Aren't Guides Allowed to Bite Espers? - Chapter 1

Hundreds of years ago, in the heart of the city, a gate appeared. From the gate emerged ferocious organic beings called “creatures,” unlike any animals or humans. These beings, known as “creatures,” possessed supernatural abilities that were enough to plunge humanity into a state of panic. Humanity teetered on the brink of extinction, but a few individuals began to awaken.

They were called “Espers.”

They were humans with rational minds who gained abilities equivalent to the creatures. However, abilities beyond their limits often drove them to madness and drained their life force. To restore this life force, another type of awakened being appeared, known as “Guides.”

As the number of awakened individuals increased, the government established centers in various regions to manage them and protect citizens from creatures. These centers began to classify awakened individuals based on their unique characteristics and the strength of their wavelengths.

Yugeon, awakening as an S-class Esper at the relatively late age of twenty-three, believed that in a world where ranks equated to power, following the path laid out before him would lead to a brilliant future.

“Why me?”

“…”

“Why should I become your pair?”

That was until he met S-class Guide Gu Sawol.

“Why are you asking something so obvious…?”

“What’s so obvious?”

With hair as dark as charcoal and cold, ashy eyes, her words felt even colder. Yugeon simply made a proposal to become pairs, but Sawol’s reaction seemed to convey immense insult.

Sawol’s long eyelashes blinked slowly as if instructing him to do something, and her disheveled hair falling over her shoulders felt sharper than anything else.

Yugeon was momentarily speechless, alternating between looking at the sky and then the ground before exhaling a sigh.

“Huu… Do you know that our matching rate is 89%?”

“Is there a law that says we have to pair up just because the matching rate is high?”

After she said this, Yugeon had nothing more to say. As if there was an error, Yugeon stuttered, and Sawol looked at him again and asked, “Is that so?” Her gaze was unwavering, and his mind went blank.

Why does he feel like a complete idiot when he stands in front of her?

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it.”

Watching Yugeon blink blankly, Sawol turned around without hesitation.

I shouldn’t let her go like this again. I finally got a chance to talk to her.

Yugeon urgently grabbed Sawol’s wrist.

“Just a moment! I’m not done talking!”

Slap!

Sawol forcefully brushed off Yugeon’s touch. It was an unusual reaction for her, somewhat jittery. Yugeon’s hand awkwardly hung in the air.

“Don’t touch me.”

That look in her eyes again. It was a gaze mixed with disdain, as if she were looking at something dirty and repulsive. Sawol sighed, colored her breath in various shades, and mumbled as if everything was a hassle. Then she turned around.

“Why do you hate me so much? Can you at least tell me the reason?”

Yugeon shouted in frustration as if he were unfairly treated. He thought she would just ignore him and leave, as always. However, Sawol’s steps came to an abrupt halt. She quickly turned around and opened her mouth.

“Do you want to know because you don’t know?”

“Of course! You said…”

“You stink.”

“What…?”

In response to the question, Sawol covered her nose as if to prove a point and wrinkled her face.

“You smell terrible.”

Yugeon didn’t mishear her. It wasn’t a mistake. The reason she hated him so much was so unreasonable.

Yugeon had never experienced such a humiliating moment in his ordinary life or his life as an Esper. Sawol, as if providing evidence, said with a disgusted look.

“That’s why, in the future, don’t get close to me.”

A no-approach order was issued. Sawol went past Yugeon. An elusive fragrance that reminded one of a rainy day brushed against the tip of his nose.

* * *

“Yugeon, aren’t you going for guidance?”

“I am.”

Yugeon shook the guidance crystal he was holding in front of Ji-han as if to say, “Can’t you see?”

“Is that guidance? It’s a backup battery. Aren’t you going for a rapid charge?”

“It’s fine. This is enough.”

“You were late again, weren’t you?”

Yugeon squinted at Ji-han, as if blaming him. Laughter burst from Ji-han’s lips.

“Yeah, seriously, where does this newbie get off? He dares to cross our Queen of Branch A.”

“The Queen? He’s insane, isn’t he?”

“Why, what’s up?”

Ji-han poked Yugeon’s side as if to tell him to spill the beans.

Yugeon’s pair request had been rejected by Sawol’s dozens of times. He was shocked at first, but he thought he had developed some immunity by now. Yugeon said with a disappointed voice.

“She said I stink.”

“What?”

“She said she dislikes me because I smell terrible. Now she doesn’t want me to get close.”

“Bwahaha! You should have taken better care of your hygiene.”

“Oh, really, Hyung too? Do I really smell?”

Yugeon asked Ji-han with a sense of injustice. Ji-han, his teammate, was rolling on the floor, laughing heartily, finding something incredibly amusing.

“Wow, this is really funny. Oh, Sawol…”

To a third party, the situation just seemed amusing.

Yugeon felt the heat he had been suppressing rising again. Strictly speaking, he was on the very neat side. He had been told he might have OCD even among Espers, as he showered more than three times a day.

His high rank awakening had made his sense of smell more sensitive than others. It was difficult for him to endure not only body odor but also the peculiar smell of creatures when he went to the gates.

So this doesn’t make sense. Sawol must have blurted out whatever she could to somehow push him away.