SOG Ch 85

Realization fell into his heart like a falling rock. Seon Jae-chan felt a tingling pain somewhere inside his body and couldn’t move from that spot for a long time even after the two people left.

He drank a lot that day.

He deliberately went out to the outskirts of District 1, where he was less likely to run into people he knew. He found a place where people were as bustling and noisy as the dazzling lights. Various aspects tainted by the pleasures of a one-night escapade passed by. Along with the commonplace remarks, questions like, ‘Did you come alone?’ and ‘Why are you drinking so much?’ were thrown in. Jae-chan responded with a feigned smile.

Then, was it an impulse that led him into a hotel room with someone for the first time? Or was it intentional?

He shared a transient pleasure. In fact, he had no recollection of that night since he was very drunk.

What he remembered clearly was from the next morning. A petite woman whom he had never seen before looked at Seon Jae-chan and let out a small expression of astonishment. ‘Hey, it’s my first time seeing you.’ ‘Actually, it’s my first time seeing you too.’ The two people exchanged awkward greetings and soon burst into insincere laughter. Since they had been soaked in alcohol from head to toe the night before, they couldn’t recall how they ended up in the hotel room.

‘Still, I think I know why I chose you.’

The woman with distinctly black pupils lightly kissed Jae-chan on the cheek, containing a smile in her warm gaze. Seon Jae-chan hesitated as he tried to push her warmth away but stopped. It was because their eyes met. Her long and beautiful eyes and the color of her pupils resembled someone.

‘… Me too.’

That’s why Jae-chan also answered like that.

The other person stared with warm eyes and hugged him deeply. He couldn’t push her away.  Her smaller frame was incredibly warm.

Perhaps it was an impulse or a mistake at first.

However, continuing to look for people after that was a deliberate choice.

Whether drunk or sober. He was just that kind of person. Perhaps the innate mark was engraved in our genes from birth. Despite not being a noisy person, Seon Eun-soo was not immune to problems. Having the same father, it was unlikely he had perfectly healthy genes. In any case, it was an unhelpful aspect of his household.

However, as seen in the previous case, Go Woo-jin was not that kind of person.

Jae-chan stated it clearly and bluntly once more as Woo-jin stared at him with a silent gaze filled with unknown thoughts. 

“I also need a sex partner.”

That’s why Seon Jae-chan said that and was confident that Woo-jin would give up on him now.

“As you have heard, Team Leader Han Tae-hoon decided to fulfill that role of partner as well.”

Woo-jin was a serious person in that way. Even if he hadn’t overheard Nam Hae-sol’s story, Jae-chan had thought that way from before. He was originally a guy who seemed upright to the point of appearing naive. Such Woo-jin would never accept the endlessly messy proposition of being a sex partner.

The sound of a car could be heard somewhere in the dark alley. A car passed by with its headlights on, casting a brief light. For a moment, Jae-chan could clearly see Woo-jin. The eyes seen above the flawless bridge of the nose seemed to depict an unknowable expression.

A black flame seemed to flicker in his eyes, which were darker than the night. Jae-chan hesitated and unconsciously stepped back under the scrutinizing gaze that slowly scanned him. However, Woo-jin was quicker. His wide palm reached out and grabbed Jae-chan’s wrist, which was moving toward the car window

“Say it again.”

A heavy voice penetrated into Jae-chan’s ears. The warm temperature gripped his entire wrist tightly. The strong, clinging force made Jae-chan’s stiff resistance shudder.

“Say it while guiding.”

Woo-jin blurted out in an overbearing tone without realizing it, recalling the whispers of the team 2 training guide who had visited Jae-chan in the hospital.

‘We don’t need a wave measurement device. Senior Seon Jae-chan is in a stable condition.’

He recalled what Guide Nam Hae-sol had said. Even if she didn’t affirm it, Woo-jin also felt that Seon Jae-chan had recovered well. When he concentrated, it was similar to being able to detect the emotional states of colleagues.

Therefore, he had no hesitation in demanding guiding. No, rather than wanting to be guided by a guy with a bruise on his cheek—he wanted to know what was on his mind.

Are all those words sincere?

“…”

Jae-chan also understood Woo-jin’s intention. According to the guiding emotion-awareness transfer diagnostic system, Woo-jin was at Level 0, and he was at Levels 1-2. At this moment, it was so unpleasant to think that his emotions or thoughts might roughly transfer to an Esper during guiding.

Of course, he had undergone mental barrier strengthening training in preparation for Seon Eun-soo, so if he really wanted to, he could prevent the emotions transfer during guiding.

Seon Jae-chan stiffened. It was as if the Woo-jin in front of him was the 26-year-old Woo-jin who had always rendered him powerless.

