AAGULT Ch 79

Chapter 79

“We worked as on-site guides for a brief period, and it was Guide Song Joohyuk—Jaeha’s father—who delivered the news of my wife’s passing. That might be why I applied to be Jaeha’s support guide. Simply returning a favor.”

“……”

I briefly recalled the image of my father in the photo. It hadn’t even been a full day since I’d learned his name, yet someone out there remembered him. That alone felt incredibly strange. Especially since his own biological son couldn’t recall a single thing about him.

There was no trace of emotion on Ido-ssi’s face as he calmly confessed his past. He was nothing more and nothing less than a veteran guide trying to reassure the son of his former colleague, who was now suspicious of his intentions behind the guiding.

Jaeha felt slightly confused. Had he misunderstood? No, he was certain—this man’s guiding felt eerily familiar. It was…

Just as he was tracing back his memories, Ido-ssi spoke.

“Look at me, Mr. Song Jaeha.”

“……”

Instinctively following the instruction, Jaeha looked at him. Their eyes met. The moment they did, the guiding surged in forcefully. Jaeha furrowed his brow ever so slightly.

Until just moments ago, the guiding had been gentle and calm, but now it poured in harshly and in massive waves, almost jabbing its way in. His fingertips twitched and trembled. Unlike Mr. Aiden’s relaxed guiding, this one felt forcibly wrung out and injected, to the point that even the guide seemed strained by it.

Why is he guiding me this intensely?

[Do you have something to say to him?]

But the moment their eyes met, perhaps due to the overwhelming guiding, Jaeha could faintly hear the man’s thoughts. Noticing Jaeha’s eyes widen, Ido-ssi ceased the intense guiding. It was clear he had pushed himself to guide so strongly in hopes of opening Jaeha’s F-rank Esper abilities more easily. Jaeha was convinced after hearing his thoughts.

Ah, I knew it. I was right.

“Please keep the guiding consistent, Guide Kwon Ido.”

“I apologize. It’s been quite a while since I last did a compatibility test.”

“Haha, understandable.”

He felt a chill creep up the back of his neck. After casually exchanging small talk with an associate outside, Ido-ssi opened his mouth again, seemingly thinking he’d given Jaeha enough time to compose himself.

“If your father were still alive, Jaeha…”

“……”

“What would you want to say to him?”

It was a dangerously sensitive question, one that would’ve made any outsider gasp. Yet Ido-ssi remained calm. He framed the question by referring to the company president as “Jaeha’s father,” as if to make anything Jaeha said sound natural. For someone like Jaeha, who had often likened the president to a father or an older brother in his mind, it might have even felt comical.

Jaeha paused to gather his words. Enough time had passed; he knew the compatibility test would be over soon. There wasn’t much time left to think. He opened his mouth.

“…Today, I signed the contract with the Korean Esper Association.”

“…Is that so.”

“It might take me a while to adjust, but I think… I think the Association is a good place. I want to give it a real try… That’s what I’d like to say. If he were still alive.”

“‘Sincerely’?”

“Sincerely.”

Without any sign of emotion, the man smiled calmly. Like an uncle witnessing a nephew’s minor rebellion. That, in itself, made Jaeha even more nervous.

Unconsciously, Jaeha watched his reaction. The man spoke again.

“To be honest,”

“……”

“He probably wouldn’t have liked it.”

You know why. Because being an Esper is an incredibly dangerous profession. He was a field guide himself, after all.

The polite words, offered as formalities, barely registered in Jaeha’s ears. He was simply too aware of how terrifying the president could become when displeased, and that old, ingrained fear crept up his neck again.

Yes, it was frightening. Even the mere mention of him invoked fear. But Jaeha now understood. There was no need to crawl back into that fear again.

“……”

So, though he trembled, he didn’t retract his words. He simply kept his mouth shut with stubborn resolve. Realizing that Jaeha wouldn’t change his mind, the man didn’t press for an answer.

“You can stop guiding now.”

Just then, as if on cue, the associate outside, who had been fiddling with the machine, spoke up, prompting Ido-ssi to stop guiding.

“Please wait just a moment for the compatibility result.”

“Yes.”

