* * *
“How long was I out? Feels like it’s been a while.”
He considered correcting himself—it wasn’t “sleep,” it was fainting—but decided not to.
Letting Wonho think he’d simply slept was better.
If he realized he’d pushed Haebom so hard he passed out, he might think Haebom would start to hate him.
And Haebom hadn’t fully given his heart yet. Wonho didn’t want to give him a reason to turn away.
“More than a day.”
“…More than one day? Really?”
“Yeah, that one. You fell asleep Tuesday afternoon, and today’s Thursday. It’s still morning, so it hasn’t been quite two full days.”
A groan slipped out.
He’d thought he’d slept a lot, but this was excessive.
What was strange, though, was that even though he felt heavy, there was no sign of muscle aches or pain from the wounds on his knees.
When Haebom tilted his head in confusion, Wonho explained that a healing Esper had come and gone.
They could heal visible wounds and soreness, but the fatigue that had built up in his body was out of their scope.
“What kind of stress are you bottling up all by yourself, huh? What’s that tiny brain of yours so busy thinking about, Yoon Haebom?”
Wonho caught himself just before cursing and let out a low sigh.
He felt frustrated that he couldn’t be someone Haebom could rely on.
Instead of just throwing out “I like you,” he should have been someone dependable.
But then again, he couldn’t blame Haebom for not leaning on him.
After all, he’d been like that too. Wonho had known from the beginning that Haebom had appeared in the Gate and saved him.
However, he’d only recently discovered that Haebom didn’t legally exist anywhere in the world.
Despite practically being attached at the hip outside of missions, he hadn’t known a thing about Haebom’s circumstances.
The thought weighed heavily on his mind.
But he told himself that it was okay—as long as he started understanding now.
“They said it’s just accumulated fatigue, so take it easy for a while. I’ll make sure to control my wavelength readings better too.”
“I’m fine, really…”
“No, you’re not. So just listen to me.”
At Wonho’s firm tone, Haebom nodded. It felt surprisingly nice—being cared for like this.
Even more so because it was coming from someone he liked.
He suddenly got curious about the situation at the Center.
Even if he was told to rest, asking about that much should be okay, right?
“It’s all settled over at the Center.
The Espers will handle the collapsed buildings anyway.
Since it was obvious Na Hyunjoon was the target, no one got seriously hurt.”
Before Haebom could even ask, Wonho spoke up—as if he already knew what was on Haebom’s mind.
He hadn’t really wanted to bring it up, but figured Haebom would worry if he didn’t.
Better to tell him upfront so he wouldn’t dwell on it.
“Really?”
Haebom’s lips parted involuntarily.
Truthfully, there was something he wanted to ask.
Even when his mind had been clouded with only the thought of reaching Wonho, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about that person—the one who had other things on his mind back then.
He didn’t want to care.
Really, he didn’t.
He hadn’t paid any attention when Wonho said he needed guiding, but now, thinking about how Na Hyunjoon had told him to guide Wonho—it was absurd.
Was he just scared of an Esper going berserk?
Was that the depth of his feelings?
Were they really lovers, like everyone said?
Every moment Haebom had witnessed replayed in his head, filling him with doubt.
If Wonho had truly harbored malicious intentions, it wouldn’t have ended with just one Esper’s life.
The consequences could have been catastrophic.
Even if their so-called love was just for show, he hoped at least that part had been real.
Smack—
“Huh?”
Haebom’s eyes widened and then shut.
What just happened?
His head, which had been swimming with thoughts of Choi Yoonseo and Na Hyunjoon, suddenly went blank—and then filled entirely with just one person.
“I told you no one was seriously hurt. So stop worrying. And if you are going to worry, worry about me instead. No one else.”
“W-What are you doing…! You keep kissing me without even asking—!”
Haebom’s face probably looked like it would explode—it certainly felt that hot—thanks to Wonho kissing him again out of the blue.
It was flattering that someone he liked focused on him so much, but clearly Haebom wasn’t entirely okay with the whole spontaneous kissing thing.
Wonho’s brow twitched at Haebom’s protest.
He hadn’t backed off after kissing him either—he was still close enough that Haebom could feel his breath.
And yet, Haebom couldn’t seem to pull away.
“Then I’ll ask first. I’m going to kiss you. If you don’t want me to—dodge.”
“Mmph—!”
The moment he heard that, Haebom started to pull back—at least, he tried to.
But then Wonho’s hand gently cradled the back of his head, and before Haebom could even react, his lips were captured completely.
Telling him to dodge but not giving him a chance… what kind of logic was that?
Haebom’s eyes flew open in protest, glaring up at Wonho.
But Wonho didn’t close his eyes either.
He held Haebom’s gaze—and in those eyes, deeper and redder than his own flushed face, Haebom felt his resistance melt.
He squeezed his eyes shut, and yet, he could still feel Wonho’s searing gaze on him.
Haebom didn’t leave the house for days.
Can’t blame him—every time he went out, something happened.
Staying in seemed smarter.
Plus, if he went to the Center, he’d hear updates about Na Hyunjoon and Choi Yoonseo, which he didn’t particularly want.
He didn’t want to care anymore, no matter what happened between them.
But he couldn’t hide out forever.
Wonho, on the other hand, seemed pretty happy with Haebom being homebound.
Still, Haebom hadn’t told Wonho yet that he came from a different world.
His conversation with Jin Seyoung wasn’t over.
And if he was going to stay, he needed to discuss what could go wrong.
Sure, inhumane experiments were illegal, but that didn’t mean he was safe.
So, he figured, better get it in writing—something official.
Of course, as long as it didn’t risk his life, he was willing to cooperate.
If that’s what it took to stay by Wonho’s side, then so be it.
After that, he’d confess—tell Wonho how he felt, and the resolve that brought him to stay.
“Stop dragging your feet. This won’t get any easier with time.”
They hadn’t made it official, but in all but name, Haebom and Wonho were already like lovers.
Wonho told him he liked him every day and made an effort to show it.
Haebom didn’t reject it either.
But clearly, Wonho was still waiting for a reply.
So Haebom picked up his phone and called Jin Seyoung.
The call was brief.
When he said he wanted to finish the conversation they’d started, Jin Seyoung offered to come to his house instead.
Haebom had planned to go to the Center, but this saved him the trip.
Still, he couldn’t just sit around with a guest on the way, so he headed for the kitchen.
Ding-dong—
“Already here?”
Startled by the doorbell, Haebom ran to open it.
If Wonho had seen, he’d definitely have scolded him for opening the door so carelessly.
Luckily, it was someone he was expecting.
* * *
