Ssshhh—
However, even those suspicions would fade when I saw his wavelength cling to me as soon as he saw me, expressing joy. Until now, his wavelength and attitude hadn’t matched, but finally seeing the two align made me think maybe it could be like this. I’d loved Do Ganghyun like a habit all this time—where would that attitude go?
Of course, aside from all that, the fact that my overall condition was recovering also worked positively. Naturally, the biggest role in that was—
“Guide Myeong Eunha, have you arrived?”
The clinical trial that had stopped midway was largely to blame.
“Hello.”
“Yes, we’ve been seeing each other frequently lately. Have you eaten?”
The Research Director spoke warmly. It was completely different from the rather cold and dismissive attitude he’d shown when Do Ganghyun was beside me.
However, considering the Research Director’s personality, it wasn’t that strange. Either way, he was someone who pursued practical benefits, and he was just treating me differently in accordance with Do Ganghyun’s recent attitude.
While he might feel regret that he couldn’t proceed with the clinical trial carelessly right now, he seemed to think opportunities could always come again. Even if not, there had already been a significant increase in matching rate, and since a natural imprint had ultimately been achieved, he could think they’d gotten closer to the ultimate goal.
He seemed to have been moving busily lately—perhaps he’d had quite a bit of fun through my case. Since a living, breathing specimen and thesis subject existed right beside him like this.
What he feared most right now would be a situation where I turned my back on him or asked Do Ganghyun for help due to the attitude he’d shown until now, cutting off all this exchange. Especially since Do Ganghyun’s attitude toward me had changed markedly and news had even reached him that he’d finally started accepting his imprinted Guide, he must have been anxious. There would be an overflow of things to research in the future, but if he made a mistake, everything could disappear like bubbles. Especially since Do Ganghyun had been negative about my clinical trial until now.
For all those comprehensive reasons, the Research Director was concentrating on extracting as much data as possible—even if small—that could be obtained through frequent guiding in the research lab like this. Without going against Do Ganghyun’s mood, while appeasing me.
‘Support for Grandmother’s treatment hasn’t stopped either.’
I recalled once more the support for the new medication that hadn’t been cut off yet.
When I renewed the contract, the condition was that if I fulfilled the number of clinical trials set by the Research Director to the end, support for Grandmother would continue even after the experiment ended. However, this time, unlike the initial contract, even though I was in a situation where I couldn’t fulfill the contract at all, the Research Director was acting as if he were a person with humanity.
All of that was evidence that the Research Director was currently watching both me and Do Ganghyun. It was also the reason my condition was recovering smoothly.
“Not yet.”
“Oh my, you’ll get terribly hungry after guiding. Then after guiding is over, how about having a meal with us—”
“That’s enough. I’ll take care of Myeong Eunha’s meals, so don’t get involved.”
Just then, Do Ganghyun quickly stepped forward and sharply rejected the Research Director’s suggestion. It almost seemed like he was on guard with his hackles raised.
This was another one of Do Ganghyun’s changed aspects. He was particularly obsessed with my meals.
‘To call it Korean affection—’
That Do Ganghyun showing affection? It was truly absurd.
More than anything, there was something pathological about his attitude. That was deeply unsettling.
“Is there anything you want to eat? I’ll have it ready so you can eat right after guiding.”
“…You’ll eat together?”
“Then, who else would I eat with if not you?”
‘Right, just like now.’
There was something about Do Ganghyun’s actions that grated sharply on my nerves. Definitely.
There were other changed aspects too.
“The dormitory?”
“Yeah. We’ve imprinted now, and the Center is stepping forward as if they’ve been waiting—there’ll be overseas dispatches from time to time, right? How long do we have to waste time coordinating schedules?”
Do Ganghyun, who had been taking care of my meals and receiving guiding for several days, knocked on my dormitory door from the crack of dawn. It wouldn’t be strange for an imprinted Esper to visit his Guide’s dormitory, but if the subjects were Do Ganghyun and me, it would look quite strange.
Especially suspicious was how he boldly came through the front entrance, leaving an official visit record. And mentioning my living arrangements as the purpose of his visit. His usual-seeming attitude gave the feeling as if he’d never rejected me until now.
