053

During sex, Ha-gyeom eventually lost consciousness and only woke up in the early hours of the morning. As his vision cleared in the faint light, the ceiling spun above him. His body was drenched in cold sweat.

He had had a bad dream.

It was inevitable. The series of events and shocks had broken something in his mind. Waking up in fear like a child was something he hadn’t experienced in a long time, making it hard to even move a finger.

Tears welled up, not from sadness but from sheer pain.

Clutching his chest in an attempt to calm his racing heart, he turned towards the sound of breathing beside him. The person with closed eyes in the darkness was undoubtedly Baek Seung-woo.

“Hyung…”

It was a word he hadn’t uttered in a long time. Without realizing it, Ha-gyeom, like a nine-year-old, shook Baek Seung-woo’s shoulder to wake him. After what felt like an eternity, Baek Seung-woo silently opened his eyes and looked at him in the darkness.

No mocking or questioning came. He simply reached out and wiped away the tears that had streamed down Ha-gyeom’s temple and cheek.

“Hyung, I had a nightmare…”

Only then did he feel reassured. He also wanted comfort. Falling asleep in his embrace meant he could endure even if he had nightmares.

Soon, Baek Seung-woo lifted the blanket, creating space for him. Ha-gyeom nestled into his broad chest, seeking solace. The warmth enveloped him, and a large hand gently patted his back. The world instantly felt serene. It was a sensation he had longed for desperately.

“Haa…”

He let out an exceptionally long sigh of relief. The tears stopped, and his chest no longer ached as if being squeezed. It was natural when he was by Baek Seung-woo’s side.

Ha-gyeom didn’t notice the remnants of their intense encounter on the bed. The stickiness between his legs, the pain from his wounds, and the sour smell—all faded away. The scent that filled his nose was only comforting and fragrant, and there was no danger lurking in the darkness.

Ha-gyeom closed his eyes peacefully.

The heartbeat against his cheek was fast. But as long as it was Baek Seung-woo’s, it was sweet like a lullaby.

Without doubt, Ha-gyeom hugged Baek Seung-woo’s waist. The closer they were, the more vivid everything became. There was no reason to say he was scared anymore. Even without words, it was clear Baek Seung-woo understood his heart.

8. Collection I

Ha-gyeom couldn’t remember what had happened the previous morning.

Waking up from a long sleep made his head heavy, but since he had been with an Esper, his physical condition wasn’t too bad. The remaining injuries on his body weren’t severe and would heal in a few days.

The bed was already empty. Ha-gyeom got out of bed, unable to shake the thought of being tormented by Baek Sa. His body was covered in semen, so he took a shower. When he came out, he noticed his combat uniform hanging on the wall.

“I’ve fixed it. Try it on.”

Baek Sa unexpectedly appeared from his personal armory. Ha-gyeom had assumed he had left the room, so he came out naked and was caught off guard. He quickly wrapped a towel around his waist. However, Baek Sa casually brushed aside the towel and knelt on one knee.

“How’s your body?”

It was that same question again. He didn’t wait for an answer but inspected Ha-gyeom’s condition himself. He spread his buttocks, examined the bite marks on his thighs and calves, and checked the glass-cut wounds on his back.

“What’s it to you?”

Ha-gyeom replied curtly and pushed Baek Sa away. As he changed into his combat uniform, Baek Sa stood with his arms crossed, watching him intently. It seemed more like an observation than a search for an answer.

Although his memory was fragmented and blurry, he knew he hadn’t made any mistakes. Confusing guiding with sex was slightly embarrassing, but there was no way to fix it now.

Thanks to a good night’s sleep, his mind was as clear as his physical condition.

No matter how bleak the situation, he couldn’t stay mired in it forever. He no longer showed signs of panic and had regained enough stability to believe it hadn’t just been a night. Now, all he could do was wait for the right moment to change the outcome.

He had to calm his anxious mind. There had been no better training than covering up misfortune and tragedy. He was still feeling down, but he vowed to stay sharp and reached for his combat uniform.

