65

As Ha-gyeom watched the scene that felt eerily familiar, he found himself biting down hard on his lower lip. He remembered how Baek Seung-woo, when he was just a child, would remove anything sharp before holding him, as if afraid it might cause harm.

Dr. Park asked Baek Sa as he crouched down to approach the woman.

“Going to give it a try?”

“Yeah. In her current state, she’s of no use anyway.”

Though his words were cold, his actions were clearly careful. Given her fragile state, it was only natural, but Ha-gyeom still felt a pang in his chest. With Dr. Park not around, they couldn’t know the exact matching rate between Baek Sa and the woman. However, since Baek Sa possessed S-rank energy, there was a good chance she could improve, even if complete recovery was unlikely.

…It’s worth a try, Ha-gyeom thought, though he couldn’t steady his racing heart as he watched Baek Sa lift the woman and carry her to an inner room. Guiding often began with close physical contact and could lead to unpredictable outcomes.

But Ha-gyeom knew better than to let petty jealousy show. He didn’t want to disrespect the woman, who was a fellow guide and had sacrificed so much, even to the point of harming herself.

“Such mercy. You could just drag her along,” Yeo Jin-joo commented.

“She might die on the way. Can’t you see she’s barely hanging on?” Dr. Park added.

At their words, the girls’ expressions turned grim. Before another confrontation could start, Ha-gyeom pushed Dr. Park and Yeo Jin-joo away, forcing them to leave. Talking more wouldn’t help the situation.

“Just go. Please.”

Ha-gyeom’s voice was sharp with irritation, and Dr. Park turned away, pretending to intimidate the girls as he left. What a useless jerk… Ha-gyeom thought to himself.

---

Once Yeo Jin-joo left, only Ha-gyeom and the sisters remained in the room. The atmosphere felt awkward. Ha-gyeom finally broke the silence, sitting down on the floor like the others.

“What are your names?”

Despite the abrupt question, the girls answered promptly.

“Kang Ha-na.”

“Kang Du-na.”

Ha-gyeom silently repeated their names to himself, then asked again.

“And the woman? She’s your sister, right?”

“Yes.”

“What’s her name?”

“Suh-hyun unni.”

“…Gi Suh-hyun.”

Judging by their different surnames, they didn’t seem to be blood-related. Ha-gyeom didn’t know what circumstances had brought them together, but it was clear that they had been relying on each other like a family.

As Ha-gyeom fell into thought, he noticed the girls’ piercing stares directed at him. After a moment of observing his face, the sisters narrowed their eyes.

“You’re not really on the same side as those people, are you?”

“Yeah. You don’t seem like you fit in with them.”

Ha-gyeom wondered if that difference was visible on his face. Even though he had appeared with them and wore the same combat uniform, they could still tell. Ha-gyeom offered a sheepish smile instead of a verbal reply. Although his situation was partly voluntary and partly forced, he didn’t want to reveal that he had also been dragged into Zone 0.

It wasn’t because he was afraid of how the sisters would judge him. Rather, he didn’t want his situation to influence their decisions or actions. After seeing the contrast between the outer-world espers and those in Zone 0, Baek Sa’s words came to mind.

‘Some people value pride and dignity more than survival. Even before the invasion, there were those who risked their lives for their rights and freedom.’

The determined look in Gi Suh-hyun’s eyes lent weight to those words. Even if she were to die, it was clear she wouldn’t willingly hand over those she had cared for to Zone 0. The sisters were likely no different.

The problem was that without Gi Suh-hyun as their guide, the sisters and the non-espers wouldn’t survive for long. Ha-gyeom looked at the sisters, who, despite appearing healthy now, would eventually need help to grow. He couldn’t help but see parallels to his own past when he was saved by someone who helped him grow.

“Is she going to be okay?”

“Is that guy trustworthy?”

“Just because someone’s good-looking doesn’t mean they’re good-natured.”

The sisters bombarded him with rapid-fire questions. Ha-gyeom thought of both Baek Seung-woo and Baek Sa. He had no way of knowing what was happening in the room where Baek Sa had taken Gi Suh-hyun. The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became.

“He’s an S-rank esper, so Gi Suh-hyun will definitely improve.”

That was the one certainty he could offer. The sisters’ faces brightened at his words. They seemed to forget that Baek Sa’s kindness was likely just a means to bring them to Zone 0 without resistance.

“What’s your rank?”

“…S-rank.”

“Can we hold your hand, just once?”

Espers can maintain their energy without guiding until they reach adulthood, but the sisters, meeting a new guide, were already filled with curiosity. Ha-gyeom willingly extended his hands and took one of each sister’s hands in his own.

