Approximal Guide

“Tsk, I’ve got nothing to say.” I smacked my lips in vain, still wrapped in my blanket. He glanced back at me before leaving the room and let out a short sigh.“If you’re not getting up, should I carry you?”“No, no! I’m up!”He had no shame in scooping up someone more than ten years his senior in his arms, like it was nothing, and even did the so-called “princess carry.” Sure, he’s an Esper and strong, but he’s seriously picking the wrong person to show off his strength to. I guess it bothered him enough that I was stalling and ignoring his nagging. Afraid he’d lift me without warning again, I quickly got up and headed out of the room.Since we started living together, Kim Moohyuk has insisted on cooking. There’s little he can’t do, and he even cooks pretty well. Thanks to him, I’ve been able to enjoy tasty meals without much effort… Although saying that makes me feel like a kept man somehow. He makes the meals, handles the day-to-day stuff, and here I am just lazing around.Lost in thought, I noticed him rapidly devouring the mountain of food on his plate. Espers generally have more muscle mass and a higher metabolism, so they eat a lot. He probably eats three times what I do, even though I eat as much as an average adult male. Seeing him eat that much and so quickly, I can tell he’s trying to finish up so he can look after me.Sometimes I wonder if he’s actually my long-lost son who came to find me out of filial duty. Otherwise, what’s with this extreme level of care?“Take your time. We don’t have any plans today.”“What do you mean no plans? We still have your knee rehab session, don’t we?”“What are you, my guardian? Or my kid putting me in a retirement home? I’ll get there by myself, so you focus on your own stuff.”“Oh, I’ll take care of myself, alright. Colonel, you just focus on your rehab.”The nerve of this kid. I stopped my chopsticks and stared at him, but he just looked back with an innocent expression, as if there was nothing strange about what he’d said. That’s Kim Moohyuk for you—kind and caring but with a sharp tone that’s bound to cause trouble one day. He’s nice and considerate, but his bluntness makes me worry. I wondered whether I should try to fix that before he meets his own Guide, but I figured he’d just tell me to mind my own business, so I kept my mouth shut.“Fine, then. Why don’t you go check with Kim Inhak and see if there’s any new information?”Only then did he close his mouth. Until now, he must’ve thought I was just trying to get rid of him for no reason. I sighed briefly.Honestly, Moohyuk’s level of attachment isn’t anything unusual. Ha Seonghan also wasn’t particularly attached to me, his Guide, but many other Espers are. Every year, there are incidents all over the country caused by Espers obsessed with their Guides. Some even commit violent acts just because their Guide spoke with another Esper. We’ve stressed repeatedly that Guides are individuals, not someone’s possession, and even made it a legal requirement for Espers to complete related training, but it doesn’t always work.Compared to those hotheaded cases, Moohyuk isn’t so bad. Still, he hasn’t completely transcended the typical Esper-Guide relationship, so his attachment does show here and there. Compared to the messes other Espers make, it’s more like a cute quirk.I sighed and spread my arms. “Come here. Now that you’ve eaten breakfast, you need a different kind of nourishment.”“…What?”I opened my arms for a Guiding session, but the look he gave me was like that of a soccer fan shocked by a World Cup loss. What’s with him? Did I say something weird? As I looked at him, his neck and ears quickly turned red, and he averted his gaze. I raised an eyebrow at him.“What were you thinking to react like that? I’m talking about Guiding.”“…Guiding, right… ha, sheesh.”Did he just curse at me? I could only stare in confusion as Moohyuk cursed out of nowhere. Just when I was about to ask why he swore, he abruptly stood up from the table, paced around for a bit, then headed upstairs. He only uses his room to change clothes, even though his bedroom and the second-floor bathroom are up there. Every night, he ends up crawling into my room instead.Is he trying to hurry out of here? I glanced up at the second floor, hearing his door slam shut.“…What’s with him? Is he going through a rebellious phase?”Do people get rebellious phases at twenty-three? Lately, I’ve been thinking more and more that Moohyuk might actually be going through one. Getting ready to change my clothes, I glanced at the table, which was still piled with dishes.“Oh, come on. Do I have to clean all this up?”Usually, he cleans up, but he left it this time. Alright, I’ll lend a hand for once. I clicked my tongue, tidying up the dishes and finishing the simple washing. While I was cleaning up, Moohyuk didn’t come downstairs, though I could hear the occasional sound of water from the second floor. Normally, both of us shower before bed, so I found it odd, but figured he must’ve worked up a sweat during morning training.Yet, despite all that chaos, I ended up missing my rehab session. Kim Inhak called me in too, after all.“What’s the nonsense for calling me here too?”I folded my arms in the passenger seat of the military jeep Kim Moohyuk was driving.“Still, going to HQ in a short-sleeve tee is a bit much.”“I’m restraining myself from going in a tank top and boxers. The cheek on this young punk, telling his senior to come and go.”