TG Ch 5 Part 10

They were approaching the lecture hall. Sijin had been instructed by his superiors to give a lecture to the trainees today.

‘It’s been a while since I gave a lecture…’ 

He had done it a few times before, but he always felt nervous in front of a new audience.

Feeling his nerves getting the better of him, he reached for his necklace, a habit he’d developed.

‘…Huh?’ 

His neck felt bare. 

Panicked, he frantically searched around his neck.

‘My platinum ring!’

The platinum ring he always wore on his necklace was gone. It was his father’s wedding band, something he always carried with him. 

He wore it on a necklace so he wouldn’t lose it. When had it disappeared? Sijin sighed.

“Ha…” 

“What’s wrong?”

Ham Geonwu asked, his voice laced with concern. Sijin said, his voice filled with despair, “I lost my ring…” 

“What kind of ring?”

Ham Geonwu’s voice was serious. 

“A platinum ring. With a small diamond…” 

Sijin explained, looking around frantically. He checked his pockets, but it was gone. 

He had been so busy lately, he hadn’t even noticed it was missing. A wave of panic washed over him. Seeing his distress, Ham Geonwu started looking around as well.

“You weren’t wearing it on your finger, were you?”

“I lost it once before, so I started wearing it on a necklace…”

The ring was a bit too big for his finger, as it was his father’s. He’d lost it once a few years ago and had been lucky enough to find it wedged between the car seats. To prevent losing it again, he’d started wearing it on a necklace.

‘When did I lose it?’

Sijin stared at his bare neck, a wave of sadness washing over him. He had definitely been wearing it during the general checkups. That meant he must have lost it at Jeong Taeyul’s dorm or somewhere within the Center.

‘It was my father’s…’

To think he’d lost it… Sijin bit his lip, anxiety gnawing at him.

He’d have to report it to the Administration office. And search Jeong Taeyul’s room.

Ham Geonwu tried to reassure him. “You lost it within the Center, right?”

“Yes, but…”

“Come on, then you’ll definitely find it. Our guards are so thorough, they can catch even the tiniest ant, remember? It’s probably already at the Administration office.”

“You think so…?”

Sijin’s shoulders slumped. He had to get to his lecture. He added a reminder to his schedule to visit the Administration office, trying to calm himself down.

“Don’t worry, I’ll find it for you. I’ll uproot every tree and building until I find it.”

Sijin’s head shot up at the absurd statement. He saw Ham Geonwu’s signature confident grin, and he couldn’t help but chuckle. He knew he meant it. 

“You really… Come on, let’s go.”

He would find it. Sijin, feeling reassured, quickened his pace.

Ham Geonwu, observing him with a worried look, asked cautiously, “It’s not a couple ring, is it?” 

“No. It was my father’s wedding band… That’s why…”

“Ah~ I see.”

Relieved, Ham Geonwu nodded. Sijin didn’t mention that it was his father’s – a burden he carried alone.

Ham Geonwu asked, “If it was his wedding band, why don’t you have your mother’s?”

“I’m saving that for the person I marry.”

“…You’re sure it was your mother’s ring?” 

“Yes.”

Sijin replied, adjusting his collar. They had reached the lecture hall. They were just in time.

As he was about to open the door, he felt a pang of emptiness and turned around.

Ham Geonwu was staring at his own hand, his large, calloused hand with prominent veins.

“Geonwu…? Come on.”

Ham Geonwu, his face downcast, followed him inside. Sijin, however, was too preoccupied to notice. 

He entered the lecture hall, the trainees’ eyes fixed on him.

*** 

“Today, we’re going to learn about guiding and imprinting.” 

Sijin said calmly, standing at the podium. Twenty-eight trainees sat before him, their eyes focused on him. Ham Geonwu stood by the side, observing him.

Sijin had agreed to give a monthly lecture to the trainees for two reasons. Firstly, the additional pay was generous, and secondly, Ability Users were often surprisingly ignorant about their own abilities. 

