The man who had been looking for chocolate milk continued to regularly visit Onyul’s convenience store even after that. Onyul responded while avoiding conversation with the man as much as possible.
Because nothing good would come from getting involved with that man.
However, the more indifferently Onyul responded, the more friendly the man became.
“Manager-nim, you’re already a business owner at such a young age! That’s really cool.”
“…….”
“I don’t know if this is a rude question, but…… may I ask how old you are?”
The way he subtly asked about personal information reminded him exactly of the past. Should he say it reminded him of Kang Onyul during his days as a popular Esper?
“I’m older than I look, so don’t ask. It’s rude.”
“Wow, you look so young. You’re so pretty and handsome that I thought you were much younger than me.”
Actually, he was younger than the man. Kang Ian’s body, not Kang Onyul’s.
Onyul just snorted as if he wouldn’t tell him anything.
The strangest thing about the man was his occasionally clinging touch.
For the past few days, the man had been making Onyul come out from behind the register and asking him for this and that.
Then, if Onyul accidentally stumbled, he would quickly extend his hand and wrap it around Onyul’s shoulder. That touch would also lightly graze his nape, making goosebumps rise.
“……!”
When Onyul was startled, the man would prostrate himself on the floor and apologize.
“I’m sorry. I did it because I thought you might fall, manager-nim.”
When the man apologized while tearing up, it was hard to get angry.
“……Thanks for catching me. And it’s manager, not business owner, okay?”
“Yes, yes, Ian manager-nim.”
The man who had come close looked at the name inside the name tag on Onyul’s vest and his eyes sparkled. Onyul covered the name tag with both hands and was wary of him.
“It doesn’t seem like we have what you’re looking for, so please try another convenience store.”
“Not ‘customer’, but Yoon Jihyuk. Next time, call me Jihyuk-ssi!”
The man, Yoon Jihyuk, who smiled with his eyes crinkling at the corners, opened the glass door and left. His hair, which he always claimed was naturally curly, seemed particularly puffy today.
Onyul naturally recalled what Jihyuk had said in his previous life.
<You know my hair puffs up incredibly whenever I’m with Onyul hyung? When I’m in a good mood, my hair floats up like my mood.>
Why are you in such a good mood today?
It was strange that Yoon Jihyuk was grinning with his hair puffed up even when seeing him with a changed body. His personality was like a big dog, so was he smelling his soul or something…….
What was even stranger was that he didn’t dislike Jihyuk’s mischievous behavior. Just as Jihyuk followed Onyul well, it might be because Onyul also cherished Jihyuk.
While Onyul found it bothersome to form relationships with people, he was a meddler who couldn’t just pass by those he felt sorry for.
And Yoon Jihyuk was one of the Espers who had evoked Onyul’s pity in his previous life.
He first met Yoon Jihyuk at the Esper-exclusive hospital.
At that time, he had lost his pair Guide who was caught up in a Gate rampage and was steeped in despair. Deep emptiness, sadness, anxiety…… He couldn’t just leave Yoon Jihyuk alone when it seemed he could die at any moment.
Onyul began to provide therapy to Jihyuk at the hospital director’s request.
Whether the therapy worked well, his condition improved day by day, and eventually he came to follow Onyul, calling him hyung and liking him.
He also treated Yoon Jihyuk like a younger brother. Unlike ability users who approached him with sexual interest, he didn’t dislike Yoon Jihyuk, who liked him with a pure heart.
But that child had lost someone precious twice…….
He was curious about how Yoon Jihyuk had accepted his death, but on the other hand, he didn’t want to know.
‘Kang Onyul’ was already dead, he was no longer an Esper with special abilities, and he couldn’t heal Jihyuk who had fallen into despair.
That’s why he didn’t want to get involved with ability users related to his previous life anymore. If he got involved, unnecessary meddling would arise, but there was almost nothing he could do.
All that Kang Onyul, who had become Kang Ian, could do was increase the order quantity of the chocolate milk that Yoon Jihyuk enjoyed drinking.
Of course, more than that, he hoped that Yoon Jihyuk wouldn’t come to this convenience store anymore.
The chocolate milk…… he was just stocking it just in case. Yeah, just in case.
“Still, I’m glad he seems to be doing well……”
Onyul wished for Yoon Jihyuk’s happiness and well-being, even if just for a moment. For that foolish guy to be happy without getting hurt or dying.
He stared intently at Yoon Jihyuk’s retreating figure, unable to move away from the glass door.
In his eyes full of compassion, a faint trace of longing spread.
“Don’t come tomorrow.”
But the words he actually spoke meant severance.
***
Republic of Korea Ability User Management Bureau, the top floor of the Esper Center.
In the office of Alpha Team, where only the most elite Espers gathered, was Yoon Jihyuk, who had been persistently going back and forth to the convenience store.
Yoon Jihyuk, sitting on the sofa, tilted his head while gulping down chocolate milk.
Strange, it’s strange.
As a result of visiting the convenience store constantly over the past week, he learned that the peculiar feeling he felt on the first day was not a coincidence.
