# Chapter 22
“Is there… a way?” Suhyun asked while embracing Jiwon’s waist more tightly. Jiwon swallowed dryly and nodded briefly.
“Since punching won’t end this, we need to… handle it with abilities. But, only one at a time…, checking the wavelength… slowly.”
There were still five lower-rank monsters left. Suhyun’s wavelength stability was currently at 22. If he tried to catch all five at once with an area attack, who knew what would happen.
But they couldn’t just keep punching either. Dragging this out would only be disadvantageous. Who knew how long he could stay conscious.
In the end, there was only one way.
“I’m going to do… a guiding method that’s much… faster than what we’re doing now…”
A tense breath escaped involuntarily. He wasn’t confident. It was obvious that this would be more effective than holding hands or hugging. But he wasn’t sure if it would improve faster than his wavelength was deteriorating.
Because he’d never done it before.
“What is it?”
Suhyun asked while dodging a monster’s attack. Jiwon faced Suhyun directly. Looking at his eyes from this close distance, they weren’t hazy like before. That was somewhat reassuring.
“Don’t be surprised, and please don’t be disgusted, ha, keep track of your wavelength state… understand?”
“……”
“I don’t want to… die here, you know?”
Jiwon smiled wryly. Whether it was the thought that they could die, or for some other reason, tension swept over him.
“Don’t push me… away.”
Barely concealing his nervousness, Jiwon wrapped both arms around Suhyun’s neck and swallowed his lips. Suhyun stiffened momentarily at the sudden contact of their lips, but he didn’t push Jiwon away.
Jiwon’s tongue tip parted Suhyun’s trembling lips and entered. Their hot tongues began to intermingle.
Exchanging saliva was far more effective for guiding than simply pressing bodies together. He knew this, but had never used it as a guiding method before, so he couldn’t be certain of its effectiveness.
And now, kissing an Esper for the first time, he was certain there couldn’t be a kiss that felt like his entire body was being crushed like this.
Jiwon writhed in pain that was different in nature from when he had embraced him. Yet he desperately clung more to his lips.
The fact that it hurt this much meant that the guiding was happening that much faster. He couldn’t lose consciousness now. He needed to stay even more alert.
“Ungh…”
Their tongue tips mixed wetly. He didn’t know how long their lips had been pressed together, but during that time, Suhyun’s hesitant tongue tip had become more aggressive. Jiwon felt lightheaded from Suhyun sucking on his tongue.
BOOM!
Just then, a thunderous sound unlike anything before echoed. Jiwon tried to check Suhyun’s wavelength, but with Suhyun refusing to part their lips even for a moment, there was no opportunity.
“Hm.”
It was supposed to be guiding, but it felt like they were desperately craving each other. His body ached as if it would crumble, causing heat to rise. Along with the tension, his muscles contracted and every inch of skin became sensitive.
BOOM!
The thunderous sound echoed again.
“Hah, haah, mmph…!”
They were so intensely intertwined that he ran out of breath. Jiwon unconsciously pulled his lips away, but was quickly devoured again by Suhyun who drew closer once more.
His tongue tip explored every corner of Jiwon’s mouth. Whether it was the pain from guiding, or floating from Suhyun’s tongue rampaging inside him, his body felt increasingly heated.
Three more thunderous sounds echoed after that. Remembering that five monsters had remained, Jiwon’s body went completely limp.
It was as if his brain had melted away, leaving no thoughts. Jiwon slumped against Suhyun’s body.
“Ah….”
Suhyun steadied Jiwon as he caught him. Their lips, which had been pressed together the entire time, finally separated. The kiss that had seemed like they were desperately craving each other had ended.
Jiwon slowly scanned their surroundings. Fortunately, truly fortunately, there were no enemies left.
Wavelength stability: 38. Jiwon let out a hollow laugh.
A sense of relief at being alive mixed with the emptiness of the fact that despite such intense guiding, it had only reached 38.
After checking their surroundings, Jiwon looked at Suhyun. Relieved that Suhyun had helped him lean against the wall, Jiwon murmured.
“Haah, at least, we’re ali…”
At least we survived, is what he was trying to say. The fact that they had been driven this far against opponents they could have swept away with one blow, the fact that Suhyun had been entranced by something—none of that mattered right now. At least they had survived.
“Mmph…!”
