Chapter 9

The trainees, now equipped with their gear, entered the shooting range in orderly lines, each taking their place in a section separated by clear partitions. The atmosphere was tense as they prepared to handle their firearms.

The target, about 15 meters away, was shaped like a human silhouette. From such a distance, it was impossible to discern scores. For beginners, simply hitting the target proved to be a daunting task.

Baek Eu-jin stood at his station, donning his headset. He loaded the ten live rounds provided into the magazine and clicked it into place. The satisfying clack as the magazine locked into the pistol’s grip reverberated through his fingers.

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He grasped the pistol, which dangled from a safety cord, and assumed his stance. Gunshots—bang, bang!—already echoed around him as the others started firing.

Eu-jin glanced sideways at the adjacent station, where Park Jae-chan was already in the middle of rapid firing. His focus was intense, his jaw tightly clenched. Despite his strong posture and concentration, Eu-jin noticed Jae-chan’s muzzle tilting downward slightly with each successive shot. At this rate, his score might fall just short of his previous best.

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Turning back to his own target, Eu-jin extended his arms comfortably, aimed, and began firing.

Bang, bang-bang! Bang! Bang!

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The deafening noise mixed with the acrid smell of gunpowder filled the air. Behind the glass, the instructor watched the trainees closely but lingered on Eu-jin with a puzzled expression.

Who is this trainee?

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Eu-jin’s grip and posture were remarkably stable, exuding the ease of someone highly familiar with firearms. His hands didn’t waver under the gun’s recoil, and he didn’t flinch at the loud blasts.

What truly puzzled the instructor, however, was Eu-jin’s scoring. His shots landed at 3, 8, and 5 points—seemingly inconsistent. But upon closer observation, it appeared he was intentionally aiming for those scores, subtly adjusting his angle to hit specific numbers.

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“… Hmm.”

The instructor let out a suspicious hum just as the trainees finished their rounds. They emerged from the shooting range, clutching their tattered targets.

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“Hyung, what’s your score?” Jae-chan asked eagerly.

“68. What about you?”

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“Ah, close—65! Don’t you think we should have a rematch with scores this close?”

“Nope. Starting today, you’re doing my laundry.”

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As the scores were compared, the room buzzed with a mix of triumph and disappointment. Eu-jin, having won by a slim three-point margin, genuinely relished his small victory.

The instructor, observing Eu-jin’s unassuming demeanor, decided to drop his suspicions. If he were an expert, why would he deliberately underperform? With that, his attention shifted back to the other trainees firing beyond the glass wall.

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* * *

After lunch, the afternoon class began.

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[Guiding Practice]

This was the class that garnered the most interest among the trainees, but was Baek Eu-jin’s least favorite.

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The instructor, a stout male guide, always came to class carrying a plastic human model.

“Guiding is fundamentally about connection,” he began.

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“When you touch an Esper, guiding will naturally initiate. However, to enhance its effectiveness, close physical contact is essential.”

Using the ambiguous-looking model, the instructor demonstrated various methods. He held its hand, gave it a deep kiss, and even simulated more intimate actions like touching the chest or genitals, citing these as examples.

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“If simple skin contact is 50%, mucosal contact is 100%, and sexual penetration can be seen as 150%. Adjust the level of contact based on the Esper’s condition, but don’t go beyond what’s necessary. Espers often request excessive skinship, so be mindful.”

Guiding practice had a notoriously high threshold for physical interaction.

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“Sir, how far do guides usually go?”

“According to protocol, it usually ends with a handshake. However, hugs or kisses are often permitted. Anything beyond that is left to the guide’s discretion.”

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“What if we don’t want to?”

“Of course, you can refuse. In the past, if the resonance levels exceeded a certain threshold, guides were obligated to comply. But nowadays, with better recognition of guide rights, you can decline.”

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As curious eyes turned toward him, the instructor smiled meaningfully.

“Let me tell you something about Espers. They’re crazy about guiding. They’ll act like they’d give you the world to get it. They’ll try to seduce you in every way imaginable.”

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“Like… how?”

“They’ll say things like ‘love at first sight’ or ‘I like you.’ That’s just the basics. They won’t hesitate to flaunt expensive gifts or money either. But don’t be fooled—most of the time, they’re just looking for a one-night stand.”

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Eu-jin let out a quiet, derisive snort. That’s an exaggeration. While it was true that Espers valued guiding highly, not all of them were obsessed with physical contact. He had often been content with a handshake or wide-area guiding.

