Chapter 39: What You Don’t Know

“A Guide who doesn’t even carry water.”

“I ran straight here from home, you know?”

The grumbling Tae Seung-jun was so annoying I wanted to smack him, but at the same time, I wondered if I should have brought water.

I guess Guides these days carry water around.

“Are you really thirsty?”

“Aren’t you hot? Why do you keep wearing long sleeves?”

I had come wearing the long-sleeved sweatshirt I’d had on at home.

Tae Seung-jun’s complexion, who was glaring disapprovingly at my long sleeves, was rapidly improving.

His Guiding absorption rate was truly something else.

“I don’t get hot.”

I sat with my back to Tae Seung-jun and focused on Guiding.

As expected, Aran noona had kept my secret.

The day she saw the bruises on my arm, I had begged her with tears in my eyes to just pretend she hadn’t seen anything.

If Tae Seung-jun found out, that guy would definitely tell Chul-soo hyung, and if Chul-soo hyung found out, he would surely distance himself from me.

To be honest, I had also missed the timing to tell him.

I let it slide thinking it would only be once or twice, but eventually, my entire arm became so mottled that I couldn’t show it to anyone.

“What do you mean, you’re sweating so much.”

“It’s because I ran here.”

Even in the cool indoors, the sweat wouldn’t stop.

The sweat running down my back made my clothes feel heavy.

Because I had suddenly entered a crowd, I was breaking out in a cold sweat even after taking my medication.

Since both my hands were holding Tae Seung-jun’s, I wiped the sweat beading on my chin with my shoulder.

Then, not long after, the surroundings fell silent for a moment.

Tae Seung-jun had created a Barrier around the bed.

“You have energy to spare?”

“How did you get here.”

I glanced at Tae Seung-jun for using his ability when his wound hadn’t even fully healed and replied that I came by taxi.

Still, thanks to the chaotic noise from the surroundings disappearing, my chest felt less tight.

“Try not to go around alone if you can help it. The atmosphere at the Center isn’t good these days.”

It sounded like he was saying there would be more Espers rampaging on the verge of outburst, like last time.

The war against the spreading Gates was dragging on into a long-term battle.

“Is it okay not to have a dedicated Guide?”

As if my question was out of the blue, Tae Seung-jun closed his mouth and glared at me with a quizzical look.

“I’m just asking. It looks like you need on-site Guiding too.”

Not all dedicated Guides followed their teams into the field, but only a team’s dedicated Guide could provide on-site Guiding.

If a team didn’t have a dedicated Guide, like Hyung’s team, they had to return all the way to the Center to find a Guide even in an emergency.

“I heard it’s hard to find Guides these days, too.”

“You think it’s any easier finding a dedicated Guide?”

‘Well, that’s true.’

I gripped Tae Seung-jun’s hand, which had acquired many new scars, more tightly and opened my mouth.

“If you need Guiding, contact me. I’ll come out to the Guiding room.”

In my heart, I wanted to provide on-site Guiding, but I didn’t have the confidence.

If I went out there, I would surely cause trouble and become a burden.

As I told Aran noona, if she gave me work to do in Hyung’s stead, I would do it somehow, but she said that wasn’t possible.

She said I couldn’t replace Chul-soo hyung, and that he would never want that either.

“If you ignore my calls, I’m coming to your house.”

“I won’t ignore them.”

Seeing Tae Seung-jun accept immediately without any refusal made the talk of a Guide shortage feel real.

Watching his levels drop steadily just like in the old days, I thought that handling this guy wouldn’t be a problem.

Hwang Gyu-tae Esper might not know, but Aran noona was also a good match for me.

Looking back now, I really had it easy back in Barrier Team 3.

All the team members had high matching rates with me and were cooperative.

Compared to Attack-type Espers, everyone in the Barrier division was definitely an angel.

“The Team Leader asked about Park.”

At the name that popped out of nowhere, my Guiding faltered.

It was a name I had completely forgotten since leaving the team, so it sounded unfamiliar.

Park.

How would Chul-soo hyung know that name?

“Looks like the Team Leader’s rehabilitation therapist used to be in charge of that b*stard back in the day. He asked if there were any other Espers on our team.”

“What did you say?”

“I just said there weren’t.”

As I loosened my grip, Tae Seung-jun held on instead and wiggled my fingers.

In response, I gathered my scattered energy again and sent out Guiding.

“What are you so surprised about. Did you commit a crime?”

I ignored his words, pretending to focus on Guiding.

Hearing a name I didn’t want to recall put me in a bad mood.

He was an Esper I had a so-so relationship with.

After he left the team due to an injury, I also quit the team with Hyung not long after.

My memory of that time is hazy.

“But did you meet Chul-soo hyung? When?”

“Why. Are you jealous?”

“Are you crazy?”

As if I could get jealous over Tae Seung-jun.

In the first place, I never got jealous no matter who Hyung met outside.

