After calming his mind for a moment, Yoon Kihyun answered Jung Sijun’s question, who had been whining about why he couldn’t reach him.
“I guess I didn’t see it because I was resting for a bit. Did the conquest go well?”
“Hmm, of course. Let’s go eat. I’m starving to death after busting my ass trying to get here in time for mealtime.”
Jung Sijun grumbled while covering his twitching mouth with his hand. As expected of someone who, once opening his mouth, either said annoying things or mixed in curses, his manner of speaking was somewhat vulgar. That said, he didn’t feel like continuously pointing out his language habits.
‘I don’t need to worry about that.’
The more time he spent with Jung Sijun, the feeling of raising an immature younger sibling rather than being a personal Guide was getting stronger day by day. Moreover, he’d already mentioned Jung Sijun’s speech once before, so it was awkward to keep bringing it up.
‘No, I was just curious if Team Leader Seo Igyeong said anything weird.’
‘What weird thing would he say? He’s not someone who lives with curses at the end of every sentence like you, Team Leader Jung.’
‘…What’s wrong with the way I talk?’
‘There aren’t many people who talk like that in normal social life.’
Come to think of it, even then Jung Sijun was subtly wary of Seo Igyeong. Perhaps something had happened between him and Seo Igyeong.
But he had no intention of asking him things like how his relationship with Seo Igyeong was or what had happened.
Yoon Kihyun wanted to have a straightforward relationship where he received a salary from Jung Sijun in exchange for providing Guiding. He had even less intention of correcting his rough language habit of cursing at every turn and his somewhat free-spirited dining etiquette.
“…I want to speak a bit more modestly, but it’s not working out well.”
While Yoon Kihyun was lost in thought for a moment, Jung Sijun mumbled with a nuance of self-reflection.
Was it right to use the expression “modest” with that face? The word choice from a guy who seemed far from modest was quite radical. Yoon Kihyun shrugged and answered.
“Who said anything? Why the sudden self-reflection?”
“Your eyes, Kihyun-ssi, had that feeling of like, huh? Look at this bastard’s shitty way of talking—wasn’t that it?”
He didn’t know whether to say it was commendable or amazing that he was becoming increasingly perceptive.
Putting other things aside, if the behavior and attitudes of the Center’s Espers were corrected as much as Jung Sijun had changed, he thought the Guides’ work environment would become more pleasant. Though it had no meaning for him to do anything now that he was no longer affiliated with the Center.
When he couldn’t think of what to answer and responded with silence instead, Jung Sijun felt wronged, saying “see?” Whether trying to appeal his grievance or not, when he shook his thick upper body in a way that didn’t suit him, a subtle body wash scent could be felt.
“Did you shower?”
“What are you talking about? Of course. When returning from a Gate and entering the Guiding room, that’s manners. It’s not an emergency situation, so of course I showered.”
Jung Sijun stared at Yoon Kihyun with wide eyes as if asking what he was saying.
To think Jung Sijun of all people would talk about manners. Yoon Kihyun ended up laughing unconsciously while looking at Jung Sijun’s aggrieved face.
“I find it absurd when you talk about manners sometimes, Team Leader Jung.”
“Geez, why? No matter how thoughtlessly I live, I know at least that much manners.”
Even as Jung Sijun retorted like that, he couldn’t quite take his eyes off Yoon Kihyun’s smiling face. Yoon Kihyun’s smile felt different from usual.
‘What is it?’
Yoon Kihyun didn’t smile often. Usually he was expressionless, and when conversing with him, he often frowned, and the longer the conversation, the more dry the person felt.
He only did what needed to be done and generally didn’t open up about personal matters. He had a dry personality with a thorough distinction between public and private, but when he occasionally smiled, he smiled so brightly it created the illusion the world was lighting up, driving people crazy every time.
Jung Sijun was always mindful of Yoon Kihyun. Apart from being the only Guide he could fully trust and entrust his wavelength to, he also wanted to see Yoon Kihyun smile often.
But Yoon Kihyun’s smile just now was somehow strange. He couldn’t describe it, but it was strange. Jung Sijun asked while observing Yoon Kihyun’s mood as he sat sprawled in the recliner.
“But Kihyun-ssi, did something happen today?”
At Jung Sijun’s question, Yoon Kihyun hesitated. Wondering why this guy was being perceptive for once.
Amid being troubled by Seo Igyeong’s proposal, the conversation with Jung Sijun, which was no different from usual, was enjoyable, so he ended up smiling unconsciously. It was true that he laughed because it was absurd that Jung Sijun, who lived like trash, was now talking about manners.
However, it was also laughter that burst out from absurdity at not knowing how to be certain that working with Jung Sijun was indeed better than Seo Igyeong. But to think he’d notice that like a ghost and ask such a question.
‘Isn’t this bastard’s learning speed getting faster and faster?’
Seeing him absorbing things like a sponge and correcting his behavior made him feel troubled like watching a younger sibling mature.
