Kwon Ho-eun closed his laptop after typing up a summary of their conversation.
“Should we head back to the dorm now?”
“Sounds good.”
After guiding Do In-ho during his near-Overload incident, Ho-eun had naturally taken on the role of team Guide. Starting today, his first official day in the PR Department, he’d be serving as a temporary partner for a week. After that, he’d sign a new contract as the team’s official Guide.
Once the internship ends, interns are no longer required to use the company dorms. Guides whose homes aren’t close to the Esper Corporation headquarters can continue living in the dorm building. However, a team Guide must stay in the same dorm facility as the Esper team they’re assigned to.
On the way back to the dorm, Ho-eun read through the team Guide manual he’d received via email that morning. It outlined the duties of a team Guide and how to care for Espers—but what caught his eye again was the final section, just like before.
Just like the version he received during his internship, it included illustrated guides on proper sexual conduct. But this time, the steps were broken down even more explicitly. Back then, he’d realized that such acts were possible between men too, but he hadn’t wanted to know in detail the entire process of preparing the receiving end.
Ho-eun briefly pictured Do In-ho in his head before furiously shaking it off. Even if it was for Guiding, he couldn’t help but question whether it was really okay for him to be Do In-ho’s first kiss—let alone anything beyond that.
Lost in his spiraling thoughts, he found himself already in front of the dorm building. As they entered and stepped out of the elevator, a man in a gray work uniform emerged from Do In-ho’s place.
“Ah. You came at the perfect time. I’ve set up all the furniture you requested—go ahead and take a look.”
The front door to Do In-ho’s unit was wide open. At the man’s prompting, they stepped inside.
The last time Ho-eun saw Do In-ho’s dorm, it had been depressingly empty—so bare that it felt cold even in the middle of summer. As he looked around now, the living room and kitchen hadn’t changed much, but the once-unused spare room and Do In-ho’s bedroom had been completely transformed.
Do In-ho’s bed had been upgraded to a larger size, and the previously empty room had been turned into a cozy lounge area, furnished with a single-seat sofa. It felt like a space meant for Ho-eun.
“Your own dorm’s still yours, so you can just come over here whenever you need to do Guiding.”
After checking the dressing room as well, Ho-eun shook his head as he opened the fridge.
“No, I think I should stay here until I get used to things. It’ll help us bond too.”
“O-Okay… If you need anything else, just let me know.”
Do In-ho had never cared much about his dorm, but the fact that Ho-eun now had a space in his home filled him with a strange, unexplainable joy. Whether the place had furniture or not had never mattered before—but now, he wanted to fill it with Ho-eun’s belongings.
Watching Ho-eun scan the fridge—likely thinking of what to make for dinner—Do In-ho felt a warm, satisfied buzz welling up from deep in his gut.
The fact that they were now living in the same space, just like a month ago, was surreal. Back then, even if it was just for a while, they’d had to part ways. But now… Ho-eun was here to stay.
His head told him to tell Ho-eun to go rest in his own dorm. But his tightly shut lips stubbornly disobeyed.
Home had always been nothing more than a place to wait before his next mission. Nothing more, nothing less. But now, he felt like he finally understood what it meant to have somewhere to return to.
Unlike before, the fridge was fully stocked. Thanks to that, Ho-eun could begin prepping dinner without a hitch. As he started chopping ingredients, Do In-ho moved in beside him.
“Trying to help?”
“Yeah.”
“Then I’m making omurice—can you beat the eggs?”
The counter was a bit cramped for two adult men, but Do In-ho deliberately wedged himself into the space beside Ho-eun to assist with cooking. Each time their shoulders brushed lightly, he felt a tiny jolt of joy.
Their first night together after Ho-eun’s discharge from the hospital seemed like it would end peacefully—at least, until they got into bed.
After a simple dinner and their usual bedtime routine, Ho-eun entered Do In-ho’s room. Wanting to provide both broadcast and direct Guiding, he lay down on Do In-ho’s bed. But for some reason, his eyes were wide open.
Back in the hospital, he’d slept just fine beside Do In-ho. But now, the contents of the team Guide manual kept floating around his head, refusing to let him rest.
According to the guide watch, Do In-ho’s Guiding level was currently at 50%. Before, just being near him like this would have pushed it higher. But maybe In-ho was building up resistance? The percentage barely budged anymore.
Normally, Espers needed their Guiding level to be at least 70% before going out on a mission. That rule hadn’t really applied to Do In-ho until now.
But with Ho-eun now officially serving as the team Guide, stabilizing that number was crucial.
Should I have kissed him again like last time…?
He imagined himself approaching the innocent In-ho and saying, “Let me kiss you. It’s for Guiding.” The moment the image formed in his head, he was overwhelmed with embarrassment. This couldn’t be right.
“Can’t sleep?”
As Ho-eun shifted slightly, Do In-ho asked in a husky voice. There was no way he could tell the guy he was up all night agonizing over how to initiate physical contact. So he just shook his head.
“Trying to.”
Ho-eun reached out and held Do In-ho’s hand. Holding hands counted as a form of direct Guiding, so he figured this much was fine. Do In-ho lifted their joined hands and gently kissed the back of Ho-eun’s.
