SOG Ch 86

Woo-jin gently wrapped his large palm around the bruised cheek and tried to open Jae-chan’s lips wider, but then he just let out a small sigh. He simply pulled him into a soft embrace, focusing on his shoulders. The vivid bruising on Jae-chan’s cheek and near his lips was still noticeable.

As a result, the following kiss was very shallow and soft. Their lips met lightly, making a small sound of wet friction against each other’s lips.  Jae-chan closed his eyes tightly at the warm and cautious sensation accompanied by a slight throbbing sensation. Woo-jin, who had softly pressed his lips against the smooth lips for the last time, pulled back slightly and asked.

“…Do you still think I dislike it?”

He asked from a distance so close that the tips of their noses were still touching. That low voice shook the still air.

Seon Jae-chan, who seemed like he would say something, was now unable to even move his lips. There was no need to say anything. The complete confusion was thoroughly conveyed to Woo-jin. 

When Jae-chan realized this, he stopped guiding, but Woo-jin didn’t care. He carefully cupped his cheeks to avoid touching the wounds. Gently stroking the delicate earlobes, Woo-jin lowered his gaze.

In fact, it was more than just not disliking it.

He liked it.

Staring into the wavering eyes, Woo-jin admitted it.

He didn’t dislike physical contact with this guy. No, he definitely liked it.

*

Back in the empty dorm, Jae-chan lay on the dimly lit bed without turning on the lights. Unlike his unmoving appearance, his mind was still in chaos. 

‘Do you still think I dislike it?’

He continued to recall Woo-jin’s voice, which seemed strangely softened. From the silence as the car started moving again, through the tightly packed evening commute roads, until returning to the center, even when he left the car after leaving a stiff farewell to Woo-jin, only that confession-like voice continued to echo in his mind.

Woo-jin said he didn’t dislike the physical contact with him.

It also reminded me of the kiss from last winter. The short but intense kiss they had shared. The time when the stable Woo-jin clearly kissed him voluntarily, using guidance as an excuse.

The conclusion was that Woo-jin didn’t kiss him because he liked him; it was because he didn’t dislike physical contact even back then. The only thing bothering him was the realization, through Nam Hae-sol’s case in the past, that Woo-jin takes physical contact seriously. Jae-chan, who had been contemplating, soon found the answer.

‘She was special.’

Nam Hae-sol must have been precious enough for Woo-jin to be careful even in physical contact.

He was thinking wrong. Nam Hae-sol was just a precious existence, and Woo-jin didn’t seem to attach much significance to physical contact itself. Of course, the point of saying, ‘I would rather be your partner than watch you wallow in danger’ seemed excessive, but his deep sense of responsibility was originally an area that was difficult to understand, so let’s put it that way…

‘But that’s not important.’

Jae-chan suddenly got up. He stared at the ceiling in the faint light without turning on the lights.

What’s important is…

He raised his hand and slapped both cheeks loudly. It was so painful, but he quickly regained his composure.

The important thing was to make up his mind.

If things continued like this, he might fall for Go Woo-jin completely.

‘Fine.’

Did Woo-jin know the meaning behind those words? He’d barely managed to avoid him with the help of Han Tae-hoon, and now there’s the guy who, even if he quickly returned to Nam Hae-sol, wouldn’t be enough, yet he’s charging in, wanting to be swallowed whole.

In the muddled thoughts that were unraveling, Jae-chan even felt a sense of despair. If he continued to get closer to Woo-jin like this, would he be able to let him go properly when the time came? It was already difficult now.

It was when he tightly clenched his fist. Unexpectedly, his phone rang.

[Director Yoon Seo-mi]

Seon Jae-chan raised his eyebrows after checking the caller’s name on the screen.

The text banner that flashed shortly after the missed call notification caused him to accept a call he didn’t want to receive. Putting the phone to his ear, he heard Director Yoon’s voice, which sounded drunk.

– You’re answering now? Well, you always were like that. That damn Woo-jin, Woo-jin…

It was the first time he heard her voice in almost a year since the call on Mentosa Island. Despite that, her voice seemed to reek of alcohol. Her pronunciation was unclear, and her speech dragged on.

Jae-chan recalled the text message he had seen on the banner earlier with his eyes sinking. ‘I heard you told Team Leader Han about Woo-jin’s weakness?’ It was something like that.

He pondered how Director Yoon might be doing right now. Perhaps she was being held captive at her residence or an art gallery.

Chairman Go Young-chang ruled with authoritarianism. YN Group, Director Yoon’s household, had been losing influence in the business world for several years. She had gone from being Chairman Go’s business partner to a mere pawn after that. Now, with the recent incidents, even that seemed in jeopardy.

