69

The next day, Kang Hana and Kang Duna were by Gi Suh-hyun’s side. Ha-gyeom brought some food and handed it to the sisters, then placed his hand on Gi Suh-hyun’s sweat-drenched forehead.

“It seems like it’ll take a bit more time for her to wake up.”

There was a limit to what could be achieved through makeshift guiding. It was evident without any further checks that Gi Suh-hyun and Baek Sa were not a good match in terms of compatibility. If Baek Sa hadn’t been an S-class Esper, they might not have achieved even this level of stability. If his grade had been even slightly lower, it could have been far more difficult.

The clouds that had briefly cleared the night before had thickened again, covering the sky. The interior, without any sunlight, was dark. When a monster, whose shape was difficult to discern, slid its body close to the window, the darkness deepened even further.

Ha-gyeom watched the outside of the building carefully, but once again, there was no signal from anyone.

The sisters, sighing, seemed to have had a sleepless night, with dark circles under their eyes. Ha-gyeom was about to leave the room when he decided to sit down beside them, who were sitting haphazardly on the floor.

Suddenly, the conversation from the previous day came to mind.

“So, five years ago, there was an Esper for her to guide?”

“Yes. But our sister died…”

To maintain resonance for nearly 14 years, there had to be a compatible Esper. The reason Gi Suh-hyun’s condition had deteriorated to this point was clearly because that Esper had died.

“What happened to the Esper that Gi Suh-hyun was guiding?” Ha-gyeom asked the sisters, who were nibbling on bread with a lack of appetite. A shadow darker than the weather outside fell over their faces. Before answering, they made eye contact and hesitated for a while.

Ha-gyeom was prepared not to receive an answer, but eventually, Kang Duna spoke up.

“Now, there are ten of us: Suh-hyun, the two of us, and the others—uncles, aunts, and sisters—but originally, there were more than twenty. There were three Espers, including our sister, and only Suh-hyun was the guide from the beginning.”

In the current era, 14 years was an extraordinarily long time. The sisters’ faces grew somber with thought. Ha-gyeom didn’t rush them.

“At first, when the monsters appeared, we were all in the shelter—us, our sisters, everyone. We were too young to remember anything… Suh-hyun told us that there were people who came to capture the Espers. At first, she thought they were government officials, but it seems they weren’t. Suh-hyun, our sister, and our parents all died… but our sister, who knew how to handle her power, led the survivors out of the shelter.”

At that time, there were hundreds of shelters just in Seoul. Ha-gyeom himself had stayed in one with his parents right after the monster invasion. He was only seven years old, but he knew better than anyone how the Espers manifested their powers, what happened in District 0, and the atrocities committed by those in power against the Espers and their families.

“At first, we managed because the contamination wasn’t too severe, and then we managed because we knew what powers the Espers and guides had…”

Kang Hana trailed off, and Kang Duna added.

“Even non-powered people tried to protect others in the shelters. It’s not like only Espers could help each other. Even now, out there, there are people who lost their families trying to help Espers.”

Ha-gyeom moistened his parched lips. He could still vividly recall the chaos that had overtaken the shelters and the cries of the people. Just thinking about the black-clad figures who had stormed the shelter doors sent chills down his spine.

“Is that why you’ve been traveling with non-powered people too?”

When Ha-gyeom asked, trying to steady his emotions, Kang Hana responded with a bit more energy.

“Yes. And we were only three years old back then. The sisters were about middle school age. How could they have known how to raise kids? We were practically raised by Aunt Suk-hee. Honestly, taking care of us probably did more harm than good, but they didn’t abandon us, and we’re so grateful for that… That’s why we have to make sure we do our part as Espers now.”

It was a world where neither systems nor media existed anymore. Ha-gyeom realized that the standards by which he found the sisters mature beyond their years were based on pre-invasion criteria. In reality, there was no way the sisters, who hadn’t received any formal education, could resemble their peers from before the invasion. Their somewhat rustic way of speaking was probably something they picked up from the adults they lived with.

