IGWKE Episode 13

Episode 13

“The Center also needs to handle administrative paperwork, but Espers are not great with paperwork. Meanwhile, the headquarters needs the Espers’ abilities. It’s a situation where both sides need each other, but it’s awkward to officially create positions, so they end up borrowing people. Usually, after about two years of working on secondment, you go back to your original position.”

Heon-ju nodded, his face showing that he only half understood the explanation. At least he had enough sense not to ask why Yoon-ui and Jung-woo, who are Espers, had been stuck in administrative positions for over two years.

Everyone in the organization already knew, and Yoon-ui didn’t want to explain that old incident to someone so young, especially now when he had worked so hard to pretend it didn’t matter. Avoiding Heon-ju’s gaze, Yoon-ui continued his explanation.

“Well, anyway, that’s how it works. Sometimes you can go back and forth between two places without officially changing departments, or sometimes people do switch. I haven’t been to the Center in a long time, and I won’t be going out into the field anymore… So, I’m thinking of just changing my department permanently and settling down here.”

Though Heon-ju still didn’t seem to fully grasp the explanation, his face grew more serious, and he asked, with concern, about Yoon-ui’s statement that he would permanently settle in administration.

“But if you do that, does that mean you’re not going to guide anymore?”

“…Yeah, I’ll have to quit guiding.”

“You can’t quit guiding, though!”

“You brat. If your senior says he’ll do it, he’ll do it. If he says he won’t, then he won’t. You just say, ‘Yes, sir,’ and do your job. Don’t get cocky and tell me what I should or shouldn’t do.”

Yoon-ui lightly pushed Heon-ju’s forehead with his fingers, causing Heon-ju’s already serious expression to stiffen to the point where he almost looked pitiful. What the heck? Why does he look so moved? Even Yoon-ui, who prided himself on being an emotionless old man, couldn’t help but feel a little grateful for Heon-ju’s dramatic change in expression.

To make things even more emotional, Heon-ju grabbed Yoon-ui’s hand with a face that looked like he was about to cry.

“I was going to ask to be paired with you after I finish my training!”

“What…?”

“Huh…?”

Both Yoon-ui and Jung-woo let out a confused sound at the same time.

Even if Yoon-ui had stayed in active duty, that would’ve been a difficult dream to realize. Jung-woo, who had locked eyes with Yoon-ui over Heon-ju’s shoulder, seemed to share the same sentiment. He wasn’t wrong. Yoon-ui let out a bitter smile as he lowered his head.

“You’re an S-class, so they’ll find you a really good guide.”

“I don’t want anyone else. I like you, sir.”

“Thanks for saying that.”

“But I’m not just saying it.”

Heon-ju’s voice, which had been trembling as if he were about to cry, grew firmer as he protested Yoon-ui’s gentle rejection. Startled by the seriousness in his voice, Yoon-ui met Heon-ju’s gaze.

Heon-ju, who had been holding Yoon-ui’s hand with one of his, now clasped it tightly between both of his palms. There wasn’t even a sliver of space between their hands; Heon-ju’s warmth was spreading and sticking to him.

“I really want to keep receiving your guiding…!”

Although his voice trembled slightly by the end of his declaration, his grip only tightened. It was as if his warmth was flowing into Yoon-ui’s hand. Was this what it felt like when an Esper received guidance? Yoon-ui couldn’t help but wonder as he felt the unfamiliar and strange sensation. The heat in Heon-ju’s gaze was so intense that it felt like his powers were pouring out just through his eyes. It was too much to bear, so Yoon-ui awkwardly smiled and averted his gaze.

What’s going on with him? What’s with this reaction?

Yoon-ui’s wandering eyes landed on Jung-woo, who had popped his head out from behind a cup of instant noodles and was staring at him with a grin on his face.

Hey. Could this be…?

Yoon-ui sent him a signal with an expression that was somewhere between a smile and a grimace, but Jung-woo shrugged his shoulders with a playful grin, as if to say, “I have no idea.”

When Yoon-ui turned back to face Heon-ju, he saw the fiery emotions spilling over in the younger man’s still-youthful face, like raw, unrefined energy. The honest and unguarded expression left Yoon-ui speechless.

Ah.

He likes me.

Just then, an alarm went off. Another Esper must’ve gone on a rampage somewhere. But all Yoon-ui did was grip his guide badge tightly before releasing it, canceling the alert. He couldn’t be bothered with the rampage of some Esper he didn’t know right now. He was in a crisis of his own, right here, right now.

Seizing a moment when Joo-min had finished her long phone call and let out a sigh of relief, Yoon-ui quickly called her over to the break room.

“I’m swamped, and you didn’t even bring me coffee?”

