Chapter 66: The Birthday Party

• [Guide-nim, you know there’s Esper Hyun Taewoon’s birthday party tonight, right?]

“Yes. I know.”

Originally, he wasn’t the type to throw extravagant events like birthday parties.
I had a feeling that he might be doing it because he wanted me to celebrate his birthday.
Maybe not, but it seemed likely.

• [Then I will come to pick you up on time. Please be ready.]

As soon as the call ended, I checked the time and it was 5 o’clock.
So Jinseok would be here in two hours.

Today was his birthday.
I always prepared a cake and a gift for his birthday, but I had never seen him eat the cake I had prepared or use the gift.

I just remember seeing it shoved in a drawer when I went into his room.
I didn’t want to get him a gift anymore, so I hadn’t prepared anything.

“Hyung, do we have to go to Esper Hyun Taewoon’s birthday party today? To be honest, I don’t want to go.”

“Let’s just show our faces and leave early.”

“Okay.”

And so, Wonjae and I changed into suits and went down to the underground parking lot on time.
Jinseok was waiting for us.
The three of us got into the car together and moved to the Association hotel.

Before getting out, I told him that I would be leaving the party early.
I planned to just leave a word of congratulations to him and leave.

When we entered the party hall, he was surrounded by people, which was unusual for him.
I thought it was for the better.

He and I reluctantly approached him.
He must have sensed that I had come, as his eyes met mine as soon as he turned his head.
He smiled brightly when he saw me.

“Guide Shinui, you’re here.”

Even though he was talking to people, he ignored them and came to my side.

“Yes. Happy birthday.”

I said in an emotionless voice.
If it were up to me, I wouldn’t have even wanted to say the words ‘happy birthday’.

“Thank you. I wanted to be congratulated by you the most.”

He didn’t even say congratulations and just stood by my side.
He didn’t seem to care much about him either.

“Don’t you have a birthday gift?”

He said, looking at my empty hands.
I could tell that he was asking on purpose.

“No. We’re not the kind of people who exchange gifts, are we?”

“But I want to receive one. Can’t you give me one now?”

“What do you want to receive?”

I said with a face as if to say, ‘go on and tell me’.
Then he held out his hand to me.

“A handshake.”

I could give him a handshake as much as he wanted, but it was strange that it was a handshake of all things.
In the end, I nodded, and the moment I was about to take his hand, my hand stopped on its own.

A familiar bracelet was on his wrist.

I remembered it because it was the bracelet I had seen on my birthday, and on the day I had died.

“I don’t think I can shake your hand.”

I said, withdrawing my hand.
Then he looked at me with a sad face.

“Why…?”

“Because I don’t want to. Then I’ll be leaving now.”

“Have a meal before you go. There are a lot of reporters, so if you leave right away, an article about our discord will come out. You don’t like such troublesome things happening, do you?”

To be honest, I wanted to get out of here right now, but his words were also right.
I had heard that reporters were interested in me lately.
And also in scandals.

“I understand.”

In the end, I headed to our designated table with him.
I wanted to act nonchalant, but his bracelet kept coming to my mind.
I found my gaze going to his wrist without realizing it.
But I didn’t see anything.
Still, just in case, I asked him.

“Wonjae.”

“Yes?”

“Did you by any chance receive a bracelet as a gift from him?”

“No, I haven’t.”

He said, shaking his head.
He also added that he didn’t want to receive a gift from him.

‘Then who did he get that couple bracelet with? Was there a guide close to him that I didn’t know about?’

Soon, the food began to come out in courses.
The dishes looked quite delicious, so I thought I would finish my meal and go home.

I was chatting with him, drinking some champagne.
He came to our table.

“Shinui-ssi, are you having a good time? The food at this party was prepared with your favorite menu. Please eat a lot.”

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“I wanted to.”

He glared at him with a blank expression, as if he disliked him talking to me.
Despite our uncomfortable gazes, he continued to speak.

“I also prepared desserts with only your favorites. Please be sure to eat them before you go.”

“I understand. Can I continue my conversation with him now?”

“Yes. Then please have a good time.”

I watched him walk away.
At that sight, my throat became dry, and I drank the champagne in one go.
A server quickly came to my side and refilled my champagne.

“Hyung, but I don’t see Sung Yohan today?”

“I guess so.”

