# Chapter 57
“Where the fuck did Choi Jihyung go?!”
Hajin, who had been reading a book, flinched in surprise at the sudden shout as the dog appeared.
He had burst in as if he would break the door, and sure enough, the hinge was partially broken and now dangling.
“Is this pervert bastard deliberately interfering with my work?”
But the dog didn’t even glance at the dangling door, instead rolling his eyes around searching for Choi Jihyung.
‘I wondered why he left first thing in the morning… so this is why.’
Choi Jihyung, who normally never left his post and sat in the living room observing Hajin with stubborn intensity while blushing, had disappeared as soon as he woke up today—apparently for this reason.
The dog flung open the bedroom doors without hesitation.
But there was no way he would find someone who had already left. Although he should have known this perfectly well, the dog, who had nonetheless turned the house upside down, stopped in front of Hajin’s room.
Until just now, his face had been chilling, like a murderer who had lost his hostage, but the moment his eyes met Hajin’s, it changed to that of a sulking child.
At this incredibly strange sight, Hajin inwardly clicked his tongue and closed the book he was holding.
He knew that reading was no longer an option now that their eyes had met. Sure enough, the moment the dog spotted Hajin, he began whining.
Although he was somehow aware that he shouldn’t enter Hajin’s room carelessly, as he didn’t cross the threshold, there was absolutely no way Hajin could ignore him.
“You went for a walk with that bastard Choi Jihyung! How could you do that? You said you’d only go with me!”
Did he say that? Hajin tilted his head, looking at the dog who was scolding him for something he couldn’t even remember.
He might have said it back then to humor him. But if he answered honestly now, there was no telling what the dog might do because he was upset, so Hajin decided to placate him.
“I wanted to, but you’re always so busy. I can’t just spend all day cooped up here, only getting out once a day for a so-called walk that’s just circling around the nearby area.”
The dog, who typically acted without much thought, seemed at a loss for words when Hajin provided a coherent explanation.
“But still…”
“Of course, I’m not blaming you. It’s natural to be busy when you’re skilled.”
Hajin naturally offered a carrot to the dejected dog. This level of flattery wasn’t difficult at all.
Before becoming a Guide, Hajin had been in a middle management position where he had to coax and soothe new employees who didn’t know their right from left, while simultaneously flattering bosses who liked to swagger around despite their actual abilities.
“So I hope you can understand. Even if I promise not to run away, you wouldn’t let me walk around alone, right?”
“Well, that’s true.”
The dog affirmed while avoiding Hajin’s gaze. Hajin’s words weren’t meant to appeal to his conscience. Rather, he was targeting something else.
The statement that even if he promised not to escape, the other wouldn’t trust him—it might not completely change his mind, but it would make him think, “Huh? Is his mind changing a little?”
Hajin was carefully laying groundwork for a gradual, imperceptible change, like getting soaked in drizzle.
He didn’t need to be fully trusted. He was willing to flirt as much as necessary if it could create just one moment of carelessness.
Unaware of Hajin’s intentions, the dog had somehow been persuaded and his momentum had diminished. But even so, he still couldn’t stop grumbling, clearly unsatisfied.
“Tch, but that means I get to spend less time with you.”
“Then I can go for walks with you too. There’s no need to go out just once, right?”
Honestly, he wondered what the dog expected him to do. After their previous conversation, Hajin had lost even the tiniest bit of goodwill towards the dog and didn’t really want to bother with him.
But if he didn’t placate him now, that rough-edged temper would surely explode at some point.
If the dog were to create a disturbance by getting between Hajin and Choi Jihyung, it might block the last remaining escape route.
So rather than dealing with annoyance later, it would be more helpful to soothe the dog now, despite the hassle.
Indeed, the choice seemed right as the dog brightened at Hajin’s words about spending time together, smiling brightly as if he had never been irritated.
“Really? Then let’s go now. Where did that bastard Choi Jihyung take you? I’ll take you somewhere better.”
‘Oh?’
This was an unexpected harvest. He hadn’t intended to encourage competitive psychology. But there was no reason to refuse when the dog was offering to take him somewhere.
“I heard from Mr. Choi Jihyung that there’s an indoor garden, but I haven’t been there yet.”
“That’s just like him, isn’t it? So damn slow. I’ll take you there! Let’s go!”
