* * *
Going back a few days, to the time of the very first exclusive Guide contract in his life.
Since he had only become a Guide recently, it was natural that it was his first time, but regardless, Suhyeon found himself entering into a contract.
And during that coordination process, Yihan—having received a text from Suhyeon—barged in.
“……Hyung?”
Suhyeon blinked.
He had only mentioned casually that he was signing an exclusive contract with Hajin because Yihan asked how he was doing, but Yihan appeared before him in less than thirty minutes.
The Association President, who came with Yihan, let out a boisterous laugh.
Beside him stood a man with an unfamiliar face, looking on with an intrigued expression.
“Shin Hajin Esper, an exclusive Guide? An exclusive Guide? You’re telling this kid to do *?”
Yihan went ballistic at the mention of an exclusive Guide and grabbed Hajin by the collar.
Suhyeon tried to stop Yihan but blinked for a moment at his words, which seemed to come from a strangely skewed perspective.
It felt like something quite intense had just been said.
Even though it was practically an ambush, Hajin didn’t even blink; he just let out a smirk.
“You thieving bastard…… Haa.”
Yihan seemed even more infuriated by that, and Suhyeon tried to call out to him, but Yihan surprisingly pulled his gaze away from Hajin quite quickly.
“Suhyeon, you still made a good choice.”
Though his disapproval was overflowing, it seemed directed solely at Hajin.
At this point, it felt like Yihan simply hated Hajin for no particular reason.
Yihan grabbed the scruff of the neck of the stranger in a suit—who had been standing there watching the situation with interest—and dragged him in front of Suhyeon.
“Hello, Guide Chae Suhyeon. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
The man bowed to Suhyeon and gave a friendly, easygoing smile.
“Ah, hello.”
Flinching slightly at the title ‘Guide’ attached to his name, Suhyeon greeted him back reflexively.
“This is Seo Joonghyuk. He’s a lawyer from a law firm specializing in Special-related contracts and disputes. Of course, they probably brought their own lawyer, but it’s better to have one more, right? Use him as much as you want.”
“Hey, ‘use me’? Isn’t that a bit much?”
The man, Seo Joonghyuk, was said to be Yihan’s friend.
Suhyeon trusted Hajin and the lawyer Hajin had appointed, but wouldn’t it be better to have more lawyers?
“And I’ll be handling the Association’s mediation.”
“What?”
As soon as Yihan said that with a somewhat proud smile, Hajin asked back with a furrowed brow.
Since he heard that Association mediation was mandatory for exclusive contracts, it seemed Yihan intended to take on that role.
“Ahem, don’t be so angry. You know Yihan handles work well.”
Hajin reluctantly conceded with a heavily displeased face.
Suhyeon secretly let out a sigh of relief.
Having been introduced to Seo Joonghyuk, Suhyeon ended up having a separate meeting at Joonghyuk’s office along with Yihan, who was glaring at the contract with suspicious eyes.
Suhyeon obediently handed over the draft contract to Joonghyuk.
There had been a mishap where Hajin hugged him by the waist and wouldn’t let go, insisting on coming along, but Suhyeon had pried him off, sensing that Yihan really wouldn’t stand for it this time.
Besides, they were all going to do the final review together anyway.
“……Eh?”
As he was reviewing the contract, Joonghyuk let out a strange sound.
“Uhm, Suhyeon. Are you sure these clauses were…… agreed upon?”
Suhyeon blinked and then nodded.
Joonghyuk’s face grew more and more bizarre as he read down the black text packed onto the paper.
Was something wrong?
As Suhyeon watched blankly, Joonghyuk placed the contract on the table so everyone could see.
“Hey, look at this.”
“……?”
Yihan, called over, seemed to read through the open page, and his brow also began to twitch.
“?”
While Suhyeon was tilting his head in confusion, Joonghyuk looked at Suhyeon and started with an “Uhm, well.”
“You said this is your first exclusive contract, right?”
Suhyeon nodded.
“And these are the clauses agreed upon with Esper Shin Hajin, all of them?”
Suhyeon was puzzled by the question, which wasn’t much different from the one before, but he nodded again.
Because it was the truth.
In the meantime, Yihan, still frowning, took the contract from the table and seemed to scan it once more.
Joonghyuk let out an “Oof” and pulled a file from his drawer, spreading it out.
“Since exclusive contracts are coordinated between individual Espers and Guides, there isn’t really an ‘average,’ but these are roughly the standard clauses that go in.”
Suhyeon looked at the document pushed toward him.
- The exclusive Guide shall continuously provide guiding so that the exclusive Esper’s guiding level is maintained at a minimum of around 70%.
- In accordance with the clauses of this contract, the Guide has an obligation to provide guiding at the Esper’s mission sites and locations where the Esper’s guiding level may drop……
- Upon the Esper’s request, the Guide shall……
There was a list of clauses much longer and more complex than the contract he had drafted with Hajin.
However, in his contract……
As Suhyeon raised his head with a frown, Joonghyuk continued.
