In the entertainment field, there was a commotion over what had happened to ‘actor Ji Gwanyeong,’ while in the political field, the sudden movement of the ‘Esper’ became the focal point, with people bringing up the strained relations between South Korea and Russia. Human rights organizations for Esper-Guides issued statements condemning the harsh work conditions.

But the center could offer no answers to them. They were among the brightest minds in South Korea, but they lacked the shamelessness required for situations like this. All the center could do was tell lies about secrecy and confidentiality, holding onto the unspoken truth.

“That crazy bastard just came to see his guide.”

Miyeon, who was writing a report as the person in charge of the Ji Gwanyeong-Taehun pair, threw her keyboard in frustration, once again yelling in anger about Ji Gwanyeong.

The slight sympathy she felt when she saw him lying limp in Taehun’s arms in the center’s reception room yesterday had now turned entirely into fuel for her rage.

“After all that, he just slept? How can he sleep like that, huh?!”

“He must have been exhausted.”

“Why, that lucky bastard?!”

“Because they haven’t had any contact lately.”

At this, Miyeon’s face first showed a hint of confusion.

She, too, was the assigned researcher for the pair and had been closely monitoring their progress. The day Ji Gwanyeong relentlessly kissed Taehun, the matching rate between the two had stabilized from that point onward.

The lowest was in the high 90s, and the highest reached 150%. No, in fact, even the lowest points were being pushed above 100%, showing a very positive situation. So, how could there be no contact?

“Doesn’t Ji Gwanyeong still clock in at Taehun’s residence regularly?”

“He does, but that’s about it.”

“…How do you know?”

At Miyeon’s question, the eyebrows of Oyeon, who had been lying expressionless, twitched slightly for the first time.

In fact, no matter how intelligent an Esper he was, he couldn’t possibly know every detail of the sexual life of his assigned pair. This wasn’t a rational deduction that Oyeon typically considered to be obvious.

‘Even as an Esper, when I mix with Seungwon Park, I usually rest for a few hours. What about Taehun and that Esper?’ It was more of a personal observation and a private guess.

Instead of answering, Oh Yeon quickly skimmed through Miyeon’s abandoned report and began to smoothly rewrite the sentences, which were mostly full of reluctant excuses. But Miyeon, lowering her head close to the silent man’s ear, whispered.

“…Does Taehun give counseling sessions?”

“What kind of counseling?”

“Well, that…”

Her face grew cautious as she glanced around and made an obscene hand gesture. The man’s eyes grew cold as he watched her finger move in a circle with her hand.

“…You should take special sexual ethics training again.”

“Ah, ahh, sorry! Sorry! I’m so sorry!”

Miyeon clung desperately to the monitor, seeing the ‘Violation Report within the Center’s Regulations’ document on Oh Yeon’s screen instead of her own report. But the man’s hands were typing much faster than that. It was the speed expected of the Esper known as the center’s brain.

In terms of his career, he was someone who could easily display a smile and enjoyment, but he had a tendency to suppress and endure negative emotions, a trait deeply ingrained in him as the eldest son. He was also somewhat conservative when it came to expressing emotions casually. That’s the kind of man the guide in front of me is, his face currently set in a cold and indifferent expression.

“Are you not going to the shoot?”

“…I’m fine for a few days.”

It wasn’t just fine. Right now, Ji Gwanyeong was almost banned from external shoots. With the crowds of people flocking to him, it was obvious that others would be affected negatively too.

Eventually, he had to revise the script and shift most of the shooting to a studio. If the drama writer wasn’t completely infatuated with Ji Gwanyeong, this would have seriously damaged his reputation.

Ji Gwanyeong looked at his guide, who had a slight frown. For the past few days, Taehun had been acting this way—slightly grumpy, unlike his usual self.

Of course, during that time, the Esper had come up with many theories in his sharp mind to try to figure out the reason. But he hadn’t found the answer yet. The only thing he was sure of was that it had all started after he had yelled at the Minister who had been sweating profusely.

Ji Gwanyeong took a sip of coffee while watching Taehun, who was brushing his hair with a bit of irritation. The truth was, dealing with the Minister with a smile had never been that difficult. He had lived like that for a long time.

But now, with everyone knowing that I’m an Esper, there was no longer a need to act that way. Especially when dealing with people trying to climb above me and the center.

However, the Esper rarely regretted his actions. He wasn’t just trying to pacify things in front of his strict guide by saying some meaningless peacekeeper words. Ji Gwanyeong wished he could take back the words he had said.

…He should have secretly brought the Minister in and snapped his neck. He could have made it a breaking news story instead of just a newspaper report.

“Ji Gwanyeong, aren’t you on an empty stomach?”

Snapped back into reality in an instant, Ji Gwanyeong narrowed his eyes while looking at his guide.

“I’m fine.”

“Fine, my foot. The kitchen hasn’t changed a bit since before I went for training.”

The guide clicked his tongue inwardly as he glanced over Ji Gwanyeong.

The man in front of him had definitely lost some weight, and his features had become sharper. He had no appetite. All he could do was drink coffee out of habit to calm his tense nerves.

