Chapter 47: A Budding Connection

The call from Sehyun came after dinner.
As his name appeared on the phone screen, I felt a sense of gladness, but at the same time, I realized that I still hadn’t contacted him.

“Hello.”

• [Shinui-ssi, this is Cha Sehyun.]

“Sehyun-ssi, I was just about to contact you.”

• [Really?]

He said in a joking tone, as if he couldn’t believe it.
I repeatedly said it was true, pleading that I had indeed wanted to contact him.

“Really.”

He said he would believe me and we exchanged simple greetings.
Relieved at his positive response, I was the one to bring up meeting this time.

“Sehyun-ssi, we should meet.”

• [As it happens, I found a good Korean restaurant. Want to go together?]

“That sounds good. When are you free?”

I wasn’t picky, and I also wanted to try the place he had recommended.
And I felt like if we didn’t set a definite time for our appointment this time either, we wouldn’t be able to meet.

• [How about Wednesday? I’ll come pick you up at the Association.]

“I’m fine with that, but are you able to come to the Association?”

Knowing that the relationship between the government and the Association was not good, I asked cautiously.

• [It’s fine. Then shall we meet on Wednesday afternoon?]

“Yes. I’ll contact you again then.”

After the call ended, I was looking forward to Wednesday.
Since I had only been at the Center, I wanted to meet and talk with someone outside.

The day of the appointment with him arrived.
Today, I brought casual clothes along with my uniform.
Wearing the uniform outside made me stand out too much, and the gazes of the people were burdensome.

As the appointment time drew near, I changed into my casual clothes in the changing room beforehand and checked my phone.
There was a message from Wonjae.
It was a reply to my message saying I had a dinner appointment and to go home first.

[Wonjae: Who’s the appointment with?ㅠㅠ]

[A friend. I’ll be home early.]

[Wonjae: Okay…. Come home early.]

Since we always went home together, he seemed very disappointed.
But the day he would have to live without me was not far off, so it would be better for him to slowly grow distant from me.

As I was coming out of the changing room and leaving the building, everyone I met complimented me, saying the casual clothes also suited me well.
I couldn’t help but feel good at those words.
To be honest, I had paid a little more attention than usual.

When I came out to the main gate of the Center, I saw him leaning against a car, on his phone.

“Sehyun-ssi!”

At my voice, he looked at me and waved his hand.
I hadn’t known him for long, but he felt like an old friend.

As I got closer to him, I felt a gentle wavelength.
From this wavelength, I thought that perhaps he also had a high matching rate with me.

“Shinui-ssi, I was waiting for you. You’re in casual clothes today?”

“Yes. The uniform stands out too much.”

“It suits you well.”

“Thank you.”

I felt even better being complimented by him.
He smiled slightly and opened the passenger door for me.

“Please get in.”

I got into the car he had opened for me and fastened my seatbelt.
He also got into the driver’s seat, fastened his seatbelt, and headed to the restaurant.

“If you hadn’t awakened, I think you would have been a great actor, Shinui-ssi.”

“You’re too kind.”

I thought he should be the actor, not me; he looked that cool today.
I had seen many Espers since becoming a guide, but the S-Class Espers, in particular, were all consistently handsome.
At first, I even had the foolish thought that appearance and grade were directly related.

As we exchanged belated New Year’s greetings, we arrived at the restaurant before we knew it.
It was a restaurant in the style of a traditional Korean house.

Perhaps because we had a reservation, a staff member was waiting for us.
We moved to the private room the staff guided us to and ordered the recommended course.

“This is my first time in a place like this.”

I looked around.
The interior, which captured the elegance of a traditional Korean house, and the furniture, from which a fragrant woody scent emanated, added to the luxury.

“Really? Due to the nature of my job, I visit places like this often. I’ll treat you often.”

At his words, I smiled and nodded.
Seeing my smile, he continued.

“It seems you plan on staying with the Association, Shinui-ssi.”

“For now.”

At my words, he spoke in a low voice, but his eyes were filled with sincere worry for me.

“They won’t let you go easily.”

“Still, I have to try everything I can.”

“As I said last time, if there’s anything I can help you with, please let me know anytime.”

Every time I met him, I couldn’t understand the reason why he would help me without asking for anything in return.

“Why do you say you’ll help me, Sehyun-ssi?”

“I heard what happened when you came to the government last time. You didn’t join the Association because you wanted to, did you?”

“That’s true.”

“That’s why. I’m the type who can’t stand injustice, and I can’t leave you alone because I have a crush on you.”

He said with a smile.
It didn’t look like a fake smile, but I wondered if this smile was really real.

“What do you like about me?”

After becoming an S-Class, people were particularly friendly to me.
So I wanted to know if that friendliness stemmed from my grade or if it was directed solely at the person, Lee Shinui.

“You’re upright, kind, and most of all, your face is my type.”

The last part was a joke.
Hearing his words, it seemed that he was fond of me as a person, not a fondness that included my grade and romantic feelings.

“So you can use me as much as you want. I’m worried because you seem like the type of person who always gets the short end of the stick.”

“Then…. I’ll contact you when I need help later.”

