* * *
“Come on, it’s our first team dinner. That’s no way to start!”
Even though Raon hadn’t formally approved the gathering, the preparations were somehow moving along perfectly.
He looked at the elaborate spread Yeojoon had laid out in disbelief.
“When did you get all this ready?”
“I brought the Esper booze, and the rest we all…”
“Ahem!”
“Ohhh, I see.”
So it had been a group effort in secret.
Raon glanced over the jittery chicks pretending innocence and let out a small smile.
“Well, I don’t go back on my word. Just don’t go overboard.”
“Team Leader, you’re the best!”
Raon chuckled at their cheers.
If word got out that they were drinking in the Center’s meeting room, Seokhyeon might give him an earful—but since they couldn’t exactly take Espers off-base, this was the best option.
“Siwoo, come on, you’ve gotta drink too.”
“Hmm…”
But Raon didn’t like the idea of Siwoo drinking Esper alcohol.
The kid’s body had been worn out from years of medication—this stuff was practically poison.
When Yeojoon poured a full glass for Siwoo, Raon’s brows furrowed instinctively.
“I’ll pass.”
“Good call.”
Siwoo gently pushed the glass away.
Raon nodded with satisfaction and reached out to ruffle Siwoo’s jet-black hair.
“But we do need a toast, don’t we? Right, Team Leadeeer~”
“Sigh.”
Yeojoon’s exaggerated cuteness made Raon grimace.
He stared at his own glass as it was filled, then said in a blunt tone:
“Just one drink. That’s it.”
“Yay!”
It was their first team dinner.
He couldn’t exactly sit it out completely.
One drink wouldn’t hurt Siwoo either—especially if Minjae, who was only a C-rank, could handle it. It probably wasn’t that strong.
“Team Leader, you gotta do the toast!”
“Seriously?”
Pushed by the others, Raon stood up, holding his glass.
A few sparkling eyes looked up at him.
Feeling slightly awkward, he scratched the back of his neck and raised his glass.
“We’ve still got a long road ahead… but thank you all for sticking with me. To the Guide Team!”
“To the team!”
Their glasses clinked.
The successful mission at the Violet Gate and the public praise they received had lifted everyone’s spirits.
Days like this were necessary sometimes.
Raon kept his thoughts of the next mission to himself and quietly watched his team drink and laugh.
“Guide Dasom, are you pretending to be all saintly these days? I saw online—people are calling you a ‘saint,’ you know?”
“W-When did I ever act like that?!”
Dasom yelled in embarrassment.
Both she and Yeojoon were already flushed red after just one drink.
Raon let out a faint laugh at the sight.
Yesterday, after the announcement that Dasom and Hamin had reawakened as S-rank Espers, the other Espers who had entered the Gate with them gave interviews to the media.
At first, people thought Dasom had just been guiding, but once they realized she had become an S-rank healer Esper, they confidently shared all kinds of stories.
One Esper said that during a heal, Dasom had been standing with the light behind her—and it looked like she was glowing from within.
That’s when the internet started calling her a “saint.” Honestly, the nickname fit.
“I never acted like that! Esper Yeojoon, you’re so mean! Mean!”
“Ow—Dasom G-Guide, that hurts—ow! Seriously!”
Even as a healer, Dasom’s new S-rank strength wasn’t to be underestimated.
Without even faking pain, Yeojoon cried out dramatically.
Her punches landed with a heavy sound, like a blacksmith hammering iron.
Raon laughed quietly at the scene and turned to Siwoo.
“That’s hilarious, right?”
“…”
“Siwoo?”
He asked with a grin, but there was no reply.
Curious, Raon leaned closer to see Siwoo’s face—he had his head down, bangs covering his eyes.
Thunk.
“Siwoo!”
Suddenly, Siwoo slumped forward, smacking his face against the table.
Raon jumped to his feet in alarm.
“Siwoo! Hey—wake up, okay?”
“Mmm…”
No matter how much Raon shook him, Siwoo didn’t come to.
He never expected one drink to hit this hard.
It seemed the side effects of all the medications Siwoo had taken over the years were more serious than anyone thought.
