Approximal Guide Vol. 6 Chapter 5 - Extra (5)

“Be ready in front of the dorm district by six. I’ll come pick you up. Your knee hurts, so don’t move around alone.”

“Dorm district…? You mean Garam-dong?”

If Kim Moohyuk and my subconscious self were living together here, we should be living in a residential area for marked couples, not in Garam-dong, where the guides and espers’ dormitories are separated. I asked hesitantly, just in case, and Han Byeongeun looked at me as if I were asking something strange. His expression was surprised, but it seemed my question didn’t significantly harm the plausibility.

“You’re all over the place today. Where else would you be? It’s not like you’ll be drinking alone in Yipsae-dong on a day like this.”

It was a warning not to drink alone. Thinking I had gathered enough information, I waved my hand and said,

“Fine, I get it. Just go quickly.”

“Make sure you come out on time, okay?”

Han Byeongeun said he had urgent business and headed to the research building. I got on a cart that runs within the center and headed to Garam-dong. When I checked my pocket, I found a card key with the dormitory number written on it. After getting off the cart with my uncomfortable knee and walking to the dormitory, I realized it was the guide’s dormitory where I had lived, waiting for my discharge, believing that Haseonghan had died.

Entering the dorm room quickly, I rummaged through my belongings. Through the mirror in the building’s elevator, I confirmed that I was not in Colonel Kang Hajung’s body. That meant Kim Moohyuk should be a captain by now. Even if he wasn’t living with me, he couldn’t possibly be a lieutenant…I tilted my head in confusion and continued searching for clues, ignoring my aching knee.

Fortunately, the dream seemed to be set before the guiding core was injured, so I still had some energy to move my body. Over the years, Kim Moohyuk had taken care of my frail body to the point of ruining my habits, but if the guiding core were the same as in reality, it would have been a disaster.

“Come on, anything. I need some clue…”

Thanks to that, I could search the house, dragging my leg. I turned drawers and desks upside down but found nothing significant. I wished there was something I could find without asking others where Kim Moohyuk was. Sighing, I finally remembered my phone. If there was any information, it would also be on my phone.

With only the card key in my pocket, I regretted not thinking of it earlier. I then searched the house for my phone and found it thrown on the bed, tangled with the messy blankets. It was an old model, discontinued long ago. The phone, with a broken corner, was the one I used when I first met Kim Moohyuk.

“Why is this here?”

I wondered, but since there was no other phone, it seemed to be the one I was currently using. Clicking my tongue, I looked around.

“Gosh, even in my subconscious, the room is a mess.”

When Kim Moohyuk wasn’t around, meaning when I was single, my room was this messy. After living together, I stopped making a mess because he kept cleaning the room, and I felt sorry. By nature, I wasn’t a tidy person. The best I did for hygiene was shower once a day, and I was not good at organizing. Clicking my tongue at the room’s messy state, I turned on the phone’s screen.

“Let’s see if there’s anything in the messenger…”

It seemed best to check if Kim Moohyuk’s number was there and if there were any conversations with him. Fortunately, his name was in the list. At least it meant he was somewhere in this center. But it was frustrating that I couldn’t get any information from the saved name.

[Kim Moohyuk Esper: 010-XXXX-XXXX]

Seriously…Couldn’t I at least save it with his rank? And what’s with these six rigid characters? Since I first met him, the saved name had changed dozens of times, but I had never saved it with such a dry name that could crumble to pieces. Since I had known him from a young age, I had initially saved it as ‘Chick’, and as he grew, I had saved it as ‘Young Chicken’, ‘Fighting Cock’, ‘Our Phoenix’, but never just his name. Were we on bad terms? I couldn’t tell.

Anyway, since I found the name, it was time to check the conversation. I pressed the chat room with my thumb.

“What is this…”

And the revealed conversation was even more absurd.

Kim Moohyuk Esper

Don’t contact me 08:35 PM

Do you think I’m someone who does what you say and stops when you tell me to? 08:35 PM

Kim Moohyuk Esper

You’re really disgusting

Do you think people don’t know you’re this kind of person? 09:49 PM

Answer the phone while I’m still being nice 09:51 PM

Hey 1

Answer the phone from this kind of person 1

Hey 1

Transfer 09:511

Photo 1

Voice message 1

Photo 1

Kim Moohyuk’s reaction was strange, but my messages weren’t normal either.

“What is this…I didn’t even send a photo, just typed ‘photo’ in the chat?”

It was ridiculous that I had typed ‘photo’ and ‘voice message’ to make Kim Moohyuk check his messages. Why did I do this…? And why did Kim Moohyuk tell me not to contact him first? My eyes stopped at the word ‘disgusting’. Even when I was hanging around him in Sergeant Kang’s body, I had never heard such a word, so it was quite shocking. I could only blink my eyes blankly. Even the last message was unread, with the ‘1’ mark still there, as if he had blocked me without reading it.

“What on earth happened…”

At this point, contrary to what Han Byeongeun said, it seemed like Kim Moohyuk was avoiding me, not the other way around. But why? I couldn’t understand. Whether the previous conversation was deleted or if that was the first conversation itself, scrolling up revealed nothing. It was absurd. Kim Moohyuk rejecting me? I couldn’t understand…

Then I suddenly realized it was getting close to six o’clock, the time Han Byeongeun mentioned. I opened the closet, thinking of changing my coat. The clothes inside were the ones I wore a few years after pairing with Kim Moohyuk. Fortunately, they weren’t Sergeant Kang’s flashy clothes, but most of them seemed to be the ones disposed of when I died, which was strange.

