From one day on, I began to see things that others couldn’t.

Something dark, red, and white started swirling around the people, materializing right before my eyes.

My parents took me to the hospital, and the doctor suggested I undergo an Esper ability awakening test.

Hearing the doctor say I /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ might be an Esper, I honestly felt half skeptical.

Apparently, abilities and traits are influenced by bloodlines. In our family, not even a single F-rank Esper could be found among our relatives. There were no Alpha or Omega traits either.

So, the possibility of me awakening seemed almost nonexistent.

When I went to the center with my mother for the awakening test, the staff reacted indifferently.

“None of your family are Espers, and all the traits are Beta?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, let’s proceed with the test.”

But as soon as I placed my hand on the mana measuring device, the staff's expressions changed instantly.

“Manager! No, bring the Center Director!”

The surroundings grew chaotic, and high-ranking people rushed down.

I was flustered and scared by the sudden situation.

They politely escorted me to the basement. There, my mana was measured again using more precise equipment, and I was diagnosed as an S-Class Guide.

That day, my life changed.

People were excited by the appearance of an S-Class Guide after more than 10 years.

Soon, reporters gathered, and I gave an interview in front of them. My face appeared not only in newspapers and news but also in famous foreign magazines.

Every day, countless people came and requested contracts with me.

From contract fees to conditions, nothing seemed realistic.

Although all the terms were incredibly generous, I couldn’t follow the Seonghan Group. Moreover, unlike other places, the condition that I only needed to guide one person, ‘Joo Seunghyuk,’ was appealing.

It wasn’t because he was the third-generation heir of a conglomerate.

Joo Seunghyuk was one year younger than me. He was a boy of my age, so I thought I could become close to him quickly.

I decided to sign a contract with the Seonghan Group. My parents respected my decision.

***

I rode the car provided by the group, heading toward the Seonghan Esper Specialist Hospital.

Before signing the contract, I needed to undergo a 1v1 matching rate test with Joo Seunghyuk.

Thanks to light traffic, I arrived 15 minutes earlier than the scheduled time. However, even after the appointed time passed, Joo Seunghyuk still hadn’t arrived.

Then, Joo Chairman’s secretary, Secretary Ahn, awkwardly asked for my understanding.

“Yeonsu-sshi, I apologize. It seems there’s heavy traffic. Shall we have lunch first?”

“Sure.”

I thought we were headed to the restaurant, but Secretary Ahn led me to a hospital room.

If it weren’t for the pristine white hospital bed, I would have mistaken it for a reception room—it was so luxurious.

It seemed like a VIP-only hospital room.

Secretary Ahn asked me what menu I wanted. Thinking I’d keep it simple, I said, “Burger.” About 20 minutes later, a homemade burger was brought in on a tray.

The burger, wrapped in paper on a white plate, was accompanied by a fork and knife.

I sat on the black leather sofa, staring at the burger.

Then, the door opened, and a child entered.

For a moment, I lost my words as I gazed at the well-dressed child.

He was an extremely pretty child, like a doll. Especially his black eyes, which seemed to have obsidian embedded in them—so beautiful.

“Hello.”

I waved my hand slightly.

“What are you doing?”

Instead of a greeting, the boy asked with irritation in his voice. Something must have bothered him.

“I’m thinking.”

“What are you thinking about?”

“Whether I should pick up the burger with my hands or cut it with a knife. That’s the dilemma.”

“Ha... aren’t you dumb?”

The boy, despite his beautiful face, had a rough mouth.

“Do I look dumb?”

“Yeah. You’re really stupid. Why are you even thinking about that?”

“It’s my first time eating a homemade burger. I want to eat it right.”

“Are you poor?” 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

“No. It’s just that I’ve never had one before.”

“That’s why you’re poor.”

Our family wasn’t wealthy, but we weren’t poor enough to not afford a homemade burger. It’s just that I always thought it was better to spend that money on something else.

Instead of explaining this in detail, I stared into the boy’s eyes.

“You shouldn’t say that to people. Apologize.”

“You came here because you’re poor and selling your body, and now you’re acting high and mighty.”

“Selling my body?”

“You’re like Sim Cheong. That’s you.”

Sim Cheong? Are you saying I’m the one who throws myself into the water for three hundred bags of rice?

Then, he must know I’m a Guide.

“You must be Joo Seunghyuk.”

I had suspected when the child entered the VIP room recklessly, but it was indeed Joo Seunghyuk.

“Yeah.”

Joo Seunghyuk proudly raised his head.

“You’re late. Was there heavy traffic?”

“No. I just didn’t want to come.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t like you. I don’t need some beggar who sacrifices themselves for money.”

I stood up from the sofa. As I approached, Joo Seunghyuk flinched and stepped back. Despite being a year younger, he was much smaller than me.

