The next day.
I headed to the location the Team Leader had mentioned, holding Baek Beom—currently in his puppy form—in my arms. He kept letting out low, grumbling noises, either because he didn’t like being a dog or because I hadn’t Guided him long enough yesterday. But that didn’t last long. Before I knew it, he was wagging his tail and eagerly checking out the surroundings.
With light steps that felt more like taking a stroll, I hadn’t walked far before the dormitory came into view. While it wasn’t quite as flashy as the Guide Center, the building was big, modern, and sleek—honestly, it looked more like a hotel than a dorm.
As I stepped inside, a man who appeared to be a security guard was stationed at the entrance. When I told him I was there to apply for housing, he kindly pointed me toward the administration office. I made my way there, glancing around as I walked—and couldn’t help but stare. The interior had everything. Literally everything.
Inside the admin office, a woman sitting at the desk looked up.
“What brings you in today?”
“Hi, I’m here to apply for a dorm room.”
“Great. Please fill this out first.”
The paperwork was simple, and the process wrapped up quickly. Since my information was already synced with the Guide Center, all I had to do was fill in a few basics and they confirmed the rest on their end.
After going over the rules of the dormitory, I was handed the key to Room 502 and stepped out of the office.
…It’s quieter than I expected.
I walked slowly down the silent hallway toward my room. Baek Beom, clearly unable to stay still anymore, kept wriggling in my arms.
“Hold still.”
At my scolding, Baek Beom glanced up at me briefly, then huffed and turned his head away, clearly sulking.
This is it. Room 502.
When I opened the door, the inside was clearly visible. A spacious, cozy bedroom, a sunlit living room, even a clean, modern kitchen.
“…Wow. This is way nicer than I thought.”
It was hard to believe this was just a dorm. If I’d known the Guide dorms were this nice, I would’ve signed up ages ago.
“Woof woof!”
Right then, Baek Beom started flailing in my arms like he wanted to be let down. The moment I set him on the floor, he transformed back into his human form. I quickly averted my gaze from his naked, stretching body and asked,
“What do you think? Like it?”
Baek Beom didn’t say anything, just turned his head left and right as he looked around the room. Then, seemingly satisfied, he plopped down on the couch and gave a small nod.
“Not bad.”
Good. At least he liked it. I crossed my arms and gave him a pointed reminder.
“…Baek Beom. You remember the rules we agreed on earlier, right?”
“I know, I know.”
He waved me off like it was annoying, lazily scratching his ear. That attitude of his was starting to get on my nerves—he’d been getting cockier lately. Still, I told myself: next time he crosses the line, I’m not letting it slide.
“You only get Guiding from me. Don’t leave the room unless you’re with me. And outside this room, you’re to stay in puppy form. Got it?”
“Ugh, I said I got it!”
He made it perfectly clear he didn’t want to hear it again, huffing in frustration. I was a little worried, but for now, I’d just have to trust him. We’d already signed a new contract before moving here—if he broke the rules, I was kicking him out, no questions asked.
Leaving Baek Beom sprawled across the couch, I headed toward the entrance. Just as I reached it, he suddenly sat up and asked,
“…What? Where are you going?”
“I have to grab my stuff from the hotel. I’ll be back soon, so stay put.”
“What? What about my Guiding? You said you’d give me more yesterday!”
…I never said I’d give you more. I said I’d do it later, when you were in puppy form.
I really wanted to say it, but if I did, he’d just throw a fit. So instead, I gave him a vague promise.
“If you wait patiently, I’ll do it when I get back.”
“You better! If you don’t make up for yesterday, I’m not letting it slide!”
“Yeah, yeah.”
I even nodded to reassure him, and finally, he seemed satisfied. He waved his hand like he was officially sending me off.
***
When I got back to the hotel, just as I was about to walk in, I spotted a familiar silhouette lingering near the entrance. At first, I wasn’t sure who it was—but then I recognized him. Kang Biso.
“Hyung!”
“…Kang Biso?”
“Looks like you went out for a bit?”
“I had to take care of something… But what are you doing here?”
I couldn’t hide my surprise. I had absolutely no idea why Kang Biso would be standing in front of my hotel.
“I came because I was worried about you. Are you feeling okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. But… how did you even know when I’d be coming out? Were you waiting for me?”
“I actually just got here. I was passing by and saw the hotel, so I figured I’d stop by and see your face before heading out. Lucky timing, I guess.”
Seriously… there’s just no reasoning with him.
Did he really intend to wait around all day if I hadn’t come out?
His claim that he’d only just arrived was obviously a lie—his complexion was pale, his eyes slightly unfocused. Letting out a sigh, I pulled my phone from my pocket and held it out to him.
“Give me your number. If you’re worried about me, don’t just do this. Call.”
“R-Really? You mean it? I can actually call you?”
Kang Biso lit up like a kid who just got told he could eat dessert first. If I’d known it would make him this happy, I would’ve done it a long time ago.
He quickly typed in his number and called my phone to make sure it went through. When he saw mine ring, he handed it back with a satisfied smile.
“There. It’s saved now.”
“Ah… okay.”
I accepted the phone, hesitating slightly as I looked at him.
