Chapter 10: A New Beginning, An Unsettling Feeling

It took approximately thirty-five minutes to drive from the residence to Jaeseong’s school. Throughout the journey, Jaeseong’s heart had been thumping with anticipation, but upon arriving at the school, its rhythm quickened considerably. The school Jaeseong was about to attend was remarkably ordinary. It was a plain, rectangular brown building shaped like the Korean letter ‘ㄴ’, with large windows that allowed a clear view inside, two goalposts on the sports field, and various playground equipment. It was simply an ‘ordinary’ elementary school, the kind one could find almost anywhere. As it was already past school entry time, only one or two students were visible on the otherwise empty playground. Having been informed by Aunt that the transfer procedures had already been handled by the Center and that we could proceed directly to the principal’s office, I stepped out of the car.

“Ah. Wait a moment.”

I halted my steps and returned to the car. Opening the central console box, I retrieved a small cell phone.

“Take this.”

I needed a means to contact Jaeseong. While it wouldn’t matter if someone else could contact him on my behalf, I required a device that could pinpoint his location should he suddenly disappear again, as he had before. The employee who had trailed me through the phone store had recommended several kids’ phones, claiming they were the most popular among elementary students, but with a superior model right before my eyes, I simply couldn’t bring myself to purchase an inferior one.

“I’ve saved my number in it, so call me if anything happens. If I don’t answer, call Aunt instead.”

As I handed him the latest model phone, Jaeseong offered a smile that was almost a grimace. With an expression that made it impossible to discern if he was pleased or displeased, he bowed his head politely.

“…Thank you. I’ll use it well.”

Though I had merely received a thank you, a peculiar emotion bloomed within me.

‘Jaeseong is so good at giving thanks. Oh, what a sweet child.’

I suddenly found myself feeling a surge of dislike for Aunt, who had acted as if she had bought the phone herself, despite it being purchased with my card. I had wondered what was so great about receiving a simple thank you, but now I understood this feeling.

“If you lose it, tell me immediately.”

“I won’t lose it.”

‘I didn’t say ‘don’t lose it,’ but ‘tell me if you lose it’.’ I was about to correct him, but the sight of his face, seemingly pleased as he held the phone, made me decide against it, and I resumed walking.

As classes had already begun, the school interior was exceptionally quiet. Yet, a strange sensation arose from the faint murmurs of children and the lecturing voice of a teacher, carried by my sensitive hearing. Most unfamiliar was the sight that greeted me immediately upon entering: smooth corridors marked with indoor shoe prints and walls adorned with clumsy drawings—a panorama rarely seen within the Center’s educational facilities.

Disregarding the unfamiliar sights, I held Jaeseong’s backpack in hand and headed to the principal’s office on the first floor.

Knock, knock.

“Yes—” A brief reply was heard, and shortly after, the door opened.

Click.

“Ah! Welcome. We were just waiting for you.”

“Hello.”

“Yes, yes. Jaeseong… that’s right, isn’t it? It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Hello.”

A man and a woman, both possessing amiable expressions and gentle demeanors, looking exactly as they did in their photos, greeted us warmly.

‘Not bad.’

This school had been chosen with considerable care. It had taken two weeks to select just one out of more than ten candidates. For a child who had to start everything anew in an unfamiliar environment, ‘school’—a place that occupied more than half of their day—was crucial for developing social skills.

Although there were several schools within a 10km radius of the Center, the reason this distant one was specifically chosen was because it was the most ideal school.

An ordinary school. Ordinary teachers. Ordinary students.

While the distance was considerable, the school environment was good enough to warrant it. Moreover, I was particularly pleased with the principal and the teacher who would be Jaeseong’s homeroom instructor. According to my research, these two individuals were the most transparent among the many candidates.

“I am Kim Yeonsik, the principal. And this is the homeroom teacher for class 3…”

“I’m Jung Sumi. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Hello, Jaeseong.”

Both individuals had made a favorable impression with their demeanor and speech from the outset. While the rest would unfold gradually, I first needed to address the most critical confirmation. Thus, as soon as I was seated, I immediately cut to the chase.

“As you’ve likely already heard, I do not wish for Jaeseong to be improperly exposed simply because I am somewhat ‘special.’ The fact that his guardian is an Esper, and that Jaeseong himself has been living at the Center—neither of these two facts must ever be revealed.”

“Of course. You needn’t worry about that aspect. Only the two of us will be privy to that information. We will keep it a secret from other teachers, including the vice-principal, parents, students, and even our own families. We give you our word.”

“For Jaeseong’s sake, we will absolutely keep it a secret, so please don’t worry. We’ve even signed a non-disclosure agreement.”

The conversation with the two individuals was brief. After a simple exchange of names, the homeroom teacher offered a concise overview of the classes, and I, having concluded my most crucial business, had nothing further to add. With the principal’s brief words of encouragement, our first meeting drew to a close.

“We look forward to working with you.”

“Please don’t worry too much. Ms. Jung and I will ensure Jaeseong adapts well.”

“Thank you.”

“Well then, we’ll head to the classroom now. Jaeseong, shall we go meet your teacher and friends?”