– But you know it and I know it too, right? How can you say that you are Woo-jin’s weakness …?

Director Yoon, seemingly in a state of emotional distress, poured out her words unilaterally. Judging from her erratic behavior, Jae-chan was convinced that she was cornered. Woo-jin, who had brought evidence from him, seemed to have done a good job. She had met Han Tae-hoon, collected bits of information, and had even come to him with such words.

– Since it’s come to this… should I tell you Woo-jin’s real weakness?

However, Jae-chan was distracted from his analysis for a brief moment when he heard the voice that followed. A gentle voice whispers as if detecting a complete shift.

– Then will you come back to me?

“I’m not interested.”

He cut off Director Yoon’s words a bit hastily. He knew she had tried to manipulate him a year before, during the Mentosa Island incident. Until now, he had politely responded to her messages, unsure of how things would turn out. However, suddenly saying he would tell Woo-jin’s weaknesses was a different matter.

– Aren’t you curious? Only I and Chairman Go know. Remember Mentosa Island? In fact…”

Jae-chan immediately hung up the phone.

A sudden silence took its place in the dark room. Yet, Director Yoon’s voice seemed to linger in his ears. Jae-chan shook his head as if trying to break free from a trap. He promptly marked Director Yoon’s number as spam.

He looked down at the phone in silence, with a lingering trace of hesitation.

Woo-jin’s weakness related to Mentor Island… Should he have listened? 

Maybe he should have known his weaknesses in advance and prepared a contingency plan just in case. Brief regret for not hearing about it settled in, but soon he concluded that he did the right thing.

There were two main reasons for refusing to listen to Woo-jin’s weaknesses.

 First, he didn’t want to lose Woo-jin’s trust by giving even the slightest excuse to be connected with Director Yoon. Second, he didn’t trust himself. He worried that he might deviate again, using that weakness to trip Woo-jin up, just like he had threatened him with Nam Hae-sol and her father in the past.

As if things weren’t complicated enough, Goo Woo-jin was getting ambitious to the point of madness.

He had successfully solved two cases that were the initial goals of his regression. However, his mind was more tumultuous than ever. Jae-chan tried to soothe his chaotic feelings, but it didn’t work well. Layers of confusion settled upon his eyes, which were lost in contemplation.

*

Unlike the growing confusion that intensified with time, Seon Jae-chan’s bruises steadily faded away. Fifteen days later, only faint traces of yellowish discoloration remained when it seemed to be barely noticeable. At that point, Jae-chan attended the award ceremony.

[25th Anniversary Celebration of the United Guide Committee]

The grand ceremony related to the guides took place in the magnificent Capitol’s banquet hall. A large United Guide flag, parliamentary flag, and presidential flag extended in a row, illuminated by dazzling chandeliers, behind President Gyeong Jeon-seok’s seat.

Jae-chan, now equipped with the growth of his Guide abilities, ascended the blue velvet-covered platform. He wasn’t accepting the award alone; he was accompanied by eight other Guides. Leading them was undoubtedly Han Tae-hoon, the head Guide of Team 1.

The guides receiving the award stopped in front of the President at extremely neat intervals, just as they had rehearsed for several days. Following Han Tae-hoon’s command, they saluted in unison.

The ceremony continued under President Gyeong Jeon-seok’s command.

“I express my respect to the Guides who displayed courageous and sacrificial determination in the face of this threat to national security. Thank you for fulfilling your rightful duties.”

The President, who made apparent statements in the face of a barrage of media flashes, appeared relieved that the hostage issue had been resolved. Even though it was early July and a typhoon was raging outside the Capitol, the President’s face was radiant.

Seon Jae-chan stood at attention and listened to the boring commemorative speech, while while comparing the past and present. It was unprecedented in the past for the President to hold a large Guide-related commemorative ceremony.

Will this be beneficial?

In the past, he was a president who was unable to resolve any problems, including the Universal Park hostage crisis and the Han Roy kidnapping. Meanwhile, he lavishly prepared for the 31st anniversary inauguration ceremony, which infuriated the citizens of the Union.

In the current changed circumstances, all these incidents have been neatly resolved. Jae-chan’s eyebrows naturally rose as he thought about it. He had absolutely no intention of contributing to the stability of the President’s reign, but somehow, that’s how it turned out.

Nevertheless, he had no regrets.

Since he succeeded in putting Won Seong-il in prison, it was no different from destroying Black Swan’s powerful mobility. Jae-chan’s chest swelled with a sense of accomplishment. A momentary joy, nonetheless.

‘I wonder if I will be able to find the Technician and the Angel.’