7.

Early in the morning, the first place Kang I-won headed to upon arriving at the Center was the testing room. Matching rate tests often took place in the afternoon, so he visited in the relatively quiet morning hours.

While the testing room mainly assessed the compatibility between Guides and Espers, it also served to examine an Esper’s wavelength.

An Esper’s wavelength contained quite a lot of information. It included detailed data about the Esper’s ability type, nature, and current condition, making it somewhat akin to DNA. Even the loss of abilities could be inferred through this examination.

The familiar face of the examiner, whom he hadn’t seen in a while, no longer held the tension of a newcomer; instead, it was replaced with a bored expression born of routine. The examiner, stifling a yawn as if tired of it all, noticed Kang I-won entering and quickly straightened his face, rising from his seat with a welcoming smile.

“Oh my, Esper Kang I-won? What brings you here?”

“I’m here for a wavelength test.”

“Ah, a wavelength test? Just a moment. I’ll prepare the paperwork. May I ask what prompted the test?”

“It’s for personal reasons.”

“Oh… In that case, there will be a separate charge. Is that okay with you?”

“Yes.”

“Would you like the information to remain confidential?”

“Yes.”

Information regarding an Esper’s wavelength is highly personal. Because of that, when tested privately, the results can be made confidential if the Esper wishes, ensuring that only the individual Esper has access to the data.

“In that case, the test will cost ten million won. Is that alright?”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

However, confidential tests came with a hefty price. If the test were done publicly, 90% of the fee would be deducted, but the results would be in a restricted public state, accessible only to relevant parties. Those included the Center’s director, the team leader of the Esper’s team, authorized Center staff, and the team’s assigned Guide.

Kang I-won, at the very least, wanted to hide his condition from Heo Do-gyeong. Willing to take a financial hit, he decided to go with the confidential test. It was a choice he could make, as he had nearly paid off his debts.

“How would you like to handle the payment?”

“Please deduct it from my salary. Over five months…”

“Alright, I’ll set it up as a five-month installment plan.”

Still, it was a burdensome amount to pay all at once.

“Then let’s proceed right away.”

The examiner nodded and fetched something from a cabinet off to the side—documents and a pill container. Approaching Kang I-won, the examiner handed him the papers and two pills.

“First, fill out the paperwork, then head to the inner part of the room, take the pills, and sit in the capsule.”

Kang I-won took the documents and began filling in the highlighted sections marked with fluorescent circles. After completing both pages, he handed them back to the examiner and stepped into the inner part of the testing room. There, he swallowed the pills and sat down in the capsule.

The capsule closed, and after a brief wait, the effects of the pills seemed to kick in. A deeply unpleasant sensation spread through his body, as if his wavelength was being forcibly torn apart.

The sensation of his wavelength being ripped and twisted against his will was vivid. The feeling of it being roughly manipulated and stirred put his nerves on edge, and his expression involuntarily twisted in discomfort.

His stomach churned from the wildly fluctuating wavelength. A faint headache settled over his head.

As the capsule emitted a constant humming vibration, lights flickered repeatedly. His wavelength surged and calmed, over and over again.

“Ugh…”

A gag reflex hit him. Kang I-won closed his eyes and tried to settle his roiling stomach, waiting for the test to end.

Before long, the capsule slowly opened. The entire test took barely five minutes—it ended surprisingly fast. Kang I-won wiped the cold sweat from his brow and left the testing room.

The examiner typed rapidly on the keyboard as he spoke.

“The test is complete. Results will be available in a month… Would you like to collect the results in person, or receive them by mail?”

“I’ll collect them myself.”

“Alright. Then we’ll send you a text notification when the results are ready. You can come to the testing room again at that time. Since your wavelength is likely unstable right now, please see a Guide for immediate guiding, or take guiding medication if that’s difficult.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

Kang I-won gave a polite nod and left the testing room. One month. Just one more month, and Kang I-won’s suspicions would finally be confirmed.

It wasn’t even a long wait, and yet it somehow felt endlessly far away.

After the test, he headed straight to the conference room. Today was Heo Do-gyeong’s official return date.

