Regretting it now was pointless—it was already the past. Since I’d regressed, I could just form new relationships from now on. And I was already receiving more than enough extremely personal contact from Yang Garam.
“Thanks, Garam. I was worried since my battery died, so this is great.”
Since I couldn’t tell Yang Garam the truth about my situation, I smiled and patted his head. Taking the opportunity, I immediately found an outlet, plugged in the charger, and connected my phone.
After confirming the battery charging indicator appeared on the black screen, I lifted my head and met eyes with Yang Garam, who was staring intently at me. Just making eye contact with me seemed to please him, as a pure 100% bright white smile hung on his lips. Seeing him fold his affectionate eyes into crescents with a gentle eye-smile made my face heat up for no reason. Before the atmosphere could get strange, I hurriedly opened my mouth.
“Where is everyone?”
Darkness instantly cast over Yang Garam’s smiling face.
“I’m here—are you curious about other people?”
“No, it’s not like we’ll stay here forever. We have to go home.”
The thought briefly crossed my mind: why am I making excuses over something like this? But looking at Yang Garam’s eyes that seemed to drip with hurt, any words just came tumbling out of my mouth.
“I really missed home yesterday. Especially you, Garam—I told you we’d see each other at home, and then that happened, so I kept thinking about you……”
I should have gotten a reaction by now, but it was too quiet, so I lifted my gaze from the floor. Yang Garam, his face completely red, was looking at me while covering his mouth. His eyes, as hot as his flushed face, brimmed with emotion. His expression changing moment by moment at my every word was, in a sense, marvelous.
“I thought you only missed me.”
Yang Garam murmured with a face genuinely happy. His breathing, rougher than before, the heated air—the atmosphere was flowing strangely. It didn’t seem like mere imagination that Yang Garam’s seated position was gradually getting closer to me, so I hastily looked around.
“Ah, my phone turned on.”
Naturally avoiding Yang Garam’s outstretched hand, I lunged toward my phone. Fortunately, it was a model that automatically turned on when charged. When I unlocked the phone that didn’t even have a password, piled-up messages and missed calls came flooding up.
‘What the—why are there so many contacts?’
Though 70% of them were from Yang Garam, there were occasional contacts from Jeong Seyeon and Do Wonjin mixed in, and various ones from unknown numbers, Jo Hail, and even the Center Director. I was about to roughly skim the missed calls and open the message inbox when Yang Garam hugged me from behind.
“Garam?”
“Is it urgent?”
“No, it’s not. Ahahaha, that tickles.”
As he buried his nose in the nape of my neck and rubbed his head, his soft, slightly curly hair stimulated the delicate skin behind my ears and around my neck. I was already quite ticklish, so with him acting like this, I had no way to endure it.
“You said you missed me too, hyung. Then you should look at me—why are you only looking at your phone?”
“Ah, seriously, Yang Garam.”
Unable to check my messages, I had no choice but to put down my phone. I pushed away Yang Garam’s clinging head and turned around.
“There, happy now?”
I was dumbfounded seeing Yang Garam jealous of a phone of all things, but his eyes looking solely at me were quite magnificent, so laughter escaped me without realizing it. Roughly peeling off Yang Garam’s long limbs clinging like a leech, I asked.
“What should I do for you? Tell me what you want to do, Garam.”
Thinking he might let go if I played with him as he wanted, I asked, and Yang Garam’s eyes widened.
“If I tell you, you’ll do anything?”
“Maybe not everything, but I’ll do it if I can.”
Yang Garam smiled sweetly at my words and thrust his face toward me.
“Then right now……”
*Bzzzz.*
Just then, the phone vibrated loudly. Yang Garam said something, but it was buried by that sound and I couldn’t hear properly.
“Sorry, let me just check my phone for a second.”
Pushing Yang Garam’s shoulder to escape from his embrace, I picked up the phone that kept ringing.
[Jo Hail]
After the contract with Do Wonjin, this was the first time he’d contacted me.
“Hello?”
—Hello, this is Jo Hail from the Guide Professional Matching Division. Are you available to talk?
“Yes, what is it about?”
Since Yang Garam was looking at me with a face curious about the call, I patted his head to tell him to wait quietly.
—I also sent you a text, but tomorrow is the ability evaluation day designated by the nation. Originally, Espers and Guides under contract don’t need to be tested separately, but when one Esper has temporary contracts with multiple Guides, partners are often changed midway, so we recommend taking the test if possible.
Before making an exclusive Guide contract with Joo Seolhyeon, I’d taken the test on ability evaluation day once a year. The grade, which could be called the measure of one’s ability, was re-evaluated on this day, and the wavelength emitted when using abilities was also updated through re-examination. After making the exclusive Guide contract with Joo Seolhyeon, I could take it but it wasn’t mandatory, so I hadn’t paid attention—hearing about it again like this was refreshing.
“Of course I should take it then.”
