TSCEIAB Ch. 9

 

 

Due to the lack of guidance, Hugo’s senses were extremely heightened.

His vision was blocked, while his hearing was excessively amplified, making him feel on edge.

The reason he came to the center alone, though Gary had assigned a guardian and personal assistant to him, was because of this.

The sound of other people’s breathing, or the beating of their hearts, bothered him so much that he couldn’t stand it.

But why is that?

“I hope my frequency matches you. I’m not an esper, so I don’t know how difficult it is when you lack guidance, but you’re so young. I just hope you can feel a little more at ease.”

The girl chattering next to him didn’t bother him at all.

Despite the child’s sharp and clear, ringing voice.

Rather, it was nice to hear, and Hugo felt a twinge of embarrassment.

“Hugo, I’m going to sleep for a bit. If you’re tired, you should sleep too…”

The girl mumbled softly and then began to let out a soft breathing sound. Judging from the regularity of the breathing, she seemed to have fallen asleep.

Could someone fall asleep in such an uncomfortable setting?

Hugo opened his eyes to look at her. His once pitch-black vision was beginning to improve; he was able to discern between light and dark.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Beyond the sound of her breath, he could hear her faint heartbeat. It sounded much like the heartbeats of a small kitten or a puppy.

What if her heart stops?

The sound was so small and delicate that he suddenly felt uneasy.

Even with just radial guidance, he felt such a connection. It must be a guide whose wavelength matches his to some extent.

Suddenly, Gary’s words came to mind.

<Maybe that girl could be your guide.>

Okay. He was right. Hugo had to admit that he was wrong.

‘My guide.’

The person he had been searching for was right here. He wanted to shout that he had finally found her.

What was her name again? Yi-soo? Yi-seo?

Hugo struggled to recall the contents of the documents he had seen before he lost his sight. Then he managed to recall the words: Yi-seo Kang.

Ah, right. Yi-seo.

She has an English name, Sophia, but her real name is Yi-seo.

It wasn’t hard to pronounce, and the sound was cute as it rolled off the tongue.

Yi-seo, Yi-seo. Hugo mumbled softly and then sat up. He leaned against the bed and looked down at Yi-seo, his vision gradually getting brighter.

Her facial features are still not visible.

But he could tell that she was lying facing him.

Her hand next to her face is small. As though she were dreaming, she kept squeezing her hand, snorting.

Ah.

Strangely, his heart felt ticklish. Hugo wondered what it would be like to hold her hand.

The impulse consumed him.

If radial guiding had this much of an effect, hand guiding would be even greater. Maybe the numbers will jump to 100% in one go.

Hugo lowered his legs from the bed. He stood up barefoot, silently walking toward Yi-seo’s bed.

Just as he tried to reach out—

“Mmm…”

Yi-seo rolled over in her sleep. The blanket that had been precariously covering her slid to the floor.

Ah.

Reason returned belatedly. Hugo pulled his hand back, frowning.

Do not touch the guide’s body without permission.

Even though he was still young, he received that much education from Gary.

“… Ha.”

Hugo swallowed a small sigh, narrowed his eyes, and brought his face closer to Yi-seo’s.

Through his blurred vision, he could make out her features.

Okay. Let’s be satisfied with this.

Although he was still thirsty, he did not want to carelessly touch the young guide whom he had just found.

Tap—tap—tap—

He walked back to his bed, where he fetched his share of blanket, and covered Yi-seo with it.

He stared at her for a moment, then looked at the center director of Ohio, who was on the other side of the glass wall.

“…It’s okay to stop now.”

Having said that, Hugo turned his attention back to Yi-seo, who was soundly asleep.

She had fallen asleep in this uncomfortable bed, most likely because of the radial guidance.

The guidance was not enough—no, it made him thirstier. But Hugo decided to stop the radial guiding.

The sound of Yi-seo’s weak heartbeat was unsettling.

“I’ll be in the reception room. Don’t wake her up; just leave her be.”

With that, Hugo left the guiding room. He could still hear the faint sound of her breathing and heartbeat.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

I woke up about an hour later.

“Hmm…?”

Through my blurry vision, I saw the empty bed where Hugo had been. Just as I sat up, the door to the guiding room opened.

“Yi-seo, you’re awake?”

