# Chapter 24
“Is this really that important?”
“Huh?”
“I’m asking if this is important enough for you to drive here yourself this late at night in your pajamas.”
Raon nodded slightly. Honestly, the file was just an excuse. On the way home and even while lying alone in bed, Jaehwi’s words kept coming back to him. The request to help him sleep. The insomnia. Sensitive Esper. Kiss. Mistake. All these chaotic words were swimming around in his head.
Even Jaehwi’s plea to help him sleep was an excuse. If he answered most honestly, he just wanted to be by his side. Even if he’d only see him sleeping before leaving, he wanted to see him. Jaehwi hadn’t received proper guiding today and had only taken stabilizers, so Raon was concerned about his condition. He wondered if it had worsened; though he couldn’t provide even the minimal guiding he’d managed earlier due to his lack of energy, he could at least stay by Jaehwi’s side while he slept.
“When I get a Guide… I really don’t plan to just receive basic radiative guiding and nothing else.”
At that muttered comment, Raon’s hands clenched. Jaehwi’s words pierced his heart. The sound of paper turning followed.
“Hyung, what’s the meaning of this star mark here?”
After the sound of clothes rustling, the opened file was extended toward Raon. Though light was coming in from outside, it wasn’t bright enough to read the text. But Raon could see the star he had drawn at the end of the page.
“Aiden Jung. He seems like the Guide we saw earlier. Do you know this too, hyung? His energy is quite sensual. How should I put it… it’s very sticky.”
Raon felt his whole body bristle at the low voice that penetrated even his breathing. Jaehwi continued, “So different from someone else. This sticky stuff isn’t my taste.”
“Do you think he’s okay for you, hyung? There aren’t any marks elsewhere.”
Jaehwi walked around comfortably, leaving Raon standing frozen in place. Then he tossed the file he had thoroughly examined onto the table.
“Say something, would you.”
Jaehwi’s face was right in front of him, leaning forward with his arms crossed.
“What about you?”
“I don’t care. I’ll do whatever you tell me to.”
“He’s not my Guide. He’s yours.”
“I know.”
“Min Jaehwi.”
Raon raised his hand to brush back his hair. His mouth felt completely dry. This was twisted. Jaehwi was in an extremely twisted state right now. He wasn’t simply accepting and understanding what Raon was telling him to do; rather, it seemed like he had given up on everything while still having sharp thorns sticking out.
“Are you really going to do whatever I tell you to? If I bring anyone and tell you to form a bond with them, would you do it? This isn’t about what I do. It’s about what you do. All I can do is find a Guide who matches you, like this. After that, the choice is yours.”
With a clicking of his tongue, Jaehwi’s face, which had been close, moved away. Standing straight and looking down at Raon, he appeared threatening. Without making any move, Raon clearly realized what his uneasiness had been from the beginning.
He had never felt this way about Jaehwi before. Jaehwi had always smiled first, treated him gently, and listened to what he said. Though Raon knew Jaehwi was large in build, he had never felt such intimidation from him before.
He couldn’t figure out what Jaehwi’s expressionless eyes were trying to convey as they looked down at him indifferently. It was both frightening and scary.
“Without you, everyone else is just the same.”
Raon blinked rapidly. The words he’d just heard swirled in his mind without settling. His brows furrowed involuntarily, and the corners of his mouth, which had been slightly upturned as he looked at Jaehwi, trembled.
“Do you want me to remain your good little brother?”
Unable to look Jaehwi in the eyes, Raon lowered his head. But soon he had to tilt it back up as a hand cupped his chin.
“Answer me, please. I think I need to hear it today. What you want is a young, obedient child who listens well, right? Of course, someone who does what they’re told.”
Unable to avoid his gaze, Raon chose to close his eyes. Jaehwi seemed as confused as he was. His voice was infinitely cold at times, then warm as if it had never been otherwise. The informal speech that had pierced Raon’s heart sharply was followed by soft, formal speech like a gentle spring breeze.
“That’s right.”
Unlike his jumbled thoughts, Raon’s mouth moved on its own.
“Will you punish me if I’m a bad child?”
Along with a pleasurable laugh, hot breath was felt at Raon’s ear. Jaehwi’s lips, whispering softly, touched Raon’s earlobe. Those heat-filled lips touched his earlobe and then moved to the line of his neck, which was exposed as his head tilted back.
“I will.”
Raon slowly raised his hands, which had been lowered. His wandering hands touched the collar of Jaehwi’s robe. His hands spread out, and Raon’s palms touched Jaehwi’s chest. Though feeble, Raon was trying to push Jaehwi away.
