* * *
Wonho nearly crushed the tablet in his grip.
But realizing it wasn’t his, he clenched his trembling hands into fists and barely managed to restrain himself.
Behind him, Seyoung remained focused on her work, pretending not to notice.
Though curious about Wonho’s reaction, she deliberately acted oblivious.
Wonho, on the other hand, had completely detached from the tablet, his fists clenched and trembling.
What came next was even worse.
Jin Seyoung had given him the guide specifically for espers with male guides.
The content differed depending on the guide’s gender because the method of guiding varied accordingly.
The material outlined what an esper needed to do to receive guiding more efficiently and effectively.
It even detailed how not to hurt the guide.
Wonho’s face turned beet red.
His entire body felt like it was on fire.
How was this normal?!
There were no words to describe his shock.
Hadn’t guiding always been about comfort and peace…?!
“Haa…”
A deep, unsteady sigh escaped his lips.
“…Did you read everything?”
He had no idea how much time had passed.
Wonho let out a sigh, which seemed to act as a signal—Jin Seyoung immediately turned around.
She should be doing her job as a researcher, but she couldn’t help but be conscious of Wonho behind her.
If Wonho left, she might have to review the report he had just finished all over again.
When Jin Seyoung turned to look at him, Wonho flinched.
He couldn’t even lift his head properly.
Jin Seyoung knew why, but she pretended not to notice.
Wonho’s ignorance about sexual matters wasn’t due to any inherent naivety but rather a lack of interest.
It was partly his personality, but also because when he was younger, researchers—including Jin Seyoung—had made a concerted effort to shield him from the deeper implications of Esper and Guide relationships.
Unlike Na Hyunjoon, who had no reservations about physical contact, most people weren’t fond of displaying such things openly.
So, keeping it hidden wasn’t particularly difficult.
They never expected that this lack of awareness would persist into adulthood.
They thought he would naturally come to understand it as he grew.
That had been their miscalculation.
“There’s no reason to avoid Haebom’s guiding anymore, right?”
“…I should get going.”
“Huh? Wonho, wait a second—”
Jin Seyoung had wanted to discuss the upcoming guiding sessions, but Wonho wasn’t having it.
He left the research lab in a hurry, wandering aimlessly.
Or so he thought—until he realized his feet had carried him home.
And now, he was standing inside his own house, in a room he had no reason to enter.
Haebom’s room.
Haebom was sleeping there.
Wonho stared at him.
“…Mmm.”
Maybe Haebom felt his gaze because he shifted slightly in his sleep.
Wonho swallowed reflexively.
He took an abrupt step back, only to hit the couch behind him.
He glanced back.
It was that couch.
The memories of what had happened on that very couch came flooding back, making him recoil in shock.
In his panic, he ended up kicking the couch.
The force of an Esper’s kick sent the couch scraping across the floor with a loud thud.
The noise made Haebom’s brows furrow, his lashes trembling slightly.
Wonho prayed.
Please…!
But Haebom’s eyelids weren’t as heavy as Wonho had hoped.
Maybe it was because he had slept enough, but unlike usual, when he would have remained asleep, his eyes fluttered open.
Wonho clenched his teeth.
If this had happened during guiding, it would be normal.
But breaking into a sleeping person’s room?
That was just— like a perverted stalker!
Haebom’s half-lidded gaze drifted naturally toward where Wonho was standing.
Whether it was because of the sound or because he sensed someone’s presence, Wonho didn’t know.
Haebom blinked a few times before tilting his head.
Then, as if he had reached some kind of conclusion, he gave a small nod to himself.
“…Wonho? Mm, must be a dream… Now I’m seeing you in my dreams, too. Ugh… Wonho, Wonho, take the guiding properly, okay? Don’t get sick, don’t dieee…”
That was what he said.
As if he had only woken for a brief moment, his words trailed off, and the eyelids that had seemed so light fell shut once more.
“…What are you to—”
“…Someone who worries about you…”
Even with his eyes completely closed, Haebom still answered him.
Wonho let out a small, incredulous laugh.
‘What am I to him that he’s worrying about me?’
‘How much has he even seen of me?’
He stared at Haebom, dumbfounded, before sighing in frustration.
Then, with an annoyed step—though he made sure not to make a sound—he turned to leave.
But just before he walked out, he turned back again.
The blanket barely covering Haebom’s thighs was pulled all the way up—until his face was completely hidden.
Then, without a word, Wonho strode out of Haebom’s room.
“Hmmm…”
Haebom stared at the person in front of him.
Feeling the gaze, Wonho—whose hair was tipped with white at the crown—lifted his head.
His brows furrowed, clearly displeased at being stared at.
But Haebom had a reason for looking at him like that.
Since he had moved into Wonho’s house, they had never once sat together at the dining table.
Sure, the table itself was relatively new, but that wasn’t the point.
The important thing was Wonho was sitting across from him.
And the reason for that was…
“…If you have something to say, just say it. Stop staring.”
Though his brows were deeply furrowed, his tone wasn’t particularly cold.
Had his recent trip to a Gate changed him?
Well, not that much.
He had softened a little, maybe.
“I was just wondering if you liked chocolate cake. I didn’t know what you liked, so I got something I liked.”
That was why they were sitting together now.
The chocolate cake sitting in the middle of the table.
When Haebom had woken up that morning, he had been groggy from a dream.
Even after washing up, his head was still in a fog.
Seriously, now I’m even dreaming about another guy?
And Wonho, of all people?
He must have been thinking about him too much lately.
Then, when he walked into the kitchen, he noticed the chocolate cake still untouched in the fridge.
And right at that moment, Wonho, who hadn’t gone out early for once, was coming down from the second floor.
So he had casually told him, “I bought a cake, you should eat it.”
Wonho had stared at him, then, out of nowhere, said he’d eat it now.
That was how they ended up like this.
Haebom had meant for him to eat it alone.
So why were they sitting together?
And did Wonho even realize it was 8 a.m.?
Chocolate cake for breakfast?
Well, Haebom could eat chocolate cake for breakfast.
He liked it.
“…I don’t know.”
“Huh?”
“I don’t know if I like it or not.”
Haebom blinked in confusion, then broke into a bright smile.
“Well, if you don’t know, today’s a good time to find out. Oh, and—”
He hesitated before continuing.
“The reason I bought the cake… Your birthday was a few days ago. February 8th, right?”
At Haebom’s words, Wonho froze.
He had been about to scoff at the absurdity of having cake in the morning, but then he remembered yesterday.
Breaking into Haebom’s room while he was sleeping…
And not just that, but—
Before he even thought about it, the words had left his mouth.
And not only that—he had even stopped Haebom from leaving after setting the cake down.
‘Why am I acting like this?’
* * *