Manager-nim…… no, he was sorry to the store manager, but he had intentionally made contact with Kang Ian.
At the same time, he felt a faint but certain energy.
It was an energy that seemed like Guiding but was subtly different. The more contact there was, the more that energy evoked some kind of longing.
“…….”
His lips, which had been happily sucking on the straw, stiffened. It was because he recalled someone’s name.
……If I really had to compare it, it’s similar to Onyul hyung’s energy.
Kang Onyul was a close hyung who died futilely six months ago, and more than that.
At first, he visited the convenience store because it was fascinating that a pretty man who appeared to be an ordinary person gave off a peculiar energy.
But once he recognized that Kang Ian’s energy was similar to Onyul’s, the number of times he visited the convenience store increased.
Yoon Jihyuk wanted to be with Kang Ian even a little. Being by his side felt like Kang Onyul’s empty spot was being filled.
As he came and went like that, he learned that he resembled Onyul not only in energy but also in temperament.
Onyul was someone who acted like everything was bothersome and treated others prickly, but once you became close, he became more compassionate than anyone.
Kang Ian was the same. Yoon Jihyuk knew of Kang Ian’s consideration in not immediately kicking him out no matter how much he bothered him.
He also knew that the number of chocolate milks increased as each day passed. It must all be because he was thinking of him.
Yoon Jihyuk realized he was a kind person. Of course, it seemed he hadn’t gained his trust yet, as he bristled and was wary whenever he saw him.
I want to become closer with the manager.
At that moment, the door opened and a man with sharp features wearing a three-piece suit entered.
“Jihyuk-ah, did you go to that convenience store again today?”
Unlike his cold impression, his tone was quite caring.
The man was Na Geonwoo, the team leader of Alpha Team and an S-rank Esper.
“Yes, team leader-nim.”
“But why are you gloomy? You were always in a good mood whenever you came back from there.”
“…….”
Yoon Jihyuk thought about telling Na Geonwoo about the suspicious manager who gave off Onyul’s energy, but then asked something else first.
“Team leader-nim, by the way. Are there adults who hide the fact that they’re Guides without taking the Guide examination?”
In current South Korea, ability user examinations were mandatory.
Once when graduating elementary school, once when graduating middle school, and lastly in the third year of high school before becoming an adult. Because there were almost no people who awakened after their twenties.
Kang Ian must have received all the examinations too.
Yet it was strange that he wasn’t determined to be a Guide or Esper. If he could feel something, he wondered if he might also be an ability user.
At Yoon Jihyuk’s question, Na Geonwoo pushed up his glasses. Na Geonwoo’s eyes visible beyond the glasses gleamed sharply.
“I can’t say there are none at all. Guides belonging to anti-Management Bureau forces are also unregistered Guides.”
“Ah…… So there’s a possibility they’re criminals.”
“Why? Is there someone suspicious?”
“I’m not certain, so I’m secretly telling only you, team leader-nim……”
“What is it?”
“You know that small convenience store I’ve been going to lately? There’s a manager there, right? He’s incredibly pretty and handsome and kind…… It looks like he’d make squeaky sounds when walking and I don’t know how soft his cheeks look……”
“Just the main point.”
“That convenience store manager seems to be a Guide.”
“……What?”
Na Geonwoo was flustered at the unexpected words.
“Isn’t it a bit strange for an unregistered Guide to be working right in front of the Management Bureau?”
“That’s true, but…… What if, by any chance, his manifestation was very late? What if he only just awakened as a Guide now?”
Na Geonwoo was flustered but didn’t doubt Yoon Jihyuk’s words.
Yoon Jihyuk’s abilities were outstanding even among A-rank Espers. No matter how foolish the guy was, that sense couldn’t be wrong.
Well, as he said, there were cases of very late manifestation, though not completely nonexistent.
“Jihyuk-ah, you seem to like that manager. Do you want to keep him as your Guide?”
“……Yes.”
Yoon Jihyuk had lost his pair Guide, and he had also lost Kang Onyul, who was more precious than his pair Guide.
So he had vowed never to make close people again. He didn’t want to experience the pain of losing precious people again.
But foolishly, when someone he liked appeared, he had the desire to keep him by his side. As if he had completely forgotten the pain of previous days.
“That person…… is like Onyul hyung.”
More than anything, he wanted to become close with Kang Ian, who reminded him of Onyul. Not as a convenience store owner and customer, but as a more special relationship.
“Onyul……? I should see him first.”
As Na Geonwoo spoke, another voice was heard from somewhere.
“……Kang Onyul?”
The man who called Onyul’s name slowly rose from the sofa behind Yoon Jihyuk.
“Gu, Gu Baekwon. How long have you been there! Make some noise!”
“Sorry, but I’ve been here from the beginning.”
The face of the man dressed entirely in black was deathly pale. The man’s slowly blinking eyes held no light whatsoever.
The man only repeatedly murmured the name “Kang Onyul……” with an expressionless face. As if he would never lose that name.
