By Zephyria 
Although I am currently a C-Class Guide due to the side effects of the suppression chip, I am originally an S-Class Guide. Once I go abroad and become affiliated with a foreign association, Vasily won’t be able to do anything to me.
Furthermore, if I sign a contract with another S-class Esper, it will be even harder for him to touch me. Adapting to a foreign country might be a bit difficult, but the treatment will be better than in Korea, so it won’t be a problem.
I headed straight to the Guide Association, left my resignation letter on the team leader’s desk, and then moved to the airport. The team leader wouldn’t check the resignation until Monday after the weekend, but I didn’t have time to deliver it in person.
Just in case, I arrived at the airport wearing a mask and a hat.
I checked the flight schedule to find the earliest plane I could leave on. However, because I had taken a late-night bus and arrived at the airport at dawn, most of the flights had already departed.
“A 7 o’clock flight to Vancouver…”
I found a flight that allowed immediate entry, but the downside was that I had to wait longer than I expected.
Surely Vasily wouldn’t chase after me? I had confirmed he was asleep before leaving, so I wasn’t worried for the moment, but there was no telling when he would wake up and look for me.
Recalling how Vasily didn’t wake up easily once he fell asleep, I prayed. Please, let Vasily sleep soundly until tomorrow morning.
Fortunately, there were no problems until the sun rose. When the time came, I completed all the baggage procedures, boarded the flight to Vancouver, and waited for takeoff.
Sigh… Sitting in business class and looking at the bright sky, I finally let my tension relax.
Settling in an unfamiliar land would be hard, but it would be better than being by Vasily’s side. Fortunately, thanks to traveling abroad with Vasily occasionally, I knew the atmosphere of foreign associations to some extent.
As soon as I arrive in Vancouver, I can go to the nearest association, remove the suppression chip, and get a grade test. I’ll also request protection…
Feeling relieved in my business class seat, I closed my eyes with my mask and hat off, but I felt the cabin gradually becoming noisy.
Is there a problem with the plane?
Sensing something strange, I looked around to find the passengers buzzing.
Then, someone entered the plane.
That familiar silhouette is definitely…
“It’s Esper Vasily!”
At someone’s shout, the plane instantly became chaotic. People who recognized his identity were staring at Vasily with eyes full of admiration. Amidst them, Vasily spotted me—the only one frozen with a pale face—and approached me with a smirk.
“H-how did you…”
“I came to find my Guide who ran away from home.”
Vasily pulled me up. I tried to resist and stay seated, but I was forced to my feet.
“Sorry for the commotion. This person is my Guide.”
“What do you mean… Why am I your Guide, Esper-nim!”
“If you don’t follow me quietly, I’ll freeze you and take you back.”
Vasily whispered quietly, as if threatening me. But this time, I had no intention of backing down.
“I… I don’t want to go.”
“…”
“I’d rather you freeze me.”
Saying this was half a gamble. Vasily wouldn’t want the Guide he had finally found to be damaged. No matter how much I rejected him and resisted, he wouldn’t actually be able to freeze me.
As I expected, the corners of Vasily’s eyes twitched slightly. His expression turned cold, and he looked down at me quietly with eyes devoid of laughter. My body stiffened further at the eerie atmosphere.
A chilling cold radiated from him.
“In that case, I’ll change my terms. How about I freeze one person on this plane every time Guide Kwon Gi-dam-ssi stalls for time?”
“…!”
“First…”
As if he were truly about to put those words into action, Vasily’s gaze shifted toward the passengers sitting on the plane. Horrified, I stepped in front of him.
“Wait…”
Vasily is a lunatic who actually does what he says. If I didn’t stop him, he might really freeze the passengers who were looking at him with sparkling eyes one by one. If that happened, the cabin would instantly become a scene of carnage. And it would be because I said I wouldn’t follow him.
I hurriedly grabbed him and spoke.
“I’ll go.”
“Good choice.”
I bit my lip hard as I looked at Vasily, who answered as if he had known I would. He had already realized that if he put people’s lives on the line, I wouldn’t be able to refuse.
