Chapter 37
“Uh.uh.”
His face burned up.
He didn’t know why. It was just incredibly embarrassing that Dowoon had been staring at him with those eyes.
But Dowoon found Seoyul’s reaction amusing and burst into laughter.
“Haha. Oh really. You’re so cute I could die.”
“Wh-what?”
“Nothing. I won’t disturb you, so study.”
“Oh. Okay.”
Dowoon finally withdrew his hand but ruffled Seoyul’s hair as he did so. His large hand swept through Seoyul’s hair, then grabbed a handful and pressed down playfully. That touch made even his heart feel ticklish.
“Let me know if there’s anything you don’t understand. I’ll explain it to you.”
“Okay.”
Seoyul lowered his head again, trying hard to concentrate.
But that day, until the study session ended, he couldn’t focus at all.
* * *
Anyway, Dowoon and Seoyul’s study sessions seemed to be proceeding smoothly.
Dowoon, in particular, was quite satisfied. He could show off his coolness to Seoyul, and his efforts to make Seoyul conscious of him were also going fairly well.
So Dowoon had yet to realize that these study sessions had a major drawback.
He painfully realized this fact on the day marking one month since they began studying together.
With the Association’s entrance exam approaching, Seoyul was pouring all his time into studying except when he was Guiding.
So lately, perhaps because it was a bit strenuous, he would occasionally nod off.
‘Ah, so cute.’
Dowoon sat across from him, contentedly watching Seoyul as his head bobbed with drowsiness, his face relaxed. Secretly observing Seoyul like this was quite fun and interesting.
Seoyul concentrating.
Seoyul frowning.
Seoyul delighted.
Seoyul drowsy.
Seoyul fighting sleep.
Being able to observe him leisurely like this was enough to consider this plan a success.
‘Oh? He’s falling.’
Dowoon quickly supported Seoyul’s head as it was about to drop from nodding off. Seoyul was quite tired, it seemed, as he didn’t wake up and remained asleep, entrusting his head to Dowoon’s hand.
Dowoon carefully lowered his head onto the desk and moved to the seat beside him. Then, like Seoyul, he laid his head on the desk and gazed at him.
‘His eyelashes are so long.’
The neat eyelashes beneath his gently closed eyelids particularly caught his attention. Dowoon blinked and then carefully brushed over the eyelid.
Perhaps tickled by the touch, the eyelashes fluttered slightly. Thinking he might wake up, Dowoon hesitated, freezing in place for a moment.
But Seoyul didn’t wake up.
‘He must be really tired.’
Dowoon smiled fondly, finding Seoyul’s diligent studying admirable and beautiful.
‘Maybe just a little more… touching would be okay?’
This much should be fine. If Seoyul knew how much he was holding back, he’d surely say it was okay.
Dowoon reassured himself and reached out his hand.
This time, he lightly touched the cute nostril located below the eyes. The soft sensation transmitted through his fingertip made his heart tremble.
How could even his nose be so adorable?
Dowoon was increasingly captivated by Seoyul. He gently caressed the bridge of his nose and slowly moved his finger downward. Then, he was faced with a full view of the red lips.
Gentle breaths escaped through the slightly parted lips. That breath touching his finger made his fingertips tingle.
Dowoon stared blankly at the sight and lightly touched Seoyul’s upper lip.
Tap.
‘Ah…’
Dowoon inwardly let out a small exclamation. He had always thought the lips looked very red and soft, but the feeling was beyond his imagination.
It was like touching cotton candy that tickled his fingertips. Fearing that it might crumble if he grasped it with his hand, or that it might melt and disappear, he cautiously stroked the lips.
‘….’
It was too soft. Dowoon exhaled a quiet sigh and focused on Seoyul. With his gaze fixed blankly between the lips, he lightly touched the lower lip.
The soft lip fully pressed against his fingertip.
Thump.
Thump.
From that moment, Dowoon’s heart began to beat loudly. Only Seoyul’s breathing and Dowoon’s heartbeat echoed through the quiet room.
Gulp.
His mouth filled with saliva. He couldn’t take his eyes off the red, luscious lips. In Dowoon’s mind, his greed was growing larger.
Since he was asleep, wouldn’t it be okay? After holding back so much, didn’t he deserve a small reward?
His greed grew and transformed into desire. The sound of his pounding heart was so loud that even his fingertips seemed to tingle.
“…”
Dowoon held his breath deeply and slowly approached. Carefully pressing and parting the lower lip, he approached while trying to suppress his heart that felt like it would burst.
Seoyul’s breath touched the lips that had come as close as a sheet of paper.
At that moment.
‘W-wait!’
His face heated up as if it would explode. He suddenly came to his senses. What was he trying to do?
He hurriedly moved away from Seoyul and raised his head.
“Mmm. Esper-nim?”
Seoyul’s sleepy voice was heard. Dowoon quickly raised his creaking body and said to Seoyul.
“Ahem. Se-Seoyul. Since you’re tired, let’s stop for today and go to sleep.”
