WTSG 20

 The Jealousy Between You and Me (2)

Tae Ijae didn’t know why he felt this way, but he couldn’t stand Kang Junwoo’s faceless former exclusive Esper—and he was mad at Kang Junwoo, too, for still carrying around a necklace from someone he’d already broken up with. He had no grounds to be mad, no claim to this anger, yet the small-minded surge of emotion overwhelmed him. Before he could stop himself, he let out a low tsk.

“What’s your problem?”

Kang Junwoo, feeding Habi vegetables, shot him a frown.

“What’s so impressive about it?”

Tae Ijae didn’t answer, just locked eyes with him. He knew this frustration—aimed at a stranger he’d never seen and at Kang Junwoo—wasn’t right. Hell, he didn’t even understand why he was this upset, so how could he respond to Kang Junwoo’s question?

“Guess I’m wondering what my deal is.”

“Who’re you asking?”

“How long were you two together?”

Kang Junwoo’s face froze momentarily at the completely unexpected question. Tae Ijae pretended not to notice, grabbing a piece of steak and taking Habi’s sauce-covered paws. He pulled a tissue from the table and started wiping them down.

“That’s meat—you can’t have it. Quit fooling around and eat your peas, veggie freak.”

Repeating no way, he scrubbed the monster’s twiggy fingers with care. An SS-class Esper fussing over a creature’s paws should’ve looked ridiculous, but somehow, it suited him perfectly. Tae Ijae kept cleaning between Habi’s digits and pressed on.

As Tae Ijae carefully cleaned between Habi’s twig-like fingers, he continued speaking.

“Did you like them a lot?”

“…Why are you curious about that?”

“Told you—I wanna get closer to you.”

“…It’s been too long. I don’t really remember.”

“For something you ‘don’t remember,’ you’re still carrying their gift.”

“…That’s because!”

“Well, I understand. It’s a protective barrier from a rare defensive Esper, so just having it must be reassuring.”

“…”

“But is it okay to use it just to save a baby monster? If it’s such a big deal, maybe we—”

“Don’t say ‘just’ a monster—Habi’s listening.”

Kang Junwoo interrupted Tae Ijae, raising his eyebrows.

“Anyone would think you’ve had them for a long time.”

“Long or short doesn’t matter. It’s about fate…”

Fate—crossing paths right there, right then, and going all out to save this baby monster. Brushing it off as pity was too shallow; it was like the stars had aligned. Tae Ijae stared as Kang Junwoo poured out his thoughts, then shrugged, lips puckering.

He’d bled to save Habi himself, yet here he was downplaying it—Kang Junwoo wasn’t having it.

“So, how long were you together?”

Tae Ijae asked again as if telling him to stop avoiding the question and just answer.

“…About two years. But why are you asking?”

“I told you. I’m curious.”

“Why are you curious about that? Enough with the nonsense about wanting to get closer.”

“Oh, are you finally dropping the formalities?”

“I haven’t.”

Tae Ijae stared intently at Kang Junwoo, who was now serious.

“You often contradict yourself.”

“…”

“Enough to make me want to kiss you.”

For a moment, Kang Junwoo wondered if he had misheard. Tae Ijae had said he wanted to kiss him as casually as one might say they wanted a drink of water or coffee.

“W-What’d you say?”

“Did you like them a lot?”

“…”

“Ah, your face is turning red.”

Tae Ijae pointed at Kang Junwoo’s flushed cheeks, and Habi craned its neck to stare too. Panicked by their eyes on him, Kang Junwoo tripped over his words.

“Y-you’re saying weird things…!”

“Saying I want to kiss you is weird?”

“Stop saying things like that…!”

“What, you want me to stop?”

“Of course! It’s so random and out of nowhere…!”

“It’s not out of nowhere.”

“…?! …”

“It’s not sudden. I’ve wanted to since the Foggy Forest.”

“…! …”

“Kiss.”

Kang Junwoo’s face began to flush again.

***

ZZzzz-hngGGggh-Ppbhww— ZZzzz-hngGGggh-Ppbhww—

Late at night.

The room, bathed in the bright moonlight streaming through the window, was filled with the sound of Habi’s snoring. Unable to sleep due to the lingering effect of the word “kiss,” Tae Ijae and Kang Junwoo lay there, staring blankly at the ceiling, listening to Habi’s snores.

Tae Ijae was quite taken aback by how this relationship, which had started because of the Siren’s Tear, was veering into unexpected territory. It wasn’t the relationship with Kang Junwoo that was unsettling him, but rather how his own feelings were spiraling out of control.

