Churu for the Angry Guide

140

What a shock. I thought my heart was going to drop.

Siwoo calmed his startled heart as he looked at Geonho who was firmly supporting him.

“Why are you out already? I came out because training is finished.”

Siwoo glanced at Geonho, who was asking an obvious question, then examined his face closely.

“What were you doing before coming out?”

The maknae had said he was sleeping. But somehow, it didn’t look like the face of someone who had just woken up. Rather, he looked a bit tired, as if he had stayed up all night.

“I came out after sleeping.”

Geonho grinned, saying he had slept sprawled out. It was the smile he often gave Siwoo. Just with that smile, his tired-looking face brightened completely.

It seems he did get some sleep after all. Siwoo leaned gently against him, feeling relieved.

Boom—!

At that moment, along with the ground’s vibration, this time giant moths appeared, flapping their wings. The espers who had been avoiding the centipede’s poison cursed under their breath. The moths didn’t spew poison like the centipede, but they could fly, giving them a wider attack range.

“Oh, could that be Esper Kang Geonho…?”

An esper who had been slicing through the centipede’s body cheered loudly as he spotted Geonho floating in the air.

“It’s Esper Kang Geonho!”

“Everyone, relax! Esper Kang Geonho is here!”

“Looks like the guide came with him!”

Even louder cheers erupted at the sight of the guide cradled in his arms like a doll. No one seemed anxious about the appearance of Geonho, a beastkin esper. This was all thanks to Siwoo.

People expected Siwoo, an SS-class guide, to calm the esper’s outbursts. There had even been cases where a famous S-class guide actively working overseas had saved an esper who had already started rampaging.

They all believed that Baekya’s dedicated guide, who was of an even higher rank, could surely suppress a beastkin’s outburst.

“Why is your heart beating so fast?”

Geonho frowned as he felt Siwoo’s racing heartbeat through his chest. He seemed completely uninterested in the surrounding situation. All his attention was focused solely on Siwoo. The centipede covering the ground and the swarm of moths flying in the sky were outside his concern.

“Are you hurt somewhere?”

“I’m not hurt. I was just surprised.”

Siwoo shook his head to indicate he was fine, then urgently stretched out his hand. A swarm of dozens of moths was rushing towards them.

“Hey, behind you!”

Siwoo frantically pointed at the monsters, but Geonho didn’t budge. He just stood there, his gaze fixed only on Siwoo.

“Kang Geonho! Look at those things, not me!”

Siwoo tried to grab Geonho’s face and turn it, but Geonho stubbornly maintained his posture. His red eyes were fixed on the band attached to Siwoo’s pale neck. Only Siwoo looked terrified.

The swarm of moths that had approached within reach opened their mouths wide. Geonho’s head was about to be torn off by their rotten teeth. Siwoo cried out Geonho’s name in horror.

“Kang Geonho!”

Only then did Geonho slightly lower his upper body and flick his leg back as if kicking a ball.

With just that small kick, dozens of moths fell to the ground as if swept away by a tsunami.

Bang! With the sound of the earth sinking, the moths with broken spines crashed into the ground. The centipedes beneath them were crushed to death without even having time to scream.

Siwoo was dumbfounded again at the sight he couldn’t believe even though he had seen it with his own eyes. Geonho had only lightly extended his leg backward. Yet well over a hundred huge monsters had instantly died.

Even for an SS-class esper, this was too…

“I’m strong.”

Geonho used his fingertip to close Siwoo’s gaping mouth.

“There’s no one stronger than me here.”

It wasn’t boasting, just stating a fact. It was a claim no one could refute. Even Siwoo immediately agreed.

Only now did he truly grasp Geonho’s power. He understood why Geonho could come to the site with such a calm face.

“So don’t be scared.”

A large hand came and gently rubbed Siwoo’s startled chest. Despite Geonho’s massage, Siwoo’s heart continued to pound.

Does he not trust me? Geonho’s confident smile faded slightly at the strong heartbeat.

“Geonho, you’ll handle this, right?”

Just then, Jihan approached the two. More monsters were pouring out from the ground. The espers facing them were barely holding on, waiting for the retreat order.

“It’s the guide’s first day, so let’s not show him too rough a sight.”

Jihan said he would take Siwoo to the tent. He thought this was enough for Siwoo to understand what the site was like. In fact, he hadn’t meant to scare him this much. Due to the unexpectedly tricky monsters that had emerged, he ended up surprising Siwoo more than intended.

“Are you not having trouble breathing?”

Geonho touched Siwoo’s forehead to check his temperature. Siwoo emitted radiant guiding with a pale face. It meant he was fine.

Although he was startled due to his lack of immunity to monsters, he was perfectly fine without a single injury. What wouldn’t be fine with an SS-class esper nearby? With the ever-relaxed Yoo Jihan by his side as well, his mind was much more at ease.

“I heard our capable leader got a barrier stone for the guide.”

Jihan smiled at Geonho, who was examining Siwoo thoroughly, and explained why Siwoo was breathing normally.

At this, Geonho, who had been quietly looking down at Siwoo, slightly moved his lips.

“That’s good.”

