Churu for the Angry Guide Side Story 19

Side Story 19

Upon returning to the waiting room, Jihan and Seojun greeted Siwoo with faces full of anticipation.

“Wow.”

“Whoa…”

The two rose from the sofa with their mouths wide open. They had the expressions of grooms seeing their brides in wedding dresses.

“This won’t do. Let’s cancel the interview. Let’s go back to the dormitory.”

“That’s right. How can we broadcast this?”

Siwoo completely ignored their exaggerated reactions and asked Jihan to tie his tie.

Jihan deliberately tied the tie slowly. With each movement of his hands, he showered Siwoo with all kinds of compliments. Siwoo was tempted to yank his noisy tongue but restrained himself.

“We’ll now move to the set!”

The coordinator knocked and announced loudly from outside the door. However, since the leader hadn’t arrived yet, the Baekya Guild remained seated.

“Should I contact the leader?”

“No. He’ll come.”

Before Jihan could finish speaking, Taebeom appeared with his teleport esper. As expected, he was never late.

“Leader, they say it’s time to move.”

“Go ahead.”

Taebeom signaled to Siwoo with his eyes, indicating he had something to say. The guild members immediately rose and followed Taebeom’s order.

“Did you come from work?”

Siwoo approached Taebeom and asked. The energy of a gate could be felt very slightly, as if he had just visited a site. Take a break on a day like today.

Taebeom nodded and gazed at Siwoo deliberately. His black eyes slowly scanned from the top of Siwoo’s head to his toes. Blinking at the caressing gaze, Siwoo needlessly cleared his throat.

“You look pretty.”

“…Leader looks pretty too.”

Siwoo also looked Taebeom up and down as he complimented him. In fact, his appearance was so perfect that “pretty” couldn’t adequately describe it.

From Taebeom and Geonho to Jihan and the youngest—each one looked exceptionally handsome. He held back from starting compliments, feeling his mouth might hurt if he did.

“It won’t take long. It’ll be over soon.”

Siwoo just nodded while continuing to admire Taebeom’s face.

“If you want to stop in the middle, just say so.”

Taebeom took out his phone and showed Siwoo a photo. He had personally taken it when stopping by the dormitory on his way back from the site.

It was a photo of Siho sleeping on Siwoo’s bed.

The kitten’s name eventually became Siho. It was a gift of gratitude to Geonho, who had carefully chosen Siwoo’s name in the past.

The secretary’s hand making a V sign could be seen in the corner of the photo of sleeping Siho. He was staying at the dormitory to look after Siho.

“They’ll only ask prepared questions, and you just need to give the answers you’ve prepared.”

Siwoo, smiling broadly at the photo, said he understood. Seeing Siho sleeping peacefully made him feel a bit more at ease.

“Let’s go now.”

Siwoo, holding Taebeom’s hand, spoke with determination. Taebeom looked at Siwoo for a moment, then tried to kiss his cheek.

“No. It’ll ruin my makeup.”

Siwoo mumbled softly as he turned his head. As if he had thick makeup that would be smudged.

Taebeom, lowering his head as much as Siwoo avoided, kissed his lips instead of his cheek.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Siwoo twitched his lips and quickly left the waiting room.

He wanted to be with everyone as soon as possible. His footsteps toward where his espers were waiting were exceptionally light.

* * *

<Today, for our year-end special, we have a precious guest who is like a gift.>

Go Doyeon, who scratched his pitch-black cheek with the remote control, yawned lazily. His purple eyes were fixed somewhere in the air rather than on the TV.

Because all the lights were turned off, it was hard to discern what space he was lying in. Expensive alcohol and snacks were scattered wherever his hands reached. He looked like an exemplary idle rich man.

“Huh, what’s this?”

He paused after almost changing the channel, thinking he had heard a familiar name. He suddenly sat up, turning his attention to the TV belatedly.

Go Doyeon repeatedly confirmed that it wasn’t a news channel and tilted his head.

“What kind of interview.”

It was surprising enough to see an esper on TV, but to do an interview typically done by celebrities? It’s something to see after living a long life.

“Well, well, they even put on makeup.”

He moved closer to the TV to look at it in detail. His long tail wagged slowly. Though he spoke as if grumbling, his face was smiling. As if he was glad to see them.

<You’re Guide Han Siwoo, right? As expected, your appearance is really outstanding.>

“Of course. He’s a cat beastkin.”

Go Doyeon raised his chin as if he was the one being complimented. Even among cat beastkin, this level of appearance was rare. The clothes were really complemented by his face.

The MC conducted the interview in a comfortable atmosphere. He seemed to be asking casual questions deliberately to ease the tension.

“…Why isn’t he answering?”

Go Doyeon raised the volume and carefully watched Siwoo, who was just moving his lips. Jihan and Geonho, sitting on either side of him, opened their mouths as if to answer for him. But before they could, Siwoo spoke first.

Blink. Go Doyeon almost changed the channel at Siwoo’s irrelevant answer. He wondered what he had just heard. Moreover, the textbook-like tone was even more shocking.

What? Is he doing this on purpose? Is he protesting because he was forced to do the interview?

The momentary silence was smoothly broken by Jihan’s laughter. The MC also naturally laughed along, leading the bright atmosphere.

Jihan agreed and fluently praised Siwoo. He was so smooth-tongued. He refreshed the atmosphere so cheerfully that Siwoo’s mistake due to nervousness was covered up.

No matter what that guy does, he’d live well. Go Doyeon resumed a comfortable position and stared at the screen.

When the camera switched from a close-up of Jihan to a full shot, Geonho could be seen giving water to Siwoo.

“Tsk.”

