Baek Uihyeon arrived at the Guide quarters and stepped inside without hesitation. Normally he would have gone through the procedures via Lee Yeongjin, but he didn’t even have that much leeway left.
Baek Uihyeon’s infiltration into the Guide quarters, which boasted thorough security, was easy. He had only followed the rules because he couldn’t use his precious ability for personal gain.
No one had granted the single thing that Baek Uihyeon desired. All the rules he had upheld felt like trash.
What had he been running toward until now?
Everything he had protected lost its meaning and faded. What meaning was there in a hero who couldn’t protect even one Guide with his own hands?
It was hard to stop the anxiety and anger that flared up from surging forward. With even the reason to stop them becoming unknowable, only the thought that he needed to see Han Seoha right now was clear.
Passing identical-looking doors, he found the room where Han Seoha had stayed before and reached out without hesitation. Baek Uihyeon, who entered inside, felt all strength drain from him at the steady, slow breathing of the deeply sleeping person.
Han Seoha was safe. It was such a natural result, but he absolutely couldn’t endure it with just the report.
Baek Uihyeon’s sigh toward the deeply sleeping Han Seoha, who had no idea in his dreams that an S-rank Esper had snuck all the way to the Guide quarters in restless anxiety, called his name.
“Seoha-ssi.”
The stillness with not even a faint response returned erased Baek Uihyeon’s worry.
Baek Uihyeon, who had rushed over to ask why he kept causing accidents and why he threw away his own body for Espers to that extent, slowly removed his uniform. Although he had eliminated the risk factors, he couldn’t press against him with a body that had become unpleasant from running around inside the Gate.
The shower room attached to Han Seoha’s quarters was cramped. The characterless body wash and shampoo were all Association-issued items. Han Seoha seemed as if he didn’t even care about such things.
Han Seoha was always like that. He threw everything away for Espers while not caring about anything for himself.
That particularly grated on Baek Uihyeon’s nerves today. Even he himself was the same in not treating a precious person preciously. That’s why Han Seoha carelessly threw himself away like that.
Baek Uihyeon realized he wasn’t any kind of support to Han Seoha. No matter how much cold water he poured over himself, his head wouldn’t cool down.
* * *
It’s hot.
He had already anticipated that Baek Uihyeon would rush to the Guide quarters. After water sounds continued for a while, the returning Baek Uihyeon was cold but quickly became hot before long. As expected of an Esper with exceptional recovery.
Rubbing his face against the embrace that was warm to the point of being hot was quite intentional.
Like a harmless creature with zero wariness. Please, let’s just sleep. I’m really sleepy. At the rubbing filled with sincerity, the firm chest swelled as if taking in breath and pushed Han Seoha’s face away. When he opened his eyes and stared blankly, the firm arm that had been under his neck at some unknown point hugged his back and pulled him into the embrace.
“The arm pillow is uncomfortable……”
Ah. This was his inner thoughts popping right out.
This much didn’t deviate greatly from Han Seoha’s image, so it wasn’t something to worry about. After a short sleep tantrum pretending to wake up, there was no more reason to hold on, so he relaxed. Before long, the fallen-asleep Han Seoha didn’t feel Baek Uihyeon’s continued gaze at all.
Baek Uihyeon lifted the cheek of Han Seoha, who had dropped his head and fallen asleep. Holding the face of the docile beauty lifted without resistance, Baek Uihyeon gently stroked his straight forehead and neat eyebrows with his thumb. Passing over the delicate and soft skin, when he reached the slightly parted lips, he couldn’t pass by and fondled them.
When he lightly held Han Seoha’s lips, which had become a bit rough from a hard day, there was only a soft sensation. No matter how he touched, there was no energy left so guiding didn’t happen. Even so, at the lukewarm body temperature and soft sensation, Baek Uihyeon fidgeted with Han Seoha for quite a long time.
Whether it tickled, he would smile a little, and when annoyed, he would shake his head or lightly push away and frown. Each time, when pulled into the embrace and patted on the back, he would rub his face against the chest and fall asleep again.
That appearance was somewhat like a puppy and seemed to rely on Baek Uihyeon, becoming strangely comfortable. Enough to endlessly watch his sleeping form.
* * *
When Han Seoha opened his eyes to the familiar alarm, the first thing that came to mind was a question about skin color.
Why is he naked?
“Why are you… naked?”
He absolutely had to ask, so he blurted out the words that came to mind.
To say it was for guiding efficiency, Han Seoha’s energy that had hit rock bottom showed no signs of recovery. He was realizing through persistent pain that even the faintly recovered energy was escaping through the touching skin. Of course, since he didn’t show it, the Esper had an expression of not knowing at all.
“There were no fitting clothes.”
Looking at the firmly swelling chest visible before his eyes made his head nod automatically. If they tried to squeeze Han Seoha’s clothes onto this body, it would be t-shirt abuse or unintended sex appeal.
“So, um, why did you… take them off……”
It was a question of why when guiding wasn’t even happening, but what returned was a firm embrace. Like affectionate lovers.
