I am a Guide Who Killed an Esper.

Joomin, trying to keep her cool, frantically waved a small office blanket at Hyeonju’s back, attempting to extinguish the flames. But this wasn’t cooking oil catching fire—it was an Esper’s ability, and it wasn’t going out so easily.

Meanwhile, the source of the flames, Hyeonju, was attempting to regain control, but his panic only made things worse. His already shaky control over his ability became even more chaotic—one side would flare down just as the other side roared back up. He looked like a malfunctioning gas stove with two burners. Clearly, the person responsible for the flames was just as overwhelmed as everyone else.

Seeing the fire licking the ceiling, Yoonui’s body instinctively tensed. His heart pounded, and the occasional dry cough escaped his throat as if trying to expel the memory of inhaling smoke. Hyeonju was still flustered, unable to fully control his ability, the flames sputtering and flaring erratically. Yoonui glared at him through the haze.

“Cough, cough!”

“Are you okay? Oh no, what do I do?”

“Hyeonju, sit down! Sit down!”

Hyeonju’s panicked eyes locked with Yoonui’s sharp glare, and—whoosh!—another fiery column shot up. As flames neared the ceiling, threatening to trigger the sprinklers, Joomin quickly shoved Hyeonju down onto the floor.

“Cough, cough! What a… spectacular… scene…” Yoonui wheezed, covering his mouth with his sleeve.

Thankfully, the office’s fire alarm didn’t activate, and Yoonui managed to regain his composure. The large figure hunched over on the floor, with a threatening blaze still flickering from his back, was more pitiful than intimidating. Once his own heart rate slowed, the physical reactions to his lingering fear also subsided.

Yoonui adjusted his stance, using his sleeve to block the smoky smell, and sent out a controlled wave of suppression-guiding energy. He focused it precisely on the area near Hyeonju’s shoulder blades, where the flames were originating.

In moments like this, a steady guide could stabilize any situation. As Yoonui regained his rhythm and began reining in Hyeonju’s ability, the chaos quickly subsided. The roaring flames flickered out, and the situation resolved itself as rapidly as it had escalated. True to the title of the Crisis Management Bureau, the intimidating blaze and panic were quickly extinguished.

“Wow, that really startled me,” Woojoo said, clutching a research file he had been protecting from the flames.

Jungwoo, looking equally frazzled, placed a still-smoldering stack of papers back onto Yoonui’s desk before collapsing into a chair with a groan.

It was as if they’d just returned from an actual field mission. After confirming that the flames under Hyeonju’s jacket had been completely extinguished and his ability was now under control, Yoonui glared at the towering figure, who still looked helplessly confused.

“Are you a gas leak? Why is fire just leaking out of you?”

“S-sorry…”

“Oh, come on, cut him some slack! He’s just inexperienced—of course he’s going to make mistakes!” Joomin immediately jumped to Hyeonju’s defense, but Yoonui wasn’t one to back down so easily, especially when it came to Espers.

“So what, shooting flames all over the place is just him ‘brimming with confidence’ or something?”

“Oh, please! It wasn’t shooting! It just flared up a little!”

“Flaring, shooting—what’s the difference?”

“There is a difference!”

“What is it then?!”

“…The intent?!”

“Don’t fight, you two… It’s my fault. I’m really sorry.”

Thankfully, the rising star of the Esper world didn’t seem the type to let favoritism go to his head. Hyeonju, looking genuinely remorseful, bowed repeatedly in every direction, his face reddening again as he apologized.

“I’m so sorry! I’m still not very good at controlling it….”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Everyone starts somewhere,” Woojoo said, trying to calm the young man down. He shot Yoonui a look that practically begged him to soften his approach, but that was never Yoonui’s strong suit.

“Well… I guess that’s true,” Yoonui muttered begrudgingly.

The most kindness Yoonui could muster was to grumble while discreetly checking Hyeonju’s ability for any lingering leaks, filling in any gaps with supplemental guiding energy. For an Esper, even that was an act of generosity. Jungwoo, soaking in some of the spillover, grinned mischievously.

“See? You’re secretly really nice.”

“Shut up.”

“I really am sorry….”

“Enough with the apologies.”

Yoonui was about to start lecturing the inexperienced Esper, but Hyeonju’s genuine remorse drained his resolve. Yoonui had always been rough on Espers, but when one approached him with such humility, he had a tendency to soften.

With a sigh, he extended a hand.

“Hand.”

Hyeonju blinked, looking confused, his gaze darting between Yoonui and Joomin as if seeking clarification. It was such an abrupt command that Yoonui immediately regretted not offering an explanation. Joomin, watching from the side, couldn’t resist chiming in with a smirk.

“What is he, a dog?”

