TGIC Ch 142

Chapter 142

After Vasily tried to conceal my rank, I found myself thrown off-balance. I had assumed he would announce both my rank and our matching rate together, formally declaring that he finally had an official Guide.

Previously, the public had been told—along with those ridiculous dating rumors—that I was a C-rank Guide. Naturally, people still believed that to be true. And Vasily certainly knew that.

“Why are you doing this?”

“I don’t want other espers taking an interest in what’s mine.”

Just as he said, the higher a Guide’s rank, the more attention they drew from espers. Even when I accompanied Vasily, such incidents cropped up from time to time.

Of course, Vasily drove them away without exception… though the process was never quiet, and I didn’t particularly enjoy the spectacle either. In that sense, I could somewhat understand his reasoning.

The Association President nodded, adding reassuringly:

“It would be ideal to announce the rank as well, but the matching rate is what truly matters, so there’s no need to worry.”

He sounded faintly regretful, though he tried not to show it. It seemed he believed that the news of Vasily choosing to stay in Korea would overshadow my rank entirely.

It had been that way before my regression as well—international interest centered more on Vasily’s movements than on the fact that Korea had gained an S-rank Guide.

So concealing my rank likely wouldn’t cause any major issues…

“Are you all right with this?” I asked quietly.

“With what?”

“Other espers will laugh at you.”

If word spread that an S-rank esper had paired with a supposedly C-rank Guide, ridicule would surely follow. Even within Korea, there were already two S-ranks who picked fights the moment they saw him.

Vasily had traveled the world—espers who disliked him would undoubtedly seize the news to needle him from all sides.

“I don’t care. As long as I’m the only one they bother.”

…That was far from a simple matter.

I exchanged a silent look with him, then abruptly rose to my feet.

“President, do you have anything more to discuss?”

“No, everything has been settled.”

“Then we’ll take our leave.”

I signaled to Vasily, who rose slowly. With him trailing behind me, we exited the office.

“Guide Kwon Gidam, let’s stop by my private room. I need to collect some documents.”

“Understood.”

I turned away from instinctively heading toward the parking lot and followed him to his room.

It seemed he truly only needed documents—he retrieved an envelope from a drawer, checked its contents, and approached the door.

But I stood motionless, blocking his way.

As I remained bowed, gaze lowered, I felt his eyes descend upon me from above. Staring at his polished black shoes, I whispered:

“I cannot understand what you’re thinking, Esper.”

“Am I so difficult?”

“…Yes.”

I nodded honestly. A brief silence fell over the private room. He should have been offended by such distance… but instead, he spoke in his usual tone.

“You don’t have to think so hard.”

A pale, straight finger lifted my chin gently. I raised my head, and my gaze met Vasily’s.

“Do you think I’m acting this way because you’re S-rank?”

“That’s not—”

Of course not. Even when I was pretending to be a C-rank Guide, he clung to me relentlessly. And despite the low matching rate, he kept approaching me simply because I could withstand prolonged contact with him.

“Your rank doesn’t matter. Even if our matching rate had stayed low, we would be exactly the same as we are now. I guarantee it.”

The hand that had been stroking my cheek slid to my ear, tucking my hair back with a gentle touch. His deep, steel-gray eyes pierced straight through me, forcing me to avert my gaze.

Vasily leaned down, his lips nearing mine—close enough to brush at any moment.

Each of his gestures toward me felt far too much like those of a lover, and the ticklish sensation drove me to hastily press a hand over his mouth.

“I—I’m a bit tired today… I’ll guide you next time.”

Even I could hear how blatantly evasive I sounded.

His eyes darkened, displeased with my retreat. Not waiting for him to grab me, I pretended not to notice his chilly gaze and slipped out of the room.

I barely slept that night. My thoughts were too tangled for rest.

When I finally emerged from my room with a haggard face, I nearly ran into Vasily coming from the opposite direction.

It wasn’t strange for him to be awake early—he couldn’t sleep without guiding—but his being fully dressed to go out made me ask:

“Are you going somewhere?”

“The Association called for me.”

“Ah, then I’ll get ready as well—”

I had barely turned when his voice stopped me.

“Guide Kwon Gidam, stay home. Today I’ll go alone.”

…What? Vasily going somewhere without dragging me along?

It was unusual, but I didn’t pry and simply nodded. He must be discussing the matching rate article they released last night.

“Then I’ll stay here.”

If anything, I welcomed the chance to rest—there would surely be many reporters at the Association.

After waving lazily as he left, I realized I was hungry and fixed myself an early breakfast.

Then I sprawled across the sofa, staring up at the ceiling.

This should have been blissfully peaceful—so why did it feel a little… boring?

I shook my head, convincing myself that rest simply felt unfamiliar.

Even in winter, the sunlight warming my skin was pleasant. My eyelids drifted shut.

But the moment darkness filled my vision, Vasily’s retreating figure surfaced unbidden.

If he had asked me to go with him… I probably would have gone.

He clung to me like he couldn’t stand being apart for a second—but today, he changed so abruptly.

Was he sulking because I refused that kiss yesterday?

But if I hadn’t refused, who knows what might have happened in that strange atmosphere.

“Ah… damn it.”

I sat up sharply, raking my hands through my hair.

The quiet made my mind wander to useless thoughts. Seeking something to break the silence, I turned on the TV to see what the media was saying about me.

The screen lit up to a news channel. I expected uproar about Vasily finally getting a Guide—

but instead, something unexpected greeted me.

Vasily was entering a gate?

And not just any gate—an S-rank gate?

Live footage showed Vasily preparing at the gate entrance, wearing the same clothes he’d left home in.

I shot to my feet, horrified.

“That bastard—!”

He went to a gate without telling me?

Thinking my half-asleep brain had hallucinated, I double-checked. But every headline, every visual confirmed the same: Vasily was entering an S-rank gate.

I only told him not to drag me inside—who said he should hide the fact he was going at all?!

I grabbed my coat and rushed toward the door. If he hadn’t gone in yet, maybe I could still make it in time—

Hand on the doorknob, I froze.

“…What exactly am I planning to do there? It’s not like I can enter the gate.”

Quietly, I released the knob and returned to the sofa, turning the news back on.

Come to think of it… around this time in the previous timeline, an S-rank gate had appeared.

With everything happening lately, it had slipped my mind completely.

The announcer introduced the participants assigned to clear the gate.

Because the gate had formed at dawn and was unstable, they had decided to deploy all three domestic S-rank espers.

After a rundown of dozens of participants, the broadcast shifted into an explanation of gate formation theory.

Finding it tedious, I changed the channel.

Another station was busy singing praises of Vasily and the S-rank espers.

Funny—just recently, everyone had been screaming that he should be exiled or held responsible for nearly blowing up Seoul when he rampaged.

But the moment an S-rank gate appeared, all that outrage vanished, and the public fell over themselves to shove him into danger.