Three Ways to Run from an Esper

Part 7

The next morning Dokja awoke with an excitement for the day that he hadn't felt since arriving at Skybreaker guild.
Today he was gonna have his first swordsmanship lesson with Jung Heewon and then in the evening he was going out to eat and drink with her and the rest of the guild.
He shot out of bed and got ready for the day, pulling on his white coat (that he refused to admit he was growing fond of) and clipping his sheathed sword to his belt.
"Someone is up early." Joonghyuk said grumpily as he stared at him groggily with bedhead.
"I just feel a little extra energized today." Dokja shrugged as he made himself a coffee in the fancy kitchen.
Joonghyuk got ready as well, dawning his black coat and his signature gloomy demeanor.
"You know you could always go to the guide self-defense class instead. They teach guides how to use shields and other defensive items." Joonghyuk tried
Dokja gave him an unimpressed look as he sipped his coffee.
"It was worth a shot." Joonghyuk sighed as he ate a protein bar.
"I have to clear a dungeon this morning so I won't be able to take you to your class. Are you sure you don't want to wait until I get back? I could order Heewon to move her schedule around, I am her boss afterall."
"You know, for someone who barges into S class dungeons without a second of planning, you sure are a worry wart when it comes to me." Dokja sighed as he took the man's hand.
"I'll be fine. Now let me guide you a bit so you're in top shape for the dungeon."
Dokja had gotten more comfortable with guiding in the past few days, not only had the guiding classes taught him how to do it more efficiently, but Joonghyuk respecting his space made him feel more willing to engage in physical touch.
"There you go. Now remember Mr. Sunfish, don't be reckless. I get that you are an S class, but the gate you're entering is S class as well. I really wish you'd take some time to think and strategize." Dokja sighed, not realizing he was babying one of the most destructive beings on the face of the planet.
"You have a shit personality, all you have going for you is your good looks. If you scar up that pretty face you won't have any attractive qualities left." Dokja joked as Joonghyuk gave the slightest trace of a smile.
"I'll be back before you leave for dinner tonight. Don't go anywhere but class and here." Joonghyuk couldn't help but add.
"You couldn't help but ruin our banter with your obsessive control issues, could you?" Dokja responded
Joonghyuk gave him a warning look.
"Ok! Fine! I got it. I promise I'll just go from class and come right back up here to wait for you like a damn dog." Dokja relented
Joonghyuk's watch beeped with an esper emergency alert and he took one last look at Dokja before flying out the balcony window.
Dokja watched him fly off and turned to leave for class.

