Confinement Constitution Guide

Kidnapping and Confinement Welcome (2)

I moved cautiously, hoping this Esper would be intelligent. Fortunately, the pursuer seemed to have some skill in tracking, as they persistently followed my movements without losing sight of me.

Well, an Esper wouldn’t lose track of a Guide in the ordinary streets of society, without the obstacles of a dungeon or monsters. No matter how much I tried to evade, to an Esper, a Guide is just like an ordinary person.

As I walked, conscious of the person on my tail, I soon found myself near my home. At the end of the long block, turning right and walking a bit further would lead to the officetel where I lived. The quickest shortcut there was through the convenience store.

Deliberately pretending to be aware of someone, I looked around and entered the convenience store.

“Welcome to US25.”

“Hello.”

After greeting the part-time worker whose face I’d become familiar with, I placed a sugar-free mint candy on the counter.

“That’ll be 3,000 won. Would you like to use any discounts or accumulate points?”

“No, just ring it up please.”

“Alright. Please insert your card in the front.”

As I inserted my card into the terminal, I cautiously glanced outside the store. There didn’t seem to be anyone suspicious hiding and watching.

I kept trying to suppress a smile at how skilled the Esper pursuing me seemed to be. Could I finally taste the sweet vacation I’d been longing for? My heart raced at the thought of lazily lounging in bed while having three square meals a day prepared by someone else.

“The payment is complete. You can remove your card. Do you need a receipt?”

“No, that’s fine. Thank you.”

“Thank you, have a good day.”

Shoving the card and candy into my pocket, I left the convenience store to find the once-bustling street had become quiet. The faint presence of the Esper I had felt earlier had also disappeared.

‘What? Was it all for nothing?’

Could they have given up on kidnapping me? With so little persistence? After getting me all excited like this? …Or were they just tracking my movements today?

Right. That makes more sense. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been following me all this time only to suddenly disappear. An Esper lacking the motivation to give up so quickly wouldn’t plan a kidnapping in the first place.

I tried to think positively as I headed towards my officetel.

Just in case they had lost me, I deliberately walked slowly to signal them to focus and keep following me, but I didn’t sense the Esper’s presence again.

‘This can’t be. Did they really give up?’

Sighing in disappointment, I passed through the officetel’s main entrance and got into the elevator.

I pressed the button for the 6th floor and waited as the elevator took me to my front door.

‘Right. Kidnapping couldn’t be that easy.’

As I was about to enter the door code, feeling dejected, I sensed an unfamiliar presence from the emergency stairway.

“…”

My goodness. It seems this admirable Esper hasn’t given up on the kidnapping yet. To think they’d follow me all the way home. How audacious and rude. …But I can easily forgive such a minor offense if they kidnap me.

‘So don’t hesitate and kidnap me right now.’

I lowered my hand that was about to enter the door code and slowly turned around. Then, as I closed my eyes in anticipation of the kidnapping and was about to utter my prepared line:

“I’m sorry to say this as someone about to be kidnapped, but I absolutely hate chloroform, so if you could use a gentler method to knock me out…”

“Hello.”

Instead of a chloroform-soaked handkerchief, a soft baritone voice greeted me.

‘What? A polite kidnapper…?’

I’d never encountered an Esper who kidnapped me with such courtesy and politeness before. I was completely dumbfounded. When I opened my eyes wide to see what was in front of me, I saw a man so beautiful it left me speechless, smiling as if embarrassed. He looked almost foreign with his unusual hair and eye color. His ashy hair with just the tips dyed black and his deep blue eyes were colors rarely seen except in ability users or foreigners.

Anyway, the man’s cheeks were tinged with a light pink as he mumbled:

“I moved in next door yesterday. I’m 21 years old, and my name is Sa Hae-geon. Please take care of me.”

“Ah…”

So he wasn’t a kidnapper, but my neighbor…

As the tension drained away, I felt embarrassed about my earlier excitement. He didn’t hear what I said about chloroform and gentle methods, right?

As I stood there stunned, unable to react, the neighbor named Sa Hae-geon looked at me with concern and asked:

“Are you feeling unwell? You look tired… Would you like to rest at my place? I have a soft bed and sleeping pills. I also have a big teddy bear you can hug while sleeping. Of course, it might be better to hug me instead, as I’m bigger and warmer than the teddy bear. What do you think?”

