Chapter 5: A Bond of Fate

The sincerity in Taewoon’s words gradually dispelled the anxiety that had taken root in my heart, and in its place, trust and conviction began to bloom.

As if to prove his words about falling for me weren’t a lie, he clung to me every day, begging for guiding.

I spent most of my time with him guiding.
Every time our fingers intertwined and I was held tightly in his arms, my feelings for him grew to match his.

Was it because I had come to remember his warm body temperature, or was it because of the interest and affection I was receiving for the first time?
My heart, which had been so far from him it was out of sight, began to rapidly close the distance.

As time passed and my curiosity about Taewoon grew, a new worry arose.

His guiding level continued to drop even when he wasn’t using his abilities.
Worried that there might be something wrong with his body, I cautiously asked him.

“Why do you get guided every day even when you don’t use your abilities?”

“Come to think of it, I haven’t told you, Shinui-ssi. Because of a side effect of my ability, my level keeps dropping if I don’t receive guiding.”

I couldn’t help but be surprised by his unexpected words.
A side effect where his guiding level continuously dropped.
For an Esper, that was a fatal problem.

“Then how have you been managing until now?”

“I controlled it with medication or machine guiding.”

It seemed he had been using artificial guiding because he hadn’t found a compatible Guide until now.
Imagining his difficult past, a wave of sympathy washed over my heart.

“Was it strange that I asked you for guiding every day?”

“No. I was just worried because your level kept dropping.”

“It’s okay now that I have you, Shinui-ssi.”

He rubbed his head against my shoulder like a child seeking affection.
Facing his handsome face looking up at me, my heart couldn’t help but flutter.

“And to be honest, I also ask for guiding because I want to be close to you.”

At his words that he wanted to be close to me, I ended up covering my flushed face.

He whispered that he liked me every day.
As if brainwashed by his words, the longer we spent with our bodies pressed together, the more my feelings for him grew.
And, as he had suggested, I began to think of him as my lover.

He pulled my blushing self into his arms.
I could smell his scent.
I didn’t know what it was, but I liked the smell of his skin.

“I just wish you wouldn’t avoid me, Shinui-ssi.”

“…I won’t avoid you.”

“Thank you. I feel best when I’m holding you like this.”

He always said he felt good whenever I guided him.
The words he uttered in a languid voice sounded incredibly erotic.
I felt like a pervert for thinking such things, but his embrace was too warm and comforting to escape.

I was in his arms, guiding him, when his phone began to vibrate incessantly.
He looked at the screen and quickly answered the call.

“Dr. Yoon is here? Can I go now?”

I found myself eavesdropping on his call.
Soon, he hung up and spoke.

“It seems Dr. Yoon is here. He’s asking us to come for the grade test now.”

He had been waiting for the day of my grade test.
He said that once my grade was confirmed, we could sign the exclusive contract, and I would become his one and only Guide.

I also had a strong desire to become his exclusive Guide, so I hurriedly followed him to the Center.

It was my second visit to the Seoul Center.
I went with him to Dr. Yoon’s research lab.
The Dr. Yoon I met in the lab was a middle-aged man with steel-rimmed glasses, who had a gentle impression like a schoolteacher.

“Guide Shinui, welcome. We’ve been waiting for you.”

He seemed to have already received my data, as he greeted me warmly upon sight.
However, because Taewoon was in such a hurry, we exchanged brief greetings and went straight to the grade test room.

There were several researchers inside the test room, and I felt burdened by all their gazes fixed on me.

Following Dr. Yoon’s instructions, I entered a glass dome about five pyeong in size.

The Guide grade test consisted of three parts.
They measured wavelength power, wavelength transmission, and wavelength propagation.
The higher the grade, the more detailed the data measurement needed to be, so it seemed to take about an hour.

Only the researchers were allowed to be present during the test, so Taewoon waited for me outside.
He encouraged me not to be nervous and to act as I normally would, then went out.
Spurred on by his encouragement, I took the test with more focus than usual.

Dr. Yoon was watching me from outside the dome, checking my condition on a tablet PC.
He asked about my condition or posed questions from time to time, so the hour didn’t feel tedious.

“Esper Hyun Taewoon doesn’t bully you, does he?”

Taewoon, bully me?
He was a considerate and caring person who had never once bullied me.

“No. He’s always very kind.”

At my words, Dr. Yoon let out a disbelieving chuckle.
His reaction, which seemed to dismiss both me and Taewoon, displeased me.

“They say when an Esper meets a Guide with a high matching rate, they fall in love at first sight. I guess it’s true.”