However, the rookies, unfamiliar with the reality, grew visibly anxious. The instructor, noticing their reactions, offered candid advice to help them navigate such situations.

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“Age, gender—it doesn’t matter. The stronger the guide, the more obsessive the Espers become. For A-rank guides, the obsession can be particularly intense. I’m sure we have a few A-ranks here…”

He scanned the group, his eyes landing on the red-bordered name tags that indicated A-rank guides. His gaze eventually settled on Baek Eu-jin’s tag. Their eyes met, and the instructor’s lips curled into a sly grin.

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“You’re likely to face many uncomfortable situations. Please, don’t give in too easily, and always be cautious.”

Despite his cautionary words, the class continued with detailed demonstrations of various physical guiding methods. While officially labeled as “guiding techniques,” the lecture bordered on sexual education.

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At the end of the lecture, the dreaded practice began—direct guiding with Espers, which had been announced days in advance.

In the auditorium, around a dozen small booths were set up, each barely big enough to fit two chairs. Curtains surrounded each booth, but the legs of those inside were visible from the outside, likely a precaution to prevent misconduct.

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Trainees lined up in front of the booths and waited with nervous, flushed faces. It was their first time practicing guiding, and the anticipation was palpable.

Baek Eu-jin, however, felt like he wanted to die. The exercise required both skin contact and mucosal guiding, meaning he couldn’t avoid at least a kiss.

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He buried his head in his hands, roughly ruffling his hair, when he heard the sound of heavy footsteps entering the auditorium. The Espers for the session had arrived.

“These are the Espers who volunteered for today’s practice,” the instructor announced.

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“They’ll guide you through the process, so don’t be too nervous.”

The Espers lined up in front of the booths. Sitting in the second row, Eu-jin hesitantly glanced up, hoping not to see any familiar faces.

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Then he saw him.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Eu-jin muttered, his eyes widening in disbelief.

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One Esper, taller than the rest, was grinning directly at him. It was none other than Ki Seok-woo.

That damn bastard!

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Eu-jin clenched his teeth, barely suppressing the curses rising to his lips.

* * *

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The idea of suddenly kissing a teammate he had spent years working with was absurdly difficult for Baek Eu-jin to process.

Slumped in the narrow booth, he stared at the floor with a dazed expression, letting out a long sigh that sent his bangs fluttering.

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“Seok-woo.”

He called lowly, slamming his fist into his palm. The sound made Ki Seok-woo, sitting across from him, flinch despite his large frame.

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“…Do you have a death wish?”

“What? No, sir!”

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“Then why the hell are you here?”

“Well, I heard it was your first guiding practice, so I volunteered. I figured you’d be more comfortable with me than with some random Esper.”

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Is this guy insane?

Hearing his excuse, Eu-jin’s brows furrowed deeply. The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed, until he finally let out a dry laugh.

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“Seok-woo, I’m not your team leader anymore. Drop the ‘team leader’ title.”

“Can I call you ‘hyung,’ then?”

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“Hyung?”

Eu-jin repeated, and Seok-woo’s innocent grin melted away Eu-jin’s simmering anger.

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“Ugh, fine… You’re still better than dealing with a stranger.”

“I’m ready, sir! I even brushed my teeth!”

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Seok-woo declared enthusiastically, sitting upright as if reporting to a superior. He wiped his hands on his pants and loosened his lips with exaggerated movements.

“….”

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Suppressing a sigh, Eu-jin finally reached out and grasped Seok-woo’s hand. The large, calloused hand was rough and solid—a testament to his years as a combat-type Esper.

By contrast, Eu-jin’s hand felt soft and smooth, untouched by the harshness of combat. Despite years of being an Esper, his guide-like features seemed perfectly aligned with his new role.

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“…Haven’t you gotten any guiding recently?”

“Nope! I skipped it on purpose to do it today.”

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“You idiot. You could seriously mess yourself up. Get your guiding on time.”

“Hehe, yes, sir!”

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“How’s everyone else? Are they adjusting to the new team leader? How’s the team guide?”

As they continued guiding, they filled the time with idle chatter. To Eu-jin’s surprise, guiding Seok-woo felt comfortable, even easy. In hindsight, it was likely a blessing that he was paired with someone familiar. If it had been a stranger, the silence would have been unbearable.

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The 15 minutes passed quickly as they talked, and a sharp beep-beep from the timer signaled the end. Outside, a voice gave new instructions.

“We will now proceed with mucosal guiding.”

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Eu-jin’s face stiffened, his fingers twitching slightly. The moment he’d been dreading had arrived.