Approximal Guide Vol. 5 Chapter 6 - Main Story End

“I won’t do an interview. What’s there to brag about in an interview? Besides, he’s not in good health to endure it.”

Kim Inhak flatly refused. The person on the other end of the line kept pleading for reconsideration, but what’s impossible is impossible.

“I’ve said all I need to. I’m hanging up.”

In the end, he abruptly hung up the phone. Even after that, his phone rang several more times, but he turned it off entirely with a sigh.

“…Where is he today?”

“I don’t know. He’s been roaming around for rehab these days. Can’t he just stay still? …It’s not like his knee will get better by doing that.”

Byeongeun clicked his tongue and replied. Kim Inhak rubbed his chin and sighed deeply.

“…How’s Moohyuk?”

“Moohyuk’s situation is the same. The civil war there has been dragging on for quite a while. They say it will end this year, but who knows. He went as a mercenary, after all…”

“And I didn’t even give permission, right?”

Kim Inhak pounded his chest in frustration. These days, he was stressed for various reasons. Surprisingly, work-related issues didn’t stress him anymore. The center had been normalizing at an astonishing speed over the past six months, thanks to Kim Moohyuk, who was deployed overseas.

Four months ago, Kim Inhak received a fax from the Korean embassy in Ghana. Ghana was a neighboring country to where the Mars team had been deployed as mercenaries. The sender was unknown, but it was clear who had sent it.

‘Wh-what is this!’

Kim Inhak was startled and stepped back as he skimmed the paper. The document contained accusations that Espers from Team 8 to Team 12 of Seogyeong Center were stooges of the Central Department. The evidence was so substantial that it needed no further verification.

‘Lee Jungkyu, this, this…’

Among them was Guide Lee Jungkyu, who had harassed Hajung and was closely watched by Moohyuk for a while. But that wasn’t all. There was another piece of encrypted information on the back of the report.

It’s trash day

but it hasn’t gone out.

The head of Jungpyeong Real Estate and his wife

still have grudges

and were fighting.

It was absurd, but what could I do?

They shouted at each other

for 30 minutes straight.

The first letters of each line spelled out Ssuan, Central Department, Director Hwang. It meant that Ssuan and Director Hwang were connected to the Central Department. Kim Inhak, who had heard reports that Ssuan had fled to Africa and hid behind pirates, immediately went to Gangwon Center to interrogate Director Hwang.

Director Hwang fully confessed about the ties between the Central Department and Accent. Accent kidnapped guides and sold them to third-world or war-torn countries, while the Central Department facilitated their departure and conducted inhumane experiments on guides through Accent. Training methods to create guides like Colonel Kang Hajung, which the Central Department used to employ, also originated from Accent.

Director Hwang initially tried to remain silent, but with a mind controller digging into her psyche, she couldn’t help but confess. The problem was that she seemed to have made a secret pact with someone to ensure confidentiality, and breaking it caused a brain hemorrhage. Ultimately, Director Hwang died before revealing much about those connected to the Central Department.

According to her, she and Ssuan were spies sent by the Central Department to expand Accent’s influence. The Central Department’s goal was to create spies in other countries through the trafficking of guides. It was obvious that Espers in other countries’ leadership also needed guides.

“No matter how you look at it, when Kang first died, these bastards made Moohyuk go berserk on purpose to kill him and then tried to kidnap Hajung to do something with him!”

Kim Inhak fumed, still angry at the thought. Han Byeongeun felt the same. They knew how much suffering it had caused.

Ironically, it was Ha Seonghan who first sensed this and persuaded Director Hwang and Ssuan to betray the Central Department. Director Hwang and Ssuan, both orphans, trusted Ha Seonghan because they saw him as no different from themselves. They slowly built up Accent, establishing labs and factories to create a clone of Kang Hajung for Hajung’s soul to inhabit.

“Such experiments are bound to fail. How can you transfer a human soul to another body? Even though I tried it first… They didn’t realize they were just lucky in their case.”

Han Byeongeun shrugged.

This was about Ha Seonghan. He had known for a long time that the Central Department was targeting Kang Hajung. The problem was that the Central Department’s expectations for Kang Hajung were not as grand as Ha Seonghan’s imagination.

“They thought of the lower ranks as expendable, but someone like Kang couldn’t be easily manipulated by the Central Department. His self-awareness was too strong for mind control, and his guiding abilities were superior to most Espers…”

The Central Department wanted to rent out Kang Hajung to other countries to gain benefits. They planned to have high-ranking Espers receive Kang Hajung’s guiding, then receive fighter jets worth hundreds of billions or diplomatic benefits in return. The problem was that Ha Seonghan wanted to monopolize Kang Hajung.

