DMG Chapter 4 (Part 3)

He couldn’t understand why the other Espers were taking so long.

“Waaah! Goom!”

While he was still trying to lure the bear monsters, a child’s innocent voice suddenly came from nearby. Kang I-won instinctively turned his head toward the sound.

A child appeared from an alley, standing behind the bear monsters. The child, holding a bear-shaped stuffed toy, waddled towards them.

“Goom!”

The bear monster, seeing the child approach with arms outstretched, suddenly stopped and shifted its focus to the new target.

The bear monster halted and raised one of its paws. From the fluffy paw, three sharp claws emerged, completely out of place for such a soft-looking appendage.

“Se-young! No!! Se-young!!!”

The child’s mother, emerging from the alley, saw the situation too late and rushed toward her child.

“Mom?”

The mother enveloped her child in her arms, but the bear monster’s toy-like paw, now resembling a brutal bear’s, came crashing toward them. Immediately after, a horrific pain dug into her back.

“Kuuh…”

The sharp claws of the bear monster scraped across Kang I-won’s back, where he had been holding the mother and child. The claws were so long that they likely grazed his internal organs, and blood began to spill from his mouth. With difficulty, Kang I-won managed to speak.

“Quick, run…”

“Th-thank you. Thank you…”

The child’s mother, holding her child tightly, hurried away while the terrified child sobbed in her arms. Kang I-won turned his head to look behind him. The fluffy paw of the bear monster was getting closer.

Thud! Before Kang I-won could even try to escape, the bear monster’s paw slammed into him, crushing him to the ground. He felt every bone in his body crack, and in that instant, he lost consciousness.

With Kang I-won’s broken body left behind, the three bear monsters began fighting. The food was too little to divide among them, so they started fighting to claim the prey for themselves.

In the short time it took for Kang I-won to regain consciousness, his body slowly began to regenerate. However, the process was painfully slow. His condition was largely due to the fact that he had kept his guiding to a minimum, intentionally keeping himself in a state of deficiency.

Each time he used his ability, the strain was intense. His heart raced painfully.

The three bear monsters continued to fight viciously, which, for Kang I-won, was fortunate.

As he kept regenerating, Kang I-won paused, then carefully reached into his pocket. The guiding medication was broken and unusable, but the crushed painkillers were still viable.

While Kang I-won was discreetly taking the painkillers, he witnessed something he shouldn’t have seen.

Heo Do-gyeong was walking toward him. Why wasn’t he evacuating? What was he doing here? Was this Guide out of his mind?

Kang I-won silently gestured for Heo Do-gyeong to go away, trying not to provoke the monsters, but Heo Do-gyeong ignored him and kept walking.

One of the bear monsters turned its head. It had spotted Heo Do-gyeong walking toward them.

Kang I-won was still struggling to maintain his balance due to incomplete regeneration. But what could he do? This insane Guide seemed to be asking for trouble.

As Kang I-won, struggling to stand, tried to step forward to protect Heo Do-gyeong, a loud thud came from behind him. He turned his head to look.

The bear monster had stopped, as if something had blocked its path. Along with that, a loud voice echoed.

“Sorry I’m late!! I was dealing with the monster!!”

“Stop talking and start catching it already!”

Finally, the Esper had arrived. Only then did the tension drain from Kang I-won, and he collapsed onto the ground. His battered body made even standing up seem impossible.

Heo Do-gyeong, who had approached, knelt down beside him and took his bloodied hand without hesitation. Feeling the unfamiliar sensation, Kang I-won turned his head. It was bare-handed.

In stark contrast to his own blood-soaked hands, Heo Do-gyeong’s hands were neatly manicured, even his nails. The sight made Kang I-won feel a bit embarrassed.

“…My hands are dirty right now. I know you don’t like dirt.”

“…What the hell, are you saying that now?”

Heo Do-gyeong seemed to be holding back something, his words forced out before he immediately began guiding. As he did, the overwhelming fluctuations in the air began to calm down.

The continuous guiding made Kang I-won’s stomach churn and itch. It felt as though his heart was being scratched from the inside, and he wished Heo Do-gyeong would just put on gloves.

Perhaps due to the prolonged lack of sleep, his mind grew hazy as he received the guiding, making him feel as if he were drifting in a dream. His body relaxed from the tension, and the muscles, once stiff, began to loosen as his regenerative abilities took effect.

