PARADOX 36

Two more days passed after that, but the numerical value was still lingering in the 60% range.

When Hanseo woke up, Gu Jeyi was sitting on the living room sofa with a fierce expression, looking down at his watch. Although it was the end of summer and the air conditioning was turned off, the indoor temperature felt chilly, as if it were 18°C.

He looks like he’s about to explode. Hanseo felt that Gu Jeyi’s patience was gradually reaching its limit. At this rate, it wouldn’t be surprising if he knocked Pyo Myeongho aside and stormed into a Gate.

Hanseo took a quick peek at the situation in the living room and closed the bedroom door.

“Yes, he doesn’t seem to be in a very good mood.”

—Sigh, I figured as much.

From the very day after blocking Gu Jeyi’s Gate entry, Pyo Myeongho had been contacting Hanseo. It was to check on Gu Jeyi’s condition. He was likely afraid of what Gu Jeyi might do if he checked in person.

Pyo Myeongho seemed disappointed by Hanseo’s words that there was still no significant change.

—It’s rare for an Esper to reject guiding, but it’s not without precedent. You’ve treated him appropriately, Hanseo. Once the bond between the Esper and Guide deepens, the rejection reaction will naturally disappear.

“But I don’t think it’s going very well.”

It wasn’t that there was no effect at all, but the speed was too slow. At this rate, it was impossible to estimate when they would reach the target value.

Pyo Myeongho’s goal was to stabilize the figure on Gu Jeyi’s watch to below 50%. However, Hanseo’s goal went further than that: to cure Gu Jeyi’s human mysophobia itself. It wasn’t a baseless thought. In his past life, Gu Jeyi had actually touched Hanseo directly. Since he knew it could be fixed, there was no reason not to try.

But perhaps it was time to start thinking differently. Hanseo clicked his tongue inwardly. Gu Jeyi was still defensive and found it difficult even to hold hands for guiding. He recalled and reflected on his hazy memories of the past, but he couldn’t remember for what reason Gu Jeyi had changed.

Do I really have to use “that method”?

—It’s okay. It’s only the third day. Let’s not be too impatient and take it slow.

“But is it really okay? If I keep blocking hyung from entering the Gates…”

—Of course! Who do you think I am? You don’t have to worry about anything, Hanseo. I can block him for another month like this. Probably.

It would have been better if he hadn’t added that last part. It seemed his honest thoughts slipped out, as even Pyo Myeongho couldn’t be completely certain. After all, it wasn’t just Gu Jeyi who was the problem; the pressure the Center put on Pyo Myeongho would be at a level that couldn’t be ignored.

Even so, Pyo Myeongho chose to withstand all that pressure. It was solely for Gu Jeyi’s sake.

—Jeyi has lived in an unstable state for so long that he’s become accustomed to it. He looks very smart on the outside, but he’s actually a fool who doesn’t even know when he’s hurting. He doesn’t realize how bad his condition is.

To be honest, Hanseo couldn’t really empathize with Pyo Myeongho’s words.

From what Hanseo knew, the moment an Esper’s wavelength instability exceeds 50%, they suffer from immense pain. That was likely why Pyo Myeongho deliberately set that figure as the standard.

However, neither in his past life nor now did Gu Jeyi seem to be in a state of particular suffering. His expression was always calm, and his actions were bold. If Gu Jeyi were in such a broken state as Pyo Myeongho said, how could he have gone around conquering Gates in the first place?

Gu Jeyi was an S-rank Esper with multiple abilities. There was no one else like him in this world. So, it wasn’t strange if his standards were different from others. An S-rank Esper probably felt less pain than others even if their wavelength was a bit unstable.

But Pyo Myeongho didn’t seem to think so and worried about Gu Jeyi the whole time. To Hanseo’s ears, it was completely useless worry.

—Still, I’m glad you’re here, Hanseo. It must be hard, but I’m counting on you.

Only after the long session of worrying ended did Pyo Myeongho finally seem inclined to end the call. Hanseo felt inward relief while answering sincerely so as not to deviate from his assigned role.

