The next day, the training ground in the living quarters was filled with bloodcurdling screams from early morning.
"Aaaah! Stop! Please, just stop!"
Seong Semin, drenched in sweat, lay sprawled on the floor like a frog, his face covered in scratches and his clothes in disarray. His resentful eyes glared at his tormentor.
"I can't do this anymore! That's it! I don't have the strength left to even lift a finger!"
"Your stamina is pathetic."
"Is that something someone who tormented me from last night until now should be saying? Seriously, please, even espers need sleep. When do you even sleep, Team Leader?"
"You sleep better after working up a sweat."
"I already sleep fine! I finally get a break after being worked to the bone by my workaholic boss, I don't get why you're tormenting me like this. Anyway, everyone else should know what kind of person you really are. What are you looking at? If you're married, just go home!"
Gu Jei, who had been listening to the barrage of insults with an indifferent expression, flinched at the last remark. Seong Semin chuckled, as if finding his own words absurd.
"Hah... a married man! Gu Jei... hahaha! A married man!"
"If you still have the energy to laugh, you must be doing alright," Gu Jei said coldly.
Seong Semin abruptly cut off his laughter at the icy tone. Seizing the opportunity, Gu Jei immediately continued.
"How many times have I told you to stop rushing into danger? If you have a brain, use it. If I were a monster, you'd be dead three times over by now."
"If an S-Class monster appears, we're all dead anyway."
"Don't dismiss my advice. Fix your habits before you regret it later."
"It's always the quiet ones who become so talkative when they start nagging."
Seong Semin grumbled as he got up.
"It seems Team 3 has been assigned to the Miudong Gate. But will they be okay without Park Jintae? Losing an A-Class Esper is a huge blow."
"They will manage."
"Rumor has it Park Jintae is fully recovered but too embarrassed to show his face after getting beaten up. Some say he's transferring to another branch. Honestly, an A-Class Esper should heal quickly unless they lost a limb. It's ridiculous he's still out sick. He's probably just too ashamed to face the person who beat him."
Seong Semin disliked Park Jintae. He found it absurd that Park Jintae would try to undermine Gu Jei just because their abilities overlapped. More than anything, he resented Park Jintae for being a privileged, silver-spoon elite who was constantly coddled by the center's higher-ups.
Born in a slum, Seong Semin harbored no fondness for the so-called "rich scums" and he practically loathed those "rich scums" with no class. Park Jintae clearly fell into the latter category, leading to several physical altercations between them.
Gu Jei's reaction, as always, remained indifferent.
"Instead of worrying about rumors, focus on training."
"I've wanted to punch Park Jintae myself. I wonder which kind soul took care of my share? I'll have to buy them dinner if I ever meet them."
Gu Jei checked his watch without a word.
"Staring at it won't make anything happen. Director Pyo has made up his mind."
"I was just checking the time."
"Why? You're not heading to the gate, and you don't have any appointments, do you? That can't be right. Team Leader, you don't have any friends."
Gu Jei's eyes narrowed as he watched Seong Semin's feigned interest. It was clear Seong Semin was exaggerating; he was talking far too much for someone who claimed to have no strength left to move a finger.
Sensing the meaning behind Gu Jei's gaze, Seong Semin quickly took a step back.
"Ah, I'm not exaggerating! Anyway, where are you going?"
Gu Jei paused, as if debating whether to answer. After a moment of silence, he seemed to lean toward answering and finally spoke.
"Home."
"Liar. Why would you check the time if you were just going home? It's not like anyone's waiting for you..."
Seong Semin's voice trailed off slowly. Gu Jei now had someone waiting for him at home.
Recalling the man he had seen at the wedding, Seong Semin sighed.
"Team Leader, you didn't actually marry him because you liked him, did you?"
"......"
"Don't lie. I can tell you're hiding something. If a Guide with a 98% compatibility rate with the Team Leader showed up, the Center would be drooling all over themselves to get their hands on them. You probably made the first move, right? But marriage? That's the worst possible way to go about it. No, even thinking about it again, it's just absurd. No matter what, how could you marry another guy?"
