Approximal Guide Vol. 4 Chapter 6

“It’s done. You can go, Zhixuan.”

The esper mumbled something as he got up, but it was in Chinese, so I couldn’t understand. The next one was the same. This time, it was a Japanese woman slightly taller than me.

“Yes, well, Honda-san.”

Isn’t that a car brand? Maybe she’s related to the company. I placed my hand on the magnetic plate again and held her hand. Like the previous esper, she looked moved when I guided her, so I stretched my lips into a semblance of a smile. The matching rate was 71%.

Even for high-ranking guides, it’s hard to get over 60% with most espers, but I could. The other espers were the same. Even if someone fell below 60%, it was around 58%.

After testing with over ten people, only two were left. I looked through the espers’ applications. The Japanese esper named Ryoji and Zhang Chao were left. These high-ranking ones should have gone first and rested, why were they last? I shrugged and called Ryoji first.

“Endo-san.”

“Yes.”

Strangely, all the espers taking the matching test with me knew a bit of Korean. Did they study beforehand? Ryoji seemed to have done so too.

“Let me hold your hand.”

“Please do.”

He spoke politely, and I felt a gaze from somewhere, so I turned around. Zhang Chao was staring at me intently. Is he trying to bore a hole through my face? Since his turn was next, I thought I’d ask why he was staring so much and started guiding.

Ryoji was similar to the other espers. As soon as I guided him, he absorbed it without a break, making me slightly dizzy. It seemed he hadn’t received proper guiding in a long time. I sighed and poured a considerable amount of guiding into him. Although I had dealt with fifteen espers, the ones before Ryoji were A-rank, so the guiding consumption wasn’t high. Maybe because I usually dealt with Kim Moohyuk, the A-rank espers’ guiding requirements didn’t seem that high. I filled most of them over halfway, and it was the same for S-rank esper Ryoji.

Ryoji, who had a tired expression, now had a healthy glow on his cheeks. The matching rate was 74%, the highest among the espers so far. But it didn’t reach Ha Seonghan or Kim Moohyuk’s level, so I indifferently wiped the magnetic plate with a wet tissue. Ryoji, with teary eyes, stammered.

“I-I really like you, Sergeant Kang…”

“Really? That’s strange. We just met.”

I replied, glancing at Ryoji’s profile. Twenty-one years old? So young… He was glaring at me earlier, but now he’s wagging his tail after some guiding. It was quite cute.

“Well, I filled your guiding quite a bit, so you should feel better for a while.”

I said sociably, looking at Ryoji as if to ask why he wasn’t leaving. He seemed to want to say more but hesitated and got up. Zhang Chao, who had been waiting behind, immediately took his place. I was waiting for the magnetic plate to dry.

“Hold on a moment. It doesn’t work well when wet. It malfunctioned earlier because of some sweat.”

I said indifferently, staring at the magnetic plate when Zhang Chao spoke to me. His pronunciation was clumsy but clear.

“I know you.”

“Really? It’s our first meeting.”

He moved his lips as if to say something, then spoke again.

“If you come to China, I can do a lot for you. My family owns a private jet.”

“That’s nice. I don’t even have a mortgage.”

I replied roughly and placed my palm on the now-dry magnetic plate. Zhang Chao spoke in a slightly more anxious tone.

“Do you know Colonel Kim Dongjin?”

At that, I froze and stared blankly at Zhang Chao. He had clearly pronounced a name I knew. Colonel Kim Dongjin was my old instructor. More precisely, he was Ha Seonghan’s instructor, who died during a mission one day. I couldn’t join the mission due to a sudden fever. When I heard the news, I couldn’t believe it. Ha Seonghan returned alone, staring at me with empty eyes.

Until then, the anarchists weren’t called Accent. They had no specific name or designation. But from the day Colonel Kim was killed, they gradually started calling themselves Accent. As I couldn’t respond, Zhang Chao continued.

“Colonel Kim Dongjin was like an uncle to me. My mother is half Korean.”

I remembered hearing that Colonel Kim’s mother remarried a Chinese man and raised a daughter there. That daughter seemed to be Zhang Chao’s mother. I finally understood why he had been staring at me so intently. Feeling like I had met someone from my hometown, I realized Sergeant Kang wouldn’t know Colonel Kim Dongjin. I tried to look as puzzled as possible.

“…I don’t know that person. Why do you ask?”

“He often talked to me about Kang Hajung. Your name is Kang Hajung.”

Then I realized why Zhang Chao was telling me this. He seemed confused because I had the same name as Sergeant Kang.

I sighed and replied.

“I just share the same name with him. Just the same name, got it? And Colonel Kang Hajung has been deceased for a long time.”

“…What?”

Zhang Chao muttered something in Chinese. His tone was low, but he spoke quickly, as if he couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t let Zhang Chao see my reaction, but I was curious why he was looking for me.

“So why are you looking for him?”

“…That… I can’t say.”

Oh, now I’m really curious. Even if you don’t tell me, I have ways to find out. I put on a sympathetic expression and said.

“It seems urgent. How about talking to the esper who was paired with him until just before he died?”

Zhang Chao’s face brightened at that.

“Paired partner? Is his name Ha Seonghan?”

I couldn’t answer right away. I slowly shook my head and replied.

“…No. He also passed away a long time ago.”

Zhang Chao seemed to be thinking, then nodded.

“I want to meet Kang Hajung’s paired partner.”

I nodded. First, I thought we should finish the matching test.

“If you’re done talking, give me your hand.”

Zhang Chao obediently held out his hand. He was different from Ryoji. Maybe he was showing his S-rank status by absorbing guiding so quickly that it felt overwhelming. I thought I’d get anemic by the end of this. Watching the guiding residual numbers rise rapidly, I let go of his hand. The matching rate appeared on the screen of the makeshift matching test device. The result was 79%. It was only 1% different from Ha Seonghan’s matching rate, which was quite high even in the center.

Hmm, this isn’t good. I thought about quickly erasing the result and redoing the test to manipulate this ridiculous matching rate before anyone else noticed. Just then, I heard someone speaking Chinese behind me, and then someone called my name.

“Sergeant Kang Hajung!”

I pretended not to hear and tried to erase it, but they called my name again, so I couldn’t ignore it any longer. Clicking my tongue, I covered the screen showing the matching rate with Zhang Chao’s profile paper and stood up.

“Did you call me?”

“Yes. Why did you pretend not to hear when someone was calling you?”

It was the administrative captain. I replied with a playful tone.

“I didn’t, but what do you need? And why did you call me?”

The captain looked at me, seemingly annoyed but willing to let it slide, and asked.

“It seems you’ve completed the matching test with Captain Zhang?”

Ah, this guy… He’s got sharp eyes. How did he see that from so far away? But then I realized it wasn’t his observation skills. One of the Chinese officers had approached and was watching me closely. It seemed they had been monitoring Zhang Chao and me, not the administrative captain.

