"Guide Hamin, what happened?""Hhk… it’s just…""…!"Raon blinked in alarm, looking down at Hamin’s face. He had no idea when the tears had started, but both eyes were red and swollen. The tears that had stopped for a moment welled up again the instant Hamin saw him. Standing there in front of the quietly sobbing man, Raon felt awkward.They couldn’t just stand in the hallway like this—anyone walking by would get the wrong idea—so Raon guided Hamin into the hospital room. Fortunately, Hamin had been given a private ward; there was no one else inside."Don’t cry. Just tell me what happened. Did someone say something to you?""No, sniff… nobody said anything.""Then why—"Glancing around, Raon spotted a box of tissues on the nightstand beside the bed. He pulled out a few sheets and handed them carefully to him."Sniff… I’m sorry…""It’s fine. Take your time and tell me."At Raon’s calm tone, Hamin slowly stopped crying. Sniffling, he began to speak."I just… feel so stupid and pathetic.""What do you mean?""You trusted me, but I couldn’t do anything in the Gate. I just fainted like an idiot…"Thinking back on that moment, Hamin crushed the tear-soaked tissue in his hand, his face twisting. Raon looked at him with a heavy expression.He hadn’t expected Hamin to lose consciousness in the Gate at all. In the original timeline, Hamin had approached Dojin bravely and performed the guiding. Raon had simply assumed he would do the same this time.Maybe it wasn’t even Hamin’s fault. Maybe everything went wrong because Raon had formed a pair with Siwoo and entered the irregular Gate earlier than in the original. If anyone was to blame, it was Raon himself for changing the script.And Hamin was anything but pathetic. Inside a Gate, the smallest thing could mean death. The fact that he’d only fainted instead of being killed or severely injured was lucky enough."How is that stupid? Guide Hamin, in that chaos, just getting out without injury or death is already something to be proud of.""But a Guide’s job is to guide…""I know. I wish things had gone differently too, but there’ll be other chances."This irregular Gate had only been the beginning. What was coming next would be far worse than the gray Gate had been.Dojin’s condition still bothered him, but right now they needed every hand they could get. If they were to keep using Dojin as a field asset, they had no choice but to bring Hamin with them into the next «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» Gates. With that thought, Raon fixed his gaze on him."I’ve been delegated partial personnel authority for the special team that’ll handle irregular Gates. I’m planning to create a position for you on the guiding team.""R-really?""Yes. If you don’t want it, I won’t force you.""No! I do. Please, let me join the team!"Afraid Raon might change his mind, Hamin blurted it out in a rush. Seeing the resolve and light returning to his tear-bright eyes, Raon nodded."All right. Then rest up and recover quickly.""Yes, sir."In truth, Hamin hadn’t been injured badly enough to need hospitalization. The government had simply done it for show—to look like they were protecting Guides, the first to be deployed in a Gate in ten years.And from the looks of it, his wounds had been more emotional than physical. Fortunately, the self-reproach seemed to have eased; his face had brightened again."Next time, I really won’t disappoint you, Raon."There was fierce determination in Hamin’s lifted eyes. Somehow, Raon found it hard to meet that gaze directly; his own eyes dropped slightly to the side."Really.""…Right. Get some rest."After patting his shoulder a few times as if to seal the promise, Raon left the room. He was relieved—at least one of the story’s protagonists hadn’t lost his spirit and was standing back up.Raon walked down the quiet corridor.***"…Permission to leave."Having finished his report, Dojin exited the commander’s office.The chairman of the Ability Association—also the commanding officer of the Special Battalion—hadn’t reprimanded him for the irregular Gate incident. He’d merely repeated that it was a single mistake and told him not to dwell on it. Even so, the weight in Dojin’s chest didn’t lift in the slightest.As he walked the hallway, countless glances slid his way. Not long ago, those eyes had held admiration and awe; now they were different. With his heightened perception, Dojin could feel the change more keenly than anyone."…Haa."He raised a hand and rubbed the deep furrow between his brows, then changed direction. Before heading back to his quarters, he needed some air. He stepped outside, toward the designated smoking area by the building’s edge."Hah, you’re kidding me."There were already people there—other Espers in uniform like him—chatting away, oblivious to his approach."I’m serious. My buddy was in the irregular Gate this time.""Are you saying Major Yoon Siwoo was that incredible?"Dojin froze at the familiar name. The voices belonged to young Espers from outside units—faces he recognized. His eyes darkened as he listened."They said it was insane. He made it rain over the whole Gate and froze a monster that even Team Leader Seo Dojin couldn’t move against.""But Yoon Siwoo’s ability wasn’t that strong, was it?""He’s paired with an S-rank Guide now.""Ah, right, that’s true."They were gossiping about military-level secrets with zero caution, but instead of stepping out to warn them, Dojin stayed hidden in the shadows and listened."Guess an S-rank Guide really makes a difference. How can someone get that strong?""Forget it. Even if you got guided, it wouldn’t do you much good.""Shit. Well, maybe it only works that way because he’s S-rank too."S-rank Guide.Dojin pictured Raon’s face—the way he’d looked at him, the way he’d turned away to press his mouth to the dying Siwoo instead."At this rate he’ll be promoted to colonel in no time.""Then what happens to Team Leader Seo Dojin? You can’t have two colonels in one team.""Who knows? Sounds like the top brass is waiting to see how things play out…"Their voices lowered slightly, as if aware of how sensitive the topic was. Not that it mattered; Dojin could still hear every word as clearly as if they were beside him."Still, amazing. Promotion to colonel at that age?""He awakened early, enlisted early too. And he’s S-rank.""Now that he’s paired with an S-rank Guide, everything’s lined up for him. So damn lucky."They stubbed out their cigarettes in the sand-filled bin and sighed, envy gleaming openly in their eyes."They’re reorganizing the team, right? Bet the new lineup will be built around those two.""Probably. Man, I’d kill to get assigned to that team.""As if they’d take a nobody like you.""What about you, then?"The joking Espers drifted away, still teasing each other.Only after they’d gone did Dojin step out from the shadows."…Han Raon."He spoke the name quietly—the name of the Guide who should have been his.Wasn’t it Han Raon who had always yearned for him, chased after him, refused to let go? Dojin still remembered those hands clutching at him, those eyes burning with possessiveness.He had hated it once. Now he didn’t. Now, desire for what he’d lost surged up instead.Yes. This wasn’t fickleness or greed. The one who’d pursued despite rejection had been Raon, not him. He was only reclaiming what had always been meant to be his.That was all there was to it.Dojin lifted his head, and his eyes burned with sharp, feverish light.***"Hmm."Fresh from the shower, Raon towel-dried his hair as he stepped out of the bathroom.Once he and Siwoo had told Seokhyeon they were both willing to proceed with insertion guiding, preparations had moved at lightning speed. They could have just used one of their quarters, but the Director had insisted on setting up a private guiding room—practically pushing them to use it. The whole thing left Raon feeling oddly uncomfortable.Grumbling, he glanced around the spacious area disguised as a guiding room. It was far larger and more opulent than their lodging—more like a suite in a luxury hotel.Maybe it was intentional, to put high-ranked Espers and Guides in the right mood. Raon looked out at the city lights reflected in the window, unimpressed, and moved toward the bedroom.Siwoo should be done washing up by now, right? He tilted his head and opened the door."…What are you doing?""…!"There, not on the chair or the bed but kneeling squarely on the floor in the middle of the room, was Siwoo. Raon stared at him in puzzlement.

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