“You could’ve promoted to Colonel, you know.”Kim Moohyuk shook his head in disbelief. Though technically I outrank Kim Inhak by seniority, he’s higher in rank, so Moohyuk knows I’m only putting on a show in front of him. I huffed with a stern expression.“Drive.”Moohyuk chuckled softly and shifted gears. HQ in the center of the facility houses the operations office, the director’s office, and admin sections. The grounds themselves are sprawling, so unless you’re an Esper, no one walks from our Garam-dong quarters to HQ. Besides, with my knee, it’s best to drive even short distances.“Nothing good ever comes of his summoning. The guy just can’t stand to see others relax,” I muttered.Moohyuk glanced at me as he steered. I could feel his gaze, but when I turned, he was looking at the side mirror. Thinking I’d imagined it, I looked away.“You didn’t forget to submit a report, did you?”Moohyuk asked casually, steering with finesse. He spoke as if the only one prone to mistakes would be me. So this kid doesn’t trust his mentor? I clicked my tongue and glanced out the window, watching the scenery zip by.The rugged military jeep ran smoothly through the facility without a hint of rattling. Moohyuk’s driving skills were top-notch — he could’ve driven for a three-star general. How does someone who only got his license after becoming an Esper drive so smoothly? I couldn’t help but ask.“Is there anything you can’t do?”He chuckled and glanced at me. His gaze was like an adult humoring a child, and I felt at a loss. While I was contemplating how to assert my seniority and authority, he focused on the road ahead and replied.“So you’re curious about me after all.”“Hey, what kind of question is that? Would you want to live with someone you’re not even curious about?”No response. Annoyed, I glanced over at him, but his mouth was pressed into a firm line, looking away. Oh, now he’s giving me the silent treatment? Then I noticed the tips of his ears turning red. Is he feeling warm? Today’s not exactly hot. Just as I was about to check his expression, he said,“We’re here.”Already? I looked out the window. Sure enough, the main building of HQ was visible. Moohyuk got out first, walked around the hood, and opened the passenger door for me. I could manage that myself, but this kid was all about grand gestures. Ignoring his offered hand, I got out and looked up at the only 20-story building on the facility grounds.“Is this what getting called to the principal’s office feels like?”“Something like that.”“So, were you the type to get called to the principal’s office and fight with the student council back in school?”“Why would anyone fight with the student council for no reason?”I scratched my head. I didn’t exactly have a normal upbringing, having been whisked away to a training academy right after I awakened. I only knew what I’d read in comics, so I asked as if it were true, but he wrinkled his brows like it was absurd.Didn’t anyone ever throw milk cartons, yelling ‘Meet me on the roof’? Feeling a bit disoriented, I followed Moohyuk as he started toward the building.“Why aren’t you locking the car?”“There’s nothing worth stealing. Everything valuable, I carry with me.”He glanced at me with a strange look. Somehow, his words about ‘carrying everything valuable’ were unsettling, but I couldn’t put my finger on why. Soon, I forgot about it, focusing on keeping pace as we walked into the building together.When we reached the elevator, I nudged him. Moohyuk looked at me as if I were exasperating, then flicked his fingers, sending a telekinetic wave to press the up button. If it were me, I’d have awkwardly run to press it, but being a telekinetic Esper has its conveniences. I was impressed all over again.I stepped into the elevator first, holding the door open, and as he joined me, I asked,“What else can you do?”“What else, you mean?”Repeating my question with a grin, Moohyuk looked amused. So cheeky. He wasn’t like this before, but three years of attending to a patient day and night in the military must have affected his personality. I let it slide, knowing I might’ve played a role in it. The thought that he’s stuck by my side this long gave me an odd feeling.“You’re getting better at using your abilities.”“…”I couldn’t help but think of Ha Seonghan. Ha Seonghan’s awakening as an Esper was around the same time as my own as a Guide. We grew up together, so I got to watch his powers develop firsthand.Even highly-ranked Espers don’t automatically have control over their abilities. It’s about understanding the strengths of your abilities and mastering them that decides the true power of the skill. Developing unique techniques is part of an Esper’s talent. Ha Seonghan had a knack for control too, just like how Moohyuk could telekinetically press elevator buttons.As the elevator door closed, I watched the numbers go up, lost in thought. Moohyuk spoke in a low voice,“Why didn’t you and Colonel Ha ever mark each other?”“Ugh, he and I were closer than friends, alright? What family marks family?”“…But you weren’t actually family, were you?”