TG Ch 3(2) Part 4

A Center expansion. This could be an opportunity for him to get a promotion. Moreover, the Director seemed genuinely invested in supporting the examination team, unlike most directors. Come to think of it, this might actually be a good thing.

He took a deep breath and stood up, feeling a sense of accomplishment. 

“Doctor Baek.”

The Director called out to him as Sijin reached for the doorknob. He turned around, puzzled.

“Yes, sir?”

“…..”

The Director stared at him in silence, his brown eyes sharp, as if trying to see through Sijin. 

Then, he asked casually, “How are things between you and Jeong Taeyul?”

‘Why is he asking me that?’

Sijin was taken aback. It was difficult to define his relationship with Jeong Taeyul. They had only recently started to get along.

“Well… We’re colleagues, so…” 

“Colleagues.” 

The Director repeated his words, his eyes studying Sijin’s face. Sijin’s grip on the doorknob tightened.

“Alright. I understand.”

“Uhm… May I ask why you’re asking?”

“It’s nothing. Just curious.” 

The Director brushed it off as if it were an insignificant question, but Sijin couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was more to it.

“You’re dismissed.”

“Yes, sir. Then… I’ll be going now.”

Sijin bowed and left the office.

As he walked down the hallway, confusion gnawed at him.

He understood why the Director, as the head of the Center, might inquire about Jeong Taeyul, their only A-rank Guide. 

‘But why ask about our relationship instead of his condition…?’

That was what truly puzzled him.

He tried to brush it aside, but the question lingered in his mind. There was no one he could ask about it, especially not Jeong Taeyul himself. 

‘Just focus on the general examinations.’ 

Frustrated, Sijin abandoned his attempts to make sense of it all and quickened his pace. The hallway seemed unusually long as he walked back to his office.

Day 5 of General Examinations.

6 p.m. Sijin trudged alongside the Center’s lake, his arms laden with a stack of heavy documents.

His steps were slow, his body on the verge of collapse. The early evening sky was painted in hues of orange, a peaceful contrast to his exhaustion. The days were longer now that it was June.

He glanced at his watch, his mind calculating the remaining work. He still had to go back to the examination room to sort through the documents, which meant he would be working until midnight again. He definitely needed to grab some coffee.

His eyelids twitched involuntarily, the familiar scenery blurring. 

He was running on fumes.

He’d barely gotten three hours of sleep each night for the past five days, and even that had been in the form of brief naps, never a full night’s rest.

He was utterly exhausted.

The general examinations were draining enough, but dealing with Ham Geonwu’s stubborn resistance towards the tests was frustrating, and Jeong Taeyul’s unpredictable behavior was starting to wear him down. And the Ability Users, prone to sudden outbursts, were like a pack of one-year-old golden retriever puppies.

Just then, he spotted a bench. He practically collapsed onto it, clutching the documents to his chest as he leaned back, half-lying, half-sitting. Despite the warm weather, the shade from the tree above provided a welcome respite, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves.

‘Ham Geonwu’s bench…’

He realized that this was the same bench where Ham Geonwu had rested the other day. His mind, struggling to function, made a few connections: 

Ham Geonwu’s bench. Secluded. Plenty of shade. Good visual cover. Quiet…

The tree that Ham Geonwu had moved with his telekinesis provided the perfect amount of shade. It was the ideal spot to rest. Sijin felt like he would dissolve into dust with each gentle gust of wind.

“Oh? It’s Doctor.” 

Sijin heard a voice. He knew exactly who it belonged to, and honestly, in his current state, he wanted nothing more than to avoid him. It was Ham Geonwu.

“The brain of our Center, sprawled out on a bench.”

Then came Jeong Taeyul’s lazy drawl. Sijin felt like the universe was conspiring against him. 

Even a few minutes of rest was forbidden, apparently. He felt a surge of resentment but couldn’t muster the energy to move, his body limp, his eyes staring blankly ahead. 

Despite Sijin’s lack of response, Ham Geonwu and Jeong Taeyul continued their banter, their voices washing over him like background noise. 

“Jeong Tae, remember Junghye noona?”

“Yeah, your cousin.”

“She owns that cafe, right? They have a 14-year-old Maltese that looks just like this.”

“Are you insane? Don’t compare the Doctor to an old dog.”

Despite his words, Jeong Taeyul was chuckling. Sijin didn’t care that he was being compared to a geriatric canine. He just wanted them to go away so he could stay put. Otherwise, he would actually have to get up. 

Then, Jeong Taeyul said casually, “There aren’t any empty benches around here.”

“We can make one.”

There were plenty of empty benches nearby, but before Sijin could protest, his body lifted off the ground. He instinctively clutched the documents to his chest, assuming those jerks were moving him out of his prime spot. 

But instead of being moved aside, his body was gently lowered onto the bench—on top of Ham Geonwu and Jeong Taeyul, who had taken a seat. 

He was now lying on top of them, his head resting on Jeong Taeyul’s firm thighs, his legs draped over Ham Geonwu’s. He had inadvertently become a human blanket for two A-rank Ability Users. Sijin groaned, “Why don’t you two just go somewhere else…?” 

“Stay put,” Jeong Taeyul replied, placing a hand on Sijin’s chest, effectively pinning him down. Sijin found himself trapped, his body pressed against Jeong Taeyul’s. 

Ham Geonwu, seemingly unfazed by the situation, said, “Did I tell you? I asked Doctor Baek to have dinner with me again, and he turned me down.” 

“Stop bothering Doctor Baek.”

“I guess I should keep my distance for now. Is he busy with work?” 

