BME | Chapter 1.2

Just​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ then, the door to the guiding room suddenly opened. Startled, Hyewoo jerked his shoulders as he looked toward the entrance. His father, Lee Seoin, was walking in with a broad stride.

“Hyewoo, that’s enough.”

At Seoin’s voice, Hyewoo reflexively drew back. His white coat was disheveled, as though he had hurried over. Seoin’s tone was gentle, but Hyewoo immediately realized that he was extremely angry. Seoin spoke to the Esper in a businesslike tone.

“That​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ will be all for today. You may leave.”

At Seoin’s dismissal, the unknown Esper looked disappointed. He glanced around the room, then climbed down from the bed.

“Well, that’s too bad, but it can’t be helped. …Thank you for your hard work, Guide.”

The​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ Esper held out a hand to Hyewoo with a regretful expression. It seemed he wanted to shake hands.

“Yes, Esper, you too……”

Hyewoo started to reach out, but withdrew when he saw Seoin’s cold expression.

“Guide​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ Lee Hyewoo.”

“…Yes?”

The unknown Esper took a notepad from the table and scribbled something on it. He tore off the sheet and handed it to Hyewoo.

“This is my contact number. If you’re okay with it, contact me later. I like you too, Guide Lee Hyewoo.”

The​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ Esper left the guiding room looking deeply disappointed. Hyewoo was bewildered by what he had said. What did he mean by saying he liked “me too”? It sounded as though Hyewoo had been the one to take a liking to him first.

Was he asking Hyewoo to Guide him again sometime? Since this had never happened before, Hyewoo wavered over whether he should hand the note to his father or put it in his own pocket.

“Give that to me.”

Fortunately,​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ he did not have to agonize over it for long. The moment the Esper left the room, Seoin snatched the note away, tore it up, and threw it in the trash.

Once the two of them were alone in the guiding room, Lee Seoin clenched and unclenched his fists as though struggling to contain his anger. Hyewoo had no idea why his father was so angry. He had only done what he had been told, which was to Guide the Esper. Fear slowly spread across Hyewoo’s face.

After repeatedly tensing and relaxing his hands, Seoin took a deep breath. Hyewoo’s shoulders trembled in time with the sound of his breathing.

“Hyewoo.”

“Yes,​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ Father.”

“What did Dad tell Hyewoo to do?”

“…Guide him.”

“That’s​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ right. Then you should just Guide him. Why did you do something I never told you to do…”

Seoin took another deep breath, then slammed his hand down on the table. Frightened, Hyewoo squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again.

“Who could have taught our Hyewoo to do something so vulgar?”

“……”

Hyewoo​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ had not understood his father’s words for some time now. He had only done what he had been told, which was to Guide the Esper…

Ah… Hyewoo realized a moment too late.

Right. That wasn’t how he was supposed to do it.

Seoin​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ had a tendency to be excessively protective of Hyewoo. That was why, while his father was alive, Hyewoo had only ever used radiant guiding, regardless of whether the Esper’s condition was good or bad.

On rare occasions, he had held their hands, but even that was limited to people his father had approved of. It seemed the same applied even in this situation, whether it was a dream or something else.

“…I’m, I’m sorry.”

Realizing​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ his mistake, Hyewoo hurriedly offered an excuse. More than anything, he wanted to avoid being scolded by his father.

Only belatedly did he understand why the Esper had said he liked “me too.” Since Hyewoo had always used radiant guiding, the Esper could certainly have gotten the wrong idea when Hyewoo suddenly hugged him.

“The guiding wasn’t going as well as I thought, so I got impatient. I’m sorry…. I thought Father would praise me if I did this….”

“Ha….”

Seoin​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ let out a sigh as though he had heard something utterly absurd. Still, Hyewoo’s excuse seemed to have made some sense to him, because his anger had subsided somewhat.

“Don’t do that again. Just do as Dad tells you. Understand?”

“Yes, I will.”

“Go​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ wait in the car first. Dad has to speak with the deputy center director before he leaves.”

“…Yes. I’m sorry for disappointing you.”

Hyewoo left the guiding room dejectedly. “I’ve sent … there too, so wait together.” His father added one last thing as Hyewoo opened the door.

Distracted​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ by other thoughts, Hyewoo had not heard the beginning clearly. Afraid that asking him to repeat himself would only make his father angrier, he replied that he would and walked away.

After passing through the corridor, Hyewoo arrived in the hall with the desk. He had to find the elevator to reach the underground parking garage. Relying on his memory, he wandered around searching for the elevator entrance.

Then, all at once, he felt a sharp, piercing stare.

Hyewoo​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ turned his head without much thought and met the owner of that gaze. It was another Esper he did not recognize, and the moment their eyes met, the Esper scowled harshly. Hyewoo could not understand why he was being looked at as though he were some kind of insect. Ever since waking up here, one uncomfortable situation after another had followed.

