# Chapter 12
“There’s no… guarantee… that only that Esper-nim would end up like that….”
Right now, Jiwon was trying to make excuses while watching Suhyun’s reaction. Though Suhyun kept his mouth firmly shut, Jiwon couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being scolded.
“So….”
It was certainly a novel experience, but he was at a loss for how to justify his actions. Making up plausible explanations without actually explaining anything wasn’t an easy task.
Moreover, the atmosphere Suhyun had created added to his discomfort. After forcefully pulling Jiwon along, Suhyun hadn’t said a word until they arrived home. Then, as soon as they arrived, he sat on the sofa and began glaring at Jiwon with an expression that seemed to say, “Let’s hear your excuses.”
Of course, it could just be that Jiwon felt guilty and was rambling…
“You need to make sense if you want me to understand.”
…apparently not.
Suhyun was truly demanding a proper explanation.
“You’ve never entered a dungeon before, have you? Yet you were thinking of stepping into one because an Esper’s wavelength coming out seemed strange?”
Few people make choices they’ve never considered before when faced with urgent situations. Typically, one would wait for the person to come out, hoping it wasn’t their contracted Esper’s wavelength.
Jiwon wouldn’t have acted this way either if he hadn’t heard about dungeons causing Espers to go berserk.
But he couldn’t explain it directly. That information was still confidential. Soon, there would be an announcement about him entering the dungeon, along with detailed information. Until then, Jiwon had to keep quiet to prevent confusion.
“…But why did that Esper-nim come out in such a state?”
Unable to think of any excuse, Jiwon tried to subtly change the subject. However, before he could finish speaking, Suhyun raised one eyebrow in dissatisfaction, making it clear his attempt had failed.
“Esper Tak Myungwoo couldn’t receive guiding due to trouble with his Guide-nim.”
Still, Suhyun didn’t delay his answer.
“…Trouble?”
Jiwon’s mouth fell open at the shocking statement. A Guide refused to guide an Esper entering a dungeon because of mere trouble?
“That’s less surprising than a Guide rushing into a dungeon.”
Suhyun responded coldly to the surprised Jiwon who couldn’t comprehend. There was no way to refute it since it wasn’t wrong.
“Umm….”
Jiwon made an awkward sound.
“Um… are you very angry?”
After hesitating a bit, he asked. To Jiwon, Suhyun seemed angry. Not just baffled by his reckless behavior.
That made it even more confusing. Yes, he had tried to enter a dangerous place, but… was that really something for Suhyun to be angry about?
Regardless, he had acted out of concern for the Espers inside, specifically Suhyun. Of course, he didn’t expect gratitude. But he didn’t think it warranted anger either.
“If the Espers inside the dungeon had been in the same state as Esper Tak Myungwoo, Guide-nim should have stayed out of the dungeon even more.”
Suhyun spoke rigidly, as if he had seen through Jiwon’s thoughts.
“It would obviously be a chaotic situation. Do you think your appearance as a Guide would calm the chaos? Wouldn’t it make things even more chaotic?”
“Ah….”
Wavelengths completely out of control. And a Guide appearing at that moment.
Jiwon sighed belatedly. His desire to help had clouded his judgment—he hadn’t considered that his actions might cause an even bigger incident.
“It would be like asking everyone to die together. In such a situation, even if you try to protect, you can’t protect anyone.”
Every word was absolutely correct. Jiwon quietly listened to Suhyun with his mouth shut. It had been so long since he’d been scolded by anyone that being reprimanded by none other than Suhyun felt strangely refreshing.
“I’m sorry.”
Jiwon cleanly admitted his mistake.
“I didn’t think that far ahead. I’ve never seen an Esper come out with such distorted wavelengths before. Embarrassingly enough, I lack field experience. I only thought that guiding might be necessary. Um… sorry for alarming you.”
Though he didn’t explain why he had such thoughts, everything else was true. It was also true that he had little field experience. Jiwon never intended to startle Suhyun.
“…No matter when, guiding is never needed inside a dungeon.”
Suhyun turned his head away as he responded to Jiwon’s apology. It was a hasty assertion. Jiwon smiled awkwardly.