The pain accompanying the regeneration was still there, but he barely managed to stay conscious. Still, he felt more and more lethargic. He didn’t want to feel like this. He wanted to resist the guiding, but he didn’t have the energy to do so. Instead, weakness made him want to cling to it even more.

With the feeling that he might lose consciousness at any moment, Kang I-won started speaking aimlessly.

“Why did you come here, risking your life like that?”

It was a dangerous and foolish action for a Guide to enter the scene while the monster was still active. He hoped Heo Do-gyeong would never do such a thing again.

If Heo Do-gyeong had died, the blame directed at Kang I-won for allowing it would have been overwhelming. The thought alone was horrifying.

“…”

“If those people had been a little later, it would have been a big problem…”

“Shut up.”

Heo Do-gyeong growled a warning. At his words, Kang I-won closed his mouth and, with his hazy mind, tried to figure out why Heo Do-gyeong was acting this way. What was going on with him?

The fogginess of his thoughts made him realize belatedly that his current state wasn’t great, and that it wasn’t a good look for a Guide to see him like this.

Heo Do-gyeong had freaked out just because his legs were briefly hurt. He could understand that reaction—it was shocking—but he still thought it had been foolish.

As the guiding continued, a warm sense of relief began to envelop Kang I-won. It felt too good now, and he couldn’t resist it any longer.

Slowly closing his eyes, Kang I-won surrendered his body entirely to Heo Do-gyeong’s guiding. A thick, dark energy wrapped around him.

And then, darkness.

* * *

Kang I-won was moving farther away, and Heo Do-gyeong was frozen in place, unable to do anything.

Why is he going? Even if he does go, there’s nothing he can do. Can he endure the monster’s attacks like Han Kang-jin, whose body is as tough as steel? No. Can he strike from a distance like Choi Soo-bin or Kim Young-ho? No.

He can’t endure with his body, and he can’t deal damage either. With only regeneration, what can he possibly do?

It was laughable and absurd that someone who could do nothing was trying to act like a righteous Esper.

Heo Do-gyeong’s experience as a Guide was still only two years, which was relatively short.

However, in the early stages, he was part of a team, and to assist an S-rank Esper in urgent situations, he had gone into the field, protected by other Espers.

Because of those experiences, Heo Do-gyeong had seen and heard a lot for a Guide. That’s why he couldn’t understand Kang I-won’s choice.

Espers without physical enhancement abilities, regardless of their rank, tended to be cautious with their bodies. The rank of an Esper was determined by their abilities, not by their physical strength.

While it was true that Espers had stronger bodies than ordinary people, they were still human. They didn’t have skin as tough as a monster’s steel-like hide.

An Esper’s body could still be torn, cut, and pierced by a monster’s attack. That’s why every team included Espers like Han Kang-jin, who possessed physical enhancement abilities. Without such abilities, one could not withstand a monster’s attack in hand-to-hand combat.

Of course, even with that ability, they weren’t invincible. Espers who went out into the field with physical enhancement abilities were required to wear protective gear. This applied to even S-rank Espers.

For others, wearing protective gear was optional, but many Espers, even those with long-range abilities, chose to wear it.

The main reason they were so cautious was the absence of healing abilities.

In games or novels, there were always characters who could heal others’ wounds with their powers. They were often referred to as ‘healers.’

But this wasn’t a game or a novel, and ironically, unlike dealers, tanks, or other specialized classes, there was no healer.

An Esper who used poison could neutralize it, but that was it.

There was no ability to instantly heal the injuries an Esper sustained. Similarly, there were no healing potions.

So, how exactly do injured Espers receive treatment? There’s no need to think deeply about it. Espers receive the same level of treatment as ordinary people.

For small wounds, they apply medicine, for larger wounds, they are stitched up, and for more serious injuries, surgery is required. The only difference is that, due to their enhanced physical abilities, recovery and regeneration are a bit faster, but otherwise, it’s no different.

For this reason, many Espers are cautious with their bodies. Their most valuable asset is a healthy body, and no matter how strong an Esper is, once their body is damaged, it cannot be repaired.

Because of this, Heo Do-gyeong couldn’t understand what he was seeing.

He watched as Kang I-won observed the bear monster, picked up a shard of glass from the ground, and deeply cut his own forearm. There was no hesitation or reluctance in his actions. No matter how much regeneration he had, the pain wouldn’t disappear, so how accustomed was he to this kind of act?

Heo Do-gyeong remained silent, still watching Kang I-won.