Taehun actually knew how to handle the situation cleanly. He had learned that countless times during his guide training earlier in the day: “Appropriate physical contact and emotional support.” In other words, he was supposed to be the guide for this man.

…Why is it like this when it’s not even the first time?!

Taehun was frustrated with himself for not being able to reach out first. He was angry. He felt like shouting, “Ji Gwanyeong, let’s have sex!”

“Why?”

Of course, it was natural, but when he looked at that face, his mouth couldn’t open. Taehun let out another long sigh. Thanks to this, the man in front of him tilted his head slightly when their eyes met.

“Taehun?”

“…Ah, seriously…”

When Taehun put down the mug and crossed his arms, the muscles in his body were clearly visible beneath his sweater, and Ji Gwanyeong couldn’t help but swallow dryly.

The guide knew very well how Ji Gwanyeong would pull him close and kiss him, and he could feel the sensation of it all. Ji Gwanyeong suddenly slumped down onto the sofa, staring at Taehun, who had his head lowered, blinking in silence. He seemed angry, but now, he was fidgeting.

‘Did the center say something because of all the noise outside?’

Because of this, the Esper’s thoughts were beginning to spiral in frustration, about to burst at the researchers. But fortunately, the guide kept his composure and extinguished the spark early.

“Ji Gwanyeong.”

“Hmm?”

“Come over here.”

Still covering his eyes with one hand, Taehun tapped the seat beside him on the sofa. A distance of 300 km was nothing compared to the few steps it took to reach him. The Esper obediently followed his guide’s words.

The sight of the two tall men sitting side by side could be seen as quite a cute image. Taehun, bothered by the slight touch of the other man’s knee, adjusted his posture a bit. Ji Gwanyeong, knowing what had happened, pretended not to notice.

There was no conversation between them. The silence between them was heavy, and Taehun chewed on his lips, trying to cope with it, while Ji Gwanyeong quietly listened to his guide’s increasing heartbeat. Thump, thump, thump.

The sound of the heartbeat quickening began to echo in the Esper’s ears.

“Why aren’t we doing it?”

Ji Gwanyeong lazily turned his head. His eyes met Taehun’s face, which had turned bright red, all the way to his ears. It was quite an endearing sight, and the Esper couldn’t help but take in the view before answering.

Eventually, it was the guide who, sensing Ji Gwanyeong’s silence, pushed the conversation forward.

“That’s why you collapsed, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t collapse.”

“You did! And it was right in the middle of talking to me!”

Finally, Taehun turned his head. His eyes, red from embarrassment, were trembling slightly, which made him look even more charming. Ji Gwanyeong secretly liked his guide’s deep brown eyes, which almost seemed black. He recalled lying in the center’s hospital bed after leaving the Gangnam site, wishing his reflection would soon appear in those eyes.

A small laugh escaped the Esper’s lips as he listened to the loud thumping of his guide’s heart.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Taehun, why are you mad?”

“…What?”

“Weren’t you feeling something these past few days?”

‘Feeling.’

Taehun was sure that the feelings Ji Gwanyeong was referring to and the ones he had been experiencing recently were of a very different nature. It was not normal to be bothered by a male friend not contacting him, or to feel irritated when he smiled at someone else on TV.

However, despite all that, the guide clearly understood what the Esper was referring to. For the past few days, he had been quite cold toward Ji Gwanyeong. There was no other way around it.

The worried words that would come out of his mouth were too embarrassing, and the shameful words that lingered in his mind made his eyes sting. Taehun, avoiding the man’s gaze, fidgeted with his lips.

“I’m not mad, it’s just… you keep…”

“Not doing it?”

Taehun’s mouth snapped shut, and his fists tightened so much that the white bones of his hands started to show. The pieces of the puzzle finally clicked together.

It was at that moment that the Esper realized that for the past few days, Ji Gwanyeong’s stiffness and conservative nature had been signs that he had hesitated to bring up the word “sex” first.

As soon as he realized that, he almost burst out laughing.

But Ji Gwanyeong suppressed the urge. After all, Taehun was already blushing and couldn’t even meet his eyes. When he swallowed dryly, his throat moved, and the tension was clear. At that moment, Ji Gwanyeong felt a strange sense of satisfaction rather than teasing him.

Leaning back lazily on the sofa, Ji Gwanyeong finally spoke. Of course, he didn’t laugh out loud, but there was still a playful tone in his voice.

“You weren’t mad, you were just embarrassed. That’s good.”

“What, what do you mean?! No, I’m not embarrassed! Why…!”

-Why aren’t we doing it?

The sentence that had been flowing quickly started to fade before it was even finished. No way, that can’t be it. No way.

“Is it because of me?”

“No.”

As soon as the question, almost like a sigh, fell from his lips, the Esper answered immediately.

Taehun’s face seemed to show a bit of frustration, almost like he was taken aback. He hadn’t expected that the man, who always appeared indifferent to everything, would care about his rebound.