“This dream is really weird…”

I couldn’t understand anything. Moreover, the length didn’t fit my current height, so even wearing one coat made me look like an elementary school kid wearing a high schooler’s clothes.

“Seriously…”

But as the time approached, I had no choice but to leave the house with the clothes roughly put on. When I reached the main road in front of Garam-dong, where Esper Han Byeongeun could pick me up, he honked the horn, driving the car he used before marrying his wife.

“…He bragged to me five hundred times about selling that car and buying a better one…”

It was strange that Han Byeongeun’s car, which he had sold long ago, was back, waiting for me to get in. Clicking my tongue, I headed towards it.

“Get in quickly. Why are you so late?”

“Stop rushing me, man, I’m already stressed out.”

As I got into the passenger seat and fastened my seatbelt, Han Byeongeun started nagging again. Annoyed by his constant nagging, I covered my face with my palm and rubbed it dry. Seeing me like that, Han Byeongeun cautiously opened his mouth.

“Since you came out, you will reconcile with Lieutenant Kim, right?”

So who is this Lieutenant Kim that I need to reconcile with? I couldn’t reconcile because I didn’t know who he was, so I kept my mouth shut, and Han Byeongeun kept watching me nervously. I sighed.

“I don’t know. I’ll see how it goes.”

Not knowing who it was, I replied like that, and Han Byeongeun finally looked relieved and started the car. With my arms crossed, I asked,

“What about Kim Inhak?”

“He’s very excited. He’s already there.”

If the center director Kim Inhak was at Lieutenant Kim’s promotion ceremony, then that lieutenant must really be Kim Moohyuk. Kim Inhak was a busy guy, not someone who would attend a mere lieutenant’s promotion ceremony. But if it was the promotion ceremony of S++ grade Kim Moohyuk, he would probably come with a huge wreath to boast to other centers. He wasn’t someone who would miss such a public event. I inferred while looking at the scenery passing by outside the car window. Then I realized the road passing by wasn’t leading to the main office.

“Where are we going? Isn’t it a promotion ceremony? Shouldn’t we be heading to the main office or Yeonghyeon Hall?”

“The promotion ceremony is already over. We’re heading to the after-party now. What would you do at Lieutenant Kim’s promotion ceremony? The kid receiving the bouquet would just get a sour face.”

Hearing that, I was sure that this Lieutenant Kim was Kim Moohyuk. I pretended to be angry and shouted.

“Why do I have to go to the dinner party with such a guy! Hey, let me out, I’m just going back.”

Wouldn’t it be more like me to act this way towards someone I don’t get along with? Knowing my naturally bad temper, it seemed better to act tough to avoid Han Byeongeun’s suspicion. Han Byeongeun shook his head in disbelief.

“You’re still like this. Aren’t you ashamed to be stubborn with a kid over something you did wrong?”

“What did I do wrong! I’m saying I won’t go because I’m too embarrassed!”

“Good grief, how can you say you did nothing wrong?! You’re the one who got reported by Lieutenant Kim for stalking!”

“…What did I get?”

Did Byeongeun just say stalking? What kind of stalking did I get reported for? I looked dumbfounded, as if I had been hit on the head with a hammer. Han Byeongeun, who was driving while watching the road, didn’t see my expression and shook his head as he turned the steering wheel.

“Stalking report. Moohyuk reported you. You seem to want to deny reality, but accept it. So on a good day like today, apologize for what happened back then and promise not to show up again. It’s a good thing Moohyuk is kind and withdrew the report, otherwise, you’d be in trouble with that knee of yours.”

What on earth is he talking about? What stalking report. So I stalked Kim Moohyuk? Not the other way around?! Are they saying I chased Kim Moohyuk around with this frail body?! It was absurd. But Han Byeongeun seemed to think my reaction was shameless.

“The director said he would watch you properly apologize to Lieutenant Kim today. He also said not to bother the kid who’s already sensitive due to lack of guiding. Accept what you need to accept calmly.”

“What kind of stalking did I supposedly do?!”

I couldn’t hold back and shouted. Forget plausibility, I was too angry to care. Do I look like a pathetic guy who would stalk someone?! I’m a soldier overflowing with patriotism, and they’re saying I stalked a kid twelve years younger than me? Me?! What kind of crazy subconscious is making up this scenario to ruin my mood? It was ridiculous.

But Han Byeongeun glanced at me with a look that seemed to question my conscience and shook his head.

“Why did you go to the kid’s dorm and contact him when he said he didn’t want to see you? He’s a nice kid despite his rough appearance, but how bad must it have been for him to report a senior soldier? The director said it’s the first time he’s seen a guide stalk an esper.”

Of course, it would be the first time. I’m not someone who would do something as pathetic as stalking! It was absurd, but I held back my anger, thinking that getting more upset might ruin the plausibility. Does this make sense? Stalking requires a severe obsession with someone. I was the one shouting for everyone to leave me alone because I hated staying at the center.

