Chapter 81: Unwavering Resolve

After Sehyun, who was reluctant to part, was seen off, I headed for the elevator.
Hyun Taewoon’s wavelength was still present, but since he was nowhere to be seen, it seemed he was hiding himself.
In the end, I spoke in a low voice in front of the elevator.

“Hyun Taewoon, come out.”

As if to prove my prediction correct, he revealed himself.
At that sight, I shot at him.

“Why do you keep following me?”

His wavelength was constantly hovering around me.
His overprotectiveness had intensified since the incident in Sector 89.

“Because I’m worried.”

“It’s unnecessary worry. And it’s very unpleasant when you do this.”

“I didn’t mean to make you feel unpleasant. I’m sorry.”

“If you’re sorry, then stop interfering. Do you think I’ll welcome you for acting like this now?”

At my words, his face immediately fell, but I ignored it.

“Even if you dislike me, I have no choice but to do this.”

“Do as you please. But just know that the more you do this, the further apart we’ll become.”

Just then, the elevator opened, and I got on.
Fortunately, he did not follow.

I didn’t want to receive his unnecessary consideration anymore.
Even if he acted like this, my feelings would not change.
I hoped he would realize that quickly and stop approaching me.

Due to the kidnapping incident by the anti-Awakened group, I was minimizing my outings and movements, and trying not to be alone as much as possible.

Since I was an S-Class, the Association was worried that I would be kidnapped again.
Their worry was as excessive as his, and every day was stressful.
Still, Jinseok told me that it would quiet down after a month, so I was enduring it.

In the meantime, the annual guide’s holiday came around.
On this day, guides could legally rest without working.

So I decided to have a meal at a department store and restaurant with Jihwon and Wonjae, who had been through a lot.

The salary and performance bonus I had received from the Association so far were piling up in my bank account.
It seemed to be the same for them, as they started shopping cheerfully, darting around the department store.
I followed them as they looked around here and there.

“Hyung, why are you just looking? You earn several times more than we do.”

Since I had lived a frugal life since I was young and didn’t know how to spend money, I didn’t know what to buy.

But even I would come to the department store once a year and use the money I had saved in my bank account.
That was on his birthday.

Even though he didn’t use the gifts I bought him, I was still happy.

At the kids’ urging, I was finally looking at some items.
I felt his wavelength again.
It wasn’t close, but it seemed to be at a distance.

‘I definitely told him to stop.’

I looked around, intending to give him a piece of my mind if I saw him, but I couldn’t find him no matter how hard I looked.
It seemed he had hidden himself with his ability again this time.
Thinking it was an annoying ability, I cursed him inwardly.

In the end, I couldn’t buy anything at the department store and took the kids to a good restaurant among the ones I had been to with Sehyun.

Fortunately, I couldn’t feel his wavelength at the restaurant.

Jihwon and Wonjae both seemed to be in a good mood, perhaps because it was their first time out in a while, which was a relief.
As we ate, I checked on Jihwon’s complexion.
He definitely looked better than a few days ago.

“Jihwon, how are you feeling these days?”

“I’m resting from training now, so I’m fine.”

“Yeah, you need to rest sometimes. Are you still trying for a promotion?”

“Yes.”

At his words, I was reminded of my past self.
If he was participating in the same project as me, it would be better for him to quit now.
If he continued, his health might deteriorate again.

“Can’t you quit?”

“I still want to continue for now, but I’m worried because my health keeps getting worse.”

Dr. Yoon’s project was certainly effective, but it took a toll on the body.
I didn’t know what would have happened since I had died in the middle, but if I had continued the project, I surely wouldn’t have been in a good condition either.

“I think your body is more important than your grade.”

“I agree with you, hyung. So I’m wondering if I should just take the promotion test this time and then quit.”

“I think it would be better to quit. You can get promoted if you train guiding steadily, so I’ll help you.”

“Really?”

He looked at me with a surprised face, but then his face became one of relief, as if my words had comforted him.

“Of course.”

“Then I’ll just finish this promotion and say I’m quitting.”

“Yeah, that’s a good thought.”

Wonjae, who had been listening to our conversation, chimed in.

“Hyung, help me with my training too.”

“I help you every day.”

“But it’s not enough. I want to become an S-Class too.”

He would probably be able to get promoted to S-Class in about two years.
Or even sooner.

“I’ll help both of you, so don’t worry.”

“You’re the best, hyung.”

“Yeah. And I’m buying dinner, so eat as much as you want.”