“As of today, Guide Heo Do-gyeong has returned to duty.”

Following Han Kang-jin’s words, a lackluster round of applause echoed through the room. Kim Young-ho glanced at Heo Do-gyeong with surprise, while Hyun Ho-jun wore a faint smile, his thoughts unreadable.

Receiving the lukewarm welcome, Heo Do-gyeong shamelessly grinned and offered a generic “thank you for the warm welcome.”

After hesitating for a moment, Kim Young-ho raised his hand cautiously and asked,

“Um, he’s still… temporary, right?”

“Yes.”

Heo Do-gyeong nodded as he answered, his gaze drifting toward Kang I-won. Kang I-won avoided his eyes and thought back to what had happened the night before.

* * *

“I want… Guide Heo Do-gyeong to stay by my side.”

Kang I-won hesitated for a moment after saying that, then added one more line.

“But if you’re thinking of becoming my exclusive Guide because of me, then… I’d prefer you didn’t.”

At those words, Heo Do-gyeong’s face immediately soured.

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“You might regret it.”

Heo Do-gyeong was an S-rank Guide — an extremely costly resource to be assigned exclusively to a team composed of A and B-rank Espers. There weren’t even enough S-rank Guides to pair with S-rank Espers, so there was no reason for someone like him to be permanently stationed with a team that didn’t have a single S-rank Esper.

Since he was still temporary and could leave at any time, the higher-ups seemed to be turning a blind eye to Heo Do-gyeong’s actions. But if he were to officially become Team 5’s exclusive Guide, the situation would likely change.

If Heo Do-gyeong had voluntarily returned from Seoul to the southern Gyeonggi region, he might truly intend to become Team 5’s dedicated Guide — but Kang I-won didn’t want him to stay here, overexerting himself.

While the rate varies by Esper, ability loss generally occurs within three months to a year. Even at the longest, that meant one year.

If it became certain that Kang I-won was going to lose his abilities, it was only a matter of time before he would leave Team 5. And Heo Do-gyeong, who had become Team 5’s exclusive Guide solely for Kang I-won’s sake, would undoubtedly come to regret his decision.

Kang I-won didn’t want Heo Do-gyeong to experience that regret.

But unaware of Kang I-won’s thoughts, Heo Do-gyeong just pouted.

“I won’t regret it.”

“You can’t know that.”

“I said I won’t regret it. What right do you have to stop me, Esper Kang I-won?”

“I have every right — because I’m the one involved. If I weren’t, I wouldn’t try to stop you.”

Their voices rose again and again. You’ll regret it. I won’t. Neither would yield, and their back-and-forth dragged on. Finally, Heo Do-gyeong, looking weary, nodded and spoke.

“Alright. Let’s wait a few more months, and then I’ll become your exclusive Guide. But if my mind is still made up by then — don’t stop me.”

“I won’t.”

In a few months, there’d be no need to stop him. If ability loss was certain, that’s exactly how it would turn out.

* * *

“Well… that’s how it turned out.”

Heo Do-gyeong’s displeased voice snapped Kang I-won out of his thoughts. Shaking his head to clear the lingering thoughts, Kang I-won looked back at Heo Do-gyeong. At some point, Heo Do-gyeong had started chatting with Han Kang-jin.

“It seems the compatibility with the temporary Guide wasn’t very good…”

“Well, that can’t be helped.”

Due to not receiving proper guiding for about a month, a heavy fatigue had settled over the entire team. It seemed they were talking about that. Han Kang-jin, in a cautious tone, spoke to Heo Do-gyeong.

“Guide Heo Do-gyeong, would you mind helping out just for today?”

“Sure. Send the most urgent person to the guiding room first.”

Heo Do-gyeong nodded with a slightly tired expression.

“Alright. Then we’ll send Young-ho first, followed by Ho-jun, then me, and I-won last. Anyone have a problem with that?”

As Han Kang-jin spoke, he looked toward Kang I-won. Normally, Kang I-won would’ve lightly raised his hand and said, “I was guided yesterday, so I’m fine.” But today, he remained silent.