So, Ha Seonghan began his experiments out of sheer obsession. He received funding from the Central Department by falsely reporting that he was experimenting on converting ordinary people into guides. He mind-controlled the inspectors, and the Central Department handed over research funds without suspicion. With those funds, Ha Seonghan created chimeras to show as experimental results and secretly made a body for Hajung’s soul.

The funny thing is, the experiment wasn’t a complete failure. Although Hajung didn’t enter the body Ha Seonghan intended, he began to inhabit Sergeant Kang’s body, which had a guiding wavelength similar to his own. This happened five years after Ha Seonghan had planned Hajung’s death.

“Ha Seonghan is a genius but a real bastard, right, Byeongeun?”

“Yes. But shouldn’t we bring Colonel back now? He’s been doing rehab training for four hours today.”

At his words, Kim Inhak shook his head. He remarked on Hajung’s incredible determination and instructed Byeongeun to bring him back quickly. Both sighed simultaneously.

“…Is Colonel really going abroad?”

“Who can stop his stubbornness?”

Byeongeun shook his head. The Central Department was trying to cover up the incident by portraying Hajung as a hero. They requested his interview to promote themselves and erase evidence of their ties with Accent.

Regardless, Kang Hajung had been undergoing rehab training for six months, determined to find Kim Moohyuk, who was still in Iran as a mercenary. …The unfortunate part was that his weakened cardiopulmonary function and leg disability were permanent. Six months wasn’t enough for recovery, but Kang Hajung participated in aquatic rehab training and strength exercises daily.

And tomorrow, Kang Hajung’s departure for Iran was approaching.

He could use a military aircraft from Sacheon Military Airport to Kuala Lumpur Airport with Kim Inhak’s seal, but after that, it was different.

After getting off the plane, he had to lean against any pillar to catch his breath for a while. Many passing women expressed concern, noticing his pale complexion.

They mostly asked, “Sweetie, where’s your home? Can you tell me your name?” They probably mistook Hajung for a high school boy. …He couldn’t say, “Girls, if I had married early, I’d have a daughter your age.” So he smiled and took the offered bags to calm his hyperventilation.

After waiting a bit longer, he slowly walked to the boarding gate for the flight to Abadan, Iran. He was told to be well-prepared as the climate there was entirely different from Korea.

‘Oh, I’m really worried about sending you out at this age…’

‘This is for motion sickness, this is for fever, this is a fever suppository…’

While Kim Inhak cried and Han Byeongeun packed fever suppositories, Hajung got annoyed.

‘Are you crazy? I’m almost fifty. Are you both nuts? Suppositories!’

Han Byeongeun, seeing Hajung’s reaction, removed one suppository. They packed digestive medicine, bandages, and tasteless military biscuits in case he got stranded in the desert. Despite the absurdity, Hajung didn’t refuse because it was his first time going abroad at his age.

Unlike Espers who were occasionally sent overseas, guides usually stayed at the center. He had flown to Jeju Center for training but had never had his passport stamped.

It was understandable how worried Kim Inhak and Han Byeongeun were about sending an unhealthy guide, almost fifty, abroad. Hajung understood their fuss.

“Byeongeun, you really have foresight.”

Han Byeongeun’s advice to keep valuables like passports, cards, and wallets separate in case my luggage got stolen in Iran turned out to be spot on. As soon as I arrived at Abadan Airport, I lost my clothes but managed to keep my financial situation intact.

I had heard that the security wasn’t too bad, but the ongoing war had made the public uneasy. Sighing, I wrapped the muslin scarf Han Byeongeun had given me around my head and headed to the reserved accommodation in the scorching heat. Fortunately, the taxi driver seemed only interested in my fare, and after some trouble, I finally reached the hotel, where I collapsed after a quick wash and didn’t wake up until the next morning.

Even in the morning, I didn’t feel any better. My wheezing lungs still felt tight, and I had a slight fever from the strenuous activity. It didn’t seem like an infection, but I took antibiotics just in case. Luckily, I had packed the medicine in the hip sack under my clothes, not in the luggage. I took out a bottle of water from the minibar, swallowed the pills, and sat blankly on the bed.

