# Chapter 93
“And…”
Jiwon looked at Suhyun. The sun was about to rise, making his face gradually more distinct.
“Being able to enter Riska’s stronghold was something only possible because you’re a Guide-nim.”
“…”
“It’s not something just anyone could do. Thanks to Guide-nim, we found a clue about their stronghold.”
At his words, the corners of Jiwon’s mouth slowly curved upward.
Since when had Suhyun become able to comfort him so tenderly?
Was he always like this? Or had Jiwon simply not known?
‘I can’t think straight…’
In any case, thanks to Suhyun, who seemed to toy with his feelings differently each day, Jiwon couldn’t collect his thoughts at all.
“So don’t think too negatively about it. I’ll contact the Association.”
Jiwon nodded slowly.
Even if told not to think about it, it wasn’t easy to shake off. But since Suhyun said so, he intended to try.
“The sun is rising.”
Jiwon looked up at the sky beginning to take on a reddish hue and murmured in a lighter tone than before.
“It feels like we came specifically to watch the sunrise.”
Suhyun nodded as if agreeing with his somewhat playful tone.
Jiwon deliberately erased Riska from his mind. It wasn’t something he could resolve right now anyway.
It was better to focus on this moment, being here with Suhyun.
“In the past, I used to make wishes while watching the sunrise.”
Having made up his mind, frivolous words naturally came out.
Jiwon found himself laughing. It was surprising that he could laugh and say such idle things even in this situation.
“Does it grant wishes?”
But when Suhyun asked with such seriousness, Jiwon’s laughter only grew.
As if the Riska or the dungeon right in front of them didn’t matter at all.
“Haha, um… of course not.”
Jiwon shook his head while keeping the corners of his mouth upturned.
“But it rises into the sky, you know? So my childish mind thought if I made a wish, it would come true. I think I also wished upon the full moon.”
It was a very old memory.
A time when things were so difficult that he would wish for his circumstances to improve simply because something had risen into the sky.
“What did you wish for?”
At Suhyun’s question, Jiwon hesitated momentarily. Then he compressed the countless wishes he’d made into a single sentence.
“…Just to be happy, that’s all.”
I wish I had more money. I don’t want to be looked down upon by people. I wish my parents would come back. No, I want to make them regret abandoning me. Or I want to show them how well I’ve survived on my own…
The wishes Jiwon had made were lengthy and detailed. But looking back now, they all essentially meant the same thing.
He had wished to be happy. Because he wanted to be happy.
“…Then, did it come true?”
Suhyun continued with his question. But Jiwon only looked at Suhyun, unable to give an immediate answer.
The question itself felt strange. After all, Jiwon and Suhyun were currently facing a Riska dungeon.
Was this the kind of question to ask in a situation where they were facing a life-threatening entity, suffering without sleep?
“…I wonder.”
Jiwon shrugged.
Well, to be honest, he thought it had come true to some extent. That’s what he wanted to say.
Even in these dangerous times, at least this moment was happy. Because he was with Suhyun.
This moment, facing Suhyun who had calmed his confused mind, was undoubtedly happy. Just being here, right now.
“I don’t know.”
But Jiwon didn’t speak the truth directly. It was a feeling he couldn’t express from the beginning.
“…I hope it comes true.”
To Jiwon’s answer, Suhyun, who had been lost in thought for a moment, seriously replied. As if he sincerely wished for it too.
“…”
Jiwon’s lips tightened. In the end, the wish for happiness had touched a corner of his heart.
“…”
The stubbornly maintained distance between them, kept to prevent guiding from occurring if their bodies touched, suddenly caught his eye.
Jiwon squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again. Once Suhyun had significantly moved his heart, it was easily swayed by every little thing.
At this rate, he felt like he might blurt out that he liked Suhyun right away.
“Ahem, um. You know…”
Ignoring the murmurs in his mind telling him to reveal his feelings, Jiwon changed the subject with difficulty.
Fortunately, there was still a trivial topic in his mind that was easier to bring up right now.
It must have been the thought he’d had just before suddenly collapsing.
“Earlier, why were you angry?”
Jiwon had been wondering why Suhyun was angry. It seemed inadequate to say it was because he didn’t want to lose his Guide, and while he had been trying to understand the cause of his behavior, he’d been interrupted by Riska.
“Was I angry?”
Won Jungyeom had told him to figure it out himself, but now that they were alone, Jiwon thought it was better to just ask directly.