“No, but we were hardly strangers, either. Besides, neither of us ever felt that way toward the other.”A guide and esper partnership carries a bond far stronger than that of typical colleagues—it’s a connection where one entrusts their life to the other, a bond close to true camaraderie. But an imprint is different. Imprinting involves a more intimate interaction, where the main process requires syncing the wavelengths of the esper and guide. This is accomplished through the injection of an imprint drug followed by a mucosal-to-mucosal skin contact to finalize the imprint.Because of this, imprinting closely resembles “marriage,” the strongest bond among civilians, as both involve physical contact to intertwine wavelengths. The primary advantage of imprinting is that the guiding match rate between the imprinted guide and esper reaches nearly 100%.Kim Moohyuk and I have a match rate of 92%. This surpasses the 80% match rate I had with Ha Seonghan, which was the highest at the Seogyeong Center. Kim Moohyuk is strong as he is, but, like any esper, guiding would significantly enhance his abilities, extending the range of his powers beyond their usual limits. Imagine what would happen if that 92% were completed to a full 100%—there would be no other esper in the peninsula to rival him.Yet, imprinting has a critical drawback. Espers can’t live without a guide, but guides, on the other hand, can get by just fine without an esper. Similarly, imprinting offers guides only a bit of relief in terms of fatigue reduction; its impact on them is not that profound. For espers, though, there’s a fatal aspect: after imprinting with one guide, they can only achieve match rates below 20% with any other guide.While it’s possible to function with a match rate of 20%, what if that esper enters a state of rampage? And what if, during a battle, the imprinted guide dies? It’s like trying to power a city with barely enough energy to keep the lights on in a couple of houses. This impending chaos is similar to the turmoil that can consume an esper on the verge of a rampage.Multiple guides could theoretically combine their guiding to help, but how feasible would that be every time? Nevertheless, imprinting still holds significant meaning for espers and guides, as it signals a lifelong commitment to each other. So, asking why I didn’t imprint with Ha Seonghan, who was like family to me? That’s just awkward.“Does that make sense? Sure, I may be just waiting for retirement now, but I had pretty high standards back then. Imprinting with Ha Seonghan would have been a losing deal for me.”“…Was Colonel Ha good-looking?”“He was, but not really my type. I prefer…”I was about to explain my ideal type when the elevator chimed, and the doors opened.“Oh, we’re here. Let’s go in.”From behind, I heard Kim Moohyuk muttering, “The timing, damn it…”…He’s started cursing a lot lately.I wondered if he needed a stint somewhere like Cheonghak-dong to straighten out his speech. He seemed to want to say more, grabbing my arm just as we stepped out. At the end of the hallway, Kim Inhak was already watching us.“Oh, here to greet us?”“Hardly. Would you hurry up? I called for you ages ago.”“Look at this guy, calling me over like I’m some neighborhood dog…”“And what’s with that getup? Isn’t that a 10-year-old team jersey from that soccer tournament?”“Yeah, I won first place back then. You were benched.”“Who’s calling who a benchwarmer? I was just having an off day!”As Kim Inhak huffed in annoyance, a staff member walking by threw him an awkward salute, making him clear his throat. I smirked and nudged Kim Moohyuk with my elbow.“He may be an esper, but his athletic skills are so poor, even I beat him. He can’t even dodgeball.”Kim Moohyuk ignored me, striding past to the director’s office, leaving Kim Inhak barking that he wasn’t a benchwarmer. I followed Moohyuk inside and asked,“So, why did you call us?”“Sit down; this might take a while.”“You’re planning to assign me something bothersome, aren’t you?”“Like a mind reader.”Kim Inhak’s eyes gleamed as he turned fully toward me, his gaze set on me from the start. I cursed silently, realizing he’d been aiming for me all along. Even Kim Moohyuk’s blank expression shifted into a sharp, unamused look at Inhak, but Inhak wasn’t fazed, as someone who’d climbed to director rank.“It’s about observing Central activities. Moohyuk is an option, but I think you’d be better suited.”“Right. I’ll go alone if—”“I’ll go too.”Kim Moohyuk, who had been quiet the whole time, interrupted me. Kim Inhak and I shook our heads at the same time.“No, you can’t.”“Yeah, Moohyuk, just stay here.”It was clear that the Central Division knew I had detected the tampered report. They were likely calling me first to gauge my reaction, a tactical move. I’d hear them out, but it was better for Kim Moohyuk to stay back at the center. Even though he’s an irreplaceable Esper, I, as his Guide, am not entirely without substitutes. If we consider Espers as machines, then a Guide is like their battery. I’m a top-tier, highly efficient battery for Kim Moohyuk, capable of delivering guidance swiftly and accurately.But I’m not irreplaceable. Adding several third-tier batteries to a machine won’t achieve the same efficiency as a first-tier battery, but the machine won’t come to a complete stop either. There’s a notable difference between the rarity of a high-performing machine like Kim Moohyuk and a mere battery like myself. It’s better to lose only the battery than both the machine and battery.Despite our objections, our impertinent Esper frowned.“I’m coming too. I can’t let you go to the Central Division alone, Colonel.”