TG Ch 7(1) Part 1

Sijin woke up slowly, his eyes blinking open to a warm morning sun.

He had slept soundly for the first time in a while. He turned his head, reaching for his glasses placed neatly on the bedside table. The sterile, monotonous scenery of a single hospital room came into focus. Still drowsy, he stretched lazily.

Then, a gentle voice startled him.

“Honey, you’re awake?” 

“…..??” 

Sijin’s arm froze mid-stretch.

It was the endearment, so utterly unfamiliar, yet the voice was all too recognizable.

‘What is going on…?’ 

Hesitantly, he turned his head, his heart pounding. A tall man was sitting by the window, a warm smile spreading across his face as their eyes met.

Ham Geonwu? 

“Uh… uhm…?”

“What’s wrong?”

Ham Geonwu chuckled, his smile confident, as if he knew exactly how to charm someone with a single look. His thick eyebrows furrowed slightly as Sijin stared at him, his eyes wide with confusion.

“Geonwu…?”

“Mhm.” 

Sijin called out to him tentatively, as if testing a dream. But unlike in his dreams, his voice came out clearly. He stared at Ham Geonwu, replaying the previous moments in his head. What did he just call me? And wasn’t he speaking casually…? 

Ham Geonwu pulled his chair closer to the bed, taking Sijin’s hand in his own. He looked down, his voice laced with concern. 

“I was so worried…”

“Geonwu? W-What’s gotten into you?” 

“…What’s wrong with you, honey? Are you okay?”

“H-Honey? What are you talking about?”

His bewildered questions made Ham Geonwu’s smile fade. A melancholic sadness settled over his handsome face. Sijin wished he was dreaming.

Ham Geonwu held Sijin’s hand in both of his, his grip firm, “Hyung, we’re married…”

“You… and me?”

“Mhm. See? We even have rings.” 

Ham Geonwu pulled out a ring from his pocket. Sijin’s eyes widened.

It was his father’s platinum ring, the one he’d lost.

“H-How did you find it?”

“…You put it on my finger yourself, Hyung.” 

Ham Geonwu said sadly, then, as if reminiscing, tried to put the ring on his own ring finger. But it only fit halfway down his thick finger.

“…Oh.” 

He quickly pulled the ring off, then buried his face in Sijin’s hand.

‘…Something’s definitely wrong.’

Sijin was starting to feel suspicious. But he decided to play along. He had to admit, he was enjoying the sight before him.

“I-I see. So, we’re married…”

“Yeah.”

“But… did Jeong Taeyul let you marry me?”

“Of course.”

Ham Geonwu, despite his sad eyes, grinned triumphantly. “Tht bastard, Jeong Tae, admitted that I’m more handsome and gave us his blessing.” 

What kind of logic was that? Sijin couldn’t help but chuckle. Jeong Taeyul, fully aware of his own good looks, was the only one who could get away with calling Ham Geonwu a blockhead potato.

Sijin, amused, decided to play along.

“So, our Geonwu… is nursing his husband back to health.”

“Of course.”

Sijin laughed, rubbing his sleepy eyes, as Ham Geonwu replied proudly. He wasn’t a very good actor. Sijin knew he was joking, but he couldn’t help but find it endearing.

Ham Geonwu, beaming, pointed at himself, “I’m such a good wife. A perfect housewife.”

Sijin shook his head, laughing. He was surprised, but too amused to be angry.

He sat up slowly, trying to sound stern, “Stop it, you punk… Teasing your doctor.”

“What? You already figured it out?”

“A while ago.”

“You should have played along for a little longer.”

Ham Geonwu grinned, his usual playful demeanor returning. Sijin leaned back against the pillows, asking Ham Geonwu for a glass of water. Feeling refreshed, he asked, “How did you find the ring?”

“I searched the entire Center.” 

“Really? …Really?”

“…Fuck. I found some guards about to sell it and had to give them a good scolding before I could get it back.”

Ham Geonwu, his scheme exposed, handed him the ring with a sigh. Sijin took it carefully. He had thought he’d never see it again, considering how expensive platinum was. He was relieved, his earlier amusement fading.

“Thank you, Geonwu. I thought I’d lost it for good…”

“It’s nothing. I told you I’d find it.”

Ham Geonwu beamed. Sijin smiled back, examining the ring. The missing chain confirmed that it had snapped.

‘Maybe I should just keep it stored away…’

He wasn’t sure if he wanted to risk losing it again. It was his father’s, after all.

But he slipped the ring onto his finger. His father’s ring reminded him of his duty, a responsibility he carried with him.

He looked up, asking, “What about Shark? Where did he go?”

“…..?”

“…What’s wrong, Geonwu?”

Sijin’s smile faltered as Ham Geonwu stared at him, a strange look in his eyes.

