TWLPOD 17

“Why. Do you want to pounce on him?”

He rubbed the semen that had splattered onto his face against the sheet like a cat and raised the corners of his mouth, looking languid.

“He is just your type. Small, strong, and pretty. But what to do… there are so many rumors that he’s in that kind of relationship with Aran Repard.”

“Is that so?”

In contrast to his casual tone, Gray’s eyebrows shot up.

“Can’t be helped, I guess. Espers are bound to be attracted to strong Guides. It’s instinct, instinct. The very design of the brain makes it unavoidable.”

Compared to Espers being treated as the strong ones for utilizing abilities—be they physical, mental, or something else entirely—that others did not possess, they were vulnerable when it came to protecting themselves. And they instinctively try to resolve that vulnerability through Guides.

Thus, Espers obsess over, restrain, and try to monopolize Guides. It is the plea of those who cannot resist their instincts. A plea to become mine for the sake of perfect existence.

“You like strong Espers because you know that too, don’t you? A strong, prideful, aloof-looking Esper begging at your feet.”

“We only give to you guys without receiving anything, so we should at least have that much pleasure.”

It was a back that caught the eye. A slender body, rare to see within a center full of brawny muscle-heads. He wondered what kind of skin would greet his hands if he undressed him, admiring the line of the uniform as it fell from his neck, to his shoulders, waist, hips, and thighs.

The sun epaulet on his shoulder symbolized that he was an Esper, so he had made a pass at him with the half-hearted thought that if he seduced him using guiding as an excuse, he might fall for it, and if he didn’t, so be it.

“It’d be sad if you said you get nothing after getting me into this state. If we’re talking about who really gets nothing, it’s Aran Repard. He’s a multi who’s an S-rank Esper and an S-rank Guide himself.”

“That’s why he doesn’t give guiding, just as he doesn’t receive it.”

“That’s the official story, but he does it when it’s urgent. Though it’s only the radial type.”

‘Is that why that guy’s wavelength was like that?’

Gray looked down at his hand with the gauze on it. The wavelength he had read from the brief contact was, like his ability, extremely hot. It was in a boiling state, as if he had dipped his hand in a volcano and pulled it out, an overwhelming power that felt like any average Guide who carelessly tried to guide him would be incinerated on the spot.

‘He himself seemed fine, though…’

Even though his state could not be called stable, he looked comfortable. He didn’t look like someone pretending to be strong, but like someone who genuinely had no physical problems. As if he had always lived in that state and had never experienced a stability beyond that.

“But if he’s an S-rank, even with the radial type, the guys who’ve received it once should be clinging to him. How come I haven’t seen any?”

“Ah… according to my roommate… he said he’d rather die than receive it again.”

“Why?”

“He said it fucking hurts.”

That didn’t sound like the review of an Esper who had received a guiding that should have been cause for gratitude.

“He said his skill is amazing, but the process of matching wavelengths is just so fucking painful. He said it felt like his brain was being poked with a scalpel without anesthesia, but for all that, he woke up from a nap feeling more refreshed than ever, which made him feel even shittier.”

A Guide rejected by an Esper, and an Esper who maintains his composure without a Guide. The more he heard, the more interesting their relationship became.

“So isn’t that why I, and my roommate, seek you guys out?”

The Esper, who had gotten off the bed at some point, unbuckled Gray’s pants, pulled down his underwear, and took his penis into his mouth. The inside of his mouth, already wet with saliva and semen, was obscene. While feeling the play of the Esper’s tongue kneeling between his legs, Gray superimposed the pupils he had seen yesterday onto the eyes that met his. He had simply thought they were pretty eyes, but since returning, they had held his mind captive and wouldn’t let go. As if it wasn’t just his hand that had been burned.

“Did you really become impotent?”

Disappointment showed on the Esper’s face as he spat out the penis that wouldn’t get hard despite the foreplay. Gray pushed him away as he tucked away his completely limp member.

“I’m gonna spread the rumor~”

The amused Esper was soon embraced from behind and dragged away by another roommate. Just as he resumed his play with another penis in his mouth.

Ding-dong.

“What is it.”

A bell that jolted them back to reality rang. Gray, who was about to go into his room since his mood had cooled, stopped.

Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong— The continuous ringing of the bell finally made someone on the bed burst out in annoyance, and Gray irritably flung the door open.

“Can’t you see the do not disturb sign…”

The person he had just been violating in his mind was looking up at him with clear eyes.

“Hello.”

Thankfully, he hadn’t become impotent.

A few hours before Kay visited room 4701.

Kay, still not used to the morning glare, woke up after a long while and wandered around the kitchen. In one hand, he held the ‘Lympus Life Manual’ for those from Willamere.