Kang I-won was bleeding from his forearm as he lured the three monsters. There was no pain on his face from the injury, nor any fear of the monsters. He seemed to be acting purely out of a sense of duty, as if doing what he had to do was the most natural thing in the world.

Kang I-won should have just avoided it. With only his regenerative ability, he ended up getting severely injured while trying to protect an ordinary person. On top of that, his whole body was crushed by the monster’s paw.

The blood that spilled from Kang I-won spread messily around him. It was so thick that it felt like the smell of blood was lingering in the air, even from a distance.

This time, Heo Do-gyeong thought that Kang I-won was probably dead. How could anyone survive after being in such a state?

Even as he watched, Heo Do-gyeong couldn’t move a single step. He couldn’t run away, nor could he approach Kang I-won.

There was nothing Heo Do-gyeong could do.

The horrific sense of helplessness that Heo Do-gyeong despised so much wrapped around his ankles and slowly crept up his calves. The helplessness that bound his entire body rendered him unable to even move a finger.

He could do nothing but watch.

In the past, Heo Do-gyeong had been part of a team. But the Espers in that team were all strong, so there was no real risk of getting hurt. As a Guide, he had seen and heard many things, but this was the first time he had witnessed someone directly dying in front of him.

No, it wasn’t the first time.

Heo Do-gyeong thought of his mother’s death. The way she died was different, but in the sense that she chose her own death, it was similar.

Heo Do-gyeong’s mother had chosen to die on her own terms. And in a way, so had Kang I-won.

He had faced the monster with his powerless body. He had wounded himself to lure the monster in, continuously carving into his arm to ensure the monster focused only on him.

His method was self-harm. He willingly inflicted wounds on his own body, putting himself in danger. What else could this be called if not self-harm?

He faced the monster with his fragile body, and that choice led to a horrific outcome. It wasn’t an unexpected result. So, in a way, he too had died on his own terms.

That’s why he hadn’t spoken about it. There was a reason he had kept his mouth shut. He must have been like this before, at a time Heo Do-gyeong didn’t witness. He had probably acted recklessly, like someone desperately seeking death.

Heo Do-gyeong, who had been frozen in place, finally snapped out of it when he saw Kang I-won twitching. Forgetting the monster still stood in front of him, he began walking toward Kang I-won.

There was no specific reason. It was simply that he couldn’t believe Kang I-won was still alive after everything he had gone through. It was hard to accept, and he just couldn’t make sense of it, so he acted on impulse.

Kang I-won raised his head, his face contorted in pain. Seeing the suffering smeared across his face, Heo Do-gyeong grimaced as well.

Why does he still act like this, in so much pain?

Kang I-won noticed Heo Do-gyeong. His gesture to tell him to go away was reminiscent of when Heo Do-gyeong had seen him at the foot of the stairs. The sight was almost absurd enough to make Heo Do-gyeong laugh.

But no laughter came.

Kang I-won staggered to his feet. His once pale skin was now painted bright red. His usual black tracksuit was soaked with blood, clinging to him.

Though the dark color of his outfit made the blood less noticeable, it was still soaked through, dripping down and pooling on the floor, creating a small puddle.

Kang I-won moved in that broken, almost lifeless state. Despite everything, he still tried to take a step toward protecting Heo Do-gyeong, his legs shaking with each movement.

Fortunately, before this ragged version of Kang I-won could even manage to protect Heo Do-gyeong, the Esper they had been waiting for finally arrived.

Kang I-won glanced at them, and with a sigh of relief, he collapsed back to the ground.

Heo Do-gyeong’s steps toward Kang I-won gradually quickened. His gloves, which had once protected his hands, were nowhere to be found. He didn’t even think of them. Only a sense of urgency to guide him faster surged within him.

Soon, Heo Do-gyeong found himself sinking into emotions he couldn’t yet identify, his curiosity about Kang I-won reaching his knees.

The emotions that had fallen into the pit of curiosity quickly melted away, blending seamlessly with his curiosity. Before long, the two feelings mixed to the point where he could no longer distinguish between them, and their intensity began to slowly rise, though Heo Do-gyeong hadn’t yet noticed the change.

Not caring about getting my pants dirty, I sat down on one knee on the floor and grabbed Kang’s blood-soaked hand with my bare hand.

The blood on my hand wasn’t dirty or unpleasant at all.

* * *

The news that Heo Do-gyeong had applied for the Guide Training Program was passed on to Team 5.

The training program for Guides is a year-long course. It includes physical training, shooting practice, and gaining knowledge about monsters and gates. The program consists of three main types of education.

