STJ_21
"It looks like you're meant to be part of the UEFC,"
A soldier from the Guide’s HR department joked. Since Doyoung had been officially recognized as a high-ranking Guide, many of the negative opinions surrounding him within the organization had started to fade.
"Here, please fill out this form—one last time."
The man pointed to the section for emergency contacts, designated for cases of injury or death during surgery. Doyoung swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry.
It was only then that reality fully sank in. He was now in a fortress stationed on a battlefield—where danger was a constant presence.
His hand instinctively moved to write his mother’s phone number. But then, his pen halted mid-stroke, the tip pressing into the paper and forming a small, unmoving dot.
"Guide-nim?"
"...Sorry, I need to step out for a moment."
"Ah, alright."
Doyoung hurried out of the office, heading straight to the garden on the 45th floor, desperate for fresh air.
As soon as he pushed open the heavy door, a blast of cold air rushed into his lungs. Though winter had long passed, replaced by the warmth of spring, the chill in the air still made his thin shirt feel insufficient. Rubbing his arms against the cold, he exhaled slowly.
Despite the lingering cold, the view was breathtaking. The spring garden surrounding the UEFC building was vibrant, with unfamiliar flowers and trees displaying their brilliant colors.
Leaning against the chest-high railing, Doyoung gazed blankly into the dense forest below, lost in thought.
He had yet to tell his mother that he had become a Guide.
"Haa..."
A weary sigh slipped from his lips.
He should have told her. Becoming a Guide was a significant change, one that would reshape his life. And yet, something kept holding him back—the persistent thought that, maybe, it was better if she didn’t know.
Curling up slightly, he rested his chin on his arm, staring ahead as his worries consumed him.
And then—
"Why do you keep coming here?"
Doyoung didn’t need to turn around to recognize that deep, drowsy-sounding voice.
If it weren’t for the fact that it belonged to Sa Kangjun, he might have mistaken the speaker for someone sluggish and indifferent.
Brushing aside the distraction of Kangjun’s voice, Doyoung finally turned. As expected, a strikingly handsome man stood there, watching him.
Doyoung ran a hand through his windswept hair, then asked casually,
"Why? Am I not allowed to? Do you pay rent for this place or something?"
"......"
Kangjun remained silent, unable to tear his eyes away.
Doyoung’s presence was strangely compelling—not because of his beauty or his exceptional guiding abilities, but because he was different.
Unlike others who instinctively avoided eye contact with him, Doyoung met his gaze directly, his sharp, cat-like eyes unwavering. That bright and fearless expression had become imprinted in Kangjun’s mind.
Beyond that, Doyoung carried himself with a mix of politeness and unwavering confidence. He never shrank back. Never played humble.
"Haven't you heard the rumors about my appearance?"
"Appearance?"
Doyoung scoffed before bursting into laughter.
"You talk like you’re some kind of Creature."
Kangjun’s brows furrowed at the unexpected reaction.
"Humans fear me just as much as they fear Creatures."
"Ah, no way."
Kangjun smoothed out his furrowed brow and moved to stand beside Doyoung. As the cold wind brushed past them, a faintly bitter smile played on his lips.
"They misunderstand. They think I can read people's minds whenever I want."
"Well, isn't that typical? Humans fear what they don't understand. The unknown has always been terrifying to them. Espers with physical abilities can be seen in action, but those with mental abilities, their powers are invisible."
Doyoung's words carried a quiet certainty.
"How does it actually work? Can I ask?"
Kangjun glanced at him, amused by Doyoung’s sudden display of polite curiosity. He had already figured out that Doyoung never hesitated to ask about things that intrigued him.
"As you know, I can read minds. I can even brainwash someone just by making eye contact. It’s even easier with physical contact. The stronger the other person’s mind, the simpler it is. But that doesn’t mean I go around reading thoughts all the time."
"Really?"
"Using my ability is exhausting. Besides, I don’t particularly like being guided, so I only use my power when absolutely necessary."
"I see."
Kangjun’s tone grew firmer, carrying a slight edge.
"I don’t like the assumption that I’m interested in other people’s thoughts. Why should I waste my attention on something so insignificant?"
"...Ah?"
Kangjun’s way of speaking had always been distinct. Even when he was polite, his words carried an air of authority—almost oppressive, laced with an innate sense of superiority.
But considering his background, it wasn’t surprising. As the son of Sa Geonho and an S-class Esper, Kangjun was practically a noble of this era. His attitude had likely been shaped by the life he was born into.
It was often said that the higher one's rank, the lonelier they became. Perhaps that was why his expression looked so bitter.
Doyoung had been about to ask if he was alright but stopped himself, shaking his head. A quote from an ancient philosopher came to mind.
Leave the lonely person be. They exist on a level beyond your reach.
After all, his nose was already three feet high*. After scratching his nose a few times, Doyoung turned his eyes back to the forest and continued his original thought.