Well, Zhang Chao was an S-rank, so he must be a promising figure for the Chinese military. Maybe the other Chinese espers were just brought along to make up the numbers while searching for Zhang Chao’s guide.

This realization made my headache worse. I regretted not continuing to pretend I hadn’t heard and erasing the result. I forced a smile.

“Yes, but the measurement seemed off, so I was going to redo it.”

Feeling the gazes around me, I wanted to make the strange matching rate disappear. But before I could explain, the captain approached and removed the paper covering the screen. He looked at the machine, then back at me with a surprised expression and read aloud.

“79%?!”

There were gasps around us. Everyone looked at us in shock. Yeah, I know. I was surprised too. Especially the Chinese officer who stared at me with wide eyes, as if looking at the best possible son-in-law. …Oh, this is turning into a mess. What do I do…

Feeling troubled, I clicked my tongue and turned my head. Zhang Chao was staring at the screen, his ears turning red. …Hey, can’t you control your expressions? With no one to help me out of this situation, I awkwardly smiled and spoke to the captain.

“Captain, don’t you think this result is absurd? I think we should test again to confirm…”

“Looks like you really want to make a point, huh? See, I told you, he’s obsessed with espers.”

At that moment, Lee Jungkyu’s voice pierced my ears. …That guy, seriously. I barely managed to lift the corners of my mouth and looked towards the sound. As expected, Lee Jungkyu was whispering to the guide next to him. It was a headache-inducing situation.

But the captain seemed to agree with me. The matching rate with Zhang Chao was suspiciously high. Even a high rate would be around 70%, but all the espers I tested so far had around 70%, and Zhang Chao had 79%.

At this point, it could only be considered a machine malfunction. The captain ordered one of the administrative officers to bring another machine. When the officer brought the machine, I focused as much as possible, determined to get a result below 79% this time. I didn’t want to maintain a high value and complicate things. So I sat down in front of the machine again, holding Zhang Chao’s hand.

“Even if we do it again, the result will be the same. I felt very good earlier.”

Zhang Chao was saying things that weren’t helping the situation. I saw his slightly red ears and gave him a rough smile before starting the guiding. This time, please be below 79%, below… What the heck, why is the first digit an 8…

Just then, there was a loud bang as the door opened. People turned to look at the door in surprise.

“What kind of nonsense is going on here without me?”

The person who entered was Kim Moohyuk. I heard murmurs from the people inside. Seizing the opportunity, I quickly pressed the reset button on the matching test machine repeatedly. Zhang Chao raised an eyebrow as if asking what I was doing, but I kicked his shin in warning. Ignoring his indignant look, I stood up to greet Kim Moohyuk.

“Captain…! You’re here!”

He didn’t respond to my words and just stared at me, then spoke.

“Kidnapping someone else’s guide and using them thoroughly, huh.”

“Captain Kim, kidnapping? Please watch your words. There are representatives from various countries here.”

The administrative captain stepped in, trying to calm Kim Moohyuk. But Kim Moohyuk, without taking his eyes off me, replied.

“Then if a paired esper is alive and you take their guide for a matching test, isn’t that kidnapping? Sergeant Kang, tell me. Is this happening with your consent?”

“That is…”

Just as I was about to answer, Kim Moohyuk turned to the administrative captain and narrowed his eyes.

“You heard that? Even if Sergeant Kang runs away like it’s a daily meal and doesn’t answer calls with perfectly fine hands, he’s not someone who would do a matching test with another guy out of his own will.”

…When did I become such a bad guy? Suddenly, I was like someone who abandoned his wife and started a second family. I could only gape. Kim Moohyuk suddenly approached and picked up the matching test results from the desk.

“How many are there, one, two… If you’re bad at math, you can’t even count, right?”

“No, that’s not…”

I stammered, trying to explain. Kim Moohyuk smiled broadly, flipping through the results one by one, examining each carefully. He even looked up to match some faces with the results. His smile made him look even more handsome, but the coldness was terrifying. I felt others holding their breath, watching us. I closed my eyes tightly and opened them again, seeing Zhang Chao, who had been clueless, stand up and speak to Moohyuk.

“Are you Kang Hajung’s paired esper?”

“…Did he just drop the honorifics?”

Kim Moohyuk didn’t answer Zhang Chao and looked at me. I felt like I was going crazy but shook my head.

“No, it’s just that, Captain. His Korean isn’t very good…”

But the more I spoke, the more Kim Moohyuk looked at me like, “Now you’re even making excuses for him?” Realizing that speaking more would only worsen the situation, I stopped talking, feeling like I was digging my own grave with an excavator. Kim Moohyuk stared at me, then spoke to the administrative captain.

“Can I take him now if you’re done using him? We have a dinner appointment.”

“…Go ahead.”

“You heard that? Let’s go home.”

With that, he walked towards the exit. I signaled to Zhang Chao, wanting to ask about Colonel Kim Dongjin later. But Zhang Chao remained clueless.

“Kang Hajung, why are you winking? Are you worried you might have conjunctivitis?”

At that, Kim Moohyuk stopped walking. I wanted to disappear, but I had no choice but to follow him. Seeing me follow without a word, Kim Moohyuk resumed walking. That was a relief, at least.

The people inside Yeonghyeon Hall were staring at us. If he was going to take someone, why not take all the guides? Why just me? It was embarrassing in front of the others. But no matter how much I grumbled internally, Kim Moohyuk wouldn’t hear it. Once we reached the quiet hallway, different from the bustling hall, we stopped walking.

Kim Moohyuk turned to me and smirked.

“Ran away from home and had a lot of fun, huh?”

“…It’s not like that…”

“Enough.”

He cut me off and stepped closer, asking,

“What were you thinking, running off and ignoring all my calls?”

“……”

I had no excuse. It was true that I ignored his calls. But there’s always a reason for everything. I started feeling wronged by his tone.

“Well… if you put it that way, why did you do that to me that day?”

“What?”

Kim Moohyuk frowned, looking displeased as if he didn’t expect that question.

“I mean… why did you suddenly kiss me like that…”

My face turned red. I knew it was a stupid reaction, but I couldn’t stop stammering. My ears were burning, and I wanted to cover my face, but avoiding his gaze felt like a blow to my pride.

I ended up just frowning, and he stared at me intently before speaking.

“…Is that why you ran away?”

His voice was lower, but he didn’t seem angry. Still, it was embarrassing to bring up the topic suddenly. I didn’t run away because of the kiss, but it was partly his fault. But I couldn’t say that out loud.

“Not exactly…”

Then I suddenly felt a surge of anger. I had to sleep in the guiding room to protect Kim Moohyuk from some strange urge. It wasn’t his fault, but I couldn’t think straight at the moment. I didn’t even know when I started seeing him that way.

