‘They said he was handsome, so I guess it was true.’
First-years were mostly in theory classes, so there was almost no chance to run into seniors. From second year on, they say you mix regardless of year and just repeat training and practice the whole time. Then he might run into him a few times coming and going.
There was no way it could be bad for an Esper to become acquainted with an S-rank Guide. Hae-il observed intently to familiarize himself with the face for that time.
It was only a few seconds later. The man suddenly raised his head and stared precisely in this direction. As if he’d noticed Hae-il’s gaze.
It was a distance where they couldn’t even see each other’s faces clearly, yet he felt like their eyes met. From the gaze that touched him sharply, he also felt something somehow familiar.
“In reality, Guides and Espers have similar physical abilities to the point where it’s difficult to find meaningful differences aside from individual variation.”
At that moment, the professor’s voice grew a bit louder. Thanks to that, Hae-il, who was reminded that he was in the middle of listening to a lecture, hastily straightened his head. The writing on the board had increased quite a bit in the meantime.
“Additionally, the fact that mental-type abilities manifest extremely rarely in Espers, while they often manifest in Guides of A-rank or higher, also lends strength to that theory.”
While quickly copying it down, Hae-il easily let go of the light interest that had brushed past him through the window.
They came to properly recognize each other when he became a second-year, just before his first Gate practicum.
Gate practicum proceeded by appropriately mixing students from second to fourth year to form teams after considering various factors. Not only was it a team that continued throughout the semester, but the breadth of experience also varied depending on the level of the team one belonged to.
Though only called a university in name, it was actually closer to a training center for official entry into the Special Abilities Agency, so this practical experience was especially important. It was because it was importantly reflected in final employment and department placement.
“Student Seo Hae-il has a high rank, good theory grades, and hmm, does practical work quite well too. With this much, it seems fine to enter a top team right away.”
Fortunately, Hae-il was assigned to the A-1 Team from his first practicum, his efforts accumulated over a year recognized. It meant the first team of the highest rank.
After successfully finishing the interview with the professor during the first week of the semester, from the second week onward, team meetings and training immediately followed.
With a somewhat excited heart, Hae-il, who stood in front of a door clearly marked with the letters A-1, lightly knocked a couple times and then opened the door.
At the same time, he made eye contact with a man sitting inside the room.
“……”
“……”
Since there was no answer, I thought no one was here. After brief confusion, Hae-il, who came to his senses first, politely offered a greeting.
“Hello, senior.”
Only after greeting did a faintly faded memory revive. That senior he’d seen from far away a few months ago, the S-rank Guide. His name was… probably Moon Woo-shin.
Even while Hae-il was tracing back through his mind, he didn’t answer. Instead, an unfamiliar gaze touched him.
Eyes that were particularly black and seemed deep slowly traced down from the top of Hae-il’s head. They swept over his neatly trimmed hair and slightly exposed forehead, then soon reached his eyes. The precisely meeting gaze seemed as if it would read his innermost thoughts in detail. Hae-il unknowingly held his breath.
Even after the brief eye contact, the gaze headed downward without hesitation. Passing his lips, it swept over his neckline and Adam’s apple to his shoulders, to his awkwardly clenched hands, a bit lower to his thighs and knees, to his slightly exposed ankles and tense feet.
The gaze, which seemed to have no intention of hiding at all, unhesitatingly swept down Hae-il’s entire body and then climbed back up to meet his eyes.
‘……What is this?’
It wasn’t that he felt bad, but it was a gaze that gave a strange feeling somehow. The feeling of being observed in detail while naked.
The moment Hae-il, who had stiffened with unfamiliar tension, even forgot expression management, he nodded slightly.
“Close the door and come sit down.”
“…Ah, yes.”
Only then did he realize he was still standing with the doorknob in his hand. Hae-il silently closed the door and completely entered the room.
His stiff body’s movements felt awkward even to himself, so he walked slowly to avoid showing it. Hae-il, who arrived in front of a small desk placed in the room, sat in the chair directly across from him.
