Chapter 40: A Calculated Distance

The parking lot was quiet and deserted.
Looking at the neatly arranged cars, I walked to Jinseok’s car, which had now become a familiar sight.
Perhaps because I had slept well, I was able to greet the workday with a cheerful mood.

As I got into the passenger seat, Jinseok greeted me with a smile.
After a simple morning greeting, the car started moving, and the mundane scenery flowed past the window.
We chatted in a comfortable atmosphere.

“I think your reputation in the Awakened community has gone up even more because of yesterday.”

“The community?”

“Yes. Haven’t you seen it?”

“I don’t use the community.”

When I was a C-Class, I used to get information from the community, but now that I had become skeptical of the Awakened system and was planning to resign, I no longer felt the need for it.

“There are a lot of posts about you in the community lately. There are no bad words, only good ones.”

Perhaps because I was an S-Class, unlike when I was a C-Class, the public’s interest showed no sign of stopping.
Since I wasn’t the type to enjoy people’s attention, the gazes pouring down on me were burdensome.

“Thanks for letting me know.”

“I like that you’re popular.”

At his words that he hoped I would become more popular, I silently wished to live a quiet life.

After arriving at the Center, I headed to the changing room to change into my training clothes.
While I was changing, my phone started to buzz.

Few people knew the phone number I had received from the Association this time, so I felt a sense of wonder as I looked at the screen.
It was an unknown number.
I debated whether to answer the unfamiliar number, but thinking it might be an urgent matter, I ended up answering the call.

“Who is this?”

• [……. ]

The other person didn’t answer my question.
Feeling a sense of unease, I was about to hang up.
Hyun Taewoon’s voice came through.

• [Have you been well?]

He asked cautiously, hesitating.
I was dumbfounded that he was contacting me even while he was on probation for the rampage incident.

“How did you get my phone number?”

• [It’s easy to find out a number.]

Come to think of it, he had also found out my factory address.
My current phone number would have been easy to find out if he knew someone at the Association.

“Will you stop acting like a stalker?”

• [I’m sorry. I wanted to thank you for helping me last time. I wanted to tell you in person, but I’m on probation….]

“I didn’t help you because I wanted to.”

• [I know. And I heard about yesterday.]

If it was about what happened yesterday, he was probably talking about me helping the B-Class Esper.

• [Why do you guide a B-Class but not me?]

“Because I dislike you, Hyun Taewoon-ssi. I don’t want to help you because I dislike you.”

• [What part of me do you dislike? I’ll fix everything.]

A sigh escaped me as I grew tired of his behavior, thinking only of himself without considering my feelings.

“You might have died if it weren’t for me this time. How about you find another S-Class Guide instead of doing this to me?”

• [……. ]

“As I’ve said every time, I don’t want to talk to you. Then I’ll hang up.”

• [Shinui-ssi.]

“Don’t call me again.”

I hung up the phone just like that.
How nice would it have been if he had treated me well before I returned to the past, if he was going to be this desperate?

As expected, I had to look for a way to nullify the Association’s contract.
And also how to regain a normal life after terminating the contract.

The call from Sehyun came not long after I had dinner.
It was the first time he had contacted me since the welcome party.
Feeling a sense of nervousness for some reason, I cleared my throat and answered the phone.

“Hello.”

• [Hello, Shinui-ssi. This is Cha Sehyun. Do you remember me?]

“Yes, I remember you. What can I do for you?”

• [I heard you came to the building while I was on a business trip.]

When the call came from him, I had guessed he would talk about this.
I had gone to the government with the thought of meeting him in mind.
I thought he would help me, and I thought I could talk comfortably if there was someone I was acquainted with.

“Yes.”

• [Would you be willing to talk with me again? I can do whatever you wish.]

“On the condition that I become a government guide?”

• [That would be it, but I will make sure that there are no unfavorable conditions or bad situations for you.]

“I can’t trust you.”

My first impression of him was good, so I perceived him as a good person, but since I only knew his appearance, I couldn’t completely trust him.

• [I should have been there then…….]

“I have no intention of going to the government anymore.”

• [Still, if there’s anything I can help you with, please feel free to tell me.]

“There is nothing right now.”

• [Then, how about we have a meal together comfortably this time, without any talk of the Association or the government?]