After agonizing briefly, Yoon Kihyun decided to confess honestly about his meeting with Seo Igyeong. Since it happened in the narrow Center building anyway, he couldn’t hide his visit forever.
“It’s nothing much, but while you were out on dispatch, Team Leader Jung, Team Leader Seo Igyeong came to the Guiding room and I went out for a bit.”
“Fuck, that fox bastard came here? Isn’t he fucking crazy?”
Sure enough, sparks flew from Jung Sijun’s eyes. The curses that popped out and the momentum as if he’d rush out any moment were vicious enough to make his earlier mumbling about trying to speak modestly seem meaningless.
When Yoon Kihyun was flustered, not expecting him to react this sensitively, Jung Sijun squeezed his eyes shut. It seemed he was belatedly trying to collect his emotions.
His thick chest seemed to heave slowly, then Jung Sijun sighed and slowly opened his eyes.
‘Oh.’
The eyes definitely had a thinner emotion similar to murderous intent than before. Yoon Kihyun was inwardly impressed. However, the fierce expression that still seemed ready to cause some incident didn’t disappear.
“…Hah, so?”
The way he asked back in a deeply subdued voice seemed much better compared to before, so it was commendable. Though he didn’t know if it was right to find his employer commendable.
Yoon Kihyun stared at his young employer who was improving day by day, then unconsciously reached his hand toward Jung Sijun’s brow.
The moment he rubbed a few times, bothered by the brow furrows that constantly crumpled, Yoon Kihyun belatedly became aware of his action and urgently withdrew his hand.
‘Am I crazy?’
Usually, physical contact with Jung Sijun was almost nonexistent except for holding hands during Guiding. Occasionally Jung Sijun would casually drape his arm over his shoulder trying to be friendly, or lightly grab his arm when showing him something, but otherwise they maintained an ambiguous distance.
Keeping in mind that they were people who had spent a drunken night together with no memory of it, Yoon Kihyun deliberately kept a thorough distance from Jung Sijun. However, perhaps because Jung Sijun had taken the upper hand over the comparison target called Seo Igyeong today, he seemed to have let his guard down a bit.
“Ah, I’m sorry. You were frowning so I was bothered for a moment.”
When Yoon Kihyun apologized and withdrew his hand, Jung Sijun’s revealed face was a sight to behold. His face turned red as if about to explode any moment, and his gaze wandered back and forth like someone who didn’t know where to look.
Around the time Yoon Kihyun was also feeling awkward from the strange heat felt in his gasping breath, Jung Sijun mumbled while massaging the back of his neck as if trying to cool the heat that had spread to his throat.
“No. Well… that can happen.”
It was a completely unimaginable appearance from the guy who just moments ago had been glaring with eyes ready to cut down Seo Igyeong.
‘What should I really do with this bastard…’
Yoon Kihyun also fell into anguish while massaging the back of his neck.
***
The atmosphere remained awkward all the way until arriving at the Chinese restaurant in Jung Sijun’s car. Yoon Kihyun wasn’t the type to chatter alone unable to stand an awkward atmosphere, and neither was Jung Sijun.
It was when the employee who had taken the menu order in the private room they’d arrived at under employee guidance was leaving. Jung Sijun, who had been pouring tea with much better hand movements than before, subtly broached the subject.
“So… what did Team Leader Seo Igyeong say when he came?”
The guy’s gaze was still directed at the teacup. He seemed to be quite bothered by the skinship in the Guiding room earlier. Yoon Kihyun found that a bit puzzling.
If he had to nitpick, weren’t they people who’d even had sex? Yet reacting like that just because he touched his brow was both fresh and funny.
“He was probing.”
“About what?”
“Things like whether you treat me well, Team Leader Jung. Team Leader Seo Igyeong said he also wanted to be added to my options…”
It was before Yoon Kihyun could even finish speaking.
“Crazy, he pulled that shit while I was gone?”
Jung Sijun cut off Yoon Kihyun’s words and exploded in anger. Then, after glancing at Yoon Kihyun’s face, he averted his eyes again and said.
“How much did Seo Igyeong offer? I can give more than that. Really.”
It was a radical salary increase proposal. But since he hadn’t asked Seo Igyeong about specific conditions, he couldn’t answer clearly.
Should he have at least asked about the conditions before leaving? He suddenly thought that, but it didn’t appeal to him at all.
Unless Seo Igyeong was a building owner with property built on gold-worth land like Jung Sijun, an individual bearing Yoon Kihyun’s annual salary was a loss no matter how you looked at it.
Moreover, there didn’t seem to be any particular reason for it. Because Seo Igyeong wasn’t an Esper with a difficult-to-handle wavelength like Jung Sijun.
“Is the salary not enough? Even though I’m giving you that much? Anyway, if you need more, talk to me first. You contracted with me first.”
“I didn’t ask about the conditions, I just refused saying I wouldn’t do it.”
At Yoon Kihyun’s answer, Jung Sijun blinked and closed his mouth. It was the face of someone who heard an unexpected answer.