“Oh, it does feel a bit different.”

As they exchanged glances and whispered, Ha-gyeom felt like a subject of experimentation. The energy he sensed was more distinct than what they likely felt, given that they were still young. Had Tae-seong not intervened by pointing his gun and stopping the contact, it might have become more awkward.

“You guys are trying all sorts of nonsense. What good does it do us if their energy levels go up?”

Tae-seong muttered before turning back to the non-espers. Ha-gyeom, feeling a bit embarrassed, withdrew his hand, exchanged glances with Kang Ha-na and Kang Du-na, and then left the area.

---

Before long, the sun set. Tae-seong, having retrieved some candles from a corner, began lighting them around the area where the people were gathered.

Ha-gyeom had been standing by the large window the entire time. He didn’t know when or how Yang Ga-eun or her team might signal, so he couldn’t afford to miss any opportunity that presented itself. Though his mind was racing with urgency, it was impossible for him to create a moment to escape with Baek Sa, who was currently engaged in guiding someone else.

Unlike during the day, there was no sign of Yang Ga-eun or any other team members. He let out a heavy sigh, only to be interrupted when Tae-seong approached him with a candle and said.

“Stop standing there like an idiot and go light the room where Baek Sa is.”

“Don’t you know he’s in the middle of guiding? If I go in now…”

“It doesn’t matter, just go. And don’t even think about knocking.”

Annoyed by Tae-seong’s sarcasm, Ha-gyeom snatched the candle and lighter from his hand. He thought it was unnecessary to light a room for an esper who could see perfectly well in the dark, but considering that Baek Sa was with a guide, he had no further argument.

“Fine, I’ll go.”

Ha-gyeom trudged towards the room, instinctively lowering his footsteps as he approached. Even though he knew an esper would hear him as clearly as thunder, he couldn’t help it.

When he reached the door, he took a deep breath without realizing it. As he grasped the doorknob and turned it, a nervous sweat broke out.

Creak—

As he quietly opened the door, he immediately saw Baek Sa sitting in an office chair. In his arms, Gi Suh-hyun was asleep. She was wrapped in a blanket, with only her hair visible, but Baek Sa’s eyes shone brightly in the darkness like those of a predator.

Ha-gyeom couldn’t help but feel relieved. It wasn’t the scene he had feared, but even so, he didn’t particularly want to brighten the room.

After a moment of hesitation, he decided it was better to follow orders to avoid Tae-seong’s nagging. Ignoring his own reluctance, Ha-gyeom lit the candle and placed it on the table near the door. The room was soon bathed in a soft, yellow glow. When the light caught Baek Sa’s face, Ha-gyeom realized that he was being watched. There was no mistake—Baek Sa was definitely looking at him.

Ha-gyeom was about to leave the room when he awkwardly spoke up.

“Then I’ll be going…”

“Come closer.”

Baek Sa’s words stopped him before he could finish. Ha-gyeom felt extremely uncomfortable, but he obeyed and took a few steps closer.

As he got closer, he noticed that Baek Sa had taken off his combat uniform’s top. Ha-gyeom swallowed nervously and waited for Baek Sa to speak again. Baek Sa stood up from the chair and gently laid Gi Suh-hyun on the wide desk.

“She stinks. Clean her up.”

Baek Sa said this while running a hand through his hair, looking exhausted. Ha-gyeom glanced at Gi Suh-hyun, who was lying there as if dead. It made sense—this was probably the first deep sleep she had had in years.

“Me?”

Ha-gyeom asked just to be sure, and Baek Sa added.

“I don’t trust the people outside.”

Does that mean he trusts me? Ha-gyeom wondered, but then he thought of Dr. Park, Yeo Jin-joo, and Tae-seong, and it all made sense.

When Gi Suh-hyun wakes up, Ha-gyeom didn’t know how she would interpret the situation. But as he looked at her face, now revealed, he couldn’t help but feel sympathy. Even without Baek Sa’s words, he would have wanted to wipe away the dried blood and dirt from her face.

Ha-gyeom quickly went outside and returned with a towel dampened with some water. It wasn’t the best solution, but it would suffice for now.

However, as soon as he re-entered the room, he found himself standing directly in front of Baek Sa, who was standing by the candle. Ha-gyeom nearly bumped into his collarbone. The candlelight reflected off Baek Sa’s muscles, making them appear even more pronounced, and a sudden, unfamiliar scent tickled Ha-gyeom’s nose.

“…….”

It wasn’t a foul odor, as the nuance in Baek Sa’s words had suggested. Ha-gyeom hesitated, realizing that the scent lingering on Baek Sa’s body was Gi Suh-hyun’s.