# Chapter 57
Only then did Jeongyun realize that Domin was asking about Hwayeon. Though the situation wasn’t good, he needed to explain properly so Domin wouldn’t misunderstand.
“I was planning to tell you earlier—”
“Then why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
Domin cut him off, speaking sharply. Jeongyun tried to explain several times, stammering that the timing hadn’t been good.
After quietly listening to what seemed like an excuse, Domin asked another question.
“When did you start?”
“A little over a month ago…”
Domin was speechless at the longer-than-expected time. He’d thought it had been just over a week at most, but for more than a month, Jeongyun had been giving Guiding to another guy. And he’d kept it secret!
“Guide Yeo Jeongyun, is the confidentiality contract just for show? It clearly states you should refrain from giving Guiding to other Espers, doesn’t it?”
“There’s a difference between ‘refrain from doing’ and ‘completely not doing.’ So I thought there wouldn’t be any problem.”
“So, are you proud of yourself?”
“I’m not proud… but I haven’t broken the contract.”
He can’t even look me in the eye properly, yet he has no trouble saying what he wants to say.
Domin placed his hand on his forehead, barely holding back his rising anger. He’d been trying to be nice to Jeongyun lately, and he couldn’t let everything go to waste just because he couldn’t control his temper once.
“So, are you going to continue Guiding that guy?”
If Jeongyun would stop Guiding the other Esper now, Domin was willing to overlook it. He was angry, but everyone makes mistakes.
“For now, that’s the plan.”
But once again, Jeongyun gave an answer completely different from what Domin expected. Now he was so confident that he didn’t even avoid eye contact. It was so ridiculous that Domin could only laugh wryly.
“…Guide Yeo Jeongyun, you’re really something else.”
He’d given Guiding for a month, so had they become close during that time? Otherwise, in this situation, there’s no way he would answer that he’d continue giving Guiding to that guy.
From the beginning, the Center should have assigned a B-class Guide to an A-class Esper. It made no sense why they assigned a C-class Guide who wasn’t a good match. And Jeongyun’s acceptance of it was even more incomprehensible.
‘Don’t tell me he’s giving that guy the same dedicated Guiding he gives me?’
This Min Hwayeon was an A-class Esper like Domin. That meant light contact Guiding would have almost no effect.
At that moment, Domin thought of the intense level of contact Guiding he’d been doing with Jeongyun. The thought that he might be doing the same with that guy made the back of his neck tense up.
‘I can’t even ask about this.’
He wanted to ask directly, but it seemed too petty. Guiding was entirely the Guide’s domain; even as a dedicated partner, it wasn’t something for Domin, an Esper, to interfere with.
Yet he was curious because he wanted to know if Jeongyun was sharing parts he didn’t want to share with this Min Hwayeon. If that were the case, it would make him feel terribly uncomfortable.
“I’ll make sure Choi Domin’s Guiding happens without any problems. For me, my dedicated partner, Choi Domin, comes first.”
Meanwhile, Jeongyun was certain that Domin was angry because of the Guiding. So he mentioned that for him, Guiding his dedicated partner Domin was the priority, hoping to reassure him.
He thought this would calm Domin down, but it didn’t. Even after the explanation, there was no sign of Domin’s expression softening.
Was this not it?
With his certainty gone, Jeongyun couldn’t understand why Domin was still angry. He had been so sure it was about this, so he was completely at a loss.
“Forget it, let’s talk about this later.”
After some consideration, Domin decided to leave the situation. After some time, his emotions would settle more than now, and then they could have a rational conversation.
So now wasn’t a good time. If he stayed here any longer, he didn’t know what he might say. He didn’t want to hurt Jeongyun with harsh words. Of course, even this restraint was unlike his usual self.
“The Guiding—”
But the tactless Jeongyun held Domin back.
What kind of Guiding was he trying to do in this state? Domin sincerely doubted whether Jeongyun was thinking at all.
“Guide Yeo Jeongyun, can you really do Guiding in this situation?”
Guiding could vary greatly depending on the Guide’s condition. As Domin said, it was obvious that doing Guiding now would be terribly inefficient. Jeongyun had no choice but to let Domin go.
Seeing Jeongyun’s hand fall away weakly, Domin sighed deeply. First, he holds back someone who’s trying to leave, and now he’s letting go so wistfully. At this point, it seemed like he had a talent for getting on people’s nerves.
‘This is annoying.’
The funny thing was, even in this situation, just because Jeongyun had tried to hold him back, Domin wanted to do Guiding. Even though he knew it would be ineffective given how terrible the efficiency would be.
Striding up to Jeongyun, Domin bent down deeply. After acting like he was about to leave, Domin’s sudden attempt to kiss caught Jeongyun completely off guard.
He didn’t know whether he should avoid it or stay still. Was this even proper Guiding to begin with?
“Close your eyes and open your mouth.”
“What… mmph.”
Domin wrapped his arm around Jeongyun’s waist to keep him from escaping and immediately pressed their lips together. When Jeongyun, surprised by the sudden kiss, flailed his arms, Domin made him wrap them around his neck.
A hot tongue entered through the gap that opened without resistance. When it tickled the sensitive roof of his mouth, Jeongyun’s waist trembled. Heat rose from their bodies pressed as closely as their lips. Even with his eyes closed, his vision was spinning.
After the brief but intense kiss, Domin wiped Jeongyun’s lips, who seemed to have lost his senses. Jeongyun, finally coming to his senses, turned bright red.
It wasn’t like they’d only done Guiding once or twice, and they’d done much more countless times, yet Jeongyun always acted like it was the first time.
Watching him like this, Domin couldn’t help but smile.
“The efficiency is terrible, so it’s pretty meaningless.”
“Ah, I’m sorry—”
“No need to apologize. Let’s stop here for today.”
Releasing Jeongyun, Domin moved to the mirror on the wall of the Guiding room. While Domin fixed his disheveled hair, Jeongyun tried to cool his flushed face.
‘The heating seems to be working well today…’
And then he blamed the innocent heating system as he fanned himself vigorously.
But the heat that had risen wouldn’t easily fade. Even his heart was racing as he tried to calm down.
“This conversation isn’t over yet.”
Domin was still looking in the mirror. So Jeongyun realized a little late that he was talking to him. But of course, who else would Domin be talking to here?
Domin, having finished tidying up, returned to Jeongyun. His hand slowly approached, wiped away the lingering traces of the kiss, and then moved away. The warmth that had lingered disappeared quickly like a mirage.
“I hope Guide Yeo Jeongyun will give me the answer I want when the time comes.”
With a slight smile, Domin left the Guiding room with those final words. Only long after the door closed did Jeongyun regain his senses, which had drifted far away.
‘Still, my mind is at ease.’
Though the timing wasn’t good, having told Domin everything without hiding anything made his mind much clearer. Indeed, people should live honestly. Of course, he had only missed the timing; he hadn’t intended to hide it.
Jeongyun put the Center access card that had fallen on the floor back on the desk and pulled up a chair. Then, with his legs giving way, he sat comfortably in the chair and leaned back deeply.
‘The answer he wants.’
It seemed Domin wanted Jeongyun to stop Guiding Hwayeon. But if he stopped that too, Jeongyun would have nothing to do at headquarters.
Domin would occasionally come, sure. But unless he was visiting for other business like today, there was a high chance he’d continue doing Guiding at home, just as they had been doing.
‘I can’t just waste time being useless.’
Originally, he had planned to ask if he could do other work besides Guiding Hwayeon, but with Domin disliking it so much, he couldn’t bring himself to ask about increasing his workload.
“This is complicated.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