"Good morning Dokja!" Heewon greeted him in the training area.
"Morning!" Dokja smiled as he walked up to her.
"I'm glad Joonghyuk agreed to this training, but I have to admit I was surprised. Joonghyuk can be..."
"Psychotic, obsessive, possessive, a complete jerk?" Dokja supplied
"I was going to say reserved, but I think your descriptions may be more accurate."
"I've made it my personal goal to annoy him into getting what I want as much as I can." Dokja boasted proudly, "and to leech as much money off the rich bastard as I can. You'll never believe how much this sword costs!" He added as he unsheathed his weapon and showed off the black blade.
"Is that from the Esper armory?" Heewon asked.
"Yeah! Joonghyuk said I could pick out anything I want."
Heewon smiled, "I'm glad you got a sword you like. Does it feel balanced to you?" She asked as she watched her fellow guide swing it around.
"I think so, I've never held a real sword before, but it seems good to me."
"That's good, the length looks good for your height, and the handle is made of good leather so you'll have a firm grip." She analyzed
"Try keeping your elbows in when you swing, and move your hips along with your upper body, that will give you a stronger and more fluid hit."
She talked Dokja through basic form and movements, using her own sword to demonstrate on practice dummies.
"As guides, we don't have the same stats as an esper, so learning to block and evade is vital to our fighting style. Don't try to copy an esper's fighting style, especially Joonghyuk's."
"Why does everyone seem to think I have a death wish? What kind of moron would copy that sunfish?" He questioned
Heewon sighed, "Unfortunately, Lee Hungsung idolizes him. He tries to copy his fighting style even though it doesn't suit him at all! I keep telling him that, but he's not a fast learner."
"Hey, I'd take Lee Hungsung as my esper over Joonghyuk any day of the week. Even if he does seem a bit naive. Want to trade?" Dokja joked
Heewon laughed, "Not a chance. Don't let Joonghyuk hear you say that or he'll never let you talk to Hungsung again!"
Dokja smiled as they continued to practice while joking around. By the time lunchtime came around, Dokja was out of breath, covered in sweat, and had started to develop blisters on his hands.
"Don't worry about those." She said as she saw his hands, "once they develop into calluses it will give you a stronger and better grip."
Dokja smiled, this was the kind of hard work he loved. He had been working at Minosoft for so long before suddenly being on the run, that he can't remember the last time he felt so fulfilled.
Heewon handed him a bottle of water and a sandwich. "Let's take a lunch brake."
They sat at the edge of the arena and ate while talking.
Heewon told him about how she met Hungsung, apparently she had been forced to work at a low class guild with espers that took advantage of guides. Heewon ran away and while the espers were chasing her, Hungsung stepped in and saved her.
"I didn't like being the damsel in distress, so I told him I owed him one. I expected him to ask me for guiding, but instead he asked me to come eat lunch with him." Heewon chuckled.
"I didn't intend to come work for Skybreaker guild, but Hungsung won me over with his kindness. I told him I didn't want to be a defenseless guide, and he immediately asked if I wanted a weapon and combat training! He really is a unique esper." She smiled warmly.
"I wish that was Joonghyuk's way of thinking. Although if he had said no to these lessons, I would have found a way to sneak out here." Dokja shrugged as if it didn't matter to him.
"The fact that he didn't outright refuse is a good sign. I won't claim to know what's going on in that head of his, but it seems he's doing his best to be considerate, at least his version of considerate anyway."
Dokja thought about what she said as he ate his sandwich.
Joonghyuk had lightened up significantly in the past few days, but after all the hassle he had put him through, he wasn't inclined to be forgiving.
"I wouldn't even be at this guild if Joonghyuk hadn't forced me to come here. I admit, I'm having a much better time than I thought I would, but that doesn't excuse the fact that he ignored my wishes, took my friends hostage, and practically kidnapped me." Dokja explained to Heewon.
"You don't have to justify yourself to me, I'm with you. If Joonghyuk had been my esper I would have kicked him in the groin and run." Heewon responded casually.
"Now let's get back to training. You're really starting to get that jab and pivot move down. A few hundred more repetitions and you'll have it perfected." She said merrily
They practiced for another three hours before finishing for the day.
"Great work, next lesson will be about how to disarm an opponent." Heewon said as they left the arena.
"Thank you very much for taking the time to teach me. I had a lot of fun." Dokja said sincerely.
"It was my pleasure, you are an excellent student and a hard worker. Now go wash up and take a rest. I'll see you tonight for your welcome party. Make sure that gloomy sunfish of your's doesn't make you late." She waved goodbye as she went to the guiding level and Dokja returned to the penthouse.
He showered and changed, he used the washing machine and dryer to clean his white coat, it was enchanted to never stain or tear, but Dokja didn't know if sweat stuck to it so he thought it best to wash it. (He still refused to admit he liked the damn thing.)
He had just settled down on the couch to read a book after drying his hair when Joonghyuk came in through the balcony.
"Don't you ever use the door like a regular person?" Dokja greeted
"Not really." Joonghyuk greeted back.
Joonghyuk also showered and changed before plopping himself down next to Dokja on the couch.
"What are you reading?" He asked
"It's one of my favorite books, it's called "Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse", the protagonist actually reminds me a bit of you." Dokja answered, always a little happy to get to talk about his favorite books.
"How so?" Joonghyuk asked
"He's arrogant, gloomy, reckless, doesn't work well with others, doesn't strategize or think things through, and his only positive trait seems to be his good looks."
Joonghyuk's brow furrowed in confusion, "That sounds like an awful protagonist."
Dokja snorted, "Then have some self-awareness."
Joonghyuk scooted closer to Dokja.
"Is it ok if you guide me a little while you read? I don't want to interrupt you." Joonghyuk asked cautiously.
Dokja raised as eyebrow at him, "Ok, I've been thinking about this for the last few days, but I need to ask you. What's with the 180 in your personality? When we first met all you did was cross my boundaries and invade my personal space. You didn't listen to anything I wanted. Now all the sudden you listen to my every word and agree to all my requests. Did you get replaced by a doppelgänger? Did alien's abduct you and give you brain surgery that resulted in your personality drastically changing?" Dokja asked in bewilderment.
Joonghyuk looked at him with his usual gloomy stare, "I think you've been reading too much science fiction." He responded with a monotone voice.
"That wasn't the point..."
"If you don't want to guide me, that's ok. I'm just glad you're here." Joonghyuk said as he leaned his head against Dokja's shoulder.
"How did sword training go?" He mumbled as he closed his eyes.
Dokja looked at the pretty-faced esper and decided to drop the subject for now, but since he in fact didn't mind, he let his guiding energy flow and watched as the tension left the esper's frame.
"It went well. I had a lot of fun and Heewon is a good teacher. How did the dungeon go?" Dokja asked in return.
"It was just another dungeon, nothing special. Tell me about what you learned from Heewon."
Dokja didn't think an S-class dungeon was "nothing special", but he relented and told Joonghyuk all about his training.
"I didn't realize so much went into using a sword." The esper responded when Dokja finished explaining.
"Don't you use a sword?"
"It's more of a conduit for my powers than for the blade itself, I just do whatever feels natural, I've never needed to train with it."
"Espers." Dokja mumbled a bit jealously.
He looked at the clock on the wall and realized they only had thirty minutes before they needed to meet at the restaurant.
He nudged the esper with his shoulder and got up.
"Come on, we don't want to be late. It is my welcome party afterall." Dokja said trying to contain his happiness.
Joonghyuk followed after him with a faint smile of his own.
"Yeah, Let's go."