Approximal Guide

When one suddenly gains such power, fear of oneself often outweighs the thrill of strength. That must be why he sought out his damaged guide in the dead of night, unaware it was a rotten lifeline. You and I both seem to be living half-lives. I sighed, reluctantly acknowledging an unwelcome sense of camaraderie.“Colonel….”“Go on. Speak.”He hesitated, like a child cast out into the cold without the words to express it.“They say Colonel couldn’t be discharged because of me….”“……”“And… I don’t even know what this is right now. And back then, it hurt so much….”“……”Kim Moohyuk stammered, cheeks faintly reddening as if he were straining to find the words. I listened silently, a lump forming in my throat despite my silence.“But I don’t want Colonel to be unable to discharge because of me….”“……”“So, I’ll… I’ll tell the Center Head or someone that I don’t have to be paired with Colonel.”Kim Moohyuk’s solution, clearly thought over countless times, was painfully naïve. I couldn’t say a word, but he seemed to take my silence as encouragement, looking at me with a bit more courage than before.“So, please.”I noticed the delicate tremble of his eyelids, like thin incisions made with a scalpel. The morning light fell across Kim Moohyuk’s nose like a mountain range, his thick brows subtly descending, giving him a serious look. I couldn’t look away from the young, beautiful Esper’s eyes.“Please, don’t hate me.”In that moment, I felt a pang of guilt for ever harboring resentment toward him. I realized I was, surprisingly, a bit weak when it came to faces. Just like smelling a poisonous flower without knowing it would draw me into hell, I leaned in and inhaled its scent.Foolish Kang Hajung. Thinking the grave he dug himself was a comforting place, unaware it was even a grave.Clinging to me, begging not to be hated, Kim Moohyuk, just twenty years old, was endearing and charming in his own way.Who would have thought he’d grow so much. It’s been three years since we met, and he’s already grown to the point where he nearly surpasses my height.“Please stay still. You keep moving; it’s hard to hold you like this.”“Do I look like baggage to you? I said I’d walk, but you insisted on carrying me.”Kim Moohyuk didn’t respond, only focused ahead. Describe the mindset of a Special Forces Colonel being carried like a piece of luggage by a subordinate more than a decade his junior. How does it feel? Not great.Why does this kid never listen and keep picking me up like this? I specifically said I’d walk. Where did the playful Private Kim Moohyuk go, begging not to be hated back at the guide quarters? Now he’s grown into a giant who insists on hauling his teacher like baggage on every mission.“Hey, hey, fly slower. Your teacher’s getting dizzy.”“You’re exaggerating.”“Just wait till you get older. Even the sight of a blender makes you feel queasy.”Pressed against him, I could feel his quiet laughter like a vibration. Curious, I tilted my head up to catch his expression, but all I could see was his elegant jawline. Just when I thought he was smiling, I realized he wasn’t.It’s been a solid three years since we first met. I had decided to discharge, but postponed it when this fresh recruit kept lingering in my mind. My one chance at discharge had vanished, and I was now bound to serve as Kim Moohyuk’s pair guide and instructor for another three years. I kept telling myself I’d guide him for just one more year, then leave once he’d settled. But somehow, three years had passed.Today was a rare day when Kim Moohyuk would be absent due to a summons from Central, giving me the chance to relish a bit of peace and plan a trip to the ramen shop in the center’s business district, Ipse-dong. Opportunities like this didn’t come often. At some point, Kim Moohyuk had teamed up with the turncoat Han Byeongeun and become relentless with his nagging about my habits.Stop wearing thin clothes, don’t eat ramen as a meal, don’t consume processed foods, don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t eat mala, no mala, mala mala mala. Between his constant barrage of instructions and his respectful yet rebellious attentiveness, he walked a fine line.With him gone, it was practically free time for me. I had to act fast to indulge in all the things he wouldn’t let me do.The owner of the snack shop in Ipse-dong is from Jeolla Province and makes outstanding