By Zephyria 
An Esper as famous as Vasily enjoys celebrity-level popularity. Perhaps because it is well-known that Vasily dislikes excessive attention, few people approach him easily, but I can almost hear the clicking sounds of cameras already.
Since Vasily hates noise, it would be best to buy the sandwiches and head back quickly before he gets in a bad mood and freezes everything around him.
I arrived at the sandwich shop just in time. As I stepped inside to avoid the stares, the customers and staff widened their eyes upon seeing Vasily following me. I felt unexpectedly sorry for the employee as the atmosphere became noisy in an instant.
I should order quickly and leave. Scanning the menu, I asked.
“I’m going to have the bulgogi sandwich. What would you like, Esper?”
“Hmm…”
“Esper Vasily, I think the tuna sandwich will suit your taste.”
I spoke bluntly and indifferently. He’s probably never been to a shop like this, and he’s certainly never bought a sandwich to eat. I placed the order, customizing it roughly to fit his palate.
After finishing the payment, I turned around to find Vasily staring at me silently.
“…Do you have something to say?”
“No.”
Vasily just gave a vague smile. What is it… I thought I ordered according to his taste, was there something he didn’t like?
Lost in thought, I shook my head, remembering that the order was already placed. I led Vasily to a corner seat in the shop to wait for the sandwiches. Vasily seemed a bit sensitive as the people in the shop kept glancing at him.
Looking at him, I spoke quietly.
“You’re someone who hates crowds, so why did you follow me?”
“Because if I didn’t, you would have run away.”
“…”
How did he know?
To be honest, I had briefly considered taking a half-day off and fleeing. Feeling incredibly guilty, I averted my gaze as if nothing were wrong.
Fortunately, the sandwiches came out quickly. Carrying the packaged sandwiches, we headed toward Vasily’s private room.
Sitting opposite each other on the sofa, we each took out a sandwich. The sandwich in Vasily’s hand looked as small as a triangular kimbap.
How are a person’s hands that big? In the past, I would flinch just looking at his hands, but seeing him hold a sandwich makes them feel less threatening.
Glancing at Vasily’s hand, I took a bite of my sandwich.
I had visited this place because I remembered the shop was still there six years later, and as expected, since it had survived in the commercial district in front of the association for six years, the taste was quite decent. The bulgogi seasoning was rich, and I especially liked that it had a lot of garlic.
“Is the sandwich to your liking?”
“Yes, it’s edible.”
Vasily ate his sandwich cleanly, without a single crumb on his lips. Because he was the one eating it, an ordinary sandwich looked like gourmet food.
Looking at Vasily, the word ‘aristocrat’ came to mind. He had a polished appearance, looked gentlemanly when he kept his mouth shut… and with his height and the way suits fit him, he was exactly like a nobleman.
Vasily looked at me silently, then suddenly pulled my arm—the one holding the sandwich.
“…?”
Not knowing what he was trying to do, I let my arm be pulled, and Vasily brought the sandwich in my hand straight to his own mouth.
Chomp. He took a big bite.
“Wha—what are you…”
“Hmm…”
However, after chewing a few times, Vasily’s expression gradually turned strange. Ah, is it because of the garlic? Or the soybean paste in the bulgogi seasoning?
“No, that’s why I ordered the tuna sandwich for you…”
He doesn’t even like Korean food, so there’s no way a bulgogi sandwich would suit his taste. That’s why I intentionally recommended the tuna sandwich…
Seeing Vasily chewing the sandwich with a reluctant expression, I burst out laughing involuntarily. It wasn’t even that funny, but a mindless laugh escaped me.
Remembering that Vasily was right in front of me, I tried my best to stifle the laughter, but it took some time. When the laughter stopped, I saw Vasily staring intently at me.
Feeling the atmosphere turn strange, I hurried to finish the rest of my sandwich and stood up.
I checked the time. There was still a bit of lunch break left. Now I should return to the Guide Association and prepare for the guiding scheduled for the afternoon.
“I’ll be going now.”
“Is that so? Then let’s go together.”
I had eaten lunch here specifically so he would stay quietly in his private room instead of following me, but as soon as I stood up to leave, Vasily stood up as well.