There must be some misunderstanding. I thought I could clear up the misunderstanding with Kim Moohyuk if I met him. It was strange that he reported me, as he usually didn’t get angry easily, but I trusted Kim Moohyuk.

However, when I arrived at the dinner party, the scene that greeted me was completely different.

“Moohyuk!”

“Come over here too! You need to take my glass!”

“Kim Moohyuk! Congratulations.”

In the wide hall of the restaurant in Yipsae-dong, where the kid and I used to go often, Kim Moohyuk was surrounded by many people, smiling.

“…”

I stared blankly at the scene, unable to say anything. Even if it wasn’t a gentle expression, Kim Moohyuk, with a faint smile on his lips, was responding to the people congratulating him without refusing the glasses they offered.

…Is that really Kim Moohyuk? Not someone else wearing his mask? The Kim Moohyuk I knew was wary and didn’t value relationships with people, so he had little interaction with others. He only hung out with his team members at most…It was absurd. As I blinked in disbelief, Han Byeongeun pushed my back.

“What are you doing, not going in? Are you feeling awkward?”

Just as I was about to frown and say there was nothing to feel awkward about, the people in the restaurant started to look at me, standing blankly at the entrance. The place, which had been so noisy, suddenly became quiet. It was hard to believe it had been so lively.

“…”

“…”

And, Kim Moohyuk, who had erased even the faint smile from his lips, was now looking at me. With a face painted with faint contempt and unhidden hostility, he met my gaze. I had seen that expression many times, but I never thought it would be directed at me, so I could only move my lips. Just as I thought I should say something.

“What the…It’s Colonel Kang…”

“Why is he here?”

“Does he have no shame…”

“Seriously…This isn’t the place for him, is it?”

The murmurs pierced my ears. They knew I might hear them, or rather, they seemed to want me to hear. When I turned my head towards the voices, I saw smirking faces….What the hell. Why are they acting like this?

“…Colonel, let’s just say hello and leave.”

Han Byeongeun, knowing my temper well, urged me from behind, seemingly anxious. But I wasn’t angry. I was just standing still, trying to figure out what was going on in this situation I was in. It was strange that Kim Moohyuk was surrounded by so many people, and the atmosphere towards me was also unusual. People kept murmuring as if they didn’t like me standing there silently. Han Byeongeun, thinking today might not be the day, urged me to leave.

“Let’s have a word.”

Kim Moohyuk, who had been silent all along, approached, erasing the faint contempt from his face. He passed by me and exited the door. The people who had been chattering fell silent. I looked at them once, then followed Kim Moohyuk, passing by Han Byeongeun, who looked worried.

Moohyuk entered an alley where the sun had just set. There were a few air conditioner units placed between the restaurant building and another building, and dust was thickly piled up. He stood leaning against the wall, showing me his profile. I slowly walked towards him, limping. As I approached, he asked in a restrained voice, as if shouldering a rifle.

“Where did you get those clothes?”

“…Huh? What clothes?”

I replied dumbly, not expecting the question. Kim Moohyuk’s demeanor was different from when I first entered in Sergeant Kang Hajung’s body. Back then, it felt like he was pushing outwards with pent-up anger, but now it felt like all that energy was pushing me away. I was being rejected by Kim Moohyuk.

The impact was greater than I thought, and I didn’t even notice him approaching me. Standing close, he suddenly grabbed the front of my coat roughly, as if grabbing my collar. The front of my coat crumpled messily, brushing against my face.

“…What are you doing?”

“What are you doing? Where did you get these clothes?”

“…What?”

I repeated dumbly. Where did I get the clothes? From the closet. I couldn’t hide my bewilderment. But Kim Moohyuk looked down at me intently, then narrowed his eyes and sneered.

“Now you’re even stealing the Colonel’s clothes and pretending to be him?”

“…Huh?”

Something was off. People, Han Byeongeun, they all called me Colonel even though I had Sergeant Kang Hajung’s face, so I had simply dismissed it as an absurd situation created by my subconscious. But listening to Kim Moohyuk, it seemed that wasn’t the case.

“Just because you mimic his resonance doesn’t mean you’re not a clone.”

…Clone? I started to understand the situation a bit.

After I died, Kim Moohyuk said he was tormented by clones sent by Accent for a while. Most of them just mimicked my appearance, but some even had similar guiding resonance. Kim Moohyuk seemed to think I was one of those clones or someone from Accent mimicking Kang Hajung.

Seeing me frozen and speechless, Kim Moohyuk let go of my collar as if throwing away trash. He spoke to me with cold eyes.

“I don’t care what others say. I’ll make you realize who you’re trying to mimic.”

Then he passed by me as if he had no more business. His resonance was closed off, and he didn’t reach out to me as he usually did. It was as if even his resonance was suspicious of me. Before he completely left the alley, I asked.

“…Did you report me like that because I’m not Kang Hajung?”

He stopped and looked back at me. Observing me closely, he tilted his head and muttered.

“Seems like you put in quite an effort.”

It was completely to himself, and then he turned and left. I brushed off the crumpled front of my coat and organized my thoughts.

So, it seems Kim Moohyuk suspects me of being a clone. For some reason, people think I’m Colonel Kang Hajung despite having Sergeant Kang Hajung’s face, and since everyone at the center believes it, Kim Moohyuk might be leaving it as is until he finds definite proof that I’m a clone. Instead, he reported me for stalking to prevent me from approaching. I roughly understood the situation.

