A Small Boat on the Sea (10)
Without giving me time to calm my wildly beating heart, Sa Hae-geon began rubbing his face vigorously against the crown of my head. The static electricity made my hair quickly become disheveled. I was starting to wonder how much of his childish behavior I should tolerate, but for now, I decided not to show it.
After roughly fixing my hair, I patted the back of Sa Hae-geon, who was acting like a large dog that was extremely attached to people, and asked:
“We could just hold hands to do this, why did you get up and make yourself uncomfortable?”
“Because I want to have more contact with you, Hyung.”
“W-what?”
What did I just hear? I was dumbfounded. My cheeks flushed at the statement that could be interpreted in so many ways. Yet Sa Hae-geon, the very person who made the shocking remark, seemed completely unfazed.
He didn’t stop there and continued to make even stranger comments without hesitation.
“Hyung, is there no Guiding done with kisses?”
“…What did you say?”
“Or is it possible to do Guiding while kissing?”
Changing the sentence structure doesn’t change the meaning. I deliberately avoided looking at Sa Hae-geon’s eyes, which were sparkling with expectation, and answered:
“It’s possible, but I have no intention of doing it.”
At my firm response, Sa Hae-geon’s expression immediately soured. He asked as if he genuinely couldn’t understand:
“Why? Is it not efficient for Guiding?”
“Well, it’s not about efficiency, I just don’t want to do it. Even now, I prefer radial Guiding because I dislike unnecessary contact.”
“That’s… true.”
Sa Hae-geon responded in a dejected voice. Seeing him like that, I suddenly had a childish desire to tease him. Like an immature adult amusing a child, I was curious about Sa Hae-geon’s reaction if I said something strange. And above all, Sa Hae-geon was fun to tease.
“Yes. And would you be okay if I Guided other Espers that way too?”
I watched his reaction while saying something I didn’t mean. Sure enough, Sa Hae-geon’s body trembled as if he’d been hit with cold water. He asked in a voice tinged with betrayal, as if I couldn’t possibly say such a thing:
“What? How did the conversation turn that way?”
“What do you mean? You seemed to want that kind of Guiding, so I was just saying.”
In response to my answer, Sa Hae-geon hugged me tighter and whined like a child:
“That’s not it, I meant just me, not other Espers. I was asking you to Guide me like that, just me.”
“Why?”
Part of me was just teasing him by pursuing the issue, but there was also sincerity mixed in. Even though I somewhat knew why he was bringing this up, I kept wanting to hear it for no reason. At this point, I was confused about what I wanted to confirm myself.
“Because I want to be a special Esper to you, Hyung. …Can I be honest? To tell the truth, I’d rather be much more than a special Esper – I’d like to be a very special person to you. But since that can’t happen right away, I decided to start from being a special Esper.”
Sa Hae-geon offered an explanation that was much more sincere than I expected, and very calculated too. This was astonishing in a different way. So, Sa Hae-geon planned to gradually progress from being a special Esper to becoming a special person to me.
‘…What exactly would he gain by becoming special to me?’
I’m not the remarkable person Sa Hae-geon thinks I am, nor am I someone worthy of such attention.
“What’s so good about becoming a special person to me?”
“What’s good? Everything is good. It’s full of good things.”
“Good grief…”
By this point, I was starting to regret pursuing the subject. If I had known this awkward conversation would head in this direction, I would have just let it slide instead of teasing him.
“I’ll try harder. So please look at me fondly, Hyung.”
“When have I ever… looked at you with dislike? If I had, I wouldn’t be indulging your childish behavior.”
“Yes, I know. That’s why I like it even more.”
Sa Hae-geon, almost whispering in my ear, pulled my waist and embraced me tightly. Then he began touching my waist. The sensation of his large, cool hands moving around my lower back sent shivers up my spine.
“What are you doing?”
“What?”
“Why are you feeling around like that?”
“Just… suddenly it doesn’t feel real.”
“What doesn’t?”
“That not only am I working at the same place as you, but I’m also holding you like this in the Guiding room.”
