Chapter 3:
Seo Jae-yi suddenly came to her senses. Now was not the time to be admiring the man’s face.
She immediately bent at the waist, bowing deeply.
“I am so, so, so sorry! I truly didn’t mean to do that! Please leave your number so I can compensate you for the dry cleaning!”
Seo Jae-yi quickly brought out a chair cushioned with a fluffy, pink seat and a dry towel.
With the lack of customers as it was, it would be disastrous if this precious visitor, who finally graced her shop, wrote a negative review online. She didn’t want to close the doors of her barely six-month-old shop so prematurely.
However, Baek Joo-won, oblivious to her desperate plea, responded nonchalantly while wiping his face with the towel.
“I don’t have a phone.”
It was impossible for an adult living in 21st century Korea to not have a phone. He clearly didn’t want to give her his number.
“Then please come back to the shop anytime, and I’ll pay for the dry cleaning. And I’ll make you a bouquet for free right now. Of course, that’s separate from the dry cleaning cost!”
Seo Jae-yi urged him to choose some flowers.
“The gladiolus are especially beautiful today. How about these?”
“…”
She abruptly presented the same gladiolus she had just sold. The ones that had been scorched and then drenched alongside Baek Joo-won.
Realizing her mistake, Seo Jae-yi hurriedly recommended something else.
“H-how about callas? The white ones are beautiful, and we have other colors too.”
Fortunately, the callas were located towards the back of the shop and had remained unscathed amidst the chaos. However, Baek Joo-won’s gaze remained indifferent.
“Ranunculus are also lovely!”
“Ranunculus? Those are spring flowers. Are they available in late summer? Of course, they can be grown in greenhouses, but…”
“Of course, they are available.”
Seo Jae-yi smiled, assuring him there was no problem.
“In this shop, we can provide any flower you desire, regardless of the season.”
Impressed by her confident declaration, Baek Joo-won glanced around the shop.
A humble, rather messy flower shop, barely five square meters in size. Yet, it seemed to harbor some secret not found in other flower shops.
“In that case, do you happen to have hydrangeas?”
“What color are you looking for?”
“White.”
“Please wait a moment.”
After a spirited reply, Seo Jae-yi disappeared behind the curtain into the back room.
Meanwhile, Baek Joo-won took a closer look at the shop.
Thanks to the white door and pale pink wallpaper, the shop appeared bright and refreshing. It was an ambiance that complemented the flowers, and if only the shop were more noticeable, business would likely thrive. However, it somehow seemed incongruous with the owner.
Furthermore…
“The state of this shop…”
Due to the water she had splashed, the floor was flooded, and the unswept soil and leaves further exacerbated the mess.
However, seemingly oblivious to the dire state of her problematic shop, the owner reappeared with a cheerful face, her arms laden with pristine white hydrangeas.
“Who is the recipient?”
Baek Joo-won gazed at Seo Jae-yi for a moment before answering.
“A woman in her twenties.”
“I see!”
As Seo Jae-yi reached for pink wrapping paper, Baek Joo-won stopped her.
“Pink wouldn’t suit her.”
“Oh, really? Then…”
When he remained silent after she picked up blue paper, Seo Jae-yi meticulously wrapped the flowers with blue and white paper, putting more effort into it than ever before.
After carefully arranging five hydrangeas, she tied a purple ribbon around the bouquet and proudly presented it with a bright smile.
“It’s done!”
“…”
Baek Joo-won stared at it for a long time.
She had offered to make it for free as an apology, separate from the dry cleaning cost, but did she make it this way because it was free…?
It wasn’t even mixed with other flowers; it was just white hydrangeas. How could the arrangement be so disastrous? She intended to run a flower shop with skills like this? Was she out of her mind?
“Please don’t feel pressured. I really wanted to give it to you for free as an apology.”
However, she seemed genuinely sincere, not sarcastic.
He retracted his earlier thought about the lack of customers being due to the state of the shop. It was clear that the lack of customers stemmed from the owner’s terrible bouquet-making skills.
After a moment of hesitation, Baek Joo-won finally accepted the bouquet with a reluctant expression.
But as their fingers brushed, a spark, like static electricity, jumped between them. Despite the faint sound, the intensity of the static reached Seo Jae-yi’s heart.