A Guide who completes this program earns the qualification of a field guide and, if they wish, can be deployed to the field at any time. Additionally, they would have access to the same level of information as an Esper.

Choi Soo-bin continued speaking.

“Originally, he was supposed to come up to Seoul with me in three weeks, but he refused.”

“Why’s he suddenly acting like this?”

“Who knows? Hmm, maybe he liked you more than he thought?”

“Don’t tell me.”

Kang I-won immediately denied Choi Soo-bin’s words. Seeing this, Choi Soo-bin could only smile.

Kang I-won let out a small sigh. His sharp words, aimed at sending a temporary guide quickly to Seoul, were now just meaningless frustration. A deep sense of regret settled within him.

Bling- The device rang. The sender was Heo Do-gyeong. On the screen appeared a short message: [Won’t you accept guiding?] Kang I-won ignored it and turned off the device’s screen.

“Heo, too?”

“Yeah.”

“Why does he want to offer guiding again? He’s really putting in the effort for you.”

“I just find it burdensome.”

It seemed that the words he had said last time had been completely ignored. Not understanding Kang I-won’s feelings, Choi Soo-bin chuckled softly.

“When a Guide offers guiding, you should accept it. When else will you get the chance? If you’re assigned to some weird place next year or the year after, you’ll probably miss this time.”

“I don’t think that’ll happen.”

It would probably be more comfortable.

Kang I-won found it annoying that the Guide kept urging him to accept the guiding. If another Esper heard him, they would probably curse at how spoiled and ungrateful his complaints sounded.

Bling- Bling- Bling- The device annoyingly kept ringing. Several messages had piled up. What could there be to say so much about? Kang I-won sighed softly as he checked the messages.

[Guide Heo Do-gyeong: Aren’t you looking?]
[Guide Heo Do-gyeong: Are you ignoring me again?]
[Guide Heo Do-gyeong: I heard you went out on another emergency yesterday.]
[Guide Heo Do-gyeong: Should I come find you again?]

It was clear that Heo Do-gyeong had forgotten what he said earlier. He had definitely mentioned that guiding wasn’t that great and that it was uncomfortable. He had suggested keeping things strictly professional, yet Heo Do-gyeong was acting as if those words never existed and was behaving like usual.

“Choi Soo-bin.”

“Yeah?”

“They say Guides have a lot of pride.”

“That’s true, right?”

“If I say ‘your guiding isn’t great,’ wouldn’t they get upset?”

“You know it well. Don’t say that.”

Choi Soo-bin said firmly. Kang I-won fell silent. He had already said it. Seeing his reaction, Choi Soo-bin squinted, unsure, and asked cautiously.

“You didn’t already say it, did you?”

“I did.”

“Oh my.”

“But why is he acting like this?”

Choi Soo-bin pretended to be shocked, covering her mouth with both hands as she looked at the message from Heo Do-gyeong.

“Is he a paragon of virtue?”

“You’re joking, right?”

“Yeah.”

With her playful tone gone, Choi Soo-bin ran her finger along her chin and said seriously.

“That’s strange. He doesn’t act like this with me or any of the other team members. It’s only with you. He really must like you. Why not take this chance to make a lasting impression?”

“Making an impression isn’t a joke. I don’t want that.”

“Why do you hate Guides so much?”

Choi Soo-bin was referring to the Guide, not the guiding itself. At her sharp question, Kang I-won raised his hand and gently relaxed his stiff mouth, massaging it.

“…It’s not that I hate them.”

“You’re just avoiding it?”

It was a personal matter that Kang I-won didn’t want to talk about. Choi Soo-bin quickly picked up on it. One of the reasons Choi Soo-bin remained Kang I-won’s only friend was her sharp intuition.

Normally, she would change the subject immediately, but this time she didn’t. Choi Soo-bin looked at Kang I-won with serious eyes.

“I-won.”

“Why are you suddenly calling me that?”

“I know you have a lot of things you don’t want to talk about. I understand. It’s not just you, either. I, and other Espers, also have our own reasons. That’s why I’ve never pushed you to talk about it.”

Thanks to Choi Soo-bin’s consideration, Kang I-won was able to maintain a comfortable relationship with her. She continued speaking.

“But sometimes, you have to talk about things. If you just push your own ideas, nothing will come out of it, and you’ll both end up exhausted.”

“What if I still don’t want to?”

Kang I-won asked, sounding like a child throwing a tantrum. Choi Soo-bin snorted lightly and responded.

