OMH Chapter 13

Oh My Hero – Episode 13

13. Espers and Guides (4)

Since the Gate Break, 70% of existing animals have disappeared. There are few animals and few humans, so we can’t maintain livestock farms. So, livestock no longer exists in the world.

However, that doesn’t mean we can no longer eat fresh meat. After squeezing the abilities of Espers, the Research Center succeeded in producing artificial meat.

Of course, mass production was also possible. Thanks to that, the Association is not only supplying meat to the Center’s cafeteria but also wholesaling it to the Downtown restaurant district.

The reason I’m bringing this up is because Kim Sanghyuk suggested we meet at a meat restaurant. He must be desperate to pick my pockets.

I went out leisurely, and Kim Sanghyuk, Jo Seunghwan, and Park Haemi had already arrived and were sitting down. If Lee Hwayoung came, we would all be together, but Hwayoung said she couldn’t come because she was on duty today.

Although one person was missing, the Great Monster Extermination Team’s Intermediate Class F was reunited after a long time.

We eradicated monsters as teammates during the Gate Break. Now that things have settled down to some extent, we’ve scattered.

Now, only Sanghyuk and I go out into the field. Haemi is a Teleportation Ability User, so the research team won’t let her go because she’s a research subject, so she joined the research team. Seunghwan is in the administration department, and Hwayoung went to a team in the Medical Bureau, so we have to meet at gatherings like this to see each other again.

Reunited, we reminisced about the past for a while and enjoyed ourselves.

The kids’ current interest is the Martial Arts Tournament. The F-grade matches start tomorrow, and we had a strategy meeting on who to bet on.

‘Some people don’t think the F-grade matches are interesting, but you guys are serious about gambling.’

Even though I slept a lot, I still yawn while talking to the kids. It’s not that your stories aren’t interesting. I’m just feeling sluggish.

Haemi was worried about me because she noticed I was constantly tired.

“Are you okay? You look really tired today. You didn’t usually have such a hard time with that level of examination.”

“I guess it’s because I overexerted my ability and got examined. I’m sleepy no matter how much I sleep.”

“Isn’t that because of a lack of Guiding? It seems like your brain hasn’t recovered yet. Get more Guiding.”

“Is that so? It’s been a while since I overexerted myself, so I don’t really know. But these days, it’s the Guiding austerity period because of the tournament, so I don’t think they’ll give me that much.”

“You’re a tournament participant. The researchers must be eager to extract your data, so they’ll make you get Guiding even if they have to push the Guide. Or just ask a Guide you know to do it.”

You can get Guiding at any time at the Research Center depending on the research team’s judgment. But the process is a bit long, and the Guides who come to do Guiding always have dark expressions, so I’ve always been reluctant.

‘Besides, the researchers keep asking me to do things on air, which makes me feel even worse.’

So, Espers who have personal relationships with Guides sometimes contact them privately and receive Guiding without going through this unpleasant Research Center. It’s not a problem at all if both parties agree.

But the problem is that I don’t have any Guides I’m personally close to.

I see them often at work, so it’s not like I don’t know anyone, but I don’t have anyone I’m close enough to ask for personal Guiding.

‘Should I just bear it? I think I’ll be okay if I rest for a few days.’

Research Center Guiding is too unpleasant. I’d rather get emergency Guiding in the field.

While I was thinking this, Sanghyuk spoke to me.

“You know a Guide, don’t you? Cha Woojin.”

“This guy keeps dragging Woojin in. Hey! Don’t you know it’s a disciplinary offense to have a Guide who hasn’t received prior education do Guiding?!”

“Whoa, calm down. You can do it if you get consent. You’re not in a serious condition, so it’s okay to get a little bit of level 1 Guiding. You might have to record or film the consent just in case.”

I’m even more annoyed because he’s giving me advice anticipating the worst-case scenario.

‘Kim Sanghyuk. You better get matched with me in the Martial Arts Tournament. I’m going to make mincemeat out of you.’

Still, we quickly calmed down our bickering and ate 20 servings of meat while chatting.

Of course, I paid for the meat.

*

I woke up to the vibration of my Smartwatch.

The time is 10:30 AM. Seeing that I can’t wake up on my own at this time, I guess I do need to get Guiding.

The vibration hasn’t stopped yet, so I checked my Smartwatch and saw that I had a call from an unregistered number.

