It was hard to believe Yoon Siwoo had only just turned twenty. If anything, it was Hamin—with his baby face—who looked more like a freshman.Maybe it was that cold, composed expression he always wore. Even rewound three years, he didn’t quite seem younger. His manner was that of an old man in a young body—Raon had never truly felt the difference.“Fine, fine, don’t sulk.”“I’m not sulking.”“Of course you are.”They were in the middle of contact guiding, sitting face to face with their hands joined. It was light conversation compared to a few days ago, when Siwoo could hardly meet Raon’s eyes. The progress was remarkable.Siwoo glared at him, his dissatisfaction clear. Raon had gone quiet mid-guiding, his expression clouding over until °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° his words dried up. Feeling awkward, Raon gave a sheepish smile.Today of all days, Raon had peppered him with questions about school life—something he’d never cared about before—and now he was drifting off again. With a quiet sigh, Siwoo asked,“Did something happen?”“Huh?”“You’ve been thinking about something else this whole time.”“……”Siwoo’s gaze was sharp; he saw right through him. Raon stared back, caught off guard.Was Siwoo that perceptive, or was he just that transparent? Probably both.Raon shook his head slightly and asked,“You’re entering the Zone 3 irregular Gate soon, right?”“You heard from the Director?”“Yeah.”Siwoo frowned at the change in tone.“What about it?”“What do you mean, ‘what about it’? You never know what could happen in a colorless irregular Gate.”“……”Siwoo blinked. The wording was strange—stranger still when he realized what it implied.“Wait… are you worried about me?”“Huh? Of course I am.”“……”Siwoo froze. Not because he was moved, but because he had no idea what to do with that.He’d been abandoned at birth, grown up with no family, no one to worry about him. Even after awakening as an S-rank Esper, life had been a cycle of forced missions and exhaustion—never concern. He didn’t know what expression fit this situation.“You’re not even at fifty percent yet. You dropped below thirty not long ago. It’s barely past forty now, and those idiots upstairs are rushing it again.”“……”Raon vented his irritation, oblivious to the turmoil behind Siwoo’s silence. But Siwoo barely heard him.“So maybe talk to the Director or the Team Leader yourself. Tell them you’ll go in only once you’re over fifty percent.”“……”“Siwoo?”No answer. His face was unreadable as ever, betraying nothing.“Are you even listening to me?”“…I’m listening.”He nodded slowly. Something about that subdued response made Raon’s unease worse. Siwoo seemed far too calm, his expression distant. Raon rushed to make his point again.“You know how dangerous irregular Gates are, right? We’ve only been on the team two years, but from what I’ve heard—”All Raon meant was to warn him, to prevent Alpha-1 from entering the Gate too early and derailing the timeline. He had no idea how Siwoo was interpreting the words spilling from his mouth.“…I get it. You can stop now.”“Do you really understand what I’m saying?”“I said I do.”Siwoo’s nod was curt, his face still blank—and faintly flushed.Is it that hot in here? Raon glanced around. Despite the lingering chill of March, the air-conditioning was running full blast as always for the heat-prone Espers. His eyes narrowed.“I’ll talk to the Team Leader.”“Good. Make sure you do.”“Yeah.”At least he’d gotten through to him. Siwoo was diligent; if he brought it up, the higher-ups might actually listen. A flicker of hope brightened Raon’s eyes.***Boom! Boom!Explosions echoed through the narrow cave in quick succession. The waiting squad members swallowed hard, tension etched across their faces.Gate suppression was never quick work. It required investigation, mapping, and manpower.Except for a handful of exceptions—like Alpha-1 Team, made up entirely of S-rank Espers.The Esper Special Unit handled direct Gate assaults; the auxiliary personnel joined for logistics and support. After several days of brutal missions, even the support team was starting to look nervous again.“Phew, the captain’s pissed off today too.”“……”Taegun, watching from behind as Dojin fought, clicked his tongue. Siwoo gave no reply.“You look better lately, though.”“……”“Getting regular guiding feels nice, huh?”Taegun kept up his lazy drawl, but Siwoo didn’t spare him so much as a glance.Arrogant bastard.Taegun scowled, the casual contempt stinging more than silence itself.Thud!A blast far louder than the rest shook the cavern. Taegun turned toward the sound, murmuring,“…The core’s broken.”Dojin’s ability was telekinesis—perfect for crowd combat. It was what had earned him command at such a young age.At the heart of every Gate lay a core, guarded by hordes of monsters. Even Dojin couldn’t fight them all alone. While Taegun’s psychic power and Siwoo’s ice held the creatures back, Dojin had shattered the core.“Graaaagh!”The monsters shrieked in terror, sensing the Gate’s collapse.“Shut up.”Taegun flicked his fingers. The panicked beasts went slack and dropped like puppets with cut strings, minds wiped clean by his psychic wave.“We’re pulling out.”“Yessir.”Dojin’s voice came cold and even. Taegun nodded and turned to lead the retreat. As Siwoo moved to follow, Dojin spoke again, his tone mild but edged.“You requested a meeting, Esper Yoon Siwoo.”“…Yes.”“If it’s brief, say it now.”Siwoo met the older man’s eyes, measuring him. The others—Taegun and the rest—were already filing out through the portal. No one would overhear.After a moment’s thought, Siwoo spoke.“I’d like to delay the Zone 3 operation, if possible.”“Why?”“As you know, my readings aren’t stable yet. It would be safer to wait until they reach at least fifty percent.”“……”Dojin’s gaze sharpened, colder than usual. Siwoo kept his posture calm, though the prickle of danger against his skin made him tense.“Is that your opinion, Esper Yoon Siwoo?”“……”His tone was razor-thin, dissecting. Siwoo had never objected to an order before; the hesitation sounded unnatural.“…It’s my Pair Guide’s opinion.”“I see.”He’d admitted it easily. Siwoo knew lying wasn’t his strength. And Dojin had already seen through him.“The S-rank Guide must be doing wonders for you. Makes you act out of character.”“……”Dojin gave a dry, mocking laugh. Siwoo stared straight back, his voice level.“Is that a problem?”“What?”“You of all people know, Team Leader—what it means to guide with a Pair Guide who has a ninety-five percent match rate.”“……”It was uncharacteristically defiant for him. The smile froze on Dojin’s lips.Everything about this grated on him.Han Raon’s sudden change. This insolent kid who didn’t know his place.Violent energy rippled around Dojin, thick and suffocating. Siwoo narrowed his eyes, bracing for what would come next.

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