I knew well that Chul-soo hyung wasn’t the type to have a wandering eye, so I never even cared when he guarded another Guide for days on end.

Still, it was a little disappointing that Hyung had only asked Tae Seung-jun and not me.

He had never even uttered the first syllable of Park’s name in front of me.

“He still hasn’t told you that you’re Imprinted.”

“Did Hyung ask if we were Imprinted?”

“No, there was just no mention of Imprinting at all.”

This time, I made a genuinely surprised face, but relaxed when he said no.

Tae Seung-jun, who had crossed one leg, looked like he didn’t understand.

“Are you really not going to tell him until the very end? He knows you’re dating and living together now, so what are you so afraid of that you have to hide it?”

“Dating and Imprinting are different.”

I lifted Tae Seung-jun’s watch to check the lowered level.

He was talking more, so it seemed the pain had subsided too.

“How are they different. A lover or a partner, they’re similar.”

“Did you Imprint with everyone you’ve dated so far?”

Tae Seung-jun had no reply.

‘If he had, I wouldn’t be here doing this.’

“You can break up while dating, but an Imprint is for life. How can I say it so easily?”

Of course, I had no intention of letting him break up with me, but the mental burden on the younger Chul-soo hyung would be different, so I was postponing it as much as possible.

It wasn’t a critical situation where I needed to use the Imprint to increase our Guiding contact either.

I just need to maintain this comfortable relationship as it is and wait for Hyung’s memory to return.

Besides, this morning… we even kissed.

“You could just tell him. I don’t get it.”

“If a situation comes up where I have to tell him, I will. It’s not like anything good will come from him knowing about the Imprint.”

“What’s so bad about it?”

“Would he be happy to know he’s Imprinted with a Guide like me?”

“Like you?”

Tae Seung-jun suddenly sat up, then clutched his stomach and lay back down.

“What the hell is ‘like you’? Your personality is f*cking awful, but you treat the Team Leader well. You’re good at Guiding, you take good care of those damn cats, you’re good at housework, and your face is—.”

As if he ate something bad, Tae Seung-jun, who was stringing together compliments, cut himself off at the most important part.

“…My face is what.”

“It’s not like I can’t live with it.”

I got angry looking at Tae Seung-jun, who was staring intently at my face and even frowning.

‘As if his own face is so great.’

“Anyway, stop saying annoying sh*t. You said you were going to make the Team Leader like you. How are you going to seduce him with so little confidence?”

“I didn’t say I’d seduce him. I just said I’d tell him about the Imprint when he starts to like me.”

“It’s the same thing.”

Tae Seung-jun’s expression darkened as he glanced at his wound, the pain likely flaring up from his unnecessary movement.

‘Why did he have to move.’

“Then your promise with me still stands.”

“What promise?”

“If you skip meals or don’t sleep, I’ll spill everything you’re hiding. I have a big mouth, so you better be careful.”

Tae Seung-jun reminded me of a promise that offered him no benefit and issued a warning.

Even though I was the Team Leader’s partner, he was excessively concerned about my well-being.

Then again, Chul-soo hyung is only safe if I’m healthy.

Aran noona and Tae Seung-jun cared for me as much as they cared for Hyung.

Both of them are so consistent, then and now.

“Hey, but have you ever thought that the Team Leader might already know?”

Tae Seung-jun, who had straightened his legs and was now lying down completely, said something unwelcome.

“He’s just as quick-witted as ever, you think he wouldn’t know he’s Imprinted?”

“If he knew, would he stay quiet?”

“If he didn’t stay quiet.”

“Stress is one of the causes of Rampage.”

I answered, condensing a lengthy explanation.

Tae Seung-jun, being an Esper himself, had a look that said he understood well enough.

“I know what you’re worried about, but if you’re going to burn up inside worrying about getting caught, just tell him. It seems like the Team Leader likes you now anyway.”

I know now that he doesn’t dislike me.

At the very least, it seems he’s developed enough of a liking for me to kiss me.

A large part of that is probably due to the attraction of our Imprinted bodies, but I’ve completely erased the first impression of being treated like a pervert.

“Did you hear me?”

“I’m listening.”

Tae Seung-jun, displeased with my lukewarm response, frowned and clicked his tongue.

“The Team Leader isn’t around and your self-esteem has hit rock bottom again.”

It wasn’t wrong, so I didn’t refute it.

I was about to keep my mouth shut, but a thought that had been building up slipped out.

I had only meant to think it.

“What?”

Tae Seung-jun, who wouldn’t miss a small mumble, scrunched his face up.

“Say that again.”

“No… it was nothing.”

“You said it with sincerity. Say it again.”

It wasn’t like I had insulted him, but Tae Seung-jun latched on fiercely.

He was lying motionless in bed, so he wasn’t threatening, but I repeated what I said as he wished.

“Chul-soo hyung never intended to Imprint with me. Happy now?”