# Chapter 6
‘Guide-nim!’
Naturally, Yeo Dowoon’s eyes rolled back as he lunged toward Cha Haseong.
From his perspective, it was a moving attempt to save his Guide, but looking at the result, they simply ended up being caught by monster claws and delivered toward the nest together.
From the mother’s standpoint, she was probably preparing nutritious snacks for her offspring who would soon hatch and enter the world.
“Seems like monsters use dungeons as nests too.”
Cha Haseong, walking behind Dowoon, commented while touching the cave wall. He stared vacantly at his fingers, now covered with powdery lime dust, and tilted his head.
“Hmm…”
Dowoon scolded him in a low voice.
“Don’t touch things carelessly. You’ll get hurt if there’s any toxic substance on it.”
In response, Haseong carefully pulled his hand away and curled the corners of his eyes. His gesture of dusting off the lime powder seemed extremely calm and relaxed.
While it might be understandable at the dungeon entrance, this was likely his first time venturing this deep inside, yet he showed no signs of fear.
Walking on the slimy floor strewn with corpses of what might or might not have been humans without making a single sound of distress, Dowoon asked him directly:
“Aren’t you scared?”
Even if he admitted to being scared, there wasn’t any particular way to reassure him, but Dowoon felt more uneasy about Haseong’s monotonous expression.
Moreover, being left alone with him in such a secluded place made him tense, even if this was someone whose one-sided love he had declared he was giving up on.
Noticing Dowoon’s flushed ears and nape, Haseong answered:
“I have Dowoon-ssi by my side.”
With just that one sentence, Dowoon’s skin bloomed into an even deeper red. Though he tried to maintain a neutral expression, his crimson ears and neck couldn’t lie.
Deliberately hardening his voice, Dowoon fired off rapidly:
“Still, don’t get too lax. This is my first time attacking a nest too, so I might not be able to respond immediately to an emergency.”
“Really?”
“Yes. There’s even a possibility I might run away and leave you behind, Guide-nim.”
It was a warning issued in hopes that having some awareness of survival would be better than being completely relaxed, but strangely, there was no particular response from Haseong.
As Dowoon wondered about this, Haseong, who had somehow moved up behind him, stepped closer. The atmosphere was such that if either of them took one more step, their lips might immediately touch.
“That’s… not something I should be hearing from someone who got dragged in here trying to save me, is it?”
“People’s hearts can always change.”
“Haha, I didn’t know Dowoon-ssi was that kind of person.”
It was a meaningful remark.
Whether he was deliberately provoking him or just wanted to tease him with half-hearted jokes, Dowoon could only hastily back away.
Since his last confession had been roughly around last winter, Haseong might have thought it was about time for another proposal and was curious.
“I suppose unchanging people are even rarer.”
When Dowoon responded as flatly as possible, Haseong let out a faint laugh and touched his ear. As those soft fingers pressed against his skin, Dowoon was startled and tried to swat away that white hand.
Tried to, that is.
He would have been able to if Haseong hadn’t caught his hand and whispered mournfully:
“I’m scared, Dowoon-ssi.”
“…Let go of my hand first.”
“I’m afraid you’ll run away and leave me.”
“…”
“I didn’t join this job to become nutrition for newborn monsters.”
So that’s what this was about. He never imagined that just one scare would make Haseong judge him as a coward who would abandon him in a monster nest and flee.
Feeling quite wronged, Dowoon replied:
“I was just telling you to stay alert, not that I would actually run away alone. You know that.”
He tried his best not to pay attention to his chest, which had started pounding from their contact.
“Espers don’t abandon people and run.”
Haseong released his hand obediently and agreed:
“That’s cool. You’re full of confidence, Dowoon-ssi.”
Though not intentional, Dowoon’s physical condition was at its peak thanks to the rapport with his Guide.
Perhaps it was because his heart rate had shot up, but Kwon Jeonghoo, who had been quietly waiting, snapped suspiciously:
-Yeo Dowoon. You’re not surprise kissing Cha Haseong there, are you?
“…Are you crazy? Why are you suddenly making false accusations?”
-I asked because your heart rate is almost at respiratory distress levels. Even my vision is getting blurry.
“Captain!”
Despite begging him countless times not to use mental communication at will, sure enough, Jeonghoo’s damned privacy invasion was happening again today.
