DM Chapter 12

“How do you even do Guiding for it to cause that much fuss?” Yoon Min muttered as they walked. Lee Hyun glanced down at her.

“You mean to say you’ve never really heard about Guiding?”

There was a hint of disbelief in his voice.

“Well, I’ve heard all kinds of things. People say it involves kissing, or sex, or… cutting off an arm to feed the blood. But those are all just rumors, right?”

“…And why are you so sure they’re only rumors?” he asked gently, which only made his words feel even more unsettling. Yoon Min looked up at him in surprise.

“…So, which one isn’t a rumor? Kissing? Sex? Or… dismemberment?”

“Guiding involves an exchange of bodily fluids. It could mean any of those things,” he replied with a hint of disdain in his tone. It was clear he wasn’t fond of Guiding.

“Isn’t there at least a minimum level of human decency here at the Center?”

“There are rules—that’s why Guiding isn’t allowed until you’ve had training. But rules are just a pretty facade. For Espers, rules are more like toys than real boundaries.”

“You’re not like that, though,” she said, trying to keep her tone calm, though her thoughts raced with discomfort. The idea of having to lose a limb was horrifying. Were there really Espers who would go so far as to demand something like that?

The image of Na Tae-young holding up his own arm, blood dripping as he smirked wickedly, flashed through her mind. It seemed disturbingly fitting.

“You’re very optimistic,” Lee Hyun interrupted her thoughts. His answer to her hopeful statement was dismissive. She tried to gauge his expression, but he was walking steadily ahead, his face blank and unreadable.

“So if kissing, sex, and dismemberment are all options… does that mean I have to go through all of that with you, Na Tae-young, and… who was it… Park Se-hyung? I wouldn’t have a limb left at that rate,” she muttered, trying to lighten the dark reality.

On the way back to the reception area, Chu Jin-ho had briefly explained that anyone with a match rate over 40% could receive secondary Guiding. Remembering this, the entire situation started to feel crushing.

Still, she couldn’t deny that life at the Center was far better than the harsh survival of the streets.

“We’ll just have to try to make sure it doesn’t come to that,” Lee Hyun replied.

Lee Hyun’s reply offered little reassurance. The fact that he’d said they would “try” to avoid those situations was hardly comforting. Yoon Min fell silent, a whirlwind of thoughts running through her mind. The prospect of losing a limb was terrifying enough, but the idea of having to kiss or engage intimately with strangers under the guise of “Guiding” felt no less shocking.

She had seen enough of the women in Sector 12 who sold their bodies, so intimacy between men and women wasn’t unfamiliar to her. But despite having only theoretical knowledge, the thought of touching or kissing someone for something as clinical as “Guiding” made her uncomfortable.

She’d naively assumed that Guiding might involve something as simple as shared effort, exchanging fluids in some sanitary medical way (disgusting as that sounded), or administering substances through a professional facility. How could she have expected anything so reasonable from a world this chaotic?

“Sorry… I really am.”

The unexpected apology from Lee Hyun above her jolted her out of her thoughts. She looked up at him, surprised, and saw that same conflicted expression he had worn before. It was his second apology since they’d arrived at the Center.

“For what?”

This time, he explained, though he looked uncomfortable doing so.

“I figured someone might notice if I used my powers and leave a trail… but I didn’t expect Na Tae-young to be watching so closely.”

“Well, I actually like being here,” she replied nonchalantly.

“…Your shock was written all over your face just now.”

“Of course I was shocked—you basically threatened me. But you said we’d try to avoid that, right? If you’re trying, then I should be fine, right?”

Lee Hyun’s face softened with a hint of guilt. Oddly enough, as he apologized, her fear and uncertainty eased.

“Instead of that look, could you just say it’ll be okay?” she asked.

“…I’ll make sure it is,” he said, his voice carrying a hint of resolve. The odd sense of familiarity and trust she’d felt toward him from their first encounter came rushing back, bringing a strange comfort.

“Was that why you were upset all day? Because you felt sorry?”

Lee Hyun let out a small, wry laugh.

They were now crossing a glass walkway connecting two buildings. Through the transparent walls, they could see part of the Center’s structures as well as the scenery of Sector 50.

“Wow.”

For a moment, Yoon Min was captivated by the view. In stark contrast to the rest of the world’s ruin, Sector 50 appeared excessively beautiful, like another universe. Towering, majestic buildings glittered like jewels in the sunlight.

In the distance, she could make out the massive wall dividing Sector 50 from Sector 49. It was a thick, resilient barricade built by F-grade and E-grade Espers and Porters over several years, ensuring that Sector 50 remained separate from the chaos beyond.

“It was just… pity.”

Lee Hyun’s voice pulled her back to the present.

“What?”

“More than guilt… I honestly just felt sorry for you.”

“…You don’t hold back on saying things like that to people’s faces, do you?” she muttered.