“Then I’ll accept punishment until your anger subsides.”
Now that Jaehwi’s hand that had been cupping his chin was gone, Raon could avoid him whenever he wanted. Jaehwi’s lips, which approached leisurely, hovered over Raon’s lips. Jaehwi stopped at a distance where even a slight movement would cause their noses or lips to touch immediately, but he didn’t move right away.
Only their breaths, carrying each other’s scent, filled the space between them. When Raon, who couldn’t bring himself to look at Jaehwi, turned his head slightly, Jaehwi followed him by exactly that much.
When Raon tried to step back, Jaehwi’s arm wrapped around his waist. Raon’s hands, which had been pressing against Jaehwi’s chest, tensed involuntarily, but he didn’t retreat.
With his heart pounding and feeling like his hair was standing on end, Raon moved his head again, and Jaehwi’s mouth corners, which quickly followed, crept upward. While Raon hesitated slightly, Jaehwi persistently followed him without actually placing his lips against Raon’s.
“Hey!”
Avoiding Jaehwi’s nose tip and lips that pursued without touching, Raon unconsciously shouted and pushed Jaehwi’s chest with a thump.
“I don’t want to be punished. Will you do it for me, hyung?”
Seeing the smile on Jaehwi’s face, who still hadn’t budged, Raon bit his lips hard before releasing them and placed his index finger on Jaehwi’s forehead.
“How far are you going to mess with me? Do I look like I’m at an age to play such childish pranks with you?”
“What’s wrong with your age, hyung?”
“Remember that I’m 6 years older than you. You might have energy to spare and be fine with less sleep, but I’m not. If I’m thinking of you by bringing these files at this late hour, you should say thank you. Where did you learn such mischief!”
When Raon pushed Jaehwi’s forehead with his index finger, Jaehwi moved back easily, so Raon also hit the back of his hand that was wrapped around his waist quite sharply. With an exaggerated “Ouch,” Jaehwi’s arm released him, and Raon immediately distanced himself and headed straight for the door.
“Hyung.”
“What!”
Even as he took off his slippers and put on the loafers he had worn over, Raon didn’t look back.
“Hyuuung.”
“Ah, what!”
Unaffected by Jaehwi’s drawn-out tone, Raon snapped back and buttoned up the coat he was wearing. As he grabbed the doorknob to leave and Jaehwi still didn’t call him, Raon looked back to see Jaehwi standing blankly in the middle of the living room.
“What?”
Feeling unsettled, a softer voice than before flowed from Raon’s mouth.
“Sleep with me.”
At those plain and simple words, Raon’s heart sank, and he gripped the doorknob tighter.
“Stay with me.”
A close hyung. A dependable hyung. He was clearly just such a figure to Jaehwi. So that request, too, was probably innocently asking to sleep together like when they were young, but he kept misinterpreting it.
“Cover my ears, please. It’s too noisy, and I can’t sleep.”
Twenty years old. The blame was on him for not being able to take the mischief of a youngster who was naturally curious and sensitive about such matters, regardless of gender, entirely as a joke. Or perhaps Jaehwi really did see him as something other than a close hyung or Guide. For example, as someone he liked. Or going further, love? As that thought occurred to him, Raon slightly turned his head.
They had almost kissed. Not a light goodnight peck, but a rough, devouring kind of kiss. His heart was beating so fast that his head was ringing, his lower abdomen tightened, and his palms were sweaty. Though he found himself pathetic for being swayed by a young person, why Jaehwi? There was nothing about him that should make Jaehwi feel that way.
“I didn’t even receive guiding today.”
Jaehwi’s words, which came intermittently to Raon who was lost in his own thoughts, stabbed at his chest. This brat keeps doing this, which is why I even assigned a Guide to be right next to you! It’s you who couldn’t accept it, not me. And you took a stabilizer in the car earlier! Raon barely suppressed these words that were rising up his throat.
Before Raon, who was just blinking his eyes, Jaehwi was suddenly standing.
Jaehwi’s hands approached, and taking both of Raon’s hands, he brought them to his own ears. He made Raon’s hands cover his ears and then covered them with his larger hands, preventing Raon’s hands from escaping.
“…It’s quiet now.”
A long sigh escaped from Raon’s mouth as he watched a spring breeze-like smile blossom on Jaehwi’s face. Unlike Jaehwi’s peaceful expression, Raon was suffering from uncomfortable chest pain and a headache. He had to admit that without his permission, his heart had accepted this boy as something other than just a close younger brother.
