113
Siwoo, who had been staring blankly at the spot where Jihan disappeared, quickly wiped his lips. Loud footsteps were heard from the entrance hallway. Only Geonho walked with such a noticeable presence.
“You’re here?”
Siwoo came out of the kitchen to greet Geonho. Although it hadn’t been that long since they last met, seeing him in the dorm felt even more welcoming.
Geonho’s lips curled up reflexively upon seeing Siwoo. However, this was only momentary.
“Did Jihan hyung come and go?”
Siwoo’s eyes widened at Geonho’s question as he stopped abruptly. Siwoo, opening and closing his mouth like a fish, mumbled a vague answer.
“Oh, briefly. But have you eaten? What do you want to eat?”
He pretended to be nonchalant, raising his voice unnecessarily. His cheeks felt hot as he recalled the kiss he had just shared with Jihan in this very spot. It’s just a kiss, what’s the big deal. It was just high-density mucosal guiding, that’s all.
“Hey, let’s eat out instead of at the dorm. I’ll treat you.”
Siwoo waved his hand towards the entrance, noticing Geonho’s gaunt face. Realizing how little time he had with Geonho, he felt rushed.
“Get some guiding on the way. Is holding hands okay?”
He needed to feed Geonho, take him for a walk, and provide guiding. There was a lot to do with Kang Geonho.
Siwoo, after checking the living room clock, looked up at Geonho. He stood still like a statue, his mouth tightly shut. As if he were angry.
“…Are you in a bad mood?”
Siwoo approached Geonho to examine his expression more closely. He even thrust his face forward, eyes wide open. As if trying to see something in great detail.
“No, just thinking about something.”
Geonho let out a long breath, somewhere between a sigh and a laugh, as he looked at Siwoo.
He had been considering how to punish Yoo Jihan for breaking his promise, but when his vision was filled with Siwoo’s pretty face, his sour mood melted away like snow.
“Why did you leave the hospital room? You should have stayed there.”
Geonho asked in a gentle voice as he took Siwoo’s outstretched hand. Just holding hands cleared his twisted insides. It felt like his blocked breathing was finally easing after being clogged all day.
“The dorm is much more comfortable. I’m never going back there.”
Siwoo urged Geonho to leave, saying they should go now. He felt every diminishing second was precious.
However, Siwoo was the only one in a hurry. Geonho walked much slower than usual. Trudge, trudge. His listless footsteps made even Siwoo’s legs feel heavy.
“Don’t you want to go out?”
“No, let’s go.”
Despite his answer, his steps were heavy. Siwoo, who had been walking ahead, stopped in front of the inner entrance door.
“I’m trying to go out for your sake. I thought you might feel stifled.”
As soon as Siwoo said it wasn’t that he wanted to go out, Geonho pulled their joined hands as if he had been waiting for this.
“Then let’s stay inside.”
He ran to the living room sofa so quickly that Siwoo’s feet almost lifted off the ground. It seems he didn’t want to go out. I thought he would like it.
Siwoo, who had been looking at Geonho’s broad back, slapped his back with a loud “Smack!” before sitting on the sofa. Geonho immediately pretended to be hurt and tilted his head.
“What? Did I do something wrong?”
“If you didn’t want to go out, you should have said so.”
Siwoo, who sat on the sofa first, exhaled heavily through his nose like an angry rhinoceros. Even so, he diligently sent out guiding. He was emitting a small, uniform amount of energy so as not to stimulate the Esper. He had already become skilled at handling guiding.
“I thought you wanted to go out.”
Geonho mumbled as if making an excuse, sitting very close to Siwoo. Despite his subdued tone, his expression was bright. He was happy just sitting face to face with Siwoo alone. It felt like floating in the sky. He couldn’t express it in words.
“Why didn’t you tell me about the outing restrictions?”
Siwoo had a lot to confront Geonho about. As he tightly gripped Geonho’s thick hand with a frustrated face, the guiding penetrated even deeper. Unusually, Geonho’s wavelength showed an immediate response to the guiding. Has his absorption rate increased already? That would be good.
“Who told you? Yoo Jihan?”
Geonho asked casually while gently stroking Siwoo’s soft hand with his thumb. Siwoo leaned back on the sofa and narrowed his eyes sharply.
“Just answer me. If you can only go out for 30 minutes, you should have told me right away.”
