It had been a week since the current situation was officially dubbed a “Gate Rush.”
During that time, Team 1 worked like madmen.
While every team, Esper, and Guide was in the same boat, Team 1—composed entirely of high-rank Espers—worked like dogs.
It was as if the heavens had heard them crying out for monsters while buried in paperwork just a short while ago, because Gates were now pouring down without end.
‘Why is there no “moderation” in our path?’
They wailed as they worked… but at some point, the members of Team 1 began to tilt their heads in confusion.
While it was true they were busier than ever due to the disaster, the fundamental way they worked hadn’t changed.
The Association’s observation team analyzed Gate energy, synthesized it with precognition and other data, and estimated the Gate’s level.
Though errors weren’t unheard of, most Gates manifested proportionally to their energy readings.
A suitable team was dispatched, and the difficulty was confirmed the moment the Gate opened.
Lately, Team 1 had handled Level 8, Level 9, and even Level 10 Gates.
It was unprecedented, but not entirely strange given the “disaster” label.
However…
“Is it just me, or… are they a bit weak?”
“Right? I’m glad I’m not the only one who felt it.”
Normally, as the level increases, the difficulty should skyrocket.
The monsters pouring out of the Gate should be stronger individuals.
Yet, strangely, while these were clearly high-level Gates, they weren’t that taxing.
The monsters felt weak.
“But it’s not always like this, is it?”
“Exactly. What’s the deal?”
It wasn’t a constant phenomenon, either.
When they didn’t move as a team and instead went out for individual support with other units, the difficulty felt “normal” (meaning, exhausting).
While the difference wasn’t massive, the Espers of Team 1, who wanted to be as less tired as possible, racked their brains over this anomaly.
Had a miracle finally blessed Team 1?
Unlikely, considering they were still rolling around closing Gates every single day.
To be precise, this had started right when the Gate Rush began.
“……It’s Suhyeon.”
“Huh?”
Finally, one person reached a conclusion.
“It was like this when I went for individual support with the Team Leader, too. Suhyeon must be a totem.”
“Oh, for real.”
“Or maybe that guiding is the totem.”
Due to the Guide shortage, every Esper in Team 1 had received Suhyeon’s guiding at least once, usually under the terrifying, watchful glare of their Team Leader.
Naturally, they were Espers.
There was no way they wouldn’t get hooked on S-rank guiding.
And since guiding has a massive impact on an Esper’s stats, it was a logical conclusion.
“Seriously. Suhyeon’s guiding must be a totem.”
“Let’s take Suhyeon with us every day. I only want to move as a full team from now on.”
‘I guess an S-rank Guide really is different.’
The quality of guiding varied greatly by rank, after all.
The Team 1 Espers accepted this anomaly as such and moved on.
“Can I ask for guiding again?”
“Guide Chae Suhyeon!”
Meanwhile, the daily life of Suhyeon—who had become the “totem” of Team 1—wasn’t exactly peaceful.
As expected, life tended to throw a curveball just when one let their guard down.
To explain how this happened…
Since Hajin was one of the strongest Espers, he provided individual support to other sites in addition to closing Gates with his team.
Because Hajin couldn’t receive guiding from anyone else, his partner Suhyeon naturally followed him from one field site to another.
As he had done since joining Team 1, Suhyeon provided guiding not just to Hajin but to other Espers at these support sites.
The Guide shortage was simply too severe to do otherwise.
Hajin watched with wide, monitoring eyes, but the fact that the literal incarnation of jealousy—who wanted to bite anyone Suhyeon even looked at—didn’t stop him said it all.
They said there were overwhelmingly more Espers than Guides, and Suhyeon felt that reality personally this time.
If there were ten Espers, it felt like there weren’t even five Guides capable of stabilizing them.
For the same reason of manpower shortage, Suhyeon sometimes went to support other sites alone when Hajin’s guiding levels were stable.
That was fine in itself, but the problem was that as this continued, rumors about Suhyeon began to spread.
Of course, security personnel stuck to him like glue, and when Hajin wasn’t there, Suhyeon usually traveled with a Team 1 Esper, so there were no issues with his safety.
His physical safety, that is.
“Um, excuse me… you’re Guide Chae Suhyeon, right?”
Suhyeon realized something was wrong when an Esper approached him at a support site, fidgeting and twisting his body.
“Yes, that’s me.”
Naturally assuming he wanted guiding, Suhyeon reached out to touch the man’s back, but the Esper hesitated.
“Uh, I… I already received guiding before coming here.”
“?”
‘Then why are you here?’
While a question mark floated over Suhyeon’s head, the Esper fumbled to pull something out from behind his back.
It was a bouquet of flowers and a phone. ……Flowers.
He had no idea how a man coming straight from a battle had flowers on him, but a bunch of roses that looked fresh and un-crushed were suddenly thrust forward.
Along with a phone.
“……I don’t know if you remember, but I’m the Team 5 Esper you guided last time! I’d love for you to guide me again next time! If you call, I’ll come running!”