His face? It was great. Was I that superficial? But they say if you’re going to buy something, get the best. Maybe it was his face…

Or his personality? It was too abrasive. But thinking about how he missed me and ruined himself, his bad personality didn’t seem to matter. Considering what he did for me.

I suddenly remembered when he was chained and taken to the underground bunker shortly after I entered Sergeant Kang’s body. Kim Moohyuk’s body, suffering from ischemic syndrome due to the imprinting he never did before I died, was showing signs of going berserk. Even though his paired guide was gone, he couldn’t just forget. We had only been together for three years. The fact that he couldn’t forget those short years and suffered for much longer hit me hard.

Even before suspecting me as Kang Hajung, he was chasing Accent. He probably thought they were the ones who made me that way. Before meeting him at the center, I was a wreck. Despite my high guiding rank, PTSD and depression kept me from proper missions. I was more of an insurance policy for the central command. My repeated requests for discharge were ignored, and I was kept because they didn’t want to waste me.

While I kept asking for discharge, time passed, and I aged a bit more. I was no longer young or fit for active duty, so discharging me wasn’t difficult.

Then I met Kim Moohyuk. A young Kim Moohyuk who wanted to learn everything quickly to help me.

He gave me three more years of active duty. Even after that, he didn’t forget me. It wasn’t just loyalty to his instructor… Wait a minute… If it wasn’t loyalty, then what was it? Why did he kiss me, knowing I was Colonel Kang Hajung in Sergeant Kang’s body?

This guy, could it be…

“Captain, do you have a thing for faces?”

“…What?”

Kim Moohyuk looked bewildered by my sudden question. But I couldn’t shake the thought. If it wasn’t about looks, why would he kiss me, knowing I was his instructor in Sergeant Kang’s body?

“What are you talking about?”

Kim Moohyuk stepped closer, looking incredulous. As I backed away, he took another step. I had nowhere to go until my back hit the hallway wall. The light from the ceiling cast a shadow over his face. Despite that, I could see his eyes clearly. They looked like he was holding something back. Not exactly angry, but similar. They seemed full of something hot.

Even as Kim Moohyuk approached me, there was no space left between us. Before I could say anything, he spoke first.

“…Don’t you have something to say to me?”

For some reason, that question irritated me. Despite being so sure, I could tell from his expression and eyes that he never believed I was Sergeant Kang Hajung.

That bothered me. I didn’t like how he pretended not to know while knowing everything. Maybe I was waiting for him to tell me directly. If he recognized me, I thought I could also pretend not to know.

If Kim Moohyuk made it clear that he was more important than my postponed discharge, then I would accept it without denying it any longer. But he never asked me directly. It felt like he was waiting for me, just as I was waiting for him.

So, without realizing it…

“You know who I am, don’t you?”

“……”

“Then why are you calling me ‘you’?”

I said it. It was an impulsive decision. Maybe I wanted to say it since last night when Kim Moohyuk was trembling, calling my name. Discharge was important, of course. I endured everything for that. But I couldn’t ignore all the time he endured because of me. How could I pretend not to know about him being chained in the bunker or trembling just because I got grazed by a bullet?

Kim Moohyuk’s paired guide was me, Kang Hajung, then and now. If I had to be by your side as your guide from the moment you manifested as an esper until now…

“Kim Moohyuk.”

Moohyuk, there’s no reason for me to deny all of this anymore.

When I called his name, I saw his throat move slowly. His eyes, I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Just a moment ago, he looked excited like a predator cornering its prey. I thought it might be better to tell him clearly that I was Kang Hajung. Just as I was about to speak again.

“Ah, wait—what the…!”

Kim Moohyuk grabbed my hand and pulled me. His grip was so strong that my wrist hurt. I had no choice but to follow him quickly. I thought I would get an answer, but I didn’t know where he was taking me. Eventually, we left Yeonghyeon Hall.

He put me in his military jeep parked in front of Yeonghyeon Hall and got in himself. Then he started the engine immediately.

“Where are we going…”

I couldn’t even finish my question because he drove off right away. The atmosphere was tense, and I couldn’t ask again. His jaw was clenched, and his masseter muscle was bulging. I just fastened my seatbelt and kept quiet.

The jeep stopped at Garam-dong. Realizing that my runaway had ended in less than a day, I felt a bit defeated. He parked the jeep haphazardly in front of the dormitory house. It was unlike the meticulous Kim Moohyuk, so I wondered what was going on. He got out, opened the passenger door, and said,

“Get out.”

…Seriously, this guy. I didn’t even get a chance to say anything before getting out of the jeep. Kim Moohyuk turned his back and unlocked the door to the dormitory, then looked back at me. It seemed like he was telling me to hurry inside. Feeling a bit awkward, I passed him and went inside. As the sensor light in the entrance turned on, I barely took off one shoe. Before I could take off the other.

“Ugh—?!”

I flinched in surprise. An arm reached from behind, wrapped around my waist, and pulled me into a firm embrace. I felt his solid chest against my back. Kim Moohyuk rested his forehead on my shoulder.

“Kang Hajung.”

He called my name. He must not have understood what I said. I wondered how to make it clear to the clueless Kim Moohyuk that I was Colonel Kang Hajung.

After hesitating several times, I finally spoke.

“So, I’m that Colonel Kang Hajung…”

“Hajung.”

…This guy, seriously? I’m trying to tell him I was his instructor, and he keeps calling me by my first name. I tried to pull away to speak again, but he tightened his arm around my waist.

“Ugh, wait, let go. I have something to say.”

“Hajung, Kang Hajung…”

He called my name again. That’s when I realized something was off with Kim Moohyuk. What I thought was his forehead on my shoulder was actually his brow bone under his eyes. I felt a warm sensation on my shoulder. I asked in surprise.

“Captain, wait, are you crying…?”

Kim Moohyuk didn’t answer. But the warm sensation on my shoulder remained. The grip around my waist tightened. That’s when I really thought I needed to get out of his embrace. I started by turning to face him. He tightened his grip, thinking I was trying to escape. I spoke soothingly.

“…I’m not going anywhere. Just show me your face.”

“……”

Kim Moohyuk still didn’t answer, but his grip around my waist loosened a bit. I sighed in relief and faced him. Just as I thought it was a relief, he tightened his grip again, pressing me against him.

This is… too close. Our lower bodies were pressed together, making it awkward. Kim Moohyuk didn’t seem to care, staring at me with a blank expression.

The absurd thing was, despite his blank expression, tears were welling up in his eyes and dripping onto my cheeks. It felt like I was the one crying. I spoke with difficulty.

“…Sorry for telling you late. I was confused too…”

“……”

“I didn’t think you’d believe me…”

He still didn’t answer. I wished he would say something, but he just stared at me. I couldn’t read anything from his eyes. Then suddenly…

“Wait a minute…”

I felt his ESP waves going wild. They were splitting and expanding, like they were on the verge of a berserk state.

