#64
“But it remains unchanged that it’s a place Ho-woo absolutely needs.”
Though it seemed like he was trying to give a hint, it only added to the confusion. Ho-woo made an even more puzzled face and firmly grasped his lover’s hand that was gently slipping between his fingers.
Realizing that pondering wouldn’t yield any answers, and wanting to enjoy his time with Yul, Ho-woo quickly shook the worries from his mind.
***
Dragged out from the weekend morning without knowing the exact destination, Ho-woo cursed Yul with his eyes. His round black eyes revealed raw emotions that couldn’t be put into words. If the curses swirling in that face could be verbalized, they would mostly be harshly pronounced words.
Yul wasn’t particularly sorry, as he had been deliberately vague without properly explaining, to prevent Ho-woo from having a chance to refuse since it was absolutely necessary. He decided to become even more shameless at this point.
Lee Ho-woo, being an ordinary person, must unconditionally complete a simple training course here. Only then can he officially act as the Guide for S-class Esper Oh-yul.
Yul looked down at his lover with a face devoid of all emotion. A clingy, persistent emotion like a swamp rose over the empty expression before being hidden under a bright smile.
Lee Ho-woo likes Oh-yul.
Whether it’s pity, love, or whatever else.
Yul quickly became immersed in the emotions of his pair transmitted by the incomplete imprinting. The ticklish, excited feeling sweetly moistened his tongue tip. It was so sweet it was almost suffocating, sometimes making his chest swell.
However, the Esper couldn’t settle for this happiness. Greed, desire, and anxiety burned lowly.
Instinct tried to grab and wield Ho-woo. If he lost focus even a little, it would bare its teeth fiercely and stir up base emotions.
He didn’t want to show it to anyone. He dreamed of hiding it away and sharing it only with himself until death, but when a thread-thin reason whispered in his ear asking if this was truly for Ho-woo’s benefit, he came to his senses with a pale face.
So he had no choice but to hesitate. He wanted to complete the imprinting fully, but then Ho-woo would know these clingy emotions of his.
How far would Lee Ho-woo be able to accept him then?
Would he still love Oh-yul even if he knew everything, not just these clingy emotions?
Yul knew he wouldn’t be able to complete the imprinting fully. He was a terrible coward when it came to Ho-woo.
As he matched his steps and observed Ho-woo, whose mood showed no signs of improving, he stopped at a place they needed to visit briefly, passing by the wide open space used as the training ground.
Knock knock, he lightly tapped on the door, and a short answer came from inside.
“Come in.”
The voice mixed with years was one he hadn’t heard in a very long time. When Yul was here, the person beyond this door was a somewhat naive instructor Guide, but now he had become the head managing this training center.
When he opened the door, a troubled face appeared first. The pristine white Guide uniform was still the same.
“I received notice in advance, but…”
An interested gaze fell on Ho-woo standing beside him. It was an unpleasant attempt to size up and scrutinize a person at will.
Oh-yul subtly poured out a sharp warning towards him. Energy extended cunningly, avoiding Ho-woo, surging threateningly.
Despite Yul’s threat, Ho-woo still wore a cold expression as he glanced at the man who leisurely moved to prepare tea, saying he would get it ready.
Even after sitting down, Ho-woo crossed his arms and didn’t offer even a fingertip. Yul quietly sat beside him and showed a weak face.
“Ho-woo…”
The beast, whimpering as he dragged out the end of his words, rubbed his head against Ho-woo’s shoulder.
“Please don’t be angry.”
Moist humidity gathered in his drooping, cowed eyes. Though tears didn’t fall, it was a face that looked like it might cry at any moment to anyone who saw it.
The man whose eyes met his during this flinched in surprise, but it wasn’t something Yul cared about. He acted coy solely to improve Ho-woo’s mood.
Any pride he might have had towards Ho-woo had long since withered and crumbled away.
As he fluttered his butterfly wing-like eyelashes pitifully and miserably, he could feel Ho-woo’s hard expression gradually softening.
“You said it was an important place…”
“It is an important place. So please don’t be too angry.”
It was important to both Ho-woo and himself. Of course, it would have been better if he had informed him in advance and allowed him to choose, but this wasn’t something that could be chosen – it was mandatory.
Lee Ho-woo eventually raised the white flag. He was weak to Yul’s vulnerable side from the start, so there was no way he could win.
The Esper knew how to use his own weakness. From the beginning, there was no way for a human to defeat a fox living with nine tails attached to its backside.
