FETCH 1

Steps heavy with a sigh moved forward, clack, clack. The space, where a gentle silence wandered, was filled with glass display cases.

The painstakingly polished glass was so transparent that, without a careful look, it seemed as if there were no barrier at all. There were sparse fingerprints left behind, perhaps by people trying to check for themselves, and thanks to those marks, people noticed the glass and stepped back to appreciate the exhibits.

In front of the glass cases, the names of monsters were written alongside small introductory blurbs. Inside, the grotesquely dissected carcasses of monsters were laid out for all to see.

Jaechan’s gaze as he took them in was utterly indifferent. From his kindergarten days through elementary, middle, and high school, this place—the National Monster Museum—was where he ended up whenever it was season for field trips.

Taking a deep breath, Jaechan stood straight in front of it and stared fixedly at the monster.

If it weren’t for that thing, Han Kang wouldn’t have to be stuck in the dormitory.

Displeased with the situation, he let out a low hmmm from his throat, and a familiar voice reached his ears.

— Did you go to the monster museum again?

Only after hearing the voice coming through the phone did Jaechan realize he was in the middle of a call. The person on the other end spoke with a nuance that suggested they knew exactly where Jaechan had headed after leaving the house with his stomach turned in knots since morning. Jaechan adjusted his grip on the phone and replied nonchalantly.

“Yeah. Coming here is a direct cure for whenever my stomach flips after fighting with you.”

— What do we even fight about?

Unlike him, who was feeling the heat of frustration, the person on the other end had a voice that was perfectly leisurely. Besides, getting angry was a waste of effort. Jaechan replied in a still-sullen tone.

“Forget it, just go to training. Isn’t it time?”

— It is. I’ll contact you later.

“What for. You’re supposed to be competing in a big match soon, so just roll your body around until you die.”

— Who knows? Maybe I’ll get permission to stay out tonight.

“Anyone listening would think I’m pissed because you can’t stay out.”

— Right, that’s exactly it. Oh, I have to go in now. Hanging up!

The call, which ended lightly, didn’t leave a trace of lingering attachment. Jaechan shoved his phone into his pocket.

Since he couldn’t exactly glare at the person who wasn’t in front of him, Jaechan stared piercingly at the dead monsters instead.

The information boards listed the monsters’ creation period, attributes, and capture dates in order. Information on which Esper had eliminated them and which number trophy it was for said Esper was also included.

Beside that, a long chronological history recording the history of monsters was on display. Jaechan scanned it listlessly.

Though manifesting as an Esper or a Guide isn’t considered such a big deal nowadays, he had learned that just a generation ago, the entire world was in chaos due to dimensional portals called Gates and the monsters that emerged from them.

Espers and Guides began to appear amidst the ongoing battles with monsters and the mounting casualties. Espers quickly formed teams and suppressed the monsters. Guides helped the Espers so they could carry out battles more smoothly.

He also learned that the battles started that way continued for a long time. And what remained in the end were ruins. Cities turned into wastelands by battle, the remains of Gates left everywhere, the carcasses of monsters strewn about, and the names of Espers and Guides who were sacrificed in combat.

Looking at the countless names written under the chronology, Jaechan let out a sigh. Finally, at the section he reached, the names of Espers and Guides who are currently famous were listed together.

Han Kang was there.

[Han Kang, Esper, Ice Attribute, S-Class, Member of Team Zero at the EKR Center, manifested at age 17 and currently active.]

He fixed his gaze sharply on the photo where Han Kang was smiling brightly. Unlike other Espers displayed side-by-side with their pair Guides, the spot next to Han Kang was empty. That was what caught his eye so much.

‘It would be nice if my name were there.’

He etched the wish he had harbored for a long time into his heart once more, but nothing changed. They had been together since they were young. He felt petty for no reason because Han Kang had manifested as an Esper while he showed no signs of anything. And he felt pathetic for being that way.

The place he sought out every time that happened was here, the monster museum. Without realizing it, Jaechan just stared endlessly at Han Kang’s name. It wasn’t as if his name would appear in the empty slot next to it just because he did that. His stagnant gaze seemed unable to leave.

Jaechan closed his eyes tightly and reflected on what had just happened. Han Kang, who spoke indifferently asking what they had to fight about, probably didn’t even know Jaechan’s insides were turning.

Of course not. In the first place, Jaechan was currently struggling desperately to become a Guide.