‘Is this the water dispenser button?’

With a ding from the unidentified machine, a built-in cup and water poured out, and the water supply stopped automatically.

‘Convenient.’

After drinking the water, Kay turned and discovered photos stuck on the opposite hallway wall. The wall was densely covered with boisterous photos.

Among the faces he had never seen, only one person caught his eye.

A younger Aran. He was among his colleagues at an event with ‘Completion Ceremony’ written on it.

‘Were you like this too?’

His heart pounded as he imagined a youthful version of El, who had already been an adult from the first time he saw him. When he placed a hand over the emotion that resembled excitement, the person right next to him also came into view.

‘This is the person who used water. And this one is…’

In the photo were the woman who had created the water prison last time, the man who had run over with a tablet, and Jin, who stood a little ways off, looking like he was there against his will.

‘Are they all friends?’

When he suddenly thought of the word ‘friend,’ there was a face that came to mind first.

Excluding Leah, he was the person in his small, narrow world who could be called a friend, but it was ambiguous whether he could still be called a friend now.

The last time he saw him was five years ago, and even that was a farewell that was hard to define.

“Kay. Are you angry? I’m sorry.”

“You should have at least told me!”

“You would have stopped me then.”

“Of course, I would have. What kind of question is that?”

Being born an ability user in Willamere was like a kind of lottery ticket. If you were alone, it was like being born with one more skill you could use for survival. If you had a family, you could use it to protect them, or you could sell yourself to Lympus, either willingly or unwillingly.

And so, Kay’s one and only friend sold himself to Lympus for the sake of the orphanage. Without a word, until the day before he left.

“It’s for you all. And for me, too.”

“How is that for you!”

“Kay.”

At those words, Simon quietly pressed a kiss on the back of Kay’s hand. It was an act like a kiss of affection, but Kay sensed something from him as he didn’t pull away for a long time.

He didn’t know what kind of expression he himself had made at the time. However, Simon simply gave a short farewell, as if to say, ‘It’s okay. I knew.’

“I’ll be back.”

A quiet final farewell. The kiss, whose sensation on his lips lingered for a long time without fading, made him angrier the more he dwelled on it over time. Because it was only later that he guessed it was a confession that was not a confession.

And so now. In front of room 4701.

Ling Gainer

Gray Hamilton

Alex

Simon Jaeger

Kay confirmed the names written on the nameplate, then ignored the [Do Not Disturb] notice and pressed the bell.

“Aaang, ang!”

The moans, rough enough to be heard outside the dorm, made him worry the bell wouldn’t be heard, so he pressed it a few more times, and the door opened irritably.

“Can’t you see the do not disturb sign…”

The person speaking was the A-rank Guide he had seen yesterday. Only after checking the nameplate again did he remember the name Gray.

“Hello.”

“Ha.”

The man laughed as if in disbelief at the common greeting, a white gauze taped to the hand holding the door.

“What brings you here? Need guiding or something?”

Even though it was early morning, lewd jokes like ‘grip the dick tight’ and ‘you’re all stretched out’ flowed from over his shoulder, making it seem like a continuation of yesterday.

“No. I came to see Simon. Is he here?”

Amidst the mess, with the squelching sounds of pleasure clearly audible even outside the door, someone shouted.

“Close the door, Gray!”

“Come on in for now.”

The Simon in his memory wouldn’t be in this kind of atmosphere, but there was the time they hadn’t seen each other, so there was no telling how a person might have changed. As Kay took a step inside the entrance, the door closed behind him.

“You don’t have to be so guarded.”

“And you could have just answered the question.”

“If it’s just answering, it’s not hard. The guy’s not here right now.”

“Then I’ve intruded.”

He had come on an impulse, but he felt relieved to hear that he wasn’t there. Kay turned around without any lingering feelings. He turned away with the thought that they would meet naturally as time went on.

“He probably won’t be here in the future either.”

That is, until he heard those words.

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. Simon Jaeger has disappeared. It’s been about… three weeks?”

“Are you saying he’s missing?”

“Well. Rather than missing…”

A man as tall as Gray came and leaned against his back as he trailed off.

“An extra guest? Cute. Introduce me.”

His slightly flushed face seemed to be more from alcohol than sex. The smell of alcohol hit the tip of Kay’s nose the moment he approached.

“Look at the bracelet before you talk.”

Bracelet?

When Kay checked his wrist, the man’s eyes also widened as if in surprise.

“Oh, wow. So it’s you. I’m curious. You, what’s your relationship with Aran Repard?”

If he had to define it, it would be a contractual one.