Chapter 6: Unexpected Courtesies

“Is the food to your liking?”

Jungwon blankly watched the knife move through the air. With elegant precision, Kang Seokjoo sliced his steak as he asked.

“…Yes, it’s delicious.”

Though Jungwon hadn’t had time to truly taste the pasta in their mouth, they nodded instinctively.

Kang Seokjoo smiled with a look of satisfaction.

“That’s a relief.”

The words he spoke now echoed a similar sentiment he had expressed in the car earlier.

Jungwon, not quite sure what they were saying, simply replied, “‘Indeed.’”

Honestly, they were utterly bewildered.

Upon arriving at the restaurant parking lot, Kang Seokjoo had stopped the car, asked Jungwon to wait for a moment, and then personally opened the passenger door for them.

When they entered the building, he held the door open; at their table, he pulled out Jungwon’s chair.

His manners were simply unbelievable.

The fact that these courtesies seemed ingrained in him, performed with such natural ease, was even harder to fathom.

****

Even A-rank Espers possessed extraordinary abilities that transcended human capabilities.

Though perhaps a bit lacking in some areas, A-rank Espers affiliated with national agencies were no different.

They could conjure torrential rain from a clear sky or trigger earthquakes from barren land.

However, S-ranks operated on an entirely different plane.

During an interview with an S-rank Esper who commanded water-related abilities, a journalist once jokingly asked if it was true they could dry up Lake Superior overnight. The Esper, with a serious expression, shook their head and famously replied, “It would take three days.”

While the interview might have contained some exaggeration, it nonetheless demonstrated the Esper’s confident assertion that they could indeed dry up a lake spanning over eighty thousand square kilometers.

The saying that an F-rank Esper was a firecracker while an S-rank Esper was an atomic bomb wasn’t just hyperbole.

There was a clear reason why private company employees and the general public alike naturally fawned over them and showered them with attention.

S-rank Espers became accustomed to such treatment from the moment their test results were confirmed.

Moreover, their immense power often came with severe side effects, leading many to suffer from chronic pain and develop utterly foul personalities.

In fact, up until now, it had been a hundred percent of them.

Every single one was so arrogant they wouldn’t even pour their own water.

‘But what exactly was this man?’

‘Even acknowledging that people vary, was it truly possible for an S-rank Esper to display such impeccable manners to someone they’d just met today?’

Jungwon admitted they were perhaps overly on edge, more than strictly necessary.

Yet, even setting aside the fact that he was an S-rank Esper, it seemed unlikely that anyone short of an exceptionally well-mannered individual would go to such lengths, even on a blind date.

‘A blind date…’

It was a term that had never once appeared in Jungwon’s life, and one they hoped would never appear in the future.

Even the mere thought of Kang Seokjoo as a potential date sent a shiver down their spine.

Jungwon inwardly shook off the unsettling thought, then glanced up at Kang Seokjoo’s face.

Kang Seokjoo, gently maneuvering his knife, asked with perfect composure.

“For something so delicious, your expression hasn’t been very pleased. Shall I call the chef?”

While he certainly displayed astonishing manners, it seemed an Esper was still an Esper; giving orders came quite naturally to him.

‘Call the chef out just to give them a hard time? Was he trying to torment someone to death?’

“There’s no need. I’m just a little tired.”

“Right. You seem to have been quite busy with work.”

Kang Seokjoo nodded as if understanding, but Jungwon felt the need to ascertain if his words were laced with any hidden displeasure.

After all, it was Jungwon’s busy schedule that had dictated their meeting today, and it was Jungwon who had delayed their appointment time.

Fortunately, Kang Seokjoo’s expression remained perfectly neutral.

Gazing at his face, which held a simple, unadorned smile, Jungwon asked, “Are you not busy, Kang Seokjoo-nim?”

Rather than pondering the most suitable honorific, Jungwon simply chose one that was exceedingly cautious.

Seokjoo replied.

“I’ve been calling you Jungwon.”

Jungwon gazed at him with an expression that clearly asked, ‘So what?’

Seeing their expression, Kang Seokjoo widened his eyes slightly and chuckled.

“Do you intend to keep addressing me that way for months?”

“Understood. Kang Seokjoo-ssi.”

Though Jungwon didn’t openly frown, their questioning gaze clearly showed displeasure.

Changing an honorific wasn’t a difficult task.

Jungwon simply nodded.

Even so, their stiff tone did little to bridge the distance between them.

Kang Seokjoo didn’t press the matter further and continued the conversation.

“I am busy, yes. I only recently returned to the country this time, which is why I have a bit of free time now.”

‘“This time again” implied he frequently traveled abroad.’

If that were the case, it made sense that Jungwon wouldn’t have known of his existence.

“Was it an overseas mission?”

“Yes, in Mexico.”