Ha-gyeom put on the combat uniform and adjusted the belts to fit his body. Baek Sa, already in his combat uniform, approached and checked everything Ha-gyeom had adjusted.

“Dr. Cha measured the numbers.”

His voice sounded indifferent. Ha-gyeom didn’t consider what they did last night as guiding. It was too lazy and driven by instinct alone.

“How high do you think it is?”

He looked up without any expectation or interest, and Baek Sa asked. Ha-gyeom quickly looked away and spoke.

“I don’t know. As long as it’s over 80 percent, there shouldn’t be any problem with the mission….”

“98 percent.”

Ha-gyeom flinched at the remarkable number, surpassing even the previous guiding score.

It was an unbelievable score, but there was no reason to get excited or happy about it. Even though it was proof of his excellent guiding, Ha-gyeom quickly calmed his agitation.

Baek Sa adjusted the belt even tighter than Ha-gyeom had, watching his lukewarm reaction.

“Any thoughts?”

“None.”

Ha-gyeom blankly looked down at the tightly cinched waist belt. When aroused, he couldn’t tell if Baek Sa’s touch was good or bad, but with his mind clear now, it was different.

He was getting used to Baek Sa’s arrogance, acting as if nothing was complete until his hands had checked everything. Ha-gyeom defiantly undid the belt.

Predictably, Baek Sa reached out and tightened the belt again. Then, as if they were in the training ground, he handed Ha-gyeom a Glock and a knife. These were weapons taken away from him when they left the playground. Knowing they came from Baek Sa’s personal armory made Ha-gyeom feel embarrassed.

Ha-gyeom took a step back. While pretending to inspect the weapons, Baek Sa, arms crossed arrogantly, asked.

“Do you remember what you said at dawn?”

“…”

“You called me hyung when you woke up.”

Ha-gyeom’s face turned bright red. He had no memory of it.

Had he done something crazy, using sleep as an excuse because he was so unstable? Or was Baek Sa making things up after hearing something like sleep talk?

Despite his embarrassment, Ha-gyeom turned to look out the full-length window, pretending to be unaffected. The unusually clear atmosphere today gave him an excuse.

“I don’t remember. It was probably meaningless sleep talk… or you misheard.”

“Is that so?”

Ha-gyeom thought Baek Sa would let it go since such titles meant nothing to him. However, Baek Sa approached and whispered contrary to his expectations.

“It sounded pretty earnest for sleep talk. You even turned pale and clung to me.”

“…Me?”

“You.”

That’s impossible. But Ha-gyeom, who had been accustomed to sleeping in Baek Seung-woo’s arms since childhood, couldn’t confidently refute.

Moreover, he couldn’t exactly explain that the person he called hyung was actually him. Ha-gyeom was at a loss for words. As he continued to feign indifference, Baek Sa spoke again.

“You said you don’t have a lover.”

“…Crazy. Not a lover!”

Even if he had made such a mistake, he wouldn’t have treated him like a lover by calling him “hyung.” Ha-gyeom elbowed Baek Sa and denied it. Baek Sa, standing firm as if unbothered by the impact, said.

“Whether it’s a lover or not, there’s someone, right?”

“What’s it to you?”

Ha-gyeom felt he’d break out in a cold sweat if questioned further. It was true he harbored secret feelings and had imagined Baek Seung-woo as his lover.

Now that he had hastily denied it, Ha-gyeom felt a bit resentful that Baek Sa didn’t remember him. He was so easily swayed by Baek Sa’s gaze, yet Baek Sa only looked at him indifferently.

Facing Baek Sa’s unrelenting curiosity, Ha-gyeom felt like being defiant. He said something he would never have said if Baek Sa was only Baek Sa.

“He’s not my lover. …But there’s someone I like.”

A crack appeared between Baek Sa’s brows.

“You can like someone even if you’re not dating them. I guess I mistook you for that person in my sleep.”

He made it clear his desperation wasn’t directed at Baek Sa. Even if Baek Sa were really Baek Seung-woo, he wouldn’t easily connect it to the person he liked. After confessing, Ha-gyeom felt somewhat relieved.

“You like someone?”

Baek Sa asked in a low voice.