Chapter 143

When I returned to the news channel I had been watching earlier, the broadcast had already shifted to a panoramic view of the gate site.

And there Vasily was—after leaving me behind without a word—sitting leisurely in the very center of the scene as if enjoying a break.

The sight irritated me enough that my brows drew together as I stared at the screen.

“In particular, Esper Vasily publicly announced last night that he has finally acquired a guide. However, since no guide is present on-site, it is assumed that he has entered this gate alone.”

“…So now I’m suddenly the terrible person lounging at home while he works alone, huh.”

Who was it that left without saying a single word?

Had I known an S-rank gate appeared, I would have followed him immediately.

I would have guided him right up until the moment of departure.

I had entered many gates before—S-rank was notoriously difficult, and no one understood that better than me.

My gaze flicked to the LIVE icon in the corner of the screen.

Vasily didn’t look particularly busy… so a short call shouldn’t hurt.

I raised my phone and dialed his number.

The camera caught him pulling his phone from the inner pocket of his jacket.

The moment he saw my name, the ringing cut off, and his voice flowed through the speaker.

— “Guide Kwon Gidam? You called first—what’s wrong?”

“Are you inside the gate right now?”

— “Ah… caught.”

Vasily smiled faintly on the screen.

The soft laugh that drifted through the receiver melted the anger that had been churning inside me just moments before.

— “How did you know? Did the Association contact you?”

“The moment I turned on the TV, your face was plastered across the screen.”

— “Ah… that explains it.”

He looked around, then spotted the camera and narrowed his eyes in amusement.

For a heartbeat, I forgot he wasn’t actually making eye contact with me—it felt strangely real.

— “I meant to keep it quiet, but… guess that didn’t last long.”

As if one could slip in and out of an S-rank gate unnoticed.

With a sigh, I buried my face in my palm.

“Why did you leave without saying anything? Had I known, at least I could’ve guided you yesterday.”

— “I’ll get my guiding after the raid is over, so conserve your stamina, Guide Kwon.”

“You’ll be fine without guiding? If needed, I can still go there.”

Through the screen, I tried to assess his condition.

Now that the suppressor chip was gone, even the slightest physical contact should have been enough to stabilize him—

and sometimes we… kissed, too.

— “Worried?”

“As if. Just don’t lose control again. I’d rather not be accused of causing an Esper’s rampage due to ‘inadequate guiding.’”

— “That won’t happen. Don’t worry.”

What gave him that kind of confidence?

I paused, then spoke quietly.

“…You’ll return tomorrow evening.”

Vasily froze.

He didn’t answer immediately, but when he did, the corner of his lips rose slowly.

— “I knew you’d regressed… but hearing it directly is something else.”

“I’m not answering anything else.”

— “Am I still on the screen?”

“No. They switched scenes a while ago.”

A lie.

He was still smiling at the camera, brilliantly enough to light up the whole studio.

— “Really? Shame… Felt nice. Like I was talking to you face-to-face.”

I continued lying, pretending I couldn’t see him.

If I admitted I was watching him closely, I’d have to admit something else too—

that he really did like me.

— “Then I’m going now. See you tomorrow.”

“Don’t come back injured. Guiding an injured Esper is the worst.”

— “…I’ll try.”

After hanging up, I collapsed weakly onto the sofa.

“…Haah.”

Even in the silence that followed, my mind was restless.

All because Vasily insisted on saying things that sounded suspiciously like confessions.

The broadcast finally shifted to the anchor desk.

“Esper Vasily looks much brighter today, doesn’t he?”

“Well, matching with the guide he was rumored to be dating—who wouldn’t be delighted?”

“Is this… the power of love? Haha.”

“…Love, my ass.”

I muttered irritably.

This was exactly why I wanted that dating rumor gone.

People would take anything about us and tie it back to some absurd romantic fantasy.

The news moved on to the Association’s raid schedule and safety announcements.

I continued watching until the moment Vasily entered the gate with the other Espers.

Only then did I turn off the TV.

I knew very little about this newly-opened S-rank gate.

And Vasily… the one who always dragged me into gates with him…

had decided this one was too dangerous, leaving me behind entirely.

I did remember one thing, though—

that when he came out of this gate, he had held me far rougher than usual.

“…Was Vasily injured back then?”

I wasn’t certain.

That whole night was blurred—

only the feel of him driving into me, the look in his eyes, wild and consuming, remained vivid.

Regardless, I knew one thing for certain—

he would need guiding the moment he returned.

So I rose from the sofa and entered his room.

I took out a bottle of lubricant from the drawer, placed unused condoms beside it,

and prepared several bottles of water in case he dehydrated—

a single day would never be enough to stabilize him.

“…Doing all this myself feels… strangely embarrassing.”

Muttering, I quietly closed his door.

All that remained was to wait for the raid to end.

Once on-site, I stared at the distant gate.

Having barely slept the previous night, and again failing to sleep today while watching news reports on loop, exhaustion weighed heavily on my eyelids.

If I wasn’t careful, I might collapse mid-guiding later.

A huge yawn escaped me.

Cameras were rolling nearby, but I wasn’t worried.

With my mask pulled high and my hat low, no one could possibly recognize me.

Blending into the crowd, I observed the atmosphere—

and spotted a familiar figure.

The physician was here too.

Originally, I planned to check Vasily’s exit point and wait at his car,

but seeing the physician changed my mind.

“Doctor.”

“Who… ah! Guide Kwon Gidam?”

I lowered my mask slightly, revealing my face.

The doctor’s eyes widened, and he quickly lowered his voice so others wouldn’t overhear my name.

“Why are you out here? You could’ve waited inside.”

“If people learned I was here, it would become noisy… I preferred to stay quiet.”

“Come with me. If you enter alongside me, they’ll let you through without formal ID checks.”

I nodded and followed him into the restricted zone.

“So Esper Vasily truly went to the gate without informing you?”

“Yes. I thought he’d just stepped out for a moment… then saw the news.”

“I thought it odd as well… since you usually accompany him.”

Inside a heated tent, sipping the Association’s hot coffee, I finally vented my frustration to the doctor.

The wind outside howled sharply, but conversation made time pass quickly.

When the doctor left temporarily due to another team’s call, I looked around.

Aside from the doctor and me, the tent was packed with the paired guides of every Esper inside the gate.

It was rare to see this many guides on-site.

But since this was an S-rank gate, everyone had gathered to guide their partners the moment they returned.

Some of them had likely been waiting since yesterday.

Opening an S-rank gate in the dead of winter… everyone here deserved sympathy.