By Zephyria 
“How is it?”
“……It feels refreshing.”
When I couldn’t deny it, Vasily gave a slight, eye-curving smile and continued.
“I applied for designated guiding, but I think receiving guiding would be too much for you right now…… and since I owe you for everything you’ve done, I’ll be the one serving today.”
Vasily tempted me with an offer I couldn’t refuse. I’d be off work soon anyway; pretending to guide Vasily one last time while actually getting some rest…… might not be so bad.
I returned to my seat, accepted Vasily’s application for designated guiding, and entered the guiding room with him. Vasily truly didn’t demand any guiding from me; instead, he placed his hand on my forehead and quietly cooled my fever.
Is this what they call giving the disease and then the medicine?
Still, as the fever subsided, I felt like I could breathe again. Lying on the cot in that state, my eyes drifted shut before I knew it.
I thought I had only closed my eyes for a moment, but when I woke up, it was dark outside.
I can’t believe it’s 9 PM.
“……If it was past clock-out time, you should have woken me up.”
“Guide Kwon Gi-dam was sleeping so soundly that I felt bad waking you.”
“Doesn’t Esper Vasily go home?”
“The concept of ‘going home’ doesn’t exist for S-Class Espers. We’re in a position where we have to run out the moment we’re called.”
“…….”
I had just heard a fact I already knew once more from Vasily’s own mouth. That didn’t just apply to Vasily. The fact that it had even applied to me, who had been Vasily’s Guide. Perhaps that’s why, after regressing and getting a proper job, I’ve become obsessed with clock-out time.
Regardless, my body felt lighter after the nap. Though I would need to cool down the suppression chip, which had become scorching hot due to the contact with Vasily.
“I’ll be heading back now.”
“Want a ride?”
“I won’t decline.”
Is it okay to use the famous Esper Vasily as a chauffeur? I felt a slight prick of conscience.
As soon as I climbed into Vasily’s foreign car, I closed my eyes. Normally, I would have been tense, reading Vasily’s mood and trying not to upset him, but right now, I was too sick to care about such things.
The moment I got into the car, I started shivering. I thought I was getting better for a moment, but it seemed a full-blown cold and body ache were finally catching up to me. I pressed my hand firmly against my throbbing head.
“You don’t look well. Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’ll be fine once I rest.”
“Then get home safely.”
Upon arriving home, I gave Vasily a polite nod and stepped out of the car. It was just as I was about to enter my house, listening to the receding sound of the engine.
“Are you Guide Kwon Gi-dam?”
Hearing a presence, I turned around to see two men walking out from the end of the alley. Did the association send them? But it was strange for them to suddenly show up in the middle of the night without any prior contact……
Puzzled, I nodded.
“Yes, I am Kwon Gi-dam, but……”
“You’ll have to come with us for a moment.”
The men naturally stepped up to either side of me. At the edge of my vision, I saw a black van parked on one side of the alley.
As they showed signs of trying to take me, a sudden sense of alarm flared. Unlike the men heading toward the car, I stepped backward and asked.
“Are you from the association? If you are association employees, I believe it’s only right that you provide your business cards first.”
“…….”
The men fell silent.
A long silence followed. As I thought, something was wrong. Of all times, it had to happen when I was in this condition……
Backing away slowly, I suddenly turned and bolted. I stomped my feet to flee, but my leg sank deep into the cement. Damn it, were they Espers! I tried to pull my body out, but my leg wouldn’t budge.
“Police…… mmpf!”
“It would be better if you just followed us quietly…… Aagh!”
The moment I tried to call for help, a rough hand covered my mouth. When I sank my teeth into the hand, the man let out a short scream and threw me to the ground.
Along with a throbbing sensation, my head pulsed with pain. My vision wavered, perhaps due to the fever, but I managed to stand up again.
The men tried to grab the staggering me and drag me toward the car. Even in my fading consciousness, I resisted violently, but resisting Espers in the worst possible physical condition was not easy.
