041

“Do you like it? Are you satisfied?”

These were words Ha-gyeom couldn’t quite understand. He let out a deep sigh and retorted.

“Is there a rule that says we have to be exclusive guides just because our matching rate is high?”

“There isn’t. But…!”

Dr. Cha clenched his fists as if he was getting angry.

“It’s just that it’s so stupid! With such a good matching rate, excellent natural looks, and that combination…! What exactly do you dislike about not becoming a pair? You not becoming a pair is a loss for the entire planet. Don’t you think it’s too much for people who could write a new history for Espers and guides to not get along?”

While Ha-gyeom had never heard of such a high matching rate, Dr. Cha’s fervent plea didn’t resonate with him.

“Are you asking me to be an exclusive guide or to be a pair?”

“Both!”

Seeing Dr. Cha tremble, Ha-gyeom lost his fighting spirit. It was understandable since up until just before returning to Zone 0, he had dreamed of becoming Baek Seung-woo’s pair or exclusive guide.

Even if it was something that could never happen, dreams could still be dreamed. When he was with Baek Seung-woo, he secretly nurtured his love, and when Baek Seung-woo went missing, he longed to meet him again. Even though the reality he faced was the opposite of what he had imagined, the longing for him hadn’t disappeared.

“Just because I want it doesn’t mean it’ll happen. In the end, I’ll have to do as Baek Sa says, right?”

Ha-gyeom said self-deprecatingly, and Dr. Cha thumped his chest in frustration.

“Stop being so rigid and… Make Baek Sa unsure because of you! Try to seduce him or something…”

Seduce? Baek Sa? Baek Seung-woo?

The thought alone gave him chills.

“……?”

“……!”

Just then, the door opened with a click, without a knock. Ha-gyeom and Dr. Cha simultaneously shut their flapping mouths. The person they were talking about had appeared.

“Oh? Baek Sa!”

Caught off guard, Dr. Cha expressed visible delight. Baek Sa, who approached with a familiar, emotionless expression, looked Ha-gyeom up and down as he sat cross-legged on the bed.

“You seem to have lost some weight.”

Rubbing his chin and speaking as if appraising him, Dr. Cha tattled.

“He’s a picky eater. Should we increase his meal portions?”

“I don’t like it when he’s just skin and bones. At least manage him so he doesn’t lose more weight.”

Despite the rude order, Ha-gyeom didn’t feel particularly offended. He quietly observed Baek Sa, whom he hadn’t seen in quite a while. With his disheveled hair and casual attire of a T-shirt and sweatpants, it was clear he had come straight from waking up.

Seeing his unexpectedly fresh face made Ha-gyeom’s heart…

His heart rate, which had been hovering around 90, began to shoot up noticeably. As the monitor started beeping past 150, Ha-gyeom pressed any button to turn it off.

“I thought you’d come in the afternoon. What brings you here at dawn to check your energy levels?”

When Dr. Cha praised him with a grin, Baek Sa’s face finally scrunched up.

“There’s no way the readings could be accurate after guiding.”

His icy tone hinted at sensitivity. Whether or not something had happened with the guide, Ha-gyeom couldn’t tell, but…

“So that’s why you look so frustrated and pent-up?”

Ha-gyeom’s shoulders twitched involuntarily. Even though it was Dr. Cha’s words, he couldn’t help but agree.

As Baek Sa ground his teeth and glared, Dr. Cha quickly backed down. Ha-gyeom, pretending to be indifferent, glanced away. When Dr. Cha connected the sensor to Baek Sa, an abysmally low reading of 35% appeared.

“It may put out the immediate fire, but it’s better to stop working with that guide. Repeating it won’t likely yield higher results.”

Dr. Cha said coldly. Baek Sa didn’t seem particularly disappointed or desperate, but his eyes looked as if they could freeze on contact.

Dr. Cha, who was noticeably nervous due to the palpable chill, approached Ha-gyeom and prodded his side.

“It’s unfortunate, but it would be better for Shin Ha-gyeom to continue guiding from now on…”

Since Baek Sa entered, Ha-gyeom had been preoccupied with calming his flushed cheeks. He was frustrated from being involved in reconnaissance missions, but his long-held affection was a different matter. Having imagined guiding sessions only in his dreams, experiencing them in a way that felt almost like sex made his entire body tingle.