“Good night.”
“…Mm.”
The soft touch of his lips sent heat rushing to Ho-eun’s face. Thank God the lights were off. The lingering warmth on the back of his hand made it impossible to fall asleep.
***
Maybe it was because he didn’t sleep well, but Ho-eun woke up later than usual. Stretching, he checked the empty space beside him.
“Did he go out for a workout?”
Just as he was about to head out, he felt a buzz on his left wrist.
The guide watch he received from Hosoo after his discharge was the upgraded full-time version, replacing the old intern model. It looked pretty much the same, but the software inside had been updated—there were apps he hadn’t seen before.
[Accumulated Guiding Level: 12%]
[Please increase the intensity of direct Guiding.]
The message on the watch was referencing last night’s session while he was asleep. Ho-eun stared at the phrase “increase the intensity” and covered his face with both hands. He hadn’t even eaten breakfast yet, but he already felt sick to his stomach.
“I’ll handle it, okay…”
Muttering to himself in the empty room, he licked his dry lips. He felt like some poor emperor being nagged about when he’d finally consummate the marriage. Grateful that Do In-ho wasn’t next to him, he took a deep breath and stepped out.
But the moment he saw Do In-ho in the kitchen, his body flushed with heat.
Now he felt like a horny teenager. Back then, his appetite and sex drive had both peaked. It was a common phase for guys, but for someone like Ho-eun who’d been such a clean-cut kid, it was a mortifying memory. Shaking off the intrusive thoughts, he forced an awkward smile.
“You’re up early.”
“Yeah. Here…”
Do In-ho nervously bit his lip as he led Ho-eun to the table. Toast, salad, seaweed soup, and a whole spread of side dishes were laid out.
“You made all this?”
“Y-Yeah…”
Ho-eun sat down and took a big spoonful of the seaweed soup. The silky seaweed, tender beef, and savory broth made for a perfect bite.
“It’s delicious!”
He popped a piece of colorful egg roll into his mouth, likely made with carrots and zucchini. The slight saltiness and fluffy texture were perfectly balanced.
“In-ho, why are you so good at cooking?”
“I-I just followed a recipe…”
Seeing Ho-eun enjoying his food, Do In-ho blushed at the compliment.
What the hell were you even thinking about someone this sweet?
Ho-eun wanted to bite off his own tongue for all the indecent thoughts he’d had. Instead, he bit into a crisp piece of toast.
With their bellies full, the two agreed to split up for the day to each find a mentor. As Ho-eun pulled out his phone to contact his peers, a call from Hosoo came in right on cue.
“Hello?”
—It’s a personal consultation. Come to the main gate.
Click. Figures things were going too smoothly this morning. Clucking his tongue at Hosoo’s usual lack of phone etiquette, Ho-eun headed to the front gate, figuring he’d gather any footage needed for the PR video during their session.
Just as he spotted a black Mercedes S-Class parked by the curb and was about to slide into the passenger seat, someone tapped his shoulder.
“Excuse me, Guide Kwon Ho-eun?”
“Yes?”
“I’ve been ordered by Assistant Manager Hosoo to escort you.”
The man had white hair with streaks of navy blue woven in. Though Ho-eun had never seen him before, the guy felt oddly familiar.
“Aren’t we taking the car?”
“No. I’ll be transporting you.”
A gust of wind blew past them. Watching the man’s hair flutter, Ho-eun’s mouth fell open. Hosoo’s earring—the color of it matched this man’s hair.
The man placed a hand on Ho-eun’s shoulder, preparing to activate his ability. Ho-eun, frozen like a statue, turned to glance at the car one last time.
“Wait, there’s a perfectly good car right the—ugh!”
“It takes too long to drive from Incheon to Gyeongju.”
That familiar nausea and headache of teleportation hit him all at once. Was it even allowed for Espers to use their ability so casually? The image of the car still lingering in his mind, Ho-eun suddenly found himself at the Guide Corporation headquarters, where he’d once interviewed.
The man didn’t say a word—just walked ahead. Holding his dizzy head, Ho-eun followed.
It had been a while, but the Guide Corporation grounds were still as tranquil as ever, with well-kept gardens and birds chirping.
“Assistant Manager Hosoo is at his private residence.”
So Hosoo’s official title was Assistant Manager, huh? The man kept calling him that.
Guess I was supposed to call him that too.
Having no clue about office etiquette or how to navigate adult life, the word Assistant Manager felt oddly intimidating. They took the elevator and got off on the seventh floor.
“Does he live here?”
They stopped in front of a door labeled Private Rest Room 3, and Ho-eun asked curiously.
“You’ll know when you open it.”
“What do you mean…?”
“Well then, if you’ll excuse me.”
The man bowed politely and walked off without hesitation.
A first-year Guide earned a hundred million won annually—surely someone with the title of Assistant Manager made even more. So why was he living in a break room? Ho-eun tilted his head in confusion and grabbed the doorknob.
“What the…?”
A cool breeze and the scent of grass hit him as the door opened—not a break room, but an utterly unimaginable place.
Beyond the door stood a two-story villa nestled among thick trees. As if drawn by some mysterious force, Ho-eun stepped inside.
