TG Ch 8 Part 3

“G-Geonwu…?”

Flustered, Sijin met Ham Geonwu’s eyes. The Killer Whale had stubbornly attached himself to Sijin.

“That crazy bastard…”

He heard Jeong Taeyul cursing viciously beside him.

But Ham Geonwu, unconcerned, rested his head on Sijin’s thigh. He hooked his leg around Jeong Taeyul’s body somewhere, then smiled handsomely at Sijin and asked, “Doctor. What are you doing?”

“Uh, well… Geonwu.”

Sijin managed to answer. Beside him, Jeong Taeyul was trying to push away Ham Geonwu’s muscular thigh. But Ham Geonwu gritted his teeth and held on, gripping the back of the bench. He showed a strong will to never leave Sijin’s side.

Sijin, afraid that Ham Geonwu might fall off his lap, awkwardly put his arm around his broad shoulders and answered, “Just talking to Jeong Taeyul for a bit.”

“I see.”

“Y-Yeah. But Geonwu, why are you… like this on my lap…?”

“Why? We always talk like this on the bench, don’t we?”

“D-Did we? Did we?”

Sijin struggled to recall. He had fallen asleep on their laps once when he was dying from the burden of the general examinations. But he didn’t know that switching places with Ham Geonwu once would make things this difficult.

Then, Ham Geonwu reported something unprompted, as if it were perfectly natural.

“I trained the kids and ate.”

“Right. Y-You ate. Our Geonwu must have eaten a lot, a whole lot…”

Sijin said, his arm around Ham Geonwu trembling slightly. His arm trembled from supporting the killer whale’s sturdy torso settled in his lap. His shoulders were so broad that it felt like he would fall if Sijin didn’t hold him. It seemed like Ham Geonwu was the only one at ease.

“Fuck, are you not leaving?”

Jeong Taeyul finally snapped, cursing viciously. Sijin was surprised, having only seen his gentler side lately. But Ham Geonwu didn’t even flinch, instead tattling to Sijin, “That asshole cursed at me.”

“Kids… you shouldn’t curse at your friends. You’ll get in trouble.”

Sijin intervened, trying to mediate. He tried to adjust his hold on the killer whale to somehow manage him. Then, he spoke soothingly to Ham Geonwu, who was staring intently at him, “But… Geonwu? I have something to talk about with Guide Jeong Taeyul…”

“Why? Just talk.”

“It’s something a bit… awkward for you to hear.”

“You want me to move?”

Ham Geonwu asked, feigning surprise.

“You said I’m the m-most important to you, Doctor.”

“I… don’t think I said most important…”

“…No?”

“Oh, no. Our Geonwu is very important. Yes.”

After saying that, Sijin couldn’t help but glance at Jeong Taeyul, nervous about any misunderstandings.

But Jeong Taeyul was looking at Ham Geonwu with a face that was a mixture of resignation, disgust, surprise, and annoyance. It was the expression of someone who realized their rival wasn’t a person, but a dog.

In fact, Jeong Taeyul had lost his fighting spirit due to the ridiculously low-level provocation. Not only did he have to compete with a dog, but the dog’s shameless tactics were too powerful. If he hadn’t been so invested, he would have gotten up as usual, saying, “Fuck, you win,” but this time, Sijin was someone he absolutely didn’t want to lose.

Glaring at Ham Geonwu as if he wanted to kill him, Jeong Taeyul gritted out, “Get lost before I knock you out…”

“Ah… Doctor.”

Ham Geonwu suddenly frowned.

“My chest keeps hurting. Did I overdo it during training earlier…?”

“O-Oh? Your chest? What does it feel like?”

“I don’t know. Ah… my leg really hurts too…”

“Did you overuse your ability? Let me see, I’ll press it, so tell me if it hurts… Jeong Taeyul, stop pushing Geonwu. He said it hurts.”

“……”

Sijin scolded Jeong Taeyul as he removed his hand from Ham Geonwu’s leg. Then, he worriedly pressed Ham Geonwu’s muscular chest. Ham Geonwu, as if he’d never been in pain, looked up triumphantly. His gaze was fixed on Jeong Taeyul.