kimchi. When added to the ramen, it tastes incredible. She only serves a few items, sticking firmly to ramen and kimbap, and it’s always so crowded that as soon as she opens, the kimbap is snapped up by the office workers on their way to work. I never even get a chance to taste it. But at least I can go eat ramen, which is something. Her noodles have that perfect chew, exactly how I like it.Noticing my preoccupation with thoughts of ramen, Kim Moohyuk commented, “Your expression looks suspicious.”How had he noticed I was craving ramen? Glancing at me while ironing his uniform, his eyes looked as if he were scolding a mischievous nephew. Who’s the guardian here? It’s like saving a half-dead chick only to see it grow into a hawk, acting as if it had never chirped.“Stop saying nonsense and go already. They’re waiting for you.”I gritted my teeth, worried he’d catch on to my plans to eat ramen, take a long nap, and maybe grab a hot dog and ice cream on the way. If he found out, my entire day’s itinerary would be ruined. I had to be extremely cautious. Fortunately, Kim Moohyuk only looked at me suspiciously for a moment, then went back to ironing.Summoned by the Central Division, he’d taken out his dress uniform and even started ironing mine once he’d finished his. I quickly shifted the subject before he could pick up on the smell of ramen seasoning.“Isn’t that mine?”“I’m ironing yours too while I’m at it.”“I don’t even have a reason to wear it. What’s the point?”“…Just. It’s been a while since you wore it.”The ice pack on my knee slipped a bit, causing me to miss part of Moohyuk’s response. When I asked, “What?” he didn’t answer, focusing intently on ironing the uniform crease to perfection. Is he hot? Why are his ears so red?I tilted my head, studying Kim Moohyuk for a moment, before refocusing on securing the ice pack on my knee. Soon enough, he finished ironing, tidying up the board and iron, then handed me a glass of water. He’d brought coffee for himself, but water for me? This was more than treating me like an old man—it was treating me like a fragile kid. I spoke up with a hint of irritation.“Hey, give me coffee too.”“Didn’t you say your stomach hurts whenever you take painkillers?”“I can handle pain just fine.”“That’s a pitiful excuse,” Kim Moohyuk clucked, shaking his head firmly. His expression was one of absolute exasperation, as if he were looking at an irresponsible person. Poor kid, you’re looking at the wrong guy—I’m not about to back down. I’d endured countless similar moments with Han Byeongeun’s patronizing attitude.“Drinking coffee won’t kill me, you know. It has a diuretic effect, which is good for reducing knee swelling!”“What’s that nonsense medical knowledge?”Didn’t work. I tried to reason with him, but he didn’t budge an inch. Fine, then—I’ll have my instant noodles without you knowing. I hid a grin and put on a show of grumbling for my stomach’s sake.“Seriously, coffee’s not gonna kill me.”“Then I might die from the frustration,” he replied nonchalantly, glancing at his watch. It looked like it was almost time for Kim Moohyuk to head to the central division. I sipped from my glass, asking him,“So, why are they calling you again this time?”Over the past few years, Kim Moohyuk had become a top Esper at the center. Achieving an unprecedented S++ rank was remarkable enough, but the scariest part about him was his dedication. His training record alone far outstripped other Espers. An already gifted person who put in the effort—no one could keep up.With that kind of growth over three years, the central division’s trust in Kim Moohyuk had only grown stronger. But even with that, their frequent summons had started to seem suspicious. The central division’s priorities always leaned toward the military’s interests rather than public safety. To them, soldiers’ lives were like parts to be replaced.Their interest in Kim Moohyuk also boiled down to seeing him as a “high-performance machine,” not a soldier carrying out his duty with respect. After bulking up and considering himself an adult, Kim Moohyuk still didn’t fully understand the sinister side of the central division. He only listened to my caution because I was his instructor and guide. So, it was better that I kept an eye on him.