Jaeseong’s awkwardly fidgeting hand reached out and clasped the teacher’s. The child, now wearing his backpack, appeared somewhat subdued. Usually, he would avert his gaze whenever I looked at him, but today, even without my direct gaze, his eyes kept following me. I couldn’t tell if it was intentional, but as soon as our eyes met, his eyebrows immediately drooped.

“I’ll see you again.”

“Yes. Take care.”

“…”

Jaeseong remained silent.

“Jaeseong. You should say goodbye. Say, ‘I’ll be back safely.'”

“…”

Despite the teacher’s prompting, Jaeseong’s thin lips remained tightly sealed. He was clearly anxious. It then occurred to me that after spending several months confined to a hospital, it would be strange if he *weren’t* anxious, suddenly facing entirely new environments—a new home, a new school, everything.

However, it was an unavoidable situation, a challenge he had to overcome on his own. Finally, after several hesitations, his wavering lips managed to utter a few words.

“…I’ll be back.”

‘A strange feeling.’

“Okay. Come out to the school gate when you’re done.”

“Yes.”

He took a difficult step forward. I felt as though watching him leave would be easier, but my own feet found it hard to move first.

I constantly yearned to turn around. ‘Perhaps he hasn’t turned back yet?’ I was tempted to glance over my shoulder, but after several moments of hesitation, I pretended not to notice and kept walking forward. I continued walking, eyes fixed ahead, until I heard footsteps, and then, by chance, I saw the two of them reflected in the corridor window. Through the transparent glass, Jaeseong, holding the teacher’s hand, subtly turned his head several times. His wavering eyes were chasing after me repeatedly.

Truly,

I wanted to turn around.

****

Mondays at the Center were always busier than other days. Despite operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, I could never discern the reason for this particular Monday rush. Accustomed to the scene, no different from any other workplace, I took the familiar elevator up to the seventh-floor examination room.

“Oh? You’re early.”

“Yeah. If I’m too early, should I come back later?”

“No, it’s fine. You’re the first appointment anyway. What does it matter if you’re a bit early?”

Espers receive individual notifications for their regular check-ups according to their scheduled dates. Espers with a Guide must visit the Center once a month, while those without a Guide must visit once a week. Consequently, as an Esper without a Guide, I was obligated to see Aunt once every week. Aunt had been my assigned researcher ever since I was thirteen.

I shed the suit jacket I had worn for the school visit. As it wasn’t a garment I typically wore, the discomfort made it feel suffocating.

‘If I had worn a tie, I would have lost my mind by now.’

“Wow, Junseo, it’s been a really long time since I’ve seen you dressed like that.”

“You saw me at your sister’s wedding.”

“Well, that was last year, so yes, it has been a long time.”

Aunt, clad in a white lab coat, stopped tidying a cabinet and stared intently at me. She scrutinized my appearance from head to toe with a curious gaze, then let out a chuckle, as if amused by some thought. She muttered something indiscernible, like, ‘You look so mature in that outfit. Like an adult. A handsome adult,’ before abruptly posing another question.

“By the way, did you meet the principal and the homeroom teacher?”

“Yeah.”

“You were so particular about choosing the school, how were they when you met them in person?”

“They were fine.”

“That’s a relief. They seemed pretty good when I talked to them too, so there shouldn’t be any problems. More importantly, Jaeseong needs to adapt well.”

The image of the face I had seen earlier surfaced in my mind, but I pushed it away. In truth, I had resisted the urge to turn the steering wheel several times on the way to the Center.

“Did you hear the explanation of the class content?”

“Yeah. Roughly.”

“Don’t just listen roughly, try to listen carefully.”

“I couldn’t understand it even if I did.”

“Alright, my mistake then. I should have just gone myself.”

Something continued to bother me. It was so suffocating and frustrating that remaining still felt agonizing. I entered one of the changing rooms, removed the rest of my shirt, and put on the Center’s uniform. While waiting for another researcher, I sat on a chair and talked with Aunt when, with a beep, my phone, which shouldn’t have rung at this hour, vibrated.

Hanseo Hyung: [You have a check-up today, right? Where are you? I’m at the Center now.]

Upon seeing the welcome message, I immediately asked Aunt,

“Is Hyung having a check-up today?”

She, who was pulling out a chart from a corner, exclaimed loudly,

“Oh, that’s right! Both Hye and you probably have check-ups today.”

Fortunately, the clock on the wall indicated a time much earlier than the scheduled appointment. Feeling that I had about thirty minutes until my check-up, I picked up my phone and stood up.

“I’ll go down to the sixth floor for a bit.”

“Okay. Got it. You two haven’t seen each other in ages. Hanseo is always so busy that he doesn’t even make time for a meal, even though he comes to the Center once a month. Ask him to have lunch with us later. Oh! And while you’re there, get your guiding too.”

“Alright.”

As Aunt said, it had been quite a while since I had met the sender of the message. We always had to arrange meetings separately because we couldn’t meet in the same field, and for a while, I had been too preoccupied with Jaeseong to contact him first.

Even as I descended the stairs to another research lab, the discomfort I had felt earlier did not dissipate. At first, I thought it was due to the clothes, but even in the uniform I had worn for years, the nagging sensation refused to vanish. It wasn’t external; it was internal. What I was feeling now was not Jaeseong’s anxiety, but my own.

I felt like I was going crazy.