* * *
“It’s nothing serious. Just that your residence should be as close to the center as possible.”
“Ah.”
Nodding in understanding at Seokhyeon’s response, Raon relaxed.
He’d wondered what the problem was, but it wasn’t anything major.
“That’s fine. I prefer to live close to the center anyway.”
“No other conditions?”
“Nope, as long as I can live with Siwoo, I’m good.”
Raon waved his hand casually—and froze.
Didn’t that sound like something someone head-over-heels in love would say, like nothing else matters?
Horrified at himself, Raon covered his mouth with his hand.
Fortunately, Seokhyeon didn’t seem to notice.
“Then I’ll take care of the arrangements.”
“Right. Thank you.”
Raon, feeling oddly embarrassed, cleared his throat.
Then, remembering something, he asked,
“If I live with my bonded Esper, I won’t have to submit daily reports on insertion guiding, right?”
“Hm.”
At Raon’s question, Seokhyeon’s expression twitched, as if recalling a very unexpected report submitted right after someone took a vacation.
With a displeased tone, he said,
“Don’t overdo it.”
“Overdo it?”
“No matter how you’re an S-rank guide, your body is still that of a regular human. Considering Yoon Siwoo’s physical condition, frequent insertion guiding is ideal, but if you overdo it, your stamina won’t keep up.”
“That’s true.”
Raon nodded seriously, agreeing with Seokhyeon’s words.
It was something any guide should know.
But it wasn’t that simple.
As a man, Raon had basic sexual desires too, and with someone as cute and sexy as Siwoo living beside him… he wasn’t sure he could control himself.
Instead of answering, Raon gave a sly grin.
“So… are you worried about me right now?”
Sigh.
Realizing once again that communicating with Raon was hopeless, Seokhyeon shook his head and handed him a tablet, changing the subject.
“What’s this?”
“Next week, the European Union is sending over some Espers.”
“Ah.”
Raon smiled as he looked at the list.
Everything was going just as he had expected.
“A-rank healer Espers are rare. I’m surprised they agreed to send one.”
“They get something in return, too.”
Seokhyeon replied calmly as Raon’s eyes scanned the screen.
Two names and photos appeared—ones Raon was very familiar with.
Memories from before his regression surfaced.
The world had been thrown into chaos by the gates, and the nations had no choice but to cooperate to survive.
Europe had been the first to unify as a coalition and managed the gates far better than others.
Their borders were so meaningless by then, they sometimes seemed like one massive country.
Raon stared down at the two Espers stuck together like glue once again.
‘Mikhail Hamilton, and Jamie Windsor.’
Mikhail, an S-rank Esper with gravity abilities, had come to Korea to escort Jamie, an A-rank healer Esper.
Since the Union had more S-rank ability users than Korea, it made sense for one to serve as a bodyguard to a rare A-rank healer.
Before the regression, his role had been both to escort and observe Korea’s condition while offering support.
This time, his focus would lean more toward observation rather than assistance.
‘Suppressing the Violet Gate early became such a hot topic.’
Apparently, the YouTube video had already surpassed 200 million views.
Raon hadn’t checked again out of fear, but it was clear the whole world had its eyes on Korea after what happened.
He gently set down his tablet.
“You’ll probably be the one to greet them when they arrive.”
“Huh? Me?”
Raon looked startled. Seokhyeon nodded.
“Team Leader Dojin’s condition isn’t great.”
“I see…”
Now that he thought about it, Yoonchae had said the same.
The poison he’d been exposed to must’ve been more serious than expected.
In the previous timeline, Dojin had naturally been the one to greet them.
It had been his job to manage the foreign Espers.
But just like with the report on the suppression, it looked like Raon would have to step in since Dojin was bedridden.
“Understood. Leave it to me.”
“Good. I’m counting on you.”
Seokhyeon entrusted Raon with the task without hesitation.
It was fortunate he could be of help to the already overwhelmed man, but Raon wasn’t exactly thrilled about the growing workload.
‘Ugh. I’ll have to take them around inside the Center, too.’
At least Jamie had a decent personality, but that bastard Mikhail… Raon didn’t even want to think about him.
Even before the regression, their relationship had been rocky.