Ham Geonwu, after a moment of silence, frowned slightly.

“It’s just… it’s the first time I’ve heard you ask for Jeong Tae.”

“Ah… He wasn’t feeling well yesterday, but he still saved me. I was worried about him.”

“I heard. Why worry about him? That bastard won’t die even if you try to kill him.”

“You tried to kill him…?”

“Let’s eat first. Nom nom.”

Ham Geonwu chuckled, setting up the tray table. He then pulled out a container of beef porridge. Sijin, grateful for his thoughtfulness, helped him set up the table.

As Ham Geonwu placed the spoon before him, he said, “Jeong Tae’s gone on an intelligence mission.”

“What? Isn’t that dangerous?”

“Who knows. Dangerous situations are probably an everyday occurrence for that guy.”

Ham Geonwu might be nonchalant, but Sijin couldn’t help but worry. He knew Jeong Taeyul was strong, but his readings had been unstable lately. He had seemed better yesterday, but… 

‘Is he feeling better? How did they lift his dispatch restriction…?’

He reached for his tablet instead of his spoon, wanting to check Jeong Taeyul’s readings. However, he couldn’t access the data outside the Center due to security protocols. He sighed, then asked Ham Geonwu, “Did you… guide with the Shark yesterday?”

“Guiding? Yeah, briefly, in the morning.”

“Did you submit the report?”

“Of course.”

That was a relief. Sijin relaxed. If Jeong Taeyul had been cleared for an intelligence mission, his readings must have been stable. He trusted Shin Dayoung’s judgment.

He took a bite of the porridge. It was bland, but warm and soothing.

‘If they did… guiding…’

Sijin paused.

The realization that Ham Geonwu and Jeong Taeyul had guided together suddenly felt… strange. 

‘They always skip physical contact…’ 

Ability Users were required to log every guiding session. The physical contact section, however, was optional, to protect their privacy.

Most Ability Users filled it out accurately. S*x guiding was a common practice, after all.

But there were always exceptions. Senior Ability Users, confident enough to challenge even examiners, often skipped that section. Jeong Taeyul and Ham Geonwu, for instance.

‘I doubt they’d engage in s*x guiding, considering their personalities… No. They’re Ability Users. Maybe it’s so normal for them that they don’t even think about it…’

His thoughts were a jumbled mess, his movements slowing down as he ate. Ham Geonwu, the self-proclaimed housewife, kept piling food onto his spoon. Sijin, having eaten more side dishes than porridge, finally put down his spoon. He suddenly felt nauseous.

‘I’ve always avoided asking about that…’

It was a simple question for an examiner, yet he had avoided it, not wanting to know the details. But he should have been more thorough, especially after Jeong Taeyul’s readings became unstable… Guilt gnawed at him. They were risking their lives to protect him, yet he had been so caught up in his emotions that he’d overlooked the basics.

Ham Geonwu, noticing his silence, asked, “What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?”

“Um, Geonwu…” 

“Yes?”

Sijin spoke seriously, his voice firm. He couldn’t avoid it any longer. They were both high-maintenance cases; he couldn’t afford to miss anything. He looked down at his father’s ring, trying to calm his nerves.

He looked up, meeting Ham Geonwu’s expectant gaze.

“Just in case… This is for your examination, so you can answer honestly.”

“Okay, ask away.”

“Have you…”

He hesitated, then asked, trying to sound calm, “When was the last time you had s*x guiding with Jeong Taeyul?”

“,….”

He had tried to be as discreet as possible, but Ham Geonwu was silent. His brow furrowed, as if he’d been asked something ridiculous. Sijin stared at him, his heart sinking.

“Geonwu…?”

It was only the second time he’d seen this cold, distant look on his face – the first being when Sijin had suggested imprinting.

But this was crucial information. He could feel the pressure of Ham Geonwu’s gaze, but he maintained his composure. 

Then, Ham Geonwu chuckled, a malicious glint in his eyes.

“You didn’t know, did you, Doctor?”

“Uh… no.”

“Did you really need me to spell it out for you?”

“Of course. If it makes you uncomfortable…”

“We do it all the time. We’ve broken several beds, haven’t we?”

Clatter.

Sijin dropped his spoon. His eyes widened in horror.

He had asked the question, prepared for the answer, but every word from Ham Geonwu’s mouth felt like a blow. He was stunned, not only by Ham Geonwu’s bluntness but also by the fact that the Shark and the Killer Whale had engaged in s*x guiding.

Ham Geonwu, unable to contain his amusement, burst out laughing. Sijin could only stare at him in shock.

“Hehehe, you’re so cute. Why are you so surprised?”

“…W-What?” 

“Ah, I shouldn’t tease you anymore.” 

Sijin snapped out of his daze. He’d fallen for it again.

He had been tricked.