Chapter 5

TW: Sexual harassment (Past tense) 

‘After all, I can’t trust the broadcast.’

It was unlike the way he softly smiled while holding the rescued abandoned dog. Eek. The crew took a step back after thoroughly inspecting Esper Go Woo-jin’s eyes.

Beastly eyes. The inhuman ferocity that only Espers can create is slammed into their black eyes like a tiger who revealed its fang. He understood that the guide was frozen.

“Guide! Please especially guide Esper Go Woo-jin! ”

The apprentices rushed out of the seat, fiddling with the pager.

Meanwhile, Seon Jae-chan, a pitiful guide who receives Go Woo-jin’s gloomy gaze, had a different thought.

‘Oh my gosh…’

Go Woojin, you…

…

…

You were so pretty.

He also thought Park Yu-ram, a classmate, was young. That was why Park Yu-ram, who was not very close, quickly became comfortable with him. He thought of the chick apprentices with young faces who followed him as the team leader and called him team leader every time they saw him. Jae-chan was subtly weak in the face of young people who couldn’t stand up to him or compete with him.

But 21-year-old Go Woo-jin.

‘Really pretty.’

Woo-jin was wearing a black and blue combat uniform. There was smoke and a musty odor all over the military uniform, most likely from the fire, but it didn’t feel disorganized.

Jae-chan looked at Go Woo-jin’s smooth stretched nose, slightly rounded jawline, and straight forehead covered in soot. And Jae-chan stared at him with his mouth open and his eyes shining.

It was all the more shocking because he had never seen Go Woo-jin as a youngster. Go Woo-jin was like an older brother, always mature, patient, and tall…

The object he desired to rely on was such a young existence.

He was both beautiful and sad. Jae-chan was moved by his clear eyes. Seon Jae-chan was caught up in a whirlwind of emotions. Only after Go Woo-jin pushed him away did he come to his senses.

“…Are you all right?”

He asked while holding the emergency bed. Perhaps Go Woo-jin hugged him because of his instinctive desire for guiding. It had to be because he had temporarily regained his rationality.

Jae-chan smiled cautiously as he met the cold eyes staring at him. Those are the same eyes. Still, it is soft in comparison to the contemptuous gaze a few years later.

“Excuse me. Could you please go somewhere else…”

Esper Huh Moon-gi, who was conscious at the time, made a painful sound. Normally, the wavelength has little effect on the Esper, but Go Woo-jin had so much energy that it appeared to afflicted him because he had just recovered.

“Let’s go to the guiding room.”

Jae-chan lowered his voice. At the same time, he noticed Go Woo-jin’s eyes turning red. Even his soft breath from the small gaps between the teeth could be heard.

They made their way to the nearest guiding room. Go Woo-jin was the first to enter and then Jae-chan closed the door. People’s shouts, pagers, amps running, and so on were further away. There was only silence left. Woo-jin’s face, which had appeared dazed for a moment, frowned uncomfortably at first glance. Jae-chan, who was surprised by his sternly wary gesture, remembered one thing.

‘Crazy.’

Why did you do that, 21-year-old Seon Jae-chan?

When Jae-chan was guiding in an enclosed space, he would hug Go Woo-jin as if he had been waiting for the moment. He even had skinship with guiding as an excuse.

‘I’m really trash.’

Knowing how terrible unwanted skinship is, why did he do that back then?

A sigh came out of his mouth. Jae-chan, who was concerned, moved slowly. One step at a time. White sneakers with crumpled heels approached the large military walker.

Go Woojin raised his head. With every step closer, Jae-chan stopped as if he was getting permission. If he didn’t react, he took another step.

“…”

Finally, the two got closer. Jae-chan gently took his large hand in his, as if he were touching a delicate small animal or a wild beast that would bite him. Jae-chan was aware that his eyes were following him, but he did not look at them.

With his other hand, he slowly drew the stool against the wall while attempting to guide him. He sat there, and Go Woo-jin sat on the extra bed slowly.

“… I’ll start.”

He asked for permission. After stepping on his selfish desire to kiss his large, well-shaped hands, Seon Jae-chan began guiding him seriously.

The hand was thick and warm, and it was too difficult to hold with both hands. The unique cool body scent is easily caught, even beyond the stinky smell of smoke. Jae-chan tried not to be distracted by Go Woo-jin, who took over his five senses.

