Three Ways to Run from an Esper

Part 2

Yoo Joonghyuk's POV:

He arrived at the house at ten in the evening. He wanted to just barge in, but considering this was to be his first time meeting his guide's mother, he thought he should be polite. He knocked on the door.
He heard footsteps, then the door creaked open to reveal the woman he had seen in the photos, only now with a few more grey hairs.
"What can I do for you this evening?" The woman asked with a voice that didn't quite sound surprised enough. She didn't seem nervous either.
Joonghyuk could immediately tell that this woman was as clever and cunning as her son, maybe even more so. He needed to proceed with caution.
"I think you already know Ma'am."
"Oh? Whatever do you mean? I certainly wasn't expecting visitors this late at night."
Joonghyuk could tell that her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
"I'm here about your son, but like I said, I'm sure you already knew that. May I come in?" He asked.
"Certainly. Please sit down and I'll make you a cup of tea." She graciously said.
He stepped into the house and immediately started searching for more clues.
"It's a lovely house, does your son visit you often?" He asked.
"Unfortunately no, we haven't been on the best of terms as of late. He rarely comes by anymore. I haven't seen him in a few months."
Joonghyuk noted the empty dishes in the sink and the smell of kimchi stew still wafting in the air.
"I'm sorry to hear that, it must get lonely living here all by yourself."
"I manage."
Joonghyuk sat at the table as she poured him a cup of tea.
"Sugar?"
"No thank you."
The lady sat down at the table across from him and as soon as he looked into her eyes, her behavior changed. Her fake smile slipped from her lips and a stern expression overtook her. She suddenly had the mannerisms of a gang leader as opposed to the caring mother she had seemed to be.
"Cut to the chase. Why are you looking for my son?"
"You already know."
"Yes. I do. But I want to hear you say it in your own words. Depending on how you respond will determine what information you can get from me."
Joonghyuk could tell this was a test. He answered honestly.
"Because he's my guide."
"Yours? Interesting. as far as I know my son is unawakened."
"Stop lying. I answered honestly, now it's your turn. Where. Is. MY. Guide."
"I haven't a clue where YOUR guide is, on an unrelated note, I also have no clue as to where MY son is."
Joonghyuk held back a growl of frustration.
"Dont you care about him? Don't you want him to live a good life? What kind of mother lets her son work himself to death at a soulless company and helps him hide away from a much more comfortable and healthy life as a guide!"
The woman seemed to grow even colder by the second.
"Comfortable and healthy? What does that mean to you? What would your guide's life look like?"
"He would be cared for everyday! I would make sure he was never put in danger or overworked himself, he would be by my side through thick and thin and I'd make him happy."
Joonghyuk had dreamed of the day he finally got a guide and he knew this was an honest and heartfelt response.
"As long as he guides you." The mother said coldly.
"What?"
"You say all that, but what happens if this hypothetical guide doesn't want to guide you. You think I don't know what guiding entails. I know." Her cold gaze seemed to dive into his very soul
"But... he's my guide... I need him to guide me."
Dokja's mother seemed to evaluate him as he said this, then sighed.
"I'm afraid I can't help you. Like I said, I have no clue where my son is. And I have even less clue where your guide is."
Joonghyuk stood up and started searching the house without asking. He didn't want to loose his temper with Dokja's mother, even if her protective instincts were misplaced.
He looked in every room, under the bed, in the bathroom, he went out to the small garden in the backyard, but he couldn't find him.
"Where is he?!" He turned to the woman who had just been watching him search with a cold expression. They stared each other down, normally people coward when Joonghyuk released this much power and rage, but Dokja's mother stood her ground without even flinching.
"I don't think you'll find what you're looking for here."
Before he could say another word there was a knock at the door and he went to open it, he already knew who it was, the backup he had requested in case his guide made another slip.
"Sir, we've searched the block but there's no sign of the guide."
"Officers, please arrest Mrs. Kim on the grounds of harboring and assisting unregistered awakened."
"Yes sir."
"It's actually Miss Kim, I haven't been married for some time now." That was all she said as she was lead away in cuffs, still not divulging any information with a small smirk on her face.