But Ha-gyeom hadn’t yet received an answer to his original question. He waited silently. During the brief pause, Kang Hana’s gaze turned gray.

“Nothing is easy—fighting monsters, fighting people…” Kang Duna gestured toward the door with a fierce look.

“We have to deal with those humans too.”

“This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. Those people only want one thing.” Kang Hana imitated someone’s voice with a somber tone.

“We’re taking you, but civilians are off-limits.”

It was a predictable statement. Perhaps Park Ha, Tae-seong, Baek Sa, and Yeo Jin-joo had already been given a similar notification. While he hoped Gi Suh-hyun’s condition would improve, Ha-gyeom knew what would happen if it did. He, too, had accompanied the Espers of District 0. He wasn’t proud of it, and it was becoming harder to meet the sisters’ eyes.

“Do you know anything about the Central Center?” he asked in a lowered voice. The sisters exchanged a glance, their expressions subtly twisting.

At that moment, Gi Suh-hyun, who had been lying on the table, stirred.

“Sister, are you awake?!”

It seemed her consciousness had returned. Kang Hana and Kang Duna quickly stood up, grabbing Gi Suh-hyun by the shoulders. While they helped her sit up, Ha-gyeom also approached her. Although she looked utterly exhausted, her eyes were sharp and clear.

“Sister, I’m so glad you’re awake. We were so worried all night…”

“Are you okay now? How do you feel? Did that handsome Esper do his job properly?”

As the sisters chattered on, Gi Suh-hyun stared intently at Ha-gyeom, almost glaring. Ha-gyeom found himself lowering his eyes without even realizing it. Finally, her parched lips parted.

“…You. Are you from the Center?”

It seemed that Gi Suh-hyun had overheard their earlier conversation. As she spoke in a low voice, the sisters fell silent simultaneously. Ha-gyeom nodded quietly in response.

“So, you’re one of the guides rescued by the Center… I see.”

Her assumption was correct. Gi Suh-hyun obviously knew about the Center’s existence. If she was aware that the Center was rescuing powered individuals, it was puzzling that her gaze wasn’t more welcoming.

“Did you think mentioning the Center… would make us happy?”

Her sharp words took Ha-gyeom by surprise. He widened his eyes in disbelief. In his understanding, even if it wasn’t the ideal choice, it should have been a consensus that receiving help from the Center was better than being dragged off to District 0.

But why?

“It’s not that I don’t know what your rights are. Still, at the very least, it’s a better alternative.”

For 12 years, Ha-gyeom had lived at the Center, believing in its righteousness and goodwill. This belief had been instilled in him largely because of Baek Seung-woo. Even after returning to District 0, where he had begun to realize, just as Baek Sa had said, that the world was full of contradictions, his faith in the Center remained unshaken.

“It might be for other powered individuals….”

“But not for us. We know the limitations of that place.”

Gi Suh-hyun’s words were followed by a cautious addition from Kang Duna, who held Gi Suh-hyun’s hand sympathetically.

“Our sister Jeong died trying to save people that the Center had given up on.”

…What?

“She died a horrible death after falling out of Suh-hyun’s resonance.”

The shocking revelation from the sisters left Ha-gyeom speechless. Was that why Gi Suh-hyun and the sisters harbored such resentment?

As the situation became clearer, Ha-gyeom’s heart began to pound irregularly, and even his fingertips tingled with pain. At least from what he had observed, the people at the Center had always prioritized rescue operations above all else. He had always believed that, unlike other missions, no one would be left behind during a rescue mission….

To hear that Jeong had died trying to save people the Center had abandoned…

Ha-gyeom had never considered that while he had been fortunate, there were others who had not been so lucky. Unable to hide his trembling eyes, he looked at Gi Suh-hyun, who drove the point home.

“That place is no different from the other districts when it comes to selecting who gets saved.”

“You can’t put everyone who needs help on a lifeboat with limited space.”

Kang Duna supported Gi Suh-hyun’s words with a cold expression. Watching the three of them standing together, almost in opposition to him, Ha-gyeom was reminded of something Baek Sa had once said.

“Hypocrites.”