* * *
Though it felt like he was saying I shouldn’t drive even when I’m with him… he was right about everything else.
I’d been more tired than usual recently, so while I was driving him today, he’d have to walk from tomorrow.
At that moment, we arrived at the school.
It was so grand it was hard to believe it was a high school.
As expected from Polwel’s recommendation.
I stopped the car at the front gate and nodded.
“Alright, I’ll leave the car at home.”
“Good boy.”
Ugh. That tone again.
It grated on me, like he was talking to a little kid, and I was about to say something when Eunsoo’s small head popped over to the driver’s seat.
And then something warm brushed my cheek.
Smack.
With a cute little sound, his lips pulled away.
“I’m heading to school. See you later at home. Love you.”
All the words I had planned to say vanished under that overwhelming sweetness.
Getting a kiss from him felt so different from when I kissed him.
It was both ticklish and stirring, absolutely terrible for my heart.
Not only that, this beautiful kid whispered “I love you” with a soft smile, his eyes crinkling, and… my heart melted like a marshmallow over a campfire.
‘Maybe he really should become an idol…’
He could probably make everyone, young and old, go wild.
Who knows?
Maybe he’d be the idol that brings world peace with his fans’ passion!
Yes, for now, let’s start with school.
He’s only here for the final semester, but let’s make him the idol of everyone.
“Alright, have a good day.”
My mind was running wild with pointless thoughts, but my hand was dutifully waving him off.
I really have no answer for myself.
Sending a grown kid to school shouldn’t be making me so nervous.
Sitting alone in the house without him, I couldn’t help but worry if he might struggle to adjust to school, or worse, adjust too well and end up getting into trouble with others.
To chase away these thoughts, I decided to head to work early.
The moment I arrived, I realized something major I’d forgotten.
“Heewon, what’s that on your hand?”
“Oh, right.”
It was the memento ring Eunsoo had given me.
It fit so perfectly I’d completely forgotten I was wearing it.
Of all the fingers, he’d put it on my left ring finger, and my face flushed at the thought.
Receiving a keepsake ring was one thing, but to have it worn there…
Honestly, Eunsoo was something else.
It may not mean much, but still…
“Huh?”
Wait. There was a problem.
I tried to slip it off and move it to my middle or index finger, but oddly enough, it wouldn’t budge.
“What… what’s going on? Why won’t it come off?”
It didn’t feel tight around my finger, yet strangely, it wouldn’t come off.
When I thought back, I remembered that Eunsoo hadn’t worn it on his hand in the original story.
He’d attached a string and worn it around his neck instead…
Granted, I have no plans to get married, nor could I in my position, but even so, wearing the ring like an engagement ring… that’s certainly not ideal.
‘This just isn’t right…’
It wasn’t just that I thought it wasn’t right—it genuinely wasn’t.
I tried hard to pry it off, but it wouldn’t budge.
Cursed thing.
“This is strange. It won’t come off.”
“Give me your hand.”
Cha Junseong, who had been watching me struggle, stepped over and grabbed my hand.
I wondered if he would use his Esper powers to take it off, but instead, he just examined it, turning my hand this way and that.
“Who put this on your finger?”
“Well… Eunsoo did…”
“That brat.”
“That kid sure works fast, doesn’t he?”
The moment Eunsoo’s name was mentioned, the air felt oddly tense.
Feeling like I was about to get in trouble, I quickly waved my right hand.
“It’s not—it’s absolutely not what it looks like! He just put it on my left ring finger without knowing what it means. Please don’t misunderstand!”
Despite my words, the air in the office remained chilly.
Cha Junseong responded with a doubtful voice.
“I’m pretty sure Eunsoo knew exactly what he was doing…”
“No, no. Eunsoo’s sharp and smart, but when it comes to romance, he’s really clueless.”
Eunsoo, after he matured, hadn’t really received proper affection, and with his strong pride and sense of self, he was weak when it came to romance.
He’d even brush off romantic moments as heart palpitations.
Romance just wasn’t something he thought about.
This could definitely lead to some frustrating misunderstandings, but… Knowing Eunsoo’s personality, it’s for the best.
If he were keen on romance, it would end up with all three Espers falling for him.
Still, it was hard to believe that from just looking at him.
The Espers around me were all staring, unsure whether to take me seriously.
“Really…?”
“He’s clueless? That kid? Are you serious, Heewon?”
“Well, whatever you say. It’s adorable watching you try so hard to explain. It’s entertaining to see someone suffer from the inside, so I’m actually pretty satisfied.”
“Oh… Right. Whatever that kid does, nothing he does surprises me anymore.”
I breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness they understood.
The nuances felt off, but at least this wouldn’t cause any issues for Eunsoo.
‘Living with Eunsoo and getting misunderstood could be disastrous…’
I didn’t do anything wrong, yet I felt like some sort of illicit lover caught in the act.
As I talked with Elliot and Rex, Cha Junseong, who had been examining the ring the whole time, straightened his posture.
“It looks difficult to remove. Probably better not to.”
“Huh? Why’s that?”
“What exactly did that guy say when he gave it to you?”
“Well, he said it was a keepsake left by Eunsoo’s parents…”
“This is an artifact.”
I blinked.
An “artifact”?
As in, one of those extremely rare and priceless items where espers with crafting abilities embed special powers?
‘A keepsake from Eunsoo’s parents that’s actually an artifact?’
Now that I thought about it, it wasn’t an entirely far-fetched idea.
In “The Genius Guide’s Melancholy”, there was hardly any information about Eunsoo’s parents.
But considering Eunsoo’s remarkable abilities, there was a strong chance his parents were formidable as well.
According to extra details released by the author, special abilities among espers and guides in “The Genius Guide’s Melancholy”’s world were often hereditary, even if they sometimes manifested later in life.
This explained the presence of strong family organizations, like the Polwel or Cha families.
Still, I hadn’t imagined Eunsoo’s parents would be rare crafting-type espers…
“Don’t worry. It’s not cursed or anything. The fact that it won’t come off is probably just a theft-prevention feature. We’d need an esper with the relevant skills to appraise it further, but it doesn’t seem to pose any immediate threat to you.”
In the end, Eunsoo was right.
This ring had saved him from death.
The ring felt even more precious now.
It had saved Eunsoo’s life—a keepsake imbued with his parents’ love for him.
The fact that he gave me something so important… My chest ached.
Yet, at the same time, I felt even more uneasy.
“It’s not like I’m asking for much. Can’t I at least wear it on a different finger?”
“That would be difficult. Trying to force it off could strip it of its unique powers. If the abilities were embedded in a separate medium, only that part might be damaged, but here, everything is fused into the gemstone itself. Tampering with it could disrupt the entire system. It’s too valuable to lose.”
“Then…”
“Just keep wearing it.”
“Ah, but… it’s on my left ring finger…”
Wearing such an important item from Eunsoo on my left ring finger…
How would I ever face his parents in the afterlife?
As I looked downcast, Cha Junseong studied me, arms crossed, and asked, “Do you dislike it that much?”
“It’s not that. It’s just… unsettling.”
“Is it a couple ring with Eunsoo or something?”
“No! There’s no way! This is a one-of-a-kind item.”
“Then that’s that. The fact it’s on your left ring finger doesn’t matter. No need to attach any special meaning to it.”
I was persuaded. Hearing Junseong’s calm voice made it seem fine.
It wasn’t like I had plans to marry or… date anyone, at least not now.
And since it wasn’t a couple ring with Eunsoo, maybe it wasn’t something to make a big deal about.
‘Still… they’ll at least need to retrieve my body.’
I had once considered entering the Gate myself as my life drew to a close, but that was out of the question now.
They had to retrieve Eunsoo’s family keepsake.
I sighed deeply.
My relentless preparations for death seemed like they’d never end.
Every time, some new complication arose.
Elliot and Lex, who’d been watching me and Junseong interact, suddenly interrupted.
“A ring, huh? It’s not exactly thrilling, but if it has a lot of functions, I suppose I can overlook it.”
“Yeah. Hey, Heewoon, I’m not the type to get mad over a ring.”
“…Huh? Why would you be mad?”
“There’s a backstory there. Junseong can be surprisingly oblivious.”
“And you? Acting like you know everything?”
“I do know. You really thought I wouldn’t notice with how obvious you were?”
“See? I was totally obvious, but he was the only one who didn’t notice.”
“…What are you two talking about?”
“Well, it seems there’s someone else here who doesn’t know either.”
“If it’s related to team matters, you should explain it.”
“Oh! Junseong, it’s about time. Let’s start the meeting!”
Damn it.
This is why office romance is scary—even though I’m not actually in a relationship!
I quickly butted into the conversation before things spiraled out of control.
I couldn’t do much about Elliot, who’d already noticed, but I certainly didn’t want Junseong to find out.
Luckily, at the mention of work, Junseong immediately switched focus.
His excessive dedication to work was a godsend. I let out a sigh of relief.
“The reason I called today… is because Special Team A’s activities will be suspended for a while.”
But it wasn’t exactly a comforting thing to hear.
* * *
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