“Yes, I’ll do my best.”

—Thank you so much, Hanseo.

“…”

Hanseo stared blankly at the disconnected phone. He suddenly wondered. What does it feel like to have family who worries about you like this?

But I’ll never know the answer to that.

Hanseo put his phone in his pocket and left the bedroom. Gu Jeyi, who was still sitting on the sofa, looked at him as Hanseo came out of the room.

“It was Director Pyo. He said he worries about hyung a lot.”

To an Esper of Gu Jeyi’s level, a phone call made inside the room would have sounded as if it were being spoken right next to him. Since he’d get caught anyway, it was better to confess in advance.

“He seems to have rambled on with useless things, but you don’t need to pay it any mind. It’s better to take what he says with a grain of salt, so keep that in mind.”

“The Director does that because he worries about hyung.”

“It’s useless worry.”

“I’m envious.”

The words came out before he knew it. Hanseo was surprised by what he had blurted out and stopped talking for a moment. However, since Gu Jeyi was looking at him as if waiting for the next words, he had no choice but to continue.

“…That you have family who worries about you like this. So, what I want to say is, please don’t torment the Director too much. Do you know how bad the Director’s voice sounds lately? It feels like he’s aged ten more years. Ah, I should take my medicine!”

Hanseo acted busy for no reason and pulled out a packet of medicine. It was painkiller he had received from the hospital. However, trying to take out and tear the packet with one hand wasn’t working well.

It was then. The packet tore open on its own, and even a cup filled with water was placed on the dining table in front of Hanseo.

“Thank you.”

Hanseo was once again envious of Gu Jeyi.

It would have been nice if my ability were psychokinesis too.

Gu Jeyi’s psychokinesis was in Hanseo’s top two most wanted special abilities because it was so versatile and convenient. On the other hand, his own ability was not very useful, and if used carelessly, he would immediately become a criminal.

Even Gu Jeyi’s other abilities were more useful than Hanseo’s.

No, wait. It’s not that it has no use at all.

The guiding conducted that day also failed to bring about any significant change. Gu Jeyi’s figure still remained at 60%.

And Hanseo made a decision.

That night.

Hanseo, who had entered the bathroom, stood before the sink. His face was reflected in the clean mirror.

Hanseo let out a sigh.

“Haa, to think I have to go this far.”

If there were any other way, no matter how difficult, he would have chosen it. But what could he do when no better idea came to mind, no matter how much he racked his brain?

The Gu Jeyi of his past life, like the Gu Jeyi of now, never took off his gloves in front of Hanseo at first. But from a certain point, he was barehanded and had no particular hesitation in touching Hanseo.

The answer must be in his memories.

The problem was that no matter how much he thought and tapped his head, he couldn’t remember what caused it. Some events from that summer five years ago were very clear, while others were so hazy that it felt like peering into a movie playing on a broken film strip.

Hanseo admitted it. With his memory, it was impossible to clearly remember things from five years ago.

Therefore, he eventually had no choice but to choose this method.

“Ehu…”

Hanseo looked at himself in the mirror.

Perhaps because he didn’t have a hobby of looking in the mirror, his own face felt quite foreign.

The man in the mirror looked innocent and harmless, like a boy who knew nothing. The eyes played the most important role in creating that impression. His light brown eyes were like the glass marbles children play with. They were so clean and clear that it felt as if his inner self were being revealed—even if that wasn’t actually the case.

But in the next moment, as if someone had dropped red ink, his eyes gradually darkened and turned into a ruby-like red. Though only the eye color had changed, his entire impression seemed to have transformed.

The man with red eyes opened his mouth.

“‘From now on, every time you fall asleep, you will dream.’”

When he had first awakened, Baekgu didn’t know exactly what his ability was. He only found out later when the Cult Leader told him what people called his ability.

“‘A dream about what happened in the summer you met Gu Jeyi, five years ago.’”

Baekgu’s ability was mental manipulation.

He could dominate the target’s mind and control them as he wished.

And that target included himself.