Hyewoo hurried into the elevator, pretending not to notice. He did not have the energy to react to the hostility of every stranger whose identity he did not know.

After pressing the button for the underground parking garage, he let out a sigh despite himself.

Unlike​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ the guiding room, the elevator was slightly chilly. Perhaps because he had walked a little, his head, which had been hazy as though he were dreaming, gradually began to clear. But he was still no closer to understanding the situation.

Was this a dream, or a flash of his life before death…?

Dreams were bound to contain a certain amount of haziness. But this situation was all far too detailed. The wavelength he had felt when he touched the Esper, the sound of his father’s breathing, even the sensation of wiggling his toes inside his shoes, everything felt real.

Hyewoo’s​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ last clear memory was of falling asleep on the mansion’s balcony. For one brief instant, he had thought that everything was finally over. And yet he was now walking around perfectly well on his own two feet.

Was he dreaming while he was dying? And such an impossibly vivid dream at that?

The elevator stopped at the first floor with a cheerful chime.

Hyewoo​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ had been staring intently at his shoes, but now he raised his head. Whatever the case, what mattered for now was returning to the car as his father had instructed.

The thick doors parted smoothly to either side. Hyewoo lifted his head without thinking and found himself opening his mouth.

Someone was already standing in front of the elevator.

“Ah….”

Hyewoo​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ blinked like an idiot. A foolish groan slipped through his teeth.

The tall figure standing before the elevator looked down at Hyewoo. The handsome man, striking at a glance, smiled.

“Young Master, we nearly missed each other here.”

…How​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ had he forgotten this man’s existence? If his father was here, he should have expected this man to be nearby as well.

“Did the guiding go well?”

His face looked cold when expressionless, but with a faint smile playing across it, the man gave off a gentle air, as though he had never looked that way at all. Despite his imposing build, which could easily have seemed threatening, he appeared, at least on the surface, to be a kind man.

“……”

“Young​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ Master?”

“…Oh, yes. It went well.”

Hyewoo answered while shrinking into himself. In the past, just like everyone else, he had secretly watched Jinwon with an admiring gaze. But now he knew what a frightening man he was.

Hyewoo’s​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ escort team leader, Baek Jinwon.

The man who had killed his father.

Hyewoo still remembered the man’s true appearance vividly. On the day his father was murdered, the face behind that smile had been terrifyingly impassive.

After​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ single-handedly bringing down the laboratory and slaughtering the Espers on the deputy center director’s side, he had seemed to be driven to the brink of a rampage. His irises had been turning black, and his face had been horrifyingly expressionless.

The man often appeared in Hyewoo’s dreams exactly as he had been then. And without fail, he asked Hyewoo the same question.

Will you come with me?

Sometimes,​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ Hyewoo imagined what might have happened to Baek Jinwon after that day. He still did not know the answer. Hyewoo, the only one who had survived alone, had joined Delta Team as its sub Guide, and not long afterward, he had been imprisoned.

The man standing before him now looked far more human than the one in his memories. The skin that had been marked with bulging veins was clear, and the eyes that had turned black were completely normal. Even to Hyewoo’s eyes, accustomed to the Espers of Delta Team, the man’s appearance was flawless. Jinwon stood out even among Espers, who were exceptionally attractive on average.

Hyewoo had not expected to run into Baek Jinwon, and his thoughts became tangled. Should he act calmly, as though he knew nothing? Or should he at least try to run?

Whether​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ this situation was a dream or not, running would not be a good choice. The elevator was a dead end with nowhere to escape.

After a few seconds, the elevator doors began to close with a soft hiss. Seeing the man’s figure disappear behind the thick doors, Hyewoo felt relieved that it was over. He needed more time before he could treat the man as though nothing were wrong.

Just as he absentmindedly thought that he could simply return to his father like this,

“Please​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ step out, Young Master.”

Click. The man’s hand pressed the elevator button.

The doors, which had been on the verge of closing with only a handspan of space between them, opened as though by magic. The man’s figure gradually emerged through the widening gap. The smooth mechanical sound somehow seemed ominous.

Hyewoo met the man’s relaxed eyes, which held a trace of amusement. Reflected in them, Hyewoo’s face was pale and rigid, as though he might collapse at any moment. Jinwon was merely standing there, yet Hyewoo’s entire body froze as though it had been preserved in place.

Jinwon​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ smiled faintly at Hyewoo.

“Aren’t you going to wait for Doctor Lee in the car?”

“…Yes. That’s right.”

Hyewoo​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ struggled to move his stiffened tongue.

“Then this is the right way. Come with me.”

“Yes.”

At the man’s words, Hyewoo cautiously began to walk. It felt as though the air around him was pulling him back, telling him not to leave. One step, then another, a spine-chilling tension coiled around Hyewoo’s ankles.