WTSG 17

Let’s Go See the Sea (6)

“Blood…! There’s blood!”

“…Ah. Yeah, it’s okay.”

He wasn’t unaware. He just considered it nothing significant.

“Come here, I’ll give you some ointment. Let me apply it for you.”

It seemed that while dealing with the Red Gate, he had overexerted his abilities, causing the healing wound on his back to reopen.

Despite that, he didn’t show any sign of discomfort and even teleported several times.

Just that alone weighed heavily on his mind.

When Kang Junwoo extended his hand to Tae Ijae, Tae Ijae reluctantly turned his body and approached him.

He placed the ointment in the outstretched hand, turned his back to him, squatted down, and swiftly took off the blood-stained T-shirt.

As expected, the wound was quite open.

Kang Junwoo squeezed the ointment and applied it to the back, unconsciously biting his lower lip.

“Doesn’t it hurt?”

“Yeah.”

A lie.

With a wound this open and blood seeping out, there’s no way it doesn’t hurt.

There really was no need for Tae Ijae to handle the Red Gate all by himself, but it seemed he lacked flexibility.

“Aren’t you hungry? Should I have them bring up some food?”

“It’s not even 7 o’clock yet.”

“They say it’s good to eat breakfast early. Let’s eat and then take a nap.”

“……”

“You’re not planning to head out right after breakfast with that foot, are you?”

“……”

“I’m a bit tired. I didn’t sleep.”

“Go to sleep.”

“I can’t, because there’s no guarantee another gate won’t open in front of you.”

“……”

“Stay in front of me. Let me rest a bit. I’ll give you time to wander around alone in the evening.”

“……”

“Hmm?”

With Tae Ijae half-turning his head to prompt an answer, Kang Junwoo reluctantly nodded.

***

After eating, drowsiness washed over him.

Tae Ijae gently lifted Kang Junwoo and laid him on the bed, then settled down beside him. As Kang Junwoo stared blankly at the ceiling, he turned his head and thanked Tae Ijae.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

Tae Ijae asked with his eyes closed. Kang Junwoo thought that Tae Ijae’s profile, with his eyes shut, was incredibly beautiful.

“For saving me.”

“Why thank me for something that’s only natural?”

“……”

Kang Junwoo’s throat bobbed. His heart began to race at the word “natural.” But soon, he regained his composure. The subject that should precede the word “natural” was all too clear.

Kang Junwoo and Tae Ijae were in a pair contract. It was only natural for an Esper to help a Guide in danger. Yes, there was no reason to feel grateful or moved.

Kang Junwoo cursed himself for almost falling for him again without learning and turned his gaze back to the ceiling.

“Hey.”

At that moment, Tae Ijae called out to Kang Junwoo with an unfriendly word.

When Kang Junwoo turned his head to look at Tae Ijae, Tae Ijae also opened his eyes and gazed back at him. Their eyes met.

“You seem a bit strange,” Tae Ijae said, breaking the slightly awkward silence. His words caused Kang Junwoo to frown slightly.

“Strange? How?”

“Is it like pheromones or something?”

“Pheromones…?”

“Your scent. It’s kind of hard to resist.”

“……”

“They say it happens after imprinting or receiving guidance from a Guide with a matching rate over 90%.”

“……”

“Whether we have a matching rate over 90% is one thing, but you haven’t even guided me.”

And there’s been no imprinting either. Tae Ijae added this as if muttering to himself, then turned his head back to the ceiling, repeatedly saying it was strange.

Kang Junwoo’s heart skipped a beat, recalling the time he had guided Tae Ijae when he was unconscious, but he didn’t show it outwardly.

He had no intention of forming a pair, taking on an exclusive guide, or imprinting, so he hadn’t taken a separate compatibility test and didn’t know what his matching rate with Tae Ijae was.

In any case, S-class Guides typically have a matching rate of over 50% with most Espers, so there was no need for a separate compatibility test.

Kang Junwoo thought he should check the matching rate between him and Tae Ijae when he went to the center. When he had guided the unconscious Tae Ijae, he thought he had controlled himself well, yet he had lost consciousness due to the significant energy drain during the guidance. The higher the matching rate, the more wave stabilization could be achieved in a short period, so their matching rate might be high.

If the matching rate with Tae Ijae was high, perhaps he could guide him occasionally. Of course, it would have to be when Tae Ijae was unconscious, but given the strict conditions for guiding, it seemed like a pretty good way to prevent the dangerous rampages of an SS-class Esper from the first group.

Kang Junwoo broke eye contact with him and closed his eyes. Suddenly, Tae Ijae asked, “Do you want to try kissing me?”

The unexpected question left him speechless. Sensing Kang Junwoo’s shocked gaze on him, Tae Ijae slowly sat up.

“I’m feeling a bit strange. Or maybe you’re the strange one.”

“……”

“I think I need to confirm it to feel better.”

“Are you asking me to sacrifice my lips just so Tae Ijae Esper can feel better?”