Although I was standing still and listening to what my neighbor was saying, honestly, I couldn’t understand what he was talking about. No matter how happy one might be to have a new neighbor, I felt perplexed and alienated by how casually he was saying such things to someone he’d just met.

“Ah, yes…”

“So you’ll come rest at my place? Really?”

“What? No. Why would I go to a stranger’s house when my own perfectly good home is right here…”

“Not a stranger, I’m Sa Hae-geon. Please call me by my name.”

I felt a bit put off by the man asking me to use his name so readily when we’d just met. He seemed like a strange person, and in situations like this, it’s best to avoid them.

“Well, I understand, but I’m sorry, I’m quite tired right now and would like to go in and rest.”

“Ah…! I’m sorry. You must be tired, and I’ve been bothering you.”

The man made a sad face and held out his large, white hand.

“But you can at least shake hands, right? We’re neighbors now. As a gesture of getting along well in the future… Is that okay?”

“…I suppose there’s no reason not to. Okay, let’s shake hands.”

Although I felt uneasy, I nodded, thinking he might continue to pester me if I didn’t shake his hand.

“Really? Then just a moment!”

The man, whose face had suddenly brightened, abruptly ran into his own house. Left standing alone in the officetel corridor after almost shaking hands, I couldn’t hide my bewilderment.

What kind of person is he? Both his actions and words seemed normal at times but oddly eccentric at others, making him impossible to figure out.

As I stood there staring blankly at the front door the man had disappeared into, I heard a crashing sound from inside, and soon after, the man came out with a flushed face. He held out his hand while catching his breath.

His hand, which had been pale white before, was now tinged red. Looking down slightly, I saw he was wearing mismatched slippers.

“Now, let’s shake hands.”

“…Ah, yes.”

Suppressing my reluctance, I held out my hand. Unlike me, the man eagerly grasped my hand with his large one. His hand, which I expected to be cold, was surprisingly warm.

No, to be precise, it was hot. As if he had just pulled his hand out of hot water after soaking it for a long time.

“Hmm. Your hand is very… hot.”

“Really? You like it, right? I’m glad.”

I hadn’t said I liked it, but seeing him look so happy as if he’d won the world, I was at a loss for words. Even the words I was about to say disappeared at the sight. Looking at him like this, his actions seemed somewhat cute.

Although he seemed to have some quirks, there didn’t seem to be a need to be too wary of him. He just seemed like a person who was honest with his emotions. As I thought this and tried to withdraw my hand, a subtle current suddenly flowed in.

‘…A wavelength?’

Could he be an Esper? As I glanced at the man, surprised by the unexpected sensation, our eyes met. His deep blue eyes, which felt cold, held an innocent light.

“What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable? Should I loosen my grip a bit?”

“…No, it’s fine.”

“Then just a little longer like this…”

“No, that’s okay too. I’m tired.”

As I withdrew my hand, repeatedly refusing, the man looked disappointed but still gave a slight smile. I cleared my throat softly, my wariness, which had already diminished to barely a fingernail’s worth, completely dissipating at his harmless smile.

“Well, I look forward to getting along. I’ll be going in now.”

“Ah, yes. Get some good rest!”

Even as I unlocked the door and went inside, the man remained standing in the corridor, staring at me. Somehow with a strange gaze.

“Meow—. Meow!”

As I entered the house, Cream, who had come to greet me at the entrance, threw a little tantrum. It seemed she was upset that my night out had lasted longer than she expected.

“Did you miss Daddy, our Cream? Daddy’s sorry. Come here. Let me see how well you’ve been doing.”

At my gesture, Cream’s perked-up ears fluttered as she toddled over. I hugged Cream tightly, who still felt like a small kitten to me, and collapsed right there in front of the entrance.

Thanks to the heating, part of the entrance floor was pleasantly warm. It felt like that particular spot was especially warm. Anyway, the comfortable temperature made me drowsy.

“Meow, meow…”

In my sleepy state, I heard Cream fussing, asking me to unzip my outer clothing so she could snuggle into my arms, but I only responded with a “Mmm” without moving. Just as I was about to fall into a deep sleep, the image of the man I had met in front of my house flashed through my mind.

Could the neighbor who introduced himself as Sa Hae-geon be an Esper? Or did I misinterpret due to fatigue?

Well, I’ll probably get an answer soon. The new neighbor seemed to take great pleasure in introducing himself.

The only thing that worried me was the new neighbor’s excessive interest in me. If his meddling prevents me from going on my kidnapping vacation… that would be truly unfair.