The moment the figure's voice echoed again, I felt an odd pull deep within me, like a thread being tugged at the core of my being. Minseok tightened his grip on my arm, his sharp gaze scanning the vast expanse of blackened earth around us. “Seojin, whatever it’s saying, don’t listen,” he said firmly, his voice unwavering. “We’ll figure this out. Together.”I nodded, though the pull was almost irresistible. The figure remained still, its featureless head tilted slightly, as if it was waiting for something. The oppressive sky above seemed to churn with energy, and for a brief moment, I wondered if this was the end. But then, a thought struck me—if this was the end, why did it feel so... familiar?Minseok's voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. “Do you recognize this place? It feels... off.”Before I could respond, the ground beneath us shifted. Minseok and I instinctively braced ourselves, but instead of another collapse, the blackened earth morphed, twisting and transforming. Wi
Espers... Guides... What are they? I'm not sure how much I should talk about this topic. My name is Han Seojin. It would probably be best if I didn't say anything at all. But here we go. Let me start from the beginning. Twenty years ago, back when I was still seven and living with my parents, I had a pretty rough time of it after an event that scarred my innocence. I don't want to go over details right now; safe to say, it made me lose trust in males and the world around me. This wasn't a problem unique to everyone; no one would ever want such an experience. The difference between me and most people is that I got help and love to overcome most of my trauma. And not just from my family but from the neighborhood as well. Everything had been a little rosy up until a gate opened somewhere in Seoul and a huge number of monsters poured out. It was all over the news, so it seemed weird to have gone unnoticed, but no one could explain where they'd come from or why they were
"Yes," Dr. Yoona nodded firmly. "The best match for you, Seojin. He understands your kind and knows everything there is to know about you. Even though he's new here, he's also an S-rank Guide. He has the power to take on any Esper. More importantly, he's one of you." It wasn't clear to me why she needed to say all these things. In fact, it felt like a waste of time. "I told you, I don't want a Guide! Fuck this! Not a male!" I yelled, pushing Dr. Yoona's hands away from mine. "No way am I letting some guy get close to me. No fucking way!" But Dr. Yoona didn't budge. "Minseok is waiting outside. Please let me introduce him to you. You won't regret this, I promise. His power is remarkable. I've never seen anyone with so many skills, strong pheromones, and techniques at his disposal before. This is your chance to live your life to the fullest. Why would you refuse him?" "Because I'm not interested in becoming your pawn, Dr. Yoona," I snarled. "Don't be silly," she replied. "A p
Minseok leaned closer to me to whisper, "Don't worry, I know you're not gay. I can smell it on you." "Please shut up! And stop looking at me with those creepy eyes of yours! It's freaking me out! Stop staring at me!" "Well, well. Are you getting angry now?" He teased. "Get away from me!" I tried to shove him, but he grabbed me, keeping me still. The room was too small for both of us, and I struggled against his hold. But for some reason his touch made my skin tingle, and I couldn't bring myself to push him away. "Stop touching me!" "Why are you getting so upset? We haven't done anything yet, right? Maybe you should calm down and listen to what I have to say..." He pulled my body closer, trapping me between his arms, and he looked at me with those gorgeous, blue eyes... and his lips curled up into a devilish smirk. "I'm telling you I am NOT interested in doing anything with you!" "Not interested? That's a shame. I thought we had some chemistry going on here." He wa
I woke up the following morning with a splitting headache. I groaned and lifted my head off the pillow, staring at the ceiling for a moment before I glanced across the bed and noticed I was alone. I realized that I had managed to walk back to my apartment before falling asleep. At least I'll be able to rest easy today. I slowly climbed out of bed and stretched, trying to move as little as possible. I slipped on a pair of boxers and a shirt before heading to the kitchen to make breakfast. I threw some eggs into a pan and scrambled them while I went over my daily schedule in my mind. After finishing breakfast and taking a bath, I quickly grabbed my backpack from the closet. Today, I'd be returning to our facility, which is also known as humanity's last defense, Guild Headquarters. I opened the front door and walked outside. The sun was shining bright overhead, and I could smell the faint scent of flowers coming from somewhere nearby. I didn't know where, but it reminded me of h
"What does that mean?" I asked, confused.He smiled mischievously, his voice low and sensual. "It means I'm attracted to you," he whispered.My heart skipped several beats. I swallowed hard."Attracted to me?" I repeated stupidly, unable to process what he'd just said."Didn't think I would be, did you?" he said.I shook my head. "It's your guiding instincts that are talking; you can't be remotely attracted to someone who you just met and doesn't see the need for the arrangement he's forced into.""No, it's not." He grinned, and then his expression turned serious. "I'm not going to take advantage of you, Seojin. Not like you're thinking.""That was what I had heard the last time I was—" I paused, swallowing hard. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. It's not important."I caught sight of his eyes narrow in suspicion, and I averted his gaze."Are you sure? Because it sounded pretty important." His voice was soft, and he sounded amused.I glanced up at him. "Tell me the true reason why y