“Let’s go inside first, quickly.”

But Kim Moohyuk didn’t listen. He just buried his face in my neck, breathing heavily.

…This is bad. He seems a bit out of it. When I sent guiding energy, his body twitched, so it didn’t seem like a berserk state. I thought he might follow if I went inside first, but his grip tightened, making it hard to breathe.

“Hey, wait, let’s go inside first… Ah, wait—!”

I lost my balance and stumbled forward. He tried to catch me but missed the timing, falling on top of me. With a thud, I ended up inside the house, my legs still in the entrance. The sudden impact on my butt made me click my tongue in pain.

I tried to untangle my legs from his, but it was difficult with his leg between mine.

“Can you move, please?”

“……”

Kim Moohyuk still didn’t answer. I wondered if I should push him to speak. Then he climbed on top of me.

“Wait, what are you doing…”

Kim Moohyuk, still silent, placed his arms on either side of me and stared down. The sensor light in the entrance, which had turned off, came back on as we moved. The light above him made it hard to see his expression.

I had no choice but to call his name like a sigh.

“…Kim Moohyuk.”

“……”

I wished he would say something, but he remained silent. I was curious about what he was thinking. I asked slowly.

“What are you thinking?”

“…Wondering if this is another stupid dream.”

He finally answered. But I couldn’t see his face or eyes clearly, making it frustrating. His ESP waves were still chaotic. They seemed to explore around me, then clung to me as if they liked it. I realized my guiding waves, which I had practiced to disguise as someone else’s, had returned to their original state.

“So that’s why…”

I muttered without realizing. It wasn’t a berserk state; his ESP waves recognized my guiding waves and were expanding and contracting.

“Kang Hajung.”

“Hey, you know my guiding waves are mine, so are you going to keep speaking informally?”

Just as I asked in disbelief, the sensor light in the entrance clicked off behind him. The living room was dark, and he was still on top of me.

The sudden darkness made it even harder to know what he was thinking or if he was looking at me. Just as I was about to say something, something fell on my eye.

“Are you… crying again?”

I felt uneasy seeing Kim Moohyuk cry continuously. He wasn’t sobbing like a child but shedding tears with a blank expression. I had to rethink everything Kim Moohyuk had gone through in the past five years.

He had mentioned sending my clone to Accent. Seeing a clone with familiar guiding waves must have stirred countless thoughts in him. How did he feel when he had to destroy it with his own hands? While civilians were just graduating from college and worrying about jobs, he was breaking clones that resembled his deceased paired guide. It broke my heart to think about it. I reached out and patted his back.

“……”

Kim Moohyuk didn’t say anything, but I could feel his back trembling.

“Ha…”

His low sigh cut through the darkness and reached me. I continued to stroke his back. The tears that had fallen on my cheek seemed to have stopped, but I wanted to comfort him in my way. Then, with a voice that seemed to boil, Kim Moohyuk spoke.

“I had this kind of dream every day.”

“……”

Kim Moohyuk lowered his body, almost hugging me. We held each other in the darkness. It felt like I was trapped in his body, but I wrapped my arms around him and stroked his back again.

“A dream where my instructor comes back, calls my name, and says everything until now was just a damn nightmare.”

“……”

“But that was a lie too.”

Because my nightmare was you.

He whispered in my ear. His breath on my earlobe made my neck shrink. Kim Moohyuk approached as much as I retreated. He even blew air as if he was engrossed in something he wanted. I loosened my arms around his back to push him away, but he grabbed my wrist, making me wrap my arms around his waist again.

Kim Moohyuk didn’t allow me to escape from him. His ESP waves were just as persistent. He had always relied on guiding supplements, but since we paired, I had only given him high-quality guiding. Now, he was greedily taking my guiding like someone who hadn’t eaten for days.

Having dealt with 15 espers at Yeonghyeon Hall, I felt the guiding being drained from me. I breathed heavily and flinched in surprise. Kim Moohyuk’s weight was pressing down on me. There was no space between us. His chest pressed against mine with every breath.

Yet, despite that, I couldn’t ask him to move. It was strange. I wondered if I had been looking forward to the day I could tell Kim Moohyuk about my identity. If not, could a reunion between a former student and teacher, or a superior and subordinate, happen like this? …Do others secretly hold each other in an empty place, trying to listen to each other’s breath?

I couldn’t answer that question. I didn’t even know when I started feeling this way about Kim Moohyuk, so that question was too difficult for me.

Kim Moohyuk continued to whisper in my ear with a sigh.

“…Are you really my instructor?”

For some reason, I couldn’t answer easily. Even though I knew he was waiting.

My hand, which had been stroking his back, hesitated. But it felt like a premonition. If I answered yes here, my life would change completely. It was just a vague premonition, but it was clear to me. As I hesitated, he pressed his lips between my cheek and earlobe and whispered.

“Answer me, Hajung.”

“…If you really think I’m your instructor, shouldn’t you stop calling me by my first name?”

At that, his grip around my waist tightened. I groaned as it became hard to breathe, and he sighed, rubbing his forehead against my neck. That’s when I realized he was trembling. It reminded me of last night, and I sighed, hugging him tighter.

“Don’t cry. I’m sorry.”

“…Why didn’t you tell me right away?”

I wasn’t so clueless as to say, “Because I was only thinking about discharge.” Kim Moohyuk, who had known me for a long time, seemed to sense that and muttered in a low voice.

“You were probably planning to run away.”

“No… That’s not it…”

No matter what excuse I made, I had a strong feeling it wouldn’t work. I decided to remain silent. Meanwhile, Kim Moohyuk’s trembling didn’t stop.

“…Why are you shaking so much?”

“Do you really not know?”

…Of course, I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking. But I had enough sense to keep my mouth shut. Kim Moohyuk held me tightly, breathing heavily for a long time. He looked like someone in a panic attack, gasping for breath and trembling. When I stroked his back, the trembling subsided a bit, but then he started chattering his teeth again.

I wondered if something was wrong, but his ESP waves felt much more stable than before, so I thought it might be psychological. I had to ask him.

“Why are you like this? Tell me.”

Kim Moohyuk sighed at my question, then rolled to the side, pulling me into his arms. Lying sideways, my forehead ended up against his chest. I tried to push him away, but his grip on my waist was too strong, and I failed several times. Well, I don’t mind, but why is he holding me like this… Is this how a subordinate welcomes back a superior they thought was dead for five years?

I had never had a respected superior come back to life, so I didn’t know. Just as I was about to mention Colonel Kim Dongjin, he spoke.

“I told you. I had nightmares about Hajung.”

“What do you mean… Wait, why do you keep speaking informally?”

“Then what if I don’t? You’re a sergeant, and I’m a captain. What’s the problem?”

This guy is really pushing it. I tried to wriggle out of his arms, but he buried his head in my neck and breathed heavily again.