“Are you following me again?”
“Yes.”
“…Then at least change your clothes. People are frightened by those bloodstains.”
“Hmm… alright. Will you wait a moment?”
I watched Vasily walk toward the wardrobe where spare suits were hanging, then quietly looked away. I didn’t think the Espers would stop running away just because he changed out of a blood-stained suit… but at least it might soften the eerie atmosphere.
In the end, I returned to the guiding room with Vasily trailing behind me.
The same scene unfolded during the temporary guiding in the afternoon as it had in the morning. The Espers entering the guiding room all closed the door and left as if nothing had happened the moment they locked eyes with Vasily.
Deciding this couldn’t go on, I made a serious request to Vasily.
“Esper Vasily. At this rate, there will be problems with my work. Could you please go back now?”
“I don’t want to.”
“…If you keep acting like this, I’ll have no choice but to call the security team for interference with business.”
“Go ahead and call them.”
Vasily replied, nonchalantly curling the corners of his lips. I was speechless at his brazen attitude, as if daring me to try.
I didn’t want to go this far… With a deep sigh, I reached for the call button on the wall. I hesitated for a moment, but feeling that this was the only way, I pressed the button.
Even after seeing me press the button, Vasily still seemed unfazed. I stared at him with a complicated expression.
After a short wait, armed security team Espers opened the guiding room door and entered. I welcomed them with a deliberately glad expression.
“…Thank you for your hard work.”
However, the security Espers entering the guiding room paused upon discovering Vasily, then quietly closed the door and left.
You guys are supposed to actually do something! I screamed in a silent outcry, but the firmly closed door never opened again.
“They left.”
“…Indeed they did.”
“What are you going to do now?”
“…I don’t know.”
I was now in a state of total despair. For starters, I knew that getting through today safely was out of the question. I was already overwhelmed thinking about what to write in the report since I hadn’t performed any guiding.
“…I’ll give you one hour of guiding, so take it and leave.”
“I didn’t come here for guiding.”
“Then why on earth are you doing this?”
“I told you, didn’t I? It’s a field trip.”
“…”
I closed my eyes tight. When he’s this stubborn, there’s nothing I can do.
“I’ll grant you one wish. Will that work?”
“Then, my Guide…”
“Excluding the request for me to become your Guide, and nothing too absurd.”
“Hmm… you’re picky.”
Vasily began to ponder, resting his chin on his hand. Fortunately, this worked a little.
“Go back to your private room and think about it slowly.”
I dragged the pondering Vasily out and kicked him out. Then, I closed the door.
Thud.
“Haa…”
Finally, peace had arrived. I should have done this sooner. I don’t know what Vasily will ask for, but the only thing I can do for him is guiding. Vasily probably knows that too, so it will likely end with him requesting guiding.
I nursed him when he came to me in a mess in the middle of the night, so I should be the one receiving gratitude, yet here I am giving a wish just to get him to leave. I wondered if this was right.
Now that I’ve kicked him out, I have to work.
After confirming that Vasily had disappeared from in front of the door, I called out.
“Esper number 31!”
* * *
I managed to guide two people during the remaining time. Now, clock-out time was approaching. While diligently writing the final report, I fell into deep thought.
Because of Vasily’s interference today, there weren’t many Espers who underwent guiding, so there wasn’t much to write. Instead, I was clutching my head, agonizing over what to write in the remarks section for the Espers who were driven away because of Vasily.
Should I write that Vasily chased them away? But Vasily had only sat there quietly; he didn’t directly do anything. Then, did they leave on their own? No, that might result in a disadvantage for the Espers.
“Uuuugh…”
My head throbbed. Eventually, I let go of the keyboard, went to the breakroom to take some medicine, and returned.
Despite the medicine, the headache didn’t subside easily. I felt like I was in worse condition than usual today.
Is it because of the medicine I took while guiding Vasily all night… I wonder if it’s okay to take it this often when I don’t even know the ingredients. I was told to take one pill a day, but whenever something happens to Vasily, I take three or four as a baseline…
While cooling my head for a moment, a notification popped up on the work system. My eyes narrowed. Is it Vasily?