“Is it livable?”
“Pardon?”
“I heard you imprinted and became the team guide, so it must be livable. I was worried when I heard you flipped the hospital room after imprinting at first.”
I couldn’t readily answer that.
Do Ganghyun and I were in a cold war as soon as we started improving our relationship, and the team members treated me like an invisible person except for Esper Seo Yuseok—was it right to answer that it was livable?
When I hesitated and couldn’t answer properly, Hyun Yoonseo clicked his tongue.
“That’s why I told you to be careful not to imprint.”
“Still, he’s making an effort to improve the relationship.”
“Who? Do Ganghyun?”
‘Yeeees…’ I drew out my words. The current situation wasn’t at a level I could confidently speak about, so even that was at a barely audible level.
Still, there were some grounds I could mention, so I was able to continue speaking without cutting off my words.
“He gave me his house, assigned a caregiver for Grandmother, and takes care of my meals every time. He even packs lunch boxes for me.”
“Oh my, how nice. Someone who cherishes their guide that much lets their guide wander around the Esper building alone?!”
What does that mean?
I tilted my head with a face that didn’t understand. I also didn’t forget to add that normally a driver was responsible for my commute.
“There’s a driver who handles my commute. He brought me today too.”
“…I’m asking just in case, but does Esper Do Ganghyun know you’re wandering around here?”
Hyun Yoonseo asked with a disapproving face. At this point, I also thought something was wrong.
“I left a text.”
“Oh my…”
Hyun Yoonseo groaned and lamented as if his prediction was right.
“Am I going to take all the blame for this again?”
“For what?”
When I asked back, Hyun Yoonseo glanced at me sideways, then eventually sighed and opened his mouth.
“Just as I said. A guide is wandering alone in the Esper building without knowing anything, and the Esper who appears is me. It’s easy to be misunderstood.”
“Who would misunderstand?”
“Everyone here.”
Hyun Yoonseo said firmly.
“Don’t your team members even tell you things like this? Other teams cherish their guides so preciously, afraid they’ll be taken, wrapping them up tightly.”
“Ah…”
I bowed my head with a sigh. Do Ganghyun aside, my relationship with the team members wasn’t one I could say was good even as empty words.
‘They treat me like an invisible person.’
At least it was a small comfort that Do Ganghyun was looking after me in his own way by assigning a driver.
However, since I couldn’t explain these circumstances in detail, I awkwardly changed the subject.
“By the way, what really brings you here? Even though it’s the same Esper building, this is in front of our team’s lodging…”
Hyun Yoonseo looked at me like that steadily, then sighed. It meant he would go along with it appropriately.
“I just came to check because I felt an absurd presence nearby.”
“An absurd presence?”
“You, I mean you. The presence of a guide isolated alone in the Esper building!”
In the end, the topic was back to square one. However, Hyun Yoonseo seemed to think it was meaningless to ask again about the team members and immediately changed the subject.
“You know I was running around like crazy and having a hard time, right? During that historic moment when you two imprinted, I was having a hell of a time saving the researchers’ lives. You do know that, right?”
My face flushed hot at those words. It was because there was a scene that passed by like a panorama at the part about the “historic moment.” It was even more so because Hyun Yoonseo emphasized that part and let out a blatant laugh. Because of that, it took quite a while before I recognized his hardship mentioned afterward.
‘Ah, right…!’
I had completely forgotten. Especially since I lost consciousness and fainted right after the imprint was formed, I had no idea what happened to Hyun Yoonseo afterward. We weren’t in a relationship where we exchanged contact information, and afterward I was so preoccupied with the imprint that I couldn’t even think to check.
“Were you hurt anywhere?”
“Would I have been? My waves just got twisted like hell and I got nagged by the old man. So much so that the old man tried to send me overseas again, discipline or whatever.”
‘If he was going to send me, he would have sent me a long time ago. Where would I go at this point?’ Hyun Yoonseo snorted and ground his teeth, saying let’s see who wins.
Although he spoke lightly, the words about his waves being twisted couldn’t be easily passed over. It meant he had been hit by the aggressive waves of an SS-rank Esper. It would have been quite painful even though there were no visible wounds or injuries on the outside.
Moreover, if Do Ganghyun hadn’t escaped the rampage danger state and had rampaged as is, Hyun Yoonseo would have been the one who had to block him alone at the very front. It meant it was obvious he would have died being used as a time-buyer.