‘Fucking bastard.’

Now Jeong Taeyul was cursing with his expression. But Ham Geonwu remained unfazed. He even shifted his position, cheekily resting his head against Sijin. He had a subtle smirk, as if challenging Jeong Taeyul to do something about it.

Seeing that expression, Jeong Taeyul felt a murderous urge for the first time in a while. Acting cute, flattering… Those were Jeong Taeyul’s inferiority buttons.

Then Ham Geonwu said, “Right, Jeong Tae. The director was looking for you at the command room? He said he couldn’t reach you.”

“…Why would I ignore the director’s call, you son of a bitch?”

“So what. Aren’t you going? I told him I’d get you.”

At those words, Jeong Taeyul abruptly stood up. Ham Geonwu almost fell but managed to hold on by pushing against Jeong Taeyul with his foot. Sijin grabbed his mischievous foot to smooth things over.

Then, Jeong Taeyul looked at Sijin, then back down at Ham Geonwu.

“I’ll exile you to a monster’s mouth.”

Sijin, who happened to be close by, heard it clearly. Terrified, his eyes widened in horror. He felt Jeong Taeyul was truly capable of it.

“Doctor, I’m scared.”

But Ham Geonwu calmly leaned against Sijin. Jeong Taeyul, seeing that, trembled with his fists clenched, then, seeing Sijin’s frightened expression, finally left.

“He’s finally gone.”

Only after Jeong Taeyul had truly left did Ham Geonwu get up. He then sat down, putting his arm around the back of the bench where Sijin was sitting. His demeanor was relaxed, as if he’d never pretended to be scared.

“Geonwu…?”

“Why?”

Sijin’s jaw dropped at the sight. It was the first time he had seen Ham Geonwu outmaneuver Jeong Taeyul.

Sijin belatedly asked Ham Geonwu, “You didn’t… trick your friend, did you?”

“Nah~ Of course not. The director did tell me to get Jeong Tae.”

Ham Geonwu said casually. His expression returned to its usual relaxed state, but a subtle anger lingered. He looked briefly in the direction Jeong Taeyul had disappeared, then wrapped his arm around Sijin’s shoulder and said, “Three days ago.”

“……”

Sijin stared blankly at him. It was the first time he had seen Ham Geonwu use his head.

Today truly was a strange day.

***

Even so, it was too strange. Sijin’s routine, which had been somewhat predictable, was drastically unraveling beyond his control.

Confused, Sijin couldn’t scold the feigning Ham Geonwu much and had no choice but to return to the dormitory.

That night, Sijin stared at his laptop, looking somewhat out of it. A video call was displayed on the screen.

[Kekekekekekeke…]

“…Stop laughing.”

[Just a second, I’m about to die of laughter.]

“……”

Kwon Jiwon was clutching his stomach and laughing on the other side of the screen. Sijin sat there blankly and asked, “What’s so funny?”

[Of course it’s funny, ha. Our Dr. Baek is doing well there. Even engaging in romantic escapades now.]

“It’s not a romance. We just happened to kiss…”

[Kissed. Kissed and then fainted. Kekekeke…]

Kwon Jiwon was now laughing so hard he couldn’t breathe. Sijin stared blankly at the screen, feeling utterly resigned. He’d rather be working.

‘And why is Geonwu acting like that too? Jeong Taeyul is enough to deal with…’

Jeong Taeyul alone was difficult to handle. With Ham Geonwu openly clinging to him as well, his confusion tripled. It was as if they had made a secret pact to toy with him from both sides.

Sijin had called his friend in his confusion, but Kwon Jiwon had been too busy laughing since the moment he’d heard the story.

Finally composing himself, Kwon Jiwon clapped his hands and said:

[But our Confucian Dr. Baek already kissed someone! This is why younger guys are good, right? They’re impatient.]

“Stop it, Jiwon… I’m really confused.”

[Why? Isn’t it a good thing?]

