Beyond The Control

Chapter 49

The one who spoke to me was the student.

“Are you Guide Lee Su-hyeon by any chance?”

“Yes, that’s right…”

I answered reflexively, and the student clasped her hands and started jumping up and down.

“Oh my, what should I do? I’m a huge fan. Su-hyeon is my favorite face, and seeing you in person, you’re so cute and handsome.”

Following this otherworldly fuss that left me a bit bewildered, she made an additional request.

“Could we take a picture together? I want to show off to my friends.”

“Ah, yes. But…”

Before I could finish, the student’s phone was handed to her mother. Instead of taking the picture right away, the mother said a few words.

“Is the person behind you also an Awakened?”

She was referring to Song Ji-hyeok. When I answered yes, her expression brightened. However, due to the dim surroundings and the black cap pulled low, she didn’t seem to recognize who he was.

“Then if he could join the picture too…”

“No.”

A firm response came from the student’s mouth.

“I only want to take a picture with Lee Su-hyeon.”

Really? You’d regret it if you knew who he was.

“Hurry and take the picture, Mom.”

“Alright.”

As soon as the phone camera was pointed at us, I instinctively made a V sign. The mother enthusiastically took pictures, raising and lowering her phone. When the shooting was over, the student said, “Just a moment,” and ran to the trunk of the car next to us.

She rummaged through a shopping bag, took something out, and then came back and held out a square chocolate with both hands.

“I don’t have a chocolate bar, but please accept this instead.”

“No, um…”

As I hesitated at the sudden gift, the student boldly grabbed my hand and pressed the chocolate into it. I unconsciously looked at the student’s mother, but she was just smiling fondly.

“Thank you for taking a picture with me! I’ll continue to support you enthusiastically. And…”

The student trailed off, then looked at Song Ji-hyeok and rattled off rapidly.

“I’ll support Esper Song Ji-hyeok too. Well then, take care.”

There was a clear difference in enthusiasm. As the student got into her mother’s car, she left one more surprise. She knew it was Song Ji-hyeok?

‘But she still only wanted to take a picture with me?’

I was dumbfounded by this unexpected twist. As I stared blankly at the car’s rear end that had already moved far away, Song Ji-hyeok’s voice came from beside me.

“Must be nice to be cute and handsome.”

There was a slight laugh mixed in, clearly teasing, but I didn’t mind at all. To be precise, I didn’t have the mental capacity to mind. Only then did I look down at the chocolate in my hand. I remembered what the student had said when she gave it to me.

Didn’t she say to accept this instead because she didn’t have a chocolate bar? That means she knew I usually eat chocolate bars.

Without realizing it, I looked up at Song Ji-hyeok and muttered.

“That girl just now, I think she really was my fan.”

“It seemed pretty obvious.”

At his words suggesting we should go now, I got back into the passenger seat. As I habitually looked out the car window, my heart was beating a little faster for some reason.

How long had it been since a complete stranger showed such affection, saying they supported me? As I mentioned before, when it was first revealed that I was a Dual Awakened, I received a brief burst of public interest, but when it was also revealed that I wasn’t much help to the overall strength, they coldly turned their backs. It would have been fine if they just ignored me. Instead, I got unnecessary insults for being all talk and no action, and since then, I’ve lived without presence, like a passing extra.

It was the same when my insane matching rate with Song Ji-hyeok came out. While there were people who sincerely congratulated me, the majority of internet comments were either jealous or sarcastic. So when I finally met someone who knew my face and name accurately and sincerely supported me, I felt all warm and fuzzy inside.

“If you want to smile, just smile.”

“Huh?”

“You look like you’re dying to smile.”

“Oh. I am happy.”

I admitted it frankly without denying it. I could feel my mouth corners twitching, trying to form a smile.

While I was at it, I took a picture of the chocolate and sent a boastful message to my sister. I could clearly imagine my sister being even happier than me when she read the message.

Next was my turn to taste the chocolate. I unwrapped the outer packaging and peeled off the silver foil, revealing its appetizing form. As I broke off the top part of the chocolate, I asked Song Ji-hyeok.

“Want some?”

In response, Song Ji-hyeok slightly leaned his upper body towards me without answering. He ate the chocolate I held out a bit further, as if he had been waiting for it, and chewed.