“When Esper Won Jungyeom tried to lie down asking to borrow my knee, you got angry.”
“…”
“You seemed a bit angry even before that. Why was that?”
Honestly, Jiwon didn’t expect Suhyun to answer right away. But he didn’t expect Suhyun to be this embarrassed by his question. His gaze was strangely averted.
“I wasn’t… particularly angry.”
The answer, given without properly meeting his eyes, clearly sounded like a lie.
“…It seemed like you were.”
“I wasn’t.”
“You’re lying, aren’t you?”
“Why would I lie?”
“…”
Though there was no reason to lie, his restless face was telling otherwise.
Jiwon could tell by looking at Suhyun’s expression. From the moment he started liking him, he realized Suhyun wasn’t simply expressionless; all kinds of emotions were contained within.
So it was somewhat fascinating. That Suhyun would even lie to hide something from him.
The Suhyun who used to just ignore things had long disappeared without a trace.
“Hmm.”
Jiwon raised the corner of his lips. It was strange to feel good when the other person was lying.
“Yes. So why were you angry?”
Pretending to agree with his words, Jiwon nodded but didn’t change his question.
“Ha…”
A short sigh escaped between Suhyun’s teeth. He seemed to have realized Jiwon wasn’t going to let it slide.
“…Just because.”
“Just because?”
“Just because, that’s how I felt.”
But Suhyun’s answer didn’t satisfy Jiwon’s curiosity at all. Instead, it only raised more questions.
Suhyun’s actions always had reasons. At least, that’s how it seemed to Jiwon. But “just because”? That was an absurd reason.
“…”
Wondering whether to properly press him again, Jiwon shook his head.
At this point, it was clear he didn’t want to talk about it, and Jiwon didn’t want to hurt his feelings unnecessarily.
“…Would you like to lie down for a bit?”
Noticing this, Suhyun asked casually. It seemed like he wanted to make Jiwon lie down quickly to prevent him from bringing up the topic again.
‘I really can’t figure out what he’s thinking.’
Jiwon smiled at Suhyun with narrowed eyes and asked:
“Can I lean on your shoulder?”
Suhyun paused at the unexpected request. Since it seemed more like hesitation than surprise, Jiwon didn’t miss the opportunity to add:
“There’s no problem if I’m not guiding, right? I’m mentally sound and can choose not to guide.”
He probably looked like someone desperately wanting to lean on a shoulder, but that didn’t matter.
“…Go ahead.”
Now that he had Suhyun’s permission.
Jiwon rested his head on Suhyun’s shoulder as if he’d been waiting for it.
“This is comfortable.”
“I’m glad.”
Jiwon smiled wryly.
It was true that the Riska dungeon caused a lot of worry and hardship, but in some ways, Jiwon had gained something.
They weren’t even lovers, yet he could lean on his shoulder like this. He’d even received hugs and kisses. Even if the reason was guiding, that didn’t change the fact that they were physical contacts.
‘…Is it really possessiveness?’
As Jiwon blinked, feeling the cool breeze while leaning on Suhyun’s shoulder, he suddenly thought.
It was because he was curious again about why Suhyun had been angry.
‘When guiding gets more intense, possessiveness can develop…’
It bothered him that Suhyun wasn’t the type to get angry in a situation where they had to guide because of the Riska dungeon.
‘If not that, was he perhaps jealous of Esper Jungyeom?’
The amusing thought made him smile involuntarily.
‘Could that be what Esper Jungyeom thought?’
Then suddenly, Jiwon remembered Won Jungyeom who had been exasperated with him and mentioned something about being perceptive. Jiwon frowned and then let out a hollow laugh.
‘He’s so ridiculous…’
It seemed Won Jungyeom thought Suhyun was jealous, meaning he thought Suhyun liked Jiwon.
Completely off the mark. He must have wrongly assumed that since he had guessed Jiwon’s feelings correctly, Suhyun would feel the same way.
‘That doesn’t make any sense.’
Jiwon felt he should tell Won Jungyeom to stop being so absurd when they met again. To tell him it wasn’t like that, so he shouldn’t think such unnecessary things.
What reason would Suhyun have to like him? Although they had been through a lot together, what could have moved his heart…
“…”
Jiwon, who had been twitching the corners of his mouth at the absurd thought, suddenly raised his head.
Suhyun was looking at him with a puzzled expression.
‘…Is it absolutely impossible?’
Isn’t it impossible? But why did those dark eyes looking at him now seem to be saying it wasn’t impossible?
