Chapter 6
Chapter 6
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: The Golden Gaze
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Ah, yes. If you'd rung the bell, I would've come over."
"I did, but it seemed like you didn't hear it."
"......Sorry about that."
I must've been too focused to notice. I awkwardly apologized and lifted my head, only to find the man staring at me intently.
Again. His gaze felt like he was observing me, making me furrow my brow slightly.
"Is there something you need?"
"......What's that?"
"Pardon? Oh, the coupon?"
That's weird. I heard from the other part-timer that he'd asked about making one before and turned it down.
My puzzlement at his reaction, as if he'd never seen one before, was short-lived. I nodded.
Right. With so few customers, he might've mixed it up.
"It's a coupon. We stamp it once per drink purchase, and when you collect ten, you get a free drink. Shall I make one for you?"
"Yes."
The man's face had gone deathly pale, now beaded with cold sweat. His lips were bitten tight as if suppressing pain, and on reflex, I reached out.
It was a habit from my days as Amelia.
"Are you okay?"
His forehead was ice-cold. Like treating a patient, I instinctively checked his condition before belatedly remembering this wasn't Amelia's body.
"......Huh?"
But something was off. It felt like something inside me was draining away.
A sensation both alien and familiar. I tried to pull my hand back right away, but I couldn't. The man had grabbed it.
His grip was desperate, like a drowning person clutching at a lifeline. Startled, I looked up just as our eyes met.
Golden.
For a split second, a sharp glint flashed in his irises.
He clutched my hand—pressed to his forehead like a restraint—as if enduring something, or perhaps staring at me in shock.
Color returned to his ashen cheeks, and his eyes reddened.
"Haa......"
His ragged breath jolted me. I yanked my hand free with a flap.
My wandering mind snapped back.
"What...... was that just now?"
I was the one who'd touched him without permission first—that was clearly my fault. But what happened after was hard to comprehend.
Even if my intent was to heal, wouldn't a normal stranger feel uncomfortable with someone touching them?
Why did he grab it? And that feeling—could it be...... No. No way. It had to be my imagination. Yeah, just a mistake......
My mind rang alarm bells: Stop thinking about it if you want to live.
"Ha, haha...... My hands are a bit cool, right? I've been making drinks until just now."
"Yes......"
The man nodded dreamily, his gaze slightly unfocused, like he was entranced.
He looked in really bad shape. I half-worried he'd keel over right here in the cafe.
"You don't look well. How about seeing a doctor? No fever, so probably not a cold, but better safe than sorry. Could be migraines—do you get headaches often?"
"I'm fine. Hospitals are useless for this, and I know the symptoms well."
His face looked much better now, so I decided prying further would be overstepping and nodded.
Besides, my own face was burning. His gaze clung to me like honey smeared on it. I fumbled in the drawer for a fresh coupon.
Grabbing a pen, I asked,
"You wanted a coupon, right? They're easy to lose, so we can keep it here at the cafe. For that, I need to write your name—may I have it?"
"I'm Yeon—"
Our eyes met, and his cheeks faintly flushed as he opened his mouth. At the same moment, a booming voice blared from the TV.
[Citizens of our proud nation!! Korea's esteemed Messiah Guild has achieved the world's fastest clear time for an A-rank high-level gate!!]
The excited reporter announced the gate clear by top-tier Esper Yeon Woo-jin's Messiah Guild.
In an instant, my jumbled thoughts vanished, drowned in seething black rage.
My nemesis. The one who'd turned my life into that of a nomad. I ground my teeth and muttered under my breath.
It was a knee-jerk reaction.
"Yeon Woo-jin, that fucking bastard...... Just let me catch sight of you."
"......"
The customer's widened eyes made me realize my blunder.
"......Did that just slip out?"
Grasping the situation too late, I tried to smooth it over with the most apologetic expression I could muster.
"Ah, sorry about that. So, what was your name again? Definitely Yeon......"
"Yeon. Ju Yeon-woo."
His face paled again in shock. I hurriedly offered him some warm water.
