PARADOX 16

Living twice means experiencing all sorts of strange things.

‘To think Gu Jeyi would worry about me.’

“Ahem.”

Hanseo let out a fake cough because he felt like he might burst into laughter at any moment.

Of course, it wasn’t just the fact that Gu Jeyi worried about him that made him happy. It was the thrill of knowing that his choice to act like the pitiful and fragile ‘Yeo Hanseo’ was the right one.

Gu Jeyi was always on the side of the weak and the pitiful. Even if he didn’t want to take Hanseo as his exclusive Guide, he couldn’t just look the other way when a potentially dangerous situation arose.

‘I can use this.’

Hanseo revised his evaluation of Park Jintae.

From a trivial nuisance to a usable tool.

Hanseo bit his lip as if hesitating, then offered a cautious rebuttal.

“…But that’s in the past. He might have reflected and changed by now.”

With his hands on the steering wheel, Gu Jeyi stared intently at Hanseo.

“Do you believe he has reflected?”

‘Not a chance.’

Park Jintae hadn’t reflected at all. That much was obvious just from the murky way he looked at Hanseo. However, Hanseo answered with the exact opposite.

“Yes, I think he would have.”

“…”

“…I, I hope he did. Mister Park Jintae is being so nice to me.”

Hanseo felt Gu Jeyi’s gaze, but instead of meeting it, he lowered his head.

Even without looking at his expression, it wasn’t hard to guess what Gu Jeyi was thinking right now.

Yeo Hanseo was a victim who had returned seven years after being missing in a Gate. He had finally come back, but he had no parents to protect him, no relatives had come forward, and he had no one he could call a friend.

There was no one around to help the poor Yeo Hanseo, who couldn’t adapt to a world that had completely changed from seven years ago.

The naive and lonely Yeo Hanseo was so precarious that he looked like he’d fall for a piece of candy offered by a bad person. And the only being who could stop that was…

“Have you developed feelings for Esper Park Jintae?”

‘What kind of nonsense is this?’

It was a relief he was looking down. He hadn’t been able to instantly erase the look of annoyance from his face.

Hanseo managed to smooth out his distorted expression and succeeded in leaving only bewilderment on his face.

“Pardon?”

“I thought it was a possibility, since Mister Yeo Hanseo likes men.”

Gu Jeyi seemed to think it was impossible for Hanseo to keep liking him. From his perspective, the feelings of Hanseo, who had come on strong saying he’d fallen in love at first sight despite barely knowing him, must have felt shallow. It was only natural for him to assume Hanseo would soon move on to someone else, just as he had with him.

But why was it? The moment he saw that calm face speaking as if stating a natural fact, a sudden impulse took over Hanseo’s mind.

“I like Esper Gu Jeyi! Not just any man or woman.”

“…”

“I’ve liked you continuously from the first moment I saw you. You might not trust me… but even so, I don’t just fall for someone else just because they’re nice to me.”

His voice, which had momentarily grown loud, gradually became softer. An awkward silence settled between them.

It was Gu Jeyi who broke the silence that felt like it would last forever.

“I apologize. That was not my intention.”

Hanseo gave an awkward smile, pretending to be okay.

“Then buy me dinner quickly. I’m really hungry.”

“…”

He quickly cut Jeyi off as he sensed the man was about to send him away. Gu Jeyi probably hadn’t truly intended to buy dinner. He likely planned to give him a bit of advice and then send him home. However, in this situation, it would be difficult to just send him off as originally planned.

True to Hanseo’s expectations, Gu Jeyi asked in a somewhat reluctant tone.

“Is there something you want to eat?”

Hanseo’s eyes sparkled. This was a chance to fleece Gu Jeyi’s thick wallet.

‘I’m going to eat something incredibly expensive.’

He thought it wouldn’t be bad to go to that “pineapple” restaurant or whatever that third-generation chaebol A-class Esper mentioned and try some French food. Even if he handed over the menu and said ‘I’ll have everything’ like in a drama, it wouldn’t even leave a scratch on Gu Jeyi’s bank account—but wouldn’t he at least get to see a flustered expression?

Good, let’s go with that.

“Kimchi-jjigae.”

However, words completely different from his thoughts jumped out of his mouth.

One of Gu Jeyi’s eyebrows arched slightly as if it were an unexpected answer.

“Will you be alright with that?”

“Yes, I’ve really wanted to try eating it with Esper Gu Jeyi.”

“Kimchi… jjigae?”

“I like Korean food.”

When he grinned, Gu Jeyi didn’t ask further and entered the location into the navigation.

The car glided smoothly and silently out of the parking lot.

