IGWKE Episode 15

Episode 15

Thinking about how Heon-ju had been diligently coming in and out of the office just to see him, along with the colleagues who had likely been silently rooting for him, made Yoon-ui’s face flush all over again. But whether his face turned red or not, it didn’t matter to Heon-ju, who was now clinging to him with an almost pleading tone.

“I still haven’t decided between a one-room or a larger apartment. Can I check out your place, sir? The floor plans don’t give me a clear idea—I need to see it in person to decide.”

The sincerity in Heon-ju’s voice made Yoon-ui flinch. It was obvious that the room selection was just an excuse and that the real reason was Heon-ju’s desire to see the home of someone he liked. The young man’s clear and sparkling eyes, which didn’t suit his hidden motives, were striking. ‘Are S-class Espers’ first loves always this intense?’ Caught by the earnest look on Heon-ju’s pale face, Yoon-ui reflexively answered.

“No, you can’t.”

It was almost an automatic rejection. Heon-ju, expecting to be turned down, didn’t look too disappointed, though his face still showed some regret.

“Aww…”

“Just take the room they give you. You’re still a rookie who hasn’t even completed training—what are you doing trying to choose between a big and small room?”

“They said I could choose, though.”

“Then ask Jung-woo to show you his place instead. He’s got a one-room. Follow him home after work today and check it out. Got it?”

Trying to end the conversation there, Yoon-ui turned to Jung-woo, who suddenly stood up and jumped into the conversation.

“My place is off-limits too. It’s a mess right now. Please respect my dignity.”

“Then clean it once in a while! And tidy up your desk at the office too. You’re too sloppy!”

Not wanting to give in to the sight of Heon-ju’s sullen face, which made him want to give in and say, ‘Fine, come over,’ Yoon-ui scolded Jung-woo instead, trying to regain his composure. Enjoying the scene, Woo-joo finally spoke up.

“Is it even time to apply for dorms right now?”

“I don’t think so.”

“I guess they make exceptions for S-classes.”

Yoon-ui replied with indifference, and from behind, he heard someone sigh in envy. Heon-ju’s face turned beet red, clearly embarrassed by the special treatment he was receiving. His expression practically screamed ‘I shouldn’t have said anything.’ Feeling sorry for him, Yoon-ui gave his back a light pat.

“It’s okay.”

“But still… it feels a bit…”

The words ‘administrative staff are used to this kind of discrimination’ came to the tip of Yoon-ui’s tongue, but he stopped himself. Saying something like that in front of the admin staff wouldn’t go over well. Besides, even if it was true, it wouldn’t help the situation. Despite his limited social skills, he knew better than to say something that might offend others.

Receiving Yoon-ui’s awkward attempt at comfort, Heon-ju hesitated before admitting quietly, “Sometimes it feels like too much.”

“Being treated differently?”

“Yeah.”

Heon-ju’s face grew more downcast.

“Sometimes it’s so blatant… even among other Espers, some of them seem to look at me differently.”

“Well, some people probably do feel that way.”

Espers were generally prideful and enjoyed being treated with respect. Seeing a mere twenty-year-old, still in training, being treated like an S-class might understandably rub some the wrong way.

Of course, most wouldn’t dare openly confront someone like Heon-ju, given the overwhelming difference in rank, but that didn’t stop them from making snide remarks behind his back, undermining his self-esteem.

“Discrimination’s always a bad thing, though.”

“Have you ever experienced it, sir?”

“Well, not really… I don’t get special treatment, but I’m more of a bullying expert.”

“Ah.”

Heon-ju looked at Yoon-ui with an expression that was hard to describe, a mix of pity and apology, perhaps a bit of both. It was a funny sight. Once again, Yoon-ui’s attempt at humor had missed its mark.

From nearby, Jung-woo chimed in with a slight scolding.

“You’re going to make the kid cry. Take it easy with the jokes.”

“Wait, was that a joke?”

Heon-ju’s expression lightened as he looked at Jung-woo for confirmation. Jung-woo gave him a faint, ambiguous smile and said, “Well, the bullying part is true…”

As the saying goes, “You become like the people you surround yourself with.” After working with Yoon-ui for so long, Jung-woo seemed to have picked up his senior’s dry sense of humor. Heon-ju’s face took on a genuinely distressed look, as if he was on the verge of tears, so finally, the real adult in the room, Woo-joo, stepped in to rescue him.

“Just laugh it off. Yoon-ui always makes jokes like that.”

“Is it really okay to laugh?”

“It’s fine. If he says it’s a joke, it’s meant to make you laugh.”

Despite Woo-joo’s attempts to comfort him, Heon-ju’s gentle nature left him unsure if it was really appropriate to laugh at someone’s confession about being bullied. Watching this soft-hearted young man, Yoon-ui couldn’t help but wonder how he’d survive in an environment full of competitive, envious Espers.

