Contrary to Baek Hye-seong’s worries, even after all the commotion, there was still quite a bit of time left before the orientation ceremony would end. He dragged Yoo Ji-ho to the bathroom and made him scrub his hands thoroughly. He tried to clean the jacket as well, but it didn’t come out completely spotless.
Hye-seong fidgeted the entire way out of the center, eyes fixed on the jacket wrapped around Yoo Ji-ho’s arm.
“It got dirty… What do we do…”
“Unfortunately, I can’t just throw it out. It’s obviously mine.”
For someone with such a neat and fastidious nature, it was surprising how unbothered he seemed. Hye-seong wondered if he was being considerate.
As Ji-ho had said, anyone could tell it was the uniform jacket of Esper Yoo Ji-ho—there were medals and insignia on the shoulder…
Remembering how that white fluid had splattered onto the medals earlier made Hye-seong’s face start burning all over again.
He kept his gaze fixed on the ground, barely managing to walk ahead of Ji-ho, when Ji-ho suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Looking up, Hye-seong saw him reading a signboard.
“This area in front of the center faces the sea, so civilian access is restricted around here.”
“Wow, really? The ocean’s beautiful…”
“Let’s go.”
“Huh?”
Seeing Hye-seong show interest, Ji-ho casually turned and headed toward the fence set up at the edge of the stairs. The barrier was barely even functional—just a light kick from him, and a gap opened.
He stepped through first, then turned to look at Hye-seong.
“What’re you waiting for?”
For once, Hye-seong didn’t follow right away. That fence wasn’t there for people to just ignore and cross…
“But we’re outsiders… Is it really okay to go in like this?”
“Of course not.”
“…”
Hye-seong flinched. The step he’d just been about to take froze midair.
Ji-ho, standing idly but with a face that clearly showed he was messing with him, let out a snort.
“I’m kidding. I already asked the Director earlier.”
“Really?”
“Yup.”
“When?”
“Just earlier.”
“…”
“Do you not trust me?”
He asked with a wide-eyed, genuinely surprised expression. Hye-seong panicked and frantically waved his hands.
“N-No! I mean, it’s not like I don’t trust you, Ji-ho. Of course I do!”
In the end, Hye-seong had no choice but to move his feet. Even as he followed where Ji-ho led him, his suspicious glances didn’t let up—but there was no way to verify it. If Ji-ho said it was okay, then it must be okay…
Ji-ho had looked so urgent just a short while ago that Hye-seong had assumed they’d head straight to the hotel to continue the guiding session.
And yet, Ji-ho was letting him see the ocean on the way?
Maybe the quick session back in the supply room had been more effective than he’d thought.
As the wide-open sea finally came into view, the unexpected chance to take in the view made Hye-seong light up with excitement.
“I haven’t seen the ocean in forever!”
Sure, he’d glimpsed it through the car window on the way from the airport earlier, but the beach hadn’t been visible then, so it hadn’t felt the same. Only now did it really hit him that he was in Jeju Island.
“Just so you know—if you pop a boner out here too, I’m not taking responsibility.”
“Wh-What?! I didn’t—!”
“Ah, that spot looks good.”
Turning Hye-seong into a pervert with one sentence, Ji-ho casually grabbed his arm.
Instead of stepping onto the sand, they decided to sit on a stone staircase a little farther back to watch the ocean from a distance. As Ji-ho was about to sit down, Hye-seong hastily stopped him.
“Wait!”
Suddenly, Hye-seong slipped off his own jacket and laid it out on the steps. Then, with a satisfied look on his face, he gazed up at the sky and said,
“There. Now you can sit.”
“…”
Ji-ho blinked at him, then let out a laugh once he realized what that was about. He’d been watching closely, expecting Hye-seong to pull another ridiculous stunt—but this was unexpected.
“Turns out I’ve got a pretty courteous Guide.”
“Hehe…”
But instead of sitting down on the jacket, Ji-ho frowned.
“Now I feel bad. I’ve got nothing to lay down for you.”
He held up his own jacket, still damp and stained. Hye-seong’s face immediately drooped like he’d just been accused of a crime.
“I’m fine… It already got dirty because of me anyway…”
“All right. Thank you.”
Sitting quietly and listening to the sound of waves, Hye-seong’s heart—still pounding from what felt like the most rebellious moment of his life—finally began to settle.
“If the Director and Secretary Kang were here, I bet they’d love this too.”
“Why’re you bringing up other people?”
“Sorry…”
Ji-ho grimaced, as if the mere thought disgusted him.
“It’d be nice if I could always walk around like this, but I hate having to drag people around with me.”
“What do you hate about it?”
“It’s bad for my mental health. Honestly, even hearing other people breathe pisses me off.”