Noticing this uncharacteristic silence, Heo Do-gyeong also turned to look at Kang I-won. Now under the gaze of both men, Kang I-won frowned and asked reluctantly,

“…What?”

“No, it’s nothing. I’ll head to the guiding room first.”

Heo Do-gyeong left the meeting room with a faint smile. After hesitating for a moment, Kim Young-ho followed him.

“Ho-jun, you head to the guiding room right after Young-ho’s done.”

“Okay.”

“I-won, you and I need to have a quick chat.”

Kang I-won nodded and followed Han Kang-jin.

“Let’s grab a coffee. Tch, I didn’t sleep well last night, so I’m dead tired…”

“Okay.”

The two of them headed to the café on the first floor.

“One iced Americano… and I-won, what do you want?”

Scanning the menu, Kang I-won noticed an ad that read “100% fresh fruit” and said,

“I’ll have a fresh strawberry latte.”

“Alright. One of those too.”

Han Kang-jin paid. With drinks in hand, they didn’t sit in the café but instead walked to the path behind the Center. It was a place Kang I-won often visited with Choi Soo-bin. Though open to the public, few people ever came by, making it a good spot for light conversation.

They didn’t go far. They sat side by side on a bench near the entrance of the trail.

A gentle breeze brushed their foreheads, carrying a floral scent that signaled spring in full bloom.

Kang I-won stirred the syrup and milk with a thick straw, then took a sip. The pink and white strawberry latte rose through the transparent straw, and the sweet yet tangy taste of strawberries pleasantly filled his mouth.

Han Kang-jin also took a sip of his Americano before continuing the conversation.

“I heard about yesterday. Tch, didn’t I tell you to ease up on the meds? I knew this would happen one day. Even if your compatibility’s low, you should always prioritize getting guided by a Guide over taking medication. You seemed better after Guide Heo Do-gyeong came, but now you’re back to this.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry’s not enough. It was sheer luck that Guide Heo Do-gyeong arrived when he did — otherwise, things could’ve gone really bad. Do you understand that?”

“Yes.”

Just as Han Kang-jin said, while it might not have been a huge disaster, it would’ve been a rough few days for sure. Taking it lightly, Kang I-won feigned remorse.

“I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“Of course you won’t. And don’t put off guiding just because you feel fine now. Go get guided immediately, got it?”

“Yes.”

Kang I-won nodded obediently. For now, even without Han Kang-jin’s warning, he had no intention of delaying guiding.

Seeing Kang I-won respond so obediently — almost annoyingly so — Han Kang-jin sighed deeply and said,

“Alright. I trust you’ll handle it. I just wanted to tell you — even if you hate it, make sure to get guided regularly. Let’s not have a repeat of this.”

“Understood.”

“I’m going to have a smoke before heading back in, so you go in first.”

“Okay. I’ll head back.”

Han Kang-jin stayed on the bench while Kang I-won sipped the last of his strawberry latte and walked into the Center. By the time he arrived, the drink was finished, and the empty cup found its way into the trash bin.

With some time to kill before guiding, Kang I-won made his way to the cafeteria. He’d skipped breakfast due to the morning test, and unfortunately, the strawberry latte hadn’t done much to ease his hunger.

In the cafeteria, which had a few people eating despite the awkward time, he grabbed a light meal. Afterward, he settled into the lounge to research detailed information on ability loss.

There wasn’t much information available about ability loss. And for regeneration-type Espers, who were rare to begin with, the data was even scarcer—Kang I-won only found three cases.

Still, three cases were better than none, so he carefully read through them. One case was practically useless, so he focused on the other two, reading them multiple times. That’s when Kang I-won noticed a shared pattern between the two Espers.

At first, the time it took to regenerate gradually began to lengthen. Then, at a certain point, it suddenly took significantly longer.

When regeneration time stretched to about two to three times longer than normal, the regeneration ability itself began to deteriorate. There were no warning signs. The rapid loss of ability came without any prelude, hitting suddenly.

Wounds that should have fully healed under normal circumstances didn’t even begin to close. As a result, a B-rank Esper died from excessive bleeding, and a D-rank Esper retired due to a disability.