Judging by people’s reactions, it seems I did something to Kim Moohyuk before…I’ll have to figure that out gradually.

“Colonel―! Where are you!”

I heard Han Byeongeun calling for me from outside the alley. I walked towards him. Well, I guess I can think about it slowly. For now, I decided to wrap up today’s findings.

“Where did you go! I’ve been looking for you for a while!…Did you have a good talk with Lieutenant Kim?”

Byeongeun asked, watching my reaction. He seemed curious if the conversation went well. I shrugged my shoulders, standing in front of the restaurant’s glass window, having completely left the alley.

“What is there to talk about? He was really mad at me.”

“Then why do you keep breaking into Lieutenant Kim’s dorm? How did you even manage that with your bad knee?”

Oh, is this it? I was pleased to have figured it out sooner than expected and patted Han Byeongeun’s head.

“You’ve always had a knack for catching mice while walking backward since you were young. Oh, you cute thing.”

“What the…Ew, why are you doing this?!”

Han Byeongeun retched, stopping his complaint at my sudden reaction. It was clear he genuinely disliked it, as goosebumps rose on his neck. His reaction was amusing, so I kept patting his head, but then I felt a gaze. Wondering what it was, I looked around and saw Kim Moohyuk turning his head inside the restaurant’s glass window.

…Did we just make eye contact? Was it my imagination? But when I looked again, he was receiving a glass, surrounded by several people. It still didn’t feel familiar. Kim Moohyuk, who actively interacted with people, was hard to believe. I asked Han Byeongeun in passing.

“Was he always this popular?”

“Well, he never made enemies. I was worried he might show off because he was so good…But when he was close to you, you guided him well.”

But then, Han Byeongeun glanced at me with a look that seemed to ask why I had turned into a perverted stalker chasing innocent Kim Moohyuk, and opened the car door parked in the public parking lot in front of the restaurant.

“He’s popular among the center’s civilian employees too. He’s popular with civilians, so how do you think guides feel? Especially with a face like that.”

“…”

I silently looked back at the restaurant. The familiar scar above his eyebrow was missing. Before Moohyuk, who was facing away from the glass, could turn around, I got into the passenger seat.

“Still, it’s a relief. After you ended up like that, he was really worried, but now that you’re worse than strangers, he seems to have stopped worrying about you because it’s disgusting.”

“Byeongeun, stop provoking me, will you?”

“You need to be provoked a bit. Why did you treat Lieutenant Kim like that?”

I didn’t know what he meant by “ended up like that,” but Han Byeongeun’s nagging was starting to get annoying. It seemed he wanted to scold me on behalf of Kim Moohyuk. I decided to pretend to be angry and coax Han Byeongeun.

“Honestly, what did I do so wrong? Repeat what you said earlier. What did I do wrong?”

Please tell me, Byeongeun. What did I do wrong? Han Byeongeun looked at me in shock, as if he had heard a traitor say, “Huh. Was I the only one who sold out Joseon? Wasn’t it up for sale?” He seemed to forget to watch the road for a moment.

“How can you be so shameless? Don’t you remember getting caught trying to steal Moohyuk’s underwear?”

Wow, subconscious, you son of a…What was I going to do with his underwear? I couldn’t believe I had done such a thing, and as I was lost in thought, Han Byeongeun, thinking I was denying it, started revealing all the things I had done to Kim Moohyuk.

“Is that all? When Moohyuk received temporary guiding, you ran over and punished the guide, made them write a report, broke into his dorm and used his bath products, and sent over 600 messages a day?! What did you have so much to say?!”

…Exactly. 600 messages. What did I have so much to say that I did a solo filibuster? I couldn’t understand. And punishing the guide who provided temporary guiding? What kind of crazy lunatic…I couldn’t believe it, but I started to wonder if my subconscious was actually suppressing jealousy towards Kim Moohyuk in such a way.

Describe the feeling of becoming a perverted freak who bathes in an ownerless house overnight.

It was a miserable feeling. I started to think that maybe Kim Moohyuk reported me as a stalker not to prevent a clone from approaching, but because he was genuinely fed up. Everything I had done was too disgraceful.

“Your reputation took a big hit because of that. I didn’t want to hang out with you either, but my wife said you weren’t that kind of person and asked me to give you a chance, so I’m forcing myself to meet you. Do you know people still ask if I’m close to you?!”

“You disloyal jerk! Even my sister-in-law believes in me, and you call yourself my junior?! Huh?!”

I was so dumbfounded that I hit Han Byeongeun’s arm. Han Byeongeun yelled, “Why are you hitting me!” but I was too busy holding my aching head. Oh, dear…How am I supposed to bond with Kim Moohyuk like this? The subconscious interference that Han Byeongeun warned about before entering this place seemed to be exactly this. So, was it not okay if I pushed Kim Moohyuk away? Why am I the stalker here?!

“Anyway, you should know that Moohyuk is kind enough to just report you. And stop submitting pair guide applications. You know you can’t be paired without Moohyuk’s consent.”

Now they’re saying I even submitted a pair application without consent. It was an absurd story. By the time Han Byeongeun dropped me off in front of Garam-dong, I had to deal with a mild headache.

“Still, the director said it was commendable that you went to apologize. But don’t try anything with Lieutenant Kim anymore. This time, it will be hard to cover for you.”

