Three Ways to Run from an Esper

Part 3

     When they landed in Seoul it was 1:00 in the morning, the same unholy hour he had first met Joonghyuk at.
    He couldn't believe they had done all that work just to be brought back like this. He was hoping he'd return to Seoul after Joonghyuk had either found a different guide to obsess over or died.
     "I guess I'll have to visit my mother and thank her for helping us, she's gonna scold me for getting caught." Dokja sighed.
      He could already imagine her response: "I thought my son was more capable than that, maybe you've had your nose stuck in a book for too long and forgot how harsh the real world can be."
    "She's been arrested." Joonghyuk said bluntly.
    Both Sangah and Dokja stared in bewilderment at him.
   "What?! Why?!" Both of them questioned.
    "Why do you think? She was caught aiding and abetting you fugitives. I was hoping a few days in a cell would get her to talk, but she's been adamant this whole time."
   "Well you can let her out now! You got us!" Dokja huffed
    "Hmm, I'll consider it if you stay on your best behavior."
    The way he said it and stared down Dokja made it seem like he had read his mind earlier when he was scheming.
    "So now my mother is a hostage too?" Dokja asked.
    "Let's call it an early release program." Joonghyuk quipped.
    Dokja glared as they hopped into a shiny black SUV and were driven to the Skybreaker guild.
    Skybreaker lived up to its name, after its contruction it became the tallest building in Seoul and was known as one of the strongest guilds in the world.
    The lobby had a garden and a giant waterfall in the middle.
   The floors were white and black marble that was polished till it reflected like a mirror.
    The building had 250 floors, and Joonghyuk's penthouse was at the very top.
    Since it was now 1:30 in the morning there wasn't anybody around so the building felt vast and intimidating, well, Dokja didn't think it would be better tomorrow when it was filled with high level espers and guides.
     They stoped at level 50 to drop Sangah off.
    "This is the floor for new espers to stay at and get registered with the guild. Tomorrow you will have an ability level test so we can verify your rank." Joonghyuk told her as he practically pushed her out of the elevator.
   As the doors were closing he added, "and  compatibility tests to find your guide."
    Dokja saw Sangah's look of fear as the elevator doors closed.
   "Leave Sangah alone! You said you wouldn't force her into anything! She didn't want a guide!" Dokja admonished
    "She has to have one if she wants to stay at skybreaker, she's always free to leave if she can't handle it."
    "I can just guide her! I've been doing that for years now." Dokja saw and felt the anger that rose up after he said that.
   "You are not to guide anyone else except me from now on." Joonghyuk commanded
    "I said I'd be your guide, I never said I'd be your exclusive guide."
   "Do you know what I meant when I said MY guide."
   Dokja did know what he was hinting at, but he was gonna deny that inevitability until directly confronted with it.
    The elevator reached the top floor right as Joonghyuk leaned down to whisper into Dokja's ear.
   "You are going to be my bonded guide."
    It was a simple sentence, one that Dokja had been both expecting and dreading.
   Being a bonded guide was like being married, but if one of you dies, the other does too. But that wasn't the main reason Dokja hated the idea of bonding, the real reason was much more frightening.
   Bonded guides had their minds linked to their espers. That meant that emotions were often connected as well. Guides were forced to feel everything the esper felt, unfortunately this wasn't a two way street. While guides were forced to succumb to their espers mental state, espers could treat their guides anyway they wanted and wouldn't get any mental backlash.
    This is why many guides were pushed around like servants or tools. Once bonded all espers cared about was being guided and keeping their guide alive. It's also why many espers locked their guides away.
    "I never agreed to bond with you!" Dokja jumped out of the elevator and into the lavish suite.
   Joonghyuk gave him a stern pointed look, obviously not believing him.
   It's true Dokja knew that he wouldn't be taking him as a guide without bonding him. If what he heard is true and he really can't find any other guide, he must be desperate to latch onto Dokja.
    "W-what about a deal!" Dokja tried desperately as the towering esper kept approaching him until he was backed against a wall.
    "No deals this time." Joonghyuk said as he leaned over him.
    Dokja was beginning to panic, there had to be something!...
    "Wait! It's almost two in the morning! It's the next day! If you touch me you won't get to ask me a question!" Dokja supplied desperately
   "You really think one question is worth me putting off bonding with you?" Joonghyuk asked
    "Remember? You can ask me anything! Don't you want to know about my past, I know you must have done a background check on me and came up with holes in my history. I know you want answers."
    "Three."
   "What?"
    "I get three questions today if I agree to hold off on the bonding."
    "Ok fine! But I can refuse to answer one of them." Dokja bargained
    Joonghyuk seemed to consider him for a moment before sighing.
    "You know this is only putting off the inevitable right?"
    Dokja didn't care, he would stall for as long as possible before being permanently bound to this guy.
    "Just get the questions over with already. I want to go to sleep."
    "Remember, one of my esper skills is lie detection, so you better answer truthfully. When did you awaken?"
    "I was ten."
   Joonghyuk looked shocked at that. It's true it was incredibly early. Most guides awakened in their late teens. A guide awakening that early was almost unheard of.
     "Why didn't your parents take you to get registered?"
     "Because my dad was a worthless piece of shit and my mom loved me and didn't see another way to keep me safe."
    Joonghyuk seemed to consider his words before asking his next question with a grit to his voice.
   "Dokja... did your father ever use forced guiding on you?"
     Dokja sighed, it seems he had figured it out. He knew it was pointless to deny answering since no answer in this case was a confirmation.
   "Every day. At first it was just him... then he started getting money from other trashy espers so they could use me too."
    Dokja had never seen Joonghyuk so angry.
   "I'll kill him." He said with pure malice
   Dokja had to resist a morbid laugh.
   "A little late remember? My mom already beat you to the punch. Now if you don't mind, I'm really exhausted."
   "Right..." it seemed the mighty esper was too shocked for words.
   He lead Dokja to a giant master bedroom with a bed that seemed much bigger than a queen.
     "I'm guessing that's your bed?" Dokja raised an eyebrow.
    "It's plenty big enough for you too. Don't worry I won't touch you, we made a deal remember?"
    Dokja was too tired to argue so he plopped down and started drifting off immediately.
    He thought he heard Joonghyuk whisper something as he drifted off, but was too tired to hear.