"Where do you think you're going?" His eyes glowed dangerously as he watched me. "You should stay here for the next few hours until your corruption subsides or I'll make it a lot faster and less painful for you by aiding you." I stared right into his face, trying to keep my composure. "I'm fine!" I replied immediately, trying to avoid eye contact with him. He continued staring at me, unshaken by my response. "There are things that we should talk about. Things that you need to know if you want to live your life to its fullest potential." I glanced at him cautiously. What did he mean by that? What sort of things? I knew that I had to listen to him; he was a rare rank just like I was and Guides were naturally adept at reading people. But I couldn't tell what he was thinking. His expression remained blank, and the only thing I could feel emanating from him was pure rage at my defiance, even with the state I was in. The last thing I wanted right now was to get angry back
To be honest, I hadn't planned on doing this. This was the first time I'd ever allowed myself to be guided. I wanted to try seeing things from another perspective. I needed to learn about the inner workings of this man and how I could see how far he could go to guide me.This time it wasn't an Esper that'll be controlled by a Guide. It would be me."I had lost control a little and I had to do something about it before I completely lost myself."Dr. Yoona walked to Minseok, giving him a hug from behind. "Thank you. You've helped me save Seojin's life!"Minseok smiled and replied, "You're welcome. I can tell you care a lot for him, so I'm glad I could return some of what you have given him.""That's not true!" Dr. Yoona said, wiping her face with the back of her hands. "I don't think I'll be able to thank you enough for finally breaking through his tough shell. Thank you, Minseok."He bowed his head slightly. "No, no, your gratitude is unnecessary. I was only trying to help Seojin.""I
The moment the figure's voice echoed again, I felt an odd pull deep within me, like a thread being tugged at the core of my being. Minseok tightened his grip on my arm, his sharp gaze scanning the vast expanse of blackened earth around us. “Seojin, whatever it’s saying, don’t listen,” he said firmly, his voice unwavering. “We’ll figure this out. Together.”I nodded, though the pull was almost irresistible. The figure remained still, its featureless head tilted slightly, as if it was waiting for something. The oppressive sky above seemed to churn with energy, and for a brief moment, I wondered if this was the end. But then, a thought struck me—if this was the end, why did it feel so... familiar?Minseok's voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. “Do you recognize this place? It feels... off.”Before I could respond, the ground beneath us shifted. Minseok and I instinctively braced ourselves, but instead of another collapse, the blackened earth morphed, twisting and transforming. Wi
The air inside the hive felt heavy, saturated with the smell of rot and an unsettling sweetness. Every breath was a struggle, as if the very atmosphere wanted to choke us. The dim glow of our lanterns barely pushed back the oppressive darkness, and the whispers at the edge of my mind grew louder with every step we took."Seojin," Minseok said quietly, his voice sharp but not unkind. "Stay focused. You're zoning out again."I clenched my jaw, shaking off the haze creeping into my thoughts. "I'm fine," I replied, though my grip on my sword tightened instinctively. His gaze lingered on me for a moment, searching, before he nodded and turned his attention back to the path ahead.The walls of the hive seemed alive, pulsating with a sickly green light that traveled along vein-like patterns embedded in the structure. It wasn’t just a visual effect—there was a rhythm to it, like a heartbeat, making the entire place feel unnervingly sentient. Jiho, walking a few steps ahead, kept glancing over
His eyes widened slightly at my reply, but he didn't push further. Instead, he held my shoulders gently, looking deep into my eyes. “Look, Seojin…” I knew what he would say before he opened his mouth. “I just need to train,” I said, pulling away from him. “That’s all.” Minseok sighed, his eyes searching mine. “You don’t have to do this alone, Seojin. Whatever it is, I can help.” I shook my head, my throat tight. “Not this time.” I paused, then added quietly, "I've got to perfect this move." "Okay," Minseok murmured. He left my side, making his way over to where the other Espers and Guides were practicing. I watched him go, unable to hide the pain and loneliness I felt. It had been nine days since our last battle against the enemy, and I still hadn't been able to master the technique. My body was so heavy; my mind was numb. The others were all moving around, chanting, and practicing their moves, while I stood there like an idiot, struggling with my own thoughts. Could I real
Na Ri swiped at her neck, grimacing. "Ugh, it’s like walking into a sauna filled with mosquitos and nightmares. Why are jungle missions always the worst?" Jiho adjusted the straps of his gear, glancing at the corrupted zone ahead. "Because jungles are naturally hostile, and now they’re corrupted. Double the fun." “Cut the chatter,” Minseok said sharply, though not unkindly. His eyes scanned the dense foliage, assessing the safest route. “We don’t know how far the corruption has spread. Stay alert.” As we ventured deeper, the once-vibrant greens of the jungle gave way to muted, ashen tones. Trees twisted unnaturally, their bark blackened and oozing an eerie, viscous liquid. The ground beneath our boots was spongy, as though the earth itself was rotting. Then the whispers began. ] I flinched. The voice was faint but unmistakable, like a breeze brushing past my ear. I glanced at Minseok, but he was focused on his tracker. The others didn’t seem to notice either.
