When we arrived in San Francisco, I was asleep. I had passed out exhausted after a round of bickering with Kim Haewon. Even when noisy sounds occurred, Kim Haewon didn’t wake me. I yawned wide and continued.
“You should have woken me when we arrived.”
“It seemed like you could sleep a bit more, so I did that. We can’t go straight to the lodging. We’ll move to the meeting location.”
“Okay. Don’t I have sheet marks on my face?”
“You do.”
“What?”
I checked the window once. There was a long red line drawn across my face. I tapped and rubbed it with my hand, but it didn’t easily disappear.
“Damn. I’m screwed. This meeting said guides would all go in too, right?”
“Yes. There probably won’t be anyone who cares much.”
“I care. I do.”
I rubbed my cheek with the long line drawn on it while following Kim Haewon down. Perhaps because he was carrying important items, a large bulletproof car was waiting right in front of the plane. Only Kim Haewon and I got in the car.
Tap tap. As I kept hitting and rubbing my face, Kim Haewon placed his hand on my face.
“Whoa!”
“Stay still.”
Kim Haewon’s hand was colder than usual. I didn’t know how he made it, but it was cold as ice. He gently stroked my face with his cold hand. Even though there wasn’t a drop of moisture, it was just like getting an ice massage.
“Mmm.”
“Don’t make strange sounds.”
“No, it just came out on its own because it’s cold.”
“Try not making them consciously.”
“Making a big deal out of everything…… Fine. I’ll do that from now on. But isn’t your hand too cold?”
“This much is fine. It’s all settled down.”
It wasn’t even swollen, but after Kim Haewon stroked it a few times with his cold fingers, my face had become the same as usual. I examined my face carefully in the small mirror attached to the car, fascinated.
“Wow, this is just like receiving guiding. It’s completely clean.”
I had only guided others, but this was the first time I had received something like this from someone. When I was fascinated, Kim Haewon smiled and continued.
“It’s much better than that.”
“Really? Ah, tell me about that in detail. I’ve always been curious.”
“I’ll tell you later.”
“Always later, later.”
“Even now, if you just say one word, I can tell you everything.”
“You know that’s also a kind of blackmail, right? Taking my curiosity hostage.”
Kim Haewon laughed softly and then grabbed my arm. Since I was standing awkwardly, it seemed he thought it was dangerous. I sat next to Kim Haewon and yawned big. After taking a nap, I somehow felt even sleepier.
“The meeting will be more boring than you think.”
“I never thought it would be fun either. It’s my first time meeting all the other espers’ guides, so I’m a bit nervous. Are they all good at English?”
“You’ll probably speak the best, Guide Park Garam. The word has already spread.”
I opened my eyes wide as if to say what are you talking about. Kim Haewon had an expression as if nothing was wrong even after dropping that bomb. I immediately continued as if interrogating him. No matter how much he liked me, it was too strange to even brag in front of other people like that.
“Isn’t Esper Kim Haewon too much of a doting parent? Why are you spreading such rumors?”
“Do I seem like I would spread such rumors?”
Kim Haewon spoke as if asking what I was talking about. I suddenly felt embarrassed and answered in a small voice.
“Huh? Then who…….”
“Gabriel and Emily. It seems Guide Park Garam left an impression while going through the Pamundong incident.”
“…….”
It made sense that they would think so. The Pamundong incident was quite big, and there were many urgent matters. They were particularly interested while watching Kim Haewon and me bickering. As if to say who would dare do that to Kim Haewon. They probably conveyed that to the other espers.
I scratched the corner of my mouth feeling embarrassed. Kim Haewon continued as if to say not to worry.
“Still, there won’t be anyone who acts rudely. Even if there is, don’t worry too much since I’m here.”
“I’m not worried. I’ll say something before Esper Kim Haewon steps up. There’s no special treatment because you’re SS-class, so don’t even try to stop me.”
“Understood.”
Kim Haewon nodded as if he had expected it. Since the conversation on the plane, a smile seemed to be constantly hanging strangely on his lips. Even with the same expressionless face, there was a strangely different aspect.
Was he so happy to admit that he liked me? I felt like I was floating too for no reason. I tapped him with my arm and asked Kim Haewon.
“Esper Kim Haewon, are you in a good mood?”
“Not particularly good or bad.”
“But why do you keep smiling? You’ve been smiling continuously since the plane.”
“I wasn’t smiling.”
“You are smiling.”
“I wasn’t smiling.”
