HLSEBT - 6

When she was young, Yoon Taeha overheard people in white lab coats placing bets on whether she’d live past fifteen. 

At the time, she was seven years old—old enough to fully understand what they were saying. 

Every time she used her powers, every time she returned from a mission badly injured, and every time a Guide called her an untouchable monster, Yoon Taeha calmly calculated how much time she had left. Like someone watching their phone battery drain. 

“The center is prioritizing finding a Guide for you. Haven’t you met a lot of candidates already?” 

“I’ve met plenty. A whole lot.” 

“Isn’t there even one decent person? It’s not like you’re looking for a life partner or something.” 

Life partner? The overly dramatic choice of words made Yoon Taeha chuckle as she mulled it over. 

“Sis, you’re secretly such a romantic.” 

“Just pick someone who’s a decent match. Didn’t they tell you to choose someone to go out in the field with before your vacation ends?” 

“Yeah. They said if I don’t, they’ll lock me up in an underground bunker.” 

“The Director would do that?” 

That didn’t sound like him at all. Reading Han Gyewol’s surprised expression, Yoon Taeha added, 

“It’s the Audit Department’s order.” 

Because of that, she had spent her day sitting at interview tables like a reluctant participant in a blind date, her face polite but devoid of spirit, just like children of marriageable age dragged into unwanted matchmaking. 

“Sis, you know normal Guides can’t work with me. There’s too much to consider.” 

The media often romanticized Espers, but reality was far from it. 

A Guide falling from the sky wasn’t an instant cure-all for an Esper. 

Especially for high-risk missions like hers, selecting a Guide was a painstaking process for both the center and the Esper themselves. 

You couldn’t just pair an Esper heading into dangerous situations with an ordinary civilian who had never even held a gun. 

“You really take pride in being so picky.” 

Han Gyewol crumpled the now-empty sandwich wrapper. 

“That’s exactly why I’m a fan of yours. You’re picky.” 

“Then set one condition you absolutely can’t compromise on and one you can.” 

“And then?” 

“If they meet the non-negotiable condition, even if everything else isn’t perfect, you give them a few chances to meet.” 

Something she could compromise on? Yoon Taeha thought it over while sorting through the metaphorical trash. 

“As long as they don’t lie.” 

“Lying?” 

“As long as they’re not liars.” 

“True, you’ve been burned by those kinds of people before.” 

“Not burned—just deceived. But either way, one word from me, and the Guide gets cut loose.” 

Han Gyewol sighed, exasperated. Was this mismatch between words and actions a trait of upper-tier Espers? 

“Good grief. You’re truly an impenetrable fortress.” 

“Exactly. It’s all intentional. You might not get it, sis.” 

“You’re something else.” 

Yoon Taeha gave a faint smile and sank deeper into the beanbag.

Even after that day, Han Gyewol would often drop by to see Yoon Taeha. She dragged her out of the center to visit trendy cafes and must-try restaurants that were said to have long lines for their broadcasts the following week, keeping busy.

The two crisscrossed Seoul during the remaining days of Taeha’s vacation.

“Aren’t you a big actress? How are you so free?” 

“Our drama is pre-produced, dummy.” 

Though Yoon Taeha occasionally made sour faces, she mostly went along with Han Gyewol’s plans. She even took several photos for Han Gyewol to post on social media. 

“I’ll apply to be your personal photographer when I retire.” 

Han Gyewol didn’t respond to the joke. Instead, she bought and gifted Taeha a light yet expensive camera. 

“Come back after gaining 10 more years of experience, and I’ll accept you.” 

Attached to the camera box was a note written in Han Gyewol’s handwriting. 

This was just her style—wishing Taeha a long life in a roundabout way. 

[Han Gyewol][4:30 PM] Hey, tomorrow’s Friday. Let’s eat meat. How about some grilled intestines? 

[Yoon Taeha][4:31 PM] Sis, aren’t you on a diet for your pictorial…? 

[Han Gyewol][4:36 PM] I’ll just chew on some garlic chives. 

[Yoon Taeha][4:38 PM] Do you think that’ll work? 

After replying to Han Gyewol, Yoon Taeha shoved her phone into her jeans pocket. 

There were only two days left of her vacation, and over the past three weeks, she had gone through hundreds of resumes. She hadn’t found anyone who perfectly fit her expectations, but toward the end, she had shortlisted two decent candidates. 

One was a man who had worked for a private military company, and the other was a woman affiliated with a nonprofit medical organization. 

Both had mild personalities and an affable demeanor. They knew how to handle firearms, possessed basic medical knowledge, and claimed to have experience working in conflict zones. 

To seriously consider her options, she settled into a second-floor terrace café overlooking the center’s lobby. From there, she could see everything happening in the meeting plaza below. 

“The company atmosphere feels a bit chaotic lately. Why is that?” 

A pair of Espers sitting nearby began chatting. Though Yoon Taeha hadn’t intended to eavesdrop, her sharp hearing picked up every word. 

“They’re recruiting Guides.” 

“For whom?” 

“Who else? That person whose surname is Yoon. You really don’t keep up with what’s going on at the company, do you? Just here to collect your paycheck?” 

“That person is recruiting a Guide? A dedicated Guide?” 

