By Zephyria 
Vasily came out into the living room, showing interest in the news report. I gestured toward the screen with my chin and asked,
“Are you really not going to stop it?”
With a single word from Vasily, the articles would be taken down and the news would stop mentioning his name. Since Vasily hated public attention, that would be better for him too; I couldn’t understand why he hadn’t changed his mind even after seeing this mess.
Because Vasily had responded lukewarmly, the internet was currently in an uproar. Since the association wasn’t restricting the reports, the media—whose mouths had been shut regarding Vasily until now—were churning out articles as if their fingers were on fire.
The number of articles posted today alone was probably similar to the total amount of reporting on Vasily up until now. From here on, the number would only increase as speculative articles began to run rampant.
“As I said before, I have no reason to stop it.”
“Sigh…”
I let out a long sigh upon hearing his answer.
At any rate, it was very clear that he had no intention of resolving this situation. Reporters would likely be swarming the neighborhood soon, so I’d have to refrain from going outside for a while.
Setting aside the talk about the dating rumors, I recalled the request for cooperation in the Gate conquest that I had seen in my private room and spoke up.
“Looking at the schedule, a Gate conquest is set for tomorrow. When do you plan to leave?”
“I intend to leave first thing in the morning. I’ll go alone, so Guide Kwon Gi-dam-ssi, you should rest at home.”
I tilted my head, puzzled by his words.
“Is it alright for you to go alone?”
He had accompanied me every single time we went to a Gate, even waking me up to bring me along, so what on earth had prompted this change of heart?
I looked at him with suspicious eyes to gauge his ulterior motive, but Vasily spoke calmly.
“It seems Guide Kwon Gi-dam-ssi has a tendency to act like an Esper whenever he’s on-site. I can’t keep an eye on you while I’m inside the Gate… and I can’t exactly take you inside the Gate with me, so it’s better if I go alone.”
“….”
Recalling what had happened at the Gate a few days ago, I quietly avoided his gaze and shut my mouth.
As for me, not going to the Gate was fine. It was obvious that I would be stressed every time I walked around with Vasily because of those ridiculous dating rumors, so this actually worked out well.
The fact that I didn’t have to worry about the attention pouring in at the site was a relief. One less thing to worry about.
“Don’t even think about coming near the site in the future. Got it?”
“I will certainly do that.”
For once, Vasily and I were in agreement. Even if Vasily were to call me to a Gate, I now had an excuse to refuse.
“By the way…”
Vasily looked down at me, trailing off.
“Did you drink?”
He spoke with a slight furrow in his brow. Come to think of it, my face had been flushing for a while, and the effects of the alcohol seemed to be rising.
Even if I tried to deny it, I’d be found out immediately because of the faint scent of whiskey leaking out. I nodded honestly in affirmation.
“Yes. I drank some of the whiskey from the cupboard.”
His silver-grey eyes gazed down at me blankly.
Then, he stepped closer to me. I tensed up, not knowing what he was about to do, when his hands slid under my armpits.
“…What are you doing?”
My body was lifted dangling into the air. I looked at him with bewildered eyes and struggled.
“I don’t particularly enjoy conversing with drunks.”
“I’m not drunk.”
“Shall I show you a mirror?”
I tried to put strength into my body to escape Vasily’s grip, but it was such a feeble resistance that it barely made a dent, so I quickly gave up.
The lack of strength in my body was probably because I was tired. It was all because I had lost sleep due to that strange dream. Being held like a pendant in his hands felt pathetic, but since too many things had happened since morning, I didn’t even have the energy to resist.
Vasily carried me lightly to my room and set me down on the bed.
As soon as his hands left me, heat flared up inside my body. It had been fine while Vasily’s cool hands were touching me, but the alcohol seemed to hit me belatedly. Perhaps because I had poured down high-proof liquor, my insides felt as hot as if they were burning.
The cool air from the conditioner couldn’t soothe the boiling sensation inside. I felt as though the heat would only subside if I borrowed Vasily’s cold wavelength.
