FETCH 36

“First of all, since we have things to discuss between ourselves, Esper Han Kang, please step out for a moment. It’s not like I’m going to eat your honey, is it?”

Was the conversation not over?

Kim Daeyoung showed a leisurely smile, asking Han Kang to step out instead. It seemed this man wouldn’t let him go until he had said everything he wanted to say…

Jaechan turned his body toward Han Kang and coaxed him gently.

“I’ll tell you what we talked about when I come out later, so just wait. I think it’ll be over soon.”

“Why are you talking without me.”

“It’s not like that.”

“I’m talking with you too, what is it.”

It wasn’t the first time Han Kang was being stubborn, but since they were in front of another person, Jaechan wrinkled his brow in embarrassment. Only after he let out a heavy sigh did Han Kang finally stand up as if giving in.

“Come out as soon as honey is finished talking. If he says anything offensive, call me.”

“And what are you going to do.”

“Don’t you know?”

Han Kang lightly shrugged his shoulders and immediately left the Center Director’s office. He didn’t forget to give Kim Daeyoung a subtle glare as he closed the door.

While he was firmly closing the door, Kim Daeyoung was already looking into a new set of documents.

Jaechan watched Kim Daeyoung, who was taking his time starting the conversation. He hadn’t noticed it earlier, but spread out in front of the man was the Q&A sheet he had filled out when he first joined.

Of all things, it was the very last question, on the page he had written most carelessly.

“It really is strange…”

Muttering to himself in a low voice, Kim Daeyoung leaned his body heavily back into his chair, making it creak. Regardless of whether Jeon Jaechan showed a reaction right in front of him, he continued to just stare at the documents.

Jeon Jaechan’s Guide manifestation was clearly an event for the ages. Although they had administered the drug to countless people, only one person among them had manifested: Jeon Jaechan.

That was why it was interesting, and every researcher poured their attention onto him. The Center was receiving information from him under the pretext of “monitoring progress after clinical participation.”

Mmm, Kim Daeyoung let out a low hum from his throat and clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, making a blunt sound.

“So the guiding wasn’t bad, it seems he received it properly seeing Han Kang’s condition.”

Kim Daeyoung asked while looking straight at Jaechan. Perhaps it was a sudden question, as a flush blossomed on his fair cheeks.

Kim Daeyoung was sincerely intrigued by these two men who had engaged in sexual intercourse so casually.

No matter how smooth and pretty Jeon Jaechan’s face was for a man, wasn’t it puzzling that two guys were so nonchalant about kissing and sucking on each other? Furthermore, the two of them called each other “honey” and displayed a special relationship, yet when asked, they firmly answered that they were “not in a relationship.”

Now, the two had manifested as an Esper and a Guide rather than just ordinary friends. Since same-sex insertion guiding wasn’t strange within the Center, he thought they could do it as much as they wanted, but he wondered if it was really possible between friends.

Did Jeon Jaechan naturally have a talent for that sort of thing? Or were those called Espers inevitably designed to be swayed by guiding waves?

Even if it were that great Han Kang.

In any case, whether they were Espers or Guides. It was laughable how much easier they were to handle as long as that damned wave was managed well.

They were like pebbles held in one’s hand. It was quite fun to watch them boast about having supernatural powers when they would make a rattling sound here if rolled this way, and another rattling sound there if rolled that way.

Kim Daeyoung let out a low laugh, engraving the curiosity blooming in his heart.

Thanks to those easy-to-handle guys, the Center was thriving. Ultimately, his goal was being achieved smoothly, so his pleasure was doubled.

“Was it okay?”

Kim Daeyoung’s gaze blatantly stared at Jeon Jaechan as he asked the question once more.

He thought to himself whether that variable would be a gain or a loss for the Center’s purpose.

The Center had only one purpose.

To monopolize skilled Espers and Guides at the Center, and by taking all the profits resulting from it, to pass down the Center’s power as a birthright.