It was a decision so quick that if the proverb “strike while the iron is hot” were a person, it might well be the dog. Instead of eagerly following, Hajin showed some hesitation.
“But didn’t you just return from a mission? Is it okay if you don’t rest?”
When Hajin, who had been constantly wary with his heart closed off, spoke as if concerned, the dog’s facial muscles relaxed into a silly grin.
“Are you worrying about me right now?”
“I just don’t want to appear stubborn.”
Hajin, who had never dated before, played the push-and-pull game expertly with the dog.
Even though Hajin tried to cover it with casual words, the dog had already concluded on his own that Hajin was concerned about him.
With a handsome face despite his thug-like demeanor, he smiled broadly and said:
“Don’t worry. This much is nothing to me.”
Hajin still looked at the dog as if concerned, then opened his mouth with slight hesitation.
“…Do you need Guiding?”
The dog’s head turned so quickly that it made a whooshing sound, not expecting that word to come from Hajin’s mouth first. It was surprising enough to make Hajin flinch for a moment, wondering how his neck remained intact after such a motion.
The dog simply asked back, as if checking he had heard correctly.
“Guiding? Are you saying you’ll give me Guiding now?”
“If not from me, couldn’t you get it from someone else?”
The dog gave a hollow laugh at Hajin’s words.
“Are you joking? If there was someone here capable of S-rank Guiding, why would we have kidnapped you?”
That was correct. Hajin had to consider for a moment here. If he offered to provide Guiding, how would the dog react?
The deliberation didn’t take long. Even though he had brought it up first, it was clear that the dog wouldn’t readily believe him if he simply offered his hand.
If the dog were going to believe him easily, he should have been desperate to touch Hajin when he received radiative Guiding.
Of course, the desire for Hajin, an S-rank Guide, was evident. But Hajin could still see that the dog didn’t trust him.
In such a situation, if he offered Guiding, would they try to trust him? Wouldn’t they be more suspicious?
‘Damn, this is annoyingly complicated.’
Constantly turning the gears in his mind, Hajin stopped thinking when he felt an overwhelming sense of trying to calculate the probabilities in a game of rock-paper-scissors.
Despite his urban and seemingly sensitive appearance, Hajin was someone who had lived without overthinking things. His time as an office worker had taught him one clear lesson.
It’s mentally healthier for people to live somewhat thoughtlessly.
If one thought too much, even going to work would become difficult. Only by living without much thought could one endure that wretched company.
Hajin cut through the increasingly complex and eventually tangled thread of thoughts and just went for it.
“So, are you going to receive Guiding or not? I have bad memories with runaway Espers.”
I’m sorry, Mr. Baek Jaan. Hajin silently apologized to Baek Jaan.
He didn’t actually have any trauma related to runaway Espers, but it sounded plausible as a reason for his behavior, so he added it.
Since they had found Hajin around the same time as the Association, they were likely aware of this fact.
Sure enough, the dog nodded in understanding, as if recalling Baek Jaan’s story.
“Hmm… Then will you give me Guiding?”
Although the dog had been doing his best to avoid contact Guiding, when Hajin openly tempted him with Guiding, he no longer had the will to resist.
It was clear that Seo Juan would frown and say something, but the dog rationalized that even Juan wouldn’t be able to refuse in this situation.
After finishing his thoughts, what remained was anticipation for the Guiding to come. How good would it be?
How good must it feel for lower-ranked ones to be so obsessed with Guiding, seeking out Guides almost every day? How good must it be for Seo Jihan to have become so pathetic?
He didn’t want to become like them.
But the dog, having already tasted satisfying Guiding for the first time in his life, couldn’t refuse Hajin’s offer.
But contrary to his expectations, what Hajin provided was radiative Guiding. Despite his outstretched hand, the dog couldn’t hide his disappointment even as he trembled from the radiative Guiding spreading throughout his body.
“Hah, fuck, it’s so good… But weren’t you going to give me contact Guiding? Can’t you do that? I bet it would feel amazing.”
“Radiative Guiding is enough, what’s the point?”
While responding nonchalantly, Hajin was internally disgusted.
Would he be crazy enough to provide contact Guiding? Hajin now knew all too well what might happen to him at the hands of an excited dog.
Unless he was on the verge of escape, Hajin had no intention of providing contact Guiding.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