“…I’ve come a long way, Kim Moohyuk…”

My murmuring voice sounded unusually loud. After leaving the deputy chief’s office six months ago, Moohyuk had immediately gone abroad as a mercenary to Africa and then moved to Iran. However, I only knew he was in Iran, not which city. So, Abadan was my starting point.

After Moohyuk’s sudden deployment, I dedicated myself to rehab training while tracking his whereabouts. At first, I felt resentment. I wished he had listened to me before leaving. But each time, I thought that Moohyuk must have felt the same way about me.

When I last saw Moohyuk a few months ago, he told me to end our pairing first. It hurt at the time, but I soon realized he was drawing a line, fearing he might die and not return. How could I stay at the center with both feet up, leaving him behind? From then on, I started intense training. My goal was simple: to see him and express my feelings. If he rejected me, I would step back and retire. I moved my cane, hoping things would go well.

…If he wasn’t here, I planned to move to the next city. I wasn’t discouraged. Thanks to consistent rehab, my guiding net technique had recovered enough to walk around and spread the net to find him. As long as he wasn’t below the fifth basement level, I could detect him.

I needed to start my activities today, but the lingering fever worried me. I thought about eating something before leaving. While rummaging through the snack bar for some small snacks, I felt a chill down my spine. I raised my arm and rubbed the back of my neck, looking towards the door.

“…”

It was quiet with no sign of anyone. Maybe I was mistaken. Clearing my throat, I opened a bottle of water instead of the suspicious-looking snacks. After drinking half the bottle, I placed it on the table and started organizing the places I planned to visit today. Again, I felt a chill down my spine. Quickly, I grabbed my passport, wallet, and essentials from the hotel safe.

As if confirming my suspicion, someone started banging on the door. Without hesitation, I headed for the window, planning to escape. I couldn’t afford to spread my guiding net to conserve my strength. Instead, I trusted my instincts. I felt that the person banging on the door wasn’t hotel staff. Just as I reached to unlock the window, it happened.

“Ugh—!”

A strangled groan escaped as someone grabbed my waist. My attempt to hide on the balcony failed. My heart pounded as I was suddenly caught. And then, I felt it. The familiar presence and voice. Before my mind could register, a shiver ran through me.

“Are you out of your mind?!”

I couldn’t respond, trying to confirm the person in a daze. It was the voice I had longed for. But with my injured eye not fully healed, it was hard to see his face in the dark. Still, I could feel it.

“Do you know where you are?!”

His angry voice resonated through my chest. Blinking, I didn’t even notice the Esper’s presence brushing past my earlobe. All sounds muted, and I felt like an empty husk. I met you again like that, muttering your name blankly.

“Moohyuk…”

“Get a grip. You were about to be kidnapped.”

Moohyuk, with his hair tied in a ponytail, clicked his tongue and threw a glass from the hotel at the Esper who had barged in. The glass shattered on the Esper’s face, causing him to scream in an unknown language.

Moohyuk threw something at the person following the Esper. It was too fast to see, but when it hit the doorframe with a bang, I realized it was the minibar fridge wedged between the doorframe.

Moohyuk, still holding my waist, ran towards the window. He waved his free hand to open the window and jumped out. Despite being on the eighth floor, I wasn’t afraid, as I never was with him.

Together, we fell. Moohyuk reduced gravity and increased air resistance, supporting us both. We descended as if walking down, a few meters before touching the ground. The busy intersection below the hotel was so crowded that no one noticed us descending from the sky. Moohyuk took out a scarf from his pocket and wrapped it around my face. Then he cautiously spoke.

“…It’s okay. They’re not following.”

“….”

Moohyuk, who had been staring down at me, grabbed my wrist and led me into an alley between buildings. In that narrow alley, Kim Moohyuk walked ahead, holding my wrist. His pace was so fast that I could barely catch my breath. I was soon drenched in sweat, trying not to be a burden with my legs. The scarf wrapped around my head made it harder to breathe, and my knee ached from the sudden activity.

But I couldn’t let go of him after seeing him for the first time in so long. I had prepared for this moment for half a year. I followed him gladly, even though I had so much to say, nothing came out as I looked at Kim Moohyuk’s back.

“…Come in.”

Before I knew it, we had reached the end of the alley, and he opened a door. I thought it was someone else’s house, but it turned out to be a small lodging. It wasn’t quite a hotel or motel, more like an inn. I swallowed my panting breath and went inside.

A man with a turban on his head was there, and he seemed to know Kim Moohyuk. However, he didn’t greet Moohyuk, just handed him the room key. Kim Moohyuk also took the key without a word and led me to the room.

