Chapter 3: The Light That Could Not Stand

Ye-seon replayed Chaewon’s test footage on his tablet again and again.

No matter how many times he watched it, he couldn’t suppress his astonishment.

Telekinetics might be rare in Korea, but globally their numbers were by no means small, yet he had never once encountered an Esper who manifested their ability while radiating light in this manner.

Shifting his gaze from the video, Ye-seon turned to the report displaying Chaewon’s test results.

S-rank, Telekinesis-type Esper.

The handful of words describing Chaewon’s ability stood out with striking clarity.

He would have welcomed even a B-rank with open arms, yet this was an S-rank.

Calling it a treasure fallen straight from the heavens wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

However, it wasn’t all good news.

The problem lay in the side effects Chaewon experienced.

On the tablet, the footage replayed the moment Chaewon collapsed unconscious right after moving the ball.

Ye-seon continued reading through the data.

It wasn’t rare for Espers to experience side effects after using their abilities.

Symptoms ranged from mild dizziness or nausea to severe vomiting or loss of consciousness.

Based on preliminary tests, they had already anticipated that Chaewon might suffer from such side effects.

What made his case troubling was that he had used only a very small amount of power, barely enough to lift a light ball, yet still passed out.

Even Espers with severe side effects typically showed such symptoms only after using over 70% of their power.

There wasn’t a single known case of someone collapsing from exerting as little power as Chaewon had.

“Is it because he was terminally ill…?”

Ye-seon muttered with a worried expression.

No matter how exceptional an S-rank Esper might be, if he passed out immediately after using such minimal power, it rendered that strength meaningless.

Just in case, Ye-seon searched for overseas cases of Espers who had awakened after being terminally ill.

But all of them had awakened as F-rank or D-rank at best, offering no useful reference data.

In every sense of the word, this Esper was a first.

Normally, side effects could be mitigated through continuous training, medication, and proper Guiding.

Whether Chaewon would improve the same way remained uncertain.

Until a better solution could be found, which would take time, the best course of action was to identify a training method suited to Chaewon and assign him a Guide capable of caring for him most effectively.

Ye-seon recalled the face of the man who was all but predetermined to become Chaewon’s exclusive Guide, his expression growing even heavier.

Given Chaewon’s lack of physical enhancement, there was no better choice, but for that Guide, it would be like a bolt from the blue.

At that moment, a heavy knock sounded against the closed door.

The force behind it was so solid that the dissatisfaction within was palpable from the sound alone.

Speak of the devil.

Pausing the video at the beginning once more, Ye-seon addressed the door.

“Come in.”

The tall, handsome man who hurried inside was exactly who Ye-seon had expected.

Jin Su-ha, the man slated to become Chaewon’s Guide.

****

Su-ha truly hadn’t wanted to take any interest in that Esper.

He had no intention of becoming his Guide, so why bother learning about his abilities?

All Su-ha wanted was to confirm that the rumor he’d heard was nothing more than baseless gossip.

Yet here he was, sitting across from Yesun’s desk, watching Chaewon’s test footage.

Anyone would be transfixed by the sight of a man emitting a sacred-looking blue light from his entire body.

But the miracle-like glow vanished in an instant, and the Esper collapsed to the floor.

That was where the video ended.

After silently watching Chaewon lying unconscious, Suha finally spoke.

“…Why are you showing me this?”

“What do you think, Su-ha? Isn’t it thrilling? A Telekinetic—an S-rank, no less.”

“The side effects look severe.”

“Exactly. That’s the problem. Which is why…”

At that moment, Su-ha saw Ye-seon’s eyes narrow and gleam.

He knew that look all too well.

Before Ye-seon could continue, Su-ha spoke first.

“I refuse.”

“You don’t even know what I’m going to say.”

“You’re going to tell me to become Lee Chaewon’s pair Guide, aren’t you?”

Su-ha bit his lip, agitation flickering across his face.

If Ye-seon was bringing it up this directly, then the rumor Jeong Jin had heard wasn’t just a rumor.

Ye-seon raised and lowered one eyebrow out of habit, then crossed his arms and spoke calmly.

“There isn’t a single person in the Center who doesn’t know how hard you’ve been working to become Min I-hyeon’s Guide.”

“……”

Su-ha fell silent.

The name Min Ihyeon triggered an immediate reaction.

From the moment Su-ha awakened as a Guide and entered the Center, his goal had been singular, to become the pair Guide of Min Ihyeon, widely regarded as Korea’s greatest Esper.

Min Ihyeon had awakened at fifteen, earning the title of the youngest Esper in Korea.

As if that weren’t enough, he had awakened as an S-rank with dual abilities—wind and water, and was hailed early on as the nation’s hope.

Despite envy and thinly veiled concern that awakening so young would become a shackle, Ihyeon never faltered.

He only grew stronger with time.

Not only were his physical abilities exceptional, but he was sharp-minded enough to devise optimal strategies in emergencies, and his leadership was unparalleled.

The childish phrase “a perfect Esper blessed by God” fit him disturbingly well.

Even as numerous issues surrounding Espers had arisen over the past decade, public support never wavered, largely because of the people’s unwavering love for Ihyeon.

An Esper who could stand proudly anywhere in the world, he remained the nation’s most beloved hero.

Naturally, countless Espers and Guides alike admired him.

Jin Su-ha was no exception.

When Su-ha awakened as a Guide, he had only one thought.

The possibility that he might one day become Min Ihyeon’s Guide, that was the entirety of his joy.

After losing his closest friend and longtime pair Guide three years ago, Ihyeon had relied solely on temporary Guides.

Regardless of their ability, none lasted longer than three to six months before he requested a replacement.

The public pitied him, believing he still hadn’t recovered from the loss, and showered him with even greater affection.

Beneath the surface, competition to become his exclusive Guide was fierce.

Su-ha’s decision to avoid forming permanent pairs, to roam as a temporary Guide, to undergo combat training far harsher than anyone else’s. all of it was for Min Ihyeon.

He pushed himself to the brink, supporting more Espers and handling more fieldwork, to prove that he was capable enough to stand beside Ihyeon without being forcibly assigned elsewhere.

And now, just as he was preparing to request compatibility testing, he was told to guide an Esper who had come out of nowhere.

There was no way he could accept that.

“I understand how you feel. That’s why I’ve accommodated you all this time, you know that, right?”

Ye-seon spoke while observing Su-ha’s stiff expression.

A quiet breath escaped Su-ha’s lips.

He knew exactly why Ye-seon was saying this, and that was precisely why he couldn’t ignore it.

True S-rank Guides were almost nonexistent.

Among them, Su-ha, an elite A-rank with exceptional physical ability, was undeniably the best match for Ihyeon.

Ye-seon was the one who had acknowledged and supported Su-ha’s determination and ability from the start.

He had shielded Su-ha from being forcibly paired with other Espers whenever possible.

Which made it all the harder for Su-ha to dismiss him outright.

In a heavy voice, Su-ha asked,

“Does it have to be me?”

“Yes. For now, it does. You saw it yourself, he collapses the moment he uses his power. He barely received any physical enhancement. His illness is cured, but his body isn’t much different from when he was terminal. And those side effects on top of that…”

“……”

“We’ll do everything we can to minimize the side effects, but compared to other Espers, he’ll always be at higher risk.”

Ye-seon met Suha’s gaze steadily.

“That’s why it has to be you. Not just for Guiding, if he loses consciousness in the field, you’re the only one capable of protecting him and getting him to safety.”