# Chapter 70
“…Me, to the Grey Team?”
Jeongyun’s mind went blank at the unexpected offer.
The Grey Team wasn’t a place just anyone could enter. It was an elite team composed of only verified A-class members, including both Espers and Guides.
Being the first C-class Guide to join the Grey Team was incredibly appealing, even more so than being Domin’s dedicated Guide.
‘No, don’t get excited. Think about this calmly.’
Though Jeongyun knew it was a great honor just to receive the offer, he decided to look at the situation realistically.
Even if he had a high matching rate with Hwayeon, the difference in their ranks was absolute.
The field was different from the guiding room. In unstable environments where anything could happen, it was hard to maintain composure, making guiding efficiency significantly lower than usual.
In such situations, how much help could he really be to Hwayeon?
Having already painfully experienced his own limitations, Jeongyun couldn’t easily accept Semin’s proposal.
“I’m sorry.”
Semin raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by Jeongyun’s refusal. After lowering his hand and appearing to think about something, Semin stood up.
Wondering if Semin was upset by the rejection, Jeongyun studied his expression. But just like before, nothing was visible on Semin’s calm face.
“I’m not asking you to decide right away. Think about it a bit more,” Semin said in a gentle voice.
Even though Jeongyun knew that more consideration wouldn’t change anything, he nodded anyway. At this, a brief smile crossed Semin’s lips.
“I’ll come back in a week then.”
With those words, Semin left the guiding room, leaving Jeongyun behind.
Jeongyun wanted to follow and see him off, but when he saw all the Guides still crowded outside, his feet wouldn’t move.
The moment he went out there, he’d be caught by all kinds of people asking what they had talked about.
Jeongyun gently pushed the slowly closing door.
Left alone in the quiet guiding room, Jeongyun mulled over Semin’s proposal again and again. Even though it was an offer he would ultimately refuse, he couldn’t help his racing heart.
‘Calm down. What’s impossible is impossible.’
While he wanted to continue guiding Hwayeon, becoming a dedicated Guide or team Guide was too much. Hwayeon needed a Guide with a much higher rank than himself.
To erase any lingering attachment, Jeongyun took a deep breath and began tidying the guiding room. As he was clearing the rumpled portable bed and sweeping the floor, a vibration sounded from somewhere.
A blue light was flashing on the pager on the desk. It was a call from Domin. Jeongyun put down the broom and approached the desk, picking up the trembling pager.
‘I need to sort things out with Domin quickly too.’
Though he had made his decision, his heart was still wavering. Since becoming a Guide, there hadn’t been a moment when he didn’t like Domin, so he couldn’t easily let go of these feelings.
Jeongyun pressed the call rejection button and sighed deeply. Just as he put down the now-silent pager and turned around, his phone in his pocket started ringing.
It was Domin again.
After a moment of hesitation, Jeongyun rejected the call and placed his phone next to the pager. The vibrations continued without stopping.
As Jeongyun continued cleaning as if nothing had happened, someone knocked on the guiding room door.
‘Who could that be?’
Given today’s unexpected visitor, he couldn’t guess who might be coming now. If it was someone familiar, they would have identified themselves before opening the door.
“Who is it?” Jeongyun asked as he approached the door.
But the person on the other side didn’t answer. Tilting his head in confusion, Jeongyun carefully opened the door.
Through the slightly opened door, he saw red flowers. When he fully opened it, Jeongyun’s eyes widened at the enormous bouquet that was too large to fully hold in his arms.
“So here you are.”
Domin muttered to himself after ending the call that had gone to voicemail again.
At the same time, the phone on the desk stopped vibrating.
* * *
It was a rare day without any scheduled work. Normally, Domin would have spent it leisurely resting and catching up on sleep at home, but today he was busy from early morning.
He dressed carefully as if for a photoshoot, stopped by a salon to get his hair done, and picked up a bouquet he had ordered. After carefully placing it on the passenger seat, he headed to the headquarters.
Looking at his face in the rearview mirror, Domin smiled with satisfaction. As always, but especially today, his face was glowing. Perfect.
‘At this time, he should be in the guiding room.’
By the time he had finished preparing, it was almost lunchtime. Since things had turned out this way, taking Jeongyun to a restaurant near the headquarters didn’t seem like a bad idea.
