Chapter 30: The Sweet Indulgence of an S-Class Esper

Ryu Yishin led Jung Hanseol into a franchise cafe not far from the company building. Before Jung Hanseol could even wonder about the choice of location, which was a bit unusual for lunch, he found himself standing beside Ryu Yishin, compelled to choose a menu item.

“I’ll have the… beef and cheese sandwich…”

“And to drink?”

“Uh… an iced vanilla latte…”

It was fortunate that Jung Hanseol was somewhat familiar with the menu, having frequented the place before. After reluctantly reciting his order, he quietly observed Ryu Yishin, whose gaze was fixed on the menu board mounted on the wall.

When Jung Hanseol subtly shifted his gaze, he saw the cafe employee at the POS machine, utterly captivated by Ryu Yishin’s striking appearance. The employee stood there, mouth agape, unable to even utter a word to take their order, their eyes locked on him.

Jung Hanseol couldn’t blame them. Even to his own eyes, Ryu Yishin possessed a handsomeness that was truly mesmerizing.

With his distinctive ash-gray hair and light, enigmatic eyes, he had an appearance that effortlessly drew people’s attention. Furthermore, as the nation’s sole S-Class Esper, frequently mentioned across various media, it was highly improbable that anyone wouldn’t recognize him.

‘Being an S-Class Esper with a good family background and a handsome face, it would be perfect if his personality matched up too… but if everything were flawless, he wouldn’t be human, would he?’

“Beef and cheese sandwich, iced vanilla latte, chocolate frappuccino, and a cream puff cake. We’ll be dining in.”

While Jung Hanseol was momentarily lost in thought, Ryu Yishin finally spoke, seemingly having made his decision. Curious about what he intended to eat, Jung Hanseol quickly focused on his voice, only to find himself doubting his own ears.

‘A chocolate frappuccino… and a cream puff cake?’

It was unfathomable that someone who looked as though they would only drink bitter espresso and detest anything sweet had chosen such incredibly sugary items. Just as Jung Hanseol convinced himself he must have misheard, Ryu Yishin completed the payment and slipped his card back into his wallet.

After quickly scanning the interior and locating an empty seat by the window, Ryu Yishin took a step before abruptly turning around.

“Move it, quickly.”

“Ah… I’m sorry…”

Grabbing Jung Hanseol’s hand as he stood dumbfounded, Ryu Yishin closed the distance and stepped forward without hesitation. Pulled by a strong force, Jung Hanseol found himself standing close beside Ryu Yishin, only then realizing the icy coldness of his hand, which made him shiver.

He recalled Ryu Yishin’s hand feeling similarly cold when he had playfully squeezed it before. It seemed there was an unknown connection between Ryu Yishin’s ice-based abilities and his unusually low body temperature.

Meanwhile, Jung Hanseol, practically dragged along, arrived at their seat and sat facing Ryu Yishin at the window-side table.

“If you want to order more after eating, just do it.”

“Yes…”

Perhaps because the round table wasn’t particularly large, Ryu Yishin’s face seemed unusually close. Feeling awkward, Jung Hanseol fiddled with his clasped hands beneath the table until Ryu Yishin broke the silence.

‘Order more before even eating anything? That was an odd thing to say.’ ‘It must be because I looked like a ravenous glutton to Ryu Yishin when we ate together yesterday.’ Hanseol, having reflexively given an affirmative answer, was then hit by a wave of embarrassment, causing him to nervously fidget with the employee ID badge hanging around his neck.

“Ah, I’ll go get it.”

Just then, the vibrating pager on their table buzzed loudly. Jung Hanseol picked it up without hesitation, quickly rose, and walked towards the pickup counter.

On the wooden tray, alongside Jung Hanseol’s order, sat a chocolate frappuccino generously topped with whipped cream and a substantial slice of cream puff cake. Jung Hanseol, still half-doubting, presented the pager to the pickup counter employee, who then pushed the very tray Jung Hanseol had been eyeing forward.

“You can take this. Enjoy your meal!”

Jung Hanseol offered a slight nod to the cheerful employee, still unable to shake his confusion, and picked up the tray. Carefully navigating to avoid bumping into passersby, he returned to their table and subtly placed the tray down, ensuring the chocolate frappuccino and cream puff cake were positioned in front of Ryu Yishin.

Since no one questioned why he had brought items they hadn’t ordered, it seemed those two dishes were indeed Ryu Yishin’s order.

“…”

Before Jung Hanseol could even process how utterly unfitting those menu items were for Ryu Yishin, the man, seemingly oblivious to Jung Hanseol’s thoughts, immediately opened the dome lid of his drink. Without a moment’s hesitation, Ryu Yishin picked up the thick, spoon-tipped straw and took a direct scoop of the whipped cream, generously drizzled with chocolate syrup.