“I don’t know for sure. They mentioned forming a team, but I turned that down….”There it was. Whatever their intentions, suggesting he lead a team was basically a guaranteed promotion, yet they were asking someone who’d only been enlisted for three years to start a team—absurd. Still, he probably had the skills and ranking to lead one, but for him to refuse? That was pure Kim Moohyuk.“They let you turn them down?”That was what I was most curious about. Surprised, I asked, and Kim Moohyuk replied in a casual tone,“Yes, pretty much.”Seeing him shrug, it seemed like they really did. Obeying orders was practically the military’s number one rule, but he’d refused—guess the military really valued him.“So, why did you refuse?”“Don’t you already know?”Suddenly, Kim Moohyuk seemed annoyed, a crease forming between his brows. I clicked my tongue, noting his frustration—essentially, he’d turned it down because of me.In terms of guiding skill and ranking, no one in Seoul-Gyeonggi could rival me. But the central division likely didn’t appreciate how I’d grown bold and stubborn with experience. Plus, my inability to fully contribute during combat due to the lingering knee injury from the Haeindang battle must’ve rubbed them the wrong way.Feeling I shouldn’t hold Kim Moohyuk back, I’d taken Han Byeongeun’s suggestion to get knee surgery, but the outcome wasn’t great. Despite all the energy Espers poured into healing me, there were limits. So, the surgery was basically a failure. Another operation had been suggested, but since I planned to retire once Moohyuk was fully established, I didn’t want to tamper with my knee any further. I limped a bit, but it was manageable.However, an almost-lame person as the pair guide for an S++-ranked Esper—it made sense that the central division would see me as a burdensome parent clinging to a grown child. They likely formed that team without me, and Moohyuk, my loyal disciple, must’ve refused it outright. I could picture it without even seeing it. Honestly, that guy liked me way too much. He liked me so much, it was almost embarrassing.Embarrassed, I acted like I didn’t know his reason for refusing.“I don’t know. How should I know? I’m just an old guy. Anyway, can you get me that over there?”But Moohyuk, who knew me too well, wasn’t fooled. With a look of mild disdain, he retorted,“Where would all that skill at changing the topic be useful?”“… Are you mocking me?”Without a word, Kim Moohyuk picked up my uniform and turned away. To think my tried-and-true topic diversion got shut down so fast. Over the past few years, he’d even become adept at psychological tactics. Feeling a pang of hunger after using my brain a bit, I thought I should hurry up and send him off so I could grab some ramen. He glanced at me after changing into his uniform and said,“No ramen.”“… What?”“I’m calling the snack shop to check if you go there or not.”“Hey! Am I your kid?!”This was beyond treating me like a truant elementary schooler sneaking off to the arcade. All I wanted was some ramen, but he planned to call the shop to monitor me? How did I end up with such a nagging kid! I thrashed in frustration, causing the ice pack on my knee to fall off once again.Without a word, Kim Moohyuk came over, kneeled down beside my chair, picked up the ice pack, and fastened it securely to my knee.“Honestly, you’re so clumsy.”“Oh, you’re just so perfect, aren’t you?”As the ice pack on my knee slipped slightly, I couldn’t quite catch what Moohyuk was saying. “What?” I asked, but he didn’t answer, focusing intently on perfecting the creases on my uniform. Is he hot? Why are his ears so red?I tilted my head, looking at Kim Moohyuk, then went back to securing the ice pack on my knee. Once he finished ironing, he put away the ironing board and iron, then brought me a drink. It looked like he had coffee for himself, while I just had water. It felt less like he was treating me like an elderly person and more like I was a weak child. I voiced my complaint.“Hey, get me coffee too.”“Didn’t you say your stomach hurts whenever you take painkillers?”“I can handle a little pain.”“You’re spouting nonsense.”Kim Moohyuk clicked his tongue, firmly shaking his head with a look that suggested he thought I was being immature. He doesn’t know who he’s dealing with. I never back down—after all, I’d been treated like this countless times by Han Byeongeun.“Coffee doesn’t kill people. In fact, the diuretic effect can help with knee swelling!”