PRT | Chapter 3.5

This isn’t normal. His eyes scanned the surroundings urgently. Should he go back down? What if something’s wrong? Here, there were only him, Seo Yigyeom, and the white-haired old man.

Heeseo clenched and then unclenched his fist before taking another step. Whatever was nearby, he felt he should check it out. He couldn’t call Seo Yigyeom for this when he seemed so busy.

“What’s this…”

But his steps stopped short. Heeseo’s gaze, fixed like stone, landed on something. There was a very small gate there. Whether it was a dying gate or one just forming was unclear; it was just wildly fluctuating. Heeseo stared at the gate with a hardened face.

…What if something comes out of there?

It was a terrifying thought. His shoulders twitched involuntarily. His fingertips, alert with tension, were charged with energy. Could he destroy it? He hesitated for a moment before twisting the space around the gate entirely.

Crack, crack. A sound like glass cracking echoed. Yet, the gate did not shatter; it seemed to change shape but remained intact.

“Please, just do it.”

Heeseo gritted his teeth, pouring all his strength into it. Trying to protect the surroundings with the distorted space, the gate, unable to withstand the pressure, exploded. It disappeared with a sound like fireworks.

“Ugh!”

Though the explosion wasn’t large, Heeseo collapsed, clutching his head. The physical injury was just from wood splinters, but the intense headache overwhelmed him. Something intangible seemed to be stirring in his brain, like amplified waves gnawing at his nerves. Mixed with his inherent wavelengths, it made him want to vomit everything out.

Suddenly, Heeseo turned pale, biting his lip hard. Blood beaded on his red lips. The pain didn’t subside, both consciously and unconsciously. The headache was so severe he could barely move, his skin growing cold. Blood even seeped out as if he were bleeding from a wound.

“…”

The only person coming to his mind at that moment was Seo Yigyeom.

“Seo, Yigyeom…”

His call, with all his might, was pitifully weak. His trembling lips closed weakly. The next moment, hurried footsteps approached. Ah, Heeseo let out a sigh, relaxing his whole body.

“Kim Heeseo, stay with me.”

Seo Yigyeom, coming close, immediately radiated energy. Even though it was intense enough to suffocate, Heeseo didn’t calm down. Groaning, he clutched at Seo Yigyeom’s clothes. The pain was unbearable.

“Guide-nim, uh, here…”

“Just shut up for now. I think I get the situation.”

Seo Yigyeom cut him off, pulling Heeseo into an embrace. He stood up instantly and moved decisively. All the while, he held Heeseo tightly to ensure he didn’t shake.

Entering the house, he laid Heeseo on the sofa with ease. When Seo Yigyeom was about to fetch something to clean up, Heeseo grabbed him. It was an instinctive act before his consciousness fully slipped away.

“…”

His fingertips trembled. Seo Yigyeom just watched the hand that held him without pushing it away or holding it back. Heeseo’s eyes began to moisten. Seo Yigyeom’s gaze moved to his reddened eyes.

“Guide-nim…”

As Heeseo softly called out, wetting his lips, Seo Yigyeom’s eyes flashed fiercely. He ran his hand through his hair irritably before closing the distance by holding Heeseo’s hand. He then wrapped his arms around Heeseo’s neck.

“Open your mouth.”

And as soon as he said that, he tilted his head. Seo Yigyeom’s hand tightened around Heeseo’s neck. Their lips met, and a sweet breath flowed in.

“Ah.”

A short exclamation from Heeseo flowed into Seo Yigyeom’s mouth. A tingling sensation spread rapidly. All thoughts evaporated under the overwhelming stimulation. Heeseo’s teary eyes hardened.

Seo Yigyeom didn’t close his eyes, merely observing Heeseo with slightly lowered lids. His gray eyes, carrying a strange light, moved slowly. In sync, an unseen tongue licked the delicate inner flesh of Heeseo’s mouth.

Heeseo’s body, trapped in Seo Yigyeom’s embrace, shivered. His damp eyelashes fluttered through the air. With the gaze that never left him and the touch warming his skin, goosebumps rose.

Seo Yigyeom’s fingers on Heeseo’s neck slithered like snakes, pressing and soothing the skin that had goosebumps. The cold skin slowly warmed, the heat spreading like sprouting warmth.

“…”

Heeseo’s eyes became dazed, captured by the intense stimulation. His senses sharpened to an acute level, replacing the dulled perception. His skin prickled not from pain but from something else.

His breathing quickened. The tip of Seo Yigyeom’s tongue slowly brushed against Heeseo’s palate, tickling. Then, as if transferring all the breath, he delved deeper. A spark-like sensation ran down Heeseo’s spine.

“Ah…”

Heeseo let out a thin moan through his lips in surprise. His tongue hardened, and saliva pooled. It felt like hundreds of insects crawling over him, needing to scratch everything.

It’s itchy. It hurts. It’s hot. I can’t breathe.

In his confusion, Heeseo touched Seo Yigyeom’s tongue, poking it like they were kissing before sliding under it. At that moment, Seo Yigyeom’s eyes furrowed.

“…”

Seo Yigyeom pulled his head back, releasing the pressure on the tongue. Hot breath escaped through wet lips. Their reddened lips brushed against each other, a thin thread stretching and then breaking.

“You should swallow.”

Seo Yigyeom whispered, sucking on Heeseo’s lower lip. Heeseo, entranced, swallowed. Seo Yigyeom’s fingers gently caressed the Adam’s apple moving under his touch, almost like he was giving praise.

“Why…”

The confused question was conveyed and then fizzled out. Heeseo exchanged looks with Seo Yigyeom before tightly closing his eyes, unable to bear the gaze that seemed to imprint on him like a brand. Then, there was a sound like air escaping, and the scent and breath that stopped his breathing with their touch enveloped his entire body.