Soon, there would be a need. The chaos Suhyun worried about would become something they’d have to endure.
“…Yes, I’m sorry. But…”
“……”
“Can I guide you now?”
Feeling that the situation had been roughly settled, Jiwon cautiously asked. With Suhyun sitting there with such a formidable presence, he hadn’t found the courage to reach out his hand, so now it was time for the delayed guiding.
“Haah….”
Suhyun let out a long sigh but didn’t refuse the guiding. He took Jiwon’s hand, which was extended with a light smile.
“Ugh….”
The moment their skin touched, a tingling sensation stimulated his entire body. Since it wasn’t a high-ranked dungeon, it seemed there had been some situations requiring extra effort, probably because of that Esper from earlier.
Well, still, this level is quite good.
Jiwon closed his eyes and concentrated on guiding. The faster he finished, the sooner the pain would disappear. For both himself and Suhyun.
“It’s done.”
As soon as Jiwon finished speaking, Suhyun’s hand slipped out from under his own. Thanks to concentrating without talking, the guiding time was cut in half compared to usual.
I should have taken it slower.
Suhyun might wonder why he had been doing it slowly until now if he could do it this quickly.
“Good work.”
Then I’ll just tell the truth. That the more he concentrates, the faster he gets tired. Unless using physical methods by widening the contact area, mental energy would be consumed.
Then Suhyun might tell him to take it slow. Given that Suhyun immediately withdrew from the dungeon at the mention of the Guide being in pain, he would likely say there was no need to push so hard.
Before, he would have coldly asked what it mattered. Had they grown somewhat closer during the time they’d been living together under the exclusive contract?
‘That’s fortunate.’
Jiwon smiled faintly with satisfaction. The sensation of the soft skin that had touched his fingertips still remained faintly.
“By the way, aren’t you hungry? Lately we seem to be missing meals because we keep hitting meal times.”
Jiwon squeezed his hand and stood up. It wasn’t wrong—after being on edge all day, hunger rushed in once the tension was released.
‘I feel like I could chew up the table.’
Jiwon staggered slightly from the sudden hunger and walked toward the kitchen.
“Just….”
Suhyun’s voice came from behind him. Surely he wouldn’t tell him to go out to eat or to fend for himself again?
It wasn’t out of the question since he had been doing that all along recently. Should he try to persuade him? Or should he just take care of himself?
Suhyun hadn’t even properly spoken, but Jiwon was already considering his options.
“Shall we order?”
“…Order?”
“Delivery is fast.”
Jiwon promptly nodded at Suhyun’s suggestion. It was a welcome sound.
“Shall we?”
As soon as Jiwon responded, Suhyun looked at his phone. Jiwon sat near Suhyun and peered at his screen. The distance was closer than when they were guiding, but Suhyun didn’t bother to push Jiwon away.
‘Who would’ve thought the day would come when Seo Suhyun would be kind to me.’
Jiwon thought while trying to suppress a smile. Suhyun must have suggested delivery for his sake. Because he looked hungry but too tired to cook.
Otherwise, someone who had been avoiding even eating together wouldn’t take the initiative. Jiwon was secretly moved.
He couldn’t be sure that Suhyun no longer avoided him. But at least he knew that Suhyun’s kind nature hadn’t disappeared. Seo Suhyun fundamentally couldn’t ignore others, regardless of who they were.
‘Maybe I made a mistake serious enough for Seo Suhyun to want to distance himself….’
A mistake not as severe as Park Minwoo’s, but still enough to make Suhyun not want to be close to him.
If so, Suhyun’s attitude all this time would make sense… but what mistake could it have been?
“Soup. Let’s go with soup. That’s exactly what I want to eat right now.”
“…As you wish.”
He wanted to ask immediately, but Suhyun would clearly not answer.
Still, if they continued living together a bit longer, wouldn’t their relationship improve? Someday Suhyun might tell him directly why he had created this distance.
“Thank you.”
Jiwon thanked Suhyun, who had personally completed the order and payment.
“……”
There was no answer, but that was okay.
‘I want to know.’
And I want to get closer.
He really wanted to know what kind of person Seo Suhyun was, and what mistake he had made that caused Suhyun to suddenly turn away.