“Hey, you, just go. I don’t even want to see you.”

“Do you think I want to see you? If I had known you were such a pervert, I wouldn’t have gotten close to you.”

“Hey! Get lost!”

I forgot about my aching knee and kicked the front wheel of Han Byeongeun’s car. Even as he drove off, grumbling, I had to stand there with my hands on my hips, fuming. The person who was closest to me, Kim Moohyuk, felt so distant overnight. How do I bridge this gap? My head hurt.

However, the next day, I greeted the morning with gratitude for the new day. It was sad that Kim Moohyuk was no longer by my side, but at least I could eat ramen without feeling guilty. I felt energized at the thought of running to the snack bar and eating a set of kimbap and ramen.

“From today, I’m going to eat ramen like crazy.”

Since this was all happening in my subconscious, eating ramen wouldn’t harm my body. Enjoying this vivid, dream-like world in this way wasn’t so bad. It would be good to plan my future while eating egg ramen sprinkled with red pepper powder.

“Boss, one egg ramen and egg roll kimbap, please.”

“Oh, Colonel Kang, you’re here? You’ve been scarce lately…”

The owner greeted me with a somewhat uneasy expression. Yes, I’ve been scarce. That wicked lover Kim Moohyuk tied me up and kept me away from the snack bar. These days, he even forbids me from going to the squid stir-fry place I used to visit before missions, saying that noodles are made of flour. I muttered the excuses I wanted to give to the real owner and took a seat. It was quiet in the morning, and most of the customers were civilian employees taking kimbap to go.

“I’ve heard some strange rumors lately. Are you okay?”

The owner asked as he placed the ramen bowl in front of me. If the strange rumors were about my stalking, I was not okay at all. I picked up my chopsticks with an ambiguous smile.

“Well, I did something wrong. I need to reflect and live better.”

I spoke in a tone that suggested regret. No one can spit on a person who is genuinely remorseful. At least, it seemed wise to instill the perception among the center’s people that I was deeply remorseful. If Kim Moohyuk tried to bring me down by labeling me a stalker, I had my own methods.

Moohyuk, you might think lightly of me, who has been in the military for over twenty years, but do you know what’s most important in military life? A diligent attitude? A sincere personality? Unmatched work performance? No. The most important thing is talking smoothly. If you talk well, you can prevent a small mistake from becoming a big problem.

I spoke with a humble attitude, like a drooping flower petal.

“Honestly, it’s embarrassing to be out and about like this. Lieutenant Kim struggled so much, and it’s shameless of me to be wandering around.”

“Sigh…”

The owner sighed deeply, as if he had nothing more to say. It was natural. A perpetrator shouldn’t be wandering around shamelessly. The problem was that I hadn’t actually done those things. Still, saying this now would help me rise smoothly when the situation turned around later.

After that, I quietly enjoyed my ramen, and the owner glanced at me before going back to the kitchen. When I went to pay, the owner said, “Don’t do such things again. It’s really bad. I’m only saying this because you seem remorseful. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have given you ramen today.” I nodded and listened attentively before leaving the shop.

As I left the snack bar, I felt glances similar to the owner’s. I walked with my shoulders hunched, looking down like a depressed person. My sleepy expression from eating too many carbs probably made me look quite gloomy. I maintained that gloomy expression and posture as I got on the cart heading to the main office. Then I headed straight to the administration office.

“How can I help…Oh, Colonel Kang…”

The administrative staff greeted me calmly, thinking I was an ordinary visitor, but froze when they recognized me. They must have been scared, thinking I was there to submit another unauthorized pair application with Kim Moohyuk.

“Hello? I’m here to submit something.”

But I greeted brightly, pretending not to notice the staff’s stiff face. He reluctantly took the document I handed him.

“Oh, this is…”

“It’s still the application period for pair candidates, right? I’m here to apply.”

The staff looked at the document in surprise. I leaned my elbows on the counter, resting my chin on my hands, and watched him.

“Colonel, this is an application to be paired with any esper of the appropriate rank, not a specific individual…”

“Yes. I need to move on and get married.”

I replied with a smile. By putting my name on the list of pair candidates, people would think I had finally stopped obsessing over Kim Moohyuk. I didn’t really want to pair with another esper. It was a choice made to spread the rumor.

“Oh, okay…I’ll submit the application.”

“Thank you.”

I quickly greeted and left the administration office. The effect was immediate.

-You applied for the pair candidate list?!

I got a call from Kim Inhak right away. Even though the center’s grounds were as large as a new city, rumors spread quickly among the alumni of the same military academy. I submitted the application in the morning, and by noon, the rumor had already spread. It was both amusing and absurd that the center’s dynamics were the same in both the subconscious and reality.

“Yeah, I need to get married. I feel sorry for Moohyuk too.”

I lied while picking my nose. What was there to feel sorry about? From now on, Kim Moohyuk would be the one feeling sorry for me. How could he not recognize his own pair guide? The bond we shared wasn’t just any bond. It was a carefully prepared bond over several years, and he just forgot about it.

Although it couldn’t be said that the Kim Moohyuk in the subconscious world had forgotten about the real-world events, I couldn’t forget the look in his eyes, and it made me angry.