The only one who turned out okay was the C-rank Esper from the less useful case. One day, he felt something was wrong, took a test, and found his ability had disappeared. The exact timing of the loss remained unknown.

It seemed he either avoided going out on missions or was extremely cautious when he did.

Kang I-won searched further, but found nothing new. Disappointed, he reread the available information a few more times until a call came in from Heo Do-gyeong. Putting his things away, Kang I-won stood and headed straight to the guiding room.

He opened the unlocked door to find Heo Do-gyeong waiting for him in a familiar pose.

Kang I-won walked down the short hallway and sat across from Heo Do-gyeong at the table. Instead of extending a hand, Heo Do-gyeong leaned back in his chair and stared at him.

Then Heo Do-gyeong spoke first.

“Come to think of it, you never told me yesterday.”

“Told you what?”

“So, why were you trying to strangle yourself?”

“……”

Wasn’t that matter settled yesterday? The sudden return to the topic caught Kang I-won off guard. As he stayed silent, unsure of what to say, Heo Do-gyeong gave a brief chuckle.

“What’s with the silence now? We’re past that, aren’t we?”

Kang I-won stared at him in disbelief.

“…Past what, exactly?”

“We’ve had all kinds of deep conversations. So, why did you do it?”

Kang I-won wanted to deny the part about deep conversations, but after revealing the matter about his younger sibling, there was no point in keeping his mouth shut.

Still, explaining it while sober was embarrassing. Kang I-won knew well enough that what he’d done wasn’t exactly normal. Because of that, he hesitated to speak. Heo Do-gyeong waited patiently, and in the end, Kang I-won had no choice but to answer.

“To sleep.”

“I didn’t catch that.”

“…I was trying to sleep.”

“I see. To sleep.”

Heo Do-gyeong fell silent for a moment. The silence didn’t last long.

“So you tried to—tried to sleep, you said.”

Heo Do-gyeong’s voice wavered slightly, unable to hide his disbelief. Kang I-won nodded.

“Yes.”

“…Do you hear yourself?”

“It’s the truth.”

Heo Do-gyeong finally couldn’t hold it in and exploded.

“I mean, what kind of lunatic strangles himself to sleep?! If anything, take sleeping pills!”

The lunatic in question averted his gaze, flustered, and mumbled in defense.

“I told you… I have dreams. But if I sleep like that, I don’t dream. Sleeping pills don’t work.”

“That’s not sleeping—that’s passing out!”

Heo Do-gyeong looked like he was about to lose it, clutching his forehead and dropping his head. Kang I-won was a little taken aback by the reaction. He didn’t understand why he was making such a fuss. It wasn’t like strangling himself was going to kill him…

If Heo Do-gyeong had known what Kang I-won was thinking, he might have gone ballistic—but thankfully, he didn’t. Instead, he let out a long sigh and said,

“Never do anything that stupid again. And since when have you been doing this? The way your hands just went there, it’s not your first time.”

Under Heo Do-gyeong’s sharp gaze, Kang I-won averted his eyes.

“I don’t know what you mean by that.”

Kang I-won played dumb.

“…Ha. I was wondering why your wavelength was going haywire when you hadn’t even used your ability…”

Without needing an answer, Heo Do-gyeong was now certain—it had been the first time. Running a hand over his face, Heo Do-gyeong muttered while looking at Kang I-won.

“You really have a talent for driving people mad, Esper Kang I-won. Honestly, I should’ve just…”

Heo Do-gyeong stopped mid-sentence, covering his mouth with his hand. Whatever thought had crossed his mind, it had clearly startled or unsettled him.

“No… that’s not right.”

Mumbling to himself, Heo Do-gyeong pressed his lips together tightly. Kang I-won couldn’t hide his confusion but didn’t ask any questions, silently waiting for Heo Do-gyeong to calm down.

At least he was grateful that Heo Do-gyeong wasn’t asking why he used guiding medication again—he must’ve either not known or forgotten.

After some time, Heo Do-gyeong gathered his thoughts, his sharp eyes fixing on Kang I-won once again.