“Anyway, give me your hand.”

Hyeonju obediently placed his hand on Yoonui’s outstretched palm. Despite his intimidating size, it was clear that he was a soft-hearted type. Meeting such a compliant Esper was a rarity, and Yoonui felt an unusual urge to extend some kindness to this towering, fiery rookie.

Of course, as a sidelined guide with little to offer, the only “kindness” Yoonui could provide was guiding. Gathering energy at his fingertips, Yoonui gave a quick warning.

“I’ll start guiding now, so focus.”

“Yes, sir!”

With the warning in place, Hyeonju braced himself, concentrating to ensure no stray energy leaked. After verifying that Hyeonju’s ability was contained, Yoonui channeled a strong pulse of guiding energy into him—a rapid recharge rather than a gentle flow.

Feeling the energy quickly fill him, Hyeonju’s eyes widened in surprise before he relaxed, closing his eyes with a look of pure satisfaction.

“Wow…”

This is what proper guiding feels like.

Pleased with Hyeonju’s response, Yoonui couldn’t resist asking, “How does it feel?”

“It’s like… I’m full, almost like I just ate ginseng or something,” Hyeonju replied with refreshing honesty, still keeping his eyes closed.

Proper guiding should evoke such reactions, and Yoonui couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride. As he pushed more energy in, Hyeonju’s expression became even more content.

“So this is what it feels like to be fully guided,” Hyeonju murmured, still lost in the sensation.

Yoonui carefully maintained the flow of guiding energy while observing Hyeonju’s face. Initially, it was to monitor how well the guiding was working. But the longer he observed, the more he found himself distracted—not by the guiding process but by Hyeonju’s face itself.

His eyes first landed on Hyeonju’s eyelashes.

How are his lashes so long? No wonder ash settled on them so easily.

The vivid memory of their first meeting—the towering figure coated in ash, like a freshly unearthed Pompeii relic—was so intense that it colored his perception of every ordinary moment. Seeing Hyeonju alive and well now felt both surreal and oddly reassuring.

Why do I feel grateful he’s alive? He’s not my kid or even a fellow guide.

Unconsciously, Yoonui tightened his grip on Hyeonju’s hand.

“Oh, sorry,” he said quickly, realizing he might have overdone it.

Though unintentional, the pressure was enough to come across as a test of strength, like a power play during a handshake. But instead of being offended, Hyeonju let out a playful chuckle, giving Yoonui’s hand a firm squeeze before letting go.

Yoonui blinked, caught off guard by the warmth and strength in Hyeonju’s large, solid hand. His face reddened slightly.

When he smiles like that, he doesn’t look like a kid at all.

Hyeonju’s facial features were striking up close. His sharp brows, high nose bridge that started right near his brow line, and angular cheekbones were all more prominent than Yoonui had initially realized.

Though Yoonui had dismissed him as a much younger trainee, the details of Hyeonju’s face revealed otherwise—he was clearly a grown man.

Yoonui’s gaze unconsciously wandered down Hyeonju’s nose, lingering on his lips, then to his neatly shaven chin. His eyes followed the strong jawline to where it tapered beneath his ears.

They say men with square jaws are considered handsome in Western standards. Hyeonju’s jaw fit the description perfectly. Yet, instead of exuding raw masculinity, his soft, slightly drooping eyes lent his overall appearance a gentle, approachable quality. His looks, paired with his shy personality, created a strangely endearing contrast.

Meanwhile, Yoonui, whose sharp features mirrored his sharp tongue, was internally cataloging every detail of Hyeonju’s face without realizing it. His gaze trailed further, down to Hyeonju’s neck, his prominent Adam’s apple—

Yoonui’s train of thought abruptly derailed.

What am I doing?

Realizing he’d been staring for far too long, Yoonui hastily averted his eyes, silently hoping no one had noticed his lapse.

Fortunately, everyone else seemed focused on Hyeonju’s reaction to the guiding. The young Esper, clearly experiencing the effects of an A-rank veteran guide for the first time, looked utterly blissful, drawing approving smiles from everyone present.

Thank goodness no one noticed.

Relieved, Yoonui began withdrawing his energy, bringing the session to a close.

“How was it?”

The prolonged contact left his palm feeling strangely empty. Instinctively, Yoonui shoved his hands into his pockets, as though trying to preserve some of the lingering warmth.

As for Hyeonju, he opened his eyes as if awakening from a dream, his voice brimming with awe.

“Wow, this is what proper guiding feels like!”

Ah, music to my ears.

Yoonui fought to keep his face neutral, pressing his lips together to hide his satisfaction. But Hyeonju seemed to sense what Yoonui wanted to hear and continued speaking, hitting every note perfectly.