As the associate busied themselves again, an awkward silence filled the room. It was a kind of silence that hadn’t existed between them since they had grown somewhat close over the past month. Jaeha was lost in thought, and Ido-ssi seemed to be thinking about something as well.

Then Ido-ssi spoke first.

“Is it because of Guide Ye?”

“…Pardon?”

The question came out of nowhere, and Jaeha flinched involuntarily. Why did he feel guilty? Perhaps sensing something from Jaeha’s reaction, the man continued.

“Did you know, Jaeha-ssi?”

“Know what…”

“Guide Ye was never a field guide. More accurately, he was ‘exempted’ from being one. That might be a better way to put it. No one dares ask him to go into gates.”

‘Exempted’—what an unusual choice of word. Jaeha slightly furrowed his brow, urging an explanation. The man continued.

“He has a kind of trauma related to gates. When he was seven, he was pressured into entering a gate, and barely made it out alive.”

“……”

“Yet recently, he’s entered gates twice.”

Jaeha had never known Ye had a trauma related to gates. It made him feel strange. But then… why…

“He hasn’t openly stated what drove him to go in, but if it’s you, Jaeha-ssi, you might already know.”

It was as if the man were saying it was Jaeha’s fault. Even though he hadn’t said it outright, Jaeha instinctively understood.

“If your decision to remain in the Association is related to him…”

Beep. The device signaling the compatibility result emitted a sound.

“Oh, the result is in!”

Perhaps because their conversation had been relatively quiet, the associate, unaware that the two had been talking, stepped in cheerfully.

“62%. Congratulations, Esper Song Jaeha! It’s rare for a mental-type Esper to get such a high compatibility score!”

“-You might want to consider pairing with me instead of Guide Ye.”

Was he saying not to burden Aiden? Or not to get swayed by him? Or perhaps not to betray the president? As Jaeha tried to decipher the hidden meaning in his words, he pressed his lips together and fell into brief silence.

Knock knock.

Suddenly, a man who had apparently been leaning against the slightly open door knocked irritably, making his presence known.

“Excuse me.”

“……!”

Jaeha’s head snapped toward the door. There stood a man dressed in the pristine white uniform unique to the Guide Association. Unlike last time, his outfit was spotless, which made his pale skin and jet-black hair stand out even more. His indifferent, calm eyes carried a chilly air. When their eyes met, the man smiled warmly at Jaeha. But soon, his gaze shifted to Guide Kwon Ido instead.

“Guide Kwon, my turn’s up—so could you kindly get lost?”

Despite the gentle smile still on his face, his words dripped with hostility.

“……”

Guide Kwon Ido raised one eyebrow. Rather than offended, he looked more puzzled and bewildered. But knowing that his session had ended, he quietly rose from his seat.

“Well then, please think it over. Once again, congratulations on your discharge.”

“…Yes.”

As always, he gave a light bow, and Jaeha returned it. Watching this, Aiden gently closed the door himself as soon as the other man stepped out. Thud. The sound of the closing door rang louder than expected.

The atmosphere in the room had become sharp, and the associate, awkwardly glancing around, finally spoke.

“Ah, Guide Ye… Please enter the matching device and wait just a moment. We’ll begin right away—”

“-Sure.”

Without needing any further guidance, he stepped into the matching chamber and sat down heavily. Despite the casual posture, his neat appearance made nothing seem out of place.

“……”

“It’s been… a while.”

Their eyes met. Seeing the slight twist to the corners of his lips, Jaeha hesitated for a moment, then carefully opened his mouth. The man stuck his lips out in a sulky pout. He was clearly displeased.

“Jaeha-ssi.”

“Y-Yes…”

“You may begin the guiding now.”

Just as the announcement came from outside, he began blasting his guiding with explosive force.

“……!”

Jaeha’s eyes widened. He felt like the breath was knocked out of him. Yes, this was the guiding he’d been wary of. Incredibly strong and violent, as if it would tear him apart any moment.

“Gasp…”

And yet, despite how suffocating it was—it felt unbelievably good. Just like always. He hadn’t realized it before, but in an airless space, it felt like only this man could open up a path for him to breathe. Jaeha braced his hand against the wall inside the matching device, pressing hard. He tightened his facial muscles too. If he didn’t pull himself together, he feared he might shamelessly beg for more.

“Not that old geezer. Me, right?”