“…”
Seo Jae-yi’s cheerful smile faltered slightly. She found herself staring at Baek Joo-won, particularly his clear eyes that contrasted with his somewhat cold demeanor.
“What’s wrong?”
Baek Joo-won tilted his head, noticing her intense gaze.
After a brief silence, Seo Jae-yi offered a gentle smile and a farewell.
“…I hope you achieve what you desire.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Then you must come back to receive the dry cleaning fee. I’ll be waiting!”
With his hair and clothes sufficiently dry, Baek Joo-won left the shop, accompanied by Seo Jae-yi’s parting words and a disastrous bouquet that was unsuitable for gifting to anyone.
“I could probably wrap it better myself.”
How could someone who aspired to run a flower shop lack such basic skills and dexterity?
He tightened the loose ribbon that seemed ready to unravel and slung the bouquet over his shoulder, striding away.
While his damp clothes were uncomfortable, he would contemplate whether or not to return for the dry cleaning fee later.
***
Left alone in the shop, Seo Jae-yi looked down at her hand.
Although she had concealed it while he was present, her hand had been trembling subtly since their fingers touched.
A beep emanated from the watch on her left wrist.
【Overload Progress — 50%】
【Caution! Still unstable.】
The receiver, which monitored her vital signs in real-time, immediately displayed her current overload level.
Six months ago, with the unexpected help of someone, Seo Jae-yi had managed to lower her overload level to 55%.
But that was the extent of it. While it had fluctuated upwards, it had never decreased before.
Just now, it had dropped by a significant 5%.
While still high, it was nothing short of a miracle for Seo Jae-yi, who lacked a suitable Guide.
There was only one explanation for this sudden decrease.
“…He was a Guide.”
The moment their fingers touched, Seo Jae-yi felt the familiar sensation of Guiding energy.
Unlike Espers, who emitted their energy externally, Guides harbored their special energy within their bodies, making it difficult to identify them without physical contact.
‘And he wasn’t wearing a watch either.’
The watch Seo Jae-yi wore was a mandatory receiver for all Awakened individuals, regardless of whether they were Espers or Guides.
It was a global regulation implemented for the efficient management of Awakened individuals, and compliance was obligatory.
However, the man wore no such device and displayed no reaction despite contact with an Esper. He likely remained unaware of his own awakening as a Guide.
And there was another problem.
“How is this possible?”
A mere touch of their fingers had lowered the overload level of an S-rank Esper like herself by 5%.
If they were to undergo a Matching Rate test, it would undoubtedly be at least 70%.
In other words, for Seo Jae-yi, who had received a terminal diagnosis, Baek Joo-won was akin to a stroke of luck, a life-saving opportunity she couldn’t afford to miss.
If she received proper Guiding from a Guide with a high Matching Rate now, she could survive.
Even her ravaged body could be healed with sufficient Guiding!
However…
“…”
Instead of immediately chasing after the man and begging for his help, Seo Jae-yi clenched her fists.
Her Esper instincts, driven by the desire for survival, urged her to pursue him. They incessantly whispered that he was her Guide, tempting her to cling to him and absorb his energy until she found relief.
But she resisted.
If she recklessly approached a Guide with her body craving for Guiding, she might uncontrollably drain his energy until he perished.
She gritted her teeth and endured.
It’s okay. I’m used to suppressing these instincts. I can do this. I can endure.
“If I chase after him now, he might resent me. Then it would truly be over.”
Not everyone desired to be Awakened. Many feared Espers and Guides alike.
What if she pursued him without knowing his thoughts and declared, “You’re my Guide!”?
He might despise her for disrupting his peaceful life.
Therefore, she would wait for him to discover his awakening naturally. With regular health checkups now including Awakening assessments, it wouldn’t take long.
And when they met again, then…
“It feels good to finally see my overload level decrease.”
Her pounding heart gradually calmed down. Her Esper instincts, recognizing the situation, seemed to have subsided.
Finally relaxing her tense body, Seo Jae-yi began cleaning the messy floor. But then…
“…What if he already resents me?”
A sudden worry surfaced.
She had drenched him thoroughly; it would be strange if he didn’t harbor any resentment…
A wave of anxiety washed over her.