As expected, Joo-min wasn’t one to cooperate easily. Her uncooperative attitude was nothing new to Yoon-ui, so he ignored it and began rambling nonsensically, waving his hands in the air.

“Hey. This could just be my imagination, or maybe I’m overreacting, or I could just be mistaken, but…”

“If the great Jeong Yoon-ui is talking like this, the intro is way too long.”

“No, seriously, I might be overthinking it, or you could just laugh it off and move on…”

“I’m leaving.”

“Hey!”

Yoon-ui desperately grabbed onto the hem of Joo-min’s clothes. With no choice but to sit back down, she crossed her arms and scowled.

“What is it? I’m busy, and you’re holding me up.”

“Look, if I’m wrong about this, it’s going to be embarrassing as hell, but… it doesn’t feel like just my imagination. It feels real, you know?”

His intro was far too long. Joo-min, now sitting with her legs crossed, gave him a sideways glance and asked bluntly.

“What? Is it because Heon-ju likes you?”

Yoon-ui was so shocked he yelled.

“…You knew?”

“What kind of question is that? Do you think anyone could miss it?”

Joo-min answered nonchalantly and stood up from her seat. “I’m so busy, and you’re dragging me into this nonsense…” She muttered to herself as she walked away. Confirming what he feared, Yoon-ui sat frozen in place, his face turning as red as Heon-ju’s flames.

Even though he had somewhat expected that response, hearing it confirmed by someone else was a different matter. A 12-year-younger Esper, barely an adult, liked him. And everyone around him knew. His head was spinning.

Wait, if they knew Heon-ju liked me, couldn’t they have given me a heads-up? When did this even start? Was it from the first time we met? But he was in a rampage back then, barely conscious. Did he even notice me? And more importantly, why does he like me? We’ve barely met a few times. Did he fall for me at first sight? That would explain why he shows up all the time. But what’s there to like about me? I’m so much older!

Still rattled, Yoon-ui checked the mirror several times to see if the color had returned to his face before running out of the break room and grabbing Jung-woo’s shoulder, shaking him.

“Hey. Jung-woo. You knew, didn’t you?”

“Knew what? That Heon-ju likes you?”

“…Yeah. I figured you’d know.”

It was the reaction he expected. Jung-woo had been a key witness to Heon-ju’s confession, or something close to it. Since he had been smirking over Heon-ju’s shoulder at the time, Yoon-ui had already guessed that Jung-woo knew.

But when Kim Woo-joo, who had been listening to their conversation from behind a partition with amusement, spoke up, Yoon-ui was caught off guard once again.

“Aren’t you going to ask me if I knew?”

“Wait, you knew too? Did everyone know except me?”

“How could anyone not know? Sparks literally fly every time he looks at you. Physically.”

Woo-joo shrugged his shoulders.

Ah, so that’s why. Yoon-ui recalled how Heon-ju’s power always seemed to flare up whenever their eyes met or when they touched. On paper, Heon-ju’s control over his powers wasn’t that bad, so Yoon-ui had wondered why his flames leaked out like a faulty gas tank. Now it made sense. He had assumed the flames were diminishing over time because Heon-ju was getting better at controlling them, but it turned out he was just getting more accustomed to Yoon-ui. Embarrassed, Yoon-ui scratched the back of his head.

“Oh, what do I do?”

But it seemed like Yoon-ui was the only one who found Heon-ju’s burning affection troublesome. Woo-joo had already gone back to his work, staring at the monitor, and Jung-woo didn’t seem to care much either. He casually shrugged as he munched on some snacks, unfazed by Yoon-ui’s awkward expression.

“What do you mean, what do you do? You just let it be. Everyone goes through it at least once, right? An Esper’s first love.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

When he glanced back, Joo-min had already returned to her work, talking on the phone again. Feeling like he was the only one taking this seriously, Yoon-ui awkwardly laughed and sat back down.

An Esper’s first love.

That’s what everyone here called the overwhelming affection an Esper often develops for their guide.

An Esper’s first love could be summed up in one sentence: “The physical and mental relaxation effects of guiding mistaken for romantic feelings.” Despite the romantic sound, it was mostly used to tease inexperienced Espers.

But almost no Esper gets through adolescence without going through this phase.

Most Espers, while developing their powers, suffer from chronic anxiety, nervousness, and various physical symptoms such as headaches. They also start their training as young as middle school, right after elementary school.

Now imagine a stressed-out teenager, overwhelmed by a new environment, heightened senses, and tough training. Then, an experienced guide appears, helping them through their training. On top of that, just their presence takes away the stress and even heals their aching bodies.

Add to this the fact that they’ll soon have to enter dangerous gates and fight unknown entities to the death. And this senior guide promises to protect them when they go into the gates together.

That’s how an Esper’s first love begins.