So why is Baek Uihyeon acting like this toward Han Seoha?
An S-rank Esper, a hero, didn’t have time to leisurely spend like this.
He could understand being fixated on painless guiding. But he had recently received guiding all night, and even though the current Han Seoha couldn’t receive any at all, why was he putting in effort? What was reflected in Baek Uihyeon’s clear eyes without a trace of drowsiness was a faint goodwill that had just bloomed.
Ah, seriously, why did he develop affection for Han Seoha?
Even when kneading his entire body during guiding, what Baek Uihyeon showed was possessiveness. That alone was enough. He didn’t want ambiguous emotions added. Unless affection grew larger than possessiveness, Han Seoha had a headache over this unnecessary emotion that had just started.
He needed to judge distance well since there was no way to control an S-rank if they went wild. Though physically the distance was close to zero.
Ryu Jaegeon too, why are they suddenly easy?
While Jeong Iro, whom he actually put effort into, wasn’t falling for it.
Seeing Espers whose emotions changed so quickly made him wonder if deciding to discard the relationship with Jeong Iro was too hasty.
Anyway, he would be in confinement for the time being, so let’s postpone worries about Jeong Iro and get the item first. Before that, let’s detach this S-rank who keeps creating a strange atmosphere.
“Baek Uihyeon-nim, aren’t you going to work?”
“Must I?”
Seriously, why is he like this?
At Han Seoha’s troubled expression, Baek Uihyeon lowered his head and lightly bumped foreheads.
“There’s no Gate that will burst just because I’m a bit late.”
“Ah……”
“Are you also worried that people will get hurt if I slack off, Seoha-ssi?”
Instead of answering, Han Seoha carefully placed the back of his hand against the touching forehead because it was hot. As if worried, even though he knew Espers could have high base body temperatures depending on their abilities.
Han Seoha’s intentional action brought an immediate reaction from Baek Uihyeon. Baek Uihyeon overlapped his hand on Han Seoha’s palm touching his forehead and pulled it down. While kissing the back of his hand and rubbing, passing the joints and biting his fingers with his lips, he didn’t take his eyes off him even once.
“I know that Seoha-ssi’s kindness is a familiarity that comes from being for others. Every time I notice that, I feel spiteful.”
He just watched the faint anger flash through Baek Uihyeon’s eyes. Until Baek Uihyeon, who had been tasting Han Seoha little by little, revealed a bit more of his inner feelings.
“I feel like I’m being tested every time.”
Baek Uihyeon’s guess was correct.
He needed to confirm what Baek Uihyeon wanted from Han Seoha to determine the direction of future actions. Above all, he needed to enter the Gate right away, but he also had to judge how Baek Uihyeon would react and try to protect him.
“I… I’m sorry.”
“Would you tell me the reason for apologizing?”
“I think you’ll be angry.”
“I’m already angry. A C-rank Guide volunteering for the Gate.”
The biting that came back down from his fingers and continued to his wrist became fierce, so Han Seoha pretended to be a little hurt. Baek Uihyeon, who had been showing his teeth, continued the skinship that changed back to lips.
“I’m going to enter the Gate.”
“I know. I know the reason too, but I wish it were something else.”
At the large shadow suddenly cast over his head, Han Seoha widened his eyes as if tense. Completely hidden by Baek Uihyeon’s body, Han Seoha was concealed within the shadow.
“If you were an immature Guide who wanted to see monsters directly, my insides wouldn’t be burning like this.”
“Baek Uihyeon-nim.”
“Just say you have an item you want. Then I’ll obtain anything for you.”
There is. An absolutely necessary item.
But this was a bound item, so he didn’t want to risk any potential danger. If he couldn’t use Jeong Iro, the next best option was to move directly.
Looking straight at Baek Uihyeon’s eyes drawing closer, Han Seoha let his voice, trembling with earnestness, flow out completely.
“They say Iro is being transferred from the Security Management Department to the Correction Department… I don’t understand what this situation is.”
“I suppose not.”
At Baek Uihyeon’s sigh, Han Seoha became even more urgent.
“It’s not Iro’s fault. When food is given to a hungry child, they can only eat until they see the bottom.”
“Jeong Iro is not a child. And Seoha-ssi is even less food.”
“I’m going to help Iro. If he’s committed a crime and is being punished, I’ll do anything so I can lessen it even a little.”
“If that’s the case, you can just become my partner instead. I can keep about one B-rank Esper under my command.”
It was such an easy and perhaps natural proposal. This level of negotiation didn’t even need to go through the Association Director; Baek Uihyeon’s guarantee would suffice. However, at the words thrown out impulsively, Han Seoha’s anxiety flew away in an instant.
“Really? It’ll be a really good opportunity for Iro.”
At the joy blooming on Han Seoha’s face, Baek Uihyeon’s smile twisted miserably.
“Seoha-ssi, really……”
You’re just too harsh only to me.
The words that should have followed were swallowed together with Han Seoha’s lips.