I felt a surge of anger. Since he joined the military, he had always followed me around, so when did he make so many fans? Thinking about his face, receiving congratulatory drinks from everyone, made me annoyed.

“Yeah. The director told me to apologize. But wouldn’t it be better for me to just disappear from his life?”

-Why do you always say things like that…

Since he didn’t deny it, it seemed my words weren’t entirely wrong. Kim Inhak must have been troubled about what to do with someone like me, stalking a promising esper like Kim Moohyuk. The problem was that this situation felt increasingly real, and I was starting to get angry at Kim Inhak’s attitude.

In reality, this was just a situation created by the subconscious, and I just needed to re-bond with Kim Moohyuk here and return to my esper. But why was I so angry? It was probably because it was the first time he had treated me with such contempt and attitude. Even when I started clashing with him after entering Sergeant Kang Hajung’s body, he had always treated me with a certain conviction. The conviction that I was ‘Kang Hajung.’ So, it was the first time I faced such contemptuous eyes.

-Anyway…You made a good decision, senior. You should meet someone good now.

“…If you’re going to nag, hang up.”

I replied grumpily and hung up the phone. Meet someone good? That didn’t make sense. What was the reason I stayed here when I had hoped to retire? Kim Moohyuk, who seduced me and prevented me from retiring, was now looking at me with such eyes, even if it was a trick of the subconscious.

I knew my current state was quite childish and not a good attitude for an older lover, but I couldn’t stop my thoughts from going there.

In the end, I sighed and left the dorm to get dinner at the Garam-dong cafeteria. Anyway, the rumor would have spread well, and it was only a matter of time before it reached Kim Moohyuk. When that happened, his guard would be slightly lowered. Then I planned to get closer to him. After all, it seemed that he missed ‘Colonel Kang Hajung,’ that is, me, even here. Showing him my sincere guiding wouldn’t be a bad idea. Kim Moohyuk would recognize my resonance, no matter his current feelings.

By the way, I hadn’t realized how inconvenient it was to have a bad knee, even though it wasn’t a new issue. Maybe it was thanks to him consistently helping me. Living alone was so difficult. I felt a pang of sadness. I realized how much Kim Moohyuk had permeated my life like a gentle rain. That bad guy. Making it hard for me to even eat a meal without him, and then looking at me like that? Of course, I was happy about eating ramen in the morning, but as someone who easily forgets disadvantages, my complaints piled up again by evening.

I sighed and dragged my leg to the cafeteria. It was a moment when I missed the home-cooked meals Kim Moohyuk used to make. Maybe this was what he aimed for. Taming me with convenience so that I couldn’t go anywhere. If so, he succeeded, you rascal. Thanks to you, this instructor has evolved into a fine old man who skips lunch if there’s no one to cook for him.

Grumbling about not understanding why I was hungry in the subconscious world, I entered the cafeteria. Sometimes, when there were long meetings, I used the main office cafeteria, but it had been a while since I came to the Garam-dong cafeteria, as I hadn’t lived there for a long time. I wondered if the chefs who greeted me with smiling faces were still there as I picked up a tray and looked around. Someone tapped my shoulder. I turned around to see an esper I didn’t recognize, smiling.

“Hello, Colonel Kang. Here for a meal?”

“Yes, well.”

Did I know this person? I couldn’t remember at all. Pretending to know someone I didn’t or failing to recognize someone I did know might violate the subconscious’s sense of coherence. Worried, I gave a vague answer. The other person seemed flustered and waved their hand.

“Uh, I don’t have any particular business. I just saw you in the cafeteria sometimes and thought I’d say hello.”

“Oh, I see…”

That was a relief. I nodded and started serving myself food, thinking I didn’t need to worry about it. The esper was in civilian clothes, so I couldn’t tell their rank or name, and I wasn’t particularly sociable, so I didn’t know how to be friendly to someone who approached me like that.

Besides, hadn’t bad things always happened whenever strangers approached me like this in the past few years? Usually, espers from Accent or remnants of Accent would approach me kindly, only to kidnap or put me in trouble. I had to be cautious. Wasn’t there a time when someone broke into my house and fought with Kim Moohyuk while I was sleeping? My misanthropy was clearly a result of these experiences.

“Um, the weather is nice today.”

However, the esper seemed undeterred by my cold attitude and tried to continue the conversation with a comment about the weather. I glanced at him and served myself some stir-fried sausages. I didn’t feel the need to respond, so I just nodded and was about to head to my seat.

“C-Colonel…I heard you’re looking for a pair esper…”

Oh, so that’s what he meant? I finally turned my indifferent gaze back to the esper. He seemed embarrassed by my scrutiny and shrank a little, his face turning red. But he didn’t back down. Admirable courage, but not my type. My type was more…

“Colonel Kang.”

I was thinking about my ideal type when I heard a familiar voice behind me. I turned to see Kim Moohyuk. I had to try hard not to let a grin spread across my face. So, you finally showed up. Feeling nervous? Thinking, “That crazy old man is looking for a pair, forgetting he’s married”?

“If you’ve finished serving yourself, please move. The aisle is narrow.”

But Kim Moohyuk’s words were not what I expected. He was standing with a tray, not alone but with several people. His companions were looking at me, blocking the space between the serving counter and the large tray. It seemed he spoke up for their sake.

I was stunned and couldn’t respond, but my body, accustomed to obeying his words, moved to make enough space for Moohyuk to pass.