“I feel like I’m going to die with the two of them suddenly clinging to me…”

[Two?]

Unable to answer, Sijin took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Perhaps because of his disheveled appearance, he looked somewhat pathetic and miserable. But Kwon Jiwon was just finding it amusing. Since getting married, he’d become obsessed with other people’s love lives…

“What am I supposed to do with kids five years younger than me…”

[It’s not like you’re marrying him. Weren’t you interested in him too?]

“I don’t know… A little recently?”

[Right… ‘A little’ means ‘completely smitten’ in Baek Sijin language.]

Kwon Jiwon nodded, seemingly understanding. They had known each other for years, so he knew that Sijin was particularly slow when it came to emotions.

Now, in his confusion, Sijin just rambled, “He has been kind lately, but I used to be scared of him, so even small gestures seem kind now. Or maybe I’m just blinded by his handsome face… Ah, wait a minute…”

[……?]

Sijin opened the mini-fridge next to him. He had bought coffee milk for times like these, when he was feeling troubled.

[You still drink that?]

Kwon Jiwon commented indifferently, seemingly used to it.

Sijin took a sip of coffee milk and continued rambling,

“But he’s the guy who was always so intimidating towards me. He made me faint the first time we met, and now he suddenly kisses me…”

[……??]

“But, the examination… I can’t go into details because it’s confidential, but anyway, I’m going crazy. The strange phenomenon feels like it only exists to tease me…”

[Who are you talking about?]

“Huh?”

[I thought you were talking about that buffalo-like Esper.]

At those words, Sijin finally looked up. He saw Kwon Jiwon looking at him with a suspicious expression. Sijin belatedly shook his head and said, “Uh… no. I’m talking about the Guide who kept checking me.”

[This crazy…!]

Kwon Jiwon raised his voice, then glanced to the side. His friend, dressed in casual clothes like Sijin, was at home. He had cursed in surprise and was now checking his wife’s reaction. Sijin instinctively shut his mouth.

Kwon Jiwon lowered his voice and said:

[Sorry. The baby’s sleeping.]

“Oh… it’s okay.”

[Hmm, anyway, Baek Sijin. I’ve been thinking while listening to you… ]

Kwon Jiwon spoke softly. He seemed to finally understand Sijin’s worries, his tone serious now. Sijin also listened attentively to his friend’s words.

Kwon Jiwon clasped his hands together and said seriously,

[It seems like things are going well, so enjoy it… Haven’t you worked enough?]

“Hey, you…”

[Oh, the baby’s crying. I have to go. I have to go.]

Hearing the distant cries of a baby, Kwon Jiwon scrambled to his feet. He bent over and fumbled with the laptop, saying:

[Anyway, damn it, enjoy it while you can. Your hyung is giving you homework.]

“What homework?”

[Whether it’s the Esper or the Guide, hurry up and devour them like the older one you are.]

“Just go…!”

Sijin yelled in frustration. He had confided in his friend because he was troubled, but he wasn’t being helpful at all.

Then, Kwon Jiwon grabbed the top of the laptop and said:

[Oh right, Baek Sijin. I forgot to tell you this.]

“What?”

[Your kids applied for the S-rank promotion test this time, right?]

“Ah… yeah. I applied last time.”

[Yeah, right. The person who was originally supposed to go canceled, so this hyung volunteered to go on a business trip there.]

“What!?”

Sijin urgently grabbed the laptop. Worries or not, the F12 Center was dangerous for Kwon Jiwon. It was the place where a diagnostic examiner had been kidnapped and killed just a month ago.

“Jiwon, no, you’re a father now. This place is already dangerous…!”

[Yes. See you later, Dr. Baek~.]

-The video call has ended-

“……”

Sijin sat there blankly for a long time, staring at the darkened screen.

‘What do I do? Kwon is going to be so nosy.’

Sijin slumped in his chair, lost in thought. He was worried whether he could handle his friend’s nosy nature.

At least it was a relief that Kwon Jiwon was competent and reliable. Rubbing his tired eyes, Sijin resolved to keep his distance from the kids and finally went to bed.

***