He shouted so loudly that the other Guides and the Espers receiving guiding all turned their heads.
Suhyeon blinked.
Setting aside the fact that he was asking a Guide to call an Esper for guiding instead of the other way around, and setting aside the flowers… he was asking for his number, wasn’t he?
This was different from when he met Jihun.
This Esper was clearly hitting on him.
“……Um.”
“Are you insane?! Who do you think you’re hitting on? Do you want to be killed by our Team Leader?!!!!”
Before Suhyeon could even reply, the Team 1 Esper who had come along for support screamed at the top of his lungs.
With everyone’s eyes on him, the interloper eventually slunk away.
He thought that would be the end of it, but it seemed he was cursed; once the advances started, nameless Espers at every support site began competing to approach him.
“Suhyeon, you’re Suhyeon, right? I have no idea where a Guide like you popped up from.”
“You’re Suhyeon, right? Are you a high-rank Guide? You are, aren’t you?”
“Hey, guide me too.”
“My guiding levels are so low. Do it again next time, okay?”
“There’s no rule saying you can only guide your partner, right?”
Espers he had never seen before would gape at him, calling his name.
He had no idea how they knew who he was.
Of course, there were some who approached normally, but as the rank decreased, the number of Espers increased—and the number of “abnormal” people increased proportionally.
After a few such incidents, Suhyeon tried to limit himself to only guiding Team 1 members.
The other Guides seemed to understand and even shielded him, but there was a limit.
The Espers were far more starved for guiding than he had imagined.
‘I guess this is what Hajin was worried about.’
The pestering grew worse the more he visited the field.
It was exhausting, but since the Espers weren’t actually causing physical harm, Suhyeon continued his rounds.
Since he was usually with Hajin anyway, it wasn’t unbearable.
Though it was certainly irritating.
Eventually, Hajin noticed the lingering gazes of these Espers and began to growl, grinding his teeth.
It was a relief that no one had completely lost their mind and attacked him yet.
Rumors about Suhyeon were spreading uncontrollably; whenever he went to a site, total strangers would smile sheepishly and try to stick to him.
The number of troublesome situations grew by the day.
And then, an even bigger, unforeseen problem erupted elsewhere.
It happened when Suhyeon was returning to the Association in a van with Hajin.
Usually, Esper Lee Jeonghyeon would drop him off directly, but since it was a day he went for individual support with Hajin, they had taken a car.
The moment he stepped out of the car in front of the Association—Click.
Suhyeon’s eyes widened.
Simultaneously, Hajin, who was getting out behind him, moved as fast as the wind to shield Suhyeon’s face.
Click, click, click, click.
Hidden in the shadows some distance away, a reporter emerged, relentlessly pressing the camera shutter.
The man’s oily eyes curved into a smirk.
“Good afternoon, Guide Chae Suhyeon!! My goodness, the rumors that Esper Shin Hajin is overprotective were true! I’d like to interview you on a few—”
“Esper Shin Hajin!!!”
“Guide Chae Suhyeon!!!”
Reporters began to sprout like mushrooms from the path toward the Association entrance, a place that had looked completely empty just moments ago.
He remembered that whenever Team 1 went out to close a Gate, there were always swarms of reporters in the distance.
Before Suhyeon could even move a foot, Hajin pulled off his jacket, draped it over Suhyeon’s head, and swept him up into his arms.
It was a rough movement, but instead of resisting, Suhyeon obediently buried his face in Hajin’s chest.
Suhyeon was well aware that exposure to the media and press was extremely dangerous.
‘I think they already took photos. What should I do?’
While Suhyeon worried, Hajin kicked off the ground.
The voices of the reporters faded instantly.
“It should be up by now.”
Lee Jaeram slowly refreshed the “Gifted Individuals” section of the news, which was currently flooded with articles every second due to the Gate Rush.
He soon clicked his tongue in disappointment.
The article he wanted was nowhere to be found.
It seemed someone had blocked it.
There were many candidates: Shin Hajin, the Association President, Asher, or Chae Yihan, the Bureau Chief who was Suhyeon’s brother…
Jaeram let out a short, cold laugh and tossed his phone aside carelessly.
The Gate Rush had happened just as he decided to get rid of Suhyeon, making him far too busy.
Hadn’t he just returned home for the first time in three days?
Jaeram stroked the head of the Esper moving diligently beneath him.
He had planned to do some groundwork while he had a moment, but that seemed difficult.
Well, even if it wasn’t right now, the rumors about Suhyeon were growing.
Once the path was cleared, reporters would sniff it out like demons.
First, he had to drag that man—currently hiding behind Shin Hajin—out into the world to reduce the hassle.
Because a high-rank Guide, especially Chae Suhyeon, would become the target of countless hunters the moment he was exposed to the public.
“Haah…….”
Jaeram slowly released his guiding energy and leaned into the embrace of the smiling Esper.
