# Chapter 95
“…Aah.”
Jiwon, collapsed on his bed, groaned as he twisted his body.
‘Did that really happen?’
It was only a few hours ago, but he couldn’t believe it.
Yet his tingling lips were too real to deny it had happened.
‘We really… kissed.’
Yes, he had kissed Suhyun.
Not for guiding, not out of necessity, but literally a kiss.
“Aaagh…!”
The answer remained the same no matter how many times he recalled it, and with each recollection, Jiwon writhed as if having a seizure.
It was surprising, sudden. And on the other hand, he was so happy and pleased that he didn’t know what to do with himself.
“Wow…”
Jiwon, half dazed, rubbed his face vigorously.
He really needed to pull himself together, but he just couldn’t.
‘Without even a chance to say anything…’
They should have at least exchanged a few words after the kiss, but he was thrown back home without any chance to do so.
“Why did the monsters have to appear right then?”
Perhaps the monsters were angered because they were focusing on something else in front of the dungeon entrance.
Otherwise, there was no way monsters would pour out from the dungeon just when things were getting good.
Well, it wasn’t difficult for Suhyun to deal with monsters, but…
‘Anyway, Esper Jungyeom really…’
After Suhyun dealt with all the monsters and the dungeon entrance disappeared, their conversation was interrupted again by Association people who showed up immediately.
Since Won Jungyeom must have been worried, he had contacted the Association on their behalf, so Jo Wooyeon had come to the dungeon entrance with several guides who could guide Suhyun in his place, along with medical staff. Of course, those guides never got the chance to guide Suhyun.
‘Made them worry for nothing.’
He heard they had even tried to bring a healing-type Esper, which he barely managed to prevent.
Jiwon clicked his tongue and swallowed a sigh. It was disappointing to miss the opportunity to be alone with Suhyun, but he couldn’t blame them for worrying about him.
‘Guide-nim should stay home. I’ll report to the Association.’
‘But I saw it directly. It’s better if I go.’
‘No. Please rest.’
‘That’s right. You can report again separately later, so go home and rest today.’
“They worry too much.”
Jiwon sat up and muttered. He felt somewhat unfairly treated, being left at home like this because both Jo Wooyeon and Suhyun were concerned about him.
“Would it hurt if I went with them?”
Despite everything, he was the one who saw it, so couldn’t he just go along?
Honestly, he felt petty because he didn’t want to be separated from Suhyun.
The mood was right, they kissed, and they were at the perfect moment to confess their feelings when they were interrupted—didn’t that feel unsatisfying?
“…Is he deliberately avoiding me?”
That could be possible.
Well, he must be flustered. Jiwon felt the same way.
But even if he was avoiding it, it would only be for a few hours. Eventually, he would have to return home and face Jiwon.
“I hope he comes back soon.”
Jiwon, who had been concentrating all his attention on the sound of the front door opening, jumped up from his seat.
He thought it would be better to wait in the living room.
Suhyun probably wouldn’t say anything different now. His gaze had been quite impulsive, but he wasn’t the type to make a mistake unrelated to his feelings just because he got caught up in the moment.
Just like Jiwon himself.
“Hmm…”
What should he say when Suhyun arrives?
Would it be too much to bring up the kiss right away?
That might be fun to see his reaction…
By now, Jiwon had settled on the sofa and was immersed in quite intriguing thoughts, a constant smile on his face.
“…”
Until the faces of Jo Wooyeon and Choi Young suddenly came to mind.
‘Don’t act like me. Understand?’
Jo Wooyeon’s worried face when he had noticed Jiwon’s feelings was vividly clear in his mind.
He had told himself not to worry, since Suhyun wouldn’t ever come to like him anyway…
“Ah…”
As his vision suddenly blurred, Jiwon pressed his temple.
Not all Esper-Guide pairs who develop feelings for each other experience the “Guiding Rejection Reaction.”
But there were common conditions observed in Espers who showed this phenomenon.
One, when the Guide and Esper love each other.
Two, when only one Guide has ever guided the Esper.
Suhyun probably fulfilled both conditions completely.