No matter how much he was an S-rank Esper carrying his duty, death wasn’t natural. Perhaps he could have taken refuge in the safest place just for being the Center Director’s grandson. So Hyun Yoonseo heading to where the rampaging Esper was that day, holding his position there, was probably because of me rather than duty.
“I’m sorry.”
I apologized sincerely. When all was said and done, what Hyun Yoonseo showed me was goodwill and kindness. It was the same this time. He had clearly come out of worry after feeling my presence wandering fearlessly in the Esper building.
‘And I was on guard against that inexplicable kindness while also using it.’
For a moment, I recalled Hyun Yoonseo mentioning that I resembled someone. Really, wasn’t this using him while knowing?
“It’s fine. There was no big problem anyway. The old man was just freaking out that he couldn’t lose his one remaining grandson too.”
Hyun Yoonseo looked at me like that, then waved his hand dismissively saying it was fine.
“One?”
“Ah, didn’t I say?”
Hyun Yoonseo, who pondered for a moment, seemed to recall that he hadn’t revealed who he had been thinking of in their last conversation.
“Unlike how I look, hyung has a very tragic story~. A story of my younger sibling dying~. Boo-hoo.”
Hyun Yoonseo wiped his eyes exaggeratedly. He seemed to speak as if it was nothing, but rather, that light attitude gave a heavy feeling.
Moreover, I could see the other ability derived from his flame ability that he mentioned before—the wave that brought stability to the opponent’s mind and body—shaking and unable to find its bearings.
“Is the person you said resembled me last time your younger sibling?”
“…Isn’t it polite not to ask such things?”
“It seemed like you brought it up wanting me to ask.”
“When did I?”
Hyun Yoonseo asked as if he really didn’t know. At this, I pointed at him with my finger and continued speaking.
“Your waves are shaking.”
“Waves?”
“Yes. That… bonfire-gazing skill? The thing that has that effect.”
There was no proper term to use, so I explained it with the most similar meaning.
‘Anyway, he said it was derived from his flame ability, so it’s not wrong.’
As if reading my thoughts, Hyun Yoonseo blankly mulled over my words, then suddenly burst into laughter.
“Puhaha! In all my life, this is the first time I’ve seen someone call this a bonfire-gazing skill.”
“…It’s not wrong though. More than that, I’m right, aren’t I? The person who resembles me is your younger sibling, and you deliberately brought it up wanting me to ask.”
“Well, I can’t say I had no such intention at all, but I suddenly don’t want to talk about it.”
I lost my words with a dumbfounded face.
Reading an Esper’s state or emotions by looking at their waves was my specialty. Do Ganghyun was confusing because his waves and actions didn’t match in most cases, but excluding him, most matched. Excluding Do Ganghyun, it could be said to be close to 100% accuracy.
In that sense, Hyun Yoonseo definitely gave off a nuance of wanting someone to know his story. So even knowing it was rude, I brought it up without reserve.
“For reference, my younger sibling is completely different from you. Very spirited and bright. Wouldn’t make the absurd idea of calling my ability bonfire-gazing either.”
He even says they didn’t resemble me at all now. Unable to follow the flow of the conversation, I just sighed and moved my steps while tilting my head.
“Yes, yes, of course.”
“Wait. I’m not done talking yet? Most of all, that kid wasn’t a guide but an Esper. B-rank.”
“I understand. You really don’t resemble me.”
‘I’ll be going now.’ I firmly cut off and increased my walking speed.
Hyun Yoonseo giggled and immediately followed with his long legs.
“What did you hear from what I said earlier? Let’s go together. Don’t wander around alone in a place swarming with Espers.”
“Esper Hyun Yoonseo is also an ‘Esper.'”
“I’m a bit different from other bastards. I only do it with women, you know? And you’re not taking the shuttle, are you? I’ll ride with you. What, am I giving you a ride in a car?”
Hyun Yoonseo joked around. Getting tired of dealing with him, I closed my mouth.
Come to think of it, the gazes of the Espers who had been following since I started talking with Hyun Yoonseo had disappeared. I thought they were gazes filled with complex emotions like envy and jealousy like in the guide building, but it turned out they had been casting uncomfortable gazes in a different sense.
‘So that’s what he meant by dangerous.’
At the belated realization, I slightly slowed my steps to match pace with Hyun Yoonseo side by side. Sensing this, Hyun Yoonseo laughed loudly once more and whispered softly.
“I’m right, aren’t I?”