Ability Users were taught about the dangers of their abilities from a young age.

As a result, they tended to distance themselves from ordinary humans and become fixated on the stabilizing effects of guiding – an obsession Sijin found unfortunate.

Educating them about their abilities would not only benefit their development but also make his job easier in the long run. 

“Imprinting. It’s something you’ll all think about, being Ability Users.”

The trainees’ eyes sparkled with anticipation as he spoke. They might look young and eager, but they were all talented individuals who had earned their place at the F12 Center, the most elite facility in Korea. They would soon be assigned to one of six teams (A, C, D, F, O, S) based on their abilities. 

“So, now…?”

The trainees’ attention was almost overwhelming. Their gazes were intense, as if they could see right through him. Sijin, a little unnerved, glanced around the lecture hall. 

“…Why are you all so focused? This is supposed to be boring.”

“We’re happy as long as it’s not field training~”

“All we have to do is listen!”

“We love your voice, Dr. Baek!”

The trainees shouted out, their enthusiasm making Sijin smile. Despite the exhaustion, their positive response made the effort worthwhile. 

“You’re all happy to skip training, huh?”

“Yes, sir–!” 

Their response was unanimous. They had probably endured weeks of grueling training. Sijin’s lecture was their first respite from the relentless schedule. 

“Training’s been tough, hasn’t it?” 

“No, sir!” 

“You can be honest with me.”

Sijin found their enthusiasm endearing and decided to start with a lighthearted conversation. His gaze fell on one of the trainees sitting in the front row. 

“Our Gyuho is especially focused today.”

“…..!” 

Seo Gyuho, being a new recruit, was also a trainee. Sijin smiled at him and approached him. 

‘Why is he trembling?’

As he got closer, Seo Gyuho quickly lowered his head, glancing at Ham Geonwu. Sijin was puzzled, but he gently ruffled Gyuho’s hair and addressed the trainees, “So… this is a 60-minute lecture, right? I’ll finish it in 40 minutes. But you have to promise to focus for those 40 minutes.”

“Woohoo!”

They cheered, as if he’d offered them a grand reward, despite it being a simple rearrangement. Sijin chuckled, then looked at Seo Gyuho again. The trainee, who was usually so talkative, was unusually quiet, his face pale.

“Why are you so quiet today, Gyuho?”

“Working on it, sir…” 

“What?”

“N-Nothing, sir.” 

Perhaps it was the training, but Gyuho’s usually cheerful voice was strained. The team captains were known for their rigorous training regimens. Sijin patted his shoulder reassuringly, then stepped back onto the podium.

‘What’s wrong with Geonwu…?’ 

Ham Geonwu, standing at the side, had a frown on his face. He was glaring at the trainees, then, as if suddenly noticing Sijin’s gaze, he forced a smile. Perhaps, being a senior agent, he was annoyed by their lack of discipline.

Sijin, worried that the trainees might end up with extra training, decided to get straight to the point. 

“You’re all young, right? So, naturally, you’ll have a lot of thoughts about imprinting. But if you understand guiding and imprinting properly, you might find some answers to your questions.”

He then called Ham Geonwu over. Positioning the handsome Esper next to the presentation screen, he said, “Here we have a fine specimen of an A-rank Esper, Esper Ham Geonwu, who’ll be demonstrating with me today. I’ll be the Guide.”

“My Guide.” 

Ham Geonwu slung an arm around Sijin’s shoulders, declaring it confidently. Sijin flinched, startled by his sudden assertiveness. He glanced at Ham Geonwu, who was beaming.

‘O-Okay. It’s just a demonstration. Focus, focus.’

Sijin took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He forced himself to ignore the dozens of eyes on them and continued with his lecture.

“First, let’s talk about the basics. Espers have a strong positive energy in their hearts, while Guides have a strong negative energy. It’s like fire and ice, respectively.”