Watching Gu Jeyi operate the navigation, Hanseo noticed something strange.

“Is the steering wheel moving by itself right now?”

“It is in auto-drive mode.”

“Wow, things like this exist now.”

Suddenly, his eyes landed on Gu Jeyi’s watch. Hanseo realized why he was using the auto-drive mode. If he drove with his wavelength in such an unstable state, it wouldn’t be surprising if something happened.

A silence soon fell over the interior of the car. Hanseo pretended to gauge Gu Jeyi’s reaction before asking cautiously.

“Um, have you thought about the exclusive Guide matter?”

“Yes.”

“Then, what are you planning to do…”

“I want to marry someone I like.”

The answer came back after a short pause.

“So I am doing my best to see if there are other ways. Whether I find a way or not, a conclusion will be reached soon. More importantly, are you truly alright, Mister Yeo Hanseo? Marrying a man who does not love you.”

Gu Jeyi’s gaze remained fixed straight ahead. As if he had never looked anywhere else for a single second.

“I do not want this marriage, but I need it. You are the opposite. Since you say you like me, this marriage might feel like a good thing. But one day, when those feelings fade, you will regret it.”

“…”

“Think carefully. At least the Guide has a choice.”

An Esper cannot live without a Guide, but a Guide can live without an Esper. Gu Jeyi was pointing out a disadvantageous fact that he didn’t necessarily have to reveal.

But Gu Jeyi doesn’t know. In truth, Hanseo also has no choice.

In two weeks, once the training is over, Hanseo will be officially registered as a Guide.

Being registered as a Guide in itself is fine. The problem is that every Guide is required to take a matching rate test with an Esper.

Once the test proceeds, the Center will quickly realize his peculiarity.

He didn’t really want to think about what would happen after that.

‘I’d be dragged away to film Season 2 of “Research Lab Test Subject” or something.’

He had to become Gu Jeyi’s exclusive Guide before that happened. Exclusive Guides are exempt from the matching rate tests with various Espers.

However, he had no intention of pressuring Gu Jeyi to make a decision quickly. Doing so would only strengthen his resistance.

Gu Jeyi was a human who never moved unless he himself was convinced. Therefore, he had to be made to decide for himself.

‘To be precise, I have to make him feel that way.’

Fortunately, Hanseo knew Gu Jeyi very well.

Not just the information everyone knew that floated around the internet, but even private, undisclosed information.

Family relations, his upbringing, his weaknesses, what he likes and dislikes. Exactly where the line of his tolerance was.

In short, it meant he had a sense of how to move Gu Jeyi.

The problem was that there wasn’t much time.

‘So I hope he moves quickly…’

And fortunately, Hanseo’s wish came true.

❖ ❖ ❖

The morning after having dinner with Gu Jeyi.

[Hanseo, it’s Park Jintae! This is my personal number, so please save it ^^]

‘It’s here.’

The corners of Hanseo’s mouth twitched upward as he checked his phone.

Since Gu Jeyi had radiated an aura telling him not to touch, he had worried Park Jintae might get scared and run away, but fortunately, the guy wasn’t that smart.

A beast instinctively cowers when a stronger opponent appears. But unlike beasts, humans sometimes don’t follow their instincts depending on the variables. Park Jintae was exactly this case.

Whether it was because of overconfidence or an obsession with not letting a Guide go, it was exactly what Hanseo wanted.

Hanseo replied diligently. In a friendly and favorable tone. Like someone who had no suspicion toward a person contacting them through a number they had never given out.

Gu Jeyi worried about Hanseo hanging out with Park Jintae. That worry didn’t stem from goodwill. If one had to categorize it, it was similar to a sheepdog watching a sheep linger near a wolf. And he would never stand by and watch a wolf carry a sheep away.

He just needed that one opening. Once a small crack formed, it wasn’t difficult for things to seep through.

‘So for now, I should give Park Jintae an opening.’

Fortunately, given Hanseo’s innocent character who “doesn’t know the ways of the world,” that task wasn’t very difficult.

The moment he sent his reply, a phone call came through immediately.

—Hanseo, did you get home okay yesterday?

“Yes. Come to think of it, I left without even saying a proper goodbye. I’m sorry.”

—Well, that can happen! You don’t have training today, right? I hope you’ll let me buy that meal I couldn’t buy yesterday.

‘Mmm.’

His physical condition wasn’t great, and Park Jintae wasn’t exactly someone he wanted to eat with face-to-face, but…

“Yes, I’d love to!”

Hanseo answered cheerfully. He was actually in quite a good mood, so he didn’t need to act this time.