Chapter 40: Unexpected Bonds

“Then… if it’s presumptuous of me, I guess I have no choice but to ask you once more, Su-ha.”

Chaewon nodded firmly, as if making a decision, a relieved expression crossing his face. He was glad to have realized something he hadn’t even considered before, rather than feeling hurt by Su-ha’s words.

Honestly, he wondered if it was really necessary to trouble Su-ha just to go outside, but then he thought that living exclusively inside the Center forever wasn’t realistic.

It might be better, he reasoned, to rely on Su-ha for this first experience of venturing into a crowded place as an esper.

Observing how such a noisy environment affected him, and noticing the changes it triggered in himself, could help him prepare for future outings without requiring Su-ha’s constant attention.

Noticing Su-ha’s expression, which seemed slightly uneasy, Chaewon spoke cautiously.

“Then… even if just for a short time tomorrow, I’d like to ask for your guidance.”

Chaewon felt a pang of guilt that Su-ha would have to spend time with him due to his own shortcomings, but there was no other option. He resolved only to stabilize himself as quickly as possible as an esper and reduce the chances of causing trouble elsewhere.

Su-ha, unaware of how his own expression might appear to Chaewon, exhaled softly, holding back a sigh, and replied in a subdued voice.

“Alright. We’ll go out for lunch tomorrow. And…”

That wasn’t really why he wanted to go together. Su-ha had simply attached a reason to his impulsive desire to spend time with Chaewon. Yet, when he tried to pinpoint why he naturally wanted to accompany Chaewon on his day off, he couldn’t find a fully satisfying answer.

He wasn’t concerned that someone might get hurt because of Chaewon. He wasn’t going out of any professional obligation. So why? Why did he insist? No matter how many times he asked himself, there was no clear explanation.

“Maybe we should think about whether there’s anything you’d like to do outside…”

“Yes. I’ll think about it. Thank you, Su-ha.”

“…No problem. Let’s go then. Rest up.”

Su-ha could only offer that customary line and turn away.

He had believed that once he resolved to do his best as Chaewon’s guide, his inner turmoil would vanish, but even now, he still felt this inexplicable awkwardness and discomfort.

He left Chaewon’s room with reluctant steps, unsure if he himself would get any rest despite telling Chaewon to relax.

****

“Something I want to do, huh…”

Chaewon curled up on the sofa, deeply lost in thought. He hadn’t expected this to become such a serious dilemma when the idea was first mentioned. He was now seriously pondering what to do with Su-ha tomorrow.

Alone, he could have done nothing and it would have been fine. He could eat somewhere decent and walk aimlessly all day. For someone who had always lived a tightly scheduled life, even leisurely strolling without a specific purpose felt like a luxury.

If he were to spend the day alone, he might have simply sat on the street watching people, or wandered aimlessly, walking and walking.

But tomorrow, Su-ha would be with him. Chaewon felt that wandering without purpose would likely bore Su-ha. He couldn’t ask someone who had set aside time for him to do something so trivial.

“I don’t really know…”

A sigh slipped out with the thought, honest and unpretentious. Chaewon realized he truly didn’t know how to spend this rare day off.

Then a memory surfaced, he had sometimes wondered about people chatting in cafes.

Having worked part-time at cafes, the space itself wasn’t unfamiliar, but he had always felt a wall between himself and the people seated there. They shared the same space, yet existed in completely different worlds.

People laughing and talking with friends. People seated by the window, leisurely reading books or busying themselves with laptops. People checking their phones while waiting for late-arriving companions, lightly scolding them, then leaving together.

All these moments were entirely unexperienced worlds for Chaewon.

Could he say he wanted to just go to a cafe? To order coffee and sit without worrying about work, without being concerned with other people’s orders?

He rested his chin on his knees, blinking, deep in thought. It wouldn’t matter if Su-ha thought him dull or uninteresting, but he worried whether that time might become burdensome for Su-ha.

Even if not forced, Su-ha would still treat all this as part of the job. And Chaewon felt guilty for asking him to spend his precious day off just to watch him sit in a cafe.

He thought, half-jokingly, that it would have been nice if he had even one friend to contact in such moments. Then he wondered, how much could he reasonably ask of Su-ha?

Su-ha had promised to do his best as a guide, but he wasn’t going to be a permanent guide forever. Not entirely temporary, but not fully a pair either, how bold could he be in this ambiguous relationship?

“This kind of thing is better discussed directly, I guess.”

That thought brightened Chaewon’s face. He decided that after lunch tomorrow, they could sit in a cafe and talk it over. Su-ha would surely not consider that time wasted.

And if he clarified the boundaries of what he could reasonably ask from Su-ha, then in the future, Su-ha would also be able to work with him more comfortably.

Chaewon turned his gaze slightly toward the sunlit window. Sitting comfortably on a plush sofa, watching the sunlight spill into the living room, the moment felt almost unreal.

For a fleeting instant, he wondered if he hadn’t become an esper at all, but had instead died and ended up in heaven. And if that were the case, death didn’t seem so bad. This serene life was something he had only been able to experience after enduring a near-death ordeal.

****

“Together with Chaewon? Really?”

Hearing Su-ha’s report, Ye-seon raised his voice as if utterly surprised. Su-ha’s eyebrows knitted in irritation, he had explicitly told Chaewon to discuss how to spend his day off with Su-ha, and now Ye-seon was acting as if he didn’t know.

Still, he didn’t mind the outcome enough to press Ye-seon on it.

Ye-seon, laughing as if he knew Su-ha’s heart completely, asked again.

“Be honest, Su-ha. Do you regret it?”

“…”

“The way you acted so coldly, I mean.”

“…Yes. That was entirely my fault. I shouldn’t have acted that way. Even if it affected my evaluation, I’d have no excuse.”

Ye-seon frowned slightly. He had meant only to tease him, but his serious response left him disappointed.

Su-ha’s actions couldn’t be called entirely right, but he had trusted that he would reflect on them and correct himself quickly. Ye-seon was confident that once Su-ha changed, he would become the most suitable guide for Chaewon.

What he hadn’t anticipated, however, was that Chaewon’s influence had been far greater than he thought. Su-ha’s temperament played a part, of course, but Chaewon’s actions in this matter clearly had a stronger effect.

“Good. Just make sure you don’t repeat the same mistake.”

“Yes. I’ll get going now, then.”

“…Su-ha.”

Watching him turn, Ye-seon called out suddenly. Seeing the change in his behavior made him wonder if perhaps deeper, fundamental changes had taken place as well.