An atmosphere so suffocatingly tense, the security around the official residence was impenetrable.
Within that heavily guarded place, in a room accessible to only a select few, a radiant blue light burst forth, then slowly faded away.
A blonde woman repeatedly covered her mouth, overcome with emotion, barely containing her sobs. Her gaze remained fixed on the man who, just moments ago, had been writhing in agony, clutching his rotting, decayed arm.
His left arm, previously rendered unsalvageable due to contamination by the monster’s blood, now looked perfectly intact—as if it had never been injured at all. There wasn’t a trace of pain or scarring to be found. The face, once twisted in torment from experiencing a living hell with no relief even from painkillers, had relaxed completely into a peaceful expression.
“…It was real.”
The woman murmured in disbelief, looking at her husband who had fainted into a deep sleep from the sudden relief. The device in my ear smoothly translated her French into Korean.
“There really was someone who could heal him. How is this even possible…”
“He should regain consciousness soon.”
I replied to the French woman, inspecting the patient lying on the bed. He was a high-ranking official in French politics. Seeing him now peacefully asleep, after having suffered so terribly, filled me with quiet pride.
“Th-thank you. Thank you so much.”
The woman clutched my hand in trembling gratitude, her voice shaking as she held back tears. Or at least, she tried to grab my hand. But Shim Tae-seong, who had been standing behind me, stepped forward just in time, smoothly blocking her attempt to make contact.
She didn’t seem to be an Esper, but whether someone was an Esper or an ordinary person made no difference—there wasn’t a single S-rank who would permit others to physically touch me.
“Ah…”
The French woman faltered, staring up at Shim Tae-seong. Then, wiping away the tears welling in her eyes, she offered her thanks to him as well.
“Thank you, Chairman Shim Tae-seong. It’s because of you that he was able to come here so quickly.”
She was right. It was Shim Tae-seong who brought me here. All the way from Korea to France. I thought we might have to make several stops along the way, but Shim Tae-seong traveled directly to the coordinates he’d received without hesitation. Every time, I’m reminded just how absurdly powerful his abilities are.
I could have done it myself too, sure—but if I had traveled that distance on my own, the side effects would have been considerable.
“I only did what I needed to do.”
Shim Tae-seong glanced at me as he spoke. Whenever I respond to government requests for assistance, an S-rank always accompanies me. They rotate shifts, serving both as escorts and as guards.
The French woman interpreted his words as a sign of noble selflessness, as if he were saying it was only natural to offer help—and she was deeply moved once again.
“I don’t know how I can possibly repay you.”
She looked up at me with eyes so full of gratitude, they were almost overwhelming. Unsure of what else to do, she politely asked if she could at least treat me to a meal and escort me to the VIP room.
I opened my mouth, intending to politely decline so the woman could enjoy this moment of joy with her soon-to-awaken husband.
At that very instant, a now-familiar nosebleed trickled down.
“Young Master.”
With barely visible speed, Shim Tae-seong pulled out a handkerchief and pressed it against my nose. The blood, flowing only from one nostril, slowly stained the cloth. Even though it wasn’t a large amount, his expression grew increasingly rigid. The French woman, startled, rushed over in alarm. A South Korean government official who had been quietly observing also grew visibly tense.
“Oh no, you’re bleeding…!”
“It’s fine.”
Shim Tae-seong gently distanced us, maintaining a respectful tone that wouldn’t offend. It meant he had pulled me into his arms and stepped back.
The look on his face as he gazed down at me clearly said he wanted to return home right now. He must have wanted me to rest as soon as possible. The way he hovered anxiously reminded me of a worried pet dog, and I gave a quiet nod in response. My part here was done anyway. The remaining paperwork would be handled by those staying behind.
The moment I finished explaining that I wasn’t feeling well and would be returning immediately, my surroundings changed in the blink of an eye. Shim Tae-seong had been waiting for the cue to activate his ability.
A uniquely circular house greeted us.
Traveling internationally really is too easy like this.
As I headed to the bathroom, still holding the handkerchief to my nose, a large shadow followed close behind. I paused mid-step and looked back at Shim Tae-seong.
“I’m just going to rinse off real quick.”
“You might get dizzy, so I’ll assist you.”
I stared at him with an expression that said he was overreacting. I knew he was only saying that out of genuine concern, but part of me couldn’t help but wonder if he was still hung up on not being able to help me wash up that one time in the past.
“It’s just a minor nosebleed. It’s almost stopped now.”
“Still…”
“Seriously, I’m totally fine.”
I shook my head slightly to reassure him. Compared to what happened when I saved Seo Junho, today’s side effects were nothing. I hadn’t even received a side-effect warning this time. When I removed the handkerchief and showed him that the bleeding had completely stopped, Shim Tae-seong finally went silent.