“What kind of nonsense is that?”It wasn’t working. I tried pushing, but he didn’t budge an inch. But fine—I’d eat ramen in secret later. I muttered complaints for show, chuckling inside.“I’m telling you, coffee isn’t going to kill me.”“I’m going to die of frustration.”He gave me a flat response, glancing at his watch. It seemed like it was almost time for Kim Moohyuk to head to the Central Command. I sipped from my glass and asked.“So, why are they calling you this time?”In recent years, Kim Moohyuk had become one of the most formidable espers at the center. Earning an unprecedented S++ rank was impressive, but the scariest thing about him was his relentless work ethic. His training logs alone far surpassed other espers. With his natural talent and dedication, no one could keep up.In just three years, he had grown so accomplished that Central Command’s trust in him had only increased. But even so, the recent frequency of his summons seemed suspicious. The Central Command cares more about military gain than public safety; to them, soldiers are replaceable parts.Their interest in Kim Moohyuk was purely functional, treating him like a high-performing machine rather than a dedicated soldier. Kim Moohyuk, having grown up, still didn’t fully understand the dark side of Central Command. He simply followed my advice to stay cautious of them. So, it made sense for me to keep an eye on things for him.“I’m not sure. They mentioned forming a team, but I refused…”There it was. Whatever their reason, suggesting he form a team was tantamount to promising him a fast-track to success. But it was absurd to suggest such a thing to someone who’d only been in service for three years. Nevertheless, judging by his growth and rank, he was certainly qualified to lead his own team. Refusing it made him quite a character.“They actually accepted your refusal?”More than anything, I was curious if his refusal had worked. I asked, barely hiding my disbelief, and Moohyuk answered casually.“Yeah, I guess.”Seeing him shrug, it really seemed to have worked. Although obedience to orders is the military’s top rule, apparently, they valued Kim Moohyuk enough to make an exception.“Why did you refuse?”“You know why.”Kim Moohyuk snapped, furrowing his brows. I clicked my tongue as I noted his expression. It was clear he refused because of me.As a guide, there was no one who matched my skill or rank in the Seoul-Gyeonggi Center. However, Central Command probably had issues with my injuries from the Haindang battle, which still affected my combat effectiveness.After deciding not to be a burden as Kim Moohyuk’s paired guide, I’d gone through with the knee surgery Han Byeongeun recommended, but the results weren’t promising. Even with the powers of a healer esper, some injuries are beyond repair, so it felt like a failed surgery. I’d been advised to try another surgery, but since I was planning to retire once Moohyuk became a fully independent esper, I didn’t want to go through that again. Limping was manageable.Still, having someone with a limp as the guide for an S++ rank esper could seem problematic. Central Command’s impression of me was probably that of a parent leeching off their fully-grown child. Naturally, they’d excluded me from the team, and my devoted student likely refused because he wouldn’t go without me. I could easily imagine it. Moohyuk has always liked me too much—for reasons I still don’t understand.Feeling awkward, I played dumb when he asked if I knew why he refused.“I don’t know. How would I know? I’m just an old has-been. By the way, go get that thing from over there.”But Moohyuk, who knew me too well, wasn’t fooled. He responded with a disdainful look.“Where are you planning to use that skill of yours to dodge questions?”“…Are you mocking me now?”Without another word, Moohyuk picked up my uniform and turned away. I couldn’t believe he saw through my best topic-changing technique so quickly. Somehow, my student had grown sharp in psychological warfare over the past few years. Feeling oddly proud of his growth, I found myself getting hungry. I’d have to get rid of him quickly so I could sneak off and buy some ramen. I watched him head to the coat room and smirked when he added one last parting gesture.“No ramen,” he said.“…What?”“I’m calling the snack shop to check if you’ve gone there.”