When the atmosphere had lightened somewhat, the man who had given them cups of green tea sat down with his own cup. The wrinkles around his eyes showed a friendly smile.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Sa Jin-hyeok, the director of the training center.”
“I’m Lee Ho-woo.”
Ho-woo reflexively stood up, fumbled in his pockets, then sat down quietly with a reddened face. A small murmur of “Business card” was heard.
Ho-woo’s nape turned even redder at Yul’s soft laughter.
“I saw the official document sent by Esper Oh-yul. Asking to allow training at the center.”
“Yes, we don’t need anything else, just appropriate Guide self-defense techniques, please.”
“The Guide doesn’t need to learn Guiding?”
At Sa Jin-hyeok’s question, Yul’s eyes narrowed slightly. Energy subtly released due to his discomfort lowered the room’s temperature coolly.
Under the subtle pressure, Sa Jin-hyeok covered his stiff lips with the teacup he was holding. His slightly wrinkled eyes held sympathy towards Ho-woo. However, he didn’t make any effort to pull Ho-woo out of the Esper’s grasp.
A gentle prison.
Though it’s a strange combination of words when put together, there might not be a better expression to describe an Esper’s obsession.
No matter how much rules prohibit imprinting, an Esper’s instinct endlessly desires to monopolize their Guide, and the Guide feels the same.
He took a sip of the bland green tea. Unnecessary meddling in Esper and Guide affairs is rather poisonous.
“Alright. For self-defense techniques, there’s no need to stay continuously in the training center. Coming on weekends should be sufficient.”
Sa Jin-hyeok quickly accommodated Yul’s opinion. Seeing Ho-woo’s confused expression, he felt a pang of conscience. Though that small piece of conscience bothered him like a splinter, there was nothing he could do. Sa Jin-hyeok muttered very quietly, “Those damn Espers are still doing as they please.”
Of course, Yul, who heard that faint muttering, lifted the corners of his mouth obliquely. He agreed with Sa Jin-hyeok’s opinion with a vile smile.
He was completely self-willed.
“I’ll prepare the documents, so why don’t you look around the training center for now.”
Knowing that the sane one would get fed up if they saw each other’s faces for too long, Sa Jin-hyeok shooed the two out of his office.
Pushed out by the gentle dismissal, Ho-woo gave Yul, who stood beside him, a sulky look.
“You said it wouldn’t be fun if I knew in advance, but it’s not fun even knowing now. How do you plan to take responsibility?”
“Now I just need to make it fun for you.”
The Esper politely extended his hand to his Guide. It was the first thing young Espers learned when they entered the training center right after manifesting.
Do not initiate physical contact with the Guide first.
They had to extend their hand and wait until the Guide grasped it. However, honestly, this rule wasn’t well observed.
There were still Espers who secretly demanded Guiding from Guides forcefully, and countless cases where Guides unwillingly performed deep contact Guiding.
So Guides had to learn.
How to deal with Espers making unreasonable demands.
Ho-woo should rightfully learn here how to reject Yul. That’s why Sa Jin-hyeok had asked.
If he wasn’t going to learn Guiding.
Because a Guide’s proactive Guiding is a means to captivate an Esper, and the best means of defense.
The Esper, hiding his dark intentions, looked lovingly at his powerless pair.
Lee Ho-woo, who wasn’t a normal Guide to begin with, was incapable of defending himself from Oh-yul. All he could do was be swept up by the rough waves and give everything.
All of this started from his sin, but Yul knew that even if he could turn back time, he would act exactly the same without hesitation.
Ho-woo grasped Yul’s outstretched hand without hesitation. As he gently pushed energy through their touching skin, a pleasant warmth enveloped his body.
His mouth went dry with desire for the Guiding that had freely ravaged this body. However, he didn’t act hastily.
On the day they met again after a long time, the energy he had recklessly shoved in his impatience had caused great pain to Ho-woo, who wasn’t ready to accept him.
Holding the unconscious Ho-woo who couldn’t even scream, Yul realized he should have acted more carefully.
Since then, he carefully flowed very weak energy bit by bit, allowing his pair to prepare to accept him.
Even now, he enjoyed the ticklish, pleasant sensation while proceeding with Guiding at just that level. Just enough to make his fingertips tingle and create an excited itchiness in his chest.
But they say desire and appetite are separated by a hair’s breadth. A cruel urge to push forward like this, to sensitize his senses until he cried loudly, faintly appeared on his face before quickly disappearing.