“Then, sleep well.”
I grabbed the arm of Vasily, who was turning his back to leave. When I held him firmly in place, Vasily finally looked back at me.
“Um… do you not need guiding?”
“I received some this afternoon, so I’m fine.”
This isn’t how it was supposed to go…
I looked at Vasily, swallowing my frustration. Vasily had slept soundly all afternoon after falling asleep while receiving guiding. It would be difficult to coax the words “I need guiding” out of his mouth under normal circumstances.
I suppose I’m the one who has to compromise since I’m the one who wants it.
“You received one less session of guiding last week, so I’ll do it for you today. You’re going to a Gate tomorrow, after all.”
“If that’s the case.”
Vasily readily accepted my proposal and took off his jacket.
Soon after, Vasily climbed under the covers. Unlike when we did guiding in his room, he was wearing clothes, which felt a bit unfamiliar.
Come to think of it, this must be the first time we’ve done guiding in my room, yet for some reason, this situation felt strangely familiar. As I chewed over the sense of incongruity, I realized it was exactly the same as the dream I had today.
The image of Vasily climbing onto the bed overlapped with the scene I had seen in the dream. Unconsciously, my body stiffened slightly.
Slowly hugging back the body that Vasily had wrapped around me, I murmured,
“You’re warmer than usual today.”
“Ah, it’s probably because I drank.”
“Maybe that’s why your wavelength is more fluid than usual, too.”
“….”
Vasily buried his face in the crook of my neck and let out a satisfied breath.
“This isn’t bad in its own way. Do you have any intention of drinking often in the future? I’ll get you as much whiskey as you want.”
He’s talking nonsense.
Normally, I would have cut off such nonsense instantly, but today, his low, resonating voice tickled my ears in a particular way. I tossed and turned, turning my back to him.
“Stop saying strange things and just quietly receive the guiding. My head is throbbing.”
A low chuckle was heard above my head. I buried my burning ear tips into the pillow and closed my eyes, pretending everything was normal.
* * *
“Ugh…”
I woke up feeling a headache as if my head were splitting in two.
Since I couldn’t tell if the cause was a hangover or the guiding with Vasily, I first popped a pill on an empty stomach.
Seeing as it didn’t subside even after a long time, it seemed it was indeed a hangover. After groaning in bed, ordering a hangover soup, and wasting the entire morning, the headache finally subsided.
Now, shall I slowly start my day?
The house was quiet, as Vasily seemed to have left for the Gate. Now that Vasily was away was my chance to act freely.
There were many things I had postponed. I had to buy necessary items and bring over the luggage I had left at my previous place. I also had to make courtesy calls to my family, who must have been shocked after seeing those strange dating rumors.
Just as I was about to contact my family, a call suddenly came in.
“Is it the association?”
It was an unsaved number, but seeing that the beginning of the number was familiar, it was definitely a call from the association. There was no reason for them to call me, but I pressed the accept button anyway.
“Hello.”
Guide Kwon Gi-dam-ssi?
“Yes. That’s correct.”
As soon as I answered, an urgent voice was heard from the other end.
By any chance, are you at home right now?
“I am at Esper Vasily’s house.”
An association vehicle should be waiting on the first floor. Can you get ready and come down immediately?
What on earth is happening? Confused and unable to figure out why the association was looking for me, I asked,
“What is the matter?”
Well… Esper Vasily…
As soon as Vasily’s name came up, I pressed my hand to my forehead. Even without hearing the details, I could tell he had caused some kind of accident.
He had insisted so strongly that I shouldn’t follow him to the Gate, so I wondered what he had done to get me summoned the very next day.
Did reporters swarm the area near the Gate? Since it would be difficult to silence things if Vasily harmed a civilian, I opened the wardrobe to prepare to go out. However, my hand stopped as it was about to pull out clothes due to what followed on the other end of the phone.
Esper Vasily suddenly attacked an Esper who came from China. We think you need to come and stop him before the situation worsens.
Why is that Esper appearing here?