Jungwon asked for confirmation.

As someone who consistently refused all overseas missions, Jungwon deliberately avoided paying attention to foreign affairs.

It was only natural they would be unaware of his circumstances.

While it would have been typical to inquire about his work, Jungwon refrained from asking any further questions.

“You must have been tired.”

“As for jet lag, I’m quite used to it by now.”

Kang Seokjoo replied with a smile.

Jungwon stole a glance at him.

It felt like the first truly conversational exchange they’d had since actually meeting Kang Seokjoo.

They were just beginning to shake off the feeling of being overwhelmed.

As Jungwon scrutinized his face, almost as if exploring it, Seokjoo asked.

“Is there something on my face?”

The fact that he noticed immediately, even with his gaze fixed on his meal, suggested he was sensitive to being watched.

Jungwon, unflustered, asked.

“Are you curious?”

It was hardly a conventional response.

Kang Seokjoo, perhaps taken aback, paused the movement of his hand.

Yet, his reply came swiftly.

“Yes, I am curious.”

“Coincidentally, I also had something I was curious about. Shall we exchange questions, one by one?”

Hearing his compliant answer, Jungwon stated matter-of-factly.

Kang Seokjoo’s expression grew peculiar once more.

Jungwon met his gaze with an unperturbed, unwavering look.

After silently observing Jungwon’s face for a moment, he let out a soft chuckle and replied.

“Haha… Then, I suppose I can change my question, right? I’m not *that* curious about what might be on my face.”

The choice of “I suppose I *can* change it, right?” rather than “Can I change it?” subtly revealed a facet of his personality.

In any case, Jungwon only needed to hear his answer.

The nature of the question that would be returned to them was of little consequence.

Jungwon nodded, and Seokjoo offered a faint smile.

“You go first.”

Jungwon conceded the first turn, as if granting a favor.

Though they couldn’t be certain, he seemed like the type who would readily answer Jungwon’s question once they had asked theirs first.

“Hmm… How old are you?”

After a brief moment of deliberation, Kang Seokjoo asked.

‘It felt like an extremely Korean question.’

Jungwon suspected he might have been more curious about what was on his own face, but nevertheless, they answered.

“I’m twenty-eight.”

“So you’re one year older than me.”

The words left Kang Seokjoo’s lips the moment he heard the answer.

‘This, too, was an extremely Korean remark.’

Jungwon glanced at his face again.

They repeatedly wondered if they were truly conversing with an S-rank Esper.

“That wasn’t what I asked.”

When Jungwon retorted with a feigned coolness, Seokjoo lightly nodded.

“Right. I just said it to myself.”

“…”

“Ask your question.”

Although Jungwon had merely given a harmless answer to a rather pointless question, they somehow felt outmaneuvered by him.

Yet, they weren’t exactly displeased.

Unlike Kang Seokjoo, Jungwon posed a question that was closer to an inquiry, just as they had planned.

“Have you ever received a mission like this before?”

“‘A mission like this’ is rather broad.”

Kang Seokjoo, having set the stage, continued speaking before Jungwon could elaborate.

“If you’re referring to long-term overseas missions, then yes, I have. My recent trip to Mexico was precisely one such case.”

While Jungwon was curious about that, they were more interested in asking if he had ever gone on a mission with only one Guide.

“Rather, regarding the number of personnel—”

“I believe one question has concluded.”

Kang Seokjoo smoothly cut Jungwon off. Jungwon looked at him with a peculiar gaze. They had expected him to continue being agreeable, but this time, he drew a line. While Kang Seokjoo’s intentions were unclear, it was Jungwon’s own mistake. They shouldn’t have been so vague. Jungwon readily conceded.

“Understood. Ask your question.”

“What’s your blood type?”

Seokjoo asked without hesitation. Jungwon had thought he had some important question, cutting them off like that. Instead, it was Jungwon who answered with some reluctance.

“…It’s B.”

In the past, there might have been a method of classifying personalities by blood type, but this was an era where genetic traits like Esper and Guide were paramount. Jungwon had never met anyone who asked their blood type until today. They knew it because they’d been tested, but its significance remained elusive.

‘Is he after my blood? But blood transfusions aren’t even possible between Espers and Guides.’

It was such an unexpected question that Jungwon found themselves entertaining such an absurd thought. Seeing Jungwon sitting there with an expression like they’d bitten into a sour persimmon, Seokjoo let out a small laugh.

“Alright, Jungwon-ssi, your turn again.”

This turn of events made Jungwon feel as if they, too, needed to say something that would catch him off guard. However, Jungwon maintained their composure and calmly posed the question they had planned.

“Have you ever been on a long-term mission with only one Guide, in this manner?”

It was a seemingly innocuous question, yet Seokjoo surprisingly responded with a slightly defensive look.