I had thought this before, but while he seems like he wouldn’t even look at things others give him, he eats them well enough. Additionally, a mischievous urge welled up in me.

“Ji-hyeok.”

“What?”

“I didn’t wash my hands.”

“Ah, shit…”

I chuckled as I saw his brow furrow immediately. It’s fun to tease him when he shows this kind of reaction once in a while, considering he usually ignores me nine times out of ten.

“Want more?”

“Give it here.”

Oh, I thought he’d tell me to get lost. Uncertainly, I asked him again.

“You really want more?”

“Yes.”

“Even though I said I didn’t wash my hands?”

“Oh, come on. Enough with that already.”

But why is he still asking for it? Is he that hungry? Thinking this to myself, I broke off another piece and held it out to him. This time, both his hand and mouth moved towards me.

More precisely, he grabbed my wrist while lowering his head towards the chocolate. Then he suddenly bit my thumb and index finger along with it. This crazy guy.

“Ack!”

I pulled my fingers out in shock at the wet, hot sensation. Unlike my horrified reaction, Song Ji-hyeok said irritatingly as he melted the chocolate in his mouth.

“The chocolate is sweet and salty. Wash your hands first when we get home.”

I want to wash them right now, not at home. But since I can’t do that, I pretended not to care and bit into the remaining chocolate with a crunch.

We arrived at Song Ji-hyeok’s house less than 10 minutes later. Even considering our stop at the market, it was quite close to the guild.

“Excuse me.”

Song Ji-hyeok’s house, which I was now entering with a clear mind and confidence, looked even more spacious and pleasant than when I saw it before. Although the structure itself was ordinary, the expensive-looking appliances and furniture, along with the molding line lighting on the ceiling, created an extraordinary atmosphere.

Now that I look, there was even a mini-bar installed at the boundary between the kitchen and living room. If someone took a picture of Song Ji-hyeok sitting here sipping alcohol, it would look like a magazine photo shoot.

Anyway, as much as I wanted to look around the house, there was something I needed to do first. As I was still hungry, I put down the groceries we had just bought on the dining table and rolled up my sleeves. Of course, I was careful because even the dining table was made of marble.

“Can I use the kitchen? I’ll prepare dinner.”

“Do as you please.”

As soon as I got permission, I thoroughly washed my hands first. I hesitated for a moment as I remembered the sensation of his tongue briefly touching my fingertips, but I quickly shook it off and started moving busily.

I’d tell the homeowner to put away the room temperature meal kits later. I started preparing to grill the round meat patties that I had enthusiastically put in the cart. I fumbled a bit with the unfamiliar induction cooktop but somehow managed to turn it on.

After debating whether to save some, I just poured the whole bag in generously. We had bought a 1+1 deal so there was another bag, and honestly, I could eat this much by myself. While waiting for them to cook, I also put instant rice in the microwave. Only then did I realize I had forgotten one thing.

‘I forgot to buy kimchi.’

It doesn’t feel right to just put rice and meat patties on the table. I wonder if I could look in the refrigerator.

I wanted to ask Song Ji-hyeok, but I could faintly hear water running from afar. It seemed he was enjoying a shower by himself.

I decided to wait for a while and focused on the meat patties in front of me. After flipping them once, I kept staring at them as if having a staring contest. At some point, Song Ji-hyeok appeared, shuffling in his slippers.

I turned around reflexively and paused. As expected, water droplets clung to the ends of Song Ji-hyeok’s hair, and his clothes had changed from earlier. He was wearing training pants that looked comfortable and a black sleeveless shirt on top.

Thanks to this, his shoulder and arm lines were clearly visible. While I see him in sleeveless shirts every day in the training room, seeing it at home felt different.

When I first saw him, he was tall but had a somewhat slim build… These days, he’s really filled out with muscle. Not just his shoulders and arms, but his latissimus dorsi muscles were also prominently developed. While his face still shows traces of youth, his body is the complete opposite.

“Isn’t the food burning?”

When I turned my head, there was indeed a bit of smoke rising. Yikes. I hurriedly lowered the temperature and flipped them, fortunately finding they weren’t too burnt.