Time seemed to pass both quickly and slowly.
The days spent at Cha Jae-woo’s house were unusually peaceful, making each day feel long, yet when looking back, time had flown by.
Half of the vacation had already passed. Before he knew it, the vacation he was spending at Cha Jae-woo’s house had only about a month left.
He felt a bit bored, although he knew it was a luxury to feel this way. When he was juggling three part-time jobs, he was always too tired to feel bored. He didn’t necessarily want to go back to that lifestyle, but he missed the busyness.
“Hmm…”
He realized that having more always makes you want even more. He had been worried about his vitality being drained, but he was managing his Guiding sessions just fine. Although the Guiding time had increased to a little over an hour, the rest of the day was free time.
He had longed for this freedom. While others were getting certifications and attending English academies, he had to work part-time jobs. He had resented it, and now that he finally had the free time he wanted, all he could think about was having fun.
[Kim Geon-ung: We need to have a barbecue. Don’t forget.]
[Park Yeon-ho: LOL of course]
[Jo Ha-eon: Can I bring a tube? I have a flamingo one.]
[Kim Geon-ung: lol]
[Park Yeon-ho: You’ll sink with that on your shoulders.]
[Kim Geon-ung: Have Lim ride it.]
[Jo Ha-eon: LOL that would be hilarious. I’ll bring it.]
[Kim Geon-ung: Yeah yeah.]
He almost snapped back, saying he wouldn’t ride something like a flamingo. But he hesitated.
“Sigh…”
He ignored the conversation, which had moved on to how much alcohol to buy, and turned off his phone screen. He let out a sigh.
He wanted to go. He wanted to go to the beach, swim, and have fun. He didn’t care if his friends teased him about the flamingo. He just wanted to enjoy himself and maybe even get a little drunk.
[Cha Jae-woo Esper: No.]
He thought he would be allowed to go. He couldn’t think of a reason why not. So when his friends invited him, he replied that he could go without even asking Cha Jae-woo first. He only asked Cha Jae-woo afterward.
It wasn’t that he needed permission; it was more of a notification. But Cha Jae-woo replied like he was his parent, saying no without any explanation.
[It’s a 1-night, 2-day trip, so I can do Guiding before I go and after I come back. That way, I can do Guiding properly once a day ㅠㅠ]
He thought Cha Jae-woo was being petty. He assumed Cha Jae-woo was worried about him missing his Guiding sessions.
[Cha Jae-woo Esper: If I say no, it means no.]
But Cha Jae-woo didn’t mention Guiding. Naturally, he was curious.
[Why not?]
Unfortunately, there was no response to his message.
Hours passed. He wondered if Cha Jae-woo had entered a Gate. He hadn’t mentioned going anywhere. Maybe he was busy with work? What kind of work did he do? Should he call him? Would that be too bothersome?
After considering all these thoughts, he gave up on trying to contact Cha Jae-woo and started pacing around, waiting for him to come home. He wanted to talk to him in person.
He had already told his friends he would go. Of course, they would understand if he changed his mind now. But he didn’t want to.
“…This is annoying.”
Sitting on the couch in the living room, waiting for Cha Jae-woo, he felt his annoyance growing.
He was determined not to accept it unless Cha Jae-woo gave a clear explanation. He told himself to be brave and speak his mind. He didn’t think his desire to go out and have fun was unreasonable. Recently, the frequency of Gate appearances had decreased, and Cha Jae-woo hadn’t received many cooperation requests lately.
So, Cha Jae-woo had been mostly relaxing and receiving Guiding from him, and the problematic Black Mass had been shrinking. Although it was still large compared to his mana, it was no longer as concerning as before, unless Cha Jae-woo suddenly went into a frenzy of Gate activity within the next two days.
However, his resolve crumbled shortly after Cha Jae-woo returned home. Cha Jae-woo dismissed his renewed plea with a firm and unyielding attitude.
“How many times do I have to say no?”
Seeing Cha Jae-woo’s annoyed expression, he couldn’t bring himself to ask again. Although Cha Jae-woo had never harmed him, he was afraid to defy him.
* * *
“Ugh! Seriously….”
A few days later, in the afternoon, it was pouring rain. The intense heat outside had finally subsided thanks to the downpour. He stood by the window, gazing at the rain.
Cha Jae-woo had been busy all morning, receiving Guiding and then disappearing. He had spent a long time in bed, but it was still early, not even 10 a.m.
“Fine… let it rain. Let it pour so no one can enjoy the beach….”
His frustrated muttering trailed off into a sulk. He was upset because he couldn’t go on the trip with his friends. If he knew why he couldn’t go, he might feel less resentful. But he still felt it was unfair that he couldn’t enjoy any freedom.
He had completed his Guiding session with Cha Jae-woo that morning, so his work for the day was done. Now, he had nothing to do but wait, which made him feel even more frustrated. Why couldn’t he go?
[Kim Geon-ung: If you change your mind, come join us. Poor guy lol]
He stared at the message from Kim Geon-ung, who knew his situation. Kim had even sent the address of where they were. He was tempted to go right away, feeling it was unfair that his free time was being restricted.
“…….”
He wondered if he should just ignore Cha Jae-woo’s orders and go have fun. Cha Jae-woo wouldn’t actually harm him for disobeying, would he? After all, he was a Guide, and he had been doing his Guiding duties well.
Every Guiding session left him mentally exhausted, sweating and needing at least an hour of rest afterward. Despite his hard work, Cha Jae-woo wouldn’t even let him have a short break. It was unacceptable.
“……Should I just go?”
He thought about how Cha Jae-woo had been going out more often lately, while he had been cooped up at home. He felt a surge of defiance, his fear of Cha Jae-woo momentarily forgotten. Cha Jae-woo needed him for Guiding, so he wouldn’t do anything drastic.
He felt a bit guilty for thinking this way, but he also felt that Cha Jae-woo was being unreasonable. He decided to go out, packing a small bag and leaving the house. He lied to the housekeeper, saying he was going to meet a friend, his heart pounding with a mix of nervousness and excitement.
He believed that Cha Jae-woo’s lack of communication was partly to blame for his decision to sneak out. There was no contract stating he had to obey Cha Jae-woo’s every command without question. If Cha Jae-woo wanted obedience, he should learn to communicate better.
Cha Jae-woo’s house was quite remote, so he had to ask the driver to take him to the nearest bus terminal. As the driver started the journey, he felt a slight pang of guilt but didn’t change his mind. Cha Jae-woo needed to understand the importance of communication. This wasn’t just about the trip; Cha Jae-woo often failed to explain his actions, like when he changed his phone and number, cutting off all contact with Kim Sol and the Guide Association.
‘He thinks he can push me around because I’ve been compliant.’
This thought fueled his determination. He wasn’t doing this just to have fun; he was making a stand against Cha Jae-woo’s unreasonable behavior. His resolve strengthened, and he felt justified in his actions.
[I’m going out.]
After getting out of the car, he sent a message to Cha Jae-woo and turned off his phone. He felt a sense of satisfaction, believing he was fighting for his rights.
Mierda, esto va a salir mal!!! Donde quedaron tus instintos bb???!!
Nunca hay que llevarle la contraria a un loco!! (si tú no estás loco también)