That name was basically my berserk button—Han Se-young and Yang Hyun-woo never uttered it around me.
Hearing it after so long must've worn down my immunity...... Still, cursing in front of a customer? Total screw-up.
"I'm really sorry......"
I apologized again.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ It was a pleasant weekend afternoon. On my rare day off, sprawled on the couch of a quiet brunch cafe, Han Se-young asked me,
"Heard Kim So-hee is heading abroad for studies soon—did you know?"
Kim So-hee was the owner of the place I was staying. I nodded casually, and she furrowed her brow.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner? When she leaves, come stay at my place. I'll be pulling overtime for a while, so make yourself at home."
"No need. The shop's almost done anyway, so I'll stay there."
That's what I said to Han Se-young, but truthfully, things weren't that relaxed.
It was winter now, and the cafe wouldn't be ready until my part-time gig ended. Plus, Kim So-hee would be gone a week before that.
Meaning I'd need somewhere else to crash in the meantime.
She frowned at my firm refusal.
"Hey, Kim Yu-jeong. Why act like such a burden? Back in my senior year of high school, when I fought with my parents and got kicked out, you let me crash at yours. Remember how much that comforted me? I was crying nonstop, and you said I could come anytime."
"......I'm really fine. Think of it as me getting a head start on moving in."
"Don't be like that—how about heading down to your parents' for a bit? Your part-time's ending soon anyway. Yu-ha misses you. At least give him a call."
But I didn't want to impose on Han Se-young again or go back home.
Being around consideration that wasn't truly mine felt as uncomfortable as wearing ill-fitting clothes.
"Got it. I'll call when I have time."
"For real? I'll check later."
"You too. Always butting into other people's family stuff."
"Only 'cause you're so distant about it."
I ignored her pouty glare and crunched on my straw.
"Oh! Speaking of, I heard there's this super handsome guy who comes to your cafe? They say he's into you—is it true?"
"What...... How'd you even hear that?"
"There's a part-timer named Su-jin at the cafe, right? Turns out she's my college junior. So, is it true?"
"Handsome? Totally. Interested? Not in the way you're thinking."
"Then what way?"
"If I had to put it, like a researcher spotting an unidentified object......?"
"What even is that."
She grumbled like her food had gone cold. To change the subject, I spoke up first.
"Why are you so busy lately?"
"What else? A new high-rank Esper popped up, total headache...... My underlings are suffering. Guild fights are bad enough already."
"What rank?"
"Rare B-rank after ages. Still a minor, but caused a fuss by sexually harassing his Guide right after registering. Most want it hushed since the Guide's low-rank."
"What a mess."
They preached equality and all, but just like class divides anywhere, Awakeners had blatant rank-based treatment.
Or bluntly put, in this survival-of-the-fittest world, discrimination was starker than most places.
Gates appeared, the world changed, monsters threatened survival—ushering in an era of raw power dynamics.
Oppressive authority and exploitation were commonplace.
Rumor had it things were worse before, with mandatory national service and no choices. This was progress, supposedly.
"Oh, right. I got my matching rate tested with Hyun-woo recently—it's higher than last time?"
"Really? Congrats."
"Truth is, I was a bit uneasy before 'cause yours with Hyun-woo was high. Worried he might start liking you."
I scowled deeply.
"Why shove your almost-boyfriend on me?"
"Sorry. But high matching rates between Awakeners often lead to romance."
"Probably just emotional confusion from Guiding. Studies say affinity builds fondness, but actual love? Not that common."
Han Se-young looked a tad displeased as she replied,
"Yeah, but higher ranks show stronger bonds. Bigger rampage backlash means deeper attachment."
"Ah~ Like that old A-rank Esper Doi Hyun case? Super famous, so yeah. Obsessed with his Guide, killed all Espers linked to him, even ended up killing his own Guide."
An A-rank—national affiliate at that—killing higher-rank Espers was rare, so the incident was still talked about years later.
Summary: So obsessed with his Guide he slaughtered every Esper connected to him, dragging his own Guide into rampage and death?
In the end, he got taken out by another Esper, as I recalled.