Trash Can Guide by Daldare

21-22

21. To Each His Own

"Guide Kim Nabin, hello."

"Hello."

Nabin was currently on a Guide assignment in the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province. Since his childhood, he had rarely left the confines of Seoul.

When he had worked as a miner, the cost of transportation was prohibitive, so he only worked in abandoned dungeons within Seoul.

There were the most dungeons in Korea.

He didn't want to get in trouble for being confined to the Seoul area, so he chose jobs that were accessible by public transportation and walking whenever possible. The view of the blue lake on his retina was unfamiliar. The cherry blossoms had already bid farewell to the rainy season. The hot season was just around the corner, and the sun would soon rise to assert its presence.

He settled down under a zelkova tree that had stood steadfastly against the elements for many years. A pleasant warmth, not too hot or too cold, passed through his body.

Nabin tilted his head slightly toward another Esper who approached him - the fifth today. With his cheeks still fluffy with fur, he looked to be about Nabin's age.

"B-ranked Attack System-Fire Esper, Kim Dong-hoon!"

The number of Espers in the K Espers Center was in the hundreds in the Seoul headquarters alone. Nabin had met many of them as he had made his way through the Center. They all watched him like a curious animal as he awakened as an immeasurable Guide.

The nervous-looking Esper's face was unfamiliar. He had met most of the S- and A-class ones, but there were a lot B-class powers, so there were many new faces today.

"I'm ...... Kim Nabin, I'll show you around."

"Yes, yes......!"

Despite his trembling voice, Kim Dong-hoon's eyelids didn't even flutter as he stared at Nabin. It was a familiar reaction for him. Ever since his ranking was officially announced to the world at the press conference, he has had eighteen Kim Dong-hoon-like reactions.

Three or four purple butterflies soon emerged from Nabin's fingertips as he calmly announced his name. The butterflies responded to their master's will and fluttered to land on the back of Kim's hand.

"Wow..."

Even in the sunlit space, the purple butterflies scattered light that attracted people's attention. In the darkness, in the light, as if to make their presence known to the world.

Beep, beep.

".....I feel so light."

Kim, who hadn't been able to take his eyes off the butterflies, was now standing in place and jumping up and down. The numbers on his bracelet that indicated his runaway danger level were lower than ever.

His body felt refreshed and energized, as if it had been carrying a heavy burden ever since he awakened as an Espers. The guidance was more ecstatic than the rumours had suggested, and it was easy to lose oneself in the simplicity of the body, to forget one's trembling mind for a moment.

"Move."

A cool shade fell over Kim Dong-hoon's head. As the shadows fell on the darkened place under the zelkova tree, the lively atmosphere became heavy, as if clinging to a stone and sinking below the surface.

It was the kind of voice that always struck a chord. Nabin felt his heart beat irregularly, hidden beneath the grave color of his skin.

"Esper, I'm sorry."

Kim Dong-hoon, who was about to thank Nabin, quickly disappeared with only an apology to Han Ji-gang. Han Ji-gang's notoriety, originally known for his dog training, was growing by the day.