“Don’t worry about it. People get treated according to their abilities. You get what you deserve, skill-wise.”

“Yes….”

“If you feel like you’re being treated better than your skills merit right now, just work harder to live up to it. And when you get promoted, treat others fairly.”

“…Yes.”

Only after hearing Yoon-ui’s reassuring words did Heon-ju’s expression finally start to brighten a little. Watching this, Yoon-ui swallowed down the follow-up comment he wanted to make—’Of course, when you do get promoted, you’ll probably end up favoring the most skilled and highest-ranked people, just like everyone else.’ Instead, what came out of his mouth was a gentle dismissal.

“Now go train.”

“Can’t I stay a little longer?”

“I have work to do. Go.”

“Yes, sir…”

“And don’t come back here after training this afternoon. Go straight home. Wandering around is probably why your energy leaks out so much.”

Despite the illogical and baseless scolding, Yoon-ui successfully shooed Heon-ju away. As soon as he returned to his desk, he rubbed his face with his hands, trying to relieve the exhaustion and embarrassment building up inside him. ‘I can’t believe I’m getting all flustered over a kid like this.’

But it was hard not to be aware of it. People kept reminding him about ‘Esper first loves’ and saying not to play with the kid’s feelings. Then, when he avoided him, they told him to cut the poor kid some slack and be kinder. With all these mixed signals, it was impossible to ignore the situation entirely.

Making sure he was out of sight from Jung-woo and Joo-min, Yoon-ui quietly tapped his cheeks with his palms, as if praying.

‘It would be so much easier if Heon-ju would just confess already. Then I could reject him outright, and we wouldn’t have to go through these awkward moments anymore.’

---

However, it seemed that their S-class Esper also had S-class skills when it came to romance. Heon-ju approached with the enthusiasm of someone his age, yet when it came time to push things too far, he pulled back with precision. It was clear that he had no intention of confessing until he had grown close enough to Yoon-ui.

“Man, our Heon-ju’s a real pro at this,” Joo-min had said, impressed by his approach, despite having more than enough romantic experience herself. If even she was praising him, it was clear that Heon-ju’s romantic skills were perhaps better than his control over his abilities.

Of course, his feelings were still as obvious as ever, leaking out like uncontrolled energy, but Jung-woo had a theory that making his affection so visible might be part of the strategy.

“He’s signaling early. Like, ‘Hey, I’m interested, but I won’t cross the line until you’re ready.’”

“That’s pretty smooth.”

“Smooth? He’s twenty. What’s so smooth about that…” Yoon-ui grumbled, pouting as Woo-joo praised Heon-ju’s approach.

Lately, everything Heon-ju did had become the office’s top topic of interest. It made sense—this was essentially a live romance variety show in the middle of their otherwise dull workplace. Had it been happening to someone else, Yoon-ui would probably have been gossiping about Heon-ju’s love life during every coffee break, speculating whether it would end happily or in heartbreak.

Honestly, where would you find a better story than this? A once-in-decades S-class Esper, not discovered through regular medical tests but dramatically during a university entrance medical exam. On top of that, he’s tall, handsome, and kind. It was a narrative straight out of a shonen manga. Now, if this same guy suddenly fell head over heels for a lowly administrative employee from the back offices? It was like a sudden shift in genres from action to romance, and no one could complain—it suited Heon-ju perfectly.

But when it was happening to him, Yoon-ui couldn’t just sit back and enjoy the show.

Lately, he had noticed that whenever Heon-ju showed up, Team Leader Kim would turn off the baseball game he was watching and just stare at him. Though, to his credit, at least Kim wasn’t making any teasing remarks to Joo-min about it. Still, every time their eyes met and Kim looked like he had something to say, Yoon-ui wanted to smack him.

‘Am I going to go down in history as the first guide to lose it and kill a civilian admin staffer instead of an Esper?’

If Yoon-ui hadn’t been practicing some serious restraint and leaving the room early, he probably would have snapped within a week.

It wasn’t just Team Leader Kim, though. The staff had always liked Yoon-ui on a personal level, but lately, that attention had grown excessive. Every day, people scrutinized whether his clothes were the same as usual, if he was dressing up for Heon-ju, or if he had bought something new. Even a minor change in his hairstyle didn’t escape their notice.

Instead of whispering amongst themselves, this morning, Joo-min had handed him a cup of coffee as the office’s representative and seriously asked, “Why’d you switch your part? Were you trying to impress Heon-ju?”

It was already hard enough to want to come to work these days, but now he had an added layer of pressure: standing in front of the mirror every morning, second-guessing everything about his appearance.

‘Am I any more attractive than I was yesterday? Am I looking extra handsome today?’

It was the kind of absurd worry that anyone who didn’t know the situation would think was ridiculous.

Yoon-ui buried his head in his hands.