“Let’s move on to the next issue. Why did you use two guiding meds back-to-back? The Center had a perfectly functional temporary Guide available.”

Damn. Kang I-won’s brow twitched.

“What? Did you think I’d forgotten?”

“I told you, I couldn’t sleep…”

In the end, he had no choice but to repeat himself like a parrot. That he had nightmares, that without guiding he didn’t dream, and that he thought it would be fine.

“You call that an excuse? Watching you, Esper Kang I-won, I just—”

Heo Do-gyeong cut himself off again. With a sigh, he removed his gloves and held out his bare hand.

“…Enough. Let’s just do the guiding. Give me your hand.”

Kang I-won obediently reached out. Heo Do-gyeong sharply let his energy flow into him, almost as if irritated. But despite the rough entry, the guiding itself was unnecessarily gentle and tender.

The unfamiliar sensation made Kang I-won flinch.

This wasn’t the bland, emotionless guiding they’d agreed on. The vivid energy that touched his wavelength made Kang I-won’s body jolt.

“W-Wait a sec.”

“What the hell did you do in that short time to get your wavelength like this? Unbelievable.”

“Why are you—? We had an agreement!”

Flustered, Kang I-won protested, and Heo Do-gyeong snapped back.

“You’re the one who broke that agreement first, Esper Kang I-won. So shut up and take the guiding.”

“No, that’s a bit differe—”

Kang I-won started to argue but shut his mouth. It was a selfish wish to begin with—he figured this much was fine. He relaxed his tense body and gave in to Heo Do-gyeong’s energy.

Seeing Kang I-won go quiet, Heo Do-gyeong focused again and continued the guiding.

Having already assessed Kang I-won’s condition thoroughly once, it wasn’t difficult to do it again. There was a faint sense of resistance, like Kang I-won was trying to push him away, but Heo Do-gyeong ignored it easily.

His energy carefully traced Kang I-won’s damaged wavelength.

Despite guiding him so long and diligently the night before, Kang I-won’s wavelength still felt ragged and tattered. It would take continuous guiding and slow restoration.

As always, Heo Do-gyeong disliked Kang I-won’s reckless disregard for his own body.

Glancing at him during the guiding, Heo Do-gyeong noticed a flush creeping up Kang I-won’s face, slowly revealing an unmistakable look of satisfaction. Unlike his usual indifferent demeanor, always receiving guiding with a blank expression, he now looked alive.

Seeing that, Heo Do-gyeong unconsciously smiled. Yes, that was the face he wanted to see—not the sullen one, but that relaxed, content expression brought out by his guiding.

* * *

The living room was shrouded in darkness, not even a sliver of moonlight seeping through the tightly drawn curtains.

There was no need to go this far. He could have just waited. But simply leaving it alone and waiting made him anxious. What if his suspicion turned out to be wrong?

Even if he waited, there was no guarantee that the result Kang I-won hoped for would come. All he had was a guess. That’s why, to ease his unease, he wanted even the smallest piece of certainty.

This was probably the most reliable method. Kang I-won muttered to himself as he stared at the screen of the device glowing alone on his wrist.

00:14.58…

00:57.12…

01:25.69…

Kang I-won stared fixedly at the stopwatch counting by seconds on the screen, and at some point, he pressed the stop button.

02:12.09

He stared at the time displayed, then turned off the screen. The last bit of light that had been illuminating the room faded, leaving only darkness to consume the space. Kang I-won sat in silence for a long time, alone in the darkened room.

* * *

It was payday again. Kang I-won, who usually looked lethargic, seemed even more drained than usual today.

He was slouched on one of the sofas scattered throughout the Center — the one he often occupied — leaning back limply. His bangs hung low, almost touching the tip of his nose, casting shadows over his eyes.

His face, blank and dazed, was fixed on the floor. Not a single expression flickered across it — just pure emptiness.

Beep-beep — His device buzzed. Without much energy, Kang I-won moved only his wrist to glance at the floating message with dull, lifeless eyes.