But Jiwon couldn’t finish what he wanted to say. It was because Suhyun, without saying anything, began to kiss him again.
It had already been difficult enough to endure, but Suhyun explored Jiwon’s lips as if he had been holding back until now. Jiwon’s body unconsciously squirmed. Suhyun grabbed Jiwon’s cheek and moved his body even closer.
The feeling of caressing sensitive skin was vivid. With an unusual feeling, Jiwon tried to push Suhyun’s shoulder away, but his strength was nowhere near enough.
Jiwon decided not to waste energy on something that wouldn’t work. Soon, he closed his eyes. This was only possible because the Suhyun now trying to devour him wasn’t so unpleasant.
His wavelength had hit rock bottom and was now rising, so he must be doing this unconsciously. It was okay. At least Suhyun was okay.
His body, which had been flinching from the unfamiliar tongue ravaging his mouth, soon grew still. Jiwon’s hand, which had been patting Suhyun’s shoulder as if telling him to calm down, fell limply to the floor.
***
“Ugh…!”
As soon as he opened his eyes, a groan escaped through his teeth. The pure white ceiling was unfamiliar, but he felt relieved that at least he wasn’t in the dungeon anymore.
It didn’t take long for Jiwon to realize he was lying in a hospital.
“You’re awake?”
A familiar voice was heard. It was none other than Jo Wooyeon.
“Are you okay?”
He had an anxious expression. Jiwon blinked at him, then slowly responded.
“I think… so.”
His voice was a mess. It didn’t hurt as much as during the guiding, but his body still ached.
Still, seeing that he didn’t feel like he was dying, it seemed the guiding hadn’t caused severe damage.
“Why do you look so pale?”
“…You call that talking? Obviously because of Guide Jiwon.”
“…Me?”
“Do you know how worried I was?”
“Ah….”
Jiwon rolled his eyes. Of course he’d be worried since he was brought from the dungeon. His mind must not be fully awake yet.
“Did they… not run tests? Is there a problem? It doesn’t seem like it to me.”
Jo Wooyeon let out a small sigh.
“Yeah, they say there’s nothing wrong.”
He had been worried, but fortunately that wasn’t the case. Jiwon swallowed a faint sigh and replied.
“If there’s nothing wrong, why are you looking so grim? You scared me.”
He deliberately raised his voice slightly. Excessive guiding damages a Guide’s body. Jo Wooyeon had experienced this firsthand.
It’s also why Jo Wooyeon no longer worked in the field. He had insisted that Jiwon only perform hand-holding guiding. He had told him so many times not to do more than that, that once the body is damaged, it doesn’t come back.
Since Jiwon had no intention of sacrificing himself, he had listened well. But this time the situation was special, so it seemed Wooyeon couldn’t say anything and was just boiling inside.
“Haah….”
Jo Wooyeon let out a long sigh. Jiwon must have slept quite a while, as he felt somewhat refreshed. It seemed much of the energy spent guiding Suhyun had returned.
The body pain was unavoidable. Even healing-type Espers couldn’t fix a body damaged by guiding. That’s why he had woken up in the hospital.
It wouldn’t recover immediately, but would gradually improve over time. Well, it wasn’t something to worry about that much.
“By the way, where is Esper Seo Suhyun?”
Jiwon looked around. Where had the Esper gone, leaving behind a Guide who nearly died while guiding him?
After defeating all the monsters, if he was still pouncing on him, shouldn’t he at least show some care by nursing his collapsed self?
“Is his condition not good?”
Of course, that wasn’t what he wanted. Rather, he asked out of concern since the last state he saw him in wasn’t very good.
“He’s fine.”
“…Really?”
Fine? That couldn’t be possible…
“Esper Suhyun made a full report right after clearing. You two went in alone?”
“Ah, yes….”
“…Good job.”
“So where is he?”
Jiwon didn’t even think to nod as he asked about Suhyun again. Meanwhile, he checked the watch securely fastened to his wrist. He needed to see what state his wavelength was in.
“Worry about yourself, Guide Jiwon. Is this the time to worry about Esper Suhyun?”
“His last wavelength state was 38. Even if it rose a bit after that, there’s no way he’s okay now….”
He understood Jo Wooyeon’s feelings, but it was the right timing to worry about Suhyun’s condition. However, after checking the wavelength, Jiwon was left speechless.
