“Stop it, it’s dangerous.”
“Hold on. This is all training. It requires delicate control.”
Something was off about Yu-geon. He often levitated objects with telekinesis to improve his precision, but today he looked completely spaced out. His eyes had no focus. He was always a bit odd, but today he was especially so.
Training with his mind elsewhere? Maybe he really did have a nightmare.
“Huh…”
Yu-geon sighed deeply. He seemed troubled, as if something was weighing on him. Did he have something on his mind?
I felt a pang of curiosity but quickly dismissed it. I didn’t want to get involved in his issues or deal with unnecessary fatigue. Ignoring him further, I focused on charging the guiding crystals again.
Charging the crystals involved contact, but the principle was the same as regular guiding, so the wavelengths inevitably spread into the air.
To minimize wastage, I charged the crystals in the capsule. The capsule was soundproofed, making it exceptionally quiet. I liked this silence.
If only he weren’t here. No, I should think of him as just air.
Annoying, childish air.
“Sa-weol.”
“……”
“What did you do over the weekend?”
“……”
The air speaks. I completely ignored him.
“I actually went home and had dinner with my family…”
He continued to talk to himself despite my silence.
“It was nice to have a meal with the whole family after a long time…”
“……”
“What do you think of me?”
I was trying hard to erase his presence from my mind when he suddenly asked.
What was he talking about? He enjoyed a meal with his family, so why ask what I thought of him? Did I miss something?
“What do you think of me as a man?”
He clarified when I didn’t respond, pinpointing his question.
I answered without much thought. It wasn’t a question worth pondering.
“I find you annoying.”
“Annoying…”
“You’re useless as an Esper and as a man.”
“Useless… Yeah… You’re on Han-gyeol’s side, after all.”
Most of what he said was nonsense, but today he seemed even worse. He looked mentally exhausted.
Worried he might be ill, I placed my hand on his forehead with the hand that wasn’t holding a crystal. Maybe his physical state was causing his instability.
“Aren’t you on my side?”
His soft brown hair slipped through my fingers. His eyes, previously lifeless, slowly met mine with a desperate look. His light brown eyes seemed especially sorrowful today.
“What are you talking about? Speak clearly.”
“You’re my pair, so you prefer me, right?”
Yu-geon’s forehead was warm but not feverish. In fact, compared to his usual high body temperature, it was lower.
‘No fever, so why the nonsense?’
I pulled my hand away from Yu-geon, who was persistently demanding my attention.
“How about Han-gyeol?”
Why bring up Han-gyeol’s name? His nonsense was becoming more irritating.
“Talking isn’t part of training, so shut up.”
“Are you on Han-gyeol’s side?”
“If you keep bothering me, I’ll kick you out.”
“Just answer this. Are you on my side or Han-gyeol’s?”
His grip on my wrist tightened. I didn’t know exactly what was bothering him, but it seemed he wanted reassurance.
“If I have to choose a side…”
Yu-geon focused all his attention on my mouth as I spoke. The crystals he was telekinetically spinning slowed down. He seemed to expect a certain answer from me.
“Han-gyeol’s side.”
But I had no intention of giving him what he wanted. Instead, I added more to irk him because he was particularly annoying today.
“You’re not even worth comparing to him.”
Clatter.
The crystals he was playing with fell to the floor, as I had expected.
“I told you it was dangerous.”
I glared at Yu-geon, who wore a sullen expression. He caused the accident, and now he looked upset?
“If you’re going to treat the crystals carelessly, I’ll give them to another Esper.”
“No way!”
“If you keep being annoying, I’ll cancel the pair.”
“Who says?”
Canceling a pair required mutual agreement, just like when the pair was requested. That’s why he acted so brazenly. Yu-geon, looking displeased, snatched the crystal I was charging and stood up abruptly.
“I hate you.”
Then he stormed out of the capsule. His retreating figure looked like a wounded heroine from a romance comic. It was absurd.
Broken crystal shards were scattered on the floor. If he was going to leave, shouldn’t he clean up the mess he made?
I expected him to go to the training center after leaving the capsule, but when I finished charging the guiding crystal and came out of the capsule, he was standing by the door. His face still wore a sulky expression.
Ignoring him with a weary look, I headed to the cafeteria. It was lunchtime.
Yu-geon, familiar as always, sat next to me. When another Esper greeted me with a nod and tried to sit across from me, Yu-geon threw his jacket onto the seat.
“This seat is taken. Sit somewhere else.”
The other Esper moved away under Yu-geon’s challenging glare. After that, Yu-geon skipped training and missions to stick to me like glue.