Kim Haewon repeatedly denied it. But even while saying that, the corners of his mouth were slightly raised. I reached out and tapped the corners of Kim Haewon’s mouth.
“Look. Here is raised.”
“It’s not raised.”
“No, look.”
I drew an arc from the center of his lips to the corners of his mouth. The shape smoothly rising up was definitely a curve.
“Look at this. It’s sharply raised. Originally it should be drawn straight like a line.”
“Try it again.”
“I’m telling you it’s the same even if I try again. Look.”
When I placed my finger on the center of Kim Haewon’s lips again, Kim Haewon’s lips rose up. Kim Haewon had kissed my finger.
“Ah, no! Hey!”
When I withdrew my hand in embarrassment, the corners of Kim Haewon’s mouth rose completely.
“This is what smiling looks like.”
“Y-you repeat offender!”
“The one who touched without saying anything first was Guide Park Garam.”
“My intention was different!”
“What was your intention in touching the lips of a man who said he likes you?”
At Kim Haewon’s blatant question, I opened my mouth slightly. I couldn’t give any answer. It was true that Kim Haewon said he liked me, and it was true that I touched his lips. But I swear my action had no other intention at all. Though it seemed no one would believe it even if they heard.
“I-I’m sorry.”
I withdrew my hand and sat in my seat in proper posture. Then Kim Haewon spoke in a more relaxed voice than ever.
“No. I liked it.”
“I didn’t do it for Esper Kim Haewon to like it, you know?”
“Is that so?”
“Now you’re openly teasing me, right?”
Kim Haewon smiled without words. It was nice to see him smile often, but I didn’t like that he kept trying to tease me. I wanted to counterattack, but I chose to sit still because it seemed like I would get had again if I did.
Clearly Kim Haewon’s hand that touched my cheek was cold, but my finger that Kim Haewon’s lips had touched was hot. I fiddled with my finger for no reason.
The meeting place was not far from the airport. The moment Kim Haewon got out of the car, he pulled me close to his side.
“Don’t leave my side.”
“Don’t worry so much. What could possibly happen at a meeting place?”
I spoke boldly while taking the first step. Kim Haewon grabbed the nape of my neck and attached me to his side.
“When a mouse is cornered, it even bites the nose of the cat in front of it.”
“Still, what wins in the end is the cat.”
“You get hurt anyway.”
“…….”
“I hope you stop getting hurt.”
He said this while releasing the hand that was holding the nape of my neck. I continued while adjusting my clothes.
“……Who’s saying what. Going to the most dangerous places first.”
“It’s okay because I have a skilled guide as my pair.”
I wiped my nose once and continued.
“Well, I know that person a bit too, and they have skills. Their face is pretty okay too, and especially their character is really top-notch. Right?”
“…….”
“What. Why are you suddenly silent? Making a person feel awkward.”
When I poked him while saying this, Kim Haewon held my hand.
{You get along as well as I heard.}
He fluently spoke in Japanese. It was a face I had already seen in the SS-class esper files. Akutagawa Yu. The target to be most wary of. Kim Haewon took one more step forward. I naturally ended up in a position hiding behind him.
{Don’t misunderstand. I’m just going out to meet Hikaru.}
Akutagawa Yu briefly explained and passed by us. I glanced at him sharply and said to Kim Haewon.
“He’s even more annoying seeing him in person.”
“He’ll hear everything.”
“I said it so he would hear?”
Kim Haewon held my hand and pulled me once more toward him.
“This is why I can’t feel at ease.”
“You said not to get your nose bitten.”
“I also didn’t say to bite others.”
“That side threw the first punch.”
When I said this while looking back toward Akutagawa, Kim Haewon led me.
“Everyone will act a bit mischievously. They think of you as a newbie, and right now it’s a situation where they can’t trust each other.”
“Let’s see who’s more mischievous.”
Kim Haewon laughed as if finding it absurd and then moved his steps to the meeting room. I tapped him and said.
“Will it trouble Esper Kim Haewon if I do that?”
“It’s not like you won’t do it even if it does.”
“I’m just asking out of courtesy.”
“There won’t be such a situation, so trust me and act up.”
At Kim Haewon’s words, I smiled. Because words that would have been unthinkable when we first met came from his mouth. When we stood in front of the conference room, I tapped Kim Haewon and whispered.
“You really do like me, huh?”
“That doesn’t mean act up toward me too.”
Kim Haewon said that, smiled, and then opened the conference room door. Without letting go of the hand he was holding.