…Here he goes again.I rubbed my forehead. Kim Moohyuk’s urge to protect me, even though I was his Guide, was a bit much. Especially with Kim Inhak, the center’s director, present. It didn’t reflect well on me as his instructor. I called his rank sharply, my tone unusually stern.“Second Lieutenant Kim Moohyuk.”“…Second Lieutenant Kim Moohyuk.”He responded in a low voice, reciting his full title. Moments like these suggest he hasn’t entirely forgotten this is a military unit, so why act this way? Since he entered as an officer without basic cadet training, I had been strict with him to prevent others from gossiping.Now, we’re peers in a way, and I try to accommodate him because I know his anxieties. But when he first joined as a recruit, I didn’t hold back. I was annoyed by his sudden lapse in judgment, especially since I had grown to treat him as an equal soldier by now. As I frowned, Kim Inhak, knowing my temperament well, tried to ease the situation.“Come on, Moohyuk’s just worried about you. Moohyuk, it’s enough now. Sure, I called you both to the Central Division, but that was just to keep you informed. If Colonel Kang were as strict as he was in the past, you’d be in for disciplinary drills right now. He’s mellowed out.”“Kim Inhak, could you cut the unnecessary commentary? Kim Moohyuk, I know you’re concerned, but as an officer, you should understand your place. Am I too lenient with you?”“…No, sir.”Kim Moohyuk answered in a subdued tone. I noticed the veins standing out on the fist resting on his knee as he seemed to hold back his anger. Impressive restraint, especially when he didn’t emit even a single wave of Esper energy despite the fury that made his veins pop. With qualities like these, I tend to overlook his occasional excessive attachment to me.And, I’ll admit, I’m soft on him too, maybe because we live together.“…Anyway, it’s something I can handle alone. Just stay here at the center.”“…”“If the roles were reversed, I’d stay behind to protect the center while you answered a summons. You don’t think I’d worry about you?”I leaned slightly toward him, speaking gently as I looked into his downcast eyes. His gaze was fixed somewhere slightly above, taking in my words. When did he get so tall? His eyes wavered as he looked back at me, and he gave a small nod as if bowing his head.“I understand.”Kim Inhak, sensing the matter had been resolved, clapped his hands together and joined in.“Well, looks like we’re all set. So, Kang, you’re going in alone…”I sighed lightly and responded to him.“Alright. So, when’s the meeting?”“They asked for you to come in tomorrow.”“Are they out of their minds? If it’s that urgent, they should come here.”“Tell me about it.”Kim Inhak and I exchanged a few more words, while Kim Moohyuk stayed silent. I understood his silence; this was the first time I had scolded him so directly. After all, he was just worried about me.But that’s how it starts in the military; even a few words can snowball into complications. No matter how large the center compound is, the military’s closed nature can’t be changed. This is a vertical structure, and someone with Kim Moohyuk’s personality—though commendable—is bound to attract attention. I won’t always be by his side, so I figured it was best to give him a proper grounding now.Moohyuk likely understood this too. Even if he’s disappointed now, it was for his benefit. A good superior doesn’t spare a subordinate’s feelings; he ensures they’re prepared against any external pressure. Judging by his profile, he seemed to understand my intentions.Yes, that’s what I believed. My mistake was in oversimplifying Kim Moohyuk’s nature—a grave miscalculation on my part.Today is a fateful day, one that belongs to me alone.But we mortals often can’t see beyond our own noses, and so, as fate would have it, I was oblivious to the events waiting for me today. Unaware of how much my life would be upended, I woke up in the same bed and started the day as I had every other. Would anything have changed if I’d known even a fraction of what lay ahead?Regardless, like any other morning, I opened my eyes in my room, pulled back the familiar blanket, and stepped out of bed. That morning’s peaceful start gave no clue about the fateful turn the day would take, so I was utterly unprepared.Early in the morning, Kim Moohyuk dropped me off at the Central Division office in Yongsan. Even the uniform I was wearing had been pressed by him. Despite his opposition, he went out of his way to make everything comfortable for me. Grateful for his thoughtfulness, I shot him a slight smile.“Thanks for the ride.”“…”He only gave a slight nod in return, silent but radiating sharp Esper energy. Just like last night, he was sulking—big time. What should I do with him? He wasn’t one to get upset without reason, so I knew I’d have a hard time mending this.Ever since that night after we returned from the Center’s main office, Moohyuk and I had been in a silent cold war. The ride back to the dorm in the jeep had been as smooth as the drive there, but Moohyuk was visibly furious. I could tell by the sharp edge in his Esper wavelengths. Once we arrived at the dorm, he glanced at me briefly before speaking through clenched teeth.“Take me with you.”I sighed and replied, “Here we go again. What’s your problem, exactly?”“The problem is your complacent attitude, Colonel. Do you really think they’ll just let you walk out of there when you go running over at their beck and call? The same people who forged that report?”