* * *
The screen displayed a messenger chat between Wonho and Choi Yoonseo.
After Wonho’s final message, there were no more replies from her.
Of course—he’d blocked her.
Technically, all he needed to do was clarify the name issue.
There was no real reason to cut things off this hard.
But still, seeing how coldly and firmly Wonho had ended things gave Haebom a weird, fluttery feeling.
The corners of his lips wanted to sneak upward.
“You like it?”
As Haebom tried to force his lips back down, Wonho casually asked the question.
He hadn’t meant to go that far himself.
All he’d intended to say was, “Let’s respect some boundaries,” and that would’ve been enough.
But it still irritated him that Haebom once misunderstood and thought he liked Choi Yoonseo—and that he was still hung up on it.
In his whole life, he’d only ever harbored feelings for one person: Yoon Haebom.
The thought of that being misunderstood pissed him off.
But after sending that message, Choi Yoonseo had started calling nonstop—again and again, even after he hung up.
For the past few days, Haebom hadn’t called him “Wonho-ya” once.
After calling him that once that morning, he never did again.
Wonho wasn’t sure if Haebom realized it, but each time he almost said it, he would hesitate and then come closer, hugging or pulling him instead.
Whether consciously or not, he was avoiding it.
And Wonho blamed that entirely on Choi Yoonseo, for calling him ‘Wonho-ya’ like it meant something.
Not that it mattered.
Even if he died and came back, he had no intention of receiving guidance from anyone but Haebom.
Other than for training or missions, all of his time was Haebom’s.
“You blocked her? Choi Yoonseo?”
“Yeah. She kept calling. I blocked her Guiding request too, so she can’t even reach out via the system. So you ignore her too.”
“Mmhmm…”
Haebom didn’t ask whether all of that was necessary.
He was just relieved that Wonho had drawn a clear line.
If anything, Choi Yoonseo brought this on herself.
Even if she had feelings for Na Hyunjoon, it didn’t mean Wonho had to be her emotional support.
Giving him one random guiding session like it was charity…
What was so hard about holding someone’s hand, anyway?
With that in mind, she definitely deserved to be blocked.
Wonho had been far too nice for too long.
“Then call me.”
“…What?”
“My name. Call it.”
Whatever Choi Yoonseo was still calling him now didn’t matter.
She wasn’t part of his life anymore.
Haebom let out a small chuckle at how assertively Wonho demanded it.
Then he gently called his name—just the way Wonho liked.
“Wonho.”
“……”
Haebom blinked, wondering why he didn’t get a response, and went into the kitchen.
There, he found Wonho bringing side dishes from the fridge, his face full of sulk.
“What? Oh… right. Won—Wonho-ya.”
Only then did some of the sulk melt from Wonho’s face.
Not all of it, though—he still didn’t like that Haebom occasionally tacked on his surname, despite having asked him to drop it months ago.
Seeing him like that, Haebom gave a sheepish laugh and quickly wrapped his arms around Wonho’s waist.
Wonho could stay sulky for a long time if left alone, so he had to be comforted quickly.
Haebom found it both funny and adorable that his boyfriend, who looked so cool and aloof, could be this petty.
“What?”
“Oh? Ah, I told you I’m starting training for new Guide recruits today. You remember that, right?”
Wonho looked down at Haebom, who was clinging to his waist, and gave a nod.
The displeasure that had barely subsided resurfaced on Wonho’s face.
It hadn’t even been a year since Haebom had become a Guide, yet because he was paired with Wonho—an S-class Guide and S-class Esper—Haebom was assigned to take part in training the new recruits.
Normally, Guide training was conducted at each regional branch whenever a Guide awakened.
But once a year, those who had awakened that year were gathered at the Seoul branch for centralized training.
In fact, Haebom himself was one of the newly awakened Guides this year.
That alone made no sense to Wonho—why should Haebom be the one training others?