Even then, his pace was fast, and I had to hide my gasping breath. When we entered the room, I heard the door close behind us.

“…”

“…”

Fearing he might leave me, I quickly turned around and saw Kim Moohyuk standing under the sensor light by the door.

The Kim Moohyuk I met after several months looked different from the one I knew. The scar vertically etched on his eyebrow was still there, but his heavy gaze and hair long enough to cover his neck were new. I had so much to say, but once again, I couldn’t utter a word. I was afraid he might disappear if I spoke…

“Wash up.”

Kim Moohyuk pointed to the bathroom and spoke indifferently. I shook my head. Then he said in a monotonous voice,

“What are you planning to do covered in sweat?”

His voice carried no emotion, making me feel even more pathetic. It felt like he didn’t even have the affection to nag me anymore, and my heart sank. I tried to find something in his gaze, but it was hard to endure his look that seemed to ask why I wasn’t going in yet.

I hadn’t brought my cane, so I had to limp all the way, and his gaze felt like it was piercing my heavy knee. I hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“…Promise you won’t leave.”

“…”

He didn’t answer, but if he really didn’t want to, he would have refused out loud. Feeling a slight relief, I headed to the bathroom.

The bathroom was cleaner than I expected. There was nothing but a bar of soap, but that made it easier to wash up. The funny thing was that there was a robe hanging on the bathroom door, not a shower robe like in other hotels, but a nightgown style. It didn’t matter much. I dried myself and put on the robe before stepping out of the bathroom.

“…”

Kim Moohyuk looked at me with a cigarette in his hand. Sitting on the sofa, he rolled the unlit cigarette between his fingers, a familiar sight. His constant unfamiliarity made my sternum feel heavy.

“…You.”

It was a question asking if he wasn’t going to wash up. Understanding my words, Kim Moohyuk smirked. It was a smile that only lifted the corners of his mouth, with no laughter in his eyes.

“Do you know what it means for both of us to wash up?”

Ironically, his words made my neck turn red in an instant. It had been a while since I realized my feelings for him. Even though I knew he was just saying it, I couldn’t calm my blushing face.

But Moohyuk didn’t care about me. He didn’t particularly look at me and seemed uninterested. He tossed the cigarette onto the table and said,

“Stay here tonight and go back to Korea tomorrow. This isn’t a place for you.”

“…Those guys… Are they Accent guys?”

I responded to his words with a non-sequitur. Moohyuk didn’t answer, but that confirmed my suspicion. Without thinking, I spoke again.

“No.”

My grand plan to explain failed. I answered like a stubborn child, and Kim Moohyuk smirked.

“I know I look ridiculous, but stop playing with me. I’m tired of playing along.”

“…What do you mean?”

Kim Moohyuk didn’t answer. My lips trembled without me realizing it. My fingertips started to tingle. I had been trembling with tension since I washed up. I didn’t know it would be this nerve-wracking. My ankles felt cold. I wanted to find the right moment to speak. Not like this, turning the topic to avoid being kicked out by him. But I might have to be grateful for being able to speak at all. I had lived in painful regret for the past six months, letting you go. I finally managed to say the words I had built up over the months.

“I came to apologize…”

He just stared at me. It seemed like he was willing to listen, which gave me a tiny bit of courage.

“That day… when I ended up like this, and even before that…”

“You don’t know, Instructor. So there’s no reason for you to apologize.”

Moohyuk cut me off. I shook my head desperately. Something about my demeanor must have seemed strange because I saw one of his eyebrows raise slightly.

“…No. I know… During the six months you were deployed…”

I couldn’t continue. During the six months Kim Moohyuk was away, I couldn’t sleep properly. Whenever I closed my eyes, I had nightmares about what might happen to him. I spent sleepless nights, clinging to Kim Inhak as he left for work, asking about the survival signals from the Mars team. Sometimes, the signals arrived an hour earlier than expected, but there were days when the Morse code indicating their survival didn’t come for over ten days. During those times, I felt like my blood was drying up.

I wanted to tell him that I was going crazy with worry about his life on the front lines, but the words wouldn’t come out. I stammered.

“I felt like I was going crazy…”

Kim Moohyuk watched me with narrowed eyes, then suddenly stood up from the sofa and approached me.

“Why, why…”

I instinctively took a step back as he approached, but my knee wouldn’t cooperate, and I couldn’t keep my balance. Just as I was about to fall, Kim Moohyuk wrapped his arm around my waist. Unlike at the hotel, his touch was gentle. That alone brought back memories of living with him at the lodging.