Judging by how accurately they spoke about her, it seemed the Espers had high security clearance. Yoon Taeha subtly lowered her head, letting her hair naturally shield her face. 

“The job postings have been up for a while now. Didn’t you see them?” 

“Why would I bother looking at Guide postings? I’m already so busy… By the way, I heard they’re stopping the rotation system?” 

“How would I know? There aren’t many people who can casually talk to her anyway.” 

“Wow, no wonder it’s causing such a stir. Lately, all the decent Guides have disappeared from the rotation partner lists.” 

The female Esper whispered as if sharing a secret. 

“They’re waiting to be chosen. I heard that even Guides who had previously rotated with her submitted applications to return!” 

Hearing this, Yoon Taeha let out a hollow laugh. 

Why did rumors like this spread so vividly? 

It was always like this when selecting a Guide—an unavoidable pain she had to endure. Though she’d experienced it countless times before, it still didn’t feel good. 

The Espers gossiping about how cruel she was to her Guides soon left. 

Only then did Taeha, now free from their chatter, exhale a low sigh. 

She turned her gaze toward the lobby, idly watching the people passing by. She observed partners holding hands and jumping around playfully. She sipped her bitter coffee, which tasted like poison.

In the middle of her aimless wandering, someone caught Yoon Taeha’s eye. 

It was a man wearing an expensive-looking suit. The suit resembled one she had bookmarked as a potential birthday gift for Lee Haegyeong. 

Recognizing the clothing, her gaze followed him. His face, which suited the blue tie particularly well, seemed to glow as he crossed the lobby. People turned their heads to look at him as he passed by. 

He approached the central desk and asked something. The employee’s face immediately brightened. The process of issuing a visitor’s pass seemed unusually slow. 

After receiving directions, the man resumed walking with measured, deliberate steps. 

A trained individual, it seems. A newly recruited Esper? 

Just by observing his gait, you could tell whether someone had undergone military training or not—and this man clearly belonged to the former category. Come to think of it, the center had been recruiting experienced Espers recently… 

As the back of the man’s head disappeared from view, Yoon Taeha’s fleeting interest in him faded as well. 

[Immediate call to the 19th floor] 

Checking her phone, Yoon Taeha tidied up her coffee cup and stood up. She pressed the elevator button and waited. 

The elevator was currently stopped at the lobby. 

Ping. 

The monotone notification signaled its arrival. The doors opened. Seeing someone already inside, Yoon Taeha gave a casual nod and stepped into the elevator. 

She scanned her ID badge and was about to press the button when— 

“……” 

Her destination, the 19th floor, was already selected. Reflexively, she glanced at the person who had boarded before her, only to quickly lower her head again. 

That same blue tie. 

It was the man with the striking features whom everyone in the lobby had been staring at. So that’s why they were looking. 

Embarrassed by her earlier glance, Yoon Taeha deliberately moved to the back of the elevator. 

Though there was plenty of space, she felt strangely cramped, as if squeezed into a tight spot. Her chest felt suffocating. 

Did I ask for the cold brew to be too strong? Even though she knew caffeine had no effect on her, she still wanted to blame something. 

The elevator carrying the two of them ascended. 

At several floors, crowds poured in, squishing Yoon Taeha like a pancake fresh off the griddle. 

After passing the 15th floor, they were finally alone again. 

The man adjusted his attire, straightening his tie. On his wrist was an ostentatious watch that practically screamed luxury. 

The reflection of the two of them in the elevator doors starkly contrasted their appearances. 

One wore jeans, a white short-sleeved T-shirt with the center’s logo on the chest, and sneakers. The other was dressed in a classic black suit, an expensive-looking blue tie, and impeccably polished shoes that gleamed as if they could reflect faces. 

Maybe I should’ve dressed better when coming to the center. Yoon Taeha blinked slowly. 

Having grown so accustomed to coming and going as if it were her own home, she had long abandoned any sense of TPO (time, place, occasion). 

Ping. 

19th floor. 

After seeing the man step out first, she slowly followed, lowering her head toward her phone to avoid looking like she was trailing him. 

[Where are you???] 

The other person was urging her. She had already narrowed down the Guide candidates, so why was this so urgent? 

Grumbling inwardly, she quickened her pace. The distance between her and the man, who had exited ahead of her, began to close again. 

Of course, they were heading in the same direction. She didn’t want to appear as though she was following him, so she decided to overtake him quickly. 

For some reason, the hallway was eerily empty today—not even an ant in sight.

She quickened her pace and passed the man, trying to ignore the feeling of his gaze on the back of her head. Buzz. Another text came in, but she ignored it and opened the door to the familiar meeting room.

Jo Woo-taek, the HR manager, who had been pacing in circles with his phone in hand, greeted her with a twitch of his eyebrows. His voice was filled with urgency.

“Why are you so late, my dear Esper?”

“What’s going on?”

“One more Guide candidate has been added. Let’s conduct one final fourth-round interview today. They should be arriving soo—”

He didn’t finish his sentence. Instead, his eyes darted past Yoon Taeha’s shoulder, and his lips twisted awkwardly as if he were nervous.

This wasn’t someone who usually got flustered over just anyone—so why now? Sensing the presence behind her, Yoon Taeha turned around.

“Are you Manager Jo Woo-taek?”

It was the same man again.