Chapter 54: A Kiss in the Snow

As I rested and recovered from my duties in the US, time flew by.
Before I knew it, it was the day of the thank-you party for the Awakened who had come as reinforcements.
Espers and guides from various countries had gathered at the hotel party hall, enjoying the party.

For some reason, all eyes were drawn to one place, and that was me.
The story of me subduing the rampaging Rainer had spread, and a picture of me doing remote guiding on a large number of Espers had been taken by a reporter, unintentionally making me the most famous person in the US at the moment.

Originally, the identities of S-Classes were all confidential, but due to the high level of interest, they were being exposed in real time.
Not only the Awakened but also the citizens were very interested in me.

The Espers I had guided at the gate this time came up to me one by one and expressed their gratitude.
If Sung Yohan hadn’t been by my side, I probably would have been surrounded by Espers.

There was an order from the Association to stay with him during the party to prevent contact from other countries.
At first, I refused, but since it was a different country, there could be dangerous situations, so I had no choice but to allow it.

“Our Shinui-ssi is so popular.”

He said, looking around with a smileless face, contrary to his light tone.
His wavelength was sharper than usual.

I ignored his words and drank the champagne that a staff member had handed me.
I could see Hyun Taewoon in the distance.
He was alone, but there were a few guides around him.

The guides seemed to be hovering around, unable to get close to him due to his cold atmosphere, even though they wanted to.

I averted my gaze from him and turned my head.
He was already talking with people from the American Association.
I discreetly moved to a different spot and leaned against a wall, listening to the orchestral performance.
Then, someone spoke to me.

“You look like you’re having fun.”

It was his voice.
I had felt his wavelength, but I didn’t know he had come up behind me.
I pretended to be focused on the music and answered briefly.

“Yes.”

“That’s a relief. You looked so stifled in Korea, but you look comfortable here.”

At his words, I thought about it and realized that I had felt a sense of relief since coming to the US.
But there was a different kind of stuffiness.
I still couldn’t shake the feeling that I was an outsider here.

“How about you find a guide here too?”

“I don’t have anyone but you.”

“Even if I were a C-Class?”

“Yes.”

Whenever he said it didn’t matter even if I wasn’t an S-Class, I found myself comparing my current grade with my grade before the regression and questioning him.
It was probably because of the many scars I had accumulated.

“I don’t believe you.”

At my words, he was silent for a few seconds, but then he continued.

“Then are you planning on finding a new Esper here?”

“Yes. They’re much more gentlemanly than in Korea.”

“The American Association is much more vicious than the Korean one.”

He said with a serious face, unlike usual.
But no matter how vicious they were, I couldn’t help but think that they would be better than him before the regression.

I didn’t want to deal with him anymore, so I was about to go to Sung Yohan.
Not far away, Rainer was approaching me with two glasses of champagne.
He must have been looking for me, as he raised a champagne glass towards me.

“Shinui-nim, I was looking for you.”

“Rainer!”

“I had something to do today, so I came late. Want to go to the terrace and drink?”

He said, handing me a champagne glass.
At that, I left him behind and nodded.
He seemed to have more to say to me, but I ignored him.

I took the champagne glass he handed me and moved to the terrace with him.
He said in a disappointed voice.

“I’m sad to think that you’ll be leaving soon.”

Rainer’s words, calling me ‘Shinui-nim’, had been bothering me, so I shook my head and said.

“I’m sad too. And just call me by my name, without the ‘nim’. Just Shinui.”

“Is that okay?”

“Of course. We’re comrades in arms.”

I nodded, saying it was fine.
Then he smiled as if he was happy.

“Then you can call me Ray too.”

“Okay.”

He was 5 years older than me, but his friendly tone and actions felt like a friend’s.

“Did you have fun today, Shinui?”

He must not have known the Korean honorifics, as he called me ‘Shinui’ like a friend.
But I had no intention of pointing that out, so I nodded.

“Yes. I’m happy to be at a party like this and to be able to stay in the US, thanks to you, Ray.”

“I’m the one who’s grateful that you came to the US.”