Kang Junwoo also sat up as he spoke. He couldn’t really get angry at Tae Ijae’s words since he had already put his tongue in his mouth without permission during guidance, but this sudden proposal was still bewildering.

“Do you have to take it as a sacrifice? You’re going to hurt my feelings.”

“You don’t look hurt at all.”

“It’s just that your scent keeps bothering me.”

Like someone imprinted or with a matching rate over 90%, it was making him constantly aroused, and he felt he needed to confirm something to ease his mind.

Kang Junwoo, squinting his eyes and staring at Tae Ijae, let out a long sigh. If he were to be honest, he had stolen a kiss from Tae Ijae. It was all for Tae Ijae’s sake, but since he couldn’t tell him about it, he couldn’t repay the debt of stealing his lips.

‘Well, I guess I can consider this as paying it back.’

“Go ahe—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Tae Ijae lunged forward. Their lips met.

The soft and tender sensation was so startling that Kang Junwoo involuntarily squeezed his eyes shut and gripped the sheets with his hands.

Tae Ijae’s tongue gently brushed against the tightly closed lips of Kang Junwoo. He knew it was a request to open them, but something about the situation and the person who put him in this situation made it hard to comply.

‘What am I even doing right now? It’s not like I’m guiding him, nor are we in a relationship.’

Kang Junwoo felt a strange sense of restlessness as if he were doing something rebellious for the first time.

“Open your mouth.”

Tae Ijae whispered as he slightly pulled away from their joined lips. His voice, tinged with excitement, flowed out with warm breaths. Kang Junwoo felt a shiver run through him at Tae Ijae’s sultry voice, making the hairs on his body stand on end.

“You gave permission, so open your mouth.”

“……”

“I didn’t say I’d just touch lips. I clearly said I’d kiss you.”

With his face so close that only their lips were apart, Tae Ijae’s warm breath brushed against Kang Junwoo’s face every time he spoke. That warm breath made his lower abdomen tingle and tighten repeatedly.

“Open your mouth before I force it open, Hyung.”

The words were threatening, but the voice was exceedingly gentle. Kang Junwoo swallowed dryly and moved his jaw to part his lips. However, before he could open them himself, Tae Ijae bit down hard on his lower lip and then released it.

As the sharp pain caused his lips to part involuntarily, Tae Ijae’s tongue slipped in, brushing against his teeth and gums. When Tae Ijae changed the angle of his head, their noses grazed each other, and their lips locked seamlessly.

Due to his tension, Kang Junwoo’s tongue lay flat, and Tae Ijae wrapped around it, pulling it mercilessly.

Kang Junwoo’s body visibly jerked, and Tae Ijae let out a low chuckle that rumbled in his throat. The sound tickled Kang Junwoo’s ears and made his heart pound wildly.

His lower abdomen tingled, and his fingertips and toes curled. Eventually, even his mouth tingled, causing saliva to pool. Tae Ijae’s tongue filled his mouth, exploring every corner and awakening his senses. He hadn’t expected such an intense kiss, nor did he know Tae Ijae could kiss so well.

Feeling short of breath, Kang Junwoo instinctively turned his head to the side. However, Tae Ijae’s lips followed immediately, not allowing him any freedom. Feeling that continuing like this might lead to trouble, Kang Junwoo forcefully pushed against Tae Ijae’s chest.

Only then did Tae Ijae pull back, frowning slightly as he asked why.

“We can stop… now.”

“But we’re not done yet.”

Startled by Tae Ijae’s attempt to kiss him again, Kang Junwoo quickly raised his hand to block his lips.

“What do you mean we’re not done… huh!”

Tae Ijae stuck out his tongue and licked between Kang Junwoo’s fingers that were blocking his lips, causing Kang Junwoo to yelp and pull his hand away.

“I told you I needed to confirm something to feel better. I’m confirming it.”

“Wait…! What if I accidentally guide you?!”

As Tae Ijae tried to kiss him again, Kang Junwoo pulled his head back with all his might and shouted. At that moment, Tae Ijae paused.

Kang Junwoo didn’t miss the opportunity and quickly got up, putting distance between them.

“Are you threatening me now?”

Tae Ijae asked with a face that had turned rigid.

“No, it’s not a threat…”

“Ha…”

Lowering his gaze, Tae Ijae ran a hand through his hair and let out a sigh mixed with a bitter laugh. Then, as if contemplating something, he bit his lower lip before looking up at Kang Junwoo again.

“I told you everything about myself. Things I haven’t even told my doctor, Taejoo Hyung.”

“……”

“My painful stories, my weaknesses, I shared them all.”

“……”

“And you’re using that just to reject a kiss?”

“…It’s not that I…”

“If you don’t like it, just punch me instead.”

Rising to his feet, Tae Ijae muttered quietly as he passed by Kang Junwoo, who stood as if nailed to the spot.

“Because physical pain is better than heartache.”

Thud.

The sound of the door closing echoed loudly. With that sound, Kang Junwoo’s heart also seemed to drop to the floor.