The Timing of Escape (2)
Sa Hae-geon, who had been waiting for my answer with eyes that seemed to have lost all reason, quietly apologized and rested his forehead on my shoulder when I didn’t respond.
“I’m sorry, hyung.”
Every time Sa Hae-geon exhaled, hot breath touched my skin, making me shiver. I turned my body sideways and pushed Sa Hae-geon away. For a moment, it felt like Sa Hae-geon’s arm around my waist tightened, but he soon let me go without resistance.
As soon as I was free from his firm embrace, I scolded Sa Hae-geon.
“Why are you sniffing other people like that…? Are you a dog? Or a cat?”
“I just like your scent, so I did it without thinking. I’m sorry.”
“No, well… you don’t need to apologize twice.”
“Okay. I’ll do that from now on.”
Instead of mentioning “from now on,” shouldn’t he be thinking about being careful not to create situations that require apologies in the future? While I sighed deeply, Sa Hae-geon just blinked and sat there docilely. Why did he have to choose me with such a well-crafted face… Remembering the fact I had momentarily forgotten made me feel awkward again.
But what’s important now isn’t Sa Hae-geon’s apology or the fact that he likes me. Wasn’t there a thought that filled my mind the moment I met Sa Hae-geon’s half-turned eyes? It was this confinement life, and the strong sense of crisis I felt towards Sa Hae-geon. Although I occasionally had impulses to escape, they quickly subsided due to the satisfactory confinement environment.
However, this time was different. A variable had arisen that could greatly disrupt my confinement life. I tried to ignore Sa Hae-geon’s feelings towards me, but there was no way I could continue a peaceful life while maintaining distance from someone who looked at me with such persistent and irrational eyes as just now.
And above all, I was becoming increasingly curious about Sa Hae-geon as a person. It was a very bad sign. At this rate, it seemed like the confinement would never end. No, it seemed like I might not want this confinement to end.
I didn’t want Sa Hae-geon’s existence to grow any larger in my life. I didn’t want the distance between him and me to get any closer. For that to happen, either Sa Hae-geon needed to sort out his feelings or this confinement needed to end, and naturally, the latter, which I could directly achieve, had a greater possibility.
The easiest and simplest way to end the confinement was to escape. To break free from this fantastic confinement, from Sa Hae-geon’s domain. That was the conclusion I came to.
‘But how?’
Sa Hae-geon doesn’t go out, he’s always cooped up at home. He even didn’t blindfold me when he took me to the private training center. He’s someone who invests all his time in me, so is it even possible for me to escape safely in this situation?
Still, the other Espers who had kidnapped me often went out. Sa Hae-geon doesn’t give me any chance to be alone at home.
For a moment, I felt weak, but seeing Sa Hae-geon’s eyes glistening as he looked at me, I naturally clenched my fists.
‘…Don’t be weak. I have to do this, sink or swim.’
They say heaven helps those who help themselves, so surely an opportunity will come. I just need to seize that opportunity when it comes.
“Hyung, is the shackle… very uncomfortable?”
At Sa Hae-geon’s question, who had been silently watching me, I nodded without hesitation. What a stroke of luck! In the past, I might have casually said it was fine, but having decided to escape, his words sounded very welcome.
Sa Hae-geon seemed to ponder for a moment at my answer, then moved his lips.
“We can’t have you getting hurt… I’ll think about it.”
My heart was racing, but I tried to keep my expression neutral to avoid looking suspicious.
And exactly two days later, heaven gave me another opportunity. After lunch, as silence filled the house, a phone ring suddenly echoed. It seemed to be Sa Hae-geon’s cellphone. Sa Hae-geon, who had been focused on carving an apple into a rabbit shape, alternately looked at his room and me before speaking.
“…Just a moment, hyung.”
He put the knife down on the tray, got up, and walked into his room. Could it be an important call? Until now, I hadn’t heard even a message tone, let alone a phone ring. I sat on the sofa and perked up my ears towards his room.
Sa Hae-geon usually speaks in a quiet voice, and it seemed to be the same when he was on the phone. Even though I strained my ears and cupped my hand around my ear, moving it around, I couldn’t hear anything. But soon I had to quickly lower my hand as I sensed movement suggesting he was about to come out of the room.
Sa Hae-geon came out of the room with a gloomy expression and headed straight for the sofa, then buried his face in my right hand. I inadvertently inhaled at the touch of his body temperature on my palm. The tickling sensation rising from my skin made me feel strange.
“Why, why are you doing this?”
Despite my bewildered voice, Sa Hae-geon ignored it and rubbed his face against my palm. His long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings, tickling my palm.
“What… what are you doing?”
“Hyung, I need to visit my parents’ home this evening.”
My eyes widened at Sa Hae-geon’s grumbling. Parents’ home? He’s going to his parents’ home? Afraid that Sa Hae-geon, being an Esper, might hear, I tried to calm my quickening heartbeat by taking slow, deep breaths as I asked.
“Parents’ home? Why so suddenly?”
“My parents told me to come and get my wavelength checked.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes. I want to go with you, but… that’s not possible, right?”
“Yeah. I guess not.”
Sa Hae-geon sighed softly into my palm at my firm answer.
“But your numbers must have changed, how will you explain that?”
“I’m going to tell the truth.”
“…What?”
What on earth is he saying? Tell the truth about what? I looked down at Sa Hae-geon’s head, who was responding so nonchalantly and confidently that it was baffling. Perhaps sensing that I was looking at him with an Esper’s keen senses, Sa Hae-geon raised his head to meet my eyes and added:
“Of course, I won’t reveal that it’s you. I’m just going to say that I found a Guide who suits me and received Guiding. I’ll never mention you. So don’t worry.”
“Well, that’s a relief, but…”
As I responded while calming my startled heart, Sa Hae-geon laughed softly. Anyway, it was certain that a very precious opportunity had come. But there was one big problem that prevented me from being completely happy. Sa Hae-geon hadn’t made a decision about keeping the shackle yet. If he decides to keep the shackle, I’d have to deal with it myself… would that be possible?
The high-tech shackle, made from dungeon by-products, rings loudly even when I just approach the front door. Would it really not send any alerts when forcibly removed? Of course, if physical distance from Sa Hae-geon is secured, it might be a different story. It seemed good to check once.
“But why do you dislike it so much? It’s nice to see your parents after a long time. If your parents’ home is close, you could pop in and out quickly.”
The naive Sa Hae-geon quickly replied to my question.
“It’s not that close. It takes about two hours by car.”
“Two hours by car? That’s quite a distance, isn’t it?”
“It takes even longer if there’s traffic. So… hyung, can you eat dinner without me? I think I’ll be back quite late after visiting my parents.”
Sa Hae-geon said gloomily and sighed.
“I’m not a child… I can prepare and eat well on my own.”
“No. I didn’t mean for you to prepare it yourself. I’ll prepare it, so you just need to eat and leave everything as is. Understood?”
“Huh? Uh…”
“Then I’ll go prepare dinner now.”
Sa Hae-geon got up and strode towards the kitchen. I looked down at my palm where his body heat still lingered, then clenched my fist. Now that I knew it takes at least two hours just to get there, I could plan accordingly.
First, I need to deal with the shackle… I should probably ask casually before Sa Hae-geon leaves. I can ask nonchalantly without arousing his suspicion.
As I ate the rabbit-shaped apple that Sa Hae-geon had carefully carved while making plans, I found myself humming.