“Hey, that tickles…”

“……”

He ignored me again. The military discipline is a mess. Just because we haven’t seen each other in a while, he’s disregarding his superior’s words. But there was a reason I couldn’t completely push him away.

“So what if you had nightmares?”

“…You’re still as perceptive as ever.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m trembling because I still can’t believe it. I always did when I dreamed about my instructor.”

Hearing that made my chest ache. He had those dreams alone, waking up to realize it was just a dream, and his whole body would tremble. I didn’t know how to apologize, so I just moved my lips and ended up stroking his back a few more times. Kim Moohyuk spoke with a sigh. His voice mixed with his breath sent chills down my spine.

“It’s hell to endure, so don’t ever think about going anywhere again.”

Even though he spoke informally, I couldn’t argue. His voice sounded so desperate.

I thought he was a strong esper… He didn’t look for another guide and kept obsessing over Accent, who made me that way. Why couldn’t Kim Moohyuk forget me? It wasn’t uncommon for fellow soldiers to die. The same went for paired guides and espers. Just as I was about to call his name to ask, he slid his thigh between my legs and hugged me tighter.

Even lying sideways, with my arms around his waist, we were too close. So close that…

“…Hey, what’s that touching me?”

“You said it was a Tokarev.”

“Then… Wait, so back then too…”

I realized that what happened at the abandoned factory was also… that. My face flushed instantly.

“I-I really didn’t know…”

“If you knew, would you have left it like that?”

Kim Moohyuk smirked, unable to hold back. I had no choice but to push his chest away.

“Get off, let go.”

“Why?”

He speaks informally when it suits him and formally when it doesn’t. It’s absurd, but I can’t stop laughing. And his reaction… I had realized my feelings for Kim Moohyuk, but to him, I was just a superior 12 years older. I needed to get a grip. I couldn’t become a harassing old man. Kim Moohyuk was acting like this because he felt my familiar guiding return.

Some athletes experience this due to adrenaline during games, and espers were similar. Guiding caused the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves to alternate excitement, causing physical changes. It was just a physiological phenomenon, but it was too easy for someone like me to misunderstand.

Get a grip, Kang Hajung. You can’t act like a bald old man. I resolved, but it was no use.

“Just stay like this for a bit… Don’t go.”

“……”

His voice immediately weakened my resolve. …I mean, the kid is asking me not to go. How could I coldly get up and leave when he’s pleading like this? I couldn’t do that. Instead, I said to Kim Moohyuk,

“That’s fine, but my back hurts. Let’s at least go inside, okay?”

“Alright.”

With that, he quickly took off his military boots and helped me up. I could get up on my own, but he was being a kind young man. Just as I thought that, he lifted me up entirely.

“Hey, what are you doing—!”

“I don’t want to let go. You saw my ESP waves going wild earlier, Instructor. If we separate now, it might happen again, and what if it leads to a berserk state?”

Moohyuk’s words made me unsure. I thought about it, wondering if he was right, and ended up being carried into the house by Kim Moohyuk. He carried me straight to his bedroom. I lightly hit his back.

“Why the bedroom!”

“To lie down. I was trembling so much earlier that I feel sore.”

Feeling sore from trembling? An esper who can overcome cancer wouldn’t feel sore from a bit of trembling. Even knowing that, I couldn’t speak harshly to him. After hearing about what he went through while we were apart, my chest felt heavy, making it hard to breathe.

He should have had an easier time. On the days he dreamed of me, he must have trembled, thinking it was just a dream, and still had to go on missions. Imagining Kim Moohyuk’s five years like that, it seemed strange not to accept his minor complaints.

He wasn’t asking to imprint right away, just to hold his paired guide after finally reuniting. It seemed heartless to refuse that. There were still many things I hadn’t asked him, but I thought it wouldn’t be bad to talk about them later.

I wondered if he was okay, lifting me so easily, but his body was still trembling slightly. He had to rely on guiding supplements all this time, so meeting a compatible guide’s guiding again must have stabilized his ESP waves. Holding him seemed like the right thing to do.

The problem was the rising desire within me. It hadn’t been long since I realized my feelings for Kim Moohyuk, and now I had to hold him alone in a dark bedroom with blackout curtains. My face heated up at the thought. I couldn’t tell him to sleep alone now, so I had to endure being placed on the bed like a lamb.

The sound of the sheets and fabric rustling was stimulating, but as long as he didn’t turn on the light, he wouldn’t see how messed up my face was. It was surprising that I had such desires. Strictly speaking, it might be because I was in Sergeant Kang’s body that I felt this way…

Kim Moohyuk could explain any physical changes as a reaction to guiding, but there was no excuse for an older man reacting this way to a kid twelve years younger. So I was left with no solution but to mutter to myself, “Get a grip, Kang Hajung…”

Unaware of my turmoil, this guy kept snuggling into my arms. The excuse I came up with was pathetic.

“Hey, you can’t lie down without washing up…”

I wanted to bite my tongue and die. It sounded like I was suggesting we do something after washing up. The workplace harasser wasn’t far away; it was me! But despite my flustered state, Kim Moohyuk just gave me a heavy look and silently lay on the bed, almost on top of me.

“…You’re heavy, Kim Moohyuk.”

“……”

He didn’t respond. I felt the guiding slowly draining away. It wasn’t bad, feeling his tense demeanor relax. …Yeah, how could I have such desires for someone clinging to me like a child? I calmed my fluctuating emotions and comforted him.

“…You’ve been through a lot.”

“……”

His chest pressed against mine because of his tight grip. Without saying anything, he buried his head in my neck, breathing heavily. I continued to send guiding, hoping he would feel relieved.

Then I realized something was wrong when I noticed his body temperature was higher than usual. I suddenly called out to him.

“What’s wrong with you!”

Kim Moohyuk didn’t answer. I lightly slapped his cheek, wondering if he had just fallen asleep, but there was no response. The only thing that could cause a fever in an esper who could overcome any illness was a guiding-related issue. His waves weren’t wildly fluctuating, so it seemed to be something else, but I couldn’t figure out the cause. I needed to contact the ward, but it was hard to get out from under him since he had passed out on top of me.

I wanted to provide any possible first aid, but it was difficult in this position. In the end, I had to push him away with considerable effort. Kim Moohyuk definitely had a high muscle mass. With Sergeant Kang’s strength, it wasn’t easy to escape from underneath him.

“Good grief… This guy is going to be the death of me…”

Grumbling for no reason, I barely managed to get out and immediately called the medical ward using the emergency contact network saved in my phone.

“Yes, he has a slight fever. It doesn’t seem to be a guiding rejection symptom.”

“We will send an ambulance. Since you’re his pair guide, please continue attempting physical guiding.”

“Yes, understood.”