“Then you still have to. You’re not working alone, you know? If you don’t want to go into details, that’s fine. But at least tell the other person what you don’t want and give clear reasons. If they can’t accept it, so what? Just push through it. And then, have a conversation. Fighting is fine, too. That way, you can find a reasonable compromise. This is my last piece of advice for you, so remember it as your noona. Got it?”

“Who are you calling ‘noona’?”

“Why? I’m older than you by a few months. That makes me your noona.”

“Noona, my foot.”

Kang I-won had no intention of taking Choi Soo-bin’s advice to heart. Hadn’t they already talked enough? Despite that, no conclusion had been reached. So what more was there to do?

However, the suggestion of finding a compromise made him feel a little uneasy. With Heo Do-gyeong’s trip to Seoul delayed, there was no way he could keep avoiding this. It was becoming bothersome and inconvenient to let it drag on any longer.

What Kang I-won didn’t want was guiding. So, what was the clear reason behind not wanting to be guided? There were two reasons, but he didn’t want to mention both. He would hide part of the truth. The biggest issue at the moment was sleep itself. He would conceal the dreams and focus only on the insomnia.

If he were to accept guiding, he wouldn’t be able to sleep. Would this be enough of a reason?

After sending Choi Soo-bin off, Kang I-won stayed behind, lost in thought, before sending a message.

[Me: I have something to say]
[Me: Do you have a moment?]

It was about ten minutes before Heo Do-gyeong replied.

[Guide Heo Do-gyeong: Yes.]

The response was brief. There were no instructions on where or when to meet, but Kang I-won headed to the usual guiding room where Heo Do-gyeong stayed. As expected, Heo Do-gyeong was there.

“So, what does the person who’s been ignoring other messages want to say?”

The polite tone still carried a hint of sarcasm. Kang I-won ignored it, pausing for a moment as he gathered his thoughts.

He had already decided roughly what to say to Heo Do-gyeong, but he needed one final check. After a brief silence, Kang I-won spoke directly.

“I think guiding should be once every two weeks.”

“Suddenly?”

“If I receive guiding, I can’t sleep for a while.”

“What’s that about?”

“Recently, I’ve been making more mistakes due to lack of sleep.”

“……”

“So, I believe it would be best to reduce the frequency of guiding.”

Having said his piece, Kang I-won couldn’t hide the bewilderment on his face as he met Heo Do-gyeong’s gaze. Heo Do-gyeong, looking utterly confused, repeatedly opened and closed his mouth several times before finally speaking.

“So,”

“Yes?”

“If you get guided, you can’t sleep?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Heo Do-gyeong emphasized his confusion, asking again.

“Why on earth?”

“Because my condition is too good.”

“You said you couldn’t sleep because you were feeling too good?”

“Yes.”

Frowning deeply in thought, Heo Do-gyeong finally offered a response.

“I think I understand, more or less. So, it’s like you have excess energy, even before you try to sleep.”

It wasn’t quite right, but Kang I-won nodded silently.

“Why didn’t you mention this earlier?”

“Well, I thought you’d be leaving for Seoul soon.” Before Kang I-won could reply, Heo Do-gyeong interrupted.

“No, let me rephrase that. Why are you telling me this now?”

“I heard you decided to turn down the offer to go to Seoul.”

“From Esper Choi Soo-bin?”

“Yes.”

Nodding, Kang I-won continued.

“It seems like Guide Heo Do-gyeong has no immediate plans to go to Seoul, and will likely remain as the temporary guide for Team 5 for a while.”

“That’s right.”

“Then it’s pointless to keep having these meaningless conversations. So, we need to find a compromise.”

“A compromise?”

“Yes. A compromise that both I and Guide Heo Do-gyeong can be satisfied with. It seems like Guide Heo can’t stand the thought of me not receiving guiding.”

Heo Do-gyeong pondered the word ‘compromise’ for a moment before nodding.

“Alright. Let’s find one. How should we go about it?”

“Well, what I want is what I said before.”

“Guiding once every two weeks? Ha, after everything I’ve seen, you want that?!”

Heo Do-gyeong raised his voice before clamping his mouth shut. Composing himself, he spoke calmly, “…What exactly is the problem?”

“Guiding.”

Heo Do-gyeong’s eyebrows twitched, his pride clearly wounded. He forced himself to remain calm as he retorted, “So, what exactly is wrong with the guiding? Our compatibility is high, isn’t it?”

Compatibility.

“That’s the problem.”

“Yes?”