Why did this guy, whose simplicity was his strength, create secrets that didn’t suit him? It was even more frustrating that someone who freely confessed his feelings was now holding back his words. Siwoo wished that at least Geonho would share all his thoughts and situations with him. He hoped he wouldn’t resemble his brother in having many secrets.
“It’ll all be lifted in a month anyway. It’s just a short time we can’t go out.”
“If you have another outburst after a month, you won’t be able to go out again. And is a month short? Huh? Is that short to you?”
Siwoo poked Geonho’s hand with his fingernails. How could a month be short? Even a week feels long.
“Did Jihan tell you about the outbursts too?”
“Why is that important?!”
Annoyed by Geonho’s behavior, Siwoo kicked his thigh with his knee. Despite hitting him hard, the thigh didn’t even budge. Geonho only pretended to be hurt, making an “Ah” sound with his mouth.
“You don’t need to worry about anything. Just live like you usually do.”
“Hey, Kang Geonho.”
Siwoo, with a hardened expression, pulled Geonho’s hand sharply.
“Do I look like I’m here for fun to you?”
Of course, he had a lot of fun, but he never forgot his role. Siwoo wasn’t unemployed; he was their dedicated guide. The dedicated guide of Baekya, not just any ordinary guild.
“Stop underestimating me.”
Because Siwoo pulled his hand so aggressively, their noses almost touched. He hadn’t particularly intended to pull him close for anything. He just moved instinctively out of anger. He hated being treated like a weak newbie guide who couldn’t do anything.
“I’ve never underestimated you.”
Geonho, who had been still, bumped his nose tip against Siwoo’s and then pulled back.
Siwoo’s mood improved a bit at the sincere voice. He straightened his posture, cleared his throat, and brought up a very important topic.
“I’m going to do on-site guiding.”
Believing it would be good news for Geonho.
“Now you can go out with me. They say your and Ha Seojun’s free time will increase too.”
Really? Thanks. You saved me! This was the reaction Siwoo had expected. He wanted to see Geonho and Seojun happy that their woefully insufficient free time would increase.
“Forget it. You don’t need to do that.”
But once again, a disappointing answer came back. Siwoo’s mouth fell open, furrowing his brow as he hoped he had misheard. But Geonho’s next words made his expression even fiercer.
“This is why I didn’t tell you. I was afraid you’d do this.”
Geonho knew well that Siwoo had a great passion for guiding. Of course, it was a touching gesture that made his heart swell with gratitude, but the problem was that Siwoo didn’t know how to take care of himself.
“What are you thinking, trying to follow us there? You wouldn’t last an hour if you went.”
Rookies didn’t do on-site guiding to begin with, and guides with weak bodies like Siwoo were assigned to low-risk C sectors. All the sectors Baekya Guild was responsible for were too much for Siwoo to handle.
“You had trouble just breathing last time.”
“That was just because it was my first time. I’ll get training too. I adapt quickly.”
“What good is adapting if you can’t fight at all?”
“Don’t you see this?”
Siwoo clenched his fist tightly, showing off his fierce fire fist. To Geonho’s eyes, it naturally looked like nothing more than a cotton swab.
“Just stay in the dorm and catch flies. Make sure to eat your meals properly.”
“You bastard, really!”
Enraged by the blatantly dismissive comment, Siwoo grabbed Geonho’s collar. Why were there so many occasions to grab collars lately?
“I don’t want you in danger.”
Geonho, offering his neck to Siwoo, put on a serious face. Even if by some chance Siwoo could withstand the energy of the gates, there were countless beings there that threatened fragile guides. On-site guiding? Absolutely not.
“What danger could there be with you beside me?”
Geonho’s tightly closed lips parted slightly before closing again. It was brief, but he clearly wavered. Siwoo’s eyes sparkled as he looked at him.
“Are you saying you can’t protect even one of me?”
“…”
“Are you that weak?”
“I’m not… weak.”
“Then what’s the problem? Is there anything stronger than you, Kang Geonho, at the site? Is there anything more powerful than the great SS-rank Esper?”
Geonho’s hesitant head moved slowly from side to side. Siwoo seized this opportunity, choosing only words that would inevitably shake Geonho. He was not just shaking him, but gripping Geonho’s heart and squeezing it until he got the answer he wanted.
