FG | Chapter 2.1

As I suppressed my presence, Seon Jiyeol also stopped paying attention to me. In the meantime, Yeo Eundo opened his eyes.

“Esper Yeo Eundo! Are you awake?”

Seon Jiyeol called out with a voice full of concern, but Yeo Eundo didn’t respond. Until that moment, I was still focused on my job.

Just as I finished recording the current situation on my tablet and lifted my head, my eyes met Yeo Eundo’s. I flinched—he was staring at me as if trying to bore a hole through me. How long had he been watching? But before I could react, my view was blocked by the medical staff who had rushed in after the emergency call.

The medical staff assured us that Yeo Eundo’s awakening alone was a sign of significant recovery and that there was no need to worry anymore. Even so, Seon Jiyeol didn’t seem relieved. He kept asking Yeo Eundo about his condition, but the guy never answered even once.

Seeing how blank he looked, maybe that eye contact was just a coincidence.

‘Geez, I got freaked out for nothing.’

Even if he did see me, it was probably just a random glance. When an Esper goes on a rampage, they don’t even recognize their own parents, let alone some stranger.

‘But why did I get so nervous?’

I tilted my head, unable to understand my own reaction.

Am I getting old? Lately, I’ve been worrying about pointless things. Shaking off the unnecessary thoughts, I refocused on my work.

‘Just need to sync the medical records, and I’m done.’

Since I couldn’t keep picking them up in person, I needed to request continuous delivery of the medical records under my monitoring authority. It was a bit of a hassle, but once set up, it would last until the end of the monitoring period, so it had to be done.

There would be a short gap in monitoring while I stepped out, but that wouldn’t be an issue on the first day.

I turned around and was just about to leave the room when Seon Jiyeol’s urgent voice rang out.

“Esper Yeo Eundo, you can’t just get up like that—!”

Before Seon Jiyeol could even properly stop him, someone yanked me back with force.

“Huh?”

I lost my balance, falling backward. Thankfully, I didn’t slam the back of my head onto the ground. Strong arms wrapped tightly around my shoulders and waist, holding me steady.

Turning to look, I found exactly what I expected—Yeo Eundo, out of bed, barefoot, holding onto me.

His gaze was locked on me, those shimmering eyes swirling with emotion he couldn’t seem to contain.

What was even stranger was that it didn’t feel unfamiliar to me.

In the heavy silence, the first to break it was Seon Jiyeol, who looked at us in sheer bewilderment.

“Esper Yeo Eundo, do you know him?”

Instead of answering that question, Yeo Eundo, still staring at me, opened his mouth.

“Am I dreaming right now?”

“Beats me, I’ve got insomnia.”

I tried to pry his hands off, but he wouldn’t budge. Not that he was gripping me tightly—he wasn’t using any force at all.

Realizing I wouldn’t be able to shake him off on my own, I stopped struggling unnecessarily. My expression stayed calm, but I couldn’t help the reluctant tone in my voice.

“I’ve been assigned as your monitoring specialist for the next month. Have you been informed?”

“Yeah, we’re staying together the whole time.”

He was clearly speaking human words, but somehow, it still sounded like nonsense.

“Are you… born in the Year of the Dog or something?”

I muttered without thinking.

Even Seon Jiyeol seemed exasperated by how little Yeo Eundo understood, stepping in to explain.

“While you’re hospitalized, the Center has assigned a monitoring specialist. If you’re uncomfortable with it, I can—”

“How much sleep have you been getting? Do you wake up a lot?”

Yeo Eundo cut him off without even sparing him a glance, directing the question at me instead.

His actions left everyone speechless.

Feeling an inexplicable discomfort at the whole situation, I ignored his question and instead made a demand.

“Would you mind letting go?”

“Why?”

“You’re about to break my wrist.”

I showed him my bruised wrist. His eyes widened in shock, and he immediately let go—only to suddenly grab me again and spin me around.

He spun me around so fast that I lost my balance and staggered. But before I could fall, he quickly caught me by the waist. His skill was impressive, but judging by his awkward expression, he still struggled with controlling his strength.

Yeo Eundo hesitated for a moment before asking, looking a bit troubled.

»જ⁀➴

“Sorry, does it hurt?”

“Ugh.”

More than pain, I was dizzy from being spun around so fast. But I just nodded, figuring that was the answer he wanted. If he understood, he should’ve let me go—but instead, he suddenly grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips.

“Just bear with it for a moment.”

As soon as Yeo Eundo said that, he activated his ability while still holding my hand. A luminous glow wrapped around my wrist.

He was using a heal.

“See? It doesn’t hurt anymore, right?”

He gently stroked my now fully recovered wrist, smiling softly.

“E-Esper Yeo Eundo, did you just use a heal?”

The medical staff, who had been watching, were visibly shocked. And for good reason—no combat-type Awakener had ever been capable of using a heal before. But Yeo Eundo didn’t even spare them a glance.

He had just casually revealed that he had dual abilities, yet he remained completely unfazed. Instead, he simply blew lightly on my wrist, as if that would help even more.

While everyone was still trying to process the situation, he interlocked his fingers with mine and beamed brightly.

“Guide me.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Your AD level is stable.”

“Then, tomorrow?”

“Still no.”