Jung Hanseol, who had been stirring his drink to mix the vanilla syrup settled at the bottom, paused and stared, mesmerized by the unbelievable sight.

‘Whipped cream and the Team Leader… could there be a more improbable combination?’

Jung Hanseol finally put the straw to his lips and took a sip of coffee, then unconsciously scrutinized Ryu Yishin’s expression. The mechanical movement of the straw, faithfully traveling between cream and lips, coupled with his utterly bored expression, certainly made the food look unappetizing.

‘He must have ordered this because he wanted to eat it, so why that expression?’ ‘Was it because it tasted different, worse than he expected? Yet, he seemed to be eating it quite persistently…’

“Team Leader…”

“What is it?”

“…Do you perhaps dislike sweets?”

Thinking it might be wise to at least know one of his superior’s preferences, Jung Hanseol cautiously spoke. Swallowing a generous spoonful of whipped cream, Ryu Yishin looked at Jung Hanseol and replied without a shred of hesitation.

“No, I like them.”

“…You like them?”

“Yes.”

“Ah… I see, you do like them…”

After giving a more agreeable answer than expected, he picked up his fork and brought the cake plate closer, examining it from various angles. Ryu Yishin then carved out a section piled high with cream puffs, promptly put the cake into his mouth, and began to chew with mechanical jaw movements. Of course, he maintained the same expressionless face, as if he were forcing himself to eat something unpalatable.

“Why aren’t you eating?”

“Ah… I am eating.”

Ryu Yishin, who had been cutting another piece of cake, paused and asked, looking curiously at Jung Hanseol, who was still staring at him. Only then did Jung Hanseol hastily pick up his sandwich, open his mouth wide, and take a bite, prompting Ryu Yishin to put down his fork entirely and begin to gaze intently at him.

It was a blatant stare, more akin to dissecting and observing him in detail rather than simply looking.

‘…Why on earth is he looking at me like that?’

Unable to fathom Ryu Yishin’s thoughts, Jung Hanseol couldn’t meet the burdensome gaze head-on, so he averted his eyes downwards and diligently ate his sandwich. The intensity of that piercing stare made his face feel as though it were burning.

As Jung Hanseol hastily gulped down his drink, feeling his throat dry up, and let out a faint sigh, Ryu Yishin haughtily crossed his legs and folded his arms. He still had not taken his eyes off Jung Hanseol.

“Jung Hanseol.”

“…Yes?”

Jung Hanseol placed the drink cup he was holding onto the tray, swallowing hard at the low voice. Despite the flat, unchanging tone, Jung Hanseol couldn’t shake off a faint sense of tension as he lifted his head to look at him.

The first thing he saw was Ryu Yishin’s lips, causing Jung Hanseol to unnecessarily press both hands against his flushed cheeks to cool them down.

“About your guiding side effects.”

“Ah… yes.”

“Tell me exactly what your symptoms are. In as much detail as possible.”

Despite Jung Hanseol’s mounting tension, Ryu Yishin’s question was utterly ordinary. Embarrassed that he had gotten scared for no reason, Jung Hanseol briefly rubbed his nape before slowly continuing.

“After guiding, my body loses strength… and my mind gets hazy, like I’m on the verge of falling asleep. Then I just pass out into sleep… If it’s short, I seem to sleep for about 30 minutes… but if it’s long, I can sleep for a full day or two.”

“Why is there a difference in sleep duration?”

“I’m not entirely sure myself… After lightly guiding one or two people, I wake up quickly even if I fall asleep. But if I guide multiple people, or if the Esper’s condition is bad when I guide them, I seem to sleep longer.”

“If you’re just falling asleep, can’t someone just wake you up? Do they just wait until you wake up on your own?”

“Ah… I asked them to wake me up when I first fell asleep, but apparently, I didn’t react at all. They said I wouldn’t respond even if they called out very loudly or shook me extensively…”

Jung Hanseol calmly answered Ryu Yishin’s questions, recalling past events. After moistening his slightly dry throat with coffee, he subtly glanced up to see Ryu Yishin, still frowning in apparent thought, tapping the table with his index finger.

Jung Hanseol, who had been gently chewing the inside of his cheek, let out a soft exclamation as if something had just occurred to him, then continued speaking.

“And… the side effects were most severe when I guided through physical contact. The first time I tried it, I immediately passed out and couldn’t wake up for two days… That’s why I haven’t been able to do direct guiding since then. It’s a bit scary…”

The dizzying memory of that first attempt at direct guiding, when he had held Jo Jinwoo’s hand filled with intense nervousness, was still vivid. Jung Hanseol gulped down the remaining drink, trying to suppress that memory, then observed Ryu Yishin’s expression.

He had expected Ryu Yishin’s curiosity to be somewhat satisfied by now, but for some reason, his face seemed even more rigid than before he had heard the answers.