“…”
“Of course I wished for it every day… but honestly, I didn’t think it would really be possible.”
“But I feel the same way. Did you think I expected to work with you?”
Sa Hae-geon burst into laughter and hugged me even more tightly. Even then, his hands didn’t stop touching around my waist.
“I like it, so, so much.”
“…Well. As long as you’re happy.”
Sa Hae-geon and I rested in the Guiding room for over thirty minutes before returning to the training ground. Hyung Jong-hyeok, who had been waiting for Sa Hae-geon to return, immediately took him back inside the training ground as soon as he saw him.
* * *
We had dinner at the Center and then returned home. Cream rushed out from the living room at the sound of the front door opening. The cat, whom I thought would be very angry, just meowed happily upon seeing us.
Seeing Cream’s pitiful yet affectionate appearance, all I could say was that I was sorry.
“Our Cream, did you have fun? Did you eat? Sorry we’re late.”
“Meow, meooow!”
Cream wandered back and forth between Sa Hae-geon’s legs and mine, occasionally gently bumping her head against us. At this affectionate behavior, I picked Cream up and buried my nose in her head.
As I breathed in Cream’s unique savory yet fluffy scent, it felt like the fatigue accumulated throughout the day was completely gone with the realization that I was finally home. Who would have thought that Sa Hae-geon’s house would feel as comfortable as my own home? I must have been staying here for quite a long time.
“Hyung, do you want some fruit?”
“Fruit? Oh, yes. Let’s eat. But not too much, just a moderate amount. Bring a reasonable portion. I’ll change my clothes and come out.”
“Okay. Take your time.”
Sa Hae-geon said this while taking off his coat and slipped into the kitchen. I also stroked Cream’s head a few more times, put her down, and headed to my bedroom. Cream followed right behind me, trotting along.
“What is it, Cream?”
“Meow!”
Having been separated for more than half a day, Cream was being especially clingy. Thinking it was better than her being angry, I responded with sincerity.
“Yes. Were you upset that Daddy came home so late?”
“Meow!”
“I’m sorry. Daddy missed our Cream too. Cream, what did you play with today?”
“Meow, meow!”
“Oh my, really?”
While I was changing clothes and chatting with Cream, Sa Hae-geon seemed to have finished preparing the fruit. I heard the sound of his door opening and closing slightly through the gap in my door. After gently patting Cream’s bottom, I washed my hands in the bathroom and headed to the sofa.
A bowl of neatly prepared fruit was placed on the coffee table. I’m pretty sure I had asked him to bring a moderate amount, but the quantity Sa Hae-geon had prepared was far from moderate. Just as I was looking at the bowl of fruit piled like a mountain with bewilderment and sitting on the sofa with Cream, Sa Hae-geon’s door opened.
“You came out quickly.”
“Yes. I just changed my clothes and came out. But why did you bring so much fruit? Can we eat all this today, just the two of us?”
“I was thinking of taking it to the Center tomorrow if we can’t finish it. It’s better to have leftovers than not enough.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes. Eat up, Hyung.”
“Okay, thanks.”
While eating a tangerine that Sa Hae-geon had already peeled, I asked:
“Today was your first day at work. How was it? Does it seem okay?”
“With you there, what’s there to worry about whether it’s okay or not?”
“Huh…? What does that mean? That’s not the kind of answer my question was looking for… I was just asking… how was the training? It was no joke from day one. Everyone was worried about you too.”
“What about you, Hyung?”
“Of course I worried too. I’m included in the ‘everyone’ I just mentioned.”
“I see.”
“Anyway… so how was the training?”
“It wasn’t bad. It was my first time wearing ability control devices during training so it was a bit uncomfortable, but it wasn’t as difficult as I thought.”
It took three attempts at asking how the training was before I could get a proper answer from him. But his comment about it being his first time wearing ability control devices during training sounded a bit strange. Wouldn’t people normally find the control devices themselves unfamiliar?
But Sa Hae-geon clearly answered as if he meant it was his first time wearing control devices ‘in a particular situation.’ I felt like I was missing something.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