“Usually, Guides who can sign exclusive contracts are strong, but the Espers are mostly strong as well. So, it’s normal to cram in a massive amount of clauses to try and benefit each other…… well, of course, if it’s mutually agreed upon, it’s not a problem.”
“……There are a lot of clauses that are heavily biased toward you. Well, it’s only natural if he wants to get you as an exclusive Guide.”
Only when even Yihan—who growled at anything regarding Hajin—spoke in a strangely satisfied tone did Suhyeon realize something was wrong.
Had he been waiting the whole time?
As soon as Suhyeon returned to the mansion, he was greeted by Hajin’s arms wrapping around his waist.
“You’re back?”
Hajin whispered lowly, leaving a light trail of kisses across Suhyeon’s forehead.
Suhyeon looked up. Blue eyes were looking down at him, containing Suhyeon’s reflection entirely.
Suhyeon let out a small sigh.
—To be honest, the down payment and the amount to be paid per case far exceed the standard. Of course, we have to consider both of your ranks…… but compared to that, the conditions are far too generous. From Suhyeon’s perspective.
—Shut up. If I’m signing an exclusive contract with Suhyeon, this is the least I should do.
—Is it okay for the guy who came as the Association mediator to act like this?
—I told you to shut it.
—You crazy bastard…….
Joonghyuk and Yihan seemed to be close friends given their bickering, but regardless, as a result of pestering them both about the contract, Suhyeon learned that Hajin had proposed incredibly lenient clauses.
Because Suhyeon didn’t know anything yet, he hadn’t noticed the abnormality.
Hajin’s lawyer hadn’t informed him either, perhaps because Hajin had silenced him.
It felt like he was making a fraudulent contract.
Not that he was being scammed, but like he was unintentionally scamming someone else.
It was a funny thought even to himself, so sitting on the sofa with Hajin, Suhyeon fidgeted and took his hand.
“Suhyeon?”
Hajin called him, blinking his eyes slowly.
Then, as if noticing something, his brow furrowed.
Hajin knew where Suhyeon had been today.
“Did that lawyer say something strange to you?”
Suhyeon shook his head gently. Something strange? He just let me know.
“Well, I heard about the typically used contract conditions.”
Suhyeon started speaking while looking down and fiddling with Hajin’s long fingers.
He felt Hajin’s gaze fixed intensely on him.
“I think Hajin wrote down conditions that are too good for me…….”
“I think this is an unfair contract,” Suhyeon said softly.
A long silence followed.
Suhyeon didn’t say anything more and just kept playing with Hajin’s fingers.
He hadn’t done anything particularly wrong, but the silence made him feel like a child who had made a mistake.
“Suhyeon.”
At the sound of his name, Suhyeon slowly lifted his gaze to look at Hajin.
The blue eyes were curved, looking down at Suhyeon as if he were cute.
Hajin pulled Suhyeon closer.
Suhyeon, led easily, blinked at the face that was suddenly so close.
Before he could react, Hajin’s lips pressed firmly against Suhyeon’s like a seal before pulling away.
It was a light, affectionate kiss.
“Suhyeon, your very existence is like a miracle to me.”
At those words, Suhyeon’s lips parted slightly.
Hajin curved his blue eyes warmly, looking pleased by Suhyeon’s reaction.
“I told you. I couldn’t receive guiding well, and originally, I barely maintained around 50%. Suhyeon’s guiding…… you might not remember because it was during a rampage, but it was a miracle to me. If you think the current conditions are even slightly lacking, I can give you much more.”
‘If I reduce it more than this, I think I’ll become a bad person who gets paid for doing nothing rather than being a Guide.’
“But,”
Suhyeon was thinking such silly thoughts when he suddenly snapped out of it to try and say something, but Hajin was faster.
“To me, who couldn’t even receive contact guiding, Suhyeon is just a miracle. Even putting guiding aside, in terms of guiding…… you are the person who gave me a sensation I’ve never felt before. So, take it. If you don’t, I’ll give you more.”
‘More than this……?’
Suhyeon, who had been listening blankly, was stunned by Hajin’s final words.
“Understood?”
Hajin showed a rare, sweet smile.
It was soft, but it looked like he wouldn’t back down.
“Good boy.”
Eventually, overwhelmed by the momentum, Suhyeon ended up nodding.
Hajin stroked Suhyeon’s hair and whispered as if treating a young child, and Suhyeon decided to give up on thinking any further.
Thus the contract was completed, and they waited a while for the Association’s notarization.
The Association welcomed the contract between two S-ranks—a Guide and an Esper—with open arms.
Afterward, they stamped their seals, and after quite a few processes, Suhyeon became Hajin’s exclusive Guide, and Hajin became Suhyeon’s exclusive Esper.
Suhyeon, who lacked basic knowledge, was soon scheduled to receive basic education for Guides and received guidance regarding it.
It was the moment Suhyeon officially stepped into the new world.
* * *