The wave that was churning like a tsunami subsided after about 20 minutes of hard work. It was done faster than expected.

‘Is the matching rate with this guy also increased?’

At the time it has been a long time since Nam Hae-sol, an A-class guide who had an excellent matching rate became Woo-jin’s pair, and the exact matching rate has not been measured for a long time. Go Woo-jin and Nam Hae-sol had a 92% matching rate. A matching rate of more than 80% is also excellent, and a matching rate of more than 90% became a hot topic.

The matching rate between Go Woo-jin and himself, on the other hand, was only 67% when it was last measured three years ago. Rather, it was a number that fell by the wayside when compared to when they first formed the pair at the age of 18.

‘How much will it be now?’

He was curious but then shook his head. It’s not important. After all, he had no need to guide Go Woo-jin anymore.

“It’s done.”

It was time to let go of the wave as soon as the wave stabilized. Woo-jin pushed him away first, his focus returning to his tired eyes. Startled. Jae-chan’s hand, which had bounced off hard, stopped in the air. A wary, piercing gaze flew in at the same time.

His heart ached. Suddenly, he thought, what if that cold gaze looked at him warmly? What if he told Go Woo-jin about his return? And that he has changed, then… Would it be possible to build a good relationship with Go Woo-jin?

‘Wake up.’

He needed to come to his senses at the very least. He couldn’t believe he had so many regrets. He’s only seen Go Woo-jin once, but he already thinking of something else. Where did your promise to abandon your greed and help your loved ones go? He has already done bad things to Go Woo-jin countless times.

He turned to face Woo-jin. The words he chose to tell him when they first met were said firmly.

“Don’t worry.”

He wanted to put him at ease as soon as possible. In order to do that…

“I will quit being your pair guide.”

He had to keep the most terrible thing away from Go Woo-jin, and that was him.

***

“I will quit being your pair guide.”

Inside the quiet guiding room. Seon Jae-chan’s voice, who was sitting on the stool, rang out. It was a decision he made the moment he realized he had returned to the past.

Even while guiding just now, Go Woo-jin could not let go of his vigilance. He remembered how comfortable he looked when he was guided by Nam Hae-sol in the past. After a long period of feeling inferior, Jae-chan finally studied the guide Nam Hae-sol’s facial expressions, tone of voice, and behavior.

He was told he couldn’t learn it in a single day, but he did. In other words, he wasn’t very good at making Go Woo-jin feel comfortable or happy.

“… What?”

Go Woo-jin spoke up for the first time. It was a low, clear voice that was slightly hoarse. A line was slowly drawn between his straight forehead. Seon Jae-chan struggled to endure the pain in his stomach. Didn’t he repeat it endlessly at the moment he died? He should have let him go sooner.

“You don’t have to wait any longer. I’ll tell the guide bureau that we aren’t a pair anymore. I’m going to ask them to remove my name from your guide list.”

Of course, the imprint will go beyond the water. He gave up emotionally two years ago after seeing Nam Hae-sol and Go Woo-jin grow closer. Jae-chan, who had returned, had given up on the imprint once more. He quickly let go of his vain dream.

“You won’t see me from now on.”

Despite the sadness in his heart, he liked the calm voice that came out. Seon Jae-chan, as a member of the intelligence agency, was skilled at handling emotions. He didn’t want to make Woo-jin uncomfortable if he expressed his regret, but it was a good thing.

It was time to deal with the loss that was twisting in his heart. A loud noise was heard all of a sudden. Jae-chan raised his head in response to the noise. The twisted red lips, as if in shock, came into view. Dark brows that were wrinkled to the peak.

“It’s always your way. The confession, no notice of termination.”

Jae-chan looked at Go Woo-jin with a bewildered look. Because of words that he couldn’t understand for a moment.

Confession?

…

While organizing the ‘SUCCESS PROJECT’ file, Jae-chan consciously tried not to recall his personal memories with Go Woo-jin. It was hard just to think about the immature moments that only filled his greed. So, he put off the whole memory associated with him.

Oh.

A memory came rushing back later. Seon Jae-chan brought up a memory that had been buried deep in his head.

No way…

Unexpectedly at this point in time, he hesitantly put in his mouth the biggest black history of his life that had been forgotten.

“I… Have I already confessed to you?”

He was so embarrassed that his voice rang out trembling.