“Guides… their lives tend to be unfortunate.”

Yoon Min almost replied that her life had been miserable regardless of being a Guide or not, but she held her tongue. She didn’t want to come across as complaining now, nor did she expect Lee Hyun to understand the depths of her hardships.

After all, people’s own troubles always feel like the greatest burdens. She wasn’t sure just how miserable being a Guide might be, but a small hope lingered within her that, at least, it would be better than her past.

“And for the record, I didn’t treat you well because you’re a Guide,” Lee Hyun said, seemingly recalling her comment at the reception area.

“There’s no need to explain. So what if you did treat me well because I’m a Guide?” she shrugged, recognizing the error in her own expectations and feelings of disappointment.

“If I weren’t a Guide, you wouldn’t have even spoken to me,” she added lightly.

Lee Hyun didn’t respond, and they continued walking in silence for a while. After passing a spotless common hall, he led her down the corridor branching off to the far right.

Eventually, they stopped before an elegant door, and Yoon Min watched as Lee Hyun took out a card key and held it to the scanner beside the door. A chime sounded, and the door opened, revealing an impeccably clean and gleaming entryway.

“Get some rest. Starting tomorrow, you’ll be busy with training.”

He handed her the box he’d been carrying, which was heavier than she expected. Peeking inside, she noticed a pile of books among the other items.

“My place is in Room 303, so if there’s any problem, just ring the bell,” he added, gesturing down the hall.

Yoon Min glanced at the room number in front of her. Room 301.

“Is it just you and me staying here?” she asked.

“We’re the only ones in this section,” he replied evenly.

As she nodded, she suddenly remembered Dung-gae.

“What about Dung-gae?”

“He should be inside.”

With that, Lee Hyun turned to leave, as though eager to end their conversation. It seemed he was in a hurry to leave her to her new quarters.

‘He probably finds this whole situation a bother,’ she thought, pouting as she stepped inside. In her eyes, Lee Hyun was definitely unusual, an outsider of sorts.

According to Yoo Jin-ah, he had never taken on a Guide and had managed his powers with medication despite being an S-grade Esper. It was clear Lee Hyun thought Guides were unfortunate, pitiable creatures, and therefore refrained from taking advantage of Guiding. Now, fate had handed him a strange Guide with a perfect 100% match, which must have been a major inconvenience. On top of that, she wasn’t even as pretty as someone like Choo Sae-hee.

Yoon Min puzzled over his motivations, recalling Yoo Jin-ah’s comment in the shower that Lee Hyun’s interest in her was unusual. But it wasn’t exactly interest; Lee Hyun himself had said he felt sorry for her. He’d probably been looking out for her in the same way she had taken in Dung-gae.

*Woof woof!*

Her thoughts were cut short by Dung-gae rushing out from inside to greet her.

“Dung-gae!”

She dropped the box by the door and scooped the little dog into her arms, hugging him tightly. As she held his small body, a wave of relief washed over her. She could finally care for Dung-gae without worrying about his next meal. That alone was a tremendous relief.

Sometimes, she realized, things really didn’t need to be complicated.

* * *

Ding-dong, ding-dong.

The sound of the doorbell snapped Yoon Min awake. She groggily rose from her spot, still weary from the previous night’s late exploration of her new room. So much had happened in just a day.

The Center’s living quarters were leagues beyond the shack she had shared in Sector 37 or even the place she once had in Sector 12. Here, she had a separate living room, bedroom, kitchen, and even a fully equipped bathroom. One side of the living room was a massive window, offering a breathtaking view of Sector 50 and the expanse of the Center.

Yoon Min realized she must be at least thirty stories up. The warm, steady flow of water in the shower and the stunning night view from her window had utterly captivated her. After her shower, she’d gone a step further and bathed Dung-gae, her clothes getting thoroughly soaked in the process, forcing her to change into the peculiar white dress from the Center.

To her surprise, the refrigerator in the kitchen was stocked with simple ready-to-eat meals. She ate one and even fished out some chicken to fill Dung-gae’s food bowl. Despite the fact that Lee Hyun had already fed him, Dung-gae devoured the meal as if he hadn’t eaten in days.

With their bellies full, the two lay on the sofa, gazing at the vibrant nightscape. Half the skyline was filled with the Center’s towering buildings, the countless windows of each structure glowing well into the late hours.

“We’re really going to live here from now on,” Yoon Min whispered to Dung-gae, hugging him close.

“If they cut off a limb, I bet they’d attach it right back.”

Just saying it made her shiver. Sensing her unease, Dung-gae licked her face as if to comfort her.

But there was some solace in the fact that Lee Hyun was staying in Room 303 on the same floor. He’d promised to do his best to keep her safe from anything extreme. Somehow, remembering that conversation put her at ease. It felt as though, in the storm of uncertainty, Lee Hyun was an anchor, steadying her drifting mind.