“Not running over… I’ll drive, at least.”“For God’s sake.”“Well, that’s bold of you, cursing at me. Why don’t you just go ahead and take a swing?”I tapped my forehead against his chest, just enough to be annoying. He frowned and grabbed my wrist, looking down at me with such a burning gaze that, for a moment, I thought he really might. It almost seemed like a reasonable plan to have him thrown into detention for insubordination so he couldn’t follow me. But as if he saw through my scheme, he controlled himself, speaking in a low voice instead.“If you want me to sit and wait like some pet, then fine. But just remember—there won’t be a next time. You said I didn’t know my place as a junior officer?”“Now wait a minute—”“You’ll see, Kang Hajung. You’ll never be able to use rank to silence me again.”And with that, he let go of my wrist and stormed upstairs. Stunned, I stood there in the middle of the living room. How do I even put this into words? To be called by name, no less, by a subordinate nearly a decade my junior. Too shocked to form any real thoughts, I eventually snapped out of it, shouting insults after him, and shut myself in my room. If he had any sense, he wouldn’t sneak into my room for guiding tonight. But I thought I heard the door handle turn in the early hours, though I was too annoyed to let it break my sleep.That was just last night. When I woke up this morning, it seemed he’d sorted out his feelings because there was my uniform, perfectly pressed and hanging on my door. I wondered if that faint sound from the night before was actually him hanging it up. My frustration melted as I admired the crispness of the ironing. For heaven’s sake. If he’d gone to that trouble, maybe I should have held back last night.The smell of food drifted from the kitchen, likely prepared while I slept. I ended up eating his breakfast, too, and felt like an oblivious husband receiving a meal from an angry wife after a fight.Now here I was, about to head into Central, glancing at him still in the car, and I couldn’t just leave him like this. I tapped the window, and it slid down with a quiet whirr to reveal his stoic face.“Kim Moohyuk.”He stared at me intently, as if waiting for me to bring him along. I couldn’t help but chuckle. He was genuinely worried about me, it seemed. Maybe I was the problem, making my junior officer worry like this. I sighed and fished something out of my uniform pocket.“You know what a pawn shop is, right?”“Yes.”He replied obediently, even though his expression was saying, Why a pawn shop, of all things? I smiled, tucking my cap under my arm, and handed him what I’d taken from my pocket.“Take this.”“…What’s this?”“It’s what I got when I graduated from the academy.”He took the pocket watch, a classic, gold-plated piece with a mechanical spring mechanism. My initials were engraved inside the cover.“You know how everyone receives a ring when they graduate? I insisted on a watch instead. They made us choose between a pocket watch and a ring until my year, so I had to make a special request. The quartermaster scolded me for days.”“…”“Keep it safe for me, and hand it back when I return. They won’t dare touch me while you’re here. After all, you’re my lucky charm. And you can’t just let someone burn their lucky charm, can you?”Moohyuk looked down at the pocket watch, sitting small in his hand, glittering in the sunlight. It wasn’t that long ago that I’d refused a matching set of rings with Ha Seonghan in favor of this watch. I’d kept it sealed in my drawer so it wouldn’t tarnish. Now, it was in Moohyuk’s hand.“Just think of it as something I’ve pawned with you for safekeeping. I’ll be back to claim it in no time, so stay put.”I grinned at him as I spoke. He stared at my smile, then climbed out of the car. Before I had a chance to react, he was standing in front of me, watch in hand, looking down with a mysterious gaze. For a second, I wondered if he was about to insist on some last-minute guiding.“Finished treating me like a child?”“Not quite. What’s with the attitude?”He narrowed his eyes, looking me over. The glint in his intense gaze was nearly impossible to read. His stubborn, determined, maybe slightly anxious expression conveyed a mix of emotions.“What I said yesterday,” he began.“…”“I meant every word. One day, I’ll outrank you.”Kim Moohyuk pulled me into a tight embrace. I was taken aback, feeling his reluctance to release his guiding aura from where our bodies touched. High-level espers can resist giving off their aura, but it’s a rare skill, and Kim Moohyuk had never held back his guidance from me before.Surprised, I blinked, feeling the warmth of his breath close to my ear as his lips brushed against it, making my skin tingle with the proximity of his exhalations.“This is the last time. Today is the final day,” he murmured softly.“…”“I’m letting you go, Colonel.”He pulled away from me, and though I wanted to scratch the itch in my ear, I was too held by the intensity of Moohyuk’s gaze to move. He looked down at me, chuckling slightly before circling back to his car and driving off at once.Even long after he’d gone, I stood there, replaying his words in my head.