TG Ch 5 Part 5

“Now you’re carrying a stuffed animal.” 

And then he ran into Jeong Taeyul.

Sijin froze, his back stiffening as he turned towards the source of the voice.

Next to the Administration building was a designated smoking area, shaded by a large tree. It was a spot Jeong Taeyul, a smoker, frequented.

Jeong Taeyul stood under the tree’s canopy, one hand tucked into his pocket. His brown hair was tousled, his gaze sharp yet languid. He was still in his black combat uniform, a guiding glove on one hand. A white cigarette was perched between his long, slender fingers.

‘This is how villains always make their entrance.’

Despite his handsome features, all Sijin could think about were villains. They always seemed to appear out of thin air at the most peaceful moments, shattering the tranquility.

Jeong Taeyul’s gaze fell on the dolphin in Sijin’s arms. Sijin suddenly felt self-conscious, imagining Jeong Taeyul watching him walk towards him with the large plush toy. 

Flustered, he blurted out, “You should cut down on smoking.”

“It’s my first one today.” 

“…Really?” 

“Yes.”

Jeong Taeyul chuckled, exhaling a puff of smoke despite Sijin’s doubtful tone. He seemed to be in a good mood, even amused by Sijin’s nagging.

He then proceeded to stub out his ‘first cigarette’ in a nearby ashtray. Sijin, observing his lack of hesitation, concluded that it had probably been a lie. 

“What’s with the doll?” 

Jeong Taeyul asked, approaching Sijin with leisurely steps. Caught off guard by the question, Sijin averted his gaze, his heart racing. The closer he got, the more pronounced their height difference became, amplifying Sijin’s nervousness. 

‘I can’t let him find out about the trainees…’ 

He couldn’t risk revealing the origin of the dolphin. He was a terrible liar, and Jeong Taeyul’s presence wasn’t helping.

“A dolphin?”

Jeong Taeyul tilted his head slightly, peering down at the plush toy. Sijin wished he could show him the registration form as proof. 

He adjusted his grip on the doll and mumbled, “I… I just found it.” 

“‘Found it’?” 

Jeong Taeyul scoffed, as if he’d just heard a ridiculous line from a poorly written drama.

He then raised an eyebrow, his head cocked to the side, and said something that sent a shiver down Sijin’s spine. 

“That’s strange. I didn’t get a route deviation report.” 

“…Are you monitoring me?”

“The tracking AI notifies me if there’s any unauthorized exit from the Center.” 

Jeong Taeyul’s sharp eyes scanned Sijin from head to toe. Sijin stared back, willing himself to appear natural. He was trying too hard, he knew, and it probably made him look even more suspicious.

Jeong Taeyul chuckled, observing Sijin’s reaction with amusement, as if he were a cat toying with a mouse.

“Just tell me the truth.” 

“…..”

Sijin thought of the poor trainees who endured Jeong Taeyul’s relentless training every day. He couldn’t bear to see them punished for a little harmless fun.

He took a deep breath and said, “Actually, this…”

“Yes?” 

He had to save them, even if it meant offering himself as a sacrifice.

Sijin presented the pitiful offering to the Shark.

“This is… for you, Guide Jeong Taeyul.”

“…For me?”

“Y-Yes.”

He mumbled awkwardly, shoving the dolphin into Jeong Taeyul’s arms. Jeong Taeyul, caught off guard, raised an eyebrow as he took the plush toy.

“You got me… a doll?”

“W-Well… yes.”

“Why?”

Now that he thought about it, there was no logical reason for the gift.

Sijin’s eyes widened, his mind drawing a blank, then quickly said, “Special treatment.”

“Ah~ …Special treatment.” 

Jeong Taeyul echoed, a deceptively innocent smile gracing his lips, though his furrowed brows betrayed his amusement. 

They both knew how odd it was, two grown men exchanging stuffed animals. Flustered, Sijin quickly added, waving his hands in a flustered attempt to distract him before he could comment, “Look closely. Doesn’t it look like… me?”

Jeong Taeyul began examining the dolphin, his gaze even sharper than the inspection officer’s. Sijin launched into an awkward sales pitch.

“It’s wearing a graduation cap because it’s a doctor. It has glasses like me, and it’s sky-blue, my favorite color…. And it smiles like me, or rather… well, it smiles. See? It’s got this cat-like mouth…”

“You’re right, it does.” 