“A meal?”

I thought I would never meet or have anything to talk about with him again, so I was surprised that he was suggesting a meal, unlike me.

• [Yes. I won’t talk about scout offers or the Association or the government. Please contact me at a time that is convenient for you. Anytime.]

He added that there would be no awkward situations for me either.
Even though it was a situation where I should refuse, I ended up saying okay.
After the call ended, I stared at my phone for a while.
Unlike the Association or the government, which had tried to hold onto me without listening to my story, I felt that he was listening to me and being considerate.
It might have been an act, but that was a big reason why I accepted the meal offer.
For some reason, I was looking forward to the meal with him.

Lately, the number of Sung Yohan’s training sessions had increased significantly.
This week alone, it was already the fourth time he had come to the guiding room.

When I was guiding him, since we were alone, the silence was extremely awkward.
As time passed, it became harder to accept his demands, and I even felt uncomfortable.

“Just a hand is not enough.”

“I think a hand is enough.”

I was gradually getting tired of his words that a hand was not enough every time.
His demands were growing day by day, and a situation was approaching where I could no longer continue the guiding.

“We haven’t even entered the calm zone for 30 minutes.”

“That’s because you’re using your abilities unnecessarily, Esper Sung Yohan. Your training hours are long these days.”

“You knew?”

“Yes. Why are you doing that?”

I said, frowning slightly and looking at him.
He then leaned towards me and answered with a shy face.

“Because I wanted to see you.”

“I have my own schedule too.”

I answered briefly and checked my Guiding Watch.
There were 10% left until the calm zone.
To be honest, I wanted to stop and leave right now.

“I think I’ll be in the calm zone right away if you hug me. Or we’ll probably fill up an hour like this. Which is a good thing for me, though.”

It was difficult to stay with him for a long time until he reached the calm zone like this, so I held out my arms to him.

“Just this once.”

At my words, his face brightened noticeably.
I put both my hands on his shoulders and hugged him.
Then he put his hands on my waist and pulled me towards him.

“What are you doing!”

“Second-level contact guiding.”

“It’s too close.”

“You probably don’t know because you just became a guide, but this is how it’s usually done.”

I had lived as a guide for three years and had done guiding training hundreds of times.
This was not a guide and Esper’s guiding; it was more like a lover’s embrace.

“Don’t lie!”

“It’s true. Check the guiding level.”

At his words, I looked at the Guiding Watch, and sure enough, the guiding level had already gone up by 1%.
At this rate, I could finish in 10 minutes.

‘Damn it.’

“You smell good, Shinui-ssi.”

“Don’t smell me.”

Despite my words, he buried his face in the nape of my neck.
I endured it, thinking I just had to hold out for 10 minutes.
And as soon as the notification that he had reached the calm zone rang, I pushed him away.

“Can’t you do it more?”

“No. And from now on, I will only do guiding twice a week.”

“Shinui-ssi, that’s too much.”

“You can just get machine guiding!”

I said bluntly and put on the uniform jacket that was hanging on the hanger.
He had a dissatisfied face with his lips pouted.

“I like you better than the machine.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

I no longer answered his words and left after saying he had worked hard.
As I was heading to the elevator, I felt his wavelength.
Come to think of it, it was time for his probation to end.

Since the S-Class exclusive guiding rooms were gathered on this floor, there was an unavoidable point of contact.

His wavelength was flowing from the door in the middle of the hallway.
It was more irregular and unstable than usual.
As I reflexively approached the door, I saw that it was a machine guiding room.

He had lived with a combination of medication and machine guiding even before returning to the past, and he had suffered from severe insomnia.

In the past, I had felt pity for him, but now, I felt nothing.

Before long, his wavelength got even closer.
I hurriedly headed for the elevator.
Fortunately, the elevator was stopped.

I got into the elevator and pressed the close button.
At the sound of the door closing, I looked up, and I saw someone’s silhouette in the narrowing gap of the door before it quickly disappeared.
Could it have been him?

I wanted him to give up on me and find another guide.
Then, Joo Wonjae’s face suddenly came to mind.

Joo Wonjae was supposed to awaken in three years, but if I found him sooner, I might be able to move up the time of his awakening.

To get rid of the current him, I needed him, Joo Wonjae.