“What am I, your son?”It was ridiculous, like a parent calling the arcade to check on a kid skipping school. Wanting to throw a fit, I squirmed in my seat, accidentally knocking the ice pack off my knee again.Without a word, Moohyuk approached and knelt beside my chair, picking up the ice pack and firmly re-securing it to my leg.“You’re so helpless.”“Oh, well aren’t you great.”Some higher-level Espers can sense extremely subtle guiding waves, but to detect such fine signals, you’d need to be on Kim Moohyuk’s level. As the only one of his rank on the peninsula, Moohyuk had been tested multiple times while training others on creating guiding nets, refining his skill to the point of confusing even high-level Espers.“Don’t waste your guiding energy. I’ll take care of it,” he said.Even if he couldn’t feel it directly, Kim Moohyuk, who seemed to have an uncanny ability to detect any guiding net, turned to look at me as soon as my guidance reached him.“Cadet Kim Moohyuk, I get that you’re so skilled you think you can ignore your mentor, but I’d appreciate it if you’d stop assuming I’ll run out of guiding energy over something like this.”“How could I ignore you, Colonel? It’s just that… never mind,” Kim Moohyuk replied, frowning. I held back a chuckle, feigning sternness, but his annoyance was obvious.“How long has it been since you graduated from basic training? Still calling you a cadet, though.”“Ahem, once a student of mine, always a student. Enough chit-chat; go over the key points for a tracking mission.”Kim Moohyuk holds the record for the shortest training period across the five national centers. Though my skills as his instructor and mentor certainly contributed, he was a natural genius, as if his years living “outside” before adulthood had been just a myth. Recognized as an exceptional cadet, he was granted early commissioning.As he was the top student of any I’d instructed, I’d had the headache of finding an appropriate graduation gift for him. Once a student, always a student, so to brush off his nagging, I tested his theoretical knowledge as an instructor would. He gave me a skeptical look as if to say, “Are we really going over the basics?”“In tracking, we generally operate in pairs. The moment we spot the target, we should mask our energy waves as much as possible to avoid detection.”“Good. As expected from an Esper with the shortest training period in special forces history.”Ignoring my words, Kim Moohyuk scanned for footprints and broken branches. He probably missed lunch and was getting cranky, so I started casting a guiding net, extending it over a 500m radius, then 1km, then 10km, spreading it over the whole hillside. A target fell into the net, and I quickly turned to Kim Moohyuk.“Northeast, about sixteen of them.”“Stay here. I’ll handle it.”Several Espers had already slipped past the net. Rolling my eyes at his insistence on going solo, I limped toward the northeast—only to find myself once again swept up as Kim Moohyuk lifted me off the ground.“You little—again?”“Don’t move. If I drop you, you’re done for, Instructor.”So, once again, I found myself being carried around by Kim Moohyuk, much to my frustration. Using his telekinesis, he could lift two grown men and transport them at high speed. Even for an Esper with telekinetic abilities, flight requires careful calculations to control speed and energy distribution. Exceeding tolerable kinetic force could lead to fatal pressure on internal organs.Kim Moohyuk didn’t usually use this technique, so I could only assume he did it out of annoyance. When I tried to guide him to ease his burden, he snapped at me to save my energy, which I ignored.“Moohyuk, the rebels are gathered over there.”Looking down, I could see several Espers with anti-government affiliations moving swiftly across the mountain. Kim Moohyuk, without a word, descended toward them, and as the wind picked up, he instinctively pulled me into his arms.It was stifling, but with no other choice, I resigned to casting another guiding wave. Annoyed, he grumbled at me not to waste my energy.“…Just, stay still.”He seemed to be bothered by my shifting in his arms and clenched his brow before hurling several Espers into the air, sending them crashing into trees with a single blow.“I told you before, attacking that way gives away your position. I warned you about that habit,” I said, feigning strictness.He merely scoffed.