[Bastard: Damn, you actually paid it all off?]
[Bastard: Ruthless fucker.]
[Bastard: Then we look forward to doing business with you again, dear customer ^^]

Reading the debt collector’s fake-cheerful messages, Kang I-won closed his eyes.

He’d emptied out his emergency savings and chipped in part of this month’s salary. Thanks to that, the astronomical debt he’d been carrying was now completely gone.

Not a single cent left.

He thought that once the debt was gone, emotions would explode within him — joy, emptiness, maybe even sorrow or anger.

But nothing. No joy, no relief, no emptiness. Nothing he had anticipated.

It was almost eerie how numb he felt.

Kang I-won raised a hand and placed it over his heart. Its beat was just as it always had been. Calm. Unmoved.

That debt had tormented him for over a decade. And yet, now that it was gone, he felt nothing. It was strange.

Instead, today, he just kept thinking about his younger sibling.

He closed his eyes and tried to picture his sibling’s face — blurred in his memory.

Could he go visit? He hoped he could. He had to be able to.

But what if he went and couldn’t recognize his sibling’s face? What if they got angry, saying a brother who can’t recognize them isn’t needed? He felt like he’d know the moment he saw them, but… he wasn’t confident.

Kang I-won had spent years trying to forget — and living in that forgetfulness. Eventually, even his parents’ and sibling’s faces had grown faint. On days when he missed them terribly, when the longing was unbearable, he deliberately avoided looking at old photos.

But maybe now, it was okay to look.

Thankfully, he still clearly remembered where he’d stored those photos.

Of course, he wouldn’t look just yet. He didn’t have the courage. If his suspicion became reality — if it was certain — then maybe he’d finally have the courage to face those photos.

What was it again… What did he plan to do once the debt was paid off? Nothing came to mind. He was sure he’d thought of something, but now his mind was just blank.

As he sat lost in heavy thoughts, a voice broke through and called out to him.

“What are you doing over there?”

A familiar voice rang in his ears. Kang I-won slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head. As before, Heo Do-gyeong stood in front of him, looking down at him.

Just like last time — and now again today. How did he even know Kang I-won was here? That small question floated in his mind as Kang I-won answered in a lifeless voice.

“Just sitting here.”

Heo Do-gyeong gave him a skeptical look.

“…You look like you were having some weird thoughts.”

“Nope.”

Kang I-won replied shamelessly. Wanting to see his younger sibling didn’t count as weird, did it?

Heo Do-gyeong stared at him with half-lidded eyes, then, just like before, sat down a seat apart without saying much.

Unlike the somber atmosphere last time, today really wasn’t so bad. Thinking about seeing his sibling even made him feel a little happy. So he was okay.

Kang I-won glanced at Heo Do-gyeong sitting next to him. Now that he thought about it, he had planned to treat Heo Do-gyeong to a meal once he paid off his debt.

“Guide Heo Do-gyeong.”

“Why are you suddenly calling me?”

“How about I treat you to a meal?”

“Out of nowhere?”

“Yeah, out of nowhere. I’ve got a bit more leeway now.”

The money that had gone into paying off debt was now entirely his to spend. He didn’t have to be frugal anymore. This month, he’d even used his emergency savings, so he still had a good portion of his salary left.

“I don’t really know any restaurants you might go to, so if you tell me a few, I’ll pick one and make a reservation.”

“I’m not so desperate that I need Esper Kang I-won to feed me.”

“Fine, forget it then.”

At Kang I-won’s indifferent response, Heo Do-gyeong quickly corrected himself.

“It’s not that I don’t want to. I’ll send you a list of a few decent places, so choose whichever you like. I’m good for any time.”

A brief silence followed. Then Heo Do-gyeong spoke first.

“How’s your sleep lately?”

“Better than I expected.”

Since that day, Kang I-won had at least been able to fall asleep. He still dreamed of his sibling, but his sibling didn’t always cry anymore.

Sometimes he’d show up with a perfect score on a test, delighting Kang I-won, and other times he’d proudly present a clumsy but heartfelt drawing in crayon on a sketchpad, claiming it was his brother’s face — making Kang I-won smile.

