* * *
It wasn’t like Wonho had just awakened as an Esper a couple months ago.
He’d been dealing with this the whole time.
“…Why are you making that face?”
“…What face?”
“You look like you’re about to cry for me. Yoon Haebom. Haebom, when you make that face, I get the wrong idea. I think you like me. That I live in your heart.”
“Ugh…”
Haebom ducked his head in shame.
Or tried to.
If Wonho hadn’t grabbed his face, he would’ve buried it fully, hiding his expression.
But Wonho wasn’t about to let that happen.
Not when Haebom, guilty as charged, tried to duck away right after hearing what he said.
Not only did he not let go, he even squished Haebom’s cheeks together.
Haebom’s mouth popped into a pout like a fish, and he frowned.
Smack—!
Just as he was about to protest, something soft pressed against his lips.
Haebom wasn’t closing his eyes, and since Wonho was still squishing his cheeks, he saw it happen—saw Wonho lean in—every second of it, like it was in slow motion.
“Wh-what are you doing…?! Who said you could kiss me, you p-pervert…!”
The words came out muffled, more like “mo-han go-ya,” thanks to his squished lips.
Wonho barely held back a laugh.
Even if Haebom cussed him out, he figured it couldn’t be helped.
But hearing him call him a pervert?
That… was just too cute.
“I am a pervert. So can I go even further?”
“No, you can’t! Let me go!”
Haebom slapped Wonho’s hands away from his cheeks.
Wonho could’ve resisted, but he let go easily.
It didn’t matter—Haebom was still in his arms.
“…Choi Yoonseo’s guiding was different, too.”
The cute moment shattered in an instant.
Wonho’s mood plummeted.
Why did that name keep coming out of Haebom’s mouth?
Sure, before he met Haebom, he had hovered around Choi Yoonseo, hoping to be guided.
And yes, her guiding had felt different from the others.
But judging from Haebom’s words and reaction, this wasn’t just about guiding.
“That name again. Yoon Haebom, you think I liked Choi Yoonseo, don’t you? Am I right?”
Haebom didn’t answer, but his rolling eyes gave him away.
He clearly had thought that until now.
Wonho let out a long sigh.
If Haebom knew about him and Yoonseo, someone must’ve told him.
It wasn’t Seyoung, for sure.
Then who?
It wasn’t a secret or anything, but knowing Haebom misunderstood because of that annoyed him.
No wonder Haebom hadn’t noticed all the signs Wonho had been throwing at him.
This stupid misunderstanding…
“I did need Choi Yoonseo. But what I felt during her guiding wasn’t love. It was just… clarity. Refreshing, that’s all. So I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t misunderstand. And if you’re ever curious about something, ask me. Don’t go hearing weird stuff from who-knows-where and getting weird ideas.”
Wonho kept his voice as calm as possible, pushing down his irritation.
If he’d known Haebom misunderstood this much, he would’ve said something sooner.
Still, better late than never.
Haebom furrowed his brow deeply, staying silent for a moment.
That was because the idea that Wonho didn’t like Yoonseo wasn’t something anyone had told him.
He knew because he’d read it—in the novel.
Wonho was supposed to be the sub-male lead, the one who liked the female protagonist, Choi Yoonseo.
But now he was saying that wasn’t true?
That he never liked her?
Combined with all the odd personalities of the characters, this shook Haebom’s belief that he was in the world of the novel to its core.
“So… you don’t like her? Even now? But you went into the Gate with her… alone…”
Haebom’s big eyes rolled as he asked.
Wonho’s sharp expression screamed “don’t ask,” but his mouth moved on its own.
It just didn’t make sense otherwise…
“That was…! Not because I liked her. It’s just…”
Wonho pressed a hand to his furrowed brow in frustration.
Trying to say this out loud made him feel reckless.
Like Haebom might be disappointed in how lightly he treated his own life.
“Just?”
“…Yeah. Just. I didn’t see the point in trying that hard to live anymore. I was sick of everyone tiptoeing around me, afraid I’d lose control. Sick of the constant pain. I just… wanted peace. And that seemed like the only way to get it.”
Just as Wonho expected, Haebom’s face went ghostly pale at those words.
Wonho licked his dry lips and looked at him intently.
Even though it was something he went through alone, Haebom looking so heartbroken for him made him feel… warm.
“So stop misunderstanding. I don’t like her. Never have. I’ve never liked anyone—except Yoon Haebom.”
“Hiik…!”
Haebom’s ghost-white face turned scarlet again at the repeated confession.
He struggled to escape, but he was still sitting squarely on Wonho’s thighs—there was nowhere to run.
Wonho didn’t relax at all, not even a little, worried Haebom might bolt the second he let up.
And where would he run, anyway?
This was his room—one that Wonho had let him use.
“Yoon Haebom… So do you hate it?”
Haebom let out a groan as he felt a sudden weight drop onto his shoulder.
Wonho leaned his face against Haebom’s shoulder and sighed.
It wasn’t like he had a solid plan, but blurting it out like this wasn’t what he’d intended.
Still, after hearing Haebom’s ridiculous misunderstanding, maybe it was for the best.
If not for this moment, Haebom would’ve kept misunderstanding, thinking he liked Choi Yoonseo instead of him.
Even if guiding was important, Wonho wasn’t the kind of scumbag who’d do that kind of thing with someone else when he liked someone already.
And he didn’t want to be misunderstood that way either.
He wasn’t even being guided, and it wasn’t like he’d only kissed Haebom once or twice…
It actually felt unfair.
But before voicing his frustration, there was something he needed to confirm.
“…Huh? Wh-what?”
Haebom’s voice trembled, thanks to the heavy presence Wonho was putting on.
Unlike regular people, Espers had something called an energy wave in their bodies, which made their body temperature as warm as a baby’s.
With Wonho leaning into him like this, it was both heavy and hot.
And weirdly, it tickled.
“Do you not like that I like you? I said I like you, but you didn’t respond. All you did was talk nonsense. Yoon Haebom… I didn’t take you for the type. Are you ghosting me or something?”
“What the hell… Ghosting? What did I even take from you?!”
“You ate my stuff. Right here—munching away like it was delicious…”
“Yah…!”
Haebom flinched when Wonho’s hand, which had been around his waist, slipped lower and grabbed his butt.
It felt like he’d been startled more times since meeting Wonho than in his whole life. His heart wouldn’t survive at this rate.
And to top it off, Wonho said things like that in such a calm, sleepy voice…
He was definitely crazy.
It was hard to believe this was the same guy who used to run away scared after experiencing changes from being guided.
Haebom suddenly felt a little down.
The version of Wonho who used to blush and run away had been cuter.
Though honestly, even now, he could see the tips of Wonho’s ears and the back of his neck turning red.
If he was going to get all shy about it, why say stuff like that in the first place?
* * *