How many years had it been already? To be precise, since he had wanted it ever since Han Kang manifested as an Esper, that wish had aged quite a bit by now.

And in front of someone like him, Han Kang had made a spoiled comment, saying, “What else is there to being a Guide other than skinship with an Esper?” It was the kind of leisurely remark one could only make because he didn’t have a clue that was exactly the reason Jaechan wanted to be a Guide.

“Ah, I’m getting annoyed again.”

Jaechan chewed on his words to himself and let out a deep sigh.

Even though Han Kang, who manifested as an Esper, lived a life where it was natural to receive Guiding through physical contact with a Guide, he despised Guides to a strange degree.

No, was “despise” the right word?

Anyway, he didn’t know what Han Kang saw or heard at the Center, but he hated the relationship between Espers and Guides to an eerie extent. To be precise, he seemed to loathe the act of “Guiding” itself, yet his attitude was peculiar because he had no hesitation about skinship with Jaechan.

So, does that make a person angry or not?

Thinking about the situation that made him flare up again, Jaechan let out a rough breath with an ooh and let his head drop forward.

How long had he been like that? Jaechan withdrew his gloomy gaze and looked around the exhibition hall again.

It was a space crowded with hideous monsters. It carried the illusion that even the smell was somehow musty. To erase the afterimages of these horrific monsters, the Ability Users Association was formed worldwide, and they gradually changed their image.

From heroes who saved the world from a horrific reality, to superhumans with unique abilities, to multi-talented artists, and finally to sports stars who provided excitement and joy through simulated combat.

Recalling things one might only see in history textbooks now, Jaechan moved his feet, plod, plod.

Who knows, maybe he’d inherit the impure energy of a monster and suddenly manifest as a Guide.

Although it was the Espers who received all the spotlight and the cheers of the people, Jaechan wanted to be a Guide. The reason was only one: so he could legally stay close to Han Kang, whom he liked.

But what was the point of that. Even though he was putting in all sorts of effort, such as taking medicine that claimed to help one manifest as a Guide or visiting the Center, there was absolutely no effect. Forget being a Guide for an Esper, the reality was that he couldn’t even be a travel agency guide because he didn’t know a line of English.

Tsk, clicking his tongue, Jaechan turned his feet to leave. It was about time for him to go to his part-time job, and he felt like staying longer would only make him face his gloomy reality.

That was when it happened. A stranger’s voice abruptly pierced his ears.

“No way, they say Esper combat is being adopted as an Olympic event this time.”

It was information he already knew through Han Kang, but Jaechan stopped his feet as if drawn by something.

The Association, which had transformed Espers—who were combat assets—into sports stars, turned the eyes of concern and fear toward sports by having Espers engage in simulated battles in a game format.

What started as something done for fun as national competitions gradually grew in scale. They began selecting national representatives, and it had been quite a while since they started participating in international events like the World Championships, Asian Games, and European Games.

In the midst of that, now even the Olympics were being mentioned. And Han Kang had been selected as a national representative Esper and was living in a dormitory at the Center. It was all to prepare for that damn Olympics.

Jaechan was listening to the words coming from his surroundings with a sullen expression.

“Whoa. Then is Han Kang going?”

“Isn’t Han Kang obviously included? Isn’t his combat power the best right now?”

“True, he is the most famous.”

“Yeah, he’s damn handsome.”

Right, it would be disappointing if that name didn’t come up.

Now, when the popularity of Espers is skyrocketing. The most popular Esper, that was Han Kang. Ultimately, having heard that name being mentioned by people, Jaechan felt his pettiness growing even more.

It’s not enough to just have good abilities, why does he have to be handsome on top of it all.

Even though he had just spoken to him on the phone, he wanted to call again and snap at him in a fit of temper. However, Jaechan knew well that this too was a futile act. Han Kang, who would be focused on training, would only contact him after his daily routine was all finished, and when that time came, he would take Han Kang’s call with a broad grin as if he had never been like that.

Letting out a deep sigh that he now lived with, Jaechan left the monster museum and stood at the crosswalk. It had been a long time since Esper combat was officially adopted as an Olympic event, but perhaps the embargo had just been lifted, as the electronic billboards on the road were busily spreading the news as breaking news.

‘Olympic Participation Led by Esper Han Kang’

News about Han Kang flowed quickly across the ticker on the billboard. On the screen behind it, recorded footage of Han Kang training was being broadcast on repeat.