The flight back to the Korean Guild HQ was meant to be uneventful. The tension of the South American mission was still fresh in everyone’s minds, and the team was uncharacteristically quiet as the jet sliced through the skies. Na Ri sat near the front, absently scrolling through her tablet. Soo Min had taken up the rear, her head leaning against the window, earphones in but no music playing. Hye Jin, ever practical, was already drafting a post-mission report on her laptop. I sat near the middle, Minseok beside me, reviewing the corrupted structure’s schematics one last time. He didn’t say much, but his quiet presence was grounding. The whispers were blessedly silent, though I had a feeling they weren’t gone for good. They were waiting. I could feel it. --- It wasn’t until we were thirty minutes from landing that Soo Min’s voice shattered the silence. “Uh... guys?” she called out, her tone hesitant and confused. Na Ri turned, raising an eyebrow. “What now?” “There’s... so
You're telling me to stop because it makes you uncomfortable?! How could anyone find it pleasurable when they're being made to go through this?!"He shook his head and gave what I could only call a ruse smile. "It's not that I can't help. To be honest with you, I hate it. I hate this feeling. I've been through this with those in my past. I thought we were different, Seojin. But it's fine; after all, I'm the guy that's only needed when things go wrong, the one that everyone else will abandon once the problem is solved. I guess this is the price I pay for awakening as a Guide, huh? The price of becoming someone others rely on."His eyes searched mine, and for a moment, the world seemed to fade away. It was just us, standing there in the glow of the setting sun, the connection between us humming softly like a melody only we could hear."I’m glad," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.I reached out, brushing a strand of hair from his face. "You don’t just guide me, Minseok.
I opened my mouth to respond, but then I remembered that I was still out in the open. I took a deep breath."Hm? What is it?" Minseok asked, looking up from where he sat cross-legged."Oh. No. Nothing. Sorry."I shook my head, trying to clear away the lingering sensation from the kiss.He grinned. "Don't be sorry. Why don't we get back to work first? We can continue elsewhere.""Right."The team had scattered across the Guild when we arrived, each of us retreating to our respective spaces to decompress after the tension of the mission. The world map displayed on the wall monitor flickered as I watched the red zones of corruption pulse ominously. My mind kept racing, unable to settle on anything. The threat we faced was enormous, but what kept gnawing at me was the strange, unsettling feeling that something was off—something that hadn’t quite clicked yet.Minseok’s voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. “You’re brooding again.”I looked up to find him leaning against the doorframe
After the final session, the trainees dispersed, each saying their goodbyes. Most of them made a point to give me a friendly hug before leaving, which I didn't mind at all. Being hugged felt great, and I knew I looked forward to it every day.---The rest of the session passed quickly. By the time the trainees were dismissed, the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting the training grounds in hues of orange and gold. I stood by the edge of the barrier, watching the Espers file out, their laughter and chatter filling the air.Minseok joined me, his hands tucked into his coat pockets. "You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?""Training them? Yeah, it’s not so bad. They’ve got potential." I glanced at him, my tone softening. "And it helps that you’re here."He didn’t respond immediately, but his lips curved into a small smile. "You’ve changed, Seojin. You’re...happier. It’s good to see."I turned to face him fully, leaning casually against the barrier. "That’s your doing, you know.
The compound’s alarm blared the next day, jolting me from a restless sleep. A breach. I rushed to the command center, finding Commander Moon and Dr. Yoona already there.“It’s a group of corrupted Espers,” Commander Moon said grimly. “They’ve broken through the outer defenses.”My heart sank. Corrupted Espers were rare but deadly, their minds twisted and their powers amplified by the same darkness I was fighting.The team mobilized quickly, engaging the intruders near the compound’s perimeter. The battle was chaotic, the corrupted Espers fighting with reckless abandon. I joined the fray, my energy flaring uncontrollably.“Seojin, focus!” Minseok’s voice rang out, anchoring me briefly. But the corruption was too strong. My attacks became wild, destructive, and I could see the fear in my teammates’ eyes.When the battle finally ended, the compound was in shambles. The corrupted Espers were defeated, but the damage was done. The team avoided my gaze, their unease palpable.---That night