CHAPTER 21
Around this time in his past life, Gu Jei had resolved to retire and moved to a rural village, naturally concealing his true identity. But given his strikingly distinctive appearance, ordinary disguises would have been insufficient.
Thus, he needed a special tool.
The thin silver-rimmed glasses that Kim Youngsoo is currently wearing aren't ordinary spectacles. They are enchanted items capable of altering his appearance. Han Seo could be certain of this because Gu Jei himself had revealed the truth. The man sitting rigidly on the sofa was indeed Gu Jei!
"Um, where will Esper Kim Youngsoo be sleeping?"
"I'll sleep here. You should sleep in the bedroom."
His speech is exactly the same.
It almost makes you wonder if he had any intention of hiding it from the start. Of course, this sense of unease stemmed from already knowing his true identity.
The glasses Gu Jei wore were an item that completely altered not only his face but also his physique and voice. It was a perfect disguise, nearly impossible for even the most observant person to recognize.
Furthermore, Gu Jei had never told anyone about this secret item, much less the thought that Han Seo would know about it, so he must have been letting his guard down.
To be honest, part of Han Seo wanted to call him out with a "You're Gu Jei, aren't you, you demon?" just to see his startled expression.
But I can't do that.
'Yeo Hanseo' wouldn't act like that.
Han Seo shook his head with a faint smile.
"I'll sleep on the sofa. You should go inside and get some rest."
"I'm fine."
"...Actually, I don't think I'll be able to sleep much anyway."
Han Seo sat slumped on the edge of the sofa, pretending not to notice the gaze on his cheek as he curled up with his knees drawn to his chest.
After sitting like that for a while, he blurted out, as if something had been building up inside him and finally burst forth:
"I don't think I can be a Guide after all."
"Why do you say that?"
"Just... I don't know. It's just a feeling I have."
"Is there something else you'd rather do instead of being a Guide?"
"Well, that's... I'm not sure either. There's really nothing else I'm qualified to do besides being a Guide."
Han Seo met the man's gaze and gave an awkward smile.
"So, when I found out I was a Guide, I think I got a little excited. Before that, I had no idea what I was supposed to do..."
He continued speaking with forced cheerfulness, as if determined not to show his sadness to others.
"Guides can help Espers, right? That's why I was happy. Even though they told me to think of all Espers as crazy, I don't. No, I can't think of them that way. To me, Espers are heroes who save people from the Gates."
First, give him a compliment.
"Actually, there's one Esper I really admire. I worked even harder because I wanted to help him. But it seems like he doesn't need me."
"......"
"Well, even I wouldn't like myself much. Like Jintae-hyung said, I'm just a dumbass who didn't even finish elementary school."
"Park Jintae is the dumbass. Ignore everything he says."
I think so too.
But Han Seo shook his head.
"Thank you, but he's not wrong. I really didn't graduate elementary school, and my memory isn't even intact. I'm twenty years old and know nothing..."
Han Seo paused, as if suppressing a surge of emotion.
"...So, even if I become a Guide, it'll be a miracle if I don't cause trouble for others. Or maybe I'll end up marrying some weird Esper like Jintae-hyung and spend my whole life locked up somewhere."
"......"
"Even if that happened, who would know? There's no one by my side..."
Han Seo didn't miss the flicker of unease that crossed Kim Youngsoo's face. But pretending not to notice, he stared into the air and muttered, "It would have been better if I never came out of the Gate."
The murmur was barely audible to others.
But it would have been perfectly clear to the ears of an S-Class Esper. Yeo Hanseo's true feelings, which had slipped out unintentionally.
Of course, it's a lie.
But if it had been the real Yeo Hanseo, wouldn't he have felt that way? It was the kind of thought someone who had lost seven years of their life and their entire family, now completely alone, might have. That's why Gu Jei accepted his words without suspicion.
And he will realize just how lonely and vulnerable Yeo Hanseo is. He will also understand that Yeo Hanseo's fragile mental state made his B-Class Guide rank more of a poison than a blessing.
It wouldn't be difficult for Gu Jei to imagine Espers flocking to Yeo Hanseo like moths to a flame. While high-ranking Guides typically understood their own value and were less likely to be manipulated by Espers, Yeo Hanseo, despite his high rank, remained mentally unstable.
Yeo Hanseo's loneliness, in particular, was a vulnerability Espers could exploit. Even without resorting to Park Jintae's extreme methods, countless Espers will find ways to control and manipulate him.
Therefore, Gu Jei will come to understand this firsthand by observing and listening to Yeo Hanseo himself.
Yeo Hanseo couldn't protect himself.
Yeo Hanseo needed a trustworthy protector who wouldn't exploit him.
...Therefore, the conclusion Gu Jei would reach was inevitable.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I went on too long about pointless things."
At that moment, Han Seo blinked as if suddenly snapping out of a daze.
"I, uh, I should go to bed now. Good night."
Then, pretending he didn't want to show his tears, he casually wiped his eyes and abruptly stood up. The man didn't stop him, but Han Seo could feel his gaze fixed on his retreating back.
Han Seo staggered slightly as he walked, feigning exhaustion.
A smile played on his lips.
The trap is set.
Now all that remained was to wait for the prey to step into it.
Han Seo was certain: Gu Jei will fall into this trap.
When he opened his eyes, bright sunlight streamed into the room.
Han Seo sat up with a grimace. He had intended to feign sleeplessness, trembling with fear, but he had fallen asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, ruining his plan. The ingrained habits from his days at the research lab, where he slept and woke at fixed times, still clung to his body.
Gu Jei must have left by now.
That man was always busy and hated wasting time. He probably left as soon as he confirmed Han Seo was asleep...
"Are you awake?"
"...?"
What was going on?
Unbelievably, Gu Jei was sitting at the kitchen table.
Han Seo rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was dreaming. But even after lowering his arm, the same face remained.
Slightly wavy black hair, eyes so dark that the irises and pupils seemed indistinguishable, a high, straight nose, and sharply defined lips. A face that could easily star in a drama was staring back at him.
It was Gu Jei, not Kim Youngsoo.
"Esper...Gu Jei?"
"Please, sit down."
Han Seo sat down as if hypnotized, only regaining his senses after he was seated.
"Um, why is Esper Gu Jei here?"
"...Esper Kim Youngsoo had an urgent matter to attend to, so I'm filling in temporarily. Since I know you, Yeo Hanseo."
"Ah, that explains it!"
Han Seo covered his mouth, feigning surprise. In truth, he was hiding a smile.
From his all-knowing perspective, Gu Jei's clumsy acting was incredibly funny.
Gu Jei was the type to speak with such blunt honesty that it seemed he cared nothing for others' opinions. He would lie when absolutely necessary, but Han Seo didn't think he was particularly good at it. Of course, being someone who excelled at everything, he could probably master lying if he put his mind to it. But thinking about it, there was never any real need for him to become a skilled liar. After all, no one would ever doubt what Gu Jei said.
Perhaps this was why Gu Jei might have believed himself to be a decent actor. Could that be why he never managed to break the habit of subtly betraying his lies with slight tremors?
It's like how someone who always speaks decisively and without hesitation might pause slightly whenever they're lying.
"Oh, have you been well?"
"No, not really."
"......"
Right, this is how it usually goes.
Gu Jei, clearly uninterested in small talk, cut straight to the point.
"One of the reasons I came here was for this."
He handed Han Seo the document envelope he had placed on the table.
Han Seo pulled out the documents and examined them.
"......!"
His pupils trembled at the unexpected words. This time, it wasn't an act.
Gu Jei spoke, addressing Han Seo directly.
"Yeo Hanseo, will you marry me?"
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