Seong Semin's face twisted in disgust at the mere thought. He'd actually felt nauseous at the wedding when Gu Jei tried to kiss the man, and he couldn't even bring himself to watch properly.
Objectively speaking, the man was quite handsome. But no matter how good-looking he was, he was still just another guy with the same parts. Even in a world where same-sex marriage is legal, Seong Semin found it hard to accept.
Gu Jei didn't offer a clear response to Seong Semin's question, but his lack of denial spoke volumes. Seong Semin's eyes narrowed.
"I didn't get a chance to ask at the gate, so I'm asking now, is that person okay with marrying a man? Or did he ask for money or something?"
"He's fine with it."
He didn't mention the promised money, seeing Seong Semin's serious expression.
"Even that man said it was okay? Wow, this is a real problem."
"What's the big deal?"
"If he likes men, he'll be all over Team Leader. Using the guiding excuse makes it so easy to get close. Team Leader must know—there have been so many people like that before."
Even before reaching adulthood, Gu Jei had been relentlessly pursued by countless Guides, regardless of gender or age. It always started with claims of "guiding," but soon escalated into frequent personal contact and attempts at physical guiding. Their lines were almost always the same:
"I can save you."
Yet, due to Gu Jei's human phobia, only two people had ever successfully made physical contact. One had nearly driven him into a rampage, and the other...
"You've managed to avoid them all this time, but that guy actually got you to marry him. Can you imagine how smug he must be feeling right now? With the way things are, he might even start deluding himself into thinking the Team Leader likes him too. Be careful."
Seong Semin lowered his voice, issuing a grave warning. Perhaps due to his lingering habit of acting like the elder brother he used to be in the back alleys, Seong Semin occasionally felt compelled to play that role for Gu Jei, even now.
"Those kinds of people are usually perverts, you know. Maybe if you go home now, you'll find him wearing nothing but an apron, saying, 'Honey, what would you like to eat first? Dinner? Or... me?'"
Of course, Gu Jei paid no attention to Seong Semin's absurd, prejudiced remarks. From what he'd seen of Yeo Hanseo so far, the man didn't seem the type to do anything so bizarre.
Still, among Seong Semin's endless rambling, one piece of advice was worth remembering:
Be careful. He might start thinking the Team Leader likes him.
Gu Jei was already being cautious enough. He has been treating Yeo Hanseo coldly to prevent him from falling into any delusions.
But now that Pyo Myeongho's meddling had forced him to comply with Yeo Hanseo's wishes, Gu Jei felt an even greater need to draw a clear line between them.
As he pondered these things, exhaustion washed over him. Would he even be able to sleep tonight? The newly prescribed medication proved ineffective against his insomnia, so he resorted to physically exhausting himself. Yet, while his body ached with fatigue, his mind showed no signs of settling down.
With a heavy heart, Gu Jei stood before their "newlywed home."
As he opened the door, the aroma of food filled the entire house.
"...?"
Gu Jei stood blankly in front of the entrance, disoriented by the unfamiliar scent that permeated his home. He moved slowly inside, as if cautiously exploring a strange new place.
Yeo Hanseo, who was setting spoons on the dining table, looked up.
"Hyung, you're back?"
For some reason, Gu Jei found himself speechless and couldn't immediately respond. Fortunately, Yeo Hanseo wasn't naked and wasn't wearing an apron.
Gu Jei soon noticed a stack of takeout containers piled up on one side. With Yeo Hanseo's injured hand, cooking would have been difficult. Yeo Hanseo gestured toward an empty seat with his eyes.
"Sit down."
Gu Jei slowly approached the dining table. His excessively sensitive senses made even the smell of food nauseating. Yet, as always, he showed no sign of discomfort as he took his seat.
Meeting Yeo Hanseo's gaze, Gu Jei spoke.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I honestly didn't think you'd actually come."
Gu Jei picked up his spoon and replied, "That was the rule, wasn't it? One meal together each day."
The previous day, Gu Jei and Yeo Hanseo had established several rules with the goal of "reducing Gu Jei's energy fluctuations to below 50%."
These rules included:
'Share one meal together each day.', 'Have a 30-minute conversation daily.', 'Greet each other when passing by.', 'Give each other one compliment each day.'.................
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