“…”
“When I’m with other people, it’s always noisy. If they talk to me, I have to respond. If I don’t smile, it turns into a whole thing.”
“…”
“Why do people have so many damn questions?”
“…”
Mid-sentence, Ji-ho suddenly turned his head, sensing something odd.
It had gotten way too quiet.
Hye-seong was staring at him, lips tightly pressed together. Ji-ho asked seriously,
“Are you holding your breath right now?”
“…Nope.”
Caught off guard, Hye-seong quickly answered, then immediately shut his mouth again. But Ji-ho was convinced—he was definitely holding his breath. Intrigued, Ji-ho just sat there and watched.
“…”
“…”
“……Phew.”
Eventually, Hye-seong couldn’t hold it anymore and let out a soft, trembling exhale.
Unbelievable.
“You’re fine, Hye-seong. You don’t bother me.”
“Really? Why?”
“I don’t know.”
Hye-seong stayed silent, lips clamped shut again. But unlike before, his gaze had shifted away from Ji-ho to somewhere else.
“I’m serious.”
“…”
“You think I’m the kind of person who says things just to sound nice, don’t you?”
As if wondering why he’d even ask, Hye-seong nodded slightly, eyebrows raised.
He was staring down at his own feet. The sneakers Ji-ho had bought for him. After gazing at them for a while, he quietly said,
“You probably didn’t like the orientation ceremony either, but still…”
“…”
“You were really cool earlier. Seriously.”
Ji-ho glanced at him with a puzzled look. Still staring at the ground, Hye-seong spoke in a gentle voice.
“Even though I already knew how amazing you are, it hit me all over again… Being out here, it feels kind of surreal that I’m your Guide. It’s such a strange feeling.”
“Why?”
He sounded genuinely confused.
“Why does it feel strange?”
“Beats me.”
Hye-seong smiled bitterly.
Ever since they arrived in Jeju, he’d been constantly aware of how out of place he looked standing next to Ji-ho.
“So, the person who left with him—was that really his Guide?”
“Maybe some super young S-rank Guide appeared without us knowing…”
After hearing those comments, it all made sense. The way people had stared as he followed Ji-ho earlier—they were all probably thinking the same thing.
Even at the airport, it had been the same.
When Team Leader Nam Tae-yoon was first introduced to Hye-seong, he couldn’t hide his surprise. Though Hye-seong hadn’t asked exactly what had caught him off guard, it obviously hadn’t been meant as a compliment.
That was probably how people saw them: the incredible Yoo Ji-ho and the misfit Guide stuck at his side. And yet, Hye-seong had the nerve to harbor feelings for him anyway.
I’m so irresponsible. I’m an irresponsible Guide.
The waves lapped gently, but inside, his thoughts were roaring.
What pulled him out of it was the sound of a pager.
“Huh?”
“Wait…”
Startled, Hye-seong realized it wasn’t Ji-ho’s pager but his own wrist device that was going off.
“Yes, Secretary Kang!”
It was probably just about time for the ceremony to end. The moment he saw Secretary Kang’s name, Hye-seong responded right away—completely missing Ji-ho’s subtle attempt to stop him.
— Hye-seong, the Director wants to drop by the aquarium briefly. He said you should come too. They’re hoping Ji-ho will stop by as well. Where are you right now?
“Um… I’m watching the ocean right now…”
— The ocean? Director, he says they’re by the ocean.
…Was it time to go?
Blinking, Hye-seong glanced at Ji-ho. And that’s when Director Shin’s voice cut in—not through the pager, but in person.
“Ah, there you are!”
“Oh! Director!”
“…”
Ji-ho, completely unsurprised, just pressed his hand to his forehead in quiet exasperation. Hye-seong caught a glimpse of his lips silently forming a few words.
Director Shin strode toward them quickly. Hye-seong hurried to help Ji-ho stand, then rolled up the dirty jacket and tucked it under his arm.
“Team Leader Nam! So that means we can get souvenirs and stuff, right?”
Nam Tae-yoon, still standing at a distance talking to Secretary Kang, replied,
“Ah, yes! I believe they’ve prepared a few items to hand out.”
“Really? That’s great. Hye-seong, let’s go! You want to go somewhere like that with Ji-ho, don’t you?”
Hye-seong froze. Why was he asking me instead of Ji-ho? It’s not like I have any say in this.
An aquarium, huh? He hadn’t been to one since a school field trip in elementary school, so he was a little curious. Still, it didn’t seem like the kind of place Ji-ho would want to go.
But more than the idea of seeing ocean fish indoors, what tugged at Hye-seong’s heart was the fact that he might get to visit a public place together with Ji-ho. Since the Center was arranging it, they’d surely manage the crowd…
Without realizing it, Hye-seong stole a glance at Ji-ho.
