When something like this happens, what do people usually think?
Surely, they wouldn’t just brush it off as nothing, right? Isn’t it too big of an incident to just let it slide? It’s a big deal, right? If you think about it, it was… almost like a kiss. So, it’s a big deal, isn’t it?
“Damn it, I don’t know.”
The confusion was overwhelming. It seemed impossible to come to a conclusion on his own.
In this situation, he felt like he needed to talk to someone. However, no suitable person came to mind. Who could he even tell about this?
Kim Sol? If he told him, he’d probably get an earful. Kim Sol, with his sharp, almond-shaped eyes, would shake him and demand to know what exactly happened with Cha Jae-woo. Plus, he’d probably get a lecture about remembering the side effects and getting a grip.
He quickly crossed Kim Sol off the list. He didn’t want to hear about getting a grip right now. Besides, if he told Kim Sol, it might get back to Cha Jae-woo. He really wanted to avoid that.
What about Kim Geon-ung? Or maybe Jo Ha-eon or Park Yeon-ho?
“Sigh…”
Just thinking about their faces made him sigh. They would be even less helpful than Kim Sol. Telling them would be like handing them ammunition to tease him.
In the end, he had to figure this out on his own. Or maybe he could just ask Cha Jae-woo directly.
The question was whether he should take this seriously or not. And what was Cha Jae-woo thinking when he did that?
It’s understandable that Cha Jae-woo might have had an impulse to kiss him. He’s not saying it was the right thing to do, but he likes Cha Jae-woo, they were close, and the atmosphere was ambiguous. It’s possible to act on impulse in a situation like that.
At that moment, he and Cha Jae-woo were embracing each other, staring into each other’s faces. Even if he didn’t like Cha Jae-woo, anyone would understand his feelings when faced with that gorgeous face up close. It’s a face that makes you want to just go for it! Nobody could resist!
So, he could let that part slide. But what about Cha Jae-woo? Why did he do it? Why did he respond so enthusiastically, even seeming disappointed when it ended?
Cha Jae-woo knew it wasn’t guiding, but he didn’t stop. He even wanted to go further. The sensation of his firm fingertips gently moving over his skin was still vivid. And the feeling of his tongue pushing back into his mouth—
“Aaaah!”
He was going to lose his mind. Just remembering it made his whole body tingle. He jumped up from his seat and started pacing back and forth. He couldn’t sit still.
He really wanted to ask Cha Jae-woo what he was thinking.
He should have asked right then and there. But instead, Cha Jae-woo had hugged him tight, talking about love and marriage, and then told him to go back to his room and get some sleep. Like an obedient robot, he had done just that, returning to his room in a daze and falling asleep.
Of course, he woke up again in the early morning, screaming from a dream that replayed the events of the night. He had been a mess ever since.
Three days had passed since then, but nothing had changed.
He and Cha Jae-woo hadn’t had a chance to talk properly. Cha Jae-woo had been too busy. After the death of Chairman Cha Seong-ju, he seemed to have a lot on his plate.
As a result, he had been keeping up with Cha Jae-woo’s activities through news articles. Just yesterday, there was a big story about Cha Seong-ju’s will. Apparently, the will stated that the majority of KE Group’s shares would go to Cha Jae-woo.
Additionally, Cha Seong-ju had secretly cultivated a group of unaffiliated Espers and Guides, which he also intended to pass on to Cha Jae-woo. Essentially, Chairman Cha Seong-ju had wanted Cha Jae-woo to carry on his legacy.
However, Cha Jae-woo declared that he had no connection to that group and requested that the association handle them.
He finally felt some relief. If Cha Jae-woo hadn’t done that, it would have meant openly defying the Ability Association. Thanks to Cha Jae-woo, the group that had been secretly pursuing Cha Seong-ju’s goals would now be dismantled.
People praised Cha Jae-woo’s decision. Additionally, Cha Jae-woo gave an interview hinting that he had no personal interest in the profits from gate suppression, which only increased his popularity. Wherever he went, he saw posts and comments praising Cha Jae-woo.
The public’s perception of Cha Jae-woo has completely flipped because of this incident.
Perhaps that’s why videos and articles praising Cha Jae-woo’s character started pouring in, with titles like “[Cha Jae-woo, who must have felt wronged in many ways].” Most of these posts exaggerated the fact that Cha Jae-woo had been diligently entering gates since he got a Guide, making it seem like there was more to the story. For some reason, these posts were incredibly popular, with views skyrocketing.
Additionally, old videos of Cha Jae-woo clearing a gate in two minutes or attacking a lower-ranked Esper resurfaced and went viral again. Before, these videos were filled with criticism of Cha Jae-woo, but now the comments were completely different. People praised his incredible abilities and even blamed the lower-ranked Esper for provoking him.
It was nice to see Cha Jae-woo not being criticized, but it was also bewildering to see public opinion change so drastically. It felt unfair that people were only now recognizing Cha Jae-woo’s efforts. They didn’t know that he was always the first to enter unexpected gates and help rampaging Espers, even when everyone else gave up.
He had been through so much, and he wished people knew how much Cha Jae-woo had struggled. But at least now, people’s perception of Cha Jae-woo had improved.
“…Is that even the issue right now?”
He realized his thoughts had wandered off topic. While the public’s opinion of Cha Jae-woo was important, it wasn’t his main concern. He needed to figure out how to interpret the situation from three days ago.
Maybe it would be best to just write it off as a moment of impulse. After all, Cha Jae-woo wasn’t exactly known for his restraint. But he couldn’t bring himself to brush it off so easily. The mention of love and marriage made him wonder if Cha Jae-woo had been serious. Of course, same-sex marriage wasn’t an option, but dating…
Anyway, his confusion had led him to avoid guiding Cha Jae-woo. If Cha Jae-woo had asked, he would have done it, but he seemed to be giving him space. He felt a bit neglected, like Cha Jae-woo didn’t care while he was left feeling confused.
“…”
With all this on his mind, he couldn’t focus on his textbooks. It was almost time for finals, but he couldn’t concentrate on studying. All he could think about was Cha Jae-woo.
“…This isn’t working.”
He slammed his textbook shut and stood up. He needed to talk to Cha Jae-woo and clear the air. He couldn’t take the uncertainty anymore. If Cha Jae-woo said it was just a moment of impulse, he would feel better. It might hurt, but it would be better than not knowing.
He knew Cha Jae-woo might have developed feelings for him. His guiding had been satisfying, and over time, Cha Jae-woo might have come to rely on him. But the real question was, how did he feel? He had always assumed his feelings were a side effect of guiding, but now he wasn’t so sure.
The problem was, if he was certain it was a side effect, he could avoid hurting Cha Jae-woo. But he wasn’t sure anymore. If it was a side effect, shouldn’t it have faded by now? He hadn’t guided in a while, but he still felt the same.
He didn’t want to stop guiding to find out. Eventually, Cha Jae-woo would need him again. He didn’t want to avoid guiding just to see if his feelings would fade. And if Cha Jae-woo really did have feelings for him, maybe it wouldn’t matter if it was a side effect.
“…I’m talking nonsense.”
He was just making excuses to avoid the truth. He didn’t want to face reality.
He flopped down on his bed, curling up in frustration. He just wanted to believe that everything was fine, that Cha Jae-woo liked him and he liked Cha Jae-woo. He didn’t want to question it anymore.