Of course, Haebom wasn’t leading the entire training.
He was only responsible for a specific area: gate training.
It was Wonho who had recommended Haebom for it after finding out he had emerged from a gate’s passageway.
Wonho would do everything in his power to stop Haebom from ever entering a gate again, even if it cost him his life.
But he also couldn’t ignore the worst-case scenario—he couldn’t be by Haebom’s side 24/7.
He’d been nervous even while encouraging him to train, but Haebom had been surprisingly receptive to the training—despite never having received any like it before.
“Do you really have to do it? Haebom, technically you’re also a new recruit who awakened this year.”
Of course, since Haebom had come from another world, no one really knew when he had awakened.
He had only registered as a Guide this year.
That part didn’t matter to Wonho. What mattered was that Haebom would be standing in front of a lot of people.
Even among Guides, Haebom was simply too cute and lovely.
Haebom didn’t appreciate it when Wonho—his same-age partner—called him cute or lovable, but that didn’t stop him.
Knowing exactly why Wonho was saying all this, Haebom frowned and looked up at him.
Their eyes met—those clear, shining eyes of Haebom—and Wonho let out a sigh.
“You’re doing it today and still saying that crap. I told you, no one’s interested in me. It’s just you—only you.”
“…Stupid Yoon Haebom.”
“Who are you calling stupid? You’re the stupid one, Hoya.”
Wonho’s brow twitched in annoyance.
He didn’t seem to realize it himself, but Haebom, always smiling as he wandered around the Center, naturally drew everyone’s attention.
Not only that—any Esper who’d been guided by Haebom even once couldn’t get enough of him.
The only reason they kept their distance was because Wonho was standing firmly behind him.
Back when Wonho had been avoiding Haebom, those idiots hadn’t known their place and tried to approach him.
But once Wonho pulled himself together and stuck close to Haebom, no Esper had dared come near.
Still, it annoyed him that some would steal glances or gaze at Haebom with admiration.
The bigger issue, though, was with the Guides and regular staff.
Unlike the Espers—who were wary thanks to Wonho’s constant nagging and the incident with Na Hyunjoon—the others didn’t show much caution at all.
In particular, the three Guides who had befriended Haebom early on, and Jin Seyoung—none of them seemed to think any kind of boundary was necessary.
That didn’t sit well with Wonho, but if it helped Haebom feel a bit more connected to this world—his world—he couldn’t bring himself to stop it.
“I’m telling you. No one’s interested in me… people…”
Seeing Wonho’s face sink with worry, Haebom shook his head.
He thought Wonho’s jealousy was cute, but this was a bit much.
Even when Haebom showed a little affection to a stray cat on the street, Wonho would jump like a startled rabbit.
And Haebom knew—it was because Wonho liked him that much.
That made his heart flutter a little.
“…It’s not like I can lock you up at home… this is so annoying.”
“What are you talking about? Focus and keep moving the side dishes. Let’s eat and then go to the Center together, okay?”
“…Yeah.”
He was perfectly sane, and yet he nodded without objection to Haebom’s words.
If he could, he really would lock Haebom up safely at home.
Back when Haebom had first talked about himself, he had said he wanted to enter the gate with the passage that had brought him here—but Wonho hadn’t answered.
Every day was filled with anxiety.
Even though Haebom said he wouldn’t go back, he had appeared out of nowhere… which meant he could disappear just as suddenly.
“This looks delicious. Thanks for the meal!”
“…Eat a lot.”
Sitting across the table from him, Haebom nodded with a big smile.
Wonho swallowed down the unease rising in his chest.
He knew that if he started worrying, Haebom would feel it too.
The gate that had brought Haebom here had only appeared once more after delivering him.
After that, it was never found again. Whether that was a good or bad thing, he didn’t know.
Maybe he’d have to live with this anxiety for the rest of his life.
Even so, Wonho had no intention of letting Haebom go.
* * *