“Excuse me.”

“Excuse me…”

Kim Moohyuk nodded slightly and passed by without another word, followed by his companions who glanced at me as they went….I felt my ears burn. It was more infuriating than embarrassing. Fine, do as you please. Let’s see if I let you go. Grinding my teeth, I turned to the esper who had been standing awkwardly.

“You asked if I was looking for a pair esper? Are you interested?”

I smiled. Kim Moohyuk’s footsteps grew distant, but with his hearing, he couldn’t have missed my voice even in the noisy cafeteria. It was a stubborn move, but I had to provoke him, even if he didn’t react immediately. My forced smile felt like it was about to twitch. I hadn’t expected it to be this difficult. I had taken all the emotions Kim Moohyuk gave me for granted.

…I had boasted that I would finish quickly and return. I felt sorry for my ‘real’ esper.

“Oh, yes, yes…I was a fan of yours, Colonel…”

The esper started talking about things I wasn’t interested in. He didn’t seem like someone I had trained, so what fan? Finding his words strange, I started walking, and he hurriedly followed. Many eyes followed us as I moved. The only one not watching was Kim Moohyuk, who was already seated with his utensils.

Swallowing a sigh, I had to sit across from the esper who had been trailing me. It was rare for me to dine with a stranger, given my narrow social circle, so it was uncomfortable, but I was determined. I couldn’t leave without eating a bite.

“Uh, Colonel. Let me introduce myself…”

It was funny that I hadn’t even heard the esper’s name. I finally asked for his name with an apologetic expression. He was about to introduce himself, looking somewhat agitated and nervous.

-Code Black, Exodus AP-49 detected over Mapo-gu, Exodus AP-49 detected.

Suddenly, an alarm sounded inside the cafeteria. Along with the siren, red lights on the walls started spinning. Messages began arriving on the phones of the espers and guides who were eating.

[Web Alert]

Exodus AP detected over Tojeong-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Level 49 warning

Summoning order for guides and espers of grade A and above

-Assembly location: Main office parking lot

-Order issued by: Brigadier General Kim Inhak

12:53 PM

“What does this mean…”

I read the message over and over in a daze. Exodus what? And what does the level mean? Even in reality, with Accent gone, all sorts of strange things started appearing, and I wondered if this Exodus thing was one of them. As I tilted my head in confusion, the esper next to me asked, watching my reaction.

“Uh, Colonel, shouldn’t you be going too…”

“Oh, right.”

Since it was for grade A and above, I was supposed to go too. I awkwardly stood up, and the esper scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed.

“I’m a grade B, so…”

“Really? Well, maybe we’ll see each other again.”

I said that and stood up with my tray. Looking back, I saw that Kim Moohyuk had already left and was heading towards the cafeteria exit. I glanced at him, put my tray away, and walked slowly behind the hurrying people. I couldn’t rush, and if I fell from overexertion, it would be a nuisance. When Kim Moohyuk was by my side, my bad knee wasn’t much of an issue. He would usually support me or use his telekinesis ESP to reduce my weight, making it easier for me to walk. Living alone made even these moments inconvenient.

But what good would it do to miss someone who wasn’t there? The important thing was to reach the main office safely, even if I had to go slowly. But why were we gathering in the main office parking lot? Usually, when an anti-government group appeared, the on-duty team would be dispatched first, and if things escalated, higher-ranked espers would be called. But calling all grade A and above right away was strange. Thinking how different this was from the world I knew, I got on the cart.

The distance between Garam-dong and the main office was a bit far, but the cart driver seemed to recognize the urgency of the Code Black situation. He glanced at me and drove straight to the main office, skipping other stops. Thus, the grade A and above guides from Garam-dong safely arrived in front of the main office. While those who got off the cart quickly ran up to the main office building, I had to follow diligently.

The slight incline made my knee pain worse. Frowning, I slowed my pace, but suddenly my knee felt a bit lighter. It was a very slight difference, but it felt like ESP. Given my high sensitivity to esper resonance, I couldn’t miss ESP, so I tilted my head in confusion. What was that just now? Anyway, when I reached the top, people were gathered in the main office parking lot. Among them was Kim Moohyuk, who wasn’t looking this way. As I reached the end of the incline, the feeling of lightness disappeared. It was a slight but definite sensation, which was strange.

The parking lot was packed with all the grade A and above guides and espers from the center. I finally understood why we were told to gather in the parking lot instead of the lobby or a meeting room. What I still didn’t understand was why so many people were called.

I couldn’t just ask someone about my curiosity, so it was frustrating. I hoped the operations staff at the front would give a proper explanation. But contrary to my hope, he didn’t seem inclined to explain kindly.

“Hmm, can everyone hear me in the back? As announced, an Exodus has appeared in Mapo-gu. It’s very large and clustered, with many small holes in the sky, so we need as many people as possible. Grade A and above will be deployed first, and then the remaining grades will help with civilian evacuation and stabilization.”

Wasn’t ‘Exodus’ supposed to mean an anti-government group? What’s with the clustering and holes? It was all incomprehensible. But everyone else seemed to listen without objection. I scratched my head in anxiety.

“We’ll open a large artificial Exodus to Mapo-gu, so please head this way.”