“So, enjoy yourself.”What on earth… My face flushed instantly, though I couldn’t tell if it was out of irritation or some other cause. Civilian personnel heading to Central Headquarters filed past me as I stood there, gripping my ear and staring blankly into space. Finally, I exhaled and dropped my hand.I took up my cane, emblazoned with the Esper-Guide Corps emblem, to avoid limping. I was only a Colonel, after all, so if anyone cared to comment about my using a cane this early, there was nothing I could do about it.“Ah, that insolent kid. Just wait. I’ll make him run twenty laps around the training field with spare tires tied to him.”I muttered into the empty space as I tapped the cane on the ground. Ahead, Central Headquarters’ imposing building loomed. With a soft sigh and a not-entirely-bad mood, I resumed my walk.I had no idea then, though. That today, I would die.I only adjusted my service cap, thinking it was a bright day. That on such a fine day, I would die a very unlucky death never crossed my mind.Kim Inhak and I thought we knew exactly what Central was up to. They always used the same tactics—create an incident and then test the waters with those who noticed. I wasn’t sure what they wanted by doctoring the report, but I could guess the gist of it. System error, who knows why.“It appears to be a system error. We’re not entirely sure how it happened.”See? I thought so. I listened with a poker face to the head of Central Operations as he rambled. It had taken two hours just to escort me from the lobby to the reception room, where he greeted me, only to give an explanation they could have managed over the phone.Politely nodding along to his nonsense, I discreetly texted Kim Inhak with one hand.These guys are fishy. Stalling for time; nothing’s gone wrong on your end, right?1:18 p.m.The message was marked as read, but there was no reply. As I was debating my next move, the head of Central Operations straightened the documents he’d handed me, then spoke.“Well, since you’re here, at least stay for a meal. The cafeteria food’s excellent.”What a load of nonsense.None of the necessary authorizations were on the supposedly official documents. It was clear they just wanted to keep me here, yet he insisted on rambling about food. I found it laughably absurd.It had been an entire morning of waiting and delays, even for simple tea service. I wasted no time standing, buttoning the last button of my service jacket, and grabbing my cane.“I’m not much for dining out.”The head of operations rose with me, surprised.“Oh, come on, you came all this way; you should at least eat before you go.”“Thanks, but I’m fasting for Ramadan.”He looked taken aback by my excuse, and then latched onto me again, pleading with me to reconsider.“Don’t leave on an empty stomach. I have a corporate card; you can go out for a good meal on me.”“What are you, my mother? Why are you so worried about my meals? I’m leaving.”Annoyed, I shrugged him off and strode out. He called out, “Colonel Kang!” but I kept my pace, ignoring the twinge in my knee as I practically ran toward the elevator, pressing the button repeatedly.“Colonel Kang!”As he began frantically searching nearby elevators, the doors closed just in time. I immediately pressed for the next floor, got out, quickly reversed my jacket, and wrapped my cap inside it, stashing my cane in a nearby umbrella stand. Then I braced my knee and picked up my pace.Half-running toward the emergency exit, I spotted a janitor’s cart outside the men’s restroom, with a vest draped over its bar. I stuffed my jacket into the tool compartment, donned the vest, and wheeled the cart nonchalantly back toward the elevators.By luck, an elevator arrived right away, with a female officer in the uniform of a lieutenant. I bowed my head as I stepped in. She showed no interest in me and got out a floor later, allowing me to quickly hit the close button and head for the first floor.As I approached the lobby with my cart, the place was already abuzz. The head of operations had clearly called in the security team. I threw a glance his way—his efficient coordination was almost impressive.Ignoring his shouted orders, I made my way to the ground floor restroom. Military buildings tend to leave ground-floor restroom windows unblocked for bomb threat precautions. I slipped inside, locked the door, opened a window, and threw out my jacket and cap. I quickly swung one leg over the sill, readying my escape.And then it happened.“Hey, mister, what are you doing?”A soldier, just coming out of a stall, stared with wide eyes and asked. I quickly scanned him. The single diamond insignia on his shoulder indicated he was a second lieutenant, and his short hair and tense expression confirmed he was a new recruit. I responded irritably, as if annoyed at the fuss over something routine.“Oh, someone left a cigarette butt here. I mean, if people are going to smoke in a non-smoking area, they should at least dispose of it properly. What if it sets the flower beds on fire?”“Oh…”The recruit stood there clueless, wondering if that could be true, then slowly washed his hands at the sink, watching me in the mirror. After leaving the bathroom, I raised my voice on purpose.“Ugh, look at this—someone spat a whole bowlful of phlegm. They should fine people for this stuff; they won’t learn otherwise.”Couldn’t have delivered a better line if I tried. I’d have to politely decline this year’s Oscar. Feeling impressed with myself, I quickly grabbed the coat and hat on the ground and took off. I exited the left side of the government building and began walking briskly toward the western main gate, where regular tourists passed.