“It’s probably thanks to Guide Heo Do-gyeong.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

Because of Heo Do-gyeong’s words, some of Kang I-won’s guilt about his sibling had eased. It was as if he’d been waiting for someone to say that. And while the guilt slipping away so easily sometimes filled him with self-loathing, Kang I-won decided to enjoy this brief peace for now.

On top of that, Heo Do-gyeong’s recent guiding had been helping him fall into a warm, drowsy sleep. The insomnia that had tormented him was finally beginning to fade.

It hadn’t disappeared entirely, but compared to before, he could finally breathe.

Beep-beep.

While talking with Heo Do-gyeong, Kang I-won’s device buzzed for the first time in a while. He immediately checked the message. It was from Choi Soo-bin, who had gone silent after being dispatched to Ulleungdo shortly after moving up to Seoul.

[Choi Soo-bin: Hey, Kang I-won! Are you still alive with all your limbs intact? I’m heading up to Seoul soon, let’s meet up if we can!]
[Me: K]

Feeling a sharp gaze on his cheek, Kang I-won glanced sideways to find Heo Do-gyeong glaring at him with clear disapproval. Frowning, Kang I-won asked,

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You reply instantly to some people, but ignore others… Never mind.”

Never mind? Yeah, right. That expression was full of resentment. Kang I-won wondered what his problem was—until he remembered the time Heo Do-gyeong had sent him messages during his month-long absence.

At the time, Kang I-won had thought Heo Do-gyeong wasn’t coming back, so he had ignored those messages.

Wait, could he seriously be holding a grudge over that?

No way—Heo Do-gyeong wouldn’t be that petty, would he? …But the more Kang I-won thought about it, the more that seemed like the only possible reason for his behavior.

Over something like that?

Kang I-won reached out and tousled Heo Do-gyeong’s hair. Maybe it was because he was around the same age as his younger sibling, but he just seemed… cute. Flustered, Heo Do-gyeong quickly smoothed down his messy hair with his fingers.

“What are you doing?!”

“You’re cute.”

“Who’s cute?! I’m not—!”

Kang I-won chuckled softly. At that, Heo Do-gyeong shot up from his seat like he’d been burned and stormed off without looking back. The tips of his ears were red.

* * *

02:31.87

* * *

It was Kang I-won who organized Team 5’s dinner outing. The location was a nearby barbecue restaurant, and the date was the day before his day off. Han Kang-jin asked, looking surprised,

“What’s gotten into you?”

“Just felt like it. I’ve always been on the receiving end. Is Guide Heo Do-gyeong coming too?”

Even though he already knew the answer, Kang I-won asked out of politeness. Heo Do-gyeong shook his head.

“I’ll pass.”

As expected, Heo Do-gyeong declined, looking thoroughly disgusted at the idea.

So, without Heo Do-gyeong, the rest of Team 5 gathered on Thursday night. While none of them could match Kang I-won’s appetite, they were all Espers, which meant the amount of food consumed wasn’t small — and neither was the number printed on the bill.

Han Kang-jin glanced at the receipt and asked with concern in his voice,

“You sure you’re not overdoing it?”

“It’s fine. I’ve had plenty of free meals up till now.”

“Well then, thanks for the meal.”

“Thank you for the food!”

“Thanks. Next time, it’s on me.”

With that, Han Kang-jin, Kim Young-ho, and Hyun Ho-jun said their goodbyes and headed out first, leaving Kang I-won alone to pay. He double-checked the bill.

Originally, they were supposed to have pork, but thanks to Kim Young-ho insisting on hanwoo (premium Korean beef), the expense was higher than expected for the team dinner. Even so, they held back on the beef, saying it was too greasy if you ate too much.

Still, considering how many times he’d been treated in the past, this much didn’t feel wasteful.

The next day was Kang I-won’s day off — and the day he’d arranged to meet with Choi Soo-bin. Kang I-won had already agreed to pay for that meal too.

* * *

On his way to the meeting spot, Kang I-won unzipped his training jacket from the top down to his chest. The slightly chilly air had warmed to a comfortable level. It wouldn’t be long before it turned sweltering.