“That would be better.”

However, the flickering emotions extinguished with Baek Sa’s one word. “Better” was harsh. No matter how it was interpreted, it sounded as if he was reluctantly agreeing.

Ha-gyeom slapped his now pale cheeks to snap himself out of it. He’s Baek Sa, not Baek Seung-woo. He quickly extended his arm to Dr. Cha to remove the sensor and got off the metal bed. Since Baek Sa was on the bed right next to him, their eyes inevitably met.

“If we’re done here, I’ll be going.”

Feeling he wouldn’t hear anything good if he stayed, he turned to leave, but it was Baek Sa, not Dr. Cha, who grabbed his arm.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Why? What?”

Hearing Baek Sa’s curt tone, Dr. Cha suddenly shook his head as if to say that wasn’t good enough.

Ignoring Dr. Cha, Ha-gyeom stood by Baek Sa’s side with a dissatisfied expression. Baek Sa spoke dryly.

“Didn’t you see the score? We need to get it up to at least 70%.”

“Guiding is on Fridays. We missed this week, so we’ll have to wait at least five days…”

He was being stubborn for no reason. He was a little resentful about having their session canceled unilaterally and annoyed at the thought of Baek Sa doing such things with another guide.

Ha-gyeom hoped Baek Sa would feel as bad as he did, but seeing Baek Sa’s eyes narrow slightly, it didn’t seem like things were going his way. As if he saw through him, Baek Sa leisurely crossed his arms. Ha-gyeom glanced at Baek Sa’s tense, well-built upper arms.

“You can get it to 70% without even penetration.”

“So, what, are we setting Fridays as the day for penetration?”

Hearing the raw conversation, Dr. Cha’s face turned as red as an apple. Seeing that Ha-gyeom wasn’t intimidated, Baek Sa smiled with a raised corner of his mouth.

“If it’s not Friday, can’t you just enjoy it moderately?”

“How am I supposed to enjoy it when it’s obviously just for the matching rate?”

“You didn’t seem to dislike rolling around with me.”

Ignoring Dr. Cha’s fanning, Ha-gyeom crossed his arms as well. That was what he wanted to say. He clearly remembered Baek Sa losing control of his pleasure on top of him. He didn’t really want to recall what he did, though.

“There’s nothing much to do anyway. The duties of a guide are all pretty much the same.”

As Dr. Cha said, it would be nice if he really liked him, but Ha-gyeom wasn’t naive enough to believe that. Baek Sa’s smile was a habitual flirtation stemming from desire, not genuine emotion. Even if it seemed like there was something there, his insides would likely be empty.

When the conversation reached a lull, Ha-gyeom glanced at Dr. Cha. His eyes were sparkling unpleasantly. He wasn’t exactly sure what was happening between Baek Sa and Dr. Cha, but it was clear things were going Dr. Cha’s way.

“So, what do I need to do?”

“First, come to my room…”

Baek Sa trailed off as he checked his wristwatch. Dr. Cha abruptly interrupted.

“Just stay together for one day! We’ll check the score tomorrow morning to see how effective it is! It’s advantageous for an Esper and a guide with a high matching rate to know as much about each other as possible.”

Despite the reasonable suggestion, both Baek Sa and Ha-gyeom’s eyes narrowed simultaneously. As they both looked at Dr. Cha with anticipation, they then turned to assess each other.

Naturally, Ha-gyeom knew nothing about Baek Sa. He always projected Baek Seung-woo’s image onto him or felt a sense of alienation from his changed appearance. Not even Dr. Cha had talked about what happened in the past five years. Asking Tae-seong would only earn him looks of disgust.

He had limited people he could meet and couldn’t openly reveal his identity. Should he be grateful for at least enjoying the outer shell all this time?

Though he couldn’t understand Kim Hye-jung’s clear intentions, guiding had saved Baek Sa from rampaging the moment he arrived here. Knowing that they had a fateful matching rate gave him a legitimate reason to stay by his side.

Thinking about it, Dr. Cha’s pressure could actually be an opportunity. If it was difficult to revive Baek Seung-woo’s memories right away, it might be best to accept the limitations and start a new relationship.

“The sleeping arrangements are quite uncomfortable… And the roommates are terrible.”

With that in mind, staying in Baek Sa’s room for even one day seemed better than staying in the detention center.