“You should take a break too… Hyung.”
I added the unfamiliar word with an awkward smile, clearly not used to saying it aloud.
It had already been several months since we started living together. One of the changes that came with that was adjusting how we addressed each other. In Shim Tae-seong’s case, he stubbornly continued to call me Young Master, but it had been bothering me enough lately that I’d finally started calling him hyung. It wasn’t like it was just the two of us—other people heard us too. It only made sense to set things straight.
Shim Tae-seong remained quiet for a while. For someone unaccustomed to hearing the new title, it wasn’t easy being on the receiving end either.
“Then, please call for me if anything feels off.”
Shim Tae-seong’s delayed response came with a faint flush creeping up his face. How shy. With a build like that, it shouldn’t be easy to look cute… and yet, he was.
“Yeah, I will.”
Leaving him behind, I stepped into the bathroom and closed the door.
As I slowly undressed, I stuck out my lower lip in a small pout.
I preferred showering alone, sure—but still, I felt a little dissatisfied with how easily Shim Tae-seong backed off. His lack of persistence felt off. He’d gotten less assertive. Or maybe it was more accurate to say… less forceful?
Shim Tae-seong had always had a tendency to yield to me pretty easily. But the issue now was that the other S-ranks were starting to behave the same way.
It feels weird to say it, but… things have gotten bland. Yeah, that’s the word—bland.
I mean, what the hell? We’ve been here this whole time and haven’t even fucked once. Fuck’s sake. It’s not like I can be the one to initiate things, so they should be the ones to take the lead—but no, not even a hint of that. Nothing. My secret desires were drifting farther and farther out of reach, replaced bit by bit by sheer sexual frustration.
I was the one who shocked them early on by letting my emotions explode, sure—but I honestly didn’t think that would make them go all soft when it came to physical contact too. Even when they use “guiding” as an excuse, we barely get as far as a kiss—and that’s where it stops. It’s like they’ve drawn some kind of invisible line among themselves.
What, is keeping me locked inside and barring me from going out unless it’s for secret missions all they think they owe me? There should be compensation, shouldn’t there? Shouldn’t they at least try to have some fun with me at home?
Stewing in that sense of injustice, I finished washing up and stepped into the living room. Shim Tae-seong was standing at the dining table, a drink prepared and waiting. When I approached, he stepped aside to let me sit. A refreshing scent wafted up from the cup, immediately catching my nose.
“It’s an iron supplement. Please drink it.”
Just one of the many kinds of supplements the house’s residents routinely fed me.
But instead of sitting down, I just stared at Shim Tae-seong.
Considering we’d just made an international jump, his energy wavelengths were definitely out of alignment. It wasn’t urgent, but that didn’t mean guiding wasn’t necessary. Wavelength stability was directly tied to my condition—proper maintenance was crucial. Not to mention, living under the same roof with people who were basically my nemeses was stressful enough on its own.
“Tae-seong hyung.”
I reached out and gently wrapped my fingers around his wrist. The moment my skin touched his, Shim Tae-seong froze, and his eyes locked on mine. When I met his gaze without flinching, it seemed to dawn on him that I was offering to guide him.
His deep brown eyes betrayed his inner turmoil. He was torn—wanting me to rest, but also not wanting to turn away from me.
It’s nice, being cared for like this… but I already told him I’m fine. I probably look fine, too. He’s worrying too much. If this keeps up, he’ll probably end up just carrying me to bed and tucking me in again. That’ll be the whole story.
I pulled on his wrist without letting go. He could have easily resisted—he was strong enough to break my grip without even trying—but instead, Shim Tae-seong obediently bent forward toward me.
Our lips met—warm and soft. I gently took his lower lip between mine, and he opened his mouth, the tension in his jaw finally giving way. Pretending not to understand what that response meant, I lowered my gaze and simply rubbed my lips against his. Our breath and warmth mingled, slow and unhurried.
The resonance I had first felt through his wrist now pulsed even more vividly through the bare skin of our contact. As soon as our bodies connected, his wavelength, like an honest creature desiring its master, eagerly began absorbing my guiding energy.
His large hands wrapped around my waist. As our bodies pressed closer, warmth began to spread not just from our lips, but from every point where we touched. Because I refused to initiate with my tongue, it was Shim Tae-seong who finally pushed his thick tongue past my lips and into my mouth.
“……”
The way his tongue moved—soft yet insistent, as though trying to taste every inch of my mouth—was both gentle and intensely stimulating. A delicate heat began creeping up the back of my neck. Willingly parting my lips wider, I surrendered, gripping tightly onto his shoulders.
And then, suddenly—my gaze met Joo Cheong-gyeong’s, who had entered the room without me even noticing.