Jeong Taeyul interrupted, meeting Sijin’s gaze with a playful smirk. 

“Now that you mention it, they look identical.” 

‘Is he making fun of me?’

Sijin froze mid-sentence. But Jeong Taeyul seemed genuinely pleased.

He gave the doll a final glance and asked, “Did you get anything for Ham Geonwu?”

“Geonwu…? No.”

“So, you only got this for me?”

Sijin hesitated, then nodded slowly. There was no point denying it.

Jeong Taeyul beamed, looking genuinely pleased. He examined the dolphin, a hint of genuine fondness in his smile. 

Sijin shifted awkwardly. To think Jeong Taeyul would accept the gift so readily. Perhaps he was in a good mood after tormenting someone else. Or maybe he actually liked it. Either way, Sijin was relieved.

Then, Jeong Taeyul handed the doll back to Sijin.

“Say it again. The reason why you gave it to me.”

“…What?”

“‘I just found it.’”

He was definitely making fun of him. 

Sijin frowned, then shoved the doll back into Jeong Taeyul’s arms. Jeong Taeyul chuckled, his signature shark grin spreading across his face. He tucked the sky-blue dolphin under his arm, looking as pleased as a child on Christmas morning.

He then reached for Sijin’s laptop bag, one hand still tucked into his pocket.

“Give me your bag. I’ll carry it.”

“It’s okay, I can manage.”

“Oh, thanks. Here, you hold the coffee then.”

Ignoring Sijin’s protest, Jeong Taeyul took the heavy bag. Sijin was left with only his paper coffee cup. He felt a little disgruntled at being stripped of his belongings, but what bothered him more was the unfamiliar sight of Jeong Taeyul walking him back to his dorm. 

“What did you do today?”

“You know exactly what I did…”

“I’m still obligated to ask.” 

Sijin frowned. Even his attempts at casual conversation sounded condescending. 

“I was just resting… It’s a little stifling being stuck in the Center, though.”

“Stifling?”

“Yes. I wish I could go out on weekends…” 

“We should go out sometime.” 

“…Why would we go out together…?” 

“Who said anything about going together? What are you hoping for?” 

Jeong Taeyul leaned closer, draping his arm around Sijin’s shoulders, his shark grin widening. He was unfairly handsome. Sijin felt his cheeks burning.

“…I… I’m serious, stop it.” 

He tried to sound stern, but Jeong Taeyul only laughed louder.

Sijin felt awkward, engaging in such a casual conversation with Jeong Taeyul, but the pleasant weather made the situation bearable. It was a warm June evening, and the Ability Center, built on the grounds of a former college campus, felt surprisingly tranquil despite housing some of the nation’s most powerful Ability Users. The rustling of leaves in the wind was almost poetic. 

Perhaps it was the atmosphere, but even Jeong Taeyul’s teasing tone sounded pleasant to Sijin’s ears.

“Seriously, why did you give me a dolphin?”

“Well… I just thought it was cute.”

“After insisting that it looks like you.” 

“…..”

Jeong Taeyul chuckled. Sijin’s face flushed, embarrassed by the realization that he had essentially called himself cute. 

Averting his gaze, he caught a glimpse of their reflection in the building’s glass window. He looked at the dolphin tucked under Jeong Taeyul’s arm. It seemed much smaller now compared to when he was carrying it. He felt a pang of guilt towards both the dolphin and the trainees, but he quickly rationalized it. 

Then, a strange thought struck him. 

‘…This feels like a date.’

The realization made him uncomfortable. If Jeong Taeyul wasn’t dressed in his Ability Center uniform, it would have been a perfect picture of a couple on a date. The thought of him gifting a dolphin to the handsome Jeong Taeyul made him cringe.

As they reached his dorm, Sijin rushed inside, his words tumbling over each other. 

“Thanks for walking me back.”

“Here.” 

“You must be tired. Get some rest after you visit the examination room.”

He quickly closed the door, his cheeks burning. He glanced at the mirror; his face was flushed. He was glad to be back in his dorm. 

Then, he heard a voice from the other side. 

“Are you giving me your laptop too?”

“…Yes, sorry…”

Sijin’s face burned as he opened the door and Jeong Taeyul handed the laptop. And as he closed the door, Jeong Taeyul’s laughter echoed in his ears. A handsome villain was definitely a problem, Sijin thought, flustered.

***