“It’s the general examinations, obviously.” 

They continued chatting as if Sijin wasn’t even there. He glared at them, silently sending them telepathic messages, willing them to go away. 

Seemingly immune to Sijin’s telepathic pleas, Jeong Taeyul said casually, “Ham, have you ever noticed the Doctor’s antenna on his head?”

“What is it?”

“There’s always a single strand of hair sticking straight up on the top of his head. So damn defiant.”

“Ah, that thing,” Ham Geonwu chuckled. Sijin, clueless, ran his fingers through his hair, feeling a little offended. Were they seriously making fun of him behind his back?

“I don’t have an antenna…” 

“Yes, you do. Right here.”

Jeong Taeyul reached over, his fingers brushing against the top of Sijin’s head. Sijin winced as if he could feel a single strand of hair being tugged. 

Ham Geonwu, taking a sip of his coffee, commented with a smirk, “The antenna’s a bit droopy today, isn’t it?”

“It changes depending on the weather. He’s practically a walking weather forecast.”

“Damn, you’re killing me, you bastard,” Ham Geonwu said, bursting into laughter.

Sijin felt like he was invisible to them. Honestly, he was starting to get used to it. He didn’t even have the energy to sit up anymore. 

Moreover, Jeong Taeyul’s thighs and Ham Geonwu’s legs were surprisingly comfortable pillows. As they talked, Jeong Taeyul absentmindedly played with Sijin’s hair, while Ham Geonwu gently massaged his calves. Sijin finally understood why dogs loved to be petted. 

It was bliss.

He gave up on even attempting to get up, content to simply lie there, his eyes lazily observing Jeong Taeyul’s handsome features. He had long eyelashes and deep-set eyes. Sijin noticed how he furrowed one brow slightly whenever he spoke, and how his hand, holding his iced coffee, looked deceptively small despite the fact that it was the largest size cup. Sijin, parched, had the fleeting thought of stealing Jeong Taeyul’s drink.

Then, Ham Geonwu asked, “Who was that earlier?”

“Who are you talking about?” 

“That Esper from the Fox Team.” 

“Ah… That damn…” Jeong Taeyul trailed off, a sharp curse escaping his lips. He frowned, his handsome face hardening. Sijin, intrigued, listened intently as if watching a fascinating documentary. Ham Geonwu, rolling his eyes, asked, “Is he still pestering you for guiding?” 

“Yeah.” 

Jeong Taeyul sighed, shaking his head in exasperation, as if the very thought was tiresome. Sijin, puzzled, watched them. Did Jeong Taeyul really hate guiding anyone other than Ham Geonwu? 

Sijin knew how popular the two A-ranks were. On days when they had examinations, Ability Users would linger outside the examination room just to catch a glimpse of them.

It was common for Ability Users to seek out high-ranking partners for sexual guiding. It made sense, from a biological standpoint—the desire for a strong mate. But Sijin, a regular person, could never truly understand.

Then Sijin recalled Jeong Taeyul’s recent unstable wave readings. Although it had improved, it was still at -63%, outside the normal range. Sijin had personally overseen Jeong Taeyul’s examination, so the data was fresh in his mind. 

“…Guide him.” 

His voice was hoarse from disuse. Despite his weak voice, Jeong Taeyul looked down at him, his brow furrowed. “What?” he asked, his gaze sharp.

Sijin hesitated before repeating himself. “Guide him. You need to stabilize your wave value…”

“Is the Doctor working even now?” Jeong Taeyul chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement.

Sijin felt a little intimidated, but he lacked the energy to look away. He simply stared back, and Jeong Taeyul, letting out a soft laugh, asked gently, “Ah, is our Doctor thirsty?” 

‘That’s not what I meant.’

Jeong Taeyul brought the iced coffee to Sijin’s lips, the straw hovering near his mouth. 

“Here, have a sip. I haven’t had any yet.”

“…..” 

Sijin, after a moment of hesitation, took a small sip. He really was thirsty.

The sweet coffee filled his mouth. It tasted like an iced vanilla latte. It was delicious, but not what he had been hoping for.

“It’s sweet.”

“Don’t like sweet drinks anymore?”

“I do, but…” 

Jeong Taeyul grinned at his response, his shark-like smile on full display. Sijin found it oddly endearing. His smile was as bright and charming as his reputation suggested. He heard Ham Geonwu chuckling next to him. It seemed that they were both amused by his weak, helpless state.

“Doctor looks like he’s about to fall asleep,” Ham Geonwu commented, taking a sip of his Americano.

“It’s about time,” Jeong Taeyul replied.

As they chatted peacefully, Sijin’s eyelids began to droop. He tried to fight it, but the gentle massage from their large hands lulled him deeper into drowsiness. “Jeong Taeyul…” he mumbled, struggling to stay awake.

“Yes?”

“Did you… Did you use your ability on me?”

“No, I didn’t. I promise.”

“Then why am I so sleepy…?”

Jeong Taeyul carefully removed Sijin’s glasses and set them aside. Ham Geonwu took off his large field jacket and draped it over Sijin, tucking him in. They were very attentive pillows.

“Go to sleep, Doctor,” Ham Geonwu said softly, patting his calf. 

“But… the examination room…”

“We’ll take care of the documents. Just rest.”

But he still had work to do… Ham Geonwu’s soothing voice chased away his protests, pulling him deeper into sleep. He felt a strange sense of peace, a feeling that it was truly okay to rest. 

‘But… I haven’t finished my work…’ 

That last thought faded as he drifted off.

He vaguely remembered seeing Jeong Taeyul’s gentle smile before his vision went dark. 

***