In this world, you're either an Awakened person... or you're not.
***
Ten years ago, Gates appeared across the world.
Nobody knows where they came from. Nobody knows why monsters came with them. Nobody had any idea on how to stop them.
Then the first Awakened appeared.
They were called Espers. Guided by mysterious Systems, they became humanity's greatest weapon... and eventually, its greatest liability.
As time went on, fending off the monsters took a toll on the Espers' bodies. And they eventually lost control over their abilities.
They called it a Rampage.
Fortunately, another group of Awakened soon appeared. They were called Guides. Unlike Espers, they weren't built for combat. Their role was simple. Keep Espers sane.
A Guide with a high compatibility rate could maximize an Esper's growth. But it was actually rare for a Guide and an Esper to have a matching rate that exceeds 50%. Once a Guide and Esper exceeded a 70% compatibility rate, they were given a choice.
Form an intimate partnership.
It wasn't mandatory. But intimacy dramatically increased guiding efficiency and greatly reduced the risk of
Rampages.
And that's how the unhealthy obsession between Guides and Espers became socially acceptable.
Horrible? I know.
But what happens when a low ranking Guide is in a relationship with an Esper who has a higher matching rate with their guide?
[Probability of Host surviving this week: 0.03%]
Hanseong took a sip out of his coffee, unfazed. His system had been predicting his death every single day for the past two months. He actually didn't mind... Who was he kidding? The thing was driving him nuts!
Unfortunately, he'd been stuck with the annoying system ever since his awakening two months ago. He didn't even want to awaken, but the universe had a sick sense of humor.
He didn't awaken as an Esper.
He awakened as a Guide. A D-Class Guide. One of the lowest-ranking Guides.
He didn't even bother registering as a professional Guide. Because... what was the use?
To make matters worse, his awakening came with a system that did too little and talked far too much. Sometimes, he wondered if remaining a civilian would've been the better deal.
His life was a joke.
"Hanseong-ah... Let's break up."
Hanseong suddenly choked on his coffee. He reached for a napkin and dabbed his lips.
Yep that's what happens when your Esper boyfriend has an 80% matching rate with his Guide.
He cleared his throat, eyes calmly darting to the small black box in his left hand. He'd gotten him something to celebrate their six-year anniversary, just like every year.
He'd even ordered a cake in his favourite flavour with his name piped on it.
But this year was different, his boyfriend had totally forgotten about the date, he only agreed to meet him because he wanted to tell him something important.
[Poor, Host...]
His eyes slowly darted to Min-Jae's gorgeous face. He wondered whether he'd heard wrong. Nope, he'd heard him correctly. Sometimes, he wondered if he and his boyfriend would've been better off if neither of them had awakened.
But when Park Min-Jae awakened as a C-Class Esper a year ago, everything changed.
In just two months, he climbed up from C-Class to A-Class, shocking everyone. He rose to fame overnight.
Hanseong shoved the black box into his pocket as he tore his gaze away from his face, admiring the cherry blossom trees outside. "Why are you suddenly breaking up with me, Min-Jae-ah?"
Min-Jae hesitated before he spoke.
"Now that I'm an A-Class Esper, I want to try leveling up towards S-Class this time around." He said in a serious, composed tone.
"And the fastest way to achieve that is by Resonance. Due to mine and Yi-Hyun's high compatibility rate." He said it so casually... as though ending six years together was just another career decision.
Resonance.
A beautiful word invented by the Guide Association to avoid saying, "Please have sex for the good of humanity."
Hanseong smiled to hide his nervousness. He knew this would happen sooner or later, so he wasn't that shocked.
[Host's emotional stability: -0.002%.]
'Shut up!'
Hanseong gulped before asking his boyfriend the question that had been bugging him all this while.
"So, do you have any feelings for Yi-Hyun hyung?"
And very unfortunate for Hanseong, Min-Jae and Yi-Hyun were a famous ship. With many fans all over the world shipping them together.
Min-Jae's gaze hardened. "He's just my colleague, Hanseong."
'Thank God.'
Hanseong was somewhat relieved by Min-Jae's response. He pushed the cake away from the center of the table and smiled. Smiling was always a coping mechanism for him.
Deep down he always knew this day would come, but he didn't expect it to be on their six year anniversary.
When Min-Jae called him earlier saying he wanted to meet him, Hanseong was so excited. Maybe he didn't forget after all. What he didn't expect was that Min-Jae had come here with the intention of breaking up with him.
"Resonance is just kissing and stuff, right? The same thing actors do on camera."
Min-Jae sighed. "It's not the same thing, Hanseong-ah. And you know that. Can you really stay with me after knowing I've slept with another person?"
While there were still some people who considered the practice of an Esper forming a sexual relationship with their Guide, wrong. The majority had come to accept it as normal.
Even Hanseong had accepted that reality long ago.
But now...
"I can't." Hanseong's voice slightly cracked. "The thought of you sleeping with Yi-Hyun hyung breaks my heart. Even though I know Resonance will help you level up..." He shook his head. "I'm sorry."
Min-Jae let out another sigh. "I'm supposed to be the one apologising, Hanseong-ah. Not you."
"So you won't change your mind?"
His expression hardened. "I'm an Esper, Hanseong-ah. My duty comes before my personal life."
"Why are you in such a hurry to become an S-Class when you just became an A-Class?"
Min-Jae looked at him quietly. "Because only four Pillars remain."
Right...
Last year, another one of South Korea's Six Pillars, the master of the Vanguard Guild, finally succumbed to Rampage. Unable to be guided anymore, the government had no choice but to classify him as an X-Class Esper.
Min-Jae looked him straight in the eye. "I want to take his place."
Hanseong's eyes widened.
'He wants to replace a natural S-Class Esper?'
Min-Jae studied his reaction intently. "I know I'm not a natural S-Class. I know people will compare me. I know I'll never be as talented as the original Six."
"Even so, I'd like to take it up as a challenge and become a new pillar for our country."
Those eyes...
He'd always loved them. Every time Min-Jae talked about his dreams, his eyes shone exactly like this.
They still did.
They just weren't looking at him anymore.
Hanseong lowered his gaze. "...Then I won't stop you."
Min-Jae nodded, his expression softening up a bit. "Thank you."
***
[Tsk, are you crying?]
'Shut up!'
Hanseong sniffed, burying his face into his pillow. His eyes were so swollen from all the crying. He turned and stared at the ceiling.
"My life can still get worse." He sighed softly, drying his eyes with tissue paper.
[DING!]
A familiar blue screen materialized above him.
[MAIN MISSION ACTIVATED.]
[TARGET: Esper Lee Taehyun.]
[OBJECTIVE: Guide target to sanity.]
[TIME LIMIT: 40 Days.]
[REWARD: ???]
[FAILURE PENALTY: Death.]
Hanseong slowly sat upright.
"...Absolutely fucking not."