Raon bit his lip, feeling responsible.
“Wh-What’s wrong with him…?”
“He’s been on guiding drugs for a long time. That’s probably what’s causing this.”
“Ah… I didn’t know…”
Yeojoon, who had kept pushing drinks on Siwoo, went pale.
Raon shook his head and carefully helped Siwoo up.
“It’s probably nothing serious. Keep drinking, everyone. I’ll take him to the infirmary.”
“Should I help?”
“I’ve got it.”
Raon firmly refused Yeojoon’s hand and slung Siwoo over his shoulder.
Though Siwoo seemed barely conscious, thankfully, he hadn’t fully blacked out and could still walk on his own—though he leaned heavily on Raon’s body.
“Siwoo, hey, are you with me?”
“Mmhm.”
“Let’s get you to the hospital.”
“Hospital… I don’t want to go.”
“What?”
As Raon guided Siwoo down the hallway, the latter scrunched his nose and whined.
It was like watching a child throw a fit about not wanting to go to the doctor.
“You’re sick, so you need to go to the hospital, right?”
“If I rest… I’ll be fine. I’m okay.”
“Yeah?”
Now that he thought about it, Siwoo was still answering properly.
His pronunciation was clear, not too slurred.
Raon glanced down at Siwoo, who had his head resting on his shoulder, and sighed.
“Phew… Fine. Let’s go rest, then.”
Since the Esper dorms were far from the center, Raon had no choice but to take him back to his own place.
Siwoo had visited a few times before, so he should be comfortable with it.
With that decided, Raon brought Siwoo to his apartment.
Siwoo managed to walk on his own up to the doorstep, but then his legs gave out and his full weight leaned onto Raon, causing him to stagger.
“Ugh, jeez…”
He barely managed to drag Siwoo to the bedroom and lay him down on the bed.
Raon looked down at Siwoo, who had sprawled out in the middle of the bed, and panted.
“Ugh, Siwoo. You need to change before sleeping.”
“Mmm…”
Still wearing his stiff military uniform, Siwoo groaned, clearly uncomfortable from the heat that had built up in his body from drinking.
There was no way he could change by himself in this state.
Clicking his tongue, Raon reached out toward him.
It felt like taking care of a baby… a baby the size of a grown man.
“Good boy, lift your arms.”
“Mm…”
“Good boy, that’s it.”
Even getting his shirt off took ages.
Raon was tempted to just give up, but he couldn’t leave the barely-conscious Siwoo like this.
“Siwoo, your waist… Hey, Siwoo?”
“Mm… hyung?”
“Yeah, it’s me.”
Getting the pants off was even harder.
And when Raon rustled around on top of him, Siwoo seemed to become slightly more aware, blinking slowly and staring straight up at Raon.
When Raon moved his hand down, he brushed against Siwoo’s flushed cheek.
Siwoo leaned into the touch like a cat nuzzling its owner’s palm.
“Mmm… hyung…”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Siwoo gets way too cute when he’s drunk.
Raon couldn’t help but chuckle at the unfamiliar side of Siwoo.
“Ha… seriously, too cute.”
Raon muttered his now-habitual phrase and gave Siwoo’s cheek a playful pinch.
Despite being twenty, Siwoo’s baby fat had already vanished — there was barely anything to pinch, which Raon found oddly disappointing.
“Hyung… you’re annoying.”
“What?”
Suddenly, Siwoo grabbed Raon’s hand and muttered something that made Raon’s eyes go wide.
“Annoying? Me?”
“Yeah… annoying.”
“Why?”
Raon was thrown off by the unexpected confession.
They say alcohol makes people honest, and while the two had grown close through guiding sessions, past issues didn’t just vanish.
Raon swallowed hard, now clearly unsettled.
He looked down nervously at Siwoo’s slowly blinking eyes.
“You keep guiding other people… It’s so annoying.”
“What?”
“You’re my Guide… you’re mine…”
“……”
“So annoying.”
His grumbling voice left Raon speechless.
Siwoo stared at Raon’s hand like he resented even its existence.
Raon barely suppressed a smile and lowered his head.
* * *
