By Zephyria 
Was it because Jae-ha’s attitude had softened drastically after figuring out my identity? Embarrassment washed over me.
“…Huh?”
“Wouldn’t that be more comfortable for you too? ‘Yeon Yu-jin’ is an idol, after all. It must have felt uncomfortable, like wearing clothes that didn’t fit.”
“It was, but…”
It was hard to readily say that I would follow Jae-ha.
Why was that? Was it a guilty conscience? Because of the penalty for breaking the contract?
Unable to come to a conclusion, I shook my head.
“…I’ll think about it. But it’s impossible right now.”
At my clean rejection, Jae-ha made a dejected face.
“…Can I ask why?”
“It’s simple. I was confirmed as a C-Class Guide, but I made a deal with the Director of the Management Bureau regarding the intruder incident. It’s best not to give them anything to hold against me.”
Even though the purpose was to find the intruder, if I showed any signs of using the two authorities I had requested for other strange purposes, the Management Bureau could immediately cut me off and interrogate me.
It was the Management Bureau established for Ability Users, but it was a ruthless place for Ability Users who opposed them.
‘If they catch me contacting Jae-ha, the Management Bureau will immediately change their attitude.’
If I wasn’t careful, Hyeon Jae-ha and I, and even the people now involved as ‘Yeon Yu-jin,’ could be in danger.
‘And I could lose the valuable authority I gained in exchange for covering up the Management Bureau’s faults.’
Losing everything in vain and dying like a dog was absolutely out of the question in this life.
Jae-ha’s eyes flashed at the mention of the Management Bureau.
“…A deal? What kind of deal did you make with the Management Bureau?”
“Actually…”
When I told him about the trouble I had at the Ability Measurement Center and how I had obtained two authorities in exchange for turning a blind eye to it, Jae-ha’s face hardened. As if he would explode if touched.
“…So, that’s what happened.”
My heart clenched at the serious expression I hadn’t seen even after becoming Yeon Yu-jin. Maybe it was because he was handsome, but even his face filled with terrifying animosity wasn’t bad.
‘What is it? Jae-ha, that guy… I felt it even when he rushed at me like he was going to kill me without knowing my identity, but could he even make that kind of expression?’
The Hyeon Jae-ha I remembered was always smiling brightly in front of me, so this change was just surprising.
Of course, after being chased by the government for 20 years, it was understandable. It would be stranger if his temper hadn’t gotten worse.
I glanced sideways at Jae-ha, who was silently propping his chin up and thinking deeply about something, and worried.
…Is it because of the Management Bureau? Or did I make the deal too clumsily?
‘Was two authorities not enough? Should I have worked my mouth more diligently and squeezed more out of them?’
Even though I was a Guide, I was closer to being a charging action leader than being deployed in the rear to protect Espers, so I felt guilty.
Did it show that I was only good at physically bumping into things?
Ah, damn it. This is Hyeon Jae-ha’s specialty. I’m good at commanding in fights, but whenever I open my mouth with government officials, I end up arguing, and Jae-ha always mediates…
I hadn’t done anything wrong, but I became anxious and poked Jae-ha.
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
“Ah… Actually, I’ve been watching you since you went into the Measurement Center earlier.”
“And?”
“That guy you mentioned, if my guess is correct… I think he’s a likely suspect who tried to kill you and steal your ability.”
“…What?”
My heart turned as cold as if it had been plunged into a bucket filled with dry ice.
“That guy was a Multiple Ability User. Even though he was using a stealth artifact, he made eye contact with me.”
“……”
“When I tried to chase him, he used Teleportation to escape. It’s strange. He only looked to be in his late 20s at most. It was like he recognized me and ran away like someone who had been caught doing something wrong.”
What Jae-ha meant was clear.
“So that guy is…”
“Yeah. He might be the culprit who killed you. Wouldn’t this be certain this time?”
After hearing the additional story Jae-ha told me, I stamped my feet.
“I shouldn’t have let that bastard get away…!”
I was frustrated. I only thought he was a weird crazy guy. To think he might be the culprit who tried to kill me and steal my ability.
“If I had known this would happen, I would have broken the simulator and come out, even if it was too much.”
My clenched fist trembled. I wanted to kick anything and everything and throw a punch. That’s how angry I was.
That I had missed the culprit who had engraved the fear of death on me at such close range.
“It’s a system that imitates a real Dungeon Gate. It was S-Class, no less. The Espers who went in with you were A-Class and close to ordinary people, so it’s amazing that they came out safely.”