—Then I need to schedule your test appointment. How about 4 PM?
Jo Hail, who seemed to have made many such calls, quickly got to the point in a businesslike tone.
“That should be fine. Do I need to accompany the Guide?”
—The Guides were contacted separately, so you don’t need to worry about that. If you want to take the test together at the same time, just let us know by text before you come. Is there anything else you’re curious about?
Suddenly, the memory of the Center Director I’d secretly eavesdropped on at Quardo Island flashed through my mind. At the time, I’d thought it wasn’t related to me, and even now that thought hadn’t changed, but with an uneasy feeling, I impulsively opened my mouth.
“Can I also recheck the matching rate?”
The energies of Guides and Espers each have their own unique wavelengths engraved in them. Usually they don’t change easily, but I’d heard there are occasional cases where they change during the process of exchanging Guiding. Since the matching rate itself was a figure showing what percentage those wavelengths matched, if they conducted a wavelength test, checking the matching rate wouldn’t be too difficult.
—Yes, of course that’s possible. If you’d like, we’ll add the matching rate to your test results and send them to you.
As expected, a ready answer came back.
“Yes, thank you.”
—Do you have any other questions?
“No, I don’t.”
—Then I’ll send you a text with the time, location, and access number.
After ending the call with Jo Hail, I let out a sigh. It was just a test that happened once a year as a formality, but perhaps because it was an unexpectedly scheduled appointment, I felt a bit tired.
“Hyung, are you going for the test tomorrow at 4?”
Whether he’d heard the conversation or inferred it from what I’d said, I didn’t know, but Yang Garam asked while leaning his body toward me. I withdrew my hand that had been patting Yang Garam’s head and nodded.
“Yeah. I have to. What time did you make your appointment, Garam?”
Yang Garam grabbed the hand I’d withdrawn and placed it on top of his head. He also sent me looks asking me to keep patting him.
“I’m at 4 too, hyung.”
Yang Garam said with a pleased smile, eyes lowered, as if he liked me patting him.
‘Hmm, something’s strange.’
The test took at most 10-15 minutes. Since they didn’t only see one person per time slot, appointments could be scheduled for the same time. But the timing Yang Garam mentioned was too perfectly coincidental, so I furrowed my brows.
“You’re not lying, really?”
“Hyung, don’t you trust me?”
Yang Garam looked up at me with hurt eyes, sulking. My heart dropped.
“No, it’s not that……”
“Or is it because I’m at the same time as you, hyung? You don’t want to go to the test with me?”
Though brief, the price for doubting Yang Garam was harsh. I broke into a cold sweat, coaxing and soothing Yang Garam whose face was scrunched up as if about to cry.
“What are you talking about? Why would I not want to? I’d rather like it—I won’t be bored on the way there.”
Yang Garam, satisfied with my answer, immediately smiled like sunshine and pulled me into a hug.
“I like it too, hyung.”
Relieved that his mood seemed to have improved, Yang Garam’s hand again sneakily crept between the gaps in my clothes. It seemed like he was trying to Guide me, gently releasing his energy, and just as I was about to get a bit troubled, the door burst open and Do Wonjin barged in.
He’d entered cheerfully, but upon discovering Yang Garam trying to not just hug but knock me over, his face crumpled.
“Yang Garam. What are you doing bothering hyung?”
Do Wonjin, who’d instantly grabbed Yang Garam by the scruff and pulled him away from me, swept his hair back and sighed.
“This is why I can’t take my eyes off you for a second, Jeongjae.”
From my perspective, Yang Garam and Do Wonjin were six of one, half a dozen of the other.
“I guess you don’t think you’re the one interrupting, hyung?”
Yang Garam glared at Do Wonjin as if looking at a mortal enemy and spoke, while Do Wonjin picked his ear with his pinky finger, muttering ‘where’s that dog barking from?’
“Oh right, we should leave soon. Se-eun is waiting in the yard.”
Even while Yang Garam was timing his anger, Do Wonjin’s action of smiling at me and extending his hand was very much like him.
“Alright, let’s go.”
Grasping Do Wonjin’s extended hand, I stood up. It was finally time to really return to our home.
I was so happy to return home after just one day that I almost cried, but I barely held back, conscious of the many eyes watching me. As soon as I entered my room, I washed up and flopped onto the bed. I’d thought we moved right away after eating breakfast, but the sun was already at its zenith.
“Serubi, I’m curious about something.”
Lying on the bed, I just turned my head to the side. Serubi, leaning against my pillow, perked up both ears as if asking what.
“About coming to Seyeon hyung’s house. You came because you were worried about me too, right?”
Since Joo Seolhyeon wasn’t the type to say he’d go see me first, I asked half-convinced, and Serubi, who had been lying down, got up and sat facing me.
[No. I already knew you were fine.]
Lifting a front paw and placing it on my cheek with a thud, Serubi smiled arrogantly.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
