Back then, it was oral contact guiding.
Needless to say, mucosal contact was effective, and the guide’s bodily fluids were also highly effective at calming the esper’s waves. Its efficacy was incomparable to emission guiding.
But that didn’t mean he could just tell Gujei to open his mouth like that again. The reason Gujei had obediently followed his orders that day was because he wasn’t in his right mind. In his current lucid state, he'd be lucky to avoid being labeled a lunatic.
Still... should I at least bring it up?
"To lower the readings further here, we might need a different method of Guiding."
The furrow between Gu Jei's brows told him he understood what "different method" meant without further explanation. After checking his watch, Gu Jei looked up.
"This is sufficient."
"Still, why not just try holding hands?"
"Yeo Hanseo."
At the voice that instantly turned frosty, Hanseo retreated without pressing further.
"I was just asking to see if I could help."
"I don't need it."
Gu Jei rose to his feet. Despite his icy tone, his complexion looked much better than before.
If he's this improved at 70%, how much better will he be at a lower percentage? Hanseo clicked his tongue inwardly.
He wasn't unaware of why Gu Jei so vehemently rejected contact Guiding.
Gu Jei loathed physical contact. It wasn't just dislike; his body seemed to react with outright rejection. This was why he avoided contact Guiding at all costs. So even at the wedding ceremony...
Ugh.
It hadn't even been a second, but Gu Jei seemed utterly unable to bear it. Then again, the first time Hanseo tried melon potato chips, he'd reacted the same way. The moment that dreadful snack touched his tongue, he couldn't suppress the nausea, even though his stomach burned from hunger. Gu Jei must be going through something similar.
No one was more tormented by this problem than Gu Jei himself. It would be difficult enough for an ordinary person, but as an Esper who needed Guiding to survive, his situation was even more dire. It was understandable why he was so desperate for the Guiding medication.
But the salvation Gu Jei was waiting for was a trap disguised as salvation. Knowing this, he couldn't just leave him to his fate. Especially since he knew from his past life that Gu Jei eventually overcame this chronic issue.
Hmm, how did I fix it back then?
Han Seo tried to recall the exact method, but the memory remained stubbornly elusive. He knew for certain that Gu Jei started taking off his gloves to touch him at some point... but no matter how hard he tried to remember, the memory felt like a film reel with a missing segment. Well, considering it happened five years ago, it's not surprising he can't remember.
Still, knowing it was possible to fix, he had to try. Hanseo's gaze drifted to Gu Jei's watch. Since things have come to this, he should definitely get that number down to a single digit.
Lost in thought, Hanseo trailed after Gu Jei to the front door. Though Gu Jei showed signs of discomfort, Hanseo blinked innocently, pretending not to notice.
"When should we schedule the next Guiding session?"
"I'll contact you when it's needed."
"When do you think that might be?"
"......"
Faced with the relentless questioning, Gu Jei, who was gripping the doorknob, sighed and turned around. His face, barely concealing his annoyance, made Hanseo shrink back.
"I-I'm not trying to rush you. It's the opposite, actually. Director Pyo suggested you take more time to rest. Even though your readings have improved, they're still far from stable. Even at 70%, you must still be struggling a lot..."
"I wish someone who isn't an Esper would stop pretending to know better."
"......"
"I know my own body best. So instead of worrying about others, Yeo Hanseo, why don't you focus on taking care of yourself first?"
Gu Jei's gaze flickered to Hanseo's cast arm before dropping. Without a word of farewell, the door slammed shut.
Hanseo's expression gradually faded as stared at the closed door.
Right, now how do I convince that guy?
No matter how hard he racked his brain, no brilliant ideas came to mind. Yet he had to figure something out—his fate depended on it.
❖ ❖ ❖
After leaving their "newlywed home," Gu Jei returned to his own residence. He avoided sharing a space with Yeo Hanseo because his perpetually heightened senses made even the slightest movements of others grating.
Being alone didn't guarantee a good night's sleep, but it was still more comfortable than sharing a space with someone else. Especially when that someone was a man who clearly had feelings for him.
Fortunately, whether it was due to the sedative or a brief nap, Gu Jei's condition wasn't worse than usual. Or perhaps it wasn't the sedative at all? Gu Jei corrected himself as he entered his pitch-dark apartment without turning on the lights. The fair faced man flashed through his mind, lingering only briefly before vanishing.
The next day, a call came early in the morning. The caller was Woo Taegyu, a member of his team. Though it was still close to dawn, Gu Jei, who was already doing strength training at home, answered before the phone even rang twice.