“…Mom?”

It was my mother who came through the open door..

“Oh my, you were drooling in your sleep.”

She took a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped my mouth. She then smoothed out my messy hair and clothes.

“Guide Sophia, did you sleep well?”

It wasn’t until my mom slid the ring back onto my finger, Richard and two of the escort espers entered the room.

I smiled awkwardly and looked for Hugo.

“What about Hugo?”

“He’s waiting in the reception room.”

“No more radial guiding?”

“Uhm, well.”

Richard shrugged as if he didn’t know either. He tapped the watch on his wrist.

“How’s your body?”

“I’m fine.”

“Then, shall we head straight to the testing room?”

I checked the clock on the wall and saw that more time had passed than I expected.

I’m still a little tired, but I can’t put off the matching test.

I couldn’t ask Hugo, who had been waiting for me, to take the test next time.

“Yes.”

I nodded, and Richard told me to go to the testing room with the escorts. It seemed like he planned to fetch Hugo himself.

I got out of bed, recalling Hugo quietly closing his eyes at my words.

I didn’t realize he had left the guiding room while I was asleep. Has his vision recovered to some extent?

I wanted to look at his blue eyes, which were strangely off.

Maybe it’s because he was the male protagonist of the original story, or maybe it’s because we’re similar in age.

Strangely, I was interested in Hugo. I felt an inner sense of familiarity.

‘Maybe the matching rate test results will be good.’

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Hugo. Why did you go first? The guiding is still not enough.”

The test took about 30 minutes.

I got to see Hugo when I entered the waiting room, where I had to stay until the results came out.

Fortunately, the short radial guiding restored his vision, and Hugo met my gaze with clearer eyes than before.

His complexion was still pale, but that alone made me wonder where he was.

“… It’s okay.”

Hugo pursed his lips at my words and replied softly.

I don’t know if he’s so used to the lack of guidance that he feels like a little guidance is enough, or if it’s just a habit to say that it’s okay.

As I unconsciously furrowed my brows, he quickly added.

“I know that radial guiding puts a strain on the guide’s body.”

“Huh?”

“Yi—seo…. You fell asleep because of that.”

Was it because he was worried about me?

I was speechless for a moment. Where did the sensitive and prickly kitten of the original go? Why is there an innocent puppy?

“Ah, Hugo. By the way, you knew my name?”

I avoided his gaze out of embarrassment, When I changed the subject, he replied immediately.

“Yes. Yi-seo Kang.”

I did introduce myself when we first met. But I’m sure I told him my English name.

“… I saw it in the papers. Do you like ‘Sophia Kang’ better?”

He asked with great caution.

I shook my head.

Although I am an immigrant, I came to the United States when I was two years old, so I have been known as ‘Sophia ’ by others for a long time.

But my parents still called me ‘Yi-seo’, so my Korean name was more familiar to me.

“Then, can I call you ‘Yi-seo’?”

Though he already called me once, he asked for my permission again. When said yes, he squinted slightly.

What’s this? No way…

It looks like a doll that’s a little broken. I asked, just in case.

“…Did you just smile?”

“… Yes.”

Suddenly, a passage from the original story came to mind.

It was the first time that the 18-year-old Hugo smiled when he met the 17-year-old female lead.

 

 

Hugo’s hardened mouth twitched. The gap between his eyebrows narrowed and his eyes slightly squinted.

It was a nasty look to anyone. Seeing this, Isabella flinched and asked.

“Why are you angry all of a sudden?”

Hugo erased his expression and replied, with a voice that sounded a little sullen.

“… I was smiling.”

 

 

Yes. Hugo rarely smiled since he was a kid.

Until Isabella brought his smile back, he made a grim expression and tried his best to make a ‘smile’.

I looked at Hugo with renewed eyes.

‘He’s still seven years old…’

You’ve already forgotten how to smile.

When I couldn’t continue speaking, Hugo’s expression disappeared and looked at me. I spoke up belatedly.

“No, that’s … your smile looked pretty.”

I couldn’t say that his smile looked scary, so I just said it in kind.

Luckily, the waiting room door opened before Hugo could answer.

“The results are in. Come this way.”

The researcher’s expression brightened as he said that.

Hugo and I exchanged glances.