* * *
After seeing other Espers visibly relax during guiding, it felt wrong to force it on someone who reacted like this.
Maybe he should just wait until Wonho was ready.
It’s not like he was a freeloader anymore—he was actually doing proper guiding now.
But… just leaving a suffering person alone?
Haebom knew he’d regret it if he did nothing.
Training aside, Wonho needed guiding now.
“Didn’t you ask me earlier why I was waiting there? Why do you think a guide would wait for an Esper?”
Haebom tried his best to look harmless.
He had no idea if he was actually succeeding.
Still, Wonho gave no response.
Haebom sighed through gritted teeth.
“I was waiting to guide you. We agreed to do it every day, but you missed two days. So how about ten minutes today?”
“…Fuck.”
Even though he spoke as gently as possible, all he got in return was Wonho’s low curse.
Haebom was only human, so yeah, that reaction annoyed him.
But he understood.
If he were in Wonho’s position, he’d want to run away too.
Still, he couldn’t let Wonho avoid this forever.
“…Fine.”
“Huh?”
Wonho covered his face with one hand and muttered something.
His hand was either too big, or his face was too small, because it nearly covered him completely.
Haebom tilted his head, not hearing him properly.
Wonho lowered his hand just enough to show his furrowed eyes.
“I said fine. So just stay still.”
Haebom, still wary that Wonho might bolt, kept fidgeting in his seat.
But the more he moved, the deeper Wonho’s frown became.
Wonho already knew what would happen once Haebom guided him.
He’d get hard again.
It wasn’t something he could dismiss as coincidence anymore.
Nor could he pretend that not touching would make a difference.
Even just receiving Haebom’s dispersed guiding triggered something in his body.
Of course, it wasn’t enough to get him fully hard.
But the dull ache in his lower stomach, the burning heat spreading from his earlobes—it was undeniable.
But… but…
What really drove him insane was that, despite how fucked-up his body’s reaction was, he wanted it.
All throughout the Gate, no—ever since he laid eyes on Haebom—he had craved it with a madness that scared him.
Pure, undiluted guiding.
And he still didn’t understand why.
Before meeting Choi Yoonseo, guiding had been agony. But Yoonseo’s guiding had been comfort and peace.
Yet Haebom’s guiding… wasn’t comfort or peace.
And still, he couldn’t refuse it.
“Ugh….”
Haebom shifted his awkward posture, settling fully onto the couch.
He waited for Wonho to finally say he could begin guiding.
Sitting like this reminded him of the times he used to feed stray cats on the street.
At first, the wary cats had scratched his hands in fear, but one day, they began eating in front of him.
Though, even the slightest movement would send them darting away.
That image came to mind now.
And considering Wonho’s sharp, upturned eyes, he really did have a cat-like appearance.
“Haa…”
Who knows how much time had passed?
Wonho let out a deep sigh through clenched teeth.
Haebom wondered if receiving guidance really warranted such a heavy sigh, but noticing Wonho’s demeanor, he understood.
If he were in the same position, if a friend his age discovered the changes in his body… he’d probably want to die from embarrassment.
Especially since it wasn’t just any change—it was a change caused by that very friend.
Yeah… no way he’d be able to face that.
Haebom would have definitely run away, but Wonho had no choice.
His life depended on it.
He had already tried to throw it away once—Haebom hoped he wouldn’t do that again.
He must have gone through so much before making that choice…
“…Hey.”
“Huh? When did you get so close…?”
Lost in thought, Haebom was startled to find Wonho standing right in front of him.
As he looked up in surprise, Wonho averted his gaze for a moment before turning back, as if he had made up his mind.
“Close your eyes.”
“What?”
“I said, close your eyes. Don’t make me repeat myself.”
Close his eyes?
Just like that?
Haebom blinked in confusion, but then an idea crossed his mind.
Ah! Of course.
Wonho didn’t want him to see what was happening to his body.
If Haebom had his eyes shut, he wouldn’t be able to witness anything.
Nodding quickly in understanding, Haebom closed his eyes.
Wonho, however, remained still, watching the way Haebom first gasped, then eagerly nodded before finally shutting his eyes.
He seemed to hesitate for a moment before finally following through.
His long, neatly arranged eyelashes trembled slightly.
Even with his eyes closed, Haebom could tell Wonho’s eyeballs were shifting beneath his lids.
Wonho took a moment to look at him, then slowly lowered his head.
Meanwhile, unaware of Wonho’s gaze, Haebom was preoccupied with his own thoughts.
Should he start guiding now?
Was it okay to begin?
But before he could make a decision—
“…Mmh?”
Ever since Wonho had stepped out of the gate, Haebom had been filled with questions.
This was no exception.
He gasped and instinctively opened his eyes, driven by curiosity.
And then—he froze.
Something soft had pressed against his lips.
His first sight was Wonho’s long, white eyelashes, gradually becoming as pale as his hair.
They’re so long…
Wait, no!
This isn’t the time for that!
Haebom snapped back to reality, pulling his head back in shock.
As he did, Wonho’s eyelashes lifted, revealing his crimson eyes.
“You… What the hell are you doing?”
“…Guiding. You said you’d do it. Just close your eyes, my head’s already pounding.”
Haebom barely had time to process the answer before Wonho leaned in again, sealing their lips together once more.
His mind screamed that he should push him away.
But his body wouldn’t move.
Even though Wonho had told him to close his eyes, he couldn’t.
Not when the moment Wonho’s lips touched his, the guiding process had already begun.
They were so close that he could hear Wonho gulping nervously.
The sensation of their lips pressed together stretched on.
Time passed—how long, he didn’t know—before Wonho abruptly pulled away, his face bright red.
Without saying a word, he spun around and stormed out of the room, heading straight for the front door.
Haebom remained on the couch, completely dumbfounded.
Just like that, Wonho had stolen both his first kiss and his first peck.
He might have kissed someone as a kid, but he had no memory of it, so it didn’t count.
And sure, the order of events felt backwards, but that wasn’t his fault, so he let it slide.
Checking the time, Haebom realized the guiding session had lasted barely a minute.
It felt absurdly short, but considering how much more effective it was than a standard ten-minute radiation guidance, it wasn’t surprising.
“Hah! No, seriously… I said I’d guide him, but when did I say anything about kissing?! Is he crazy?!”
He knew that, in this world, guiding required physical contact.
He also knew that people had long blurred the lines when it came to skinship—hell, that’s why Choi Yoonseo and Na Hyunjoon shamelessly made out in front of everyone like it was nothing.
But Haebom had never expected Wonho to do something like that.
* * *