“Hold on tight. I’ll make sure they won’t detect our location.”With a flick of his finger, Kim Moohyuk shook the ground beneath the remaining Espers, using his telekinesis to lift objects buried underground, creating a localized earthquake. The Espers scattered, quickly realizing our position in the air and launching attacks.One of them mimicked firing a gun, shooting a compressed air bullet that narrowly grazed my shoulder. If Kim Moohyuk hadn’t adjusted our course slightly, it would have struck my neck. Hiding the pain of the wound, I quickly straightened my expression to avoid him noticing. If he knew, he’d make a fuss, and I preferred dealing with the wound quietly rather than putting up with his attention.“Put me down and fight. You’re going to kill me like this.”“Stay put. Moving won’t help.”“Right. Moohyuk, I’ve never met anyone as polite as you,” I quipped sarcastically.Glaring at me, he set me down and quickly advanced toward the Espers. Watching him practically fold the ground under his feet as he moved, I mentally called him “Sage Kim Moohyuk” with amusement. Prepping for long-distance guiding radiation, I concentrated. Normally, this technique requires a magnetic field, guiding any Espers within the range, but I’d developed a unique technique allowing me to target specific individuals.Theoretically simple but demanding in practice, I could only use it sparingly each day. Based on the sensing net I cast, none of these Espers seemed above S-rank, and while Moohyuk didn’t seem to need urgent guiding, it was best to be prepared.Now free of carrying me, Kim Moohyuk moved swiftly, sending rebels flying into the air with ease, his determination to end the mission and clock out apparent. However, even cats fail to land on their feet occasionally. One Esper, hiding his energy, launched an energy wave directly at his exposed back.I shouted as I ran toward him.“Kim Moohyuk! Dodge!”The guy looked back at me with an irritated expression, then yanked something out of thin air to slam the esper who had been about to attack me to the ground, and came running towards me.“Instructor, just get out of the way.”Once again, he hooked his arm around my waist and lifted me up effortlessly. Kim Moohyuk, an esper in the Special Forces whose name was known even to the main enemies of the Center, was lugging me around like baggage, even though everyone knew I was Colonel Kang Hajung. It was embarrassing enough to make me want to disappear; I was an officer representing the Center, after all, yet here I was. I had told him many times to cut it out, but it was no use. Moohyuk seemed to feel more comfortable carrying me around at his side as he moved around.Annoyed as I was, I decided it was the master’s virtue to put up with an unruly student, so I didn’t scold him further. Instead, I thought I’d guide him while we were this close, so I wrapped my arms tightly around his waist and started a contact-guiding process. Moohyuk, after breaking an enemy’s bones with just a few fingers, set me down in a safe place and scolded me.“I told you to stay still. Why won’t you listen?”“You’ve grown quite bold. Is this how you speak to your master?”I tried to use my rank to intimidate him, but it wasn’t the first time I’d attempted it, so Moohyuk wasn’t fazed at all. I could see in his narrowed eyes that he had no tolerance for my antics. He let out a short sigh and said,“…That’s all well and good, but Instructor, you have a slight fever right now.”“If I have a slight fever, does that mean I’m not your instructor?”Sometimes, even if an attempt fails, you have to keep trying. I subtly reminded Moohyuk of my rank, throwing out a line like, “I’m the teacher, and you’re the student.” This way, I kept reminding him of our social and rank status, trying to reduce his relentless nagging. Moohyuk clicked his tongue in mild displeasure.“…Is there anyone who doesn’t know you’re my instructor?”My instructor…? Something about the way he said it felt off. Who even phrases it like that? I tilted my head and looked up at Moohyuk, but he had already turned his head. Since I couldn’t see his expression from where I was held, I just struggled to get free from his hold. Even though he had set me down, he was still holding me close, which felt suffocating.I mean, my feet were firmly on the ground, so why wouldn’t he let go? If those annoying enemy espers were still around, wouldn’t they suspect we were having a secret romance? Sure, he’s young and has no worries about his future, but I need to put myself out there in the marriage market now if I want to find a good partner to spend the rest of my life with. With that thought, I pushed against Moohyuk’s shoulder and said,“I get it, now back off. Why are you clinging to me like this? You may be good-looking, but if you’re too clingy, it’s a turn-off.”