“Hey! Over here!”

Choi Soo-bin, who had arrived first, waved and greeted Kang I-won, her face lit up with joy.

“Wow, it’s been a while. How’ve you been?”

“Same as always. You?”

“Me? Ugh, I’ve got so much to tell you. My legs are killing me—let’s talk inside.”

Choi Soo-bin gave Kang I-won a nudge and led him into the restaurant.

Seated deeper inside, the two of them sat across from each other and ordered so much food that the restaurant owner asked, “You two gonna be able to eat all this?” Choi Soo-bin joked,

“Oh, of course we can. He’s going to eat most of it.”

“The young man? He looks like he’d collapse with a breeze.”

The owner gave Kang I-won a doubtful glance. Choi Soo-bin couldn’t hide her grin as she responded,

“Don’t worry. He may not look it, but he’s an Esper, so he eats a lot.”

The owner’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Oh really? An Esper? Then I’ll make sure everything tastes great. Just give me a minute.”

“Okay~.”

After folding up the menu and setting it aside, Choi Soo-bin asked,

“So what’s with you treating today? You’re always saying you’re strapped for food money.”

“…I paid off all my debt.”

Since their training center days, Choi Soo-bin was the only one who knew about Kang I-won’s debt. Her eyes went wide at his words before curling into crescent moons as she smiled.

“That’s amazing! You’ve been through a lot. Time to spend a little on yourself now. So, what are your plans? Got anything in mind?”

There had been plenty of ideas, but now, trying to recall them, nothing came to mind. And with no real motivation, Kang I-won hadn’t given it much thought.

He replied in a calm tone,

“Just keep living as usual.”

“Aw, that’s too boring. Why don’t you pick up a hobby or something? Want me to recommend a few? I recently got into climbing—it’s surprisingly fun.”

Now that he thought about it, he had planned to ask Soo-bin for hobby recommendations. But now, it didn’t seem to matter. Kang I-won shook his head.

“I’m good.”

As he declined, Choi Soo-bin pouted and grumbled.

“You’re no fun. Seriously, try living a little. You planning to live like this forever?”

“…It hasn’t really sunk in yet.”

“Well, I guess that makes sense. You suffered for a long time.”

Kang I-won took a sip of cold water and shifted the topic.

“Anyway, how’s your younger sibling adjusting?”

At the mention of her sibling, Choi Soo-bin’s face lit up with a bright smile as she nodded.

“Good! At first, the change in environment was tough, but lately they’ve been smiling all the time. Made some new friends, too. Oh, and I finally signed them up for piano lessons — they’ve been begging for it forever. You know what? I think my sibling’s a genius. Seriously, they’re so good. Might end up being a world-class pianist. Come visit Seoul sometime — I’ll let you hear them play.”

Kang I-won felt a pang of envy toward Choi Soo-bin, who could easily give her sibling what they wanted. If only he hadn’t made that choice back then… But Kang I-won firmly cut off the thought. No reason to fall into gloom when with Soo-bin.

“…Sure. I’ll come if I get the time.”

At his vague promise, Choi Soo-bin insisted like it was a sworn vow.

“Make time. I’m not just saying this because they’re my sibling — they’re really amazing.”

“Yeah.”

Grinning as she thought about her sibling, Choi Soo-bin asked,

“By the way, how have you been since I left? Didn’t get lonely without me? Team Leader and Young-ho doing okay? I haven’t been able to contact them since I got up here — been busy with other stuff.”

“Busy, but you still messaged me.”

Choi Soo-bin smirked.

“You were the first one I messaged. You’ve got no friends but me. Look at this overflowing kindness. Having a friend like me is your life’s biggest blessing.”

“Yeah, sure.”

Kang I-won chuckled and replied,

“Team Leader and Young-ho are the same as always. Oh, and someone named Hyun Ho-jun joined after you left. He and Young-ho get along well.”

TL/N: hello and thank you for lmk that I made a mistake in this novel lol if not for the readers I wouldn’t have known thanks a lot. I formatted and edited and also redid the entire chapter feel free to lmk if there are any more mistakes