Chapter 62: Not A Vacation

The empty shoe rack and the heavy silence.

As So-won stepped inside, he looked around the interior, where a lonely stillness lingered.

Even though both of his parents were home, the house was excessively quiet.

Perhaps because their only son was gone, the home that had always been full of life now felt hollow.

If it felt like this to him, how much heavier must it be for them?

After all, the son who had suddenly awakened as a Guide had been matched with Kang Tae-woo and left home almost immediately.

“You’ll stay for lunch, right?

I made braised short ribs—you like those.”

“Ah…”

Only then did So-won realize he hadn’t told his parents he would be leaving right away.

He froze halfway through sitting down on the sofa and answered awkwardly.

“Well… I think I need to head out soon.

It’s almost time for my flight.

Tae-woo is waiting outside, too.”

“What?”

So-won’s mother frowned.

It was hard to tell whether it was because he had to leave immediately, or because Tae-woo was waiting outside.

Having barely arrived, So-won sat stiffly, lowering his head like a guilty man.

Haa…

A deep sigh escaped—no one knew whose it was.

It was probably his father’s, because soon after, his father’s stern voice followed.

“So-won, do you really have to go on this overseas deployment too?

I hear it’s an S-rank gate.”

“Guides are required to accompany overseas deployments.

And anyway, I’m not the one entering the gate—Tae-woo is.”

So-won replied cautiously.

But his parents’ expressions didn’t soften.

“Still, you’re the one doing the guiding.

They say it’s harder to guide after an Esper returns from a high-rank gate.”

“That’s true, but—”

“You came back injured last time too.

That was Kang Tae-woo’s doing, wasn’t it?

Did that Esper scold you for not guiding properly or something?”

“…..”

So-won fell silent.

If anyone deserved to be scolded, it wasn’t Tae-woo—it was him.

And the guiding… the problem was that he had been too earnest about it.

He agonized over how to explain, tactfully, that he was the one who couldn’t stop himself from overdoing it, while Tae-woo was the one telling him not to push himself.

“Do you have more injuries on your body?”

When So-won remained frozen as if stuck on a long loading screen, his mother looked at him as though she were about to lift his clothes to check.

In that instant, images of his body—mottled from days of intense guiding—flashed through his mind.

If she saw even a glimpse, the misunderstanding would be monumental.

So-won sprang up from his seat as if fleeing.

“I—I should go.

I’ll miss my flight.”

“Already?”

“Yeah…

Should I buy souvenirs?

I’m going to Canada.”

“There’s no need.

You’re not going on vacation—you’re going to work.

Just don’t get hurt, and come back safely.”

After promising to visit again once he returned, So-won shoved his feet into his shoes and exchanged final goodbyes.

Behind him, as he left the house, a frustrated voice followed.

“They say everyone lives comfortably once they become a Guide, so why did you have to get matched with an S-rank of all things…”

The sigh he heard just before the front door closed made his heart sink, heavy as if a weight had been tied to it.

***

“Did you talk things through?”

As soon as he returned to the car, Tae-woo asked.

So-won swallowed the urge to chatter on about everything that had happened.

Instead, he resolved that next time, he would bring Tae-woo along once his condition was even better and properly introduce him to his parents.

If they knew how gentle he was—what a good person he was—they wouldn’t worry anymore.

They arrived at the airport in less than an hour.

At the entrance, a familiar Association staff member came into view.

It was someone from the management department—the same person So-won had once argued with fiercely.

“Hello.

We’ve been waiting for you.”

The staff member’s gaze lingered briefly on So-won’s oversized suitcase.

Embarrassed, So-won subtly nudged it behind him.

It felt like the suitcase might answer “Yes” if told to go home, then roll itself off to catch a taxi alone.

The guide had said they would be staying in Canada for about two weeks, so he’d packed thoroughly—but it seemed he’d gone overboard after all.

Next time, I should pack simply like Tae-woo, he thought regretfully.

Dragging his suitcase, So-won entered the airport.

He had expected a bustling atmosphere, but the lobby was so empty it felt deserted.

Looking around in confusion, he asked,

“Is this really an airport?”

“Ah, this is the business aviation center.

Celebrities and corporations mainly use it for overseas trips, and S-rank Espers also use it for foreign deployments.”