The call ended simply. Although it didn’t seem like guiding exhaustion, guiding is the most effective remedy for espers, so I decided to follow the medical staff’s advice. The issue was how much contact would be necessary… It was ambiguous. I’d been guiding him while holding him closely the entire time up to now. The medical staff’s advice seemed to suggest going even further than that. I frowned. Was this really okay?

After hesitating briefly, I realized I’d have to try laying Kim Moohyuk flat. I’d tried building up my strength, but judging by my current condition, I still seemed to have a frail constitution. Clicking my tongue, I leaned over the now supine figure.

“…This is not harassment.”

Saying it out loud only made me seem more suspicious. Despite this, I couldn’t hide the redness spreading across my ears. I even licked my lower lip nervously. Even though this wasn’t the first time I’d kissed him for guiding purposes, or found myself in a similar situation, I couldn’t explain the nervousness I was feeling.

“I’m really, honestly, just trying to help you. Really.”

With that, I clamped my mouth shut. The more I muttered, the more I felt like I was proving myself to be some kind of creep.

It was hard to believe that something I’d done without a second thought before could now feel so daunting. When we first met, guiding him with a kiss hadn’t been an issue. But now, my heart was pounding. Staring at the curve of Kim Moohyuk’s lips that seemed to draw my gaze, I braced myself by placing a hand on the floor next to him and leaned down.

Then, I placed my lips over his.

“Mm…”

The funny thing was how restless I became from just that brief contact. My whole body felt ticklish, like it might explode. Even though I knew he wouldn’t open his mouth, I tilted my head slightly to deepen the connection. I could feel the bridge of my nose brushing against his cheek.

…Was he always this soft? Even though it was clearly just guiding, the act of doing this to someone who was unconscious weighed on my conscience. I repeated to myself over and over that this was purely guiding. The contact deepened, and the sensation of guiding transferring through our connection grew more distinct. Instead of this ticklish feeling, I wanted… something more.

Just something a little… deeper.

“Mm–!”

That’s when it happened. His hand grabbed the back of my head and pressed me down firmly toward him. Shocked, my eyes flew open, but his remained shut.

“Wait—mm!”

As soon as I pulled back to speak, the sound was muffled again. His grip on my nape grew stronger, and I couldn’t pull away. I tried pushing against his chest to create some space, but it was no use. An esper losing control and fixating on a guide with extremely high compatibility wasn’t uncommon, regardless of whether they were conscious or unconscious, but I’d never experienced this kind of forcefulness before, and it left me flustered.

Even in this state, he was bold. Without waking up, he managed to intrude, licking and tasting wherever he could, and even swallowing against my neck. It took me a moment to realize what he had just swallowed. When it dawned on me, my entire body turned beet red.

What the—are you kidding me?! Even as I shouted internally, there was no one to answer. He had completely wrapped his arms around my waist and was clinging to me just as he had been in the dorm. He even lifted me clean off the floor and set me on top of him.

“Mm… Are you… awake—mm!”

I managed to push him off briefly and shouted, but before I could finish, he either pressed against my nape again or lifted his head to close the gap. At this point, I was genuinely starting to doubt whether he was still unconscious.

Yet, his energy signature still felt like that of a sleeping esper. I had no idea what was causing his fever, but judging by his behavior, guiding exhaustion didn’t seem to be the issue. Every time I tried to pull away, he chased after me, sticking out his tongue like he wanted to pull me back in. It made me feel like some pervert who had gotten a taste of his own medicine.

I only managed to escape from his overwhelming grip after releasing an intense wave of guiding energy. Flooding him with an unrefined, concentrated dose of guiding seemed to overwhelm him enough to make him let go. He gasped sharply but absorbed the guiding energy eagerly. The sensation of my guiding being drained so rapidly wasn’t exactly pleasant. It felt as if this esper was sucking every ounce of me dry, a feeling many guides disliked and tried to avoid.

Still, I didn’t feel all that bad. It couldn’t be helped. I was just happy to be in contact with him. When I finally pulled my lips away from his, they separated with a thread of saliva still connecting us. Feeling embarrassed, I wiped Moohyuk’s glistening lips with the back of my hand and got up from the bed.

Despite all my efforts, Kim Moohyuk still hadn’t regained consciousness. Just then, the doorbell rang. When I went to check, the entrance was bustling—it seemed the medical team had arrived.

“You’re the one who called, correct?”

“Yes, the esper is in that room.”

Without saying much, the paramedics moved to remove their combat boots. I told them to just come in as they were—it was such a hassle to take those off and put them back on, and I was in a hurry, worried that Kim Moohyuk’s condition might be critical. The medics headed to the bedroom and loaded Kim Moohyuk onto a stretcher. Luckily, all the medics seemed to be espers themselves, as two of them were able to lift Moohyuk without any trouble.

“You’re Sergeant Kang Hajung, right? A guardian needs to accompany us.”

“Ah, yes. Of course.”

At the medic’s request, I quickly stepped into my sneakers. I held the door open to let the stretcher carrying Kim Moohyuk pass. Thanks to the medics’ swift response, Moohyuk was promptly transported to the infirmary. As soon as we arrived at the emergency room, his shirt was cut open with surgical scissors. The medical staff attached electrodes to his chest and began speaking in a mix of medical jargon. Judging by their calm tones, it didn’t seem to be a serious situation, but being in the emergency room unexpectedly still left me unsettled.

One of the medics, after examining the ECG, guiding levels, and ESP wave patterns on the monitor, approached me.

“You don’t need to worry. You’re aware Captain Kim Moohyuk has been experiencing symptoms of imprinting ischemia, correct?”

“Ah, yes…”

Of course, I knew. It wasn’t something I could forget. It hadn’t been long since his goals for discharge had fallen apart after suffering ischemic symptoms due to the loss of a guide he hadn’t even imprinted on. As I nodded, the medic pushed up their slipping glasses with a finger and continued.

“Thanks to consistent guiding from a compatible guide, his ischemic symptoms have been improving. What’s happening now is more of a reaction to that recovery than a side effect. You could think of it as being similar to growing pains in children.”

Growing pains? I glanced at Kim Moohyuk, still unconscious on the bed, with a blank expression. It was a relief to hear his ischemic symptoms were improving, but the thought that he had endured so much anxiety until now only to be able to relax and start feeling the pain made my heart ache.

“There’s nothing serious to worry about, but to prevent a loss of consciousness accompanied by a slight fever like today, it’s essential to provide sufficient contact guiding.”

“…But, as for contact guiding, I’ve been doing it every day…”

“Hmm? From the charts, it seems you two haven’t imprinted yet. If I may ask, has your contact been limited to hugging or holding hands?”

“Yes…”

The medic frowned slightly, as if hearing something absurd, then clicked their tongue. I felt a shiver run down my spine, just like when I had received the initial directive to engage in contact guiding over the phone.

“By contact, of course, we mean mucosal contact. Since you haven’t imprinted yet, you’ll need to maintain consistent kissing at the very least. Sharing saliva significantly enhances the effect of guiding—”

“Stop. I understand…”

I had to cut them off; any more of this and I felt like my mental health might take a hit. The medic, who had been staring at me intently, eventually nodded.

