* * *

I believed everything would be fine, that Eunsoo wouldn’t lose to the monsters.

But when I saw him covered in their fluid, stained and messy, I couldn’t control my expression.

“Why are you making that face? Were you worried? I’m great at fighting now, you know. Do you have any idea how many dangerous gates I’ve cleared in the past five years?”

“Still… are you hurt anywhere?”

“Of course not. I’m perfectly fin—ugh.”

“You’re not fine at all.”

I carefully checked Eunsoo’s body, and he winced immediately.

Pulling up his shirt, I saw a vivid bruise forming.

“It’s just one hit. Ugh, seriously, it was only one hit. So unfair. But I heal fast, so I’m fine. Not even hospital-worthy, really. Honestly. Instead of worrying, how about some praise? If you praise me, I feel like I won’t hurt at all.”

Despite his injury, he grinned brightly.

He tilted his head and leaned closer toward me.

He really reminded me of a big, affectionate dog.

The confident and dependable image I’d just seen on the control room screens was now replaced with overwhelming cuteness.

The sharp edge of my earlier anxiety dulled, thanks to Eunsoo’s easygoing demeanor.

“Yeah, you did great. You were really cool.”

“You were cool too, hyung. You made me feel secure.”

What did I even do to deserve this…?

That thought crossed my mind, but hearing his praise still filled me with warmth, a ticklish sensation in my chest.

I stroked his hair and pulled him into a tight hug.

Caught off guard, Eunsoo awkwardly lowered his head to accommodate me but eventually gave up and straightened his posture, wrapping his arms firmly around me instead.

The distinct, musty smell of monster fluids clung to him, but I didn’t find it unpleasant.

The clothes were going to be discarded anyway.

Instead of pushing him away, I held him even tighter.

“Hyung, your heart is racing like crazy. Should we check you into a hospital?”

“…”

“You’re not crying, are you?”

“I’m not crying.”

“You look like you’re about to. I’m really okay, I swear.”

I didn’t think he was lying.

My sour expression wasn’t because I doubted his words.

“In fact, I’m feeling a little buildup… How about guiding me? That way, you’ll know for sure that I’m fine.”

“Wha—…what?”

“Since I’m practically an Esper now, you can guide me, hyung.”

“But I don’t feel anything from you right now…”

“I’m suppressing it, so you wouldn’t feel pressured. If you agree to guide me, I’ll release it. How about it?”

Before I could even respond, Eunsoo’s face moved closer.

Was he asking for a direct contact guide—or even something more intimate, like a membrane guide?

The closer his face got, the louder my heartbeat grew, pounding in my chest and echoing in my head.

Just before his lips could touch mine, I managed to push him away.

“N-next time. I’ll do it next time.”

“…It was too sudden, wasn’t it? Sorry about that. I’ll go report in quickly. Take a rest while I’m gone.”

Even after being rejected, Eunsoo remained unfazed.

No irritation, no lingering awkwardness.

He casually walked over to the field control team, who had just arrived to clean up the scene.

It wasn’t until he left that I covered my mouth with the back of my hand, trying to calm my still-thundering heart.

Without a mirror, I couldn’t confirm it, but I was certain my ears and neck were flushed red.

Guiding… To be honest, I wanted to try it.

I wanted to feel Eunsoo’s emotions, to know what he was experiencing when using his abilities, to confirm for myself that he was truly okay.

But in this world, guiding was a form of emotional exchange.

While the guide could sense the Esper’s emotions, the Esper could also feel the guide’s.

He would undoubtedly realize it.

Eunsoo was too perceptive not to.

Maybe he wouldn’t have noticed before, but now he would.

I couldn’t let that happen. Not under any circumstances.

‘Ah, I’m in so much trouble.’

Watching Eunsoo fight, waiting for him to return behind the barrier, seeing him smile brightly as he crossed over to me—all of it made my feelings for him grow until they solidified into something undeniable.

Even someone as dense as I couldn’t ignore it anymore.

I love Eunsoo.

In a romantic sense, in a way that makes me want us to be together as lovers.

Shamelessly so.