“Ugh…”This was going to ruin my knee. I grimaced at the sharp pain. If I returned now, I’d be bombarded by Kim Moohyuk’s nagging. Still, I couldn’t stop; I needed to get out of here. Once I reached the main gate, I quickly flagged down a taxi. I climbed into the backseat, sweating.“Where to?”“Please take me to Goyang.”After quickly giving the driver directions, I pulled out my phone to call Kim Moohyuk.Why wasn’t he answering? Clicking my tongue, I dialed Kim Inhak instead.“Yes, sir?”“Why isn’t Kim Moohyuk answering? And why didn’t you reply to my message when you read it?”“Oh, something came up suddenly… But, did you leave headquarters already?”“Yeah, I’m on the riverside road now. It really seemed like they were trying to keep me there.”“For real? They’re holding you?”“No kidding. They even brought in guards… If I weren’t so clever, I might’ve been stuck in HQ’s basement for the next 15 years, eating dumplings.”“Hurry and get to the center.”Kim Inhak sounded anxious. He kept changing the subject, so I asked again.“Why isn’t Kim Moohyuk answering?”“Well… Um, just get here first.”With that, Inhak abruptly hung up. Now I was feeling uneasy. Even though I told myself Moohyuk was fine, I hadn’t expected things to escalate like this. If I’d stood there gaping as they called in guards, I might have actually ended up detained, eating nothing but military rations three times a day.I was grateful for my quick thinking, though as Moohyuk still wasn’t answering, I was starting to worry. The center’s location was a secret, so I would have to get off somewhere between Goyang and Paju and have him come pick me up. But with Moohyuk not picking up, I felt dread at the idea of having to walk all the way.It wasn’t rush hour yet, so the riverside road was relatively empty, and even at the speed limit of 90 km/h, the taxi soon got me to my destination. I was standing there, lost on how to get to the center.“Colonel!”Han Byeongeun, who’d pulled up in a military pickup truck, rolled down the window and called out to me. I lit up at the familiar face.“Oh? Byeongeun! Since when did you develop such initiative? Did Moohyuk ask you to pick me up?”“Just get in. Things are really messed up right now.”Why did these guys feel free to swear in front of me lately, without any fear of their superior? Han Byeongeun then shouted at me.“Didn’t you get the alert? Kim Moohyuk is showing signs of going rogue!”Huh? Just as I was about to ask, an alarm blared from the biometric watch on my wrist. I raised my arm to check the screen. A simple text was displayed.[Paired Esper, Kim Moohyuk. S++ status, rogue incident imminent. Urgent return advised.]Damn it—I sprinted toward Byeongeun’s truck. Time was of the essence.“What idiots sent him to the field without a guide?”I exploded as soon as I got out of Byeongeun’s truck. No matter how high an S++ Moohyuk was, he was still just a second lieutenant. I’d been wanting to keep him by my side for a while longer until he could stand on his own, but the Operations Bureau had given him a mission while I was away. This latest call was technically a summons for both of us, but the Bureau knew my character well enough to expect that I’d head to headquarters alone. They’d deliberately orchestrated this, scrutinizing us both to plan it all out.Fuming, I ignored the ache in my knee, changed into my operations uniform in the locker room, and immediately set off to find Moohyuk. Lieutenant Park, Inhak’s secretary, came up beside me as I was leaving.“The Director…”“He’s out in the field too, due to this incident! It’s a direct order from headquarters, and Lieutenant Kim went straight out on the mission without any objections, so…”“So you’re saying it’s Moohyuk’s fault?”“Not exactly, but…”Lieutenant Park trailed off, looking troubled. He wasn’t entirely wrong, but it still made me angry. I was sensitive when it came to Moohyuk. The mission he’d been assigned was simply too high-level. No matter how strong he was, he’d only been in the military three years. The task was one that would normally go to a captain-level Esper. Even if Esper rank came first, experience was still crucial.Compared to his peers, who’d completed a combined twelve years of education at the Esper Academy and Officer Training School, his experience was noticeably lacking. That was where I, his instructor with extensive combat experience, came in as his support, backing up his high rank. Letting him out on a mission alone was like sending a child near the water with no one to watch.I pressured Lieutenant Park to bring me a .44-caliber revolver. After placing the well-polished revolver in its holster, he positioned it over my shoulder. I slipped my arm back as though putting on a jacket and tightened my knee brace once more.“Colonel, your knee…”“I don’t care. If it completely breaks down, I’ll take your leg instead, so you better pray. Remember Korean Ghost Stories? I’ll chase you to the ends of the earth yelling, ‘Give me your leg!’”“I wasn’t born in the Korean Ghost Stories era…”Lieutenant Park said awkwardly. Ah, this generation gap is serious. I clicked my tongue and got back into Han Byeongeun’s pickup truck.“Hurry up. Dammit, if you had just gotten the gun ready earlier, we wouldn’t have wasted this much time.”Annoyed by my griping, Han Byeongeun shot back.“I told you, I was out on field duty.”“Field duty, my foot!”