Sijin placed a fire prop on Ham Geonwu’s chest and an ice prop on his own. He had prepared them beforehand. 

“But these energies are too intense for the human body to handle. That’s why they need ‘guiding,’ a physical contact that helps cool and soothe their hearts.” 

He then brought the fire and ice props together. The trainees seemed to understand. Ability Users often understood guiding instinctively, so visual aids were helpful. 

“So, guiding only requires the hearts to be close. What are some examples of guiding poses? Hugging, back hugging… gasp…”

Sijin gasped.

Ham Geonwu had pulled him into a tight embrace from behind. It was a perfect demonstration, but Sijin didn’t have the courage to continue lecturing while being hugged by an A-rank Esper, especially Ham Geonwu. He felt his back burning. 

His eyes widened in surprise, but he tried to maintain his composure, saying, “L-Like this… back hugging… It’s a pose that brings their hearts close and… c-creates intimacy. That’s why guiding often… l-leads to s-s*x.”

He couldn’t avoid discussing the s*xual aspect of guiding. He felt the heat spreading from his back to his neck, but he couldn’t let it show. The trainees were watching him with wide, eager eyes. He couldn’t break their concentration. 

He forced a smile and turned his head slightly, his glasses bumping against Ham Geonwu’s chin. He was startled, even more so by the smug look on Ham Geonwu’s face.

Sijin, pretending everything was normal, nudged Ham Geonwu’s arm and whispered, “Um… Geonwu, can you let go?” 

“Why?”

“I-I’m trying to teach.” 

“Yes, and this is a good example.”

“…Let go. Now.”

Sijin’s voice was firm despite his forced smile. Ham Geonwu finally released him. Sijin, his cheeks burning, discreetly rubbed his face and continued his lecture.

“So, guiding doesn’t necessarily require s*x, just hugging.”

He smiled, as if nothing had happened. A trainee raised his hand, and Sijin addressed him calmly.

“So… you’re saying s*x isn’t necessary for guiding?”

“That’s right. Hugging is enough. Intercourse does enhance the effectiveness of guiding, but…” 

Sijin thought for a moment, then said, “Think of it like slow charging versus fast charging. The maximum capacity is the same, so s*x isn’t essential.” 

“Whoa…” 

Some of the trainees exchanged surprised glances. Sijin, having worked with young Ability Users for years, knew exactly what they were thinking. It was probably along the lines of ‘We didn’t need to have s*x when guiding!’ 

He continued with his lecture, pretending he hadn’t noticed.

“But what happens when compatibility is high? It’s like finding a place to anchor their wave energy in each other’s hearts.” 

He clicked through the presentation slides. A simple animation of a heart-shaped flame being enveloped by ice appeared on the screen.

“That’s why, since ancient times, Ability Users have been anchoring their wave energy in each other’s hearts for stability. We call this act ‘imprinting.’” 

“Ooh…”

“What are the benefits of imprinting? Firstly, it stabilizes wave energy, significantly reducing the risk of outbursts. And they can also sense each other’s location. If the compatibility is high enough, they can even sense each other’s emotions through their heartbeats.” 

The trainees nodded, understanding the concept. Sijin, encouraged, continued, “But there are downsides too, right? Once imprinted, they experience discomfort when exposed to another Ability User’s energy. It’s like the wave energy that’s already anchored is saying, ‘This is my place!’”

He finished his explanation and ended the presentation. The lights in the lecture hall slowly brightened. He looked at the trainees.

“Now you understand what imprinting is, right? Should you do it, or not?”

“You’re going to recommend imprinting, aren’t you, doctor…?”

A trainee muttered from the back of the hall. His voice echoed in the silence. He seemed startled by his own outburst and glanced nervously at Sijin.

Sijin leaned back against the table, his gaze sweeping across the young faces before him. His voice was low, a little somber. 

“I, personally… And the director won’t like this, but… I’m against imprinting. Because there’s no safe way to undo it.”