Then again, finding someone close to the villain Han Raon was rare to begin with, and Mikhail was no easy person either.
‘He’s in the same category as Seo Dojin, after all.’
All the S-Class Espers—were they all trained the same way or something?
Arrogant, nasty, full of attitude.
Compared to them, Siwoo might as well be an angel.
“Was that all you needed to say?”
Suddenly exhausted, Raon rubbed his forehead.
Seokhyeon took the tablet back and replied,
“Get checked before you leave.”
“Checked?”
“All the other guides from your team did it before their leave, didn’t they?”
“Oh.”
Right. He’d completely forgotten about that—guides were supposed to undergo a comprehensive checkup after returning from a Gate.
Espers didn’t necessarily need it, but non-powered guides had to be monitored regularly for anomalies.
Sometimes, poison would build up inside their bodies without them realizing it.
Right after suppressing the Gate, Raon had been too busy looking after Hamin and Dasom.
He’d let the other guides get checked first and postponed his own appointment.
Then vacation happened… and it slipped his mind.
“I’ll go now.”
“Good. Follow Haedam.”
“Yes, sir.”
As Raon stood up, Haedam, who had been waiting nearby, approached with a soft smile.
“This way, Team Leader Raon.”
“Sure.”
Haedam—Seokhyeon’s younger brother and also an A-Class guide—looked nothing like his older brother.
Raon had heard they were technically stepbrothers from a remarriage.
Still, after their parents were killed in a terrorist attack, it seemed they’d become quite close.
“Your brother died because of you!”
Before the regression, after Seokhyeon died and Haedam took over as Center Director, he had blamed Raon.
Since S-Class Guide Raon had refused to enter an irregular Gate, Seokhyeon had gone instead—and died. So Haedam’s anger had been justified.
Unlike back then, Haedam now looked at Raon with a warm expression.
Raon still hadn’t gotten used to it—the memory of Haedam’s poisonous glare was deeply etched into his mind.
“My brother—the Director—he doesn’t say it out loud, but he’s really grateful to you, Team Leader Raon.”
“The Director? To me?”
“Of course. You pulled off something huge.”
Walking side by side, Haedam chuckled.
Seokhyeon had definitely mellowed a bit, but Raon still found the idea of that cold-hearted man expressing gratitude… uncomfortable.
“The Gate still isn’t stable. We’ve got to keep working hard.”
“Haha. You’re reassuring, you know.”
They reached the examination room quickly, chatting casually.
Haedam opened the door without knocking and called out.
“Doctor? Dr. Cha, are you in?”
“Mmgh… what now.”
The room was dim.
Someone who had been napping on the couch slowly sat up, long hair falling over their face.
“I told you not to sleep in here.”
“Come on, cut me some slack. I’ve only had two hours of sleep because of research.”
“You say that like it’s a good thing.”
Clearly used to this, Haedam flipped on the lights, yanked open the curtains, and threw open the windows.
“Ugh, it’s cold…”
“Get it together. We’ve got a patient.”
“Another guide?”
The man stumbled to his feet.
While he looked small sitting down, he turned out to be quite tall and broad when standing.
Raon blinked at the sight of him—it had been a while.
“This is Guide Han Raon. Last one for the day.”
“Ah, Han Raon?”
The man pushed his long hair back, revealing a sharp forehead and pale skin untouched by the sun.
Raon’s gaze landed on the name tag clipped to the man’s lab coat.
‘Cha Ruka.’
He was a specialist in Gate research as well as examinations for Espers.
Despite being in his early thirties, he already held a doctorate—a certified genius.
“Well, look who it is. The hotshot Team Leader Han Raon.”
“Nice to meet you.”
Raon smiled and extended a hand.
In this timeline, he hadn’t met Ruka yet—he’d been examined by someone else after the last irregular Gate.
Ruka’s violet eyes scanned him.
“Saw you on YouTube. You’re good-looking in person too.”
“Haha, thank you.”
They exchanged a handshake, and Raon was just about to let go—when Ruka tightened his grip.
“But hey, do you only date Espers? Ever think about seeing someone normal?”
“…Excuse me?”
Raon looked up at him, clearly flustered.
* * *