As the waves calmed, his heart beat fiercely. It pounded in his ears as if he had just sprinted. Heeseo knew why.

It was his first kiss. Even if it was part of the guiding process.

“…”

This was the first time an experience had shaken all his senses. It felt like his nerves were being peeled apart and tickled. Seo Yigyeom seemed unaffected, but Heeseo was different. His fingertips trembled to the point of numbness.

As the terrible headache subsided, belated thoughts flooded in. Heeseo, who could hardly breathe, lightly pushed Seo Yigyeom away. Seo Yigyeom then pressed his lips against Heeseo’s neck, biting the skin before slightly pulling back to look at him with eyes like those of a wild beast, radiant and capturing Heeseo’s image.

No words could be spoken. At that moment, Heeseo was prey in front of Seo Yigyeom. An invisible noose tightened around his neck, enveloping him entirely. Heat rose in every corner of his body crushed under Seo Yigyeom’s larger frame.

“Every time you get like this…”

“…”

“What can you even do?”

Seo Yigyeom touched the tip of Heeseo’s reddened ear, murmuring. His monotonous voice tickled Heeseo’s ear. Heeseo, shrugging his shoulders inadvertently, looked at Seo Yigyeom with desperate eyes.

“Why do you look at me like that?”

Seo Yigyeom wiped the flushed area around Heeseo’s eyes.

“You’re not begging or anything…”

“Huh?” Seo Yigyeom casually asked, lowering his upper body. Meeting Heeseo’s gaze head-on, he sucked on his lips as if about to delve deep again, but only lightly brushed against them. Heeseo’s eyes trembled.

Was this also just part of the treatment? Does he do this guiding for others too?

The touch was gentle. The breath that took away his terrible headache and offered a strange stimulation was incredibly sweet. Even though the waves had calmed, Seo Yigyeom didn’t pull back, as if he intended to add more meaning to it.

Heeseo, who had been gripping Seo Yigyeom’s clothes tightly, relaxed his hold. He closed and then opened his eyes as if to hide his confusion, turning his head. He could see Seo Yigyeom’s upper body covering him. Through the shirt, he could feel the solid chest rising and falling gently. Remembering the heavy heartbeat when they touched, his stomach felt itchy, and his chest seemed to catch fire, his heart beating as if it would vibrate.

“…I’m okay now. Thank you.”

Seo Yigyeom readily withdrew, watching Heeseo’s face as he stepped back and took a cigarette between his lips. When the lighter didn’t catch immediately, he furrowed his brows. Heeseo’s eyes were fixed on his tousled hair and large hands, feeling a thirst at the sight of his red lips.

“You said not to smoke inside…”

“Ah.”

Heeseo whispered, the tension seeming to break, and Seo Yigyeom replied half-heartedly. Then, he placed the cigarette between Heeseo’s lips, making him startle and widen his eyes. Seo Yigyeom smirked.

“Does this make us accomplices now?”

He quickly took back the cigarette, lighting it himself. Lowering his eyes and frowning, he looked provocative. His breath-like cigarette smoke scattered in small bursts.

Seo Yigyeom, deeply seated on the sofa, seemed to be swallowing something as he smoked. Heeseo, glancing at him, straightened up. Even sitting up, his head didn’t hurt; it was surprisingly fine. Amazed again by Seo Yigyeom’s abilities, Heeseo adjusted his disheveled appearance and spoke.

“There was a Gate.”

Seo Yigyeom, without much reaction, flicked ash into a half-filled glass.

“It was a very small Gate, but when I touched it with my ability, it exploded and disappeared. I don’t think anything else came out. Oh, it was unusually turbulent, though.”

Even as Heeseo explained what might interest him, Seo Yigyeom seemed distracted.

“Your head?”

The first thing he asked in response was so ironic that Heeseo closed his mouth tightly. Why did he always have this attitude?

“Are you worried about me?”

“Well… I don’t want to deal with a corpse myself.”

His casual reply was ambiguous.

“When we get back to Seoul, get a proper check-up. There might be internal injuries.”

Heeseo nodded at the indifferent remark. His gaze was hazy, wandering through the moment. Blood dripped from his hand. Seo Yigyeom’s eyes followed the red stain.

“It’s nothing. It just grazed me.”

Feeling guilty, Heeseo was explaining when his phone rang inside the room. He immediately got up, passing Seo Yigyeom to go into the room. The phone showed ‘Esper Kwon Joon-nim.’

“…Hello?”

It’s Joon. The team leader was looking for you, so I called to check first.

“Ah, yes…”

You’ve been caught skipping work without permission, haven’t you?

Kwon Joon’s voice was mixed with laughter, and Heeseo only touched his neck. He and Seo Yigyeom were different; Seo Yigyeom could ignore headquarters’ summons, but Heeseo couldn’t. The difference in their positions was very clear.

Are you with Seo Yigyeom?

“Yes. But… what’s the matter?”

Can you pass the phone to him? I need to talk to him too, but he never answers my calls.

Don’t worry, it’s not serious. At this follow-up comment, Heeseo turned around. With the call still connected, he went back to the living room, but Seo Yigyeom was gone. It seemed he had gone outside.

“Uh, just a moment. Guide-nim has disappeared.”

He’s always so self-centered. How do you and Jung-o deal with him? It’s amazing.

As Heeseo headed towards the entrance, listening to Kwon Joon’s familiar chatter, the door opened. With a creak, cold air rushed in. Seo Yigyeom, carrying a first-aid kit, was wrapped in the chill.

“…Esper Kwon Joon wants to talk to you, Guide-nim.”