Chapter 42: The Test

Today was the day of Wonjae’s matching test with the S-Class Espers.
Naturally, I was reminded of the day of Hyun Taewoon and Wonjae’s matching test in the past.

I remember not being able to eat properly or sleep that day.
And from that day on, my relationship with him became awkward, and I spent my days trembling in fear that my exclusive contract would be terminated if the re-test results came out high.

I thought I might feel that same fear this time, but I was fine.
Rather, I hoped that his and Wonjae’s matching rate would be high.
But on the other hand, I felt a sense of guilt, as if I were placing the burden of him on the still-young Wonjae.

He and I waited for the Espers to arrive in the matching test waiting room.
He was also nervous, as he couldn’t sit still and kept fidgeting.

“Hyung, I don’t want to do the matching test.”

“Why?”

I asked back at his unexpected words.
He then continued with a worried face.

“If it comes out high, I’ll have to live away from you, hyung.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll live just like we do now.”

“Then that’s a relief…”

He looked relieved at my words, but he was still worried.
Since I had been in the same situation, I could somewhat understand how he felt.

“Just do it comfortably and come back.”

He nodded his head silently at my words.
An researcher approached us, as if the Esper had arrived.

“Guide Joo Wonjae, please come into the matching test room.”

Even at the researcher’s words, he was still sitting with a face that said he didn’t want to go.
In the end, only after I told him to go, he got up listlessly and moved to the test room with the researcher.

His first matching test partner was Sung Yohan, and the next was Hyun Taewoon.
I could feel his wavelength nearby.

I had been told by the Association in advance that he would be coming today, so I didn’t care whether he came or not.
And unlike at first, I was fine even when I saw his face now.

The matching test took about 10 minutes, so it proceeded quickly.
He, who had finished the matching test with Sung Yohan, came out of the test room and approached me with a lighthearted face.

“They said it was 26%.”

26%.
As expected, it seemed difficult for even an A-Class to have a high matching rate with an S-Class.

“They said the next one is with Esper Hyun Taewoon.”

For a moment, his voice became cold, and his expression also changed to a cold one.
He must really hate the matching test, I thought.
Thinking about taking matching tests in a row, I also wouldn’t be happy, so I could understand his feelings.

“Let’s finish the test quickly and go home to rest.”

He nodded and leaned his face on my shoulder.

“I’m tired even though I just guided for a little bit.”

“I was like that too.”

I was patting his body and comforting him when suddenly the waiting room door opened, and Hyun Taewoon appeared.

He flinched at the sight of me and him, then glared at him.
I frowned and looked at his rude behavior.

Now that he was here, the second matching test would begin.
I whispered in his ear.

“Go and do it quickly. I’ll be waiting.”

“Yes. I’ll finish quickly and come back.”

He stood up and walked past him.
He glared at his face and then looked at me.
The moment his gaze landed on me, I whipped my head away.
He, who saw me, finally closed the door cautiously and left.

After he went to the test room, I checked the time anxiously.
He didn’t come back even after 10 minutes.

In the end, I came out and waited for the results, pacing in front of the matching test room.
Before long, he came out first.
Seeing that, I went inside.

He was talking with Dr. Yoon.
From what I could gather, he was telling him not to be discouraged.
He, who noticed me come in, finished his conversation with Dr. Yoon and came to my side.
Unlike Dr. Yoon’s dark face, his face was bright.

“They said it was 17%.”

17%.
It was the same matching rate as in the past.

“Just three more tests and it’s over.”

“Yeah…. Let’s just endure a little longer.”

At Dr. Yoon’s call, he went back into the test room, and I sat in the waiting room and waited.

If his and his matching rate was 17%, there was no way they would become an exclusive pair.
It would have been possible if he were an S-Class, but he was an A-Class now.
With this, he would become even more obsessed with me.

I held back a sigh and waited for him to return.
It was only after an hour that he came into the waiting room.

“Hyung, you waited a long time, didn’t you?”

“No. Did you do well?”

“The matching rates are all similar. None of them are over 30%.”

“One will appear someday.”

“I don’t need one to appear. I want to stay with you like this.”

He whined at me and said let’s go home now.
At his tired face, I immediately called Jinseok.

“Manager-nim, Wonjae’s test is over, so we’re going home.”

• [Wait at the main gate. I’ll be there soon.]

“Okay.”

At his words, he and I headed for the main gate.
He was still leaning on my body, using the excuse of being tired.
Since the matching test was done through guiding, it must have been a difficult task for him, who was not yet used to handling his wavelength.

I patted his shoulder and said I would help him with his guiding training next time.
At my words, he was happy and asked me to help him tomorrow.

A smile came to my lips at that.
In the past, I had disliked him for being by his side, and to be honest, I had tried to keep my distance until recently, afraid that he would become his exclusive.
But now, he just felt like my real younger brother.
This change was surprising and strange.

A-Class gate appearance alert rang while I was doing guiding training with him.

Although he was an A-Class Guide, new guides had to train for three months before they could enter a gate.
He was disappointed and told me to be careful.
I received his farewell and moved to the guiding shelter.

As soon as I arrived, I changed into my special combat suit and checked the gate situation from the central waiting room instead of the team’s exclusive room, looking for Sung Yohan.
But he was nowhere to be seen, only him.

Before long, the gate opened, and monsters poured out.
And as always, he used his abilities ruthlessly.
My brow furrowed at that.
If he did that, he would have to spend a whole day receiving machine guiding.
The words ‘stupid b*stard’ came out of my mouth on their own.

Fortunately, since it was a low-level A-Class gate, it seemed the gate would close without taking a long time.

As I had expected, when he and the team leader Espers focused their attacks on the boss monster, the monster writhed in pain.
Soon, the boss monster’s face was split in half, and the gate door closed.

I could tell that the final blow was Sung Yohan’s ability.
When the gate closed, the Espers dealt with the nearby monsters and began to return to the shelter.
He also came into the shelter.

“Shinui-ssi, please guide me!”

We could just go to the guiding room, but he took my hand as if to show everyone.

“Let’s move to the Center guiding room.”

“I’m tired. Can’t we do it here now?”

“I said let’s move to the guiding room.”

He, who had come into the shelter at some point, must have heard us fighting and came closer.

“She said she doesn’t want to.”

He said, taking his hand off mine.
A surge of annoyance rose in me at his heroic act.
In the end, I changed my attitude and held his hand tightly and said.

“I never said I didn’t want to.”

At my words, he grinned and held my hand in a clasp, showing it to him.
He looked at me with a deep frown and then finally told the shelter manager he was returning and went outside.

“Let’s go to the guiding room as you said, Shinui-ssi.”

He said, putting his lips to my ear.
I pulled my hand away and glared at him.

“I won’t be guiding today.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want to. If you want to be guided, get help from a machine.”

I said that and went into the team’s exclusive room.
He followed me persistently.

“Please guide me.”

“I said no. You don’t need it since you’re in the calm zone.”

I said, showing him my Guiding Watch.
Just then, the guiding shelter also moved to the Center.

“You’re so cold, Shinui-ssi.”

I no longer answered and waited for us to arrive at the Center.
As soon as we arrived, I walked towards Jinseok’s car, which was waiting for me at the main gate.
I could feel his presence following behind me.

Thinking that I had been too cold to him, I finally turned my head back and said.

“I’ll guide you after afternoon training tomorrow.”

“Really?”

“Yes. So don’t rush me anymore.”

He smiled brightly at my words.
Feeling that he didn’t look so bad, I got into Jinseok’s car.
Before I knew it, a faint smile was also on my lips.