Just then, the dishes began to come out in courses.
He looked at the neatly arranged dishes on the table and said.

“Good. Let’s stop the heavy talk now and enjoy our meal.”

“Yes. Thank you for the food.”

I nodded and ate while talking with him.
Although he was a government official, for some reason, I trusted him.
It was because, unlike other people, he didn’t want anything from me.

After dinner, he took me to the front of my house.
Before we parted, he brought a shopping bag from the back seat and handed it to me.

“This is a gift.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a guide-exclusive vitamin. Take it whenever you’re tired.”

“You even bought me dinner…. I’ll buy dinner next time. Thank you.”

“Okay, then see you soon.”

I only went into the apartment after watching his car drive away.
Strangely, after meeting him, my mind was at peace.

I felt good all the way up to my house, holding the bag with the vitamins he had given me.
And when I arrived home, Wonjae, who must have heard me come in, ran to the front door.

“Hyung, you’re here?”

“Yeah. Did you eat?”

“Yes. I was lonely without you.”

He said in a disappointed voice, trailing behind me as I moved to the dressing room.
He seemed to want to say something.
At his behavior of just glancing at me, I was the one to ask first.

“Is there something you want to say?”

“Well…. Yes.”

“What is it?”

“Hyung… they said you met a government official today. Is that true?”

Since I had indeed met him today, I meekly nodded.
However, I was curious as to how the rumor had spread, so I asked him back.

“How did you know?”

“The security guard saw you in front of the Center.”

It was certain that the Center people could have seen us since we had met in front of the Center.

“Hyung, they said you were trying to move to the government before I came.”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

I nodded and took off my coat, putting it in the clothing care machine.

“Are you going to go to the government?”

“I have no intention of going.”

I immediately shook my head at his words and said.
I had no intention of moving to the government from the beginning.

“Really?”

“Yeah. And the person I met today is a friend.”

“You’re friends with a government official?”

“Yeah. So don’t worry.”

After meeting him today, I felt like he was more of a friend than just a government official.
He probably thought so too, to some extent.

“Still, I think it would be better not to get too close…. I’m scared you’ll go to the government.”

“I told you that won’t happen. Don’t you trust me?”

At my words, he looked relieved.
I always tried to keep the words I said to him.
So, as the time I could spend with him decreased, I felt sorry for him.
Because I couldn’t keep my word that we would always live together.

It wasn’t that I hadn’t thought about leaving the Association with him.
I had planned a situation where he would also leave with me, but if it was difficult for even me, an S-Class, to leave, it would be even more difficult to resign if he, an A-Class, also resigned.
So I hoped that he, at least, would do well at the Association.
As an A-Class guide, he would receive good treatment and be able to live comfortably.

“Then I’ll go and wash up.”

“Okay…”

I put the shopping bag on the dining table and went into my room.
I was definitely in a good mood today.
It was probably because I had met him.

After finishing the morning training, I was resting and cooling down.
There was a knock on the door, and his voice was heard from outside.
I had felt his wavelength from a distance, so I was expecting his visit.

“Shinui-ssi, it’s Hyun Taewoon.”

I was going to pretend I wasn’t there, but since it was obvious he knew I was there, I asked him.

“Why did you come.”

“I came to talk with you. It’s an important matter.”

Normally, I would have told him to go, but after a moment’s thought, I told him to come in.
He always made the excuse of having an important matter, but when I actually listened, it was nothing.
This time, I would properly mock him and embarrass him, so he wouldn’t be able to come for a while.

The closed door opened, and he entered the training room.

“What’s the important matter?”

“I understand well enough now that you dislike me.”

“Is that the important matter?”

“Yes. I kept denying it, but I’ve accepted it. I won’t bother you anymore. I won’t ask you to be my exclusive either.”

A bitter expression flashed across his face as he said that.

“Really?”

“Yes. And since we’re the same grade, we have a lot of opportunities to meet at events and at the Center. I would like you to lift the restraining order.”

“You’re just saying that, and you’re not going to bother me again if I lift the restraining order? You came to me whenever you wanted, even when the restraining order was in place.”

“…That won’t happen. I swear. If I do, please file for a restraining order again immediately. I will accept it even if you have me quarantined.”

In the end, he had come to ask for a favor that would only benefit him again.
I thought I had nothing left to be disappointed about, but my disappointment in his actions grew anew.

Since the Association couldn’t properly restrain him, and as he said, it was also true that it was uncomfortable to keep running into him, it was a fact.
If nothing was going to change anyway, it seemed okay to lift the restraining order by setting conditions with him directly.

“But I have a condition.”

“What is it?”

“Do not approach within 1 meter of me, and do not interfere or meddle in what I do.”

“I understand. I’ll do that.”

“You might go back on your word, so I want to get a properly signed written promise.”

“Yes, let’s do that. I will send the document through my manager.”

With those words, he said he would keep his promise not to approach me and left.
I still didn’t know if lifting the restraining order was the right thing to do, but in any case, I planned to leave the Association within the year.
He could be an obstacle when I resigned, so it would be better to take care of it in advance.

After receiving the written promise he sent later, I asked Jinseok to cancel the restraining order.