Now, there are no more people to do voice phishing, and there are no more insurance salespeople, so there are no insurance advertisements. Of course, there’s no media, so there are no public opinion polls either. So, I answered the phone from the unknown number.

-Hello? Is this Gang Hana’s number?

His voice is really nice. Who is it? I think I’ve heard it before.

“This is Gang Hana, who is this?”

-Hana, this is Cha Woojin.

Whoa, I was half asleep, but I woke up completely. How did Woojin make a call? They give out Smartwatches before regular education starts, but I’ve never given him my number?

It was noisy on Woojin’s side, and then I heard a child’s voice. It must be Wooreen.

Wooreen was arguing with her brother and saying something constantly.

Listening carefully, it seems like the man gave this to her. Sanghyuk must have visited. That guy must have given him my contact information.

Woojin finished his argument with his sister and asked me if I could meet him today. Of course, I said I would go.

*

‘Oh my gosh! Woojin is looking for me first!’

My head is heavy, but my steps are light as I go to meet Woojin.

Woojin was sitting on a bench in front of the Medical Bureau, waiting for me. Even though he was using a walker, I thought it was amazing that he could come all the way here by himself.

I was feeling proud of him in my heart when Woojin saw me, smiled, and waved his hand.

‘Wow. I thought I saw a halo behind Woojin. How can his teeth be so white and even?’

The slightly smiling eyes that peek out from between the slightly disheveled bangs in the wind are like a crescent moon in the clear night sky. Woojin, who is bewitching with his ebony-like black hair and white skin that shines like white mother-of-pearl, is even more alluring because of the beauty mark under his left eye.

I was in a daze just staring at Woojin, who was shining beautifully today, and I didn’t know if it was because he was in the autumn sunlight or because he had a halo, but Woojin asked me if I was okay.

“You look tired today. Are you okay?”

“Haha, is that so? I’m okay. I guess I’m a little tired because I’ve been handling missions and exams one after another.”

“Sanghyuk visited earlier, and he said that you didn’t get enough Guiding compared to the amount of ability output you had in the last mission. I heard it’s hard to get Guiding these days… Would you like me to give you Guiding if you’re okay with it?”

Kim Sanghyuk is really trying to make Woojin give me Guiding. I’m going to kill him when I see him.

“No! I’m okay! You don’t need to overdo it since you haven’t been trained!”

“I’m just worried about you. I saw you being carried in… You’ve helped me a lot in many ways, and I want to help you too.”

Woojin grabbed my hand that was waving in refusal and intertwined our fingers. Now I couldn’t refuse.

‘It feels like a dream that Woojin is giving me Guiding. I’m so happy!’

Woojin, who had received my consent, put a little strength into our intertwined hands, took a deep breath, and gently closed his eyes.

I could feel the refreshing energy spreading from Woojin’s hand through my hand, up my head, and all over my body. My head, which had been heavy, suddenly became light as if the weather was clearing up.

‘Wow, I feel a little better. But Woojin knows how to do Guiding?’

Usually, rookie Guides who are doing Guiding for the first time don’t know how to do it and wander around for a long time.

This is because it’s an ability that can only be demonstrated when there’s an Esper, so they can’t get a feel for how to do it. But he’s doing it so cleanly, our Woojin must be a genius Guide.

Woojin, who had finished Guiding, opened his eyes and smiled at me. My head is refreshed, but this time, it feels like my heart won’t be able to handle it.

I was in a trance staring at Woojin when I was blocked by Wooreen and couldn’t see Woojin’s face.

Wooreen jumped onto the bench and hugged Woojin tightly, blocking Woojin from my view. Woojin let go of my hand as Wooreen hugged him.

Wooreen must have been playing while picking up fallen leaves while we were Guiding. Wooreen, who was holding a bundle of fallen leaves in each hand, gave one bundle to Woojin as a gift. Noticing my gaze as I was staring blankly at the scene, she gave me the remaining bundle.

“I’ll give Oppa flowers too. So, you can’t take our Oppa.”

Look at this kid. When did I ever take Woojin? I’m ready to give Woojin my own too. Wooreen said something sad, but I accepted the gift.

The shape of the red maple leaves wrapped in yellow ginkgo leaves looked quite like a flower. Wooreen has an aesthetic sense.

Wooreen told Woojin not to let them be taken away and went back to picking up fallen leaves.

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