“You’re the one who initiated contact-guiding while we were close.”This guy never lets up… I smacked my lips and replied.“I said I get it. Now stop talking. Because of you, I nearly let a small fry get away.”I pushed Moohyuk’s shoulder aside and turned to aim a pistol, drawn from my holster, at an enemy attacking from behind. A gunshot with a silencer echoed in the mountain forest, sending a flock of birds flapping noisily into the sky.Watching the smoke rise from the gun barrel, I kicked the unconscious enemy lying on the ground with my boot. Moohyuk commented indifferently.“Don’t touch dirty things.”“What, am I a kid? Don’t tell me not to touch this and that.”“At least kids listen.”“Oh, really?”When I glared at him for treating me like a stubborn child who wouldn’t listen, he smirked. His usually firm, expressionless lips softened, making him look unusually gentle. He was good-looking, I’ll give him that. It was another moment when my unruly student Kim Moohyuk survived thanks to my weakness for good looks. If he were any less handsome, I would have him in a headlock by now. I smacked my lips again.Looking around, I noticed that the mission seemed about complete. We had taken down all the targets. I reholstered my pistol and said to Moohyuk,“Let’s wrap this up and get going. Your master’s tired.”Moohyuk was dragging unconscious bodies and dead enemies, sorting them onto the ground as if organizing hunted prey. He seemed unfazed, lifting the espers easily and tossing them under tree roots. Those who were still alive moaned faintly, probably injured. Moohyuk also surveyed the scene, which looked more or less under control, and said to me,“Go rest in the vehicle. I’ll finish up here.”“If we both do it, we’ll finish faster. What’s the point?”“You really don’t listen.”This time, Moohyuk seemed genuinely irritated. He strongly disliked it when I exerted myself, so he’d probably been using all his patience since I came along on this urgent mission. Now that I was offering to help with cleanup, he was visibly frustrated. But I’m a soldier, not someone tagging along for a quick meal; I wasn’t going to slack off like some schoolkid on a field trip. Ignoring Moohyuk’s protests, I dug through the collars of the unconscious enemies, searching for barcodes.“I told you to leave it. Why are you being so stubborn? Do you have espers just for show?”“Aren’t you my esper? Are you a servant? Why do you insist on taking care of everything for me? I have my own duties too.”When I shrugged, Moohyuk narrowed his eyes in anger, speaking in a low voice.“Your esper, huh? Do you really see me that way? You say you’re delegating to me, but you always need to watch over every little detail yourself.”“Hey, when did I ever disrespect you? I’m just doing my job!”Our bickering continued. I grumbled about Moohyuk treating me like an old man, and he growled about me ignoring his advice to rest in the vehicle despite having a fever. Finally, when his frustration seemed to reach a peak, he grabbed my wrist, which was holding a barcode scanner, almost hard enough to hurt.“If you didn’t have a fever, I wouldn’t say anything. Stop worrying me and go rest, please.”“What’s with the worrying… Fine. I don’t want to exhaust my one loyal esper to the bone.”I hadn’t realized he was that concerned about me, so I mumbled, feeling a little sheepish. Moohyuk looked down at me with an unreadable expression. His grip on my wrist was warm. Probably due to his body heat, which felt oddly higher than mine, despite my fever.“…Do espers generally have high baseline temperatures? Then again, with so much muscle mass, they must have a high metabolism…”As I scratched my cheek with my free hand, my thoughts wandered aimlessly. We had already subdued all the Esper operatives from Accent who had tried to cross through this mountain. According to the mission’s briefing report, there were a total of 16 of them, so all that remained was to bring in the ones still alive and figure out their objective. Torture and interrogation were up to a specialized team, not us.Feeling a little softer toward my grumbling, loyal apprentice, I felt inclined to indulge him this once. It was foolish to keep insisting on doing things my way when my partner was so adamant.