”
And Seo Gangwoo played along with that. The development of Seo Gangwoo, who had only been taciturn, was amazing.
“Pfft, a restaurant with an A-rank Guide chef and an S-rank Esper assistant chef would cause a sensation.”
Perhaps imagining that scene, Jiwon’s laughter didn’t stop. No matter how he thought about it, that would be a mega-hit business idea.
However, since they couldn’t waste the talent of an S-rank Esper, Jiwon gently shelved the plan to open a restaurant.
Jiwon put a piece of the meat that Seo Gangwoo had neatly finished slicing into his mouth and chewed it.
Finding it delicious, Jiwon naturally smiled brightly as he ate well, and watching him, Seo Gangwoo also savored the taste and enjoyed the meal for the first time in a long while.
“Really, it’s so delicious I can’t believe I made it. Of course, part of it is because the meat is good.”
“It really is delicious. Let’s try making something together next time.”
“Sounds good. What else should we make? Should we look for Korean food next time?”
“That sounds good too.”
“Chinese food would be delicious too…”
“What about desserts that Guide Kim Jiwon likes?”
“Wow! That’s such a good idea! Should we buy home baking tools too?”
Excited, Jiwon bounced in his seat. Now his salary would be generous, he’d have plenty of time, and with a spacious and comfortable kitchen—how could he not be excited?
“I should look for a good cookbook.”
The conversation that continued during the meal went from listing out what dishes to make, through home baking, to talk about which cooking magazines were famous, and even to stories about a chef he subscribed to who made things easy to follow along and even shared his own tips.
Seo Gangwoo couldn’t take his eyes off the delighted Jiwon.
The S-rank Esper’s superior physical abilities didn’t miss even Jiwon’s subtle expressions or a single movement.
His lustrous hair swayed with every nod of his head. The cheeks that popped out slightly whenever he spoke with a smile, his slightly drooping eye corners, his smooth forehead and scrunching nose bridge.
Just watching Jiwon chattering away happily with his small mouth about whatever was so fun—there was never a dull moment. A person who was cute and pretty even when still, was now smiling broadly, doubling the cuteness.
Seo Gangwoo nodded and responded to Jiwon’s words as he picked out desserts one by one, even though he didn’t understand what they were.
Though he’d lived in this house for nearly ten years, just adding one person made it feel like the huge house was filled to the brim.
Seo Gangwoo was even surprised at himself for naturally accepting conversation with Jiwon.
Though it was partly because he’d always been sensitive due to lack of Guiding, Seo Gangwoo originally had almost no one to converse with anyway.
At best, his conversation partners were people related to the Center or Choi Hyerin, but even then, he mostly used messages. At the longest, there were times when he didn’t say a word for a couple of months.
The words he’d exchanged since Jiwon entered this house were more than what he’d spoken in several months, or perhaps even longer.
To Seo Gangwoo, who had never had casual conversation, conversation was just uncomfortable, but now it was strange how he was melting into the shared space comfortably without any awkwardness.
Though this version of himself felt unfamiliar, Seo Gangwoo didn’t dislike it.
* * *
As time passed, Seo Gangwoo’s waves found stability.
Though he still couldn’t break through the 60% barrier, he participated several times as a sub in B-rank dungeon gate raids with 2-3 day schedules and cleanly completed them.
As Seo Gangwoo’s physical condition became stable, Jiwon finally requested to go out.
He’d definitely thought he’d be fine, but when he saw his family for the first time in so long—family he’d never been apart from for this long in his life—Jiwon’s tears welled up a little.
It was the same for his family.
Like separated families reuniting after a long time, they hugged each other in a circle and all burst into tears, then found their own appearance funny and rolled around laughing uproariously.
Though they came to enjoy various benefits as a Guide’s family, there wasn’t much change in Jiwon’s family’s daily life.
Even having just one Guide manifest among family members was an enormous event.
Because they became financially comfortable, some retired from their jobs or transferred to more comfortable work through the Center, and if they wanted, they could even receive personal secretary or butler services at low cost—it wasn’t for nothing that Guide was ranked as the number one desired profession.
Though this applied only to immediate family, as a result, even close relatives inevitably received indirect benefits.
Even Guides of lower ranks, not A-rank Guides like Jiwon, received considerably good treatment.
In the case of one B-rank Guide, well over 20 people spanning three generations—excluding some—had all quit their jobs and were still living comfortably.
Besides that, a certain C-rank Guide who manifested while living in an orphanage, though unable to receive Guide family benefits since they weren’t blood relatives, still took care of the orphanage residents they’d lived with without them lacking anything, and even helped them establish themselves after becoming adults.
Like this, regardless of rank, one could see just how good the treatment a single Guide received from the nation was. And since Jiwon was A+ rank, the scope and scale of benefits were quite large, and he would earn a lot of money in the future.
Jiwon also wanted his family to live comfortably without working hard. So at Jiwon’s words that they should now rest, travel, and enjoy hobbies to their heart’s content, his family said:
“Dad’s not retirement age yet.”
He puffed out his chest as if to say don’t treat him like he’s past his prime, showing off his vigor.
“For me, it was work I was doing to keep busy anyway, you know? It’s not even hard work, and if I don’t go, I’ll be bored. Are you all going to play with Mom all day?”
“Won’t you go on dates with Dad?”
“Your dad is clueless~ and unromantic~. Boring people are more fun when you see them occasionally.”
“Ahem…”
At Mom’s sharp glance, Dad gazed at distant mountains that weren’t even visible.
Jiwon turned his head to his older sister Jisu. She’d throw fits about not wanting to go to work every Monday, so surely his sister would like it, right?
“What are you talking about? Do you know how cute our Moon Class babies are!”
But some button must have been pressed because his sister suddenly stood up and began a long speech.
“The kids have so much energy that even when I’m exhausted, when they do cute things I’m dying of cuteness. I’m talking heart-attack level of cuteness, you know? And do you know how creatively they talk? I’m seriously amazed, like I smack my forehead! To the point of gaining enlightenment. Our class babies, last time… We did shadow play in front and their eyes were sparkling…”
Jisu started gushing endlessly about her class kids, lost in memories of them. A true doting fool.
As Jiwon sat there with his mouth hanging open listening to his sister’s endless gushing, he felt soft fur on his calf and glanced down to see Coco bump him with her fluffy butt as she passed by, swishing her tail gracefully with haughty steps.
“Meow~!”
…Why you too?
It was just that what’s good is good, that’s all.
No matter how much they’d lived without interest in ability users, his family wouldn’t be unaware of how good the benefits of having an A-rank Guide in the family were.
They heard people talking as they came and went, and Guides and Espers were frequently mentioned through media like TV and newspapers too. Plus, last time a staff member from the Center came and explained in detail.
Though things had already become good with various benefits, they knew that if they wanted, they could change their lives even more than that.
But it seemed it wasn’t enough to make them quit their original daily lives.
Since they were satisfied with their respective jobs, what could Jiwon do? He smiled broadly among such family members.
Though it didn’t turn out as he’d wanted, this was good in its own way.
No, actually it was very good.
He would respect their choices and resolved to learn from them since they looked cool.
The environment that changed with suddenly manifesting as a Guide, having a profession that others envied and respected, never having to worry about finances for life, and on top of that being an A+ Guide.
It was true that he’d felt a bit proud and smug—though not noticeably—about the words and attitudes with which people treated him after manifesting as an A-rank Guide.
He shouldn’t act conceited just because he was good at Guiding.
Because I’m still me.
Just as his family didn’t treat him differently for becoming a Guide. Because I don’t become a different person just because a few external factors changed.