Seon Jiyeol, who had been watching with sharp eyes, was now glaring at us. And yet, Yeo Eundo just kept saying nonsense. I pried my fingers away and stepped back, only for him to immediately close the distance again.

“Why not?”

“Because I’m a D-class.”

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my guiding license, showing it to him. Technically, I was supposed to wear it around my neck like an employee badge, but since I didn’t like my ID photo, I always kept it in my pocket instead.

Yeo Eundo took the license, stared at it for a long time, then looked back at me with confusion.

“Why?”

…Why, what?

“I said D-class because I’m D-class. If you’re asking why I’m D-class, it’s because I was rated D-class.”

He stared at me so intently it felt almost obsessive, as if he was trying to memorize every word I said.

This guy was beyond uncomfortable—he was downright overwhelming.

And then, all of a sudden, he rested his head on my shoulder.

He mumbled as he nuzzled against me.

“That’s… weird…”

The weirdest person in this room is literally saying that.

“Why?”

The conversation looped right back to square one.

“If you’re so curious, go ask the Association.”

“Hmm… No, I don’t want to.”

“…….”

…Should I just punch him once? He was seriously pissing me off with how he kept circling back.

Yeo Eundo chuckled under his breath, idly toying with my license as he spoke.

“Seol Maehwa. Your name is pretty. It suits you.”

“Esper Yeo Eundo, your name suits you too.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

I mean, ‘Yeo’ like in ‘fox’? It fits perfectly.

“Then that means we both match really well, huh?”

See? We’re both fox-types.

At that moment, I felt someone staring.

I instinctively turned toward the source—Seon Jiyeol.

His face was filled with hostility.

I couldn’t keep this kind of sight all to myself, so I casually patted Yeo Eundo’s shoulder.

“……?”

The clingy Yeo Eundo tilted his head at me, then turned around.

The moment he did, Seon Jiyeol’s expression instantly shifted—his sharp glare smoothed out into his usual calm and gentle face.

It was like watching someone put on a mask in real-time.

Seon Jiyeol approached and spoke smoothly.

“Esper Yeo Eundo, are you feeling alright? A dual ability, and one of them is a heal… Let’s check your AD level, and if necessary, I’ll guide you.”

“…….”

He didn’t answer right away, which was making me anxious, so I asked instead.

“You’ll accept the guiding, right?”

At last, Yeo Eundo nodded.

Seon Jiyeol’s expression brightened immediately.

“I’ll do it right away!”

I glanced between the two of them, finally hopeful that I’d be free from Yeo Eundo.

‘It felt like an eternity.’

I never realized just how suffocating it was to be stuck like this. From now on, I would cherish my freedom.

I waited for Seon Jiyeol to take him away so I could quietly slip out, but then—

Yeo Eundo suddenly grabbed my hand and walked right out the hospital room.

‘??’

Without understanding what was happening, I found myself dragged all the way to the reception desk.

Once we arrived, Yeo Eundo immediately measured his AD level.

Result: 30.4.

His AD level had skyrocketed just from using one heal.

It was abnormally high compared to specialized healing Espers, but since having dual abilities was already unheard of, nobody even questioned the efficiency.

“Why me?”

That aside, I had no idea why I was dragged here and was still bewildered when Yeo Eundo suddenly turned his head. Then, with a bright smile, he said:

“Please do it.”

“Do what?”

“Guiding. Do it now.”

“Esper Yeo Eundo, 30.4 is not a level that requires guiding.”

Unless it exceeded 100 and reached the danger zone, it wasn’t a level that caused any issues in daily life.

“Please do it.”

“I said no.”

“Why not?”

“I told you your AD Level is stable. And I am a monitoring-assigned D-class Guide.”

Suddenly, Yeo Eundo grabbed my hand and pressed a kiss onto my palm. Then, resting his face against it, he blinked up at me.

“Can’t you do it?”

For a moment, my brain froze. As I stared at him, I felt like I was being pulled in. That dangerous sensation made me instinctively yank my hand away with force.

“You already have a dedicated Guide.”

Seon Jiyeol was Yeo Eundo’s dedicated Guide. Since he was an S-class Esper, whether he liked it or not, he had no choice but to receive guiding from him.

I had told him not to look for someone else when he already had someone to take care of him, but he only tilted his head.

“Me?”

He pretended not to understand.

“I’m talking about Seon Jiyeol.”

“He’s not my dedicated Guide.”

“Then what about all the guiding you’ve received so far?”

Seon Jiyeol guiding Yeo Eundo had been shown multiple times in the media. Even someone like me, who had no interest in others, knew that much.

But Yeo Eundo, instead, began explaining as if there was a flaw in my logic.

“I’ve received A-class and B-class guiding too, but that doesn’t mean they were my dedicated Guides.”

Technically, he wasn’t wrong. But wasn’t there an unspoken rule? Like a kind of social convention formed through collective perception. That’s what it meant when people said Seon Jiyeol was Yeo Eundo’s dedicated Guide.

“No, but there’s a limit to the amount of guiding one can give…”

“If we’re talking about the amount, then my dedicated Guide would be Seol Maehwa Guide-nim.”

Yeo Eundo smiled deeply, forming a smooth arc. For a second, I almost lost my composure.

There was no way he remembered what happened during his rampage.

Then…

‘Is he testing me?’

Even if he was, something felt off. People only tested others when they suspected something.