---

Both Eunsoo, who had fought, and I, who had embraced him, were drenched in monster fluids, so we took a van from the field control team instead of using Eunsoo’s car.

Thankfully, they even helped transfer our belongings, allowing us to return home easily.

What a chaotic day it had been.

As soon as I stepped into the house, an overwhelming fatigue washed over me.

“Hyung, since we’re both equally messy, how about we shower together?”

Completely unaware of my turmoil, Eunsoo said something absurd the moment we got home.

I pushed him into the downstairs bathroom and headed to the shower on the second floor.

As the warm water poured over me, the whirlwind of emotions from realizing my “first love” began to settle.

“I’ll dry your hair for you. Then you can dry mine after.”

…Or so I thought.

The moment I stepped out of the shower and saw Eunsoo waiting with a towel, I crumbled again.

My heart immediately spiraled out of control.

Freshly showered Eunsoo.

His damp hair clung to his face, and his still-moist skin made his thin shirt stick to his body, accentuating his matured frame.

Add to that his dazzling smile.

‘…This is an emergency.’

I was so flustered that I missed the chance to refuse.

As Eunsoo dried my hair, his large hands moved gently, clearly mindful of his strength.

Feeling his care, I sat stiffly, overwhelmed by emotions, unable to blink.

Drying his hair afterward felt more nostalgic, reminding me of the past.

Of course, it didn’t help that I noticed how much taller he was now, how broader his shoulders and back had become.

My heart wouldn’t stop pounding.

“You’re probably curious about what happened earlier, right? Ask me anything.”

Eunsoo broke the silence, sitting comfortably with his hair now dry.

Though he wasn’t officially active as an Esper due to confidentiality, he admitted he had awakened.

The first time he used his power was right after I was swallowed by a monster.

Witnessing my death had been the trigger.

Though it took a long time before he could fully utilize his abilities, I realized I had been a pivotal turning point in his life.

The thought made me both excited and deeply apologetic.

“Technically, I’m not a full Esper. I’m somewhere between a guide and an Esper.”

Eunsoo’s ability was “Replication.”

He could replicate the abilities of an Esper he had recently guided and use them for a limited time.

It was a power dependent on the cooperation of other Espers, which caused debates about his classification.

Some Espers even began to avoid his guidance, fearing he would “steal” their abilities.

Still, Eunsoo was lucky.

“Three S-rank Espers willingly shared their abilities with me. When that happened, no one else could say much. The weaker ones just backed off. So, honestly, I didn’t struggle that much.”

Not struggle?

His hands were so rough now.

Hearing him downplay his hardships made my heart ache.

Sliding forward, Eunsoo rested his head on my lap, looking up at me with a soft smile.

“While you were gone, I received so much help from those people. They were good people. I understand now why you liked them so much.”

“…You’re a good person too.”

He gently caressed Eunsoo’s cheek with his hand.

The cheek, too, was rough, bearing traces of hardship just like his hands.

Why does Eunsoo never show any sign of gratitude after I’ve gone through so much to find him?

Why does he keep shifting the focus elsewhere?

“…You don’t have to force yourself to comfort me.”

“I’m sincere. I was happy because of you today.”

“Why? Because of the ten million won?”

“No. I’m grateful for that too, but… you asked me for help. I honestly thought I might not be able to come near the scene again.”

“Well… It’s not because I’m such a good person, though.”

With a bitter smile, Eunsoo’s brows furrowed.

“If it was me when I had just lost Hyung, I would’ve locked him up the moment I found him and wouldn’t have let him out. Told him not to do anything. Just stay alive. I might’ve even hurt him.”

Still looking up at me, Eunsoo reached out and touched my cheek.

“But… because of Elliot, I changed my mind. I got scolded badly. To the point it really woke me up.”

“What did they scold you for?”

“They told me to respect your life. That sometimes, even in death, there are things a person wants to protect.”

“…”

“When I first heard it, I couldn’t understand it at all and it just annoyed me… but seeing your expression today, I realized it was true.”

Eunsoo, who had been silently staring at my face, smiled.

Slowly, his gaze drifted into the air.

“They know you well, but I was the only one who didn’t.”

* * *