Until recently, the most interesting topic at the Center was the inheritance of supernatural powers.

Linking Espers and Guides together to form relationships and gather their seeds, passing down abilities and hoping that those among the children with the possibility of manifestation would join the Center from a young age so this structure would never end—that was exactly it.

Espers whose utility value was already sufficient volunteered to join the Center. Not only was it known that interpersonal guiding was more effective than the drugs available on the market, but the public image of the Espers created by the Center stimulated their admiration.

People who admired their glamorous, star-like appearances naturally wished to manifest as Espers in pursuit of wealth and fame. More precisely, they wanted to become Espers capable of registering at the Center.

Espers attracted Espers. The competition for Espers to enter the Center was very high, and the current reality was that Espers without skill naturally fell by the wayside.

Now that they had transformed Espers and Guides, who were once heroes for erasing the traces of monsters that were like a disaster, into sports stars, there were naturally people who wished to manifest as Guides as well.

However, the Center was adjusting the number of Guides to a minimum.

The Center judged Guides to be a risk factor. Since a Guide can guide an Esper regardless of rank or matching rate, they could engage in external activities as much as they wanted if they set their mind to it.

The fact that Espers relied on Guides rather than the Center was also an eyesore. There was a concern that they might bewitch the Espers with their waves and ruin the “greater good.”

Therefore, the Center had intentionally been erasing the existence of Guides. They directed all the spotlight toward the Espers and extensively promoted their outstanding abilities and glamorous battles.

As people’s attention turned toward Espers, Guides were naturally ignored. Despite being the only power that kept Espers alive, they began to receive treatment as nothing more than “helpers” or “staff.”

That was quite effective. Even if they manifested as Guides, the number of people declaring they would not act as Guides increased, and they soon lived among society no differently from ordinary people.

Meanwhile, the Guides within the Center were treated very cordially. Naturally, the pool of Guides became stagnant.

They said they would work hard in the Center since they wouldn’t receive much special treatment if they went outside, and that has continued well to this day. As a result, marriages between Espers and Guides were occasionally taking place within the Center.

Even if everything seemed to be falling into place, one could not be careless when it came to human greed. Finally, the EKR Center extensively advertised that they were conducting “clinical trials” to find people who wished to manifest as Guides among those who had not yet manifested.

And the one who caught their eye was Jeon Jaechan.

Kim Daeyoung flicked his eyes, which had been staring intently at Jaechan. Jeon Jaechan, who had been blushing with embarrassment, gave a low nod.

“Yes, well… there was nothing special.”

“I see, but for now, keep taking the medicine.”

“Yes.”

Generally, it was an implicit rule within the Center to assign the opposite sex as a dedicated partner, but because of Han Kang’s foul personality, they had placed Jeon Jaechan, who had the best matching rate with him, by his side for now.

When controlling a fire, it’s important to douse it with water abruptly, but isn’t it also effective to gradually cut off the oxygen? He had decided to extinguish the fire-like Han Kang slowly rather than responding to him with the same fire.

One must not act hastily in any matter. Furthermore, the greater the importance of a task, the more one had to proceed with it leisurely and with poise.

Leaving a light “I see” as an answer, Kim Daeyoung lowered his gaze to look at the notebook placed on the table.

It was the Q&A notebook Jeon Jaechan had filled out when he first joined the Center, and the open page showed the very last question.

[100. Please let us know the frequency of taking the medication before manifestation.]

[A handful before leaving home, around lunchtime]

It seemed he had taken it randomly without a particular frequency or fixed amount. Not only that, it appeared he had swallowed a considerable amount of the drug whenever he thought he wanted to manifest.

So how could it not be interesting?

Until now, no one had manifested after taking that medicine.

Because that medicine was not an accelerator for the manifestation of a Guide, but a suppressor to prevent any further manifestation.

And yet, the only person who manifested was Jeon Jaechan.