At his words, I looked around, but his figure was nowhere to be seen.
Since he and he were not on good terms in the past or present, I thought he might not have come.

He was particularly hovering around me.
It seemed like he was trying to find an opportunity to approach me somehow, so I wanted to leave quickly.

“Can’t we go now?”

“Yeah, let’s get going.”

As I stood up, he approached us as if he had been waiting.

“Are you leaving already? At least stay and watch me cut the cake.”

At his words, I looked where he was pointing, and I saw a 5-tier cake.
I felt a sense of annoyance along with the thought that it was ostentatious.

“Even if you dislike me, you should at least show some courtesy. There are a lot of people watching.”

Just then, a reporter’s camera lens was pointed at us.
In the end, he and I had no choice but to sit down.

Since he, the main character of the day, was also with us, everyone’s attention was on us.
The thought of so many different gazes watching me made my stomach churn.

“I’m just going to the bathroom.”

I barely held back the urge to retch and told him I was going to the bathroom, then hurried out.

I had just come out after vomiting the food I had eaten earlier in the bathroom.
Someone tapped my shoulder.

When I turned my head, my eyes met with an A-Class Esper I had seen a few times when a gate had opened.

He smiled at me and was about to speak, but he suddenly moved far away from me.
Before I could even wonder why, I heard Sung Yohan’s voice.

“Shinui-ssi, what are you doing here?”

The A-Class Esper was eventually overwhelmed by his aura and left the spot, and only he remained by my side, asking with a smooth smile.

“Shall we go to the party hall together?”

Even if I said no, there was only one way back anyway.
Having no choice, I entered the party hall with him.

He sat in the seat next to me, but it was already taken.

“That seat is taken. Please go to your designated seat.”

“But I want to sit here.”

A quick-witted staff member re-set the seat as if it were his, even though it was a designated seat.
S-Classes always received special treatment.
That’s why everyone craved and envied it.

He seemed surprised by his sudden appearance.

As soon as a staff member poured him some champagne, he clinked his glass against mine and brought it to his lips.

“Are you enjoying the birthday party?”

“It’s not fun.”

I drank to wet my throat, wishing for time to pass quickly.

“Everyone’s here.”

I was drinking for a while when Dr. Yoon approached us and we exchanged brief greetings.
He also talked to him, and then he excused himself.

As I continued to drink, I slowly started to get drunk.
I wasn’t a strong drinker, and since it was sparkling wine, it went down my throat quickly, so I think I got drunk.

When I turned my head and looked to the side, he was talking to a guide he was training with.

“Wonjae, I’m going to the bathroom again.”

“Okay, hyung.”

Since he wasn’t here, I didn’t think anything would happen even if I left my seat for a moment.
I glanced around the party hall and then slowly moved to the bathroom.
I must have been drunk, as my legs had no strength.

To sober up, I lightly washed my face and wiped it with a handkerchief.
But I was still drunk.

When I came out, someone called me.

“Guide Lee Shinui.”

When I looked to the side, a man I had never seen before was standing there.
From the camera he was holding, he seemed to be a reporter.

“Who are you?”

“I’m a reporter from AG Entertainment. I came because I have something to ask you.”

I refused because I didn’t want to talk to him while I was drunk, but he persistently asked me questions.

“I heard you’re currently living with Esper Sung Yohan. Are you already imprinted?”

A deep frown formed on my face at the rude reporter’s words.

“I don’t want to answer.”

In the end, I ignored the reporter and was about to go back the way I came, but the reporter grabbed my wrist.
I swatted his arm away and confronted him in the hallway.

Just then, I felt his wavelength right nearby.
I felt a cold murderous intent from his wavelength.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Before I knew it, he had squeezed in between me and the reporter.

“I’ve never seen you before. What’s your affiliation?”

At his appearance, the reporter looked flustered and hurriedly ran away.
At that, he made a call somewhere.

“Find out the affiliation of the reporter who just left.”

I was about to go back into the party hall, but he caught me again.
At that moment, my stomach churned again.

I had felt a little stuffy since dinner, and it seemed I had gotten indigestion from eating.
I closed my mouth tightly and was about to go into the bathroom, but in the end, I threw up in the hallway.

Hyun Taewoon hurriedly bent down to check on my condition.
But my stomach was still not good, and I started to feel dizzy, and at some point, I couldn’t come to my senses.