# Chapter 36
As interest began to appear on Hajin’s face, Lee Doyoon ran over in panic and started acting cute, though it wasn’t really his style.
“H-hyung! I was wrong, okay? Of course you can go out and have fun. Right, Team Leader?”
Responding to Doyoon’s plea for help, Cha Jinwoo approached and gently massaged Hajin’s shoulders. The tension in his body gradually eased under the touch that worked out his stiff muscles.
“Of course. How could we possibly stop Hajin-ssi? Please just think of it as our selfish desire to spend a little more time with you.”
“That’s right. It’s because we like you, hyung, so please don’t be too angry, okay?”
As Cha Jinwoo diligently massaged his shoulders and Lee Doyoon earnestly acted cute, Hajin couldn’t help but break into a small smile.
It wasn’t so bad having these mountain-sized men trying desperately to please him just because his mood had soured a little.
When Hajin’s lips curled up and a soft laugh escaped like the sound of air being let out, Doyoon quickly seized the opportunity.
“Hyung, you’re not mad anymore, right? You don’t hate me, right?”
Though he disliked being treated like a child, Doyoon knew how to take advantage of the fact that Hajin was particularly weak to him, the youngest. He tilted his handsome face this way and that, trying to charm Hajin.
Perhaps appreciating his efforts, Hajin patted Doyoon’s head and nodded.
“Fine. But if this happens again, I’ll seriously consider moving to different quarters.”
Doyoon’s head bobbed up and down rapidly. He still looked shocked, as if the thought of Hajin leaving their quarters had never crossed his mind.
“Then let’s eat some donuts now. Would you like some too, Jinwoo-ssi?”
When Hajin turned to look at Cha Jinwoo, whose hands had stopped massaging but were still on his shoulders, Jinwoo’s reply came after a slight delay.
“Ah, I’ll take anything if it’s from Hajin-ssi.”
He seemed lost in thought, but Hajin felt it wasn’t his place to ask. Instead, he gathered the donut box and three plates.
As he watched Hajin and Doyoon trailing behind him, Cha Jinwoo seriously contemplated his next move.
‘I should set a date.’
As the leader of Alpha Team and being relatively reasonable, Cha Jinwoo was called to the Association more often than his other team members.
He didn’t mind. Even he thought his team members were nothing but stubborn kids who never listened.
But now that Hajin was stressed enough to consider moving quarters, Cha Jinwoo couldn’t just sit back and watch the situation unfold.
Cha Jinwoo decided to notify the Association of a suitable date as he walked to the living room.
Though he didn’t particularly enjoy sweets, how could he refuse anything given by Hajin?
* * *
His display of anger seemed to have an effect, as Alpha Team stopped excessively hovering around Hajin after that day.
This became even more apparent after Han Seungho and Baek Jaan returned from their mission, and Cha Jinwoo took the entire Alpha Team somewhere.
Of course, the team members weren’t without complaints.
Han Seungho and Baek Jaan, who hadn’t directly witnessed Hajin’s warning, grumbled about why they had to suffer the consequences when it was Doyoon who had angered Hajin-hyung.
Their complaints didn’t last long, however, due to Cha Jinwoo’s stern discipline and Doyoon’s factual attack about where they had sold their conscience.
Thanks to all this, Hajin’s stress levels had been steadily decreasing day by day.
He was able to comfortably enjoy time visiting the training center under the pretext of physical conditioning, then leisurely taking walks or drinking coffee.
Though Doyoon had cutely insisted that it would be nice if they could at least have dinner together, Hajin always made sure to return to their quarters before dinner. He could accommodate that much.
‘Maybe I’ll visit the bookstore today.’
He was starting to get bored with just sitting blankly at cafes. Hajin planned his schedule while drying his wet hair.
“Um, hello.”
Returning the greeting of those he now at least exchanged eye contact with, Hajin left the training center.
‘Han Jiwoo?’
When he first saw him, Han Jiwoo had been surrounded by many people.
Back then, Han Jiwoo had held his chin high among them, but now he was walking alone—not dejected, but solitary.
Yet, why did that solitude seem somehow sad to Hajin?
Though unintentional, he couldn’t quite say his influence had nothing to do with it.
Hajin hesitated for a moment. Should he call out to Han Jiwoo or not?
He had no ulterior motives. He just felt uncomfortable having received local information and a meal from him before without paying him back.
Moreover, the memory of their brief conversations during their few subsequent encounters also held Hajin back.