“Will you stop being so irritable? Are we leaving or not?”Han Byeongeun, who’d been keeping up with my endless nagging, yelled back and shifted gears, accelerating the truck hard. Soon, the pickup truck was barreling down the road without a hitch. I tried to hold in my frustration but couldn’t help grinding my teeth.“If we’re on a mission, we’re on a mission—what’s with all this impending rampage nonsense?”“I don’t know the exact situation either. The Director just ordered me to bring you in, Colonel. Seems like it’s chaos over there, too. Moohyuk went to the scene alone, but they’ve also deployed the emergency response team.”“Can’t take my eyes off you people for a second. What are you all going to do after I’m discharged, huh?!”“How should I know! Was I the one who sent out the mission? I was on a date for the first time in a hundred years, and I had to ditch halfway through because of the call—I even got slapped for it!”…Is he saying he’s the one who got slapped? It was almost adorable that he’d lied about field duty to cover up a date. Stopping my rant, I looked at his cheek curiously. It did look a little red.“It’s the other cheek.”“Uh-huh, yeah. Well, you’ll get another chance. Even if she says all that, she’s a kind person, very service-minded, so she won’t completely give up on you.”“Did you just call dating me community service?”Guess he’s sharper than he looks. Without confirming or denying, I urged Byeongeun to hurry.“Alright, just floor it before Moohyuk’s rampage blows away everything, Gyeonggi-do and all. Didn’t you buy a newlywed house in Goyang? If Moohyuk rampages, that’s the first thing to go! You’ll have to do an alert saying, ‘Byeongeun’s 10 years of savings are being obliterated!’ Just that? What if he hits the DMZ and blows away the fence? Your lackadaisical driving is giving the enemy an opportunity to invade.”“Invade, yeah right… Don’t exaggerate. I’m already flooring it.”He shifted gears again, and the pickup truck’s engine roared as it picked up more speed. Despite the banter, the situation was serious. It had been a while since Kim Moohyuk’s “rampage warning” triggered on my biological clock. I didn’t know if it started after he’d completed the mission or before, but it was definitely unnerving.However, with Byeongeun as the “Prince of Route 77,” we reached the site faster than anticipated. The site was near the DMZ on the northern outskirts of Gyeonggi Province, and if anything went wrong, a broken fence could turn this into an international crisis. The thought made my spine tingle. I jumped out of the truck and immediately looked for Kim Moohyuk.“Where’s Lieutenant Kim?”“Senior Kang—er, I mean, Colonel Kang!”From a distance, Kim Inhak, his face smeared with soot, waved at me. He’d started to call me “senior” but changed it mid-sentence, probably aware of the eyes around us.What am I going to do with this guy? Looks like he tried to stop Moohyuk from going solo on the mission but ended up searching for him as soon as the rampage warning triggered. It seems he brought in the emergency response Espers to the site. If an Esper as powerful as Kim Moohyuk started to rampage, it could trigger a chain reaction in the others, so they only brought in low-level Espers, which essentially meant useless manpower.Judging by Inhak running around like a stray, my guess was probably right. He looked like he hadn’t even found Moohyuk yet. Otherwise…“Colonel, watch out!”With a crackling sound, a transmission tower was torn out of the ground, lifting into the air like a bulb yanked from soft soil. Power lines sparked as they snapped, and the 150,000-volt current surged into the ground, setting nearby trees ablaze. The sparking was deafening. As the high-voltage current grounded itself, it scorched the earth, leaving blackened soil. The fans inside the tower’s ventilation ducts whirled and fell, crashing into the ground with a thud. If you just stood around, you could be killed by one of those massive fan blades. This meant even if we found Kim Moohyuk’s location, we couldn’t get close to him. …It was impossible not to curse.Sure enough, Moohyuk was spinning in the air, unconscious. The rampage warning must have disrupted his Esper wavelength control, causing his body to trigger a zero-gravity field on itself.The fortunate part was that the ultra-high voltage from the collapsed tower was being repelled by Moohyuk’s Esper wavelength. While this meant Moohyuk wouldn’t be injured, the current kept me from getting any closer. I clenched my teeth, making an effort to keep the curses at bay while speaking in a tone that was anything but polite.“Director, are you kidding me? Things have gotten this bad, and you didn’t even contact me when this guy decided to go solo?”“Well, um… Right now, the priority is to calm Lieutenant Kim…”“We’ll talk later. Yes, we will. Director.”“Oh… okay…”Inhak’s face fell. It was almost funny. I knew his act was all a show. He always played the pity card when he got in trouble; I’d grown sick of it since we were kids. Without even glancing at him, I shouted as I ran toward Moohyuk.“Cut off the voltage from the tower! Do you want him dead?”Finally, Inhak pulled out his phone to make the call. The sky, once clear, clouded over, and my knee started to throb. My knee had swelled so much from vaulting over windows and running around all morning that it felt tight with every movement. It was definitely swollen. The joints were so inflamed that I could feel the tension each time I moved.