After talking with him for a while, I unconsciously said I was cold.
Hearing that, he told me to wait a moment and went into the party hall alone.

When he came back, he was holding two wine glasses.

“It’s wine?”

“Yes. It will warm you up.”

At his words, I took a sip of the wine, and I could feel the rich, aged grape aroma.
As he said, I felt my cold body warming up.
It was probably thanks to his warm consideration rather than the alcohol in the wine.

I could see a wide garden beyond the terrace.
In various parts of the garden, Espers and guides were enjoying a clandestine meeting.
As I was watching them silently, he said.

“It will snow at 10 o’clock.”

“Really? How do you know?”

“It snows at 10 o’clock on this day every year. Then the couples share a kiss.”

“A kiss?”

“Yes. They say that lovers who kiss under the snow will meet again in their next life.”

“I see…”

There was still about an hour left until 10 o’clock.
I had no one to kiss, but I wanted to see this culture, so I was looking forward to 10 o’clock.

I could see Sung Yohan, who had finished his conversation with the American Association President, approaching from a distance.
He seemed to dislike that I was with him, as he squeezed in between us.

In the end, I had to say goodbye to him and enter the party hall with Sung Yohan.
He looked at me drinking wine and asked.

“How about we go up to our room soon?”

“I want to have more fun. It’s also my last night in the US.”

“Okay. But only until 10 o’clock.”

Since he said it would snow at 10 o’clock, I was looking forward to it even more.
I drank and talked with the Awakened nearby.
The conversation took time because it was through a translator, but it was still enjoyable.

He just stood by my side like a bodyguard and watched me.
And he moderately fended off the people who approached me.
Then, as if he had finally reached his limit, he urged me to return to my room again.

“Shinui-ssi, I think it would be better to go up soon. You have a flight tomorrow, too.”

In the end, I said okay and went up to my room with him.
It seemed he just didn’t like me talking to other Espers.
He was smiling with a completely different expression from a moment ago.

“Good night.”

I heard his good night in front of my room door, went inside, and locked the door firmly.
And I waited until his wavelength receded.

I was glad I could feel his wavelength like this.
Because I could tell if he was moving away or getting closer.

As soon as he disappeared, I went back down to the party hall.
Now, more than the culture, I wanted to see the transparent, pure white snow.

I hadn’t seen snow once this year.

I got some wine at the party hall and went to a corner of the terrace.
But then, the drunkenness hit me hard.

I was slowly swirling my wine glass when it started to snow.
He was right.

I could see the people in the garden and the people in the party hall sharing kisses.
I just stared at them blankly.

It was a strange and romantic scene, like a scene from a movie.

After watching the people for a while, I was about to go up when my body swayed.
I thought I would fall to the floor, but fortunately, someone caught me.
When I looked up, it was a foreigner I had never seen before.

“Can I help you?”

I shook my head and tried to walk on my own, but I kept swaying.
Only then did I regret coming back to the party hall.

The man from before approached me several times, but I refused his help.
I hadn’t taken more than a few steps when my body tilted again, and I was caught by someone once more.

A pleasant, low voice spoke to me.
I think he asked if I was okay, but I couldn’t hear him well.
I leaned against the man’s body and walked slowly.

The warmth that could only be felt from a person was so nice.

I raised my head to see the man’s face, but the hallway light was dim, so I couldn’t see well.

I thought that this person probably couldn’t see me either.

And I felt grateful to this kind person who was helping me.
The wavelength that enveloped me was so gentle that I did something I normally wouldn’t have been able to do.
It seemed my actions had become bold because I was drunk.

I raised my head and pressed my lips against his.
It was a very short kiss.
There were no other emotions in this kiss except for the curiosity fueled by my drunkenness.
I just wanted to experience the American culture of kissing when it turned 10 o’clock.

I was going to end it with a short kiss, but it seemed the other person wasn’t.

The man pushed me against the wall and kissed me deeply.

I had only kissed him and him, and I didn’t even know how to do it properly, but I instinctively intertwined my tongue with his and sucked on his lips.
For now, I just wanted to act as my body desired, putting aside any regrets.