“I don’t want to be alone. I’m fucking lonely. I’m bored. I can’t sleep.”
With each statement, an earthquake occurred in Geonho’s eyes. He couldn’t collect himself and was dragged along by Siwoo’s words.
“I’m so depressed, I can’t even eat.”
“Ha…”
Really? Geonho, who asked with his eyes, rubbed his face that had become serious. As expected, he seemed to waver most at the mention of ‘food’. Siwoo pushed even harder.
“Yesterday, I threw up while eating alone.”
A deep sigh escaped through Geonho’s palm as he rubbed his face. Good. He’s almost given in.
“So don’t leave me alone. Stay with me. Let’s go out together.”
Siwoo grabbed Geonho’s wrist, pulling it down, and locked eyes with him. Then he said it again. Let’s not stay cooped up inside, let’s go out.
“I’ll get you out.”
At Siwoo’s last words, Geonho’s heart, which had been constricted, started to beat softly. Geonho looked at Siwoo, moving his dry lips. The eyes of the one who had grasped his heart were as blue as a shining sea.
It’s strange. For some reason, he felt like he might cry. Why was he feeling this way? Had he become more of an idiot from being cooped up inside?
“Hey, if you heard me, answer…”
Siwoo’s eyes, which had been shaking Geonho’s wrist, suddenly widened. Surprised by the lips that suddenly approached, he couldn’t even finish his sentence.
Kang Geonho kissed him. At a really unexpected moment, without any warning.
He sucked on Siwoo’s lips and even licked between the parted teeth with his tongue that unconsciously followed. Siwoo’s soft flesh, which had frozen in surprise, trembled slightly.
The kiss ended quickly. Geonho was the first to cover his mouth and back away.
“Ah…”
He made an expression as if he had been kissed, even though he was the one who had sucked on Siwoo’s lips first. The dumbfounded Siwoo just blinked, his lips slightly parted. He forgot how to react to the sudden contact.
“S-Sorry…”
Geonho looked at Siwoo’s lips, now wet with his saliva, then abruptly stood up from the sofa. Then he ran away, using the tight schedule as an excuse. He fled the dorm in an instant, without looking back.
“W-What’s with him?”
Siwoo only moved after Geonho had disappeared. He touched the area Geonho had sucked with his fingertips, then pressed his lips firmly with the back of his hand.
“Is he an elementary schooler?”
He intentionally spoke loudly, ignoring his startled feelings. Siwoo was no longer the type to get angry over a mere kiss. For Siwoo, who had crossed the river of adulthood, a kiss was now almost on the same level as a hug.
“Why run away over something like this? He should have at least gotten some guiding while he was at it.”
He rubbed his lips vigorously, raising his chin with a “Hmph.” He was displeased with Kang Geonho for kissing him and then leaving abruptly. He’d have to beat him thoroughly tomorrow when they met.
“What a ridiculous guy.”
Siwoo, who had been rubbing his lips until they turned red, began to touch his lower lip with his fingertips little by little. The guy’s lips that had touched here were unexpectedly soft. It was a sensation that contrasted with Yoo Jihan’s rough lips.
Ruminating on facts he hadn’t been able to recognize when he was frantically sucking guiding from him, he brought out his tail and ears with a “pong” for the first time in a while.
Since there was no one watching, he decided to be comfortable. I’ll be busy soon too, after all.
* * *
Geonho slammed his face against the cold marble wall while waiting for the elevator.
“Am I crazy…”
He had planted his lips without even realizing it. It definitely wasn’t intentional that he thrust his face forward. His crazy lips moved on their own as if that place was their rightful spot.
He couldn’t just sit still after hearing Siwoo’s words. He must have been bewitched by something.
Geonho blew out air through his mouth, trying to cool down. It was quite a sight, with his neck and ears turned bright red. At the sound of the elevator arriving, he glanced one last time at the dorm’s front door.
Should I go back in and properly apologize? It doesn’t seem right to just leave after arbitrarily sucking on the kid’s lips.
“…”
Geonho, lost in thought, slowly rolled his tongue. After swallowing a few times as if tasting something, his expression hardened.
A bitter taste of cigarettes lingered in his mouth where it had touched Siwoo’s. The bitter tobacco scent that Jihan hyung smokes.
“This is really fucking annoying.”
