Han Seoha had rejected Ryu Jaegeon. Because of a kid he’d barely known for a few days.
That couldn’t be. This was absurd.
“Let go of my arm.”
The more Han Seoha struggled, the darker Ryu Jaegeon’s mood became.
“Hey, Han Seoha.”
“Sorry, I’ll do the guiding after I come back.”
“You think I’m holding on because of some measly C-rank guiding?”
Despite Ryu Jaegeon’s openly barbed tone, Han Seoha wasn’t hurt like he usually would be. He simply exerted meaningless force trying to escape from the Esper holding him.
“Let go, Jaegeon.”
“Don’t want to.”
“My arm, ugh!”
When Ryu Jaegeon didn’t budge, Han Seoha tried even more desperately to pull his arm free. Against the futile struggling of a Guide who couldn’t possibly overcome an Esper’s strength, Han Seoha’s muscle finally tore and his bone twisted. The dull sound transmitted through the arm he was gripping made Ryu Jaegeon’s skin crawl despite its familiarity.
It might be one thing during an operation, but the sound of rupturing that should never occur in daily life made Ryu Jaegeon freeze stiff. It was a terrible result created by the Guide’s powerless thrashing. Yet the person in question, even while not knowing what to do with the pain, wanted only one thing while clutching his dislocated shoulder.
“Please, Iro will be waiting. I have to go.”
Were the tears Han Seoha shed from pain, or from worry for Jeong Iro? Even while hoping it was the former, the emotion was too familiar to Ryu Jaegeon to mistake. Deliberately pretending not to recognize that emotion, he grabbed Han Seoha’s shoulder.
“Your arm’s dislocated.”
“Ugh… I’ll manage it myself. Just let me go.”
“Hold still. I’ll pop it back in right away.”
Before Han Seoha could even respond, Ryu Jaegeon fitted the joint back into place with practiced movements. What made his skin crawl at the sharp scream was that it was a sound made by none other than Han Seoha. Ryu Jaegeon, who had heard worse screams and pain, was flustered by his own body’s state—reacting enough to raise goosebumps.
“Haa, ngh……”
At the stifled whimper, he released his tight grip while keeping their bodies pressed together. In that short time, Han Seoha’s face had become soaked with cold sweat and tears. When he wiped away the moisture with his palm, Ryu Jaegeon’s heart stirred at how Han Seoha obediently surrendered his face.
What is this.
It was an emotion so sudden it was bewildering. A submissive and delicate Han Seoha was familiar to Ryu Jaegeon. Why would his heart suddenly start beating however it pleased when facing Han Seoha, who was nothing new?
He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the lips he’d rubbed under the pretense of wiping tears. As he slid his fingers from the wrist he still held to the palm and interlaced them, the slow guiding that naturally flowed in was familiar. The guiding that faintly seeped into the fingertips that had rubbed those wet lips was a temptation.
At some point, Ryu Jaegeon pressed his lips against Han Seoha’s. Watching those wet eyes blink in surprise, he pushed his tongue in and sucked on the soft flesh, greedily exploring, and tears flowed from beneath the tightly shut eyelids.
As if rejecting him. It was the reaction of someone dealing with a person they disliked. Even though there was no way Han Seoha would feel that way toward him, the clear evidence made Ryu Jaegeon anxious.
It must be because his shoulder hurts. He’s distracted worrying about his awakened temporary partner.
Either way, it didn’t matter. Ryu Jaegeon had no intention of letting Han Seoha go, and their pressed lips were sweet. Even the chest that swelled weakly as it panted for breath, then deflated with a whimper—because it was all a reaction he’d created, Ryu Jaegeon just felt good.
His body reacted naturally, a response coming to Ryu Jaegeon’s lower half. Han Seoha, who had been desperately trying just to breathe, seemed to notice Ryu Jaegeon’s hardened state as his guiding became unstable.
“Why are you so tense? After rolling around with Baek Uihyeon all night.”
“It wasn’t, really. It really wasn’t.”
If he denied it this much, Han Seoha’s words must be true, but Ryu Jaegeon pretended not to know and greedily squeezed his soft ass. Swallowing Han Seoha’s lips again as he tried to say something, Ryu Jaegeon grew curious about how hot and tight it would be inside. Guiding through sex was a different sensation and pleasure that couldn’t be felt through ordinary sexual intercourse. He wanted Han Seoha to feel it for the first time because of him.
Suddenly, Ryu Jaegeon felt a sense of dissonance.
So why. Why do I want Han Seoha’s first time to be mine.
Well, because Han Seoha was originally mine.
Even if he isn’t now, in the end, if I just reached out my hand, he’d come running anytime. That’s why I let go and tried to forget.
Ryu Jaegeon tried to force himself to take it lightly, thinking that after experiencing close contact guiding with Yu Haneul, he must have developed that kind of desire for Han Seoha too.
……What am I even doing.
Ryu Jaegeon couldn’t stop his hand from stroking Han Seoha, who was trapped in his arms and could only whimper in resignation, as if soothing him. His lower body was burning hot, yet strangely his head grew cold. It wasn’t like this was the first or second time seeing Han Seoha cry, yet his stomach churned at this new feeling.
‘What the hell is with this guy?’