I’ve seen him now… so should I just tell him to go? I really need to head up and start packing… But he came all the way here just to check on me. Just kicking him out now feels kind of… harsh.
My head wavered between the logical push to get moving and the nagging voice of decency telling me I should at least offer him a drink for the trouble.
…Fine. I still had plenty of time. It wouldn’t hurt to treat Kang Biso to a cup of tea before he left.
“If you’re not in a rush… wanna come up for a bit? Since you came all the way here, I can at least make you some tea.”
“For real?! You mean it?!”
It was like he’d been holding his breath just waiting for that invite. His eyes sparkled as he stepped closer—way too close. I instinctively stepped back.
…Yeah. Definitely just made a mistake.
Now that I thought about it, inviting him up made it sound like my place, but this was still a hotel room. That could get a little dicey. A few… questionable incidents from our past flickered through my mind, but with how happy he looked, I couldn’t bring myself to walk it back.
In the end, I gave a reluctant nod and let him in.
Kang Biso entered the room and immediately looked around, breathing in deeply like he was stepping into sacred ground.
“…So this is where you’ve been staying.”
“Yeah. But just until today.”
“Today?”
“I’m moving into the Guide dormitory starting today. Already finished applying, so now I just need to pack up and move.”
“Ah…”
“Have a seat. I’ll make us some coffee.”
I motioned for him to sit, then went over to the electric kettle and started boiling water. Once it was ready, I made two cups of instant coffee and handed one to him.
“Here.”
“Thanks. I’ll enjoy it.”
We sat and chatted casually over coffee. The conversation was mostly driven by Kang Biso asking questions and me answering them. Honestly, it was… kind of peaceful.
As we neared the bottom of our mugs, he suddenly spoke up.
“You said you had to pack, right? Let me help. I owe you for the coffee, and I’ve got nothing else going on today.”
“No, it’s fine. You really don’t need to—”
“Please. Let me help, okay? I want to.”
He was so earnest I couldn’t find it in myself to shut him down. I tried explaining it wasn’t much—just a few clothes and basic stuff—but he was already rolling up his sleeves like he was about to tackle a full-blown move.
“…Okay, then. Could you just pack up the stuff in the living room?”
I reluctantly handed him a bag, and he nodded eagerly before setting off to organize the area.
There’s not much, so this should be over quickly.
I turned back into the bedroom and started boxing up the rest of my things. Ever since the dungeon incident at my old place, I hadn’t bought much—only what I absolutely needed. So packing was a breeze.
He should be about done by now, right?
I walked out of the bedroom with a packed box in hand… and stopped. Kang Biso was frozen in place, staring intently at something.
Something about his expression made my gut twist. I approached cautiously.
“Kang Biso? What are you looking at?”
He turned slightly. In his hands were two toothbrushes.
“Hyung. I found something while I was packing… and I’ve got a question. Can I ask it?”
His voice was low, flat. No emotion. Like a lit fuse with only seconds left. The tension in the air made it hard to breathe.
“…Sure.”
“There were some clothes lying around. A few pieces looked too big to be yours.”
Ah. Baek Beom’s clothes.
I hadn’t thought about the stuff he left scattered around while in human form.
“I figured, maybe it’s just oversized loungewear. But then I saw these. Two toothbrushes. Two, hyung.”
Even as he talked, I could hear the sound of his teeth grinding. His expression hadn’t softened one bit.
Oh no… he’s mad. Like, actually mad.
“…Whose are they?”
“……”
Suddenly, he tossed the toothbrushes aside and stepped forward, grabbing me by the shoulders with a firm grip.
“I said—whose are they?”
His tone was sharp, almost threatening. He wasn’t looking for an answer—he was demanding a confession.
I swallowed hard. The tension had my throat dry… and yet, I also started to feel a wave of resentment.
Why the hell am I getting grilled like this?
When you think about it, this wasn’t even my fault. And even if someone else’s toothbrush was here—how was that any of his business?
“That… that was from a friend who came over a while ago. I forgot to toss it afterward.”
“Funny. Looks like they were used more than a few times. That friend come over a lot? What do you two do? Same things we did? Or maybe something… more?”
His cold glare was suffocating. The pressure in his grip was starting to make my shoulders ache.
“I told you—it’s not like that. So could you just let go—”
“Must’ve been real nice if you’re protecting them this much, huh?”
His tone, his words—they grated on me. This whole interrogation made my skin crawl.
If he was going to be mad, he should’ve at least had a reason. Why the hell was I the one being yelled at?
“Kang Biso. Let go. And seriously, what does it matter who I let into my room—ugh.”
In an instant, his hand left my shoulder and clamped down hard on my chin.
“It doesn’t matter? You really think that? You and me?”
He forced my face up, straining my neck. Pain radiated from my jaw, but what hit harder was the sheer look in his eyes. It wasn’t just anger—it was obsession. And whatever calm he’d had before was long gone.
If it’s come to this… there’s only one thing left to do.
There was one method we sometimes used in the field—when a fellow agent lost control and needed to be snapped back to their senses. I never thought I’d be using it here.
I clenched my fist and glared up at him.
“…Kang Biso. Brace your core.”
When words fail, a good punch does the trick.
Time to knock him back to reality.