Should he go to the bookstore, or should he call Han Jiwoo and treat him to something, clearing even the smallest debt in his heart?
‘It should be fine if we don’t spend too much time together.’
Besides, Alpha Team seemed anxious about him going out alone, so it might be good to let them know he was with someone today.
Having made his decision, Hajin strode toward Han Jiwoo, not wanting to miss him.
“Han Jiwoo-ssi.”
“Huh? Hyung! Hello. Are you heading back after working out?”
Han Jiwoo greeted Hajin with a bright face, as if surprised to meet him here.
“Yes. Are you free right now? You treated me to a meal before, so I’d like to return the favor.”
At Hajin’s question, Han Jiwoo’s eyes widened. When Hajin tilted his head at this excessive reaction to a simple meal invitation, Han Jiwoo hastily replied.
“Ah, I’m sorry. I never thought you’d make such an offer… I’d love to!”
Having already experienced one success, Hajin left the menu selection entirely to Han Jiwoo. After a moment of contemplation, he led Hajin to a pasta restaurant.
“Order whatever you want.”
“I eat a lot, is that okay?”
Hajin couldn’t help but smile at a barely twenty-something-year-old worrying about money on his behalf.
“You seem too young to be concerned about such things. Order whatever you want.”
“Wow, hyung, you’re so cool. Then I’ll have pizza too.”
Perhaps because Hajin had smiled, Han Jiwoo seemed to feel more comfortable with him.
Han Jiwoo spoke more than before. It seemed his previous appropriate silence had been due to feeling awkward around Hajin.
Hajin responded to his words with suitable reactions. Even if he talked a bit more, Han Jiwoo was not a bad conversation partner.
He still avoided personal topics and found conversation material from his surroundings or daily life.
“So I’ve been wondering if I should increase my exercise routine these days.”
Somehow the conversation had shifted to Han Jiwoo sighing about gaining weight while eating delicious pasta.
Hajin looked him over, making sure not to be rude.
“You already look quite fit to me.”
“Haha, thanks for saying that, even if it’s just flattery.”
It wasn’t flattery. Perhaps because he was still young, Han Jiwoo’s physique was comparable to those Hajin often saw in the training room.
Of course, he couldn’t compare to those who trained as if preparing for a competition, but Hajin thought this level was quite sufficient.
“I don’t think you need to lose weight.”
Han Jiwoo responded in a slightly quieter voice to Hajin’s comment.
“Physical stamina is really important when you have to Guide through sexual intercourse.”
The restaurant was quiet after lunch hours. They were the only ones dining, but after hearing what came out of Han Jiwoo’s mouth, Hajin understood why he had lowered his voice.
“Guiding is already exhausting, and when your body struggles too, you often end up fainting before properly completing the Guiding. That’s why I have to be careful.”
Hajin closed his mouth in embarrassment. Even if they were in the same profession(?), he didn’t want to know about such intimate details.
But it was Hajin who had asked, so he tried to respond without showing his discomfort.
“…I see.”
Soon, Hajin regretted not showing his discomfort. Perhaps because he was also a Guide, Han Jiwoo seemed to feel more at ease and brought up various topics.
“Isn’t it really hard? Ah, you probably haven’t done it yet, hyung.”
“Ah… that’s right.”
“Have you done it?”
No, how did he know? Hajin thought he had answered well, but he was caught immediately after finishing his response, which was disconcerting.
“Wow… someone of your rank shouldn’t have to do it.”
“It’s not like that.”
He was wrong. Han Jiwoo already seemed to view Hajin as someone more open-minded than he actually was.
Hajin was flustered—this kind of conversation was a first for him, and to have it with someone he wasn’t even close to made it worse, causing him to respond differently than usual.
Hajin was troubled. Making excuses felt wrong because what Han Jiwoo implied was true. But he felt wronged by how his image was being distorted. Yet explaining himself seemed unnecessary.
Experiencing this feeling for the first time, Hajin couldn’t organize his thoughts until he finally let everything go like someone who had achieved enlightenment.
It was a wise decision. Trying to explain would only make him look more foolish.
And when Hajin’s expression turned composed after his moment of panic, Han Jiwoo sensed that a line had been crossed and changed the subject.
“Ahem, did you like the donut shop we visited before?”
“Yes. They were delicious.”
Doyoon had eaten almost an entire box by himself.
It was pitiful that despite living longer than Hajin, they were so busy with missions and stayed home on their days off that they didn’t even know such a place existed.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
