“Kwon Gidam, we’ve arrived.”
I woke to Vasily’s voice after having fallen asleep as if I’d fainted. The car that had been speeding along the highway had already stopped in front of the Association’s main gate. As soon as I stepped out from the passenger seat, the building came into view.
Through the window, most of the lights inside were off. Figures—it’s Friday. Not many people working late. Some staff probably stayed on standby in case a Gate burst open somewhere, but people like me would’ve bolted from the office the moment the clock struck six.
I passed through the empty lobby and took the elevator up.
As I entered Vasily’s private room, I glanced at the doorknob. The traces of frost from before had disappeared—as if the door had been replaced. But then…
“Why is it so hot in here?”
The private room was stifling—like midsummer had taken root only in this space.
The moment the hot air hit my nose, I frowned. Peeling off my light outerwear, I scanned the room. A hot wind brushed my face; when I looked up, I saw the heater running in the empty air above.
Fifty degrees?
I was horrified when I saw the setting and immediately shut it off.
“Why leave the heater on when no one’s here? You’re wasting electricity.”
“I was cold.”
“An S-class Esper gets cold? You’re an ice-type, for god’s sake—try saying something that makes sense.”
“Yeah, I wonder why. I can’t figure it out either.”
What a blatant liar. The man who couldn’t even feel heat or cold had the nerve to say that.
Even after taking off my jacket, it was still scorching. I fanned myself with one hand, glancing down at my clothes, debating whether to take off my top too. Before I could decide, Vasily walked toward me.
“Will you guide me now?”
“All right.”
I had to guide him anyway. I felt sweat forming from the heat, but if I took off any more layers, my bare skin would end up touching his—and that I couldn’t stand.
Wait… did he turn on the heater just to make me take my clothes off?
Knowing Vasily, he probably did. I clicked my tongue quietly. How cunning. But I wasn’t about to fall for that kind of ploy.
Checking the time, I sat down on the sofa.
“As promised, I’ll guide you for one hour only.”
“How coldhearted…”
Coldhearted, my ass. I was going to finish this session and head home. I gave a short snort, then pulled him close—and instantly flinched.
“Ugh… Why is your body this cold? Gave me goosebumps.”
“Told you I was cold.”
“I know you’re always cold.”
“Ah, you caught me.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. He wasn’t the type to joke around before…
That didn’t mean his personality had changed. He was either pretending to act nice in front of me again, or maybe he really had been this soft once upon a time. Still, Vasily wasn’t someone who enjoyed pointless humor, so it was likely the former.
I continued guiding him like that. The heat still lingered, but the chill radiating from Vasily balanced it out just enough.
Fatigue began to wash over me; my eyelids drooped. But I forced myself to stay awake—there was no way I’d fall asleep while guiding.
And yet…
‘He’s already asleep.’
Vasily had fallen asleep, leaning comfortably against me.
Ha. I’m sitting here guiding even though I’m dead tired, and this guy’s dozing off without a care.
I considered leaving him there and going home, but since I’d already been paid, I decided to finish properly. If I didn’t, he might demand the money back. I was only doing this for the money.
Holding him still, I felt his cold wave seep into me. The suppression chip must really work. Usually, guiding him felt like freezing solid, but now it was like hugging a massive block of dry ice—hard and smooth, a steady frost seeping through his stiff suit. A giant, heavy piece of dry ice.
Once I confirmed he was truly asleep, tension drained from my body. I let his quiet breathing serve as a lullaby and slowly loosened my muscles.
‘Time to head home.’
The calm atmosphere nearly lulled me under, but I stood once the hour was up.
He was still sound asleep. I laid him down across the sofa and was about to leave when his earlier murmur—“It’s cold”—echoed back to me. That faintly lonely expression he’d worn came to mind.
“…Damn it.”
I ran a rough hand through my hair and walked back over. Wrapping his arm around my shoulder, I heaved him upright.
God, he’s heavy…!
Of course someone over 190 centimeters wouldn’t be light, but he felt even heavier asleep. And no matter how much his body swayed, he didn’t wake up. The more I thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
Was he pretending to sleep? I shot him a suspicious glare, but no—he was really out cold, which only annoyed me more.
With great effort, I moved him onto the bed. I even took off his shoes and pulled the blanket over him before looking down again.
“…What’s so pretty about a guy like this?”
Lying there with his hands folded neatly, he looked like some sleeping princess. I had to admit—he did look beautiful like this.
I ruffled my hair again and headed out. Turning off the lights, I glanced at the dim room one last time before quietly closing the door behind me.
***
Over the weekend, I ordered more of the pills that came with the suppression chip.
The month’s supply I’d received when I first bought the chip was almost gone. Now that I had money from Vasily, I went ahead and ordered a three-month pack.
I converted nearly ten million won into coins and sent the payment to the illegal vendor. My hand trembled slightly before pressing the transfer button, but the sight of my comfortably full bank balance steadied me.
Then I started working out.
After getting attacked by that monster on my first Gate dispatch, I realized I needed to get stronger. In the past, I could swing weapons like that without breaking a sweat—but now, I could barely lift a heavy spear and hold my ground.
I’d even been knocked flat by one of the attacks. If Vasily hadn’t shown up at just the right moment, I’d have died there.
From now on, I’d train after work and on weekends. I probably wouldn’t enter another Gate, but it was best to build stamina just in case something like that happened again.
And so the weekend passed, and Monday arrived.
“Good morning…”
“Morning…”
Even after the weekend, everyone in the department shuffled in with the same haggard faces, dark circles deep as bruises, sipping coffee like zombies. Mondays always brought a bigger flood of Esper clients, so everyone was already dosing themselves with caffeine.
After greeting my teammates, I reached my seat just as Jo Wooyeon came in with his usual bright smile.
“Good morning, Gidam!”
Still that cheerful face. Yeah, that’s what fooled me on my first day.
Jo Wooyeon was made for Temporary Guiding. No matter how many Espers he handled, he never seemed exhausted. Despite his cute looks, he had a strong mind and sturdy stamina.
If not for this damned chip, guiding this many Espers would’ve been nothing for me either… Haah. I rubbed the small bulge at the back of my neck, cursing the fate that made me a C-class Guide just to avoid Vasily.
Thinking about the wave of Esper complaints that would soon arrive, I sighed again and again—when suddenly, the office grew noisy. A chill ran down my spine.
“It’s Vasily Kairov!”
Of course it was him.
My face twisted at the sound of that unwelcome name. I didn’t even need to guess why he was here—he’d come to ask for another guiding session.
He kept saying my guidance wasn’t as effective as the machines, yet he wouldn’t stop bothering me. When was he going to lose interest? Clicking my tongue, I watched him smiling and greeting everyone politely.
“He’s here to see you, isn’t he?” Jo Wooyeon whispered.
I wanted to deny it, but the truth was obvious, so I nodded vaguely.
Lately Vasily had been showing up so often, even filing official guiding requests for me, that rumors were spreading I was his designated Temporary Guide.
“At this rate, you’ll end up his Exclusive Guide, huh?”
Jo Wooyeon, clueless as ever, cursed me with that innocent smile. What a horrifying thought. That must never happen.
“No way. A C-class like me? He’s just… dropping by for amusement.”
“Eh… doesn’t seem that way to me…”
I shook my head frantically, but he didn’t look convinced.
“Kwon Gidam.”
As expected, Vasily strode right toward me. His dazzling looks on a Monday morning only made me squint harder.
“Leaving so coldly after such a hot night… When I woke up alone in bed, I felt a little lonely.”
The moment Vasily finished his line, the entire office erupted in whispers.