Han Seoha, who had been sniffling while held in Ryu Jaegeon’s arms, found it absurd. Why is he already entangled and going all wistful on his own when I haven’t even started working on him yet?
When he’d been grinding his lower body, he’d seemed like an Esper in heat from guiding, but not even a few minutes had passed before he was examining Han Seoha with the most serious eyes in the world.
No matter what mischievous expression he made, he couldn’t hide the affection dwelling in his eyes. Han Seoha knew those eyes. Because they’d never been directed at him, he’d always watched that emotion with envy from an outsider’s perspective.
Though still slow to realize and thus rough, affection flickered in those reddish-black eyes that had only held interest to the point of indifference. If things continue like this, won’t he be swayed emotionally, just a little?
‘Still far too early.’
He needed to become more aware. He needed to nurture and realize his emotions more, so that his regret and desperation for Han Seoha would grow.
Having decided how to deal with Ryu Jaegeon, Han Seoha tilted his head against the hand stroking his cheek and let out a subdued voice.
“I want to wash up.”
“I have to wash anyway, so let’s wash together.”
“How can you say that……”
He buried his face in Ryu Jaegeon’s shoulder as if embarrassed. As he just quietly caught his breath at Ryu Jaegeon’s hand naturally stroking his neck, the sense of distance that had been pressing down on him gained a bit of breathing room.
“Can I wash first?”
“Sure, whatever.”
Having found his composure, Ryu Jaegeon felt relieved watching Han Seoha turn toward the bathroom—but only for a moment.
“Wait.”
“Hm?”
Ryu Jaegeon reflexively tried to protect Han Seoha from the Esper energy he felt clearly outside the door.
“Come here, ugh!”
Ryu Jaegeon, who had tried to pull Han Seoha into his arms, was flustered when his hand was repelled. He couldn’t understand the situation when Han Seoha activated the protective equipment he’d borrowed before, deflecting Ryu Jaegeon’s approach once.
Seeing Han Seoha clench his hand tightly, he must have activated it himself. Unable to understand this even more, Ryu Jaegeon focused only on Han Seoha even while sensing the presence flying in from behind.
“Seoha, you—”
“Reported target secured!”
“Don’t move!”
Before Ryu Jaegeon could finish speaking, the suppression team Espers rushed in. Pinned to the floor and subdued in an instant, Ryu Jaegeon still couldn’t understand the situation.
Why was the suppression team appearing here?
Why were they subduing Ryu Jaegeon?
Why was Han Seoha being protected by another Esper as if it were natural?
It was possible because Han Seoha had pressed his watch’s emergency call as soon as his arm was free. Even knowing that, Ryu Jaegeon couldn’t believe it and needed to hear the answer from Han Seoha.
“You, you reported me?”
“I’m sorry, Jaegeon. If I didn’t do this, you wouldn’t let me go… Once I come back and explain the situation to these people, they’ll release you right away.”
He couldn’t believe Han Seoha had reported him just to go meet a temporary partner. Even as restraints were fastened on his wrists, Ryu Jaegeon didn’t resist at all, only staring at Han Seoha.
Rather than anger, hurt feelings sprouted and protruded, leaving Ryu Jaegeon unable to even get angry. At such an emotional change in Ryu Jaegeon, Han Seoha’s choice was on hold.
* * *
Only after Ryu Jaegeon had completely left did Han Seoha move to meet Jeong Iro with a face full of guilt. To the suppression team Esper who followed along instead of letting him go alone, Han Seoha repeatedly apologized.
“I’m sorry, you must be busy.”
“Accompanying until a Guide’s safety is secured is a basic duty.”
Though there was no remaining threat to Han Seoha, the Esper who insisted on following was an opportunity. All the way to the hospital room, Han Seoha dropped subtle excuses. He revealed his regret toward Ryu Jaegeon, his sense of responsibility toward Jeong Iro. The accompanying Esper also agreed that as long as Jeong Iro was his partner, even temporarily, he had no choice but to set different priorities. Han Seoha immediately also revealed his worry for the former partner he’d reported.
“Jaegeon will be released right away, won’t he?”
“Since this is Guide Han Seoha’s first emergency report, he should be. However, if this happens again, even if the reporting Guide requests withdrawal, there may be a review.”
Though it seemed disadvantageous to Espers, it pressured Guides as well. Though it was supposedly for the Guide’s safety, if reports were made recklessly, it would be troublesome for both sides.
“I’m sorry. Thank you for escorting me here.”
“That said, don’t hesitate when you need to make a report.”
“Yes, I will.”
The Esper only left after confirming Han Seoha had entered Jeong Iro’s hospital room.
Han Seoha, who hadn’t relaxed his tension for a moment, maintained a worried expression even knowing only Jeong Iro was in the hospital room.
Sitting beside Jeong Iro, who appeared to be sleeping soundly, Han Seoha just stared at him for a long time. Throughout the long stretch of time—so long he might as well have spent it with Ryu Jaegeon—Han Seoha shed tears whenever he sensed the presence of medical staff.
The image of temporary partner Han Seoha staring endlessly at Jeong Iro, who was merely asleep after being moved to a recovery room, unable to wake him and shedding tears in anxiety, would contribute to positive rumors.
‘He’s already awake, too.’
It was time to make the lying prince, who appeared beautifully asleep, open his eyes.