Although he tried to steady his voice, his shocked state caused it to crack and come out squeaky. He worried that Seoyul might have noticed his condition. He wanted to check, but he couldn’t muster the courage.
It was obvious that his face would look terrible.
“Ah… slee-sleepy. Sleepy. Good night.”
Dowoon rushed into his room with a clatter.
From behind, he heard Seoyul, still drowsy, murmuring, “Good night.”
Hearing that voice made the reality of what he had almost done hit him like a wave.
‘I’m crazy. Cha Dowoon, you’re crazy.’
Dowoon sat down in front of the door and quietly touched his lips that had been about to meet Seoyul’s.
It still felt as if he could feel his breath. If he had come to his senses just a bit later, he would have kissed him.
‘Without consent…’
And the person in question was Seoyul. When he should be treating him more preciously, what was he about to do? For the first time, Dowoon realized that these study sessions were quite dangerous.
If he let go of the reins even slightly, he didn’t know what his lustful self would do to Seoyul.
“Haah.”
Dowoon let out a complicated sigh with his face buried between his knees.
* * *
‘Hmm?’
Seoyul realized that Dowoon had been acting strange lately. If asked what was strange, he couldn’t pinpoint it exactly, but it was somewhat…
‘He’s being… awkward?’
Dowoon had always been a person full of confidence and boldness. But lately, he would be startled when their eyes met, or he would stiffen more often during Guiding.
‘Is it because I haven’t been attentive enough?’
It was a plausible guess. Lately, he had been so focused on studying that even though he was Guiding, he wasn’t as focused as before.
To be precise, the area of contact with Dowoon was different. In the past, he often Guided while being held by Dowoon, but now, most of the time, he only held his hand while Guiding.
This happened because the last time they held hands, he had felt an unusually strange feeling. If just holding hands made him feel that way, he hesitated, fearing that increasing the area of contact would make him feel even stranger.
Plus, Dowoon, perhaps being considerate, didn’t ask for more. So, while he was inwardly relieved, the situation had grown bigger like this.
‘Indeed. I shouldn’t have been like that.’
He was studying to become a skilled professional Guide, so his actions should also be professional.
Seoyul clenched his fist tightly and steeled his resolve, telling himself that this was just another mountain to climb.
“Esper-nim.”
“Uh… Yeah?”
Dowoon, who had been somewhere in a daze, looked at Seoyul with a startled expression.
“I wanted to take a break today.”
“Uh. Huh? Really? Shall we stop for today then?”
Seoyul nodded and indirectly conveyed his thoughts.
“So, about that. There’s… a place I wanted to visit…”
“A place you wanted to visit?”
S-rank Guiding is released when one feels happy. Even now, he could provide energy by imagining happiness, but it couldn’t match the state of genuine happiness.
So Seoyul wanted to go to a place he had been wanting to visit with Dowoon, also to clear his mind.
“Yes. I think my head hurts because I’ve been studying too much. I thought it might be good to empty it a bit.”
Dowoon couldn’t refuse Seoyul, who was suggesting with sparkling eyes. So, without even asking where he wanted to go, he nodded.
“Okay. Let’s go out then.”
“Yes! I’ll get ready and come out.”
Seoyul disappeared into the room with a bright smile on his happy face.
Only after he disappeared could Dowoon get up with relief.
‘I almost lost my mind again.’
Studying with Seoyul was the very embodiment of endurance and patience. Once he became conscious of it, his ears only heard Seoyul’s breathing, his eyes only saw his lips, and his fingers only remembered the touch from that time, tormenting him.
Especially when Seoyul nodded off like that time and fell asleep, his body would stiffen.
What was more troublesome was when Seoyul couldn’t wake up even if roused. If left as is, fearing his body might get sore, Dowoon had to move him directly. Each time he laid him on the bed, he had to struggle to restrain himself from pouncing on him.
If it weren’t for the sturdy body of an Esper, his thighs would have been so bruised that it would have been difficult to walk.
“Haah…”
Dowoon let out a long sigh and opened the door to his room.
‘By the way… a place he wants to visit, where could it be?’
Since Seoyul rarely made such suggestions first, Dowoon couldn’t even guess where it might be.
Dowoon opened the closet, put on his all-black outerwear, and came out.
“Esper-nim!”
When he came out, Seoyul was already waiting for him. Dowoon looked Seoyul up and down. He was wearing a thin white t-shirt and beige shorts.
Dowoon naturally frowned.
“Esper-nim?”
When Seoyul tilted his head, not understanding why, Dowoon wordlessly went into the room and came out with a black cardigan. He handed it to Seoyul and said.
“Wear this. Even though it’s like this, it gets a bit chilly in the evening.”
Seoyul realized that he hadn’t brought a coat because he was in a hurry to come out. During the day, it was fine to wear thin clothes, but the evenings were quite cool.
Seoyul loved this thoughtful consideration from Dowoon. It meant he was worried about him.
“Okay.”
He happily received the clothes and slipped his arms into the cardigan. Then, different exclamations escaped from Dowoon and Seoyul’s mouths.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