I stood up like a dead person and followed him off the plane.
“E-Esper Vasily. This is problematic…”
As we stepped off the plane, I saw security guards in front of us, not knowing what to do. Did he force his way through the security checkpoint? That’s why it was so noisy. As he brushed past the security guards, he spoke.
“Don’t worry. My business here is finished.”
“…”
We passed through the departure hall again and went outside. I could see traces of the commotion Vasily had caused—frozen walkways and large chunks of ice. Airport staff were controlling the area and driving away people taking photos. Despite turning the airport upside down, Vasily left the airport building without taking any responsibility.
“…”
Getting into Vasily’s car, I kept my head low and bit my lip. The fists resting on my lap were trembling violently.
In the terrible silence, it was Vasily who spoke first.
“Were you trying to flee abroad?”
“…”
“Why did you do that… I thought I treated you quite well.”
I kept my mouth shut and refused to answer.
“Aren’t you going to speak?”
“…”
“Well, it doesn’t matter. You’ve come back anyway.”
A smile didn’t leave Vasily’s lips, as if he were in a good mood. On the other hand, I looked like I was nearly dying.
Arriving at Vasily’s private room, I sat on the sofa facing him. On the table, the resignation letter I had left on the team leader’s desk was placed neatly.
I sat there, so nervous that my fingertips were trembling, while Vasily looked at me leisurely, as if admiring me. A glass of warm water Vasily had offered to help me relax sat in front of me, but right now, not even a sip of water could go down my throat.
Vasily rummaged through my bag, pulled out a medicine envelope, and poured its contents onto the table without a word.
Clatter. I flinched at the sight of red pills wrapped in aluminum pouring out. Seeing this, Vasily curled the corners of his mouth slightly, as if intrigued.
“I wondered why you were so wary of me. We’ve only just met. To think it was for this reason…”
Vasily picked up one pill and toyed with it. The red pill rolled around in his hand, which was white enough to be pale.
“First, it would be best to get rid of that thing in your neck. I’ve already contacted my exclusive doctor, so they should be preparing for surgery now. We’ll leave once I get word that preparations are complete.”
“…”
“On Monday, we’ll conduct the matching rate test again and announce the results. To think my Guide was in such a small country. I really made the right choice coming to Korea.”
Vasily listed his future plans one by one. He seemed exceptionally happy, which was rare. It made sense. Having found a Guide who could withstand his wavelength and discovering that the matching rate was high, he must feel as if every problem he’s ever faced in his life has been solved.
However.
“I refuse.”
Even in this situation, I didn’t want to accept it obediently. I had no intention of giving up my struggle.
Vasily looked at me, still refusing to become his Guide, and spoke.
“Guide Kwon Gi-dam-ssi has no choice… what should I do?”
Vasily’s voice contained a faint irritation, as if he were slightly annoyed.
“If you forcibly make me your exclusive, I will have no choice but to become your dedicated Guide.”
“You understand well.”
“But I will continue to try and escape, just like I did today. Is that what you want?”
“…”
After a short silence, he spoke again.
“What is it that you want?”
Vasily asked, crossing his legs and tilting his head. His attitude was as if he were willing to hear me out.
“Let’s write a contract.”
I needed a minimum amount of insurance. Because Vasily might drag me into a Gate like before, or treat me carelessly like a consumable.
“A contract? Are you joking?”
Of course, he didn’t seem to like the idea. For a moment, as if forgetting to manage his expression, a cold face without the mask flashed by.
Quickly regaining his composure, Vasily tilted his head in a crooked posture.
“I’ll hear you out.”
Since I didn’t budge on my opinion, Vasily eventually stepped back.
“First, I will absolutely not enter a Gate.”
“…”
I swallowed hard and watched Vasily’s reaction. Perhaps it wasn’t the condition he expected, as Vasily asked back in confusion.
“Why did you think of that? Isn’t it natural for a Guide not to enter a Gate?”
It’s because you didn’t follow that ‘natural’ rule!
I barely managed to answer without cursing.
“I want to make it clear, just in case.”
“We’ll do that. Next?”