“……”
“……”
An awkward silence lingered. Moon Woo-shin, who until just before had persistently swept over Hae-il, was reading the paper in his hand with an indifferent face as if asking when that had happened.
Hae-il’s gaze, which had been staring at the paper he was holding, gradually shifted to the side.
The hand with appropriately protruding veins looked straight and firm. The gaze that had been following the hand turning a page rose a bit higher and touched his eyes. The eyes quietly looking down at the paper had particularly long and pretty eyelashes.
Hae-il, who had been observing him unconsciously, made direct eye contact with Moon Woo-shin, who suddenly lifted his gaze.
Thanks to that, he came fully to his senses.
‘This is an opportunity.’
Same team as an S-rank Guide. He absolutely had to become close and use him as connections. More than for guiding purposes, it was bigger that he wanted to make a good impression in advance on a future superior who was obviously going to walk a smooth path after joining the Special Abilities Agency.
Hae-il smiled naturally as if he’d been waiting just for their eyes to meet.
“I’m called Seo Hae-il. I’m a second-year.”
“I know. S-rank Esper.”
“My ability is controlling water….”
“I read that too.”
Moon Woo-shin, who cut him off, carelessly shook the paper he was holding slightly. The answer that came back without even making eye contact clearly showed an annoyed attitude.
He already had a feeling it wouldn’t be easy. However, until now, there had never been a case where he hadn’t become close with someone he’d decided to get close to.
Hae-il smiled with a friendly face and warmly started again.
“Please speak comfortably, senior. It’d be good if you give me advice freely from now on too. Since this is my first time with practicum, I’ll learn a lot.”
Moon Woo-shin, who had been quietly looking over his face, put down the paper in his hand with a thud. The following tone was kinder than expected.
“Okay, then. Hae-il.”
“Yes.”
“I won’t give you private guiding just because you act friendly, so don’t bother me.”
Though the actual content was sharper than expected.
It was a bit flustering, but it wasn’t that he couldn’t understand. How much must he have been harassed everywhere as an S-rank Guide…. He even felt somewhat pitying.
“That wasn’t what I meant. I don’t ride wavelengths well, so my guiding efficiency comes out pretty good even with E-ranks. I just meant I want to get along well as teammates….”
“You don’t ride wavelengths.”
“Yes.”
I tried to clear up the misunderstanding, but somehow the atmosphere feels even colder. Moon Woo-shin, who gave a hollow laugh, snapped in a pleasant-sounding voice.
“Then there’s even less need to attach pointless words. Keep your mouth shut and wait quietly.”
How much did I even talk…. He had many thoughts at the sharp response that came back when he hadn’t even properly done anything yet.
Is his personality originally like that? Should I approach more subtly? Or is he trying to establish discipline from the very start?
Though called practicum, he’d heard that the hierarchy between seniors and juniors was strict because even small mistakes in Gate strategy could lead to fatal results.
Thinking that way, he roughly got the picture.
“Yes.”
When he agreed without complaint while still smiling, Moon Woo-shin stared at him intently with a crooked face. As if something didn’t please him. However, he soon turned his gaze away without any particular words.
It seemed he’d have to pretend to listen well respectfully and cautiously permeate. Hae-il had no intention whatsoever of missing this opportunity.
While he was looking for a gap to attach words again, soon other team members arrived one after another.
“Hello.”
“Hello!”
Hae-il also greeted with a bright face toward the team members offering various greetings. He didn’t forget to exchange light conversations while familiarizing himself with faces and names either.
The capacity per team was a total of 8 people. The chairs in front of the long table all filled up, and the surroundings became noisy with several people’s voices.
Cutting through that gap, Moon Woo-shin lightly tapped the desk with a pen to draw attention.
In an instant, the room became quiet and everyone’s gaze focused on Moon Woo-shin.
“I’m Moon Woo-shin, in charge of the A-1 Team for this semester.”
It was a natural attitude as if accustomed to receiving attention. After briefly introducing himself, he looked around at the team members, making eye contact with each one, then slowly continued speaking.