“I understand guides often feel burdened, but Captain Kim is a key figure at our center. It’s in everyone’s best interest for his pair guide to provide the necessary care, so please don’t let this weigh on you too heavily.”

It seemed the medic assumed my relationship with Kim Moohyuk wasn’t great. Normally, strong compatibility between a guide and an esper also implied they got along well. It was rare for a guide and an esper with poor relations to share strong compatibility, though not impossible. They probably thought this was one of those rare cases. I shook my head.

“We… don’t have a bad relationship, so there’s no need to worry about that.”

“Oh, I see. That’s a relief. Since you’re still young, Sergeant, it’s understandable that you might feel uncomfortable with intimate guiding. Here, please take this and read it.”

The medic’s tone shifted to one of gentle reassurance, as if comforting a child. Perhaps they assumed my hesitance stemmed from being young and inexperienced with physical intimacy. Unable to argue, I simply thanked them as they handed me a brochure. Without even reading the flashy cover, I tucked it away.

The medic, seemingly satisfied that they had established rapport with me, turned back with a pleased expression. Kim Moohyuk’s condition wasn’t severe, and they informed me he could be discharged after regaining consciousness and receiving IV fluids. Since admission wasn’t necessary, he lay on a bed in a corner of the emergency room. His legs, too long for the bed, stuck out slightly.

It seemed they had angled him diagonally to avoid his legs hitting the bed’s identification frame. The sight of him on a bed that seemed too small made me chuckle softly. I pulled a stool over to the bedside, drew the curtain, and sat down. Setting the brochure on the bed next to him, I looked at Kim Moohyuk’s face.

His smooth face bore no trace of exhaustion, but I couldn’t forget the moment when he was chained in the bunker, enduring pre-burst symptoms without any guiding. Knowing the truth about Ha Seonghan hadn’t left me as shocked as I might have been, thanks to Moohyuk. The esper who needed me, who became so fragile without me, wasn’t Ha Seonghan—it was Kim Moohyuk.

Ha Seonghan, on the other hand…

I cut off the unpleasant thoughts and instead focused on Kim Moohyuk. Even in his sleep, his brows were slightly furrowed. I stared at him quietly.

As I reached out to touch his cheek, wondering what could be troubling him so even in his sleep, a voice suddenly broke the silence.

“…I think I dreamt of swallowing something so delicious it could kill me.”

Kim Moohyuk opened his eyes, murmuring something incomprehensible.

“Oh, you’re awake?”

Startled, I quickly got up to call the medical officer, but my wrist was caught before I could move. A soft wave of the Esper’s energy rippled over my wrist where he held me. Slowly, I turned to face Kim Moohyuk.

“What are you doing? Let go. I need to get the medical officer.”

“My medicine is right here.”

Before I could process his words, he pulled me down onto the bed, making me land awkwardly in his arms. Off balance, I had no choice but to lean into him.

“…What are you doing?”

“What did you do while I was out?”

“Watch your tone… And what could I have done?”

Before I could even retort properly, his lips curled into a sly smile. As if he had figured something out, Kim Moohyuk trailed a hand soothingly over my back and spoke.

“What did you do for your words to trail off like that?”

“…Nothing like that.”

I could have just said it was guiding, but I stammered, and my response came out strangely. Unnerved by how close I was to him in the cramped emergency room bed, I pushed against his chest to get up, but his arm wrapped firmly around my waist, keeping me in place.

Still smiling, Kim Moohyuk leaned in and whispered near my ear, his breath brushing against my skin.

“Tell me. Did you kiss me?”

A chill ran down my spine, not from cold but from the tingling sensation his breath caused. My face turned crimson, and I shook my head vigorously.

“It wasn’t like that. It was just…”

I needed to explain it was simply guiding, but the words wouldn’t come out. Kissing had never been out of the ordinary for guiding sessions with him, yet admitting it this time felt impossible. The reason? Earlier, I had acted like some kind of desperate pervert, seizing the opportunity to press my lips to his with abandon. I suddenly realized I might need to protect Kim Moohyuk from… myself.

Seeing my expression, Kim Moohyuk’s grin widened. He leaned closer again, his voice low and teasing.

“My fever hasn’t gone down yet. Can’t you do that thing again?”

“…The IV fluids will bring it down, the medical officer said—”

“Don’t you want to?”

There it was again—his casual switch to informal speech. Though it annoyed me, I couldn’t hide the faint delight from my face. It felt oddly endearing that he was behaving like this with me.

I’d known him since we were younger, but even then, he wasn’t exactly a child. That excuse had long since expired. I found no valid reason to hold myself back anymore. My gaze wandered to his lips, and I felt ridiculous for being so fixated.

Kim Moohyuk noticed, of course, and laughed quietly.

“Instructor, I need guiding.”

That was the moment I gave in. Slowly, I placed my arms around his neck and surrendered the last shreds of restraint I had left.

“…This is just normal guiding.”

Kim Moohyuk smiled at me, his eyes curving as if amused.

“Is that so?”

“…”

“Think whatever you want.”

With that, his lips pressed against mine.

The contact sent a ticklish sensation through me, though it wasn’t just because of the physical touch. The realization that it was him, and that our lips were the point of contact, made my heart race as though it might burst. The rapid pounding of my heart sent blood rushing through my veins so fast it made me dizzy. My vision blurred, and I closed my eyes against the sudden dizziness.

As if rewarding me, Kim Moohyuk deepened the kiss. All I could do was tremble slightly, my arms still around his neck. When he finally broke the kiss, he whispered softly:

“Open.”

“…”

“Open your mouth.”

I let out a sigh, parting my lips slightly. With my eyes closed, a shiver ran through me at the sensations coursing through my body. This… this wasn’t just guiding. Someone whispered faintly in my ear, but I ignored it. The rhythm of our shared breaths was communicated through the rise and fall of his chest, pressed so close to mine. The dizziness persisted, and I felt a burning sensation at the nape of my neck.

Even as I sensed something slipping inside with audacious movements, I couldn’t react. All I could do was furrow my brows, suppressing the sound that threatened to escape. My hands clutched at the collar of his shirt, leaving me unable to move forward or retreat.

“Captain Kim Moohyuk.”

A voice called out for him from outside, and the curtain was abruptly pulled back. It wasn’t the same medical officer who had been kind to me earlier, but another one.

Startled, I pushed Kim Moohyuk away. Though I managed to create some distance, our glossy lips betrayed what we had been doing. My face burned with embarrassment, knowing we looked exactly like people who had been caught kissing. But Kim Moohyuk seemed completely unfazed, more focused on staring intently at the side of my face than acknowledging the medical officer holding the chart. Flustered, I pretended to push his face away while discreetly wiping his lips.