While driving, Domin thought about the restaurants around the headquarters. He selected an expensive one with a nice atmosphere and immediately called to make a reservation.
‘I’m really doing things I never do.’
It was the first time he had dressed up, bought flowers, and made restaurant reservations just to appease someone’s anger. Originally, Domin wasn’t one to care about other people’s feelings.
But with Jeongyun, things were a bit different.
Of course, his desire to continue their dedicated contract was a big reason, but there was no need to go this far. This was too kind.
Smiling to himself, caught up in his own feelings, Domin sent a call to Jeongyun. He thought it would be better to give some warning rather than showing up unannounced, but he was immediately rejected.
‘Again with this.’
After putting down the pager with the rejection message, Domin found Jeongyun’s number on his phone. When he pressed call, the connection tone continued. He won’t reject this one.
“The customer is not answering. After the beep…”
Well, he didn’t answer, but at least he didn’t reject it.
After the call went to voicemail, Domin called Jeongyun again.
The missed calls had already piled up to twenty. He was starting to get angry.
Even until he arrived at the headquarters, Jeongyun didn’t answer Domin’s calls. After parking his car in a suitable spot, Domin continued calling as he headed to the guiding room.
He tried to understand Jeongyun’s circumstances, thinking there must be a reason he couldn’t answer the phone, which was unlike him. But when he arrived, his suspicions were confirmed.
Domin ended the call, and at the same time, the vibration of the phone on the desk stopped. He smiled weakly.
Jeongyun, surprised by Domin’s sudden appearance, couldn’t continue speaking.
“May I come in?”
As soon as Jeongyun slowly nodded, Domin strode into the guiding room. With a flick of his finger, the door behind him closed silently.
Domin placed the bouquet he had brought for Jeongyun on the portable bed and thought how ridiculous he looked. With a deep sigh, Domin messed up his hair that had been carefully styled at the salon early that morning.
“Why didn’t you answer the phone?”
“…I was busy.”
Jeongyun answered while avoiding Domin’s gaze. Domin instantly knew it was a lie. Jeongyun was still Domin’s dedicated Guide, so there were no other Espers he would be guiding.
‘He was probably just cleaning the guiding room with nothing better to do.’
Domin firmly shut his mouth before harsh words could escape. He clenched his teeth so tightly that his dimples deepened as he suppressed his anger. He hadn’t come here to fight.
“Why did you suddenly come here?”
Jeongyun asked, still not making eye contact. Domin barely resisted the urge to grab Jeongyun’s chin and force him to meet his eyes, instead answering with forced calmness.
“You’re still my Guide, Yeo Jeongyun.”
“…Then since you’re here, please sign the paperwork and leave.”
Unable to endure the repeated mention of paperwork, Domin grabbed Jeongyun’s arm. Jeongyun, who had turned away, finally met Domin’s gaze. His large eyes were trembling.
Despite showing such vulnerability, Jeongyun persistently tried to push Domin away. If he was going to be firm, he should commit to it—this half-hearted approach was pathetic. How could Domin back down now?
“Just give up already.”
“Give up what?”
“Terminating our dedicated contract.”
Jeongyun laughed faintly at Domin’s shameless words.
After shaking off Domin’s grip on his arm, Jeongyun again put some distance between them. He backed away until he was just out of reach of Domin’s extended hand.
“Please refrain from making contact without a Guide’s permission, Esper Choi Domin.”
This was a warning not to touch him. But the relationship between Domin and Jeongyun wasn’t typical. Wasn’t it clearly stated in their contract? The decision-making power for guiding belonged to Domin, not Jeongyun.
With a deep sigh, Domin approached Jeongyun. For every step Domin took forward, Jeongyun took two steps back, but unfortunately, the guiding room wasn’t very large.
Soon Jeongyun’s back hit the wall, leaving him nowhere to escape. Domin quickly blocked his path, placing both hands on the wall to completely cut off any retreat.
“It’s been a while. Have you forgotten? The decision-making power for guiding belongs to me.”
At Domin’s whispered words, Jeongyun tried to argue but ultimately pressed his lips tightly together.
As Domin stared at the now-docile Jeongyun, his fingertips tingled and his heart began to race.
This must be because he was lacking guiding. Quickly coming to this conclusion, Domin grabbed Jeongyun’s chin, lifting it up, and tilted his head.
“I’m going to kiss you, so open your mouth.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