I think I managed to kick one of them while struggling. However, another one took advantage of the opening and struck me hard on the nape of my neck. With a thud, my movements stopped.
“Ugh……”
The world spun before my eyes.
I’m not the type to collapse from a hit like this…… it must be the fever. Or perhaps because I was hit near where the suppression chip is implanted.
My vision turned black. Thump. With the sound of my body collapsing, I lost consciousness.
* * *
I slowly opened my eyes, feeling a throbbing pain in the nape of my neck.
I focused my blurred vision to assess the situation. I was lying on a damp, moist floor. A faint, musty smell of mold drifted past my nose from somewhere.
After blinking a few times, I could finally see the interior clearly. It looked as though people hadn’t visited in a long time; the place was filled with dust and broken furniture.
Come to think of it, I was hit on the neck. I tried to check if the suppression chip was intact, but my hands and feet were tied, leaving me unable to move. And standing before me were two men who appeared to be the kidnappers.
Fuck, seriously…… not a single day goes by peacefully.
I saw the kidnappers talking. In their hands were my association employee ID and my Guide registration card. They whispered while looking at the rank written on the Guide registration card.
“This Guide is C-Class? Is he really Vasily’s Guide?”
“I told you he is! According to the rumors going around lately, it’s certain!”
Ha…… I get the gist of the situation. They mistook me for Vasily’s Guide. Vasily is the kind of person who makes so many enemies that it wouldn’t be strange for something like this to happen at any time.
The strength drained from my body. I lay there helplessly, staring blankly at the ceiling.
‘……This is my first time being kidnapped.’
In the past, I could never leave Vasily’s side for a single moment, so I never had the chance to be kidnapped. After regressing, I’m really experiencing everything. It feels like a lie that this is all because of Vasily. Whether before or after death, he really was a man who brought nothing but trouble to my life.
First, let’s clear up the misunderstanding.
“I’m sorry, but I am not Vasily’s Guide.”
I spoke while still lying on the floor. The men, who were still arguing over whether I was Vasily’s Guide, turned their heads to look at me upon hearing my voice.
“He occasionally applied for designated guiding, so I had no choice but to guide him, but I am just an ordinary temporary Guide……”
“See! He said he guided that crazy bastard!”
“Is he really Vasily’s Guide……”
“…….”
Why is the conclusion turning out like that?
The men seemed to have already convinced themselves that I was Vasily’s Guide. It felt like no matter how much I explained, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference. How did Vasily get entangled with idiots like this…… Sigh……
“Hey, you know Vasily’s phone number, right?”
One of the men crouched in front of me and asked. Recalling Vasily’s number saved in my contacts, I nodded reluctantly.
“……It’s saved in my smartphone.”
The man grinned. His eyes seemed to say, ‘And you still claim you’re not Vasily’s Guide?’ A faint desire to make excuses reared its head, but it quickly vanished.
The men used my fingerprint to unlock the smartphone. After searching through the contacts for a moment, they seemed to have found Vasily’s number and began to place a call.
……Will Vasily answer?
It was dawn. Since it was a time when he was usually very sensitive, there was a high possibility he wouldn’t answer. However, contrary to my worries, after a few short rings, Vasily answered immediately.
Guide Kwon Gi-dam? You’re actually calling me first, what’s going on?
Vasily’s voice, sounding pleased, flowed from the smartphone. The kidnapper thrust the phone in front of me as if telling me to hurry up and ask Vasily for help.
Hmm…… I have to drag Vasily’s mood down to the floor now, but I hesitated for a moment, not knowing how to bring it up.
“Esper Vasily. The thing is……”
“Vasily! We have your Guide!”
Just as I was trying to bring it up carefully, the kidnapper, apparently frustrated by me, cut me off and shouted.
A typical kidnapper’s line. I’m a little grateful he said what I was going to say. Now, I’ll wait and see how Vasily reacts……
…….
A long silence followed over the phone. What is it? Did he hang up thinking it was a prank call? Puzzled, I checked the screen, but the call indicator was still active.