He had heard from Do Yura beforehand that Seo Gangwoo was someone who already knew about Noble Guiding. The reason she, with her low matching rate, had been able to guide Seo Gangwoo even a little was because she was an S-rank Guide, but more than that, it was because of Noble Guiding.
Upon hearing Jiwon’s words, Seo Gangwoo was surprised by that fact, but also worried whether Jiwon might be trying to become an unofficial member of the EED (Explosive Esper Disposal). If he encountered rampaging Espers, the danger level couldn’t help but be high.
“Are you perhaps trying to work as an unofficial member of EED like Guide Do Yura?”
“…I don’t know.”
“It’s dangerous and not easy work.”
“I think so. Just from what Guide Do Yura briefly told me, it seemed like no ordinary matter. She said there are cases where they can’t save them even after dispatching….”
Jiwon, who couldn’t finish his words, fell into thought. Whether it was something he could handle, and if he did it, what mindset he should have.
Jiwon was still just a first-year newbie Guide, but had already seen rampaging Espers twice. One was Seo Gangwoo, right in front of his eyes, who had been in a state just before rampage as soon as they met, and the other was the new Esper Taehwan he had seen today.
Thinking about Guides who didn’t come near Espers in even slightly dangerous states, it was quite an exceptional case.
The majority of Guides just moderately filled their mandatory performance quotas and spent the remaining time leisurely. Since they were already in an environment enjoying many things, their own safety was more important, and they didn’t really care whether Espers were in danger or not.
But Jiwon didn’t want to do that and couldn’t do that. If he hadn’t manifested as a Guide, maybe. But having already gained the ability of guiding, turning away from someone’s pain was difficult.
He recalled the Espers he had guided so far, those he had greeted and become close with while coming and going. If news came that they had died from rampage…. Jiwon, who had thought that far, shook his head vigorously. Seo Gangwoo pulled him close and clumsily comforted him.
Jiwon burrowed into the moderately warmed embrace. Seo Gangwoo’s body flinched for a moment, but he pulled up the blanket and hugged him more deeply.
There were already many Espers he knew. They were workplace colleagues, and were carrying out extremely dangerous missions every time, where they could lose their lives to protect the nation from monsters.
If there were no Espers, it would be impossible for people to peacefully attend school or work. Not only himself, but his family and friends would all have been trampled by monsters.
If he hadn’t become a Guide, he would have enjoyed his daily life happily without paying attention to ability users like before. However, his current self had become a Guide belonging to Center 1, and even had a pair Esper.
Whether Espers came first or Guides came first was meaningless. Without either one, this peace was a sand castle that would be swept away by a few fierce waves.
While watching Jiwon lost in such thoughts, Seo Gangwoo’s worries also deepened.
“I’ll look into it more and tell you. Anyway, since Noble Guiding was also my first attempt, I need practice to use it properly, and it seems too big a matter to say I’ll try it right away.”
“Haah, …I wish Guide Kim Jiwon wouldn’t do dangerous work.”
Seo Gangwoo hesitated at the sigh that escaped without him knowing, then briefly revealed his true feelings. But he couldn’t strongly dissuade him from doing that work, nor could he ultimately say the greedy desire that he wished he would guide only himself.
“But… I wouldn’t have the right to stop you.”
At the low voice, Jiwon, who had slightly raised his head to check Seo Gangwoo’s darkened expression, opened his mouth.
“I can’t promise I won’t do it. Because it weighs on my mind to turn away when I have the ability to save lives. But… if Esper Seo Gangwoo dislikes it, I won’t do it.”
At those words, Seo Gangwoo’s eyes wavered.
“If I say I dislike it… will you really not do it?”
“Yes. Because to me, Esper Seo Gangwoo comes first before other Espers.”
He felt like he would be sucked right into those transparently shining brown eyes. Seo Gangwoo, who had lost his words, kept his head buried in Jiwon’s hair for a long while with his eyes closed.
How much time had passed? Breaking the silence that had been so quiet it seemed both of them had fallen asleep just like that, Seo Gangwoo opened his mouth.
“If you’re going to become an unofficial EED member, you absolutely must not go alone. I want you to move together with me.”
“Then I’d be too reassured. Rather, it’s something I’d like to ask you?”
Though it would still be a long way off, it would be much safer if Seo Gangwoo stayed with him.
“I also wish you wouldn’t dispatch unreasonably.”
Jiwon hugged Seo Gangwoo’s upper body tightly with strength.
“I will. If I do it, I promise I’ll absolutely not overdo it.”