“Alright, alright. I’ll go. …But what are we eating later?”“Whatever you’d like, Instructor.”“I always choose, though.”“Even when I say what I want, you end up eating whatever you want anyway.”With an amused look, Moohyuk released my wrist, and I chuckled, recalling the warmth that lingered from his grip.“True, I do tend to get my way.”“…”“You put up with this old teacher’s whims, Moohyuk.”At that, Moohyuk looked at me for a long time. The setting sun cast a shadow over his face, obscuring his expression, making it difficult to discern his thoughts.At any rate, we’d made peace.“So, we’re having pork cutlets later? Thought we’d agreed on that.”“…Sure.”We bantered often, but today had been especially intense, probably because I insisted on coming along despite being under the weather. Han Byeongeun would probably have chided me for bickering with my junior. Thinking it over, I had to admit it was pretty laughable.Anyway, we’d more or less patched things up, so I was about to make my way back to the operations vehicle. But something felt off when I reviewed the briefing report on my tablet. A disturbing sensation crawled through me, and I called out to him.“…Hey, Moohyuk.”“Yes?”Though I thought he’d gone far, Moohyuk was standing nearby, not looking at me. The tension in my gut twisted sharply.“Hey, how many were there again?”“Sixteen.”Sixteen. I mouthed the number, feeling it settle heavily in my gut. I bit out a curse as the initial rumble of an explosion ripped through the tranquil forest air, and I tossed aside the tablet, sprinting toward Moohyuk.His eyes widened as he looked at me, but everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The report had specified 17 operatives, but we’d counted only 16 before the fight. Soldiers don’t miscount something as basic as headcounts in a mission briefing—especially not when it states that one of them has Moohyuk’s same telekinetic abilities.It hit me then: this one was the same kind of Esper as the one who took out Ha Seonghan, leaving only a name on a memorial stone.“Colonel—!”Moohyuk called out, but a sharp pain cut me off as a stone slammed into my shoulder.“…Damn it.”“Colonel, you’re bleeding.”“Anyone can bleed. Besides, I’m in great health—I’ve never even been turned down for a blood donation.”Moohyuk’s face was paler than mine as he stared at my shoulder wound. Even my attempt at humor couldn’t lift his spirits. Maybe he was still young; he seemed more upset by my injuries than his own. Fortunately, it was only a graze, and while the muscle was torn a bit, it was nothing unmanageable.I needed to confirm whether this attacker was indeed the one who’d killed Ha Seonghan. His death had been staged to look like an accidental stone strike from a nearby explosion, but I’d always suspected telekinetic manipulation.Standing, I adjusted my rifle. Although Moohyuk’s abilities had prevented me from having to shoot much during our missions, I’m no slouch with a gun myself.I aimed, not necessarily to hit but to test a theory.“What are you—”“Shh.”I whispered, nudging Moohyuk away as he tried to steady me. With that, I fired in the direction the stone had come from. My shoulder throbbed, blood seeping from the torn flesh as I felt his reproachful gaze, disapproving of my firing while injured.But there was no time. I needed to confirm this. I watched the bullet’s trajectory, and, sure enough, it veered off course, smashing into a tree trunk instead.“Colonel!”“Look closely. Do you see that? He’s using telekinesis like you.”I pointed to the fresh bullet marks on a tree trunk far from the target. Our attacker had deflected the bullet’s path with his power. Now that he’d failed to put a hole in my chest and blown his cover, he bolted through the underbrush, making a swift escape.I turned to Moohyuk.“Go after him.”“…Am I your hunting dog now?”Before I could argue, he was already dashing off, and I chuckled, clapping my hands in support. He was fast, but there was no one faster than Moohyuk. I settled on a rock, waiting for him to return, estimating it would take a good five minutes. But only a moment later, I heard footsteps rustling in the brush.“Lost him.”