It was easy to recall. I had spent the past few months reflecting on my time living with Kim Moohyuk. Not just the time after I entered Sergeant Kang’s body, but even when he first joined as a rookie. Sometimes, I couldn’t stand the version of myself in those memories.

I should have told him sooner. That I did it because he was precious to me. With that thought, I couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Kim Moohyuk, I’m sorry.”

“….”

“You were so…”

My throat tightened, making it hard to continue. I shook my wet hair to focus my eyes, which kept blurring. This was a once-in-a-lifetime confession, and I didn’t want my eyes to wander due to the aftereffects of my injury. I was still recovering, but not fully healed, so I lowered my gaze and spoke again.

“You are so precious to me.”

Yes. That was my true feeling. I felt his arm around my waist twitch. I could feel his eyes on me. Moohyuk’s embrace smelled faintly of leather and musk. Without looking at him, I spoke slowly again.

“I did it because you’re precious. The thought of you getting hurt was unbearable…”

“….”

“I like you so much…”

At those words, Kim Moohyuk stared down at me intently. Then, as if he couldn’t believe it, he asked,

“Do you even know what you’re saying?”

Did I confuse him with my confession? …Actually, I had packed a gift in my suitcase to give to Kim Moohyuk when I confessed. I thought it wouldn’t make sense for a man, especially one much older, to confess without any gift.

But now, having fled the hotel suddenly, I was left with nothing. My suitcase was stolen, and I didn’t even have my wallet or passport. If Kim Moohyuk abandoned me here, I would have to walk endlessly to the Korean embassy with no way to return home. My confession was a mess, and I worried it might be a burden to him. On top of that, I was much older. It was a shameless situation.

Feeling guilty about confessing without a gift, I looked up at him. I could only hope my eyes would find their place.

The funny thing was, our eyes met almost immediately, as if he had been staring at me all along. Our gazes locked in mid-air. I felt dizzy, seeing the light flicker in Kim Moohyuk’s eyes. I hoped I wouldn’t collapse. But what bothered me more was the loud beating of my heart. I was almost grateful that my lungs weren’t in good shape, making my breathing shallow. I feared the sound of my pounding heart might be heard by him, who was sensitive to noise.

In the end, I decided to speak despite all my fears. I wanted to apologize, admit my mistakes, and tell him I didn’t realize how much I hurt him… and so on. I had rehearsed it many times at the airport, in the Mars operations room, and in the hospital, so I wouldn’t make a mistake. First, I needed to apologize to him…

“I like you.”

Contrary to my plan, the words slipped out again. Kim Moohyuk narrowed his eyes and looked down at me. Then, frowning, he muttered.

“What does that mean…?”

“It means, if there’s no one else in your heart, consider me as your imprinting partner.”

…Ah, I messed up. It was like proposing marriage on the first confession. I bit my lip hard. As expected, Kim Moohyuk didn’t say anything. Then he shook his head. He let go of me, rubbed his forehead, covered his eyes, and paced around the small room. His sudden actions made my heart sink, thinking he was going to reject me.

Then, Kim Moohyuk removed his hands from his face and looked at me with reddened eyes.

“Instructor, you’re mistaken.”

“…What?”

It was a new kind of rejection. Instead of saying he liked someone else or never thought of me that way, he said it was all my misunderstanding. I immediately frowned. I stopped trying to read his expression. He spoke calmly.

“You’re just feeling guilty. You felt so guilty that you came all the way here to turn my world upside down again.”

I sighed. Then I limped over to Moohyuk and grabbed his waist. Moohyuk looked down at my arms wrapped around his waist in a daze.

“Hey, I haven’t said anything because I’ve been living with a guilty conscience for months, but if you don’t want me to desire you, just say so.”

“…”

Kim Moohyuk blinked. It was the same expression he had when I first taught him about guiding. The look of a child encountering something new, exciting, and thrilling. But trying hard to hide it. It felt like he was mocking my difficult confession, and I was filled with frustration. The past six months of grueling rehab, the determination to come here, the excitement of arriving only to have my suitcase stolen. If only I had the gift in that suitcase, my sincerity wouldn’t be dismissed like this.

I asked with a sense of injustice.

“Do you think imprinting is easy? Wait until you get older and see how scary it is. Just say it’s ridiculous for an old guide like me to desire a young, handsome, and capable Esper like you—”

But before I could finish, I was suddenly pulled in. I blinked in surprise. Kim Moohyuk pressed his lips against mine. A muffled sound escaped between our joined lips. Before it could get any more slippery, I pushed him away. It wasn’t because I disliked the kiss.