He pointed to the back of the parking lot as if he had conveyed everything. I turned my head and froze.

“…What is that?”

I couldn’t understand the scene before me. A large hole, distorting space, was shimmering about 15cm above the parking lot ground. It looked like a black hole from a cartoon, ready to swallow anything that came near.

“Line up in rows of ten and enter. Quickly.”

But I seemed to be the only one shocked. At the front, they were guiding people to enter quickly. People, without any particular determination or slackness, just did what they had to do and headed into the small black hole.

I couldn’t understand the situation, but since Kim Moohyuk was leading, it didn’t seem too bad, so I followed. I was paired with a guide I didn’t know, who flinched and saluted when he saw my face. I casually returned the salute and started walking, but he seemed uncomfortable walking shoulder to shoulder with me.

“Want to switch places?”

“No, sir…”

I asked indifferently, and he refused. But it wasn’t just him; others were glancing at me. As if to say, why are you here?…Was I somewhere I shouldn’t be?

I had a strange feeling. The esper in the cafeteria had asked if I needed to go, and the message had called for all guides and espers of grade A and above…

I had no way to confirm, which was frustrating. Meanwhile, I, like everyone else, stepped into the black hole. It looked like a giant jelly, but inside, it was surprisingly solid, supporting the soles of my boots. What was this place?

As I went further in, it suddenly brightened, and an exit appeared.

“What the…”

I could only mutter in amazement at the scene that unfolded. It felt like I had walked for just a moment, but I had arrived in Mapo-gu, quite far from the Seo-Gyeong Center in northern Gyeonggi Province.

“How is this possible…”

I was in awe, feeling like I had entered another world, but everyone else seemed unfazed, quickly passing by me as I looked around in disbelief. How could we have reached here so quickly from the Seo-Gyeong Center? If someone had used spatial movement abilities, I would have sensed the ESP of a spatial movement esper. But what I felt was a very different kind of resonance, something I had never experienced before…

Confused, I stopped walking, and someone bumped into my shoulder from behind, causing me to stumble. Before I could even cry out in pain as my knee twisted, I felt myself falling. Just as I thought I would hit the ground face-first, my body floated up. A familiar resonance lifted me. I relaxed my flailing arms and immediately looked for Kim Moohyuk, as if I had been desperate to see him. He briefly glanced at me and then set me down on the ground.

“I’m so sorry, Colonel…!”

The guide who had bumped into me apologized immediately, clearly not having done it on purpose. But I couldn’t respond, too busy watching Kim Moohyuk, who had already looked away. I wanted to ask what this meant, but he was too far away. So, Kim Moohyuk was starting to recognize that I was really Kang Hajung.

You took your time this time, buddy. I almost got bored waiting. Smiling, I headed towards Kim Moohyuk, planning to thank him for his help and suggest that he accept my guiding to confirm my identity. But before I could take a few steps, I was blocked by people surrounding Moohyuk. Looking up, I saw unfamiliar faces. Not even Lieutenant Bang was there.

But unlike me, who didn’t know them, they seemed to know me well and spoke in a troubled tone.

“Colonel…What brings you here…”

“This is really inconvenient…It’s honestly uncomfortable for us to keep running into you like this.”

I must have followed Kim Moohyuk around a lot while stalking him. That’s why they kept blocking my way. I clicked my tongue. Kim Moohyuk had helped me. I wanted to take advantage of the moment when the lock on his heart had loosened and pour out my guiding to make him acknowledge me, but an unexpected obstacle had appeared.

“It’s not that, I really have something to say.”

“Tell me, and I’ll pass it on.”

But Kim Moohyuk’s followers defended him like a fortress. They persistently pushed me away, and one even put his hand on my chest and gently pushed me. It was outrageous. How could these people, whose ranks and careers couldn’t even touch my toes, lay hands on a colonel’s body? Just as I was about to warn them to back off, Kim Moohyuk called them off first.

“Stop.”

See? He said stop. I looked at Moohyuk with hopeful eyes. Stop playing hard to get and accept my guiding, which you used to love so much. Who was it that complained about not being able to take anything else, huh?

I looked at him with a subtle gaze, but Moohyuk turned his head away, as if he had glanced at an uninteresting object.

Hey, didn’t you just help me up when I was about to fall? Should I have waited a bit longer? Was I too hasty for someone not ready to accept it? I felt a mix of embarrassment and mild anger. I needed to hurry the bonding process, but Kim Moohyuk’s attitude was starting to annoy me.

But Kim Moohyuk didn’t seem to care about me. With an expressionless face, he pointed to the sky with his index finger and spoke in a calm voice.

“Entry first.”

Thanks to him, my gaze followed his finger upwards. I couldn’t help but gape, forgetting the confrontation from moments ago.

“What the hell is that…”

I cursed involuntarily. The black hole in the sky was much darker and more turbulent than the one I had seen in the parking lot earlier. Was this like an alien invasion from a movie? The strange thing was that a very different kind of ESP was seeping out of the huge hole. Then it happened.

“Whoa?!”

I couldn’t help but shout and point to the sky. A huge leg, covered in scales like a reptile’s and with long claws, suddenly protruded from the black hole, swiped through the air, and then disappeared back inside. The leg had multiple claws like an insect’s. What the hell was that? I began to think that this ‘Exodus’ they mentioned might not be an anti-government group after all.