At my words, an excited Wonjae and Jihwon started to order more food.
A smile formed on my lips at that.

I wished that this moment would continue as it was, without any more bad things happening.
But then, the devil’s gate came to mind.

If I didn’t leave the guiding shelter when the gate opened, I wouldn’t die.

If I didn’t go out, he might die.
But I would not do the foolish thing of repeating the past.

After dropping Jihwon off at the B-Class dorm, Wonjae and I headed home.
But he, who didn’t want to go home, pestered me to go for a drive.

In the end, we drove around the Han River with him.
Since it was close to midnight, the car sped down the road without any traffic.

And then, suddenly, the events from before the regression came to mind.

I had promised to go for a dawn drive with him, but in the end, we couldn’t.
Even though it was such an easy thing, he never did it for me until the end.

“Hyung, let’s take a break at the Han River park.”

“Isn’t it too late?”

“It’s the weekend tomorrow, so I want to play outside a little longer.”

“Okay.”

I followed the signs and parked the car in the park’s parking lot.
Come to think of it, this was the first time I had come to the Han River park, except for during a gate.

“There are quite a few people here.”

There were people walking their dogs, people jogging at night, and many couples.

He and I sat on a bench under a zelkova tree and looked at the Han River.
I felt a different kind of coziness from when I had looked at the sea from the cruise.

I was staring blankly at the river for a while when he called my name softly.

“Shinui-hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“If I were an Esper, would you have been my exclusive?”

I remembered him saying something like this before.
Perhaps because he had been subjected to the abilities of Sung Yohan and Hyun Taewoon, it seemed he had a great desire for abilities.

But we couldn’t become Espers, and if he were an Esper, I wouldn’t have been able to be his exclusive, as he was like a younger brother to me.
However, since I knew the answer he wanted to hear, I nodded.

“Really?”

“Yeah. But don’t you think we would have to be reborn to become Espers?”

“No.”

At my words, he immediately shook his head and said.
At his firm attitude, my heart became anxious for some reason.

“Actually, there’s something I want to show you.”

“…What is it?”

At my words, he hesitated for a moment and then continued.

“Originally, I wanted to show you when I became more skilled, but I’m so happy right now.”

“What is it?”

“Hold out both your hands.”

At his words, I held out my hands, and he made my hands into a bowl shape and then placed his own hands under mine.

“Don’t be surprised.”

As soon as his words ended, water began to collect in my hands.
As I watched the water gradually fill up, I pulled my hands away from his without realizing it.

The water that had collected in my hands fell to the ground, staining the dirt black.
Looking at that, I asked him in a low voice.

“How did you do that?”

“I can’t tell you the details, but I also have an ability now.”

“So how?”

“It’s a secret.”

At the word ‘secret’, the Association reflexively came to mind.
Since they were also doing the S-Class project, it wouldn’t be strange if there was a project that gave guides the abilities of Espers.

“Are you receiving some kind of strange experiment at the Association?”

“It’s not like that. But I can’t tell you.”

It didn’t feel right.
It really didn’t feel right.
I had a feeling that he was being deceived by the Association.

“Wonjae, I think it would be better for you to stop what you’re doing now.”

“Why? You don’t want me to become an Esper?”

“It’s not like that. It’s artificially made, isn’t it?”

At my words, his brow furrowed, and he averted his gaze from me.

“I told you I can’t tell you.”

“Wonjae, is the reason you’ve been coming home late these days also because of Esper ability training?”

“……”

“Tell me.”

“I told you, I can’t tell you.”

“So why!”

Even when I raised my voice and repeatedly asked, he still avoided my gaze.
It was certain that he had a reason he couldn’t tell me.

“I’m sorry, hyung.”

“This makes me sad. Why can’t you tell me?”

His face was a mixture of embarrassment and depression.
Seeing that, my worry deepened.

“There won’t be anything for you to worry about. And I will awaken as an Esper safely.”

“I’m happy that you have an ability too. But if it takes a toll on your body…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be careful.”

“You can’t quit?”

“I’ll quit if my body’s condition gets worse. I promise.”

Even after receiving his promise, I continued to persuade him to quit all the way home, but he just shook his head.
In the end, even after returning home, I was so distraught that I couldn’t sleep.
What should I do?

If it were him, he would have the makings of a Multi.
Unlike me, he was a real S-Class.
And he said he would quit if his body’s condition got worse.
I wanted to believe his words, but if not…

My head was about to explode with just my own problems, but with Wonjae and Jihwon’s problems added on, I was confused.
But I had to get them out of the Association’s research somehow.