He bared his teeth at anyone who tried to talk to me. I thought his crazy behavior would end in a day, but it continued for a week.
“Why are you doing this? Back off.”
“Don’t mind me. Think of me as air.”
“There’s no such thing as air this big!”
Despite his large build, his behavior was utterly childish. I wondered if he was retaliating because I said I was on Han-gyeol’s side. To get rid of him, I even told him I was on his side, but it didn’t help. He completely isolated me from other Espers.
“Wow, Sa-weol, long time no see. I heard you’re raising a dog these days.”
“A dog?”
“Your pair. He growls at any Esper who gets close to you.”
Yura, the captain of the Phoenix team, approached me. Yu-geon’s antics had apparently become known to other teams.
“He’s not a dog. He’s a completely self-centered mutt.”
Yura, an A-Class guide, had come to see Han-gyeol for some business and was waiting in the Alpha team office.
The title of captain was given to those who had served for at least five years and demonstrated excellent rank and abilities.
Having worked at the center for a long time, I was acquainted with most captains.
“But where is he? I wanted to see him.”
Yura had been away on a mission for a month. Though she said she had business with Han-gyeol, it seemed she was also curious about Yu-geon.
“I guess he went to the bathroom.”
As expected, Yu-geon came running back, shaking water off his hands. As soon as he arrived, he clung to my side and glared at Yura.
“Hey, greet her first. She’s the Phoenix team captain.”
“Hello.”
“Hi.”
If it had been any other captain, Yu-geon’s attitude would have been scolded for being rude. But Yura just laughed lightly and waved.
“Don’t be so wary. I’m a guide. You’re Han-gyeol’s younger brother, but you don’t look alike.”
“You know my brother?”
“Of course.”
“Are you friends?”
“Friends?”
Yura rolled her eyes and gave a mysterious smile. She leaned in close to Yu-geon and whispered playfully.
“No. I’m Han-gyeol’s office wife.”
Yu-geon jerked back, covering his ears, looking flustered.
“Really?”
“Don’t joke with him.”
At that moment, Han-gyeol entered the office.
“Yura! How have you been?”
Han-gyeol playfully tapped Yura on the head with a folder and led her to his desk. Yura clung to Han-gyeol’s arm, laughing and chatting. They seemed close even from a distance.
Their expressions grew serious, and they moved to the conference room. It seemed they had something important to discuss.
Yu-geon watched them and then asked me belatedly.
“Are they in a relationship?”
“In a relationship? What do you mean?”
“Office…wife?”
Yu-geon blushed as he repeated Yura’s words.
“She was just joking.”
“Oh, really? Does she have a pair?”
“Yes. She just guides with Han-gyeol often because they have a high match rate.”
“Oh… And her pair doesn’t mind?”
“Do you think everyone is like you? It’s a business relationship. Yura’s partner is someone else.”
“What?”
Yu-geon looked shocked. It’s not so unusual these days.
The main criteria for pairing were match rate and rank. If those matched, they would pair up.
Finding someone with a compatible match rate itself was difficult.
The chance of pairing with someone who also matched personality-wise was rare, so it often didn’t lead to romantic feelings.
In the past, pairs would inevitably lead to marriage, but now it’s common for awakened individuals to have separate pairs and romantic partners.
I also thought it was an outdated idea. In my case, Yu-geon had a high match rate, but I didn’t feel anything for him as a man.
“Is it true Yura’s back? Where is she?”
Ji-han came rushing in, out of breath. He spotted Yura and Han-gyeol in the glass-walled conference room and sighed heavily.
“Ah! I’m late.”
“Why?”
“Yura had a big fight with her pair during the last mission. She might be looking for a new pair.”
As Ji-han spoke, Ji-soo pulled up a chair and joined us, munching on snacks.
“If she came straight to see Han-gyeol, isn’t she looking to pair with him? Their match rate is high.”
“Oh… that’s a reasonable suspicion.”
Alpha team members gathered, enjoying the speculation.
“If Yura requests to pair with Han-gyeol, he wouldn’t have a reason to refuse.”
“Right. Sa-weol is already paired with Yu-geon. Their ranks match well.”
“But isn’t it the first time for two captains to pair up?”
“If they pair up, it’ll be quite the talk.”
“Oh, I’m doomed.”
Ji-han lamented, regretting he was too late. Ji-soo teased him, saying he wouldn’t have had a chance even if he arrived earlier.
Yu-geon, who had been listening, tapped my arm. When I looked at him, he gestured for me to come closer, so I leaned in.
“Are you okay?”
“About what?”
“About Han-gyeol pairing with someone else.”