As Dowoon sighed irritably, Jeonghoo seriously advised him, pretending to be coaxing:
-Only worthless trash go straight for the lips without the other person’s consent.
“I didn’t do it. Captain, why are you really acting like this?”
If he had even tried, he wouldn’t feel so wronged.
“Did the Captain see me kissing Guide-nim?”
As Dowoon directed his attention elsewhere, Haseong, as if something displeased him, grabbed his face and turned it back.
“I thought you were easy to handle…”
It was such strong pressure that the tip of his chin felt painfully constricted for a moment. Just as Dowoon slightly frowned, Haseong gently stroked the thin chin in his grasp and muttered to himself:
“You keep doing confusing things, it’s frustrating.”
His voice resembled the damp air in the cave. About half of his face was hidden by the dark shadows, making it difficult to see his expression.
Dowoon hoped the sound of saliva sliding down his throat wouldn’t reach him. To make matters worse, the only part of Haseong visible was his lips, which was awkward.
Those soft lips that seemed particularly prone to showing teeth marks…
“…Shh.”
Suddenly, Dowoon covered Haseong’s mouth and placed his finger on his own lips too. As the hand supporting his chin was released, he immediately stood in front of Haseong.
Only after quickly erecting an ice barrier did he report in a calmer tone:
“Captain. Looks like we’ve entered the main course area. Do we really need to take one of the eggs?”
-If you can, you should. They’re rare.
<Gurgle, gurgle…!>
The monster’s throat sound reverberated in dull waves.
Fortunately, the distance seemed considerable, but to accurately assess the situation, they needed to go behind the cave and check directly.
At that moment, Haseong anxiously gripped Dowoon’s elbow.
“…Dowoon-ssi. Can’t you hear that sound?”
“No, I can hear it well.”
“Then stay here with me. Don’t think about doing anything unnecessary.”
Even though Guides stand as equals to Espers when carrying out missions, it was natural for their reactions to differ when confronting monsters.
Dowoon was an Esper who had to face monsters even while writhing in the agony of his limbs being torn off, while Haseong was the only bastion that became his lifeline.
So if Dowoon could find reassurance through Haseong and be willing to risk his life, Haseong, because of Dowoon, couldn’t find such reassurance and had to hold him back.
“This ice.”
In the heavy silence, Dowoon firmly held Haseong’s hand on top of his own and promised determinedly:
“It will remain intact even if five or six monsters rush in.”
“…Dowoon-ssi.”
“I absolutely won’t leave you behind, so trust me and wait.”
“…”
“I’ll make sure not even a fingertip of yours gets hurt, Guide-nim.”
He had a belief engraved in his bones and flesh, from his wayward days at seventeen through his life as a national Esper: prioritizing civilian safety even above his own life.
“Don’t be afraid.”
Although there might be public controversy about whether Haseong could be considered a civilian, in Dowoon’s eyes, he was recognized as “someone to protect,” which wasn’t much different.
Moreover, Haseong was also the one who had taken his pure love and passion. So the desire to protect him couldn’t help but grow abundantly like bean sprouts.
“I will definitely protect you, Guide-nim.”
Sensing that Haseong seemed not to trust him at all, Dowoon emphasized once more before slowly removing his hand.
Then he immediately erected an ice wall between them.
A cool sensation spread sharply, touching Haseong’s face. The tips of Dowoon’s hair froze slightly like icicles.
The sight of silver threads spreading from his fingertips to fill the empty parts of the ice barrier was always an awe-inspiring spectacle. Haseong smiled as if dejected.
“Dowoon-ssi.”
Placing his palm on the wall that stood firmly before him, he spoke in a gentle tone, gesturing for Dowoon to come closer.
As Dowoon obediently bent forward, puzzled, the distance between them narrowed noticeably, inviting mischievous gazes.
Bringing his vermilion lips close to the ice, Haseong made a “smooch” sound, blowing a fake kiss into the air.
In that instant, Dowoon felt as if sparks had spread throughout his entire body, causing him to step back with a start.
Thump. His heartbeat surged like a tall tsunami.
Even after clearing his throat awkwardly, the flushed color of his skin remained vividly apparent. Haseong, tracing the ice wall with his finger, said in a subtle tone:
“Be careful out there, Dowoon-ssi.”