The unrelenting sharpness, progressively infusing determination, and the overwhelming strength that seemed to overrun his will were all elements reminiscent of the past. Jae-chan couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable with the dominating grip, even without a visible injury on his wrist.

Go Woo-jin also noticed Seon Jae-chan’s shrinking appearance.

Pale, stiff cheeks and weakly shaking eyes came into view. Like water droplets hanging on the tip of a branch, it stirs slightly and eventually falls. Woo-jin paused this time when he noticed Jae-chan avoiding eye contact as if terrified.

“…”

It was only then that Woo-jin realized there was tension throughout his body. His thick neck was tense up to the nape. Fortunately, he wasn’t holding Jae-chan with strong force, so Woo-jin checked his wrist and confirmed there were no marks on the delicate skin. He then held it a bit more loosely.

“… Can you say it again?”

Woo-jin tried to ask again in a soft voice later, but the stiff atmosphere didn’t seem to go away.

After a stiff moment passed, Go Woo-jin let Seon Jae-chan go. He didn’t intend to pry into his inner thoughts by forcing him. Looking at his pale, stiff face, Woo-jin thought it didn’t matter whether the statement was true or not.

Having experienced hostage and kidnapping situations, Woo-jin seemed to have learned something. It was better when Jae-chan acted selfishly. So, even if the statement about needing a bed partner was true, it seemed fine.

That was when Jae-chan, whose only visible feature was his rounded forehead, which had been distancing himself, surprisingly grabbed Woo-jin again.

“I need it, that’s right.”

The good-looking finger grabbed Go Woo-jin’s finger. Seon Jae-chan, who regained his composure, raised his eyes. He met Woo-jin’s black eyes without any hesitation.

“I’ve lived like that all this time. I don’t know what’s wrong with relieving sexual desire. The Union culture is tedious. In foreign countries, it’s treated almost like sports.”

Jae-chan taunted bitterly. It was the truth that before the regression, he had traveled the world looking for someone who looked like Go Woo-jin for a one-night stand. Ambiguous lies can be hidden and disrupted within solid truth. He intensified the pressure on Woo-jin’s hand with a strong hold on his finger. He casually asked, as he continued his intense guiding,

“Can you do it? Such sport.”

Of course, Seon Jae-chan couldn’t even guess Go Woo-jin’s decision to not care what his true feelings were. Also, he only knew one thing and didn’t know the other two. Go Woo-jin was a serious person, but he also had the temperament to show his seriousness in other ways.

“Yes.”

I will do it. Go Woo-jin spoke without hesitation. I would like to play such a sport.

Woo-jin’s gaze solidified. Throughout Jae-chan’s words, he had unconsciously relaxed the tension in the muscles around his tightened jaw. Despite the stifling feeling due to Jae-chan’s values being different from his, that was all there was to it. If anything, this made his desire to be together even more firmly established.

Now, it turned out that Jae-chan wasn’t just planning to deal with Team Leader Han Tae-hoon. It was Jae-chan’s earnest view that he had engaged in several short-term interactions with various people due to his different values. It was dangerous. There were many people out there who needed to be eradicated. Didn’t he realize that spending nights with people whose identities were unknown could put him in danger?

Moreover, Jae-chan was a Guide. Just as this recent terrorist incident indicated, especially when unregistered Espers were causing a ruckus, how was he planning to handle encountering even a crime-type Esper, who could be particularly dangerous?

Things like the fact that he was a multi-Guide, that he had unusual attributes even among special classes, and that despite his small stature, he defeated Won Seong-il, an A-class Esper, had long been selectively ignored in Woo-jin’s mind.

Woo-jin caught Jae-chan’s fingers by surprise. His powerful fingers intertwined tightly by strongly inserting them between the delicate ones. Meanwhile, the warm guiding waves unfolded smoothly between their fingertips. It was as gentle as it had always been. With a hint of a stimulating touch…

Guiding unavoidably stimulated sensation, particularly in guiding with a guide with such appearance. He was clearly going to be a target for unregistered ability criminals.

Go Woo-jin was a bit confused and did not recognize his own condition, but came to a firm conclusion.

“It’d be better I deal with you than the team leader or some random person.”

It seemed much more comfortable that way. While it might be irrational, illogical, and even presumptuous, it was emotionally resolute. His instincts told him that it was the right choice.

On the other hand, Jae-chan, who couldn’t even guess how Woo-jin came to this conclusion, was trapped in great confusion.

“You…”

He could barely speak in a trembling voice.

“…you hate that kind of thing.”

He hadn’t even finished his sentence.

The interlocked fingers were pulled close. As if forcefully drawn in, Jae-chan’s chest gently bumped against Woo-jin’s sturdy chest. The next moment, their lips collided. Jae-chan’s eyes widened as he felt the warm skin gently pressing on him. In that brief moment, all the confusion that had swirled in his mind evaporated.