‘It’s fine. He’s Ji Gwanyeong, not just anyone. He’ll be fine.’ Like everyone else, even his guide, the Esper, had the same thoughts.

The mental and physical burden that the Esper faced when he couldn’t receive proper “guiding.”

This was something he had heard repeatedly during the three weekly guide training sessions, but in reality, Taehun had never seriously considered it before. He had always brushed it off, but sometimes the facts hit him like a knife.

The Esper quickly continued his words before the guide could speak.

“If we’re going to point fingers, it’s my fault. Don’t worry about it.”

“How can I not worry? What kind of nonsense is that?”

“…Taehun.”

“Ji Gwanyeong!”

What Ji Gwanyeong said would have made the researchers, especially Oh Yeon, shake their heads in disbelief, but that didn’t matter to Taehun right now.

Rebound – Rejection.
The rebound created by the burden of the Esper, and the rejection that arose from doubting the person associated with it. Taehun briefly recalled the reason that had stopped his breath. He felt a rush of emotion. This person, is he an idiot?

Meanwhile, the Esper noticed that his guide’s body had warmed slightly, and he clicked his tongue inwardly. Being so rigid, he hadn’t realized that when he became unsettled, it would make him feel like it was his fault, like he would embrace it.

Ji Gwanyeong, truly fine, joked that he might as well give him a hug and tried to put on the usual smile he always managed to craft. However, before that, everything went black in his vision.

The slow movements, which he could have easily avoided, couldn’t be pushed away because it was Taehun who reached out and covered his eyes. As his hand’s warmth enveloped his eyes, Ji Gwanyeong forgot to breathe for a moment. Indeed, ‘contact’ with Taehun was so good that it made him forget everything else.

“…You shouldn’t look.”

As his sensitive sight was blocked, his hearing became even clearer.

Taehun’s breath. His heartbeat. The flow of blood. The rustling of his clothes.

Even after the hand that covered his eyes fell away, Ji Gwanyeong still followed the guide’s words. He could hear the sound of the man kneeling between his legs. He could almost picture the trembling hand awkwardly undoing his pants.

“Keep your eyes closed. Don’t open them. Absolutely.”

Taehun’s voice sounded a bit muffled. His mouth was dry.

The center’s guide training mostly takes place in a computer room with individual booths, using computers and holograms. Because of this, it feels less like a process of education and learning and more like a thorough individual activity with no contact with anyone else.

At first, Taehun was frustrated and wondered why the training was done this way. But his opinion changed when the boring, predictable training content transitioned to the ‘contact’ section.

When Taehun heard the ordinary mechanical voice saying, “We will now begin the theoretical explanation of the sexual relationship methods between an Esper and a guide,” he realized, albeit belatedly, the center’s consideration.

The gap between living as a guide and actually living.

It was as different as the distinction between a general audience movie and one restricted to adults. The phrases explaining highly obscene methods were spoken in a voice that conveyed no emotion, but the guide had to stop the playback several times and drink cold water.

After the ‘theoretical explanation’ ended, the ‘real-life simulation’ began, which was even more shocking. Taehun tried to cool his reddened face as he barely managed to absorb the vivid 3D footage shown on the high-resolution monitor.

Even though he had been around the center for a long time, Taehun had lived as a firmly heterosexual man without any confusion about his sexual identity for twenty-eight years. Techniques for giving pleasure to someone of the same sex, and how to open oneself for penetrative sex, were things that, in any situation, were incredibly difficult for him.

But didn’t they say you’ll eventually use whatever you learn?

The guide, recalling the obscene content from the education, swallowed nervously. However, the old saying that theory and practice are different was certainly true when it came to sex.

Even though he had knelt in front of his Esper without thinking, when he unzipped his pants and took it out, his confidence instantly vanished. Though he lightly grasped it in his hand, his erection began to soften.

In the end, Taehun hesitated and stalled for time, then glanced at his Esper for a moment. In a way, it was a clever choice. Backing out now would be a bit awkward and embarrassing, but he was sure his Esper wouldn’t criticize him.

However, Taehun soon regretted his actions. It would have been better not to know. Seeing the man before him, usually so violent and reckless, now clenching his fists, pressing his fingers against his eyes with a pained expression—it would have been easier to just not see it.

‘Now I can’t even say I can’t do it.’

The guide swallowed a sigh.

On the other hand, Esper Ji Gwanyeong was in a situation with no room for relaxation, just like what Taehun was witnessing. It was rare for his thoughts and actions to align, but in front of his guide, it was inevitable. Taehun, who had never even dared to initiate a kiss, now knelt in front of him, teasing sensitive areas with hot breaths, pretending to be composed. This was one of the few things Ji Gwanyeong considered “absolutely impossible.”

After over a month of separation, real contact with his unique guide was an overwhelming stimulus that shook all of his senses. In a way, it was even more intense than when they first shook hands at the signing event.

Every cell in his body, already familiar with what it felt like to touch Taehun, began to throb with desire, and something instinctive, closer to pure craving, triggered a switch in his mind. Fortunately, the guide didn’t make his pair wait for long.

“…Ugh.”