Knowing Gu Jei's aversion to formalities, Woo Taegyu cut straight to the point as soon as the call connected.
"Team Leader, are you going into the Miudong Gate?"
"The Miudong Gate?"
"Huh, haven't you checked yet?"
A thin line creased Gu Jei's brow. He hadn't actually been asleep, so he couldn't have missed the notification. He checked his watch, but there were no new messages. It wasn't that he had missed the alert—nothing came through in the first place.
Is it broken? Gu Jei glared at his watch in annoyance.
"Stand by. I'll head over there."
The residential quarters, where the center housed its employees, were located on the outskirts opposite the research building. While communal living had its downsides, most Awakened chose the residential quarters for the convenience of commuting and access to the center's various amenities.
Residential Building 3 was occupied by Field Team 1, more commonly known as ‘Team Gu Jie’ than by its official name.
Team members who had received Gu Jei's prior notice were all gathered in the common area. The moment Gu Jei appeared, a muscular man dashed out to greet him.
“Team Leader, you're here?”
"Our Taegyu turns into a puppy whenever he sees the Team Leader," a tall, lanky man sneered, sauntering up behind him. He scrutinized Gu Jei from head to toe, then raised an eyebrow with a "Hmm."
"Compatible Guides really are something else. They can even revive Espers on the brink of death."
Field Team 1 was a small, elite unit consisting of their leader, Gu Jei, and three A-Class Espers. The man who was teasing Gu Jei was Seong Semin, an A-Class combat-type Esper.
Seong Semin's face was as handsome as an actor's, but his dyed blonde hair and the dangling piercings in his ears gave him the look of a back-alley thug.
When Gu Jei stared back silently, Seong Semin twisted the corner of his mouth into a sneer.
"What? I'm just saying you'll finally get some use out of marrying a man."
"Seong Semin-sunbae..."
Woo Taegyu, who had been listening quietly, was about to speak when a pale hand suddenly shot out and slapped Seong Semin across the mouth. Seong Semin's anger flared, but he quickly suppressed it when he recognized his assailant. It wasn't because she was a woman two heads shorter than him.
"Please watch your mouth," she said sharply. "You don't want another million hate comments on your SNS, do you? Or to pay those advertising penalties again?"
Baek Haeryeong smiled gently and playfully slapped Seong Semin's mouth again. Her warm, beautiful face truly lived up to her nickname "Angel."
"Ow! Noona, stop hitting me! Geez..." Seong Semin grumbled, stepping back. He was a delinquent who acted tough with everyone, but deep down, he understood the pecking order. He knew to tread carefully around those stronger than him.
In the center, there were only two people Seong Semin had to watch his step around, and Baek Haeryeong was one of them. While he might win in a physical fight, Baek Haeryeong was untouchable in a different sense. As a rare A-Class Healer, she was as precious as an S-Class Esper.
Seong Semin had learned early on that you never crossed a Healer. Ever since joining the Gu Jei Team, he'd been careful to keep his attitude in check.
"You said you were being dispatched to another team in the first place, so why are you still here? Are you acting all high and mighty because they can't say anything if an A-rank healer is late?"
Of course, he only teased her within reasonable limits.
"I was about to leave, but I heard the Team Leader was coming, so I waited a bit. Team Leader, how are you feeling? You look alright on the outside, but..."
Age-wise, Gu Jei was the youngest person in the room, yet everyone—even Seong Semin—spoke to him with formal honorifics. The blond newcomer had once protested, but the matter was quickly resolved. After that, no one objected to treating Gu Jei, who was younger than them all, as their Team Leader with due respect.
"I'm fine."
"Phew, what a relief. We've been so worried about the Team Leader's condition lately. To have a Guide show up just in time... now I can finally breathe easy."
"But can we really trust this Guide?" Seong Semin interjected.
"We're not going to have another Chae Naru situation, are we? I mean, if the Team Leader had gone berserk back then, the whole center would have been blown to smithereens...which is kind of a shame, actually."
"Semin, you..."
"Seong Semin."
Gu Jei, who had been ignoring Seong Semin's chatter as if he couldn't hear him, finally spoke. When those pitch-black eyes, where pupil and iris were indistinguishable, turned toward him, Seong Semin flinched and froze. Damn it, those eyes are really something.
"Stop yapping and go sit down."
"Tch, you're always picking on me."
Only after Seong Semin grumbled and obediently settled onto the sofa did Gu Jei finally move.
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