Hearing Jiwon’s definite answer, Seo Gangwoo swallowed a sigh inwardly while gathering his anxious heart. His pair Guide who had come with difficulty was too sincere and capable. Wishing for him to guide only himself was too greedy from the start.
Still, he was grateful to Jiwon for saying he wouldn’t do it if he disliked it.
Seo Gangwoo, who had pulled down the desire to monopolize that rose up from time to time, resolved to protect Jiwon well so he wouldn’t get hurt wherever he was or whatever he did.
* * *
Jiwon, who hadn’t slept properly for several days with all kinds of worries during Seo Gangwoo’s absence, caught up on all the sleep he’d missed as soon as he returned safely after finishing the attack.
Normally Woojin would have woken up Jiwon who didn’t come to training and dragged him there, but currently he was hospitalized in a private hospital room as the price for using guiding to just before retiring.
Jiwon, who barely woke up around when the sun had risen high and tilted even further, came out after washing his face cleanly.
The sight of Seo Gangwoo reading a book on the sofa placed in the space used as a living room entered his eyes. A smile spread across his lips. How long had they been together, yet the difference of his presence or absence felt significant.
After filling their stomachs with a simple meal together, he got up his body refreshed from deep sleep and left the private room. After going together to the research building for Seo Gangwoo’s detailed examination that had been missed because the dungeon attack was delayed, Jiwon headed to the training room. Since he had already blown the morning schedule, he had to work hard at least in the afternoon.
After conveying his regards to Woojin, who would be lying in the hospital room full of boredom and worry about muscle loss, he loosened his body step by step in the order he had been doing.
“Oh, Jiwon~!”
Lee Jieun, a Guide who was Woojin’s friend, entered the training ground entrance and called Jiwon with her characteristically bright voice while running over pitter-patter.
“Jieun noona, hello!”
At the welcome face, Jiwon also greeted her with a bright smile.
“Oh my, our praiseworthy Jiwon. Long time no see, I thought I’d die from missing you!!! And I heard you saved a little lamb yesterday? Hm? How did you do it. Spill the story.”
She, who had approached in an instant, vigorously rubbed Jiwon’s hair while pouring out everything she wanted to say. While watching Jiwon scream “Ahhh” as his head swayed here and there following those hands, she burst into mischievous laughter.
“Did you go well to the field, noona?”
Jieun, who works as a field Guide, had followed her pair Esper’s mission attack and returned in the morning.
As soon as she arrived, tremendous news was sweeping through the center, so she had wanted to go meet Jiwon right away, but had barely held back upon hearing that Esper Seo Gangwoo had returned.
“Yeah, I went well. Rather, you who stayed at the center had more incidents!”
“Hehe.”
Jiwon laughed awkwardly while tidying his disheveled hair.
“Hm?! Jiwon, why is your face so soft and fluffy today? Did you eat something good?”
“Huh?”
Though there were no people around, Jieun leaned in smoothly as if others shouldn’t hear and whispered in his ear.
“I heard Esper Seo Gangwoo returned. Jiwon, you… could it be?!”
Jiwon, who had been puzzled wondering what she was saying, jumped up at her lewd expression.
“Wh-what! It-it’s not like that!”
Jiwon, whose face had turned red, stammered.
“It-it’s not like thaaaat~! Puhahaha!”
“Ugh….”
Seeing Jiwon trembling at the obviously teasing hateful expression, she held her stomach and laughed brightly.
“No, I just meant whether the guiding went well, but why are you so startled? What were you thinking? Hm?”
Jieun poked his side repeatedly while making an innocent expression like ‘I don’t know anything about that.’ Thinking the teasing wouldn’t end if he reacted more, Jiwon resolved inwardly not to engage and changed the subject.
“I also meant guiding. And it’s just because I slept deeply for the first time in a while and woke up.”
He pretended to be as nonchalant as possible, but Jiwon’s honest ears were still red.
“My goodness, how well did you do it that you slept deeply and woke up? Was it that good?!”
“Ah, noona!!”
“Kheuk, kheuk.”
Watching Jieun laugh alone as if choking, Jiwon shook his head side to side.
“The dungeon attack was delayed more than expected, so I couldn’t sleep properly while worrying, but because Esper Seo Gangwoo returned, I slept deeply with peace of mind.”
“Yeah, yeah. Got it. I see.”
Jieun agreed and tried to stop laughing, thinking Jiwon would get angry if she teased him more. But having laughed to the point of shedding tears, it was useless to try to make amends now. Jiwon, already slightly sulky, moved far away and started exercising.