The medical officer, however, appeared indifferent and said casually, “Ah, guiding in progress, I see. My apologies for interrupting.”

…How was that acceptable? It was baffling. Well, I suppose it made sense in their eyes. While I usually kept guiding with Kim Moohyuk to holding hands or hugging, it wasn’t unusual for Espers and Guides registered at the center to engage in more intimate contact. By comparison, Kim Moohyuk and I were remarkably tame.

Of course, I could argue this was strictly business, as I had done during previous guiding sessions. But I couldn’t. What had just happened—or even every kiss shared up until now—couldn’t simply be excused as guiding. My face grew even hotter as I quickly stood up and cleared my throat.

“Ahem, the guiding has just finished. Is there anything else you needed to pass on?”

I felt his gaze boring into the back of my head, but I pretended not to notice. The medical officer, either oblivious to or deliberately ignoring the charged atmosphere, responded in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Ah, yes. I just wanted to go over some precautions. After finishing the IV drip, please ensure Captain Kim Moohyuk receives sufficient guiding over an extended period.”

He directed his words at me. Swallowing nervously, I asked hesitantly, “Does the guiding have to be done through contact? Can’t it be radiation-based?”

“You’ll need to use physical contact,” the officer replied nonchalantly. “You already mentioned to the previous medical officer that you’d proceed with it, even if it’s inconvenient.”

I nodded reluctantly. He wasn’t wrong. …So this was inevitable. The situation felt like a snowball rolling downhill, growing bigger and bigger. Though I could feel Kim Moohyuk’s gaze on me, I refused to meet his eyes.

“One more thing to note—about the blood draw,” the medical officer added, holding up a small stainless steel tray. Inside were an unopened syringe and a long yellow tourniquet. Puzzled, I asked, “What’s the purpose of the blood test?”

The officer flipped through the chart and replied, “It’s nothing serious, just a routine check for potential ischemia related to the Esper’s mark. No need for concern.”

With that, he approached Kim Moohyuk, who wordlessly rolled up his sleeve. The officer maintained a detached demeanor as he prepared and completed the blood draw. Watching Kim Moohyuk fix his gaze on the needle, I couldn’t help but find it absurd. Some people couldn’t even look at a needle, while others stared at it unflinchingly like him.

“The results should be ready soon. Since you’re his paired Guide, it would be best if you accompanied him to hear them,” the medical officer concluded before swiftly exiting, leaving us alone once more.

I hesitated, unsure if I should turn around. Then, I heard the rustling of papers behind me, followed by the sound of flipping pages. As I debated sneaking back to my quarters, Kim Moohyuk’s low voice broke through.

“‘Everything You Need to Know About Guiding Through Mucosal Contact: Practical Edition’? Really?”

I froze on the spot. It suddenly dawned on me that the source of his comment was the booklet handed over by the medical officer.

“Give that to me!”

I spun around, reaching for the booklet, but Kim Moohyuk’s reflexes were far quicker. Effortlessly raising his arm, he held the booklet out of reach. To my dismay, he even used his ESP, sending the booklet floating up toward the ceiling. Watching the booklet hover, Kim Moohyuk smirked and read aloud.

“‘Step 1 for Contact Guiding: Choose a quiet, private location where you can have an uninterrupted conversation. For example, a bed. Seems like a solid suggestion.’”

“…Stop it.”

“‘Step 2: Compliment the Esper generously. Example: Wow, your ESP abilities are amazing. This will encourage the Esper and boost their morale. If they grip your wrist too tightly, causing pain, let them know. They’ll adjust their strength.’” He snorted. “‘Seriously, who grabs their Guide’s wrist hard enough to hurt them? What a lunatic.’”

Kim Moohyuk continued reading the booklet in an unchanging tone, and my head began to throb. Kim Inhak, is this what you call a guidebook? The guidebooks for new recruits that I had reviewed in the early days weren’t garbage like this. I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t even speak.

“I told you to hand it over.”

“Why? It’s fascinating. It says here that if an Esper forces unwanted actions on a Guide, they should immediately report it. It doesn’t specify what kind of actions, though. There’s a picture of two people hugging, so I guess an unwanted action might mean a hug.”

Outraged, I slapped Kim Moohyuk’s arm.

“You think this is funny?”

With that, I plopped back down onto the bed where he’d been lying.

“Let’s just finish the IV and leave.”

“And then what? Do this?”

Kim Moohyuk summoned the pamphlet floating near the ceiling back into his hands, grinning at me. Seriously, what was with his attitude? I had thought that revealing I was Colonel Kang Hajung might snap him into respecting me like before, but no such luck. Instead, his gaze lingered on me with an intensity I couldn’t quite place, and it irritated me.

“Why… why are you looking at me like that?”

I couldn’t help but ask, unable to bear it any longer. The way he looked at me felt like something molten was boiling over, spilling drop by drop. But all he did was shrug.

“You disappeared without a word and had me wandering around. And now I can’t even get a good look at you.”

“…Hey, that’s not it. I didn’t tell you because I thought you’d be shocked.”

Of course, part of me also hadn’t told him because I couldn’t entirely give up hope of being discharged. But would Kim Moohyuk have believed me if I’d come clean back then? If he hadn’t shown any sign of suspicion, I probably wouldn’t have even tried to explain. Still, my excuses didn’t seem to land.

Kim Moohyuk stared at me with an unreadable expression, and I, feeling awkward, mumbled, “How was I supposed to suddenly tell you I was Kang Hajung? Besides, I heard you’ve been disposing of every clone that resembled me.”

His response was far simpler than my hesitation deserved.

“I would’ve known.”

“…What?”

“Those protein puppets aren’t you, Instructor. There’s no way I wouldn’t recognize you.”

His words made my ears burn without me realizing it. I felt torn—part of me wanted to thank him for saying that, while the other part wanted to scold him for making me feel so embarrassed. In the end, I did neither and just kept my mouth shut.

Back when I still had my original body, I would have said something mature, at least. But ever since I’d been in this Sergeant Kang’s body, I felt like my mental age had regressed. Maybe that’s why even a simple remark like this had me blushing.

Taking a deep breath, I finally managed to say something.

“…Me too.”

“…”

“I would’ve known too. If you’d ended up in a situation like mine and come back to me.”

Then I turned to face him, finally meeting his gaze, and smiled. I wasn’t sure if the corners of my mouth were lifting naturally, but I smiled anyway. Even though it felt awkward at first, the act of smiling gradually made the emotion real.

After biting my lip briefly, I grinned again, and Kim Moohyuk’s eyes widened slightly. He stared at me like someone who’d forgotten to breathe. Just as I was about to prompt him to say something, he suddenly spoke.

“Let’s go home.”

“What? Hey, hey! What are you doing? You can’t just yank out the IV like that!”

To my shock, he had grabbed the IV needle in his hand and pulled it out without hesitation.