*코가 석 자나 빠지다: The saying '코' can mean cold/snotty. So it means that you don't have time to help others because your situation is so urgent that you don't have time to wipe your nose even if you have three feet of snot.
Doyoung had withheld something when Kangjun asked about his past. He wasn't sure if Kangjun had figured it out by reading his mind.
Perhaps Doyoung's negative perception of UEFC, and by extension, Esper, stemmed from his past experiences.
His father had died when he was just three years old.
The sudden appearance of a gate in a small town and a creature crashing down like a meteor was a familiar story since the first gate incident.
His father had been crushed by a collapsing building while trying to rescue people trapped beneath the rubble. The rescue team arrived too late, unable to handle the overwhelming debris.
Esper's powerful telekinesis could have easily cleared the wreckage, but on that same day, a massive gate had opened in the capital region, requiring all available personnel. By the time the crisis was under control, there was no one left to send for rescue.
His father’s tragic death left his mother struggling with grief, and Esper became the easiest target for her resentment. She constantly voiced her frustration, believing that if they had responded, her husband might have been saved.
Whenever the news mentioned the UEFC or Esper, she would scoff and change the channel. She focused more on those who were lost rather than those who survived.
How did she feel now, knowing her son—nearly thirty—was part of the organization and even working alongside Esper?
Known for her sharp temper, she must have been shocked.
When Doyoung had been chosen as a scholar and got into an accident at an English camp, his mother had fainted and been hospitalized for two days. She had also opposed his decision to become a journalist, calling it dangerous and exhausting.
If she found out that he was now a Guide, thrown into a battlefield filled with monstrous creatures, she would undoubtedly be furious.
"Haa..."
With a sigh, Doyoung buried his face in his arm.
Just then, Sa Kangjun's voice came from above him.
"What's wrong?"
"......"
Doyoung turned his head slightly, keeping his cheek pressed against his arm as he stared at Sa Kangjun. There was an odd feeling inside him, as if Kangjun might have the answer he was looking for.
"If there is one, will you solve it?"
"Most people who say they have a problem already lean toward a decision. They just struggle to acknowledge it."
"So what about me? What's my situation?"
"I can try to read you. If you let me in."
Doyoung silently held Kangjun’s gaze before giving a small nod. It felt like he was trying to cheat before an exam even started.
Kangjun met Doyoung’s eyes, his gaze steady, as if knocking on an unseen door. For a brief moment, his irises flashed a bright blue.
It didn’t take long. Whatever Kangjun saw required little effort, and soon his eyes returned to normal. With a knowing nod, he spoke.
"I think it’s best not to tell your mother."
"......"
Doyoung remained silent. Maybe Kangjun was right. The only things making him hesitate were the weight of obligation and the fear of what would happen if she found out later.
Would keeping this from her make him an unfilial son? That thought gnawed at him. Lowering his gaze, he let his eyes drift shut against his arm, sinking into his doubts.
Watching Doyoung’s hair shift in the wind, Kangjun finally spoke again.
"Do you know how many Guides in our country have died in battle?"
Doyoung’s voice trembled slightly as he asked,
"How many?"
"Not a single one."
“......”
Kangjun watched as Doyoung slowly lifted his head, then continued speaking.
"Because Espers risk their lives to protect the Guide who is their lifeline."
"......"
Kangjun's words gradually cleared the fog in Doyoung’s mind.
Rather than losing sleep every night worrying about his mother, it was better to keep this truth hidden for now. It might have been a hasty and reckless choice, but the worst-case scenario—the kind that would force him to call his mother—was unlikely to happen.
"...so be it."
With the decision made, his heart felt lighter—no, much lighter. It was almost like he had gone through therapy.
Doyoung stared at Kangjun for a few seconds before asking, almost without thinking,
"Will you meet me from time to time?"
Kangjun raised an eyebrow. In a world where meeting new people only ever led to disappointment, he had thought nothing could surprise him anymore.
Yet, Joo Doyoung always managed to, in both big and small ways.
"Meet?"
"I feel relieved—like I just finished a therapy session. You know, like in foreign movies or dramas where the client lies back in a comfy chair."
"Haa... So what, you want to use me as a free therapist?"
Kangjun sighed in exasperation. He found it almost laughable that Doyoung was talking about therapy in front of someone who had the power to brainwash him or make him strip right then and there. It was naïve—too careless.
Completely unaware of Kangjun’s thoughts, Doyoung suddenly jolted, as if just remembering something.
"Ah! I was supposed to go to the restroom earlier."
Checking the time on his watch, he turned back to Kangjun.
"I mean... Lieutenant Colonel, I don’t have any friends here."
"......"
"There’s someone I know a little in the PR department, but I don’t have anyone who understands this situation. Besides, you don’t seem to have any friends either."
"So you want to be friends with me?"
"Yes. But I really have to go inside now. We’ll talk later!"
Doyoung gave a small bow of respect before quickly hurrying past Kangjun.
Kangjun turned to watch him leave.
A faint smile slowly formed on his lips, and in a lazy voice, he murmured,
"But I don't want to."
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