His words reminded me of Taewoon’s confession from a few days ago.
There were times when his confession felt like a lie.
But as if to prove his words about falling in love at first sight weren’t a lie, I could feel the unwavering affection for me in his eyes, and now that Dr. Yoon said it too, my belief grew even stronger.

“Esper Hyun Taewoon has found his first love. But be careful not to fall for him, Guide Shinui.”

It was already too late.
Like him, I had also fallen for him.
I had already come to hold him in my heart, drawn in by his kindness and gentleness.

“If the Esper bullies you, just let me know anytime. I can at least listen to your complaints.”

I knew he would probably never bully me in his lifetime, so I didn’t answer.
At my reaction, Dr. Yoon looked at me with a ‘well, look at this’ expression and then said the test was over.

When I came out after the test, Taewoon was waiting for me on a bench.
We had only been apart for an hour, but I was so happy to see him.

“Shinui-ssi, are you finished?”

“Yes. You must have been bored waiting.”

“Not at all. Did the test go well?”

“Yes. They said it will take a bit more time because the United Nations side also needs to conduct a grade test.”

“Really? It’s obviously S-Class, they’re taking too long.”

He looked at Dr. Yoon, who was opening the door, with a dissatisfied expression.
Dr. Yoon said a few things about the test and that he would contact us when the results were out.
And so, the grade test was over.

Taewoon and I walked towards the elevator with light steps.

“Shall we go buy some furniture?”

“Furniture?”

“Yes. I think the bed is a bit small.”

The bed I had glimpsed in his room was a similar size to the one in my room.
It was wide enough for an adult man, but it might have been uncomfortable for the large-framed Taewoon.

“Okay.”

He let out a small laugh at my words.
The sound of his laughter was so pleasant to hear.

Taewoon and I headed to the department store together.
We looked at the furniture one by one.
It felt like we were picking out things for a new home, and a ticklish feeling spread through my chest.

“Are the two of you going to be using it?”

An employee who had been watching us approached and asked.

“Yes.”

Surprised by his answer, I asked him.

“We’re both using it?”

“We’re about to take our vows, so it’s only natural. Do you want to lie down and see if it’s okay?”

Since our matching rate was high, it was natural for us to live together.
And the Esper & Guide booklet said that Awakened beings who had taken their vows often shared a bed like a married couple.

Since Taewoon and I liked each other, a desire grew in me to enjoy this situation as well.

He was lying on the bed, waiting for me.
I carefully lay down next to him and looked at him.

“How is it?”

“It’s good.”

I was talking about the bed, but it felt like I was confessing to him.
My heart started to pound again.
I avoided his gaze and looked at the ceiling.

“Then shall we decide on this one?”

“Yes.”

Taewoon and I lay on the bed for a while.
The employee who saw us was busy complimenting us, saying we looked good together.

This was a different side of me.
I had always been wary of people and kept my distance, but it was difficult with him.
Perhaps his kindness had broken down the sturdy walls I had built.

We bought the bed and other necessary items and returned home.
The bed was scheduled to arrive tomorrow morning.

As soon as we got home, Taewoon showered and immediately hugged me.
Being with him like this, it really felt like we had become lovers.

“Shall we take our imprinting vows as soon as your grade comes out?”

“Is that okay?”

“Yes. I’m scared another Esper will steal you away.”

“There’s no way they’ll steal me away.”

“If you get an S-Class, you’ll have to do a matching test with other Espers, not just me.”

His words made me finally think about the situation after my grade was determined.
A matching test with another S-Class Esper.
I definitely didn’t want to do that.

“If an Esper with a matching rate over 80% appears, you’ll be obligated to guide that Esper as well. I hope we can take our vows before that.”

The vow was no different from a marriage between an Esper and a Guide.
They had to look only at each other and guide each other for life.
The book he had given me said that taking the vow made guiding easier and that their feelings for each other grew even stronger.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? You don’t want to take the vow with me?”

Taewoon added with a hurt expression, looking at me as if he were disappointed.

“Of course not. I’ll take the vow with you as soon as my grade comes out.”

At my words, he immediately hugged me, thanking me and confessing that he liked me.

His words made my lips relax into a smile.
A man over 190cm tall was clinging to me like a child, craving love, so I couldn’t help but laugh.
How long had it been since I had genuinely laughed?
When I was with him, laughter came out naturally.

If these happy moments continued, I thought it would be good to take the vow with him.
In fact, I wanted to take the vow with him.
I didn’t want to lose him to another Guide either.