* * *
“Don’t call me so intimately. I don’t like it.”
Haebom pouted.
It hadn’t been that long since Wonho started calling him by name.
Before that, it seemed like he didn’t even remember what he used to call him.
Which was… absurd, honestly.
“…Sorry about before. I won’t do that again, so don’t call me ‘yah’ either.”
When Haebom didn’t respond and just kept pouting, Wonho tilted his head and looked up at him.
Then, like a cat begging for attention, he rubbed his head against Haebom’s neck.
Haebom twitched, tickled, and it felt like he was taming a stray cat into a house pet.
With snacks—no, guiding.
That thought almost made him laugh, and he had to work hard to keep his lips from curling up.
“Why won’t you answer me, though? So, you hate that I like you? I mean… if I were you, I’d probably be pissed too after all the crap I pulled. Shit, it’s my fault.”
Haebom frowned again as Wonho suddenly dove into self-blame.
If he was being honest… did he hate that Wonho liked him?
Hmm.
Not at all, actually.
From the start, Haebom had always wanted to treat Wonho kindly, had always been fond of him.
Even if Haebom wasn’t the cause of all the stuff Wonho had been through, he still wanted to somehow make up for those difficult days.
Watching someone love so purely tugged at his heart.
Of course, the way Wonho had acted like a jerk at first—cussing him out and running away—wasn’t ideal, but that couldn’t be helped.
He had assumed guiding would eventually make Wonho warmer toward him.
That was how it worked with Espers.
But he’d never thought Wonho would actually fall for him.
He always assumed Wonho liked girls, so even when they kissed or got physical, he didn’t think it meant anything.
“…That’s not it.”
“What? Didn’t catch that. You saying I’m full of shit?”
Haebom mumbled under his breath, but Wonho just looked up again like he hadn’t heard.
With his face still resting on Haebom’s shoulder, there was no way he couldn’t hear him.
Haebom gave him a side-eye glare.
For someone who once ran away because he popped a boner, he sure liked bringing that word up now.
“I said I don’t hate it…! So stop talking about that already.”
“Talking about what? My confession?”
“Nooo…! That other thing—about how it got hard and you ran off after being guided. Why do you keep bringing that up…?”
Haebom grumbled, sounding grumpy, and Wonho let out a soft, deflated laugh.
Haebom flinched again as he felt Wonho’s breath on his neck.
Then Wonho pulled him in even closer.
Haebom still hadn’t said he liked him, but at least he said he didn’t hate it.
To Wonho, that meant Haebom didn’t hate him.
That was more than enough.
Honestly, with how he’d behaved, it would’ve made sense if Haebom did hate him.
But this gentle, sweet, soft-hearted Yoon Haebom didn’t.
That was a relief.
But also, a concern.
Because even if Haebom didn’t notice, there were plenty of guys eyeing him.
Not just Espers who had been guided by him—random Espers who passed by and locked eyes with him couldn’t stop staring.
Why the hell was he so unnecessarily pretty?
The one who pissed Wonho off the most was, of course, Na Hyunjoon.
Choi Yoonseo bugged him too.
He hadn’t been too bothered before, but the more Haebom said that name, the more irritated he got.
Sure, Yoonseo’s guiding was probably still crisp and nice—but that was it.
If he had actually liked Yoonseo the way Haebom claimed, he wouldn’t have let him go to Hyunjoon so easily.
Just like he had no intention of ever letting Haebom go.
“Yoon Haebom… Haebom. Haebom, mmph—”
Wonho tightened his arms around him and murmured his name.
Haebom, unable to take the embarrassment anymore, reached up and covered Wonho’s mouth.
“Yahhh…!”
“Wonho.”
Even with his mouth covered, Wonho didn’t miss the chance—he kissed Haebom’s palm with a loud smooch.
Haebom stared like he’d lost it.
What the hell was wrong with him? Was this really happening?
Haebom had somewhere to return to.
Once Wonho got better—or if he met a better-matched Guide, not necessarily Yoonseo—Haebom planned to quietly leave.
Sure, it would hurt to leave behind someone he’d bonded with, but it was unavoidable.
So Wonho liking him… wasn’t a good thing.
He’d just wanted him to be warm, nothing more.
Just a friend—that was enough.
But he asked himself: Did I really not see this coming? Was I just ignoring it?
The biggest problem was his own heart.
“…What’s with your face?”
Wonho lifted his head from Haebom’s shoulder, frowning as he saw Haebom’s expression darken even while covering his mouth.
Their eyes met.
Haebom’s clear gaze looked gloomy.
Was his confession really something to be upset about?
Just a moment ago, everything seemed fine.
“You said you didn’t hate it. Was that a lie?”
“No, it’s not that… It’s not that I hate it. I don’t hate it….”
It was fear. Haebom swallowed the rest of his words.
If someone asked what he was afraid of, he wouldn’t be able to answer.
‘I’m scared of getting closer to you than this. I have to leave this place, but when I do, I’m afraid I’ll be hung up on you, Wonho. No… maybe it’s already too late since I’m even thinking like this.’
Not only did Haebom’s clear eyes grow dim, but they began to shimmer with tears, and Wonho frowned.
He couldn’t understand what thoughts were swirling in that small head of his.
He wanted to shake him until he talked, ask what was going on in that mind of his.
But Wonho held himself back.
The more he pressured Haebom, the more he’d clam up.
And besides, he felt he should wait until Haebom trusted him enough to open up on his own.
If Haebom wasn’t talking, it was probably because he couldn’t trust him.
And honestly, if he were in Haebom’s shoes, he wouldn’t trust someone like himself either—someone who only lashed out and ran away.
“It’s okay.”
“…What?”
“It’s all okay. No, I’ll make sure it’s okay. Yoon Haebom, you just stay right there. Don’t think about anything.”
Instead of pressing him, Wonho pulled Haebom into his arms.
Earlier, he had hugged him like he was leaning into him, but this time, he pulled Haebom closer so he could lean on him instead.
If he wasn’t someone trustworthy, then he’d just become someone trustworthy.
Starting with his body…
Haebom, held in Wonho’s arms, grumbled inwardly about how he talked a good game despite not knowing a thing.
But still, the heavy feeling in his chest seemed to lighten just a bit.
‘It’s because of Wonho that I’m troubled, yet it’s also because of him that I feel better…’
It was ironic.
* * *