“Oh… I see.”

So-won nodded.

Though he hadn’t told anyone, this was his first time leaving the country.

The only time he’d ever been on a plane was during a school trip to Jeju Island—and that had been over ten years ago.

He couldn’t even remember what the inside of an airplane looked like anymore.

Nervousness and excitement made his heart flutter little by little.

The departure procedures began immediately, and a flight attendant checked their passports.

Curious about Tae-woo’s photo, So-won sneaked a glance.

He couldn’t see clearly, but it looked like an old photo—there was a faint shadow around his eyes.

As for So-won… he absolutely couldn’t let Tae-woo see his own chubby, awkward-looking photo, so he guarded his passport carefully to prevent even an accidental glimpse.

After clearing immigration quickly, So-won headed toward the plane with Tae-woo.

But when they reached the runway, what awaited them was something smaller than he’d expected an airplane to be.

“A private jet?

We’re taking that?”

“Yes.

When an S-rank Esper goes on an overseas deployment, it’s standard to use a private jet provided by the host country.”

The Association staff member answered his startled question.

So-won couldn’t close his mouth.

There had been no mention of this in the manual.

It only contained basic guidelines and the deployment schedule.

He had read accounts of overseas deployments from A-rank Guides online on the way here, but perhaps because the Esper’s rank was different, everything was already off from the very start.

His first overseas trip—no, his first overseas deployment—was far grander than he’d imagined.

As he stared up at the private jet, unable to hide his excitement, the staff member cleared his throat and resumed the briefing.

“Esper Kang Tae-woo and Guide Lee So-won will land at Vancouver Airport in Canada and then move to the region where the gate has opened.

Upon arrival, a local coordinator will be waiting.

You are to stay with them throughout your time in Canada.”

So-won nodded absentmindedly.

He’d heard it on the first day and read it countless times in the documents.

“Guide Lee So-won.”

Amid the ongoing explanation, his name was suddenly called.

Thinking he was being told to pay attention, So-won looked at the staff member—only to find his tone had grown solemn.

“This is your first overseas deployment, so please take this seriously.

After exiting the gate, there will be about a one-week rest period.

During that time, foreign Association representatives will likely approach you.

They may encourage you to immigrate.

Under no circumstances are you to accept.”

At the mention of possible diplomatic issues, So-won nodded immediately.

But apparently that wasn’t enough—the staff member pressed him for confirmation two or three more times before finally letting him go.

Once onboard, So-won gasped at the spacious, cozy interior.

Despite being a plane, there were sofas and tables.

The seats weren’t the small, stiff ones he remembered, but large, plush individual chairs.

He had worried about the nine-hour flight being uncomfortable, but it turned out to be needless concern.

So-won sat across from Tae-woo and fastened his seatbelt as instructed by the captain.

Soon, the plane sped along the runway and lifted off, the ground slowly shrinking below.

After staring out the window for a long while, So-won suddenly wondered what Tae-woo was doing and turned his head.

Tae-woo was reviewing documents he’d received from the Association staff just before boarding.

“Tae-woo, is that information about the gate we’re going to?”

“Yes.

Would you like to take a look?”

When So-won nodded, Tae-woo handed him the papers.

The moment So-won saw the contents, he fell silent.

It was all in English.

The only thing he could recognize was the term S-rank gate.

Tae-woo is good at foreign languages too, he thought, sneaking a glance at him as he flipped a page.

This one was also entirely in English.

Even though he hadn’t graduated, So-won had attended a fairly good university.

English had been one of his stronger subjects, and even during his carefree college days, he hadn’t been this bad.

Seeing how nothing came back to him now, it seemed the last eight years of staying cooped up indoors had taken their toll.

Pretending to read something he didn’t understand, So-won handed the papers back.

A sudden worry washed over him.

If everything is in English over there, will I even be able to greet people properly?

After letting out a long sigh, he decided he’d just stick close to Tae-woo.

The excitement of his first time on a private jet didn’t last long.

The view of nothing but clouds and ocean soon grew dull.

Tae-woo looked busy reviewing documents, leaving So-won with no one to talk to.

After fiddling with his phone for a while, So-won finally closed his eyes for a short nap.