‘…No, that’s not it. Wait…’
Dismay washed over him as if he’d been hit hard on the head. His face froze, a stark contrast to his previous giddy smile, and his fingertips moved nervously.
His lips, still tingling, had felt good until just a moment ago, but now they only made him anxious.
Surely not, right? Not Suhyun? But what if it had already happened? Why didn’t he make sure Suhyun was guided by other guides earlier? It’s not too late, is it?
No. He hadn’t even heard it yet. He was just making assumptions without hearing exactly what Suhyun’s feelings were from his own mouth…
“Haa… Let’s stay calm first.”
Jiwon shook his head vigorously.
Just because something worrisome had come up, he couldn’t deny the feelings he had seen with his own eyes.
“Hoo…”
Jiwon took a long deep breath to calm himself.
It’s something that can happen with an extremely low probability, not something that happens unconditionally. When Suhyun arrives, he should discuss the “Guiding Rejection Reaction” again and persuade him to be guided by another guide…
“Ha, this is driving me crazy.”
Jiwon let out a hollow laugh unconsciously.
The moment he thought about another guide, he felt a surge of irritation.
It was something that obviously needed to be done, yet he felt annoyed. How incredibly immature…
‘I would have understood if you just said something, why use your hand? And an S-class Esper at that, how careless!’
‘For someone who was about to lie down in front of a dungeon, you have a lot to say.’
As Jiwon was berating himself, he recalled Suhyun from just a few hours ago, stopping Won Jungyeom.
Now he finally seemed to understand clearly why Suhyun had unhesitatingly extended his hand to block Won Jungyeom’s face.
“…What a complete mess.”
Not understanding something so obvious, and forgetting important matters while being so carefreely happy.
“…”
Jiwon leaned back on the sofa and calmed his mind.
In an unavoidable situation, Suhyun had endured even though he disliked Jiwon guiding other Espers.
And here he was, being selfish while Suhyun might develop a serious condition. That was unacceptable.
“Then I’ll tell Esper-nim all about this…”
Jiwon, finally beginning to calmly accept reality, suppressed his unpleasant feelings. These were unnecessary emotions.
“And then meet another guide…”
Wanting to convince himself, Jiwon deliberately vocalized. Whether he liked it or not, this was something that had to be done.
“…Ah.”
But before he could fully regain his composure, he heard movement outside the front door.
Suhyun had returned.
“…”
Jiwon immediately stood up and positioned himself at the entrance. While it was important to view reality objectively, now that Suhyun had arrived, greeting him warmly was the priority.
He was going to arrange for him to be guided by another guide, not ignore the feelings he had discovered.
“…You’re back?”
At last, the front door opened. Despite being separated for only about an hour, Jiwon smiled broadly at Suhyun, feeling as if he hadn’t seen him in a long time.
Suhyun paused slightly, lowered his gaze, then raised it again as he answered slowly.
“Yes, I’m back.”
Jiwon’s mouth corners twitched continuously, making it hard to believe he was the same person who had been frozen just moments ago.
“Were you waiting?”
Suhyun asked Jiwon. His gaze, which sometimes slipped away while seemingly looking at Jiwon, appeared shy and adorable.
Even if he were to grumble now, he would probably still look lovely.
“Yes.”
Since there was no reason to deny it, Jiwon didn’t.
“Desperately.”
He had truly been waiting with every fiber of his being.
“If I say I missed you, would I seem like a really strange person?”
Jiwon smiled, his eyes crinkling. In truth, he wouldn’t have minded being called strange. He just wanted to say that he had missed him in that short time.
“…”
Suhyun’s lips moved slightly. Since he seemed to be considering what to say, Jiwon decided to wait calmly.
“…No.”
He responded somewhat late, but clearly.
“You wouldn’t.”
“Really?”
“…Because I felt the same way.”
Because he felt the same way.
Jiwon mulled over Suhyun’s words before breaking into a smile so wide it threatened to split his face.
In the short span of just one hour, Suhyun was saying that he had missed Jiwon too.
“I like you.”
Jiwon said, with a bright smile. He hadn’t planned to blurt it out at the entrance. He just couldn’t bear to wait another moment to express his feelings.
“Esper Suhyun, I like you.”
