In the backseat, Lucien closed his eyes, hoping to catch a bit of sleep in the car. He had stayed in the hospital for that reason—only to end up even more sleep-deprived.
However, the light, ticklish feeling on his hand kept him from relaxing. And for the first time, he realized just how sensitive he was to even the slightest touch. To make matters even worse, the original Lucien's body was more sensitive than his, since he hated physical touch even more—and only ever made contact when he was guiding.
Lucien sighed in defeat—reasoning with Zephyr, after all, was a hopeless endeavor.
He knew that even if he pointed out that they were in a car now and there was no need to keep holding hands, Zephyr would likely come up with some excuse—just to keep doing whatever the hell he pleased.
'I guess… I'm getting used to this.'
Lucien shuddered at the thought.
'How terrifying! I'm only holding his hand because he's blind and the only SSS-rank Esper on the entire planet! This is just to help him—nothing more! Okay!'
He repeated that mantra in his head like a lifeline. No matter how handsome Zephyr was, there was no way he'd let himself get attached. This wasn't his world, after all. His ultimate goal was to go back home.
Zephyr was just a means to that end.
He wasn't going to get close to anyone, only to change his mind like those people who entered novels and never returned.
Yep. Stay calm. Focus on the goal.
The rest of the ride slipped by in silence—with Lucien trying to rest, and Jake quietly focused on driving and the road ahead.
Zephyr, meanwhile, was busy processing some of the information the Gaya System had transferred into his mind—about his skills, one Gaya Ability, mana, and more.
One thing quickly became clear:
He wasn't like ordinary Espers.
He was somewhat special.
'Hmm? So, just how strong am I?'
He wondered, unable to tell his rank from the portion of knowledge he had managed to process so far. It was overwhelming, and it would take him quite some time—maybe even longer—to completely absorb it all.
'Well, I will find out during the test, but the Gaya System said it would conceal my real strength. So maybe, in the test, my rank will show up lower than it actually is? This is so confusing. If only I weren't so slow, maybe this would've been so much easier...'
He let out a bitter smile.
Right—in the end, it always came down to how useless he was. The kind of person who couldn't even understand what came easily to everyone else around him.
No matter how hard he tried, he was always two steps behind, fumbling in the dark.
Just like his parents said... he was worthless. A burden. A mistake.
Zephyr drew in a sharp breath.
'No. Snap out of it. They are no longer a part of your life. Now, you don't have to try so hard to live up to their expectations—the expectations that left nothing but scars.'
His grip on Lucien's hand tightened.
'You have someone far more important in your life now... someone who saved you. Someone who's still holding your hand.'
Suddenly, Lucien slapped his hand—not hard, just enough to snap him out of it.
"Hey, don't squeeze so hard."
Zephyr gave a nod, but Lucien frowned when he noticed the sweat clinging to his forehead, the slight tremble in his fingers, and the uneven rhythm of his breathing.
Was he... having a panic attack?
That couldn't be—he was an Esper, a powerful one at that. But still, Lucien couldn't completely rule it out. Without another word, he began guiding him.
Zephyr blinked as that familiar, soothing sensation—just like the one he had felt in the dungeon—washed over him again. It flowed through his chest, untangling the knots in his mind, calming the storm that had been threatening to pull him under.
A soft chuckle escaped him as he closed his eyes, savoring the electric sensation.
He parted his lips.
"Cien… thank you."
Lucien simply brushed it off, unaware of just how much his small, kind act meant to the person beside him. Zephyr swallowed the rest of his words as he leaned back.
'Thank you… for coming into my life and giving me a reason to keep going. I'm sorry, really, but I can't let you go now.'
***
Two hours later, their car finally rolled into the parking lot across from the Awakened Association building in City M. Naturally, the Association had a branch in every city.
The parking area was packed, but Jake pulled into a spot reserved for Erick—the most famous S-rank Esper in all of City M.
Jake got out first, circling around to open the door for Zephyr with a teasing smile.
"Still not want to take my arm?"
Zephyr immediately shook his head.
"I am fine."
He turned instinctively, reaching out his hand toward Lucien, who should be getting out after him. Lucien's lips twitched at the gesture—really? But he said nothing, just took the offered hand and stepped out.
"After the test, I swear I'm getting you a proper cane to wander around with."
He muttered, and Zephyr's face fell.
"Oh… alright, if that's what you want."
The trio strolled into the Association building—Jake leading the way with a carefree laugh, Lucien just behind him, holding Zephyr's hand to guide him.
Instantly, every eye in the lobby turned to the trio. Guides and Espers milling about froze mid-step, stunned to notice Lucien holding hands with someone unfamiliar.
Given Zephyr's calm face and steady footsteps, no one immediately realized he was blind. No one dared to approach, but the whispers began almost at once.
"Who's that new face with Lucien?"
"He's gorgeous. Did Lucien get a fake boyfriend just to make Erick jealous?"
"Remember? He did the same thing last year. That young guy couldn't handle his personality and ran off after a week."