By Zephyria 
It was unexpected that Vasily would try to hide my rank. I had naturally assumed he would announce both my rank and matching rate at once to make it public that he now had an official Guide.
Since I had previously been announced as a C-Class Guide alongside dating rumors, people would naturally assume I was C-Class. Vasily couldn’t have been unaware of that…
“Why are you doing this?”
“I don’t want other Espers taking an interest in what’s mine.”
As Vasily said, the higher a Guide’s rank, the more attention they tended to receive from Espers. I had experienced that quite often when accompanying Vasily.
Of course, Vasily had chased them all away every time… but since that process was never quiet, I hadn’t found those situations pleasant either. Therefore, I could understand his reasoning to some extent.
The Association Chairman nodded and added,
“It would be ideal to announce the rank together, but since the matching rate is what matters most, you don’t need to worry.”
The Chairman sounded slightly disappointed, but he didn’t let it show much. He likely guessed that my rank would soon be buried by the news of Vasily staying in Korea.
It had been the same before the regression. More attention had been poured into Vasily’s movements than the news that an S-class guide had appeared in Korea. So, hiding my rank wouldn’t be a major issue, but…
“Will you be alright?”
“With what?”
“Other Espers will mock you.”
Once the news spread that an S-class Esper had paired with a C-Class Guide, other Espers were bound to ridicule him. Even within the country, weren’t there two S-classes who picked fights the moment they met?
Since Vasily had traveled the world until now, other Espers who were on bad terms with him would hear the news and grate on his nerves from all directions.
“I don’t care. As long as they only bother me.”
It probably wasn’t something that could be dismissed so simply.
After exchanging a silent look with him, I abruptly stood up.
“Chairman, is there anything else you wish to say?”
“No. All negotiations are complete.”
“Then I shall take my leave.”
I signaled Vasily with my eyes, and he slowly rose. I left the Chairman’s office with Vasily trailing behind me.
“Guide Kwon Gi-dam-ssi, let’s step into the private room for a moment. There are some documents I need to collect.”
“Understood.”
I turned back from my habitual path toward the parking lot and headed to Vasily’s private room.
Whether he truly had come only for the documents, Vasily took an envelope from a drawer, checked the contents, and returned to the door. However, I remained standing, blocking the exit.
As I stood there with my head lowered, I felt his gaze settle on the crown of my head. Looking down at the black dress shoes stopped right in front of me, I murmured softly.
“I… I honestly don’t know what you’re thinking, Esper-nim.”
“Am I difficult for you?”
“…Yes.”
When I nodded honestly, a brief silence fell over the private room. He could have been offended by such a distancing answer, but Vasily spoke in his usual voice.
“You don’t have to think so complicatedly.”
A white, slender finger reached out and gently tilted my chin up. After slowly lifting my head, my eyes met Vasily’s.
“Do you think I treat you this way because Guide Kwon Gi-dam is S-Class?”
“That’s…”
Of course not. Vasily had clung to me persistently even when I was pretending to be a C-Class Guide. Furthermore, back when our matching rate was low, he had continued to approach me for the sole reason that I could endure contact with him for a long time.
“Rank doesn’t matter at all. I guarantee that even if the matching rate had been low, we would be spending our time exactly as we are now.”
The hand that had been slowly stroking my cheek moved to my ear, gently brushing back my hair. I ended up averting my gaze, feeling as though those deep silver-grey eyes were peering deep inside me.
Vasily leaned in, his lips coming so close they almost touched. Every single action he took toward me was as ticklish as if he were treating a lover, so I instinctively blocked his mouth.
“I-I’m a bit tired today… I’ll give you guiding next time.”
Even I could tell I was blatantly trying to avoid him.
As if dissatisfied with my attitude, his gaze darkened. Taking advantage of the moment before Vasily could grab me, I fled the private room, pretending not to notice the chilling stare fixed upon me.
* * *
I tossed and turned all night. It was probably because my mind was unsettled.
As soon as I stepped out of my room with a haggard face, I ran into Vasily walking from the opposite direction. It wasn’t particularly strange for him to be awake early in the morning, as he couldn’t sleep without guiding, but I asked curiously seeing him fully prepared to go out.
“Are you leaving?”
“The Association called me for a moment.”
“Ah, then I’ll get ready too.”
Just as I was about to return to my room, Vasily’s voice stopped me.
“Guide Kwon Gi-dam, you rest at home. I’ll go alone today.”
What? Vasily isn’t taking me with him?
I thought it was unusual, but I didn’t pry further and simply nodded. He was probably going to have a brief talk with someone from the Association regarding the matching rate announcement published yesterday evening.
“Then I’ll stay home.”
There would be plenty of reporters at the Association anyway, so I welcomed the chance to rest at home. I’ll just lie down comfortably all day today.
After waving Vasily off, I ate an early breakfast since I felt a bit peckish. Then, I sprawled out on the sofa and stared at the ceiling.
It was undoubtedly peaceful beyond measure, so why did it feel a bit boring?
I shook my head, believing it was just because I was unfamiliar with having a break after so long. Despite it being winter, lying under the sunlight brought a warm glow to my skin.
Thinking I might take a nap, I closed my eyes comfortably. But as my vision darkened, the image of Vasily’s back as he left the house floated in my mind.
‘I would have followed if he had asked me to come along…’
He acted as if he wouldn’t let me out of his sight for a second, yet his attitude changed in an instant. Is he sulking because I rejected the kiss yesterday? But if I hadn’t refused then, who knows what I might have done, swept up in that strange atmosphere.
“Ah… damn it.”
I bolted upright and ruffled my hair roughly.
Because the house is so quiet, useless thoughts keep popping up. To break the silence, I turned on the TV to see how the media was reacting to me.
As soon as the screen turned on, a news channel appeared. I expected it to be buzzing with the news that Vasily had found a Guide, but unexpected news greeted me.
Vasily is entering a Gate? And… an S-Class Gate?
The footage was broadcasting in real-time, showing Vasily preparing to enter the Gate exactly as he had looked when he left the house. I jumped up in shock.
“That bastard…”
He went to a Gate without even telling me?
Thinking I might be seeing things in my sleep, I checked again, but the content on the screen and the background of the news all pointed to the fact that Vasily was entering a Gate.
I told him not to take me into a Gate; who told him to hide the fact that he was going to one…
I hurriedly grabbed my coat and headed for the entrance. He hadn’t entered the Gate yet, so it wasn’t too late. If I left now, I could definitely arrive before Vasily entered the…
I frantically put on my shoes and placed my hand on the doorknob, then came to a dead stop.
“…What exactly would I do there? It’s not like I’m going to enter the Gate myself.”
I quietly took my hand off the doorknob and went back inside. I sat on the sofa, turned the news channel back on, and pressed my hand to my forehead.
Come to think of it, an S-Class Gate had opened around this time. With so many things happening recently, I had completely forgotten.
On the news, the announcer was introducing the personnel for this Gate conquest. Because the Gate that appeared this dawn was unstable, it seemed they had decided to deploy all three S-class Espers.
After brief introductions of the dozens of participants, an explanation began regarding the theory of how Gates are created. Expecting the content to remain boring, I briefly changed the channel.
On another channel, an expert was praising the S-class Espers, including Vasily, until their mouth ran dry. Not long ago, they were in an uproar saying Vasily should be exiled or held accountable for almost blowing up Seoul during a rampage, but as soon as an S-Class Gate opened, the negative public opinion vanished, and they were busy pushing Vasily into the Gate.