“The high compatibility is the problem.”

Because of the high compatibility, the results and feelings were completely different, even though they were receiving the same guiding.

The guiding he received from his previous guide was bland, without any particular feeling. But Heo Do-gyeong’s guiding was like someone who only ever drank lukewarm water suddenly guzzling down a cola. It was refreshing, but it stung his throat and felt unfamiliar.

Heo Do-gyeong chuckled at Kang I-won’s words.

“The high compatibility is the problem? That’s a new one.”

“So, once every two weeks…”

“Alright. I’ll adjust it, so make sure you receive the guiding on time.”

“…Adjust what?”

“The guiding.”

“You’re going to adjust the guiding?”

“I have no idea what you mean by adjusting it. Are you saying you’ll cut it off halfway through or something?”

Heo Do-gyeong continued, “You said the high compatibility was the problem, right? I can adjust that.”

“What do you mean…?”

Without a word, Heo Do-gyeong grabbed Kang I-won’s wrist. His energy flowed in along the point of contact.

“Wait, hold on…”

It was different.

“…What?”

Something was off. It wasn’t the meticulous, detailed guiding that was typical of Heo Do-gyeong. The comforting stability that always found its way to him was missing.

Only the waves settled slowly. It was like drinking diluted chocolate milk – bland and vaguely unsatisfying.

But for Kang I-won, it was much more satisfying. Surprised, Kang I-won asked, “Wait, what is this… is this even possible?”

He had never heard of being able to adjust something like this. Staring at Heo Do-gyeong with wide eyes, Kang I-won saw him smirk.

“You must have heard about the mess I made in Seoul. How do you think I managed that?”

A small exclamation escaped his parted lips. Heo Do-gyeong’s smile widened.

With the problem solved, they quickly reached an agreement. Kang I-won would receive guiding when needed, and in return, Heo Do-gyeong would adjust the intensity of the guiding.

Both were slightly unsatisfied, but they had managed to find a compromise that they could more or less accept.

* * *

A man and a woman were the only customers in an otherwise empty cafe. The cafe’s sole part-time worker kept glancing at the man, pretending to be busy. His appearance was incredibly captivating.

With jet-black hair like a night sky contrasting with pale skin and dark circles under his eyes, he had a forlorn look about him. His sharp jawline from his slender frame and soft facial features made him seem more delicate than handsome.

The man, who seemed more suited to an Americano, was sipping a thick, sweet sweet potato latte topped with whipped cream. The part-time worker blushed and lowered their head as they watched him lick the whipped cream off his upper lip with his red tongue.

Finally, having neatly trimmed his long, messy hair, Kang I-won set down his mug and looked out the window. The branches outside were bare. Beyond them, people bundled up in padded coats were walking briskly.

Sitting by the cafe window, where the air was warm in contrast to the outside, the two continued their conversation leisurely.

“Did you pack everything?”

“Yeah, I asked my mom to send everything up to Seoul ahead of time.”

Today was Choi Soo-bin’s last day at the Gyeonggi Southern Branch No. 3. After the date was finalized, Han Kang-jin and Kang I-won kept their mouths shut as Soo-bin had requested. Thanks to this, Kim Young-ho only found out about her transfer three days before she left, during a farewell party.

Feeling betrayed that he was the only one who didn’t know, Kim Young-ho had been ignoring the entire team, including Soo-bin, for the past three days. He didn’t even show his face today.

“Do you think it’s okay if you don’t see Young-ho off?”

“Yeah. Why would we see someone who’s ignoring us? And the team leader said we could leave early today. I’ll just finish this drink and go.”

Soo-bin swirled the ice americano in her glass.

As she slowly sipped her drink and looked out the window, a light snow began to fall. Soo-bin’s eyes widened as she asked,
“Oh, is this the first snow?”

“Yeah.”

“I love it. Even the sky is blessing my new beginning.”

“I guess so.”

Looking out at the snow-covered window, Soo-bin smiled softly, her face tinged with a mix of excitement and a little worry about her new place.

Kang I-won hated winter. And he hated snow even more. But seeing his only friend embrace it as a blessing, he decided to dislike it a little less today.

“If even the sky is blessing you, you’ll do great there.”

At Kang I-won’s words, Soo-bin’s eyes widened and she smiled brightly.

“Of course!”

On a day when the first snow fell, Kang I-won waved goodbye to his only friend with a smile. Soo-bin, with a relieved expression, left the Gyeonggi Southern Branch No. 3.

<Continues in volume 2.>