He hadn’t applied for exclusive guidance with Kang Junwoo to play at romance. This was supposed to be a clean and light relationship that could end as soon as Kang Junwoo mentioned wanting to be exclusive.

Despite never having been in a romantic relationship, Tae Ijae, with his title as an SS-class Esper, had received countless proposals from both men and women. There were times when he had to listen to others’ heavy emotions and complaints, even though they weren’t his responsibility.

There was a period when he had to accept countless emotions like a trash bin simply because someone fell in love with him, despite not showing any vulnerability. As he grew older, the attention, interest, and blind affection directed at him became increasingly annoying and burdensome. Eventually, he came to completely reject the bothersome and irritating nature of romantic relationships. At some point, he built a solid defensive wall around himself.

He never intended to receive guidance, so he coldly cut off guides who clung to him offering guidance. He also erected barriers against those who proposed romantic relationships, wanting to exchange feelings.

If Kang Junwoo was known as the “Iron Wall Ice Prince” among guides, then Tae Ijae was their unbreachable castle. Yet here he was, seething over Kang Junwoo’s ex. Maybe his walls didn’t work on Kang Junwoo at all.

Come to think of it, it seemed like it had been that way from the beginning.

On a day when Ban Jiho’s excessive pranks made me so angry that I wanted to destroy everything, my anger miraculously subsided upon hearing Kang Junwoo’s voice through the intercom. After that, I heard his voice several times on-site and found myself quite liking it.

Then, because of the Siren’s Tear, I applied for exclusive guidance with him and ended up pairing instead. At some point, his scent became imprinted on me, making me feel inexplicably happy.

Now, I even feel something akin to jealousy towards Kang Junwoo’s past exclusive guide. Although I’ve never experienced it before, the feeling of being angry and defeated by someone whose face and name I don’t even know, and the desire to erase that feeling, must be jealousy.

So, Tae Ijae, of all people, was jealous.

“Am I going crazy?”

Kang Junwoo, who was staring blankly at the ceiling, heard Tae Ijae’s muttered words and flinched.

“W-what is it?”

“You’re not asleep yet?”

Tae Ijae, who thought Kang Junwoo had fallen asleep, suddenly lifted his head to look at him. Kang Junwoo also turned his head to look at Tae Ijae.

“I’m not asleep.”

“Why?”

“I can’t sleep.”

“…”

“…”

Their gazes lingered on each other intensely. Tae Ijae slowly got up from the bed.

“Want a drink?”

“What about tomorrow’s assignment?”

“If you’re tired, I’ll go alone.”

“I mentioned it because I’m not the only one who might be tired.”

“Let’s just have one drink. I doubt I’ll be able to sleep with this little monster making so much noise.”

Tae Ijae said, looking down at Habi, who was still snoring loudly. Habi was sprawled out as if he had been living in the bed for ages, sleeping soundly.

Kang Junwoo tucked the blanket up to Habi’s chest and got up. Following Tae Ijae, he took out two cans of beer from the fridge and watched as Tae Ijae headed to the sofa. He then grabbed some cheese and biscuits, placing them on a plate.

Sitting side by side on the living room sofa, they drank their canned beers and looked out at the dark early morning scenery.

“You know,” Tae Ijae spoke softly, keeping his gaze fixed outside the window, “I’m probably kind of a messed-up person… pretty badly, actually.”

“…”

“My sister, who devoted herself to me, and my parents, who treated me like something precious rather than a son, were never more important than myself, and they still aren’t.”

“…”

“When my sister died, I was only worried about the impact on my situation due to the forcibly broken imprint.”

“…”

“It was indeed sad and shocking, but that shock and sadness were for myself, not for my sister.”

“…”

“The reason I’m telling you this is…”

Tae Ijae turned his head to look at Kang Junwoo. Kang Junwoo met his gaze.

Their eyes locked, burning with intensity.

“I think I’m…”

Feeling his heart race wildly again, Kang Junwoo quickly cut him off.

“T-Tae I-jae-ssi, you’re not the only one with a messed-up personality.”

“…”

“Everyone has selfish thoughts. Even me—I’m actually full of selfishness.”

“What am I supposed to do then?”

Tae Ijae took a deep breath. There was a slight tremor in that breath.

Kang Junwoo stared intently at Tae Ijae and asked,

“What… do you mean?”

“I think I’m jealous of your past Exclusive Guide.”

At Tae Ijae’s words, Kang Junwoo stared at him blankly for a moment. It was because he hadn’t fully grasped what Tae Ijae was saying. Then, slowly, the meaning of Tae I-jae’s words sank in.

Kang Junwoo’s face slowly began to harden.

“…What… did you say?”