“What, what are you… Why are you crying!”

It was because his cheeks were wet. I was shocked and grabbed Kim Moohyuk’s cheeks. Was my confession that shocking? Kim Moohyuk wasn’t the type to cry because he disliked something… Did he think this was a superior’s demand for sexual favors…? I was thinking when—

“Kang Hajung.”

Moohyuk called my name. My guiding core felt like it was jumping on its own. His eyes were shimmering. I didn’t know why Kim Moohyuk’s tear-filled eyes looked that way, but they didn’t seem strong or sharp like an Esper’s. They just looked lovely. I was lost in the thought of kissing his eyelids.

If it weren’t for what he said next, I might have spent my life just imagining that.

“I love you.”

Kim Moohyuk pulled me back into his arms. I blinked in a daze, trying to ask what he just said. But my face was pressed against his broad chest, making it impossible to speak clearly. Despite that, Kim Moohyuk kept whispering that he loved me as if he understood my words.

I was hanging my arms limply, but after a few seconds, I managed to lift my trembling hands and hug him back. I was overwhelmed with emotion. My guiding core was spinning joyfully. It was still weak, but it seemed to know it had found its match.

Kim Moohyuk felt the same. The familiar presence that always lingered by my side in the hospital, by my bed, and even after I fell asleep, was now clinging to my skin, begging to be held. Feeling his presence wash over me, I honestly shed a few tears.

Embarrassed that my tears might soak into Kim Moohyuk’s chest, I cried out of joy. His rough hand tried to wipe my tears but gave up, and his lips pressed against my temple. The sensation made me cry a little more, but I decided to keep that a secret from him.

We held each other in silence for a while. Just hugging Kim Moohyuk’s waist and feeling his head buried in my neck conveyed something. Lying together on the bed, I occasionally touched Moohyuk’s cheek, and he kissed my palm.

“…It’s amazing. I thought you were just a kid…”

Kim Moohyuk chuckled at my absent-minded mumbling. I also touched the scar above his eyebrow. Kim Moohyuk stared at me intently and spoke.

“I should have met you after I grew up.”

The term “you” felt both embarrassing and not bad. With his lips pressed against my temple, he whispered in a voice so small it seemed meant only for me in this vast world.

“If that had been the case, would you have seen me differently? Not as a child, not as a burden to protect, but as an equal?”

“…”

I thought about his words for a moment. Kim Moohyuk continued to murmur, seemingly unaware of my thoughts. His lips felt hot against my temple.

“I’ve loved you for a long time. For so long…”

“…What?”

I looked at him in surprise. As if regretting the loss of contact, Kim Moohyuk gazed at me with slightly dazed eyes, then started kissing my lips repeatedly without answering. I gently pushed him away and asked him to explain what he meant. My Esper complied with my request.

“You were the only one who didn’t know, Kang Hajung. Everyone knows I love and am loyal to my guide.”

“No, I…”

I blinked in a daze. His lips moved down to my eyelashes.

“Since when, since when have you felt that way?”

The thought that the person I liked had liked me back was overwhelmingly heartwarming. My heart, which had been beating pleasantly, started pounding fiercely. Kim Moohyuk stared at me for a while, then whispered with his lips against my earlobe.

“Of course, from the moment I first saw you. I knew you were my guide, the one who would give me peace.”

“You…”

I looked at him with wide eyes, unable to believe it. Kim Moohyuk’s eyes crinkled as he smiled brightly. It was a smile I had never seen before. He laughed out loud and hugged me. I buried my cheek in his chest. Moohyuk’s heartbeat was just as loud and chaotic as mine.

Then, through the connected imprinting bond, a faint signal was transmitted. I blinked. I naturally realized that the memories flooding in were Kim Moohyuk’s.

“Do you know how to count?”

“…Yes?”

“Three, two, what’s next?”

“…One…?”

“Well done.”

“Happy New Year, everyone. Congratulations on becoming part of the Esper-Guide Special Forces.”

That was… my voice. The moment I first met Kim Moohyuk and gave him his first guiding. I murmured blankly. Kim Moohyuk smiled as if to say, “You see? It was from that moment,” and leaned in.

Just like when I bestowed the vast guiding upon him, this time, Kim Moohyuk kissed me. My heart felt like it was going to burst. You were my Esper, my very own, from that moment. It was a profoundly glorious realization.