I bent my knees and met Joo Seunghyuk’s gaze.

“Seunghyuk, I’m not Sim Cheong. I didn’t come to be a sacrifice. I came to be your Guide.”

“...Your Guide?”

“Yes. Your Guide. And I’m in first year of middle school. I’m one year older than you, so you should be calling me ‘hyung,’ not ‘you.’”

Joo Seunghyuk glared at me instead of responding. He didn’t seem to like me.

“Don’t call my name so casually.”

“Alright, Seunghyuk.”

“I told you not to call me that!”

“Do you dislike me calling your name? We’ll be spending a lot of time together, so we should get along.”

“.......”

I smiled and grabbed Joo Seunghyuk’s hand. Despite his harsh words, I didn’t feel anger. He just seemed pitiful.

It almost felt like looking at our old dog, Woongie...

Woongie was at a shelter. He was a so-called country mutt, and no one wanted him, so he was waiting for euthanasia.

Our family took him in without hesitation. But when he arrived home, he barked viciously. Even though it seemed like he liked us, he was so hurt and defensive, scared that he’d be abandoned again.

Now, he wagged his tail happily whenever he saw me, but it took a long time for him to open his heart.

“Had you stuck to your stubborn refusal, you wouldn’t even have eaten. Seunghyuk, come over and eat with me.”

I led him towards the sofa. Joo Seunghyuk followed me silently, keeping his mouth tightly shut.

“Here, choose. Do you want to eat with your hands, or cut it with a knife?”

“I’m not eating!”

“Hmm?”

“I said I’m not eating! You eat a lot, you fool!”

Joo Seunghyuk shook off my hand, slammed the door, and left.

The sound of the door closing echoed throughout the room.

***

“Ugh.”

When I opened my eyes, I saw the white ceiling above me. This was Seonghan Hospital’s VIP room.

Joo Seunghyuk had left, saying he didn’t want to eat the burger, and I was left alone. But why was I lying down? My thoughts moved slowly. As I blinked and tried to make sense of the situation, someone grabbed my hand.

“Hyung!”

I turned my head, and I saw Joo Seunghyuk.

He’d grown suddenly.

He had been small and pretty when he was younger, but now, he had turned into a handsome young man.

No, Joo Seunghyuk hadn’t suddenly grown. That was a dream. I had dreamt of the first time I met him.

Joo Seunghyuk had hated me from the start. Back then, I rationalized it by thinking he was just shy.

But when we met again, I remembered the original story.

It wasn’t that Joo Seunghyuk was just sulking. I realized he truly hated me...

So, I gave up on the exclusive Guide contract and returned home.

Yes, that’s how it happened. Joo Seunghyuk had told me not to call his name.

But now, why...

A feeling of injustice surged within me as the reality slowly came back to me.

Joo Seunghyuk and I had slept together, and he had started calling me hyung... But why was I lying in the same hospital room as seven years ago?

Ah, right. The rampage.

During the mock battle training, Joo Seunghyuk had almost rampaged. I remembered my last thoughts before collapsing and urgently asked,

“Seunghyuk, are you okay?”

“Are you really going to worry about me now?”

“You almost had a huge problem.”

“Who’s talking to who here!”

Joo Seunghyuk shouted, but I wasn’t scared. Instead, I was bewildered. Tears were streaming down his face.

“Seunghyuk...”

“Yeonsu, you woke up after fifteen days! You almost died!”

It seemed like shock had hit him due to mana depletion.

I had anticipated shock when guiding Joo Seunghyuk before his rampage, as I felt my mana was reaching its limit. But to think it had taken fifteen days... That was really dangerous.

“I see.”

“Is that all? Are you just going to brush it off? Why did you do that? You know better than anyone how dangerous it is, why didn’t you just run away instead of guiding? Do you even know how dangerous a rampaging Esper is?!”

“If I had run away, you would have died.”

If I hadn’t taken action at that moment, Joo Seunghyuk would have died from a mana explosion.

Even if I barely saved him, he’d have been in a vegetative state.

I was fortunate to have been born an S-Class Guide, and I had the ability to save him. That’s why I didn’t hesitate to guide him.

Every second was critical, and I was the only S-Class Guide nearby. It was something I had to do.

And I was confident I wouldn’t die. I was fairly rational.

Even if something went wrong, I thought it would just be shock from mana depletion. I didn’t expect it to take fifteen days to wake up, but in the end, my prediction had been correct.

“Seunghyuk, are you really okay?”

“...Shit.”

Joo Seunghyuk suddenly swore. Was it because of the tears in his eyes?

He cursed fiercely, but it didn’t feel scary.

“I don’t get you, Yeonsu.”

“Are you hurt?”

He avoided answering and changed the topic, which made me worry.