His voice sounded strangely subdued. Just as Siwoo looked up to face Geonho, Geonho removed his hand from Siwoo’s waist and lifted him into the air.

“Rest in the tent. Stop guiding for a while.”

Geonho pressed his lips deeply into Siwoo’s palm, pushing away the radiant guiding he was emitting. Siwoo, who had been comfortably nestled in his arms, instinctively reached out towards Geonho.

“I’ll finish this quickly and come back.”

Geonho, who had taken that hand, also kissed the back of Siwoo’s pale hand. He spoke as calmly as if saying he was going for a walk. Those monsters didn’t seem to be any threat to him at all.

“Call me right away if Yoo Jihan tries anything.”

Geonho was more worried about that than the monsters. Siwoo immediately nodded vigorously.

“Okay. Come right away if I call.”

Jihan, standing between the two, smiled wryly with an aggrieved expression and disappeared with Siwoo.

“…”

Geonho, who had rolled his eyes as if searching for the vanished Siwoo, erased his smile. He looked around the gate site he had set foot in after a long time with cold eyes.

The ear-piercing noise and the monster corpses littering the ground were still the same. Geonho filled his lungs with the dirty air and turned his head left and right to loosen his stiff muscles.

“Everyone out.”

At his short command, the espers stopped their attacks and retreated as if they had been waiting for it. Everyone knew that staying would only get in Geonho’s way.

* * *

The Baekya Guild’s tent was located in a safe place a little distance from the gate. Siwoo looked surprised at the quite large size of the tent.

“Is this where we rest?”

“Yeah, it’s a space just for us, so use it comfortably.”

The tent where Kang Taebeom had been was much smaller and shabbier than this. When he heard they were going to a tent, he naturally thought they would be taken to a place like that.

“You’re here?”

Before Jihan could open the door, Seojun, who had arrived first, opened it.

“Is it clean inside?”

“Yes, there was nothing to clean up.”

Jihan boasted that he had cleaned up in advance. And not just cleaning. In fact, he had even brought in new furniture and decorated the interior of the tent. Thinking that Siwoo might come, he couldn’t just sit still.

“How is it? Is it okay?”

He showed the interior of the tent, expecting Siwoo’s reaction. He had matched even the furniture tone to be as similar to the dormitory as possible. It was okay if Siwoo didn’t appreciate his subtle thoughtfulness, he just hoped Siwoo would like it. Though it would be better if he did appreciate it.

“If you need anything, just say so. I even changed the refrigerator to a bigger one.”

“There’s even a refrigerator?”

“Of course. You can even cook.”

Fortunately, judging by Siwoo’s expression, it seemed to pass. Siwoo looked around the spacious tent interior with curious eyes. It felt strangely familiar, like the dormitory, so it wasn’t unfamiliar. Honestly, he quite liked it.

The bed Kang Taebeom used was narrow and hard. But here, it looked wide and soft enough for everyone to lie down together. There was even a sofa.

It really is different. Even though he tried not to, he couldn’t help comparing it to the shabby tent where the leader had been.

“You can stay here for the time being.”

“Are there others besides this one?”

“Many. We have one tent in each area we’re in charge of.”

Jihan said this was the largest among the tents they used.

“But the environment is similar. It shouldn’t be uncomfortable for the guide to use.”

“But why…”

Siwoo trailed off, scratching his cheek. He was curious why Kang Taebeom was resting in such a place when there were so many good rest areas like this.

But if he brought this up, Yoo Jihan would probably persistently ask what he did with Kang Taebeom in the tent. He was the type to say even more than that.

“Our leader only uses temporary tents. He hardly ever uses Baekya’s exclusive spaces.”

Jihan, with his ghost-like perceptiveness, answered as if he had heard the unasked question.

“Why?”

“Who knows. I guess that’s more comfortable for him.”

“The temporary tent was really small. The furniture was old too.”

Siwoo muttered with a face that showed he didn’t understand. At this, Jihan shrugged and smiled.

“I’d like to know the reason for that too.”

Taebeom always lived separately from the guild members. He didn’t share lodgings and moved independently even at the site. The guild members, used to his ways, didn’t even question it.

“Seojun, you stay with the guide.”

Jihan left Siwoo with Seojun and prepared to leave. It was time to get back to work after playing around this much.

“I’ll patrol the area and come back. Call me anytime if you’re bored.”

He was about to teleport while waving at Siwoo. Before that, Siwoo suddenly grabbed his collar. He hadn’t done anything wrong this time.

“Come back without getting hurt.”

Siwoo, who had pulled Jihan’s collar, bumped his lips against his forehead. He gave him a kiss without even being asked.

Then he quickly pushed Jihan away and gestured for him to go.

Jihan made a stupid face for a moment, then burst into a pleased laugh. Then he teleported with the happiest expression in the world.

Seeing Jihan leave with such a bright smile, Siwoo couldn’t help but smile too. Why was he smiling so foolishly?

“What. What is it?”

As he shook his head, his eyes met with the maknae who was staring at him. He was intensely looking at Siwoo with a face like he had bitten into a rag.

“Don’t discriminate.”

“What?”

Seojun approached Siwoo, leaned forward, and thrust out his forehead.

“Don’t play favorites, I said.”