For a moment, his past words came to mind—that he didn’t keep me by his side and didn’t stay with me in front of people in order to protect me. At the time, I hadn’t doubted it one bit, but now that everything had gone awry, I knew. That those words were all lies. Hadn’t I learned this painfully while paying quite a heavy price?
However, I didn’t make the mistake of bringing this up again and picking at wounds by arguing right and wrong. Instead, I forced a smile and worried about how to indirectly refuse his suggestion.
Of course, even if he complained about the imprint, his free attitude that seemed to have escaped people’s gazes was welcome. Not just because the bullying and gossip from those around me had disappeared due to Do Ganghyun’s attention turning toward me. I purely liked that his appearance, which had been concerned about his surroundings like an obsession, looked much lighter.
However, separate from that, I didn’t want to move dormitories. If I moved away from the Center, it would be difficult to care for Grandmother, and I didn’t like the situation of becoming completely dependent on him. Drastic changes always brought proportional reactions.
More than anything, I didn’t want to make the mistake of relying on his whims anymore. I was afraid of the environment that would change by moving dormitories, and I already felt sorry for myself, anticipating that I would be swayed by each and every aspect of how Do Ganghyun treated me. I hated the me who would fulfill the expectations of those around me that I would flounder without escaping the starting line no matter what I tried or what effort I made. An ominous feeling arose that if I left this place now, I would never be able to return to where I was.
“I appreciate the offer, but—”
That’s when I was about to voice my refusal. Since I couldn’t reveal these inner thoughts of mine, I was trying to give the most realistic and acceptable reason, when Do Ganghyun quickly beat me to it.
“I’ll arrange a caregiver for the hospital ward. When I’m not around, I don’t care whether you stay there or not. But come home to sleep.”
Home.
The word that came from his mouth felt particularly foreign.
‘Is he saying he’ll let me into his house right now? Not arranging a dormitory for the team I belong to or near his house?!’
I was at a loss for words for a moment. I wasn’t sure if I understood correctly.
The reason Do Ganghyun became a hot topic for associating with Guides other than me was because he’d previously distanced himself from people to a degree close to germophobia. Unlike usual, he kept a Guide close by his side, and continued meeting while having relations at the Center, so it was a situation where rumors couldn’t not spread. I, who had been at the center of that topic, wasn’t much different except for the duration. It meant I also had never set foot in his private space.
‘Come to think of it, from the beginning it was no different from drawing a line, so what was so good about it that I smiled broadly thinking I’d been recognized as a Pair Guide back then…’
And now, Do Ganghyun was saying he would let me into that private domain. That appearance felt infinitely foreign.
He had definitely fiercely rejected me even when we imprinted. But with him changing his attitude like this, his recognition that I’d gained without doing anything made me anxious.
“It would be troublesome for you, so if it’s because of guiding, I’d rather—”
“What’s troublesome is looking for other methods while leaving an imprinted Guide aside. I’ve finally made up my mind to improve our relationship, so don’t be a buzzkill.”
Do Ganghyun pushed forward strongly as if there was no need to hear more and thrust himself into the room. I inadvertently stepped back and then followed after him like a duckling.
The words that flowed from his mouth like a proper argument, when he’d been diligently denying my existence until now, evoked a strange sense of dissonance. However, as if he’d said it sincerely, he was making full use of his ability—telekinesis—to take out and organize my belongings one by one.
“I’ve organized things on one side, so just pack what you need immediately. I’ll have someone handle the rest.”
“……”
“I’ll send you a driver’s contact, so if you need to go to the Guide ward, call him and take the car. Same when you come back.”
It meant not to leave his domain.
I looked at Do Ganghyun with an indescribable feeling, then soon resigned myself and slowly packed my things. Most of my belongings were already in the hospital room where Grandmother was, so there wasn’t much to pack.
I was about to pick up the luggage I’d roughly gathered when suddenly it lifted upward and my body fell backward. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the impact to come—
Thud!
Something hard caught and lifted my back. Needless to say, it was Do Ganghyun.