“But…”
“You did your best, Ga-hyeon.”
I felt a soft touch on the top of my head. Jae-ha was stroking my hair.
It was the method Jae-ha used to comfort me on particularly difficult days.
Even though I was the Guide, not him.
Jae-ha smiled a faint, moonlit smile.
It was worn and didn’t shine as brightly with purity as it used to, but it was still the smile I knew.
Even if his hair turned snow-white. Even if his eyes were no longer black and turned blue.
Hyeon Jae-ha was Hyeon Jae-ha.
“You’ve worked hard. And… anyway, thank you so much for coming back.”
With tears welling up in his eyes, Jae-ha cried silently.
The guy who wouldn’t shed a single tear even when faced with many difficult situations was crying, so my nose also tingled.
“…I’m the one who’s grateful that you recognized me.”
It was a great relief that Jae-ha had recognized me first so quickly. I wondered how I should prove that I was An Ga-hyeon.
“I would have been very disappointed if you hadn’t recognized me.”
Even if the Bonding had been severed due to death, we were partners.
I was just grateful to Jae-ha for not forgetting me and remembering me until now.
“Jae-ha, you… must have had a hard time too. Thank you for trying so hard.”
This time, when I stroked Jae-ha’s hair, Jae-ha’s face and ears turned red.
“W-w-what are you thanking me for.”
“You still turn red when I touch you while Guiding?”
It’s strange. When he pretended to be on the verge of going berserk, I thought he was a rabid dog who hadn’t eaten for three days and nights.
Now, only a naive boy blushing and embarrassed was standing in front of me.
“That’s because the other person is you…”
Jae-ha muttered quietly, but I couldn’t hear him.
It was because a new anger surged after sharing the joy of reunion.
“More than that, it seems like it’s because you’ve been getting Guiding in small doses for too long.”
“…Um.”
“Tell me the truth. You haven’t received proper contact Guiding since I died, have you? Your Corruption Level was accumulated to a dangerous level.”
There was no way that there wouldn’t have been small and large battles while fighting a chase with the government.
Jae-ha, who went berserk and triggered his Second Awakening when he found my corpse, must have already had a considerable Corruption Level since then.
The result of lowering Jae-ha’s boiling Corruption Level with Guiding and examining his body was terrible.
The blood vessels through which the Esper’s energy passed were like tattered rags, so much so that I wondered how he had endured this.
“Tell me honestly. Don’t even think about denying it.”
When I pressed him, Jae-ha subtly avoided my gaze to the side.
“Can’t I just say no comment?”
“What do you mean no comment, you bastard? Are you trying to exercise your right to remain silent because you’re a criminal wanted by the government? Oh, good job. I want to give you a ‘You did a great job’ stamp.”
Jae-ha’s face turned even redder at my sarcasm.
“…But you’re the only Guide I have. I didn’t want to take on a new Guide other than you as a partner, and I didn’t want to receive close contact Guiding.”
What is he saying?
You’re going to die like that.
“What are you talking about…? Have you forgotten what you used to say so often whenever new Espers and Guides came in and formed partnerships?”
Even if a tragedy occurs in which either the Esper or the Guide dies during battle, they should not only long for the dead partner and refuse Guiding.
“That’s what you said. Guiding is just a means to survive, so don’t put too much heart into it. Who was it who said that people who want to live should live?”
In fact, countless colleagues had overcome the grief of losing their partners after hearing these words.
But he himself was refusing Guiding, which was like oxygen, because he had lost me.
“…I was wrong.”
“Your discipline is lacking. Yeah. So you’re saying that because you’re an S-Class Esper who even had a Second Awakening, you were able to survive? Huh?”
“N-no, that’s…”
“What do you mean it’s not? Come to think of it, you’re still alive now, so you must be in your 50s now, but what kind of stubbornness is this?”
When I poured out a barrage of nagging so that he couldn’t even make excuses, Jae-ha made a subtle expression as if he was smiling and resigned.
“Yeah… This is what Ga-hyeon should be like.”
“Did you just curse at me?”
“No. More than that… Your phone is ringing in your pocket.”
“Ah.”
That’s right.
I had been so engrossed in talking to Jae-ha that I had completely forgotten. It was only then that I realized that I had made up excuses to Manager Hyung and the Secrety members and jumped into this forest.
‘Is it Manager Hyung? I have to say I’m sorry…’
When I looked at the phone screen, I paused.
Ra Ho-yeon.
The leader of the young Esper was calling me.