He’s really nervous. How can he speak properly like that?

His pitch-black tail mercilessly struck the floor. Tap! Tap! His displeased mood was evident from his forceful tail and perked-up ears.

Fortunately, the MC tactfully waited for Siwoo’s tension to ease while asking questions to the other guild members. Mainly Jihan and Seojun answered, while Geonho only expressed himself with nods and brief words occasionally.

The MC didn’t seem surprised at all, as if he had already been informed about Geonho’s personality. The skilled MC only asked the agreed-upon questions while adding appropriate interjections.

Even to sensitive Go Doyeon’s ears, there were no uncomfortable topics or expressions at all. Even though questions about beastkin characteristics might have come up, they weren’t mentioned at all. Something like “I heard cat beastkin are prickly” might have been asked.

Rather than the MC having good manners, it seemed they had agreed in advance.

Because people wouldn’t be favorable to cat beastkin. Especially for one who stands out like that.

Go Doyeon stared at Siwoo’s brilliant face and noticeable snow-white hair that occasionally appeared on the screen.

Just as he was absently scratching his black skin, he burst into laughter when the camera showed Taebeom sitting at the end of the sofa.

“He looks good on screen.”

The MC, reading the viewers’ minds like a ghost, highly complimented Taebeom’s appearance. Though he had already praised him countless times during the opening, it wasn’t enough no matter how many times. All viewers would feel the same.

Seojun, agreeing with Jihan, nodded and smiled slightly. The MC couldn’t deny it either. Taebeom and Geonho were very handsome, but they also had strong impressions and were incredibly intimidating.

At that moment, Siwoo, seizing the opportunity, gathered courage and said a word. He seemed to have forgotten that he had already said this.

Jihan gently patted the back of Siwoo’s hand, and Geonho smiled and held Siwoo’s other hand. That affectionate scene was broadcast exactly as it happened. Thanks to this, Geonho looked less scary. Siwoo’s purpose was achieved.

The MC smoothly continued. Now it was Taebeom’s turn to be questioned.

After having a somewhat serious conversation asking about the Baekya Guild’s future plans, he moved on to a light question about Geonho.

Although it was a prepared question, Taebeom hadn’t written down his answer. Therefore, it was content the guild members were hearing for the first time.

Siwoo glanced at Geonho and tightened his grip on Geonho’s hand. Geonho couldn’t look at his brother and only kept his eyes on his hand connected with Siwoo’s.

Taebeom also looked only at the MC, not at Geonho. After a brief silence, his voice resonated even more quietly and solemnly.

The camera showed Geonho slightly bowing his head instead of Taebeom, whose expression hadn’t changed.

The smile that had crept onto his lips was captured on screen. It was like watching a scene from a noir film.

“Funny.”

Go Doyeon lay back down, making a deflated laughing sound.

Looks nice.

Too nice to watch, it hurt his eyes. Go Doyeon smiled contentedly as he carelessly waved the remote control.

“Live like this from now on. For a long, long time.”

The Baekya Guild deserved to be happy. It was a peace they had protected. May they enjoy it to the fullest.

“Finally, I have a question for Guide Han Siwoo.”

The MC was wrapping up the interview. Siwoo straightened his back, thinking the expected moment had come. He already knew what question would be asked.

“It’s a cliché question, but it can’t be skipped.”

Yes, bring it on!

“What is the Baekya Guild to Guide Han Siwoo?”

Siwoo, who had taken a long breath, calmly opened his mouth. Because it contained too many meanings to express in one sentence, he compressed it into the most weighty word.

“The Baekya Guild is family to me.”

It was the first family he had ever had. That’s why it was more precious. Even if it was a common answer, it was the best answer for Siwoo.

“If I hadn’t met the Baekya Guild, I would still be wandering around without settling down.”

Siwoo continued speaking articulately while suppressing his trembling voice.

“Thanks to them, I’m happy every day, and I’ve come to feel that I’m an existence worth living.”

Up to this point, the Baekya Guild also knew the content. They had read the content Siwoo had revised countless times over and over again.

“I will make you just as happy. Because we’re family.”

The espers’ gazes, which had been happily attentive, converged on the white face. Although all the answers written on the interview question sheet were finished, Siwoo seemed to have more to say.

Siwoo made eye contact with each of the espers watching him. And finally, looking at the camera, he proclaimed his determination. There was only one definite way to make espers happy.

“I will imprint with everyone. Without exception, with all of them.”

The word that Taebeom had absolutely forbidden to mention came from Siwoo’s red lips.

“So don’t worry. I will protect them all. The Baekya Guild will protect you.”

The atmosphere of the filming set heated up at Siwoo’s bold declaration. The MC asked again to confirm, while keeping an eye on Taebeom.

Jihan couldn’t hide his happy expression, Seojun reddened his eyes as if moved, and Geonho accidentally lifted the sofa they were sitting on about 3 centimeters into the air.

Taebeom just smiled. Though no one noticed.

“And thank you for supporting the Baekya Guild.”

He really wanted to convey this feeling too. He was truly, truly grateful to those who liked the beings he cherished. This feeling, too, was something he had come to know thanks to meeting the Baekya Guild.

He couldn’t express how grateful he was. Having lived a life full of criticism, even small compliments and encouragement left a deep impression. It was frustrating that his grateful heart couldn’t all be contained in the small screen. He hoped someone would understand.

Exactly one year after that, Siwoo kept the promise he had made.

Siwoo, connected to everyone, was satisfied, and although with a slight side effect of becoming a bit more irritable, there was no problem at all.

For there were plenty of people to accept his anger and Churu to improve his mood.

<End of Side Stories>