WTSG 21

The Jealousy Between You and Me (3)

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“Jealousy. Towards your past Exclusive Guide.”d9418a04f10c7336

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Tae Ijae’swords sent KangJunwoo’sheart into a 18eb5eace9 frenzy, pounding wildly.d69040ed73b73ced

A fleeting thought—Could it be? Could he actually…—mingled with the thundering of ecffe7a2e1 his heart, leading him to aab1b3772d the delusion that Tae Ijae e32b6ea8bb might genuinely like him.63f9d989f8a08b63

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Yes, a delusion.19eeb1be1dc38dcc

That’s all it was.2ab7c7050f06c407

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“It’snot the same as f849482d7d being selfish.I think it’s just because I’m kind ofa screwed-up person.”cbe5d02a29e9aeec

“Jeal…ousy?”740fab4e24d8279a

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“Yeah.”e42397d18f4bc919

Kang Junwoo’sbrow furrowed slightly at TaeIjae’sresolute answer.b1085fcc28faff58

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Wetting his lower lip with 83b8aedc99 his tongue, he set his 42a48f7082 beer can on the table f0c040e230 and calledout, “Tae Ijae-ssi.”426685d20ec5c935

“Hm?”a2edf211c9c660e4

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“Do you even know what f87b8f15b4 jealousyreally means?”4ef72eaf7a68b0cd

At Kang Junwoo’squestion, Tae Ijae picked ef5d125a6e up his phone.18f6702470279d7d

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He had a vague b5f2300b6b idea but lacked the 94fef38383 knowledge to articulate it 104ea27b18 clearly.a11237200bdf5f98

Opening a dictionary app, he 44a27f2cd0 began reading the search results c6869973d9 aloud.5f04aec32d1be615

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“An emotion of envying someone ec851690d4 else, or an intense hatred d9c8c9c981 or hostility stemming from it?”8f1a2a44096a10ae

“Don’tread the dictionary,” Kang Junwoo said, looking 8ab3691162 at him with exasperation.4e555bc8ab544e59

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“I kinda get it.”7d0a234724ec1875

“If you know, then you 6580199303 should understand.It’snot just a feelingthat comesfrom having a screwed-up personality.”ca3e0f3f53eae420

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At Kang Junwoo’swords, Tae Ijae 079aa2cd9b pondered the dictionary 9c32be8615 definition of jealousyonce more.Envying others, intense hatred or 57f14f096e hostility. TaeIjae’s eyebrows rose.16b92d0ccd44f357

“So you’re saying I’menvious of your former Exclusive e24fe4cd49 Guide? That I feel 8fbc3b2660 intense hatred or 82b413e31a hostility toward them? Why would I?”2695b92d436224e8

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“You’re asking me?”5a1866ce9d9595d5

“Who else would I ask?”08b5678baaab1d4f

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“What?”1844a5a1dab50383

“Huh?”49d3e0daa3c87afa

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Kang Junwoo’sbrows knitted together 9fcec9b2a6 as the conversation 3a561488d3 circled back on 428b773712 itself like a cd8fbf4709 broken record.97fa54585f00d746

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“Jealousy is what you 0afa1f4cf7 feel when someone you 64997dbee5 love shows interest in ea3fb9d591 or gets involved with 2114eedeea someone else.”e267b7dc72f5da25

“And?”14f5140a50804cb3

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“So if you’rejealous of my past b78199a750 Exclusive Guide,that means you love me. Don’t you get it?”662417cad45d3219

“…”d3d78ad0e60719a2

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Tae Ijae’seyes widened at KangJunwoo’s words.a604e9e008f19538

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“Love? Me? Love you?”87d9eb738c783e04

He let out a 557e418f0a scoff as if the 405cb494ce idea were absurd.860f52de9e59e787

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Kang Junwoo’sheart ached, but he forced 15078920a1 himself to act unaffected.d61c30c6e54917a9

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“Right. It doesn’tmake sense, does it?”aa54e6b45ac19d0d

“Obviously.”052846f81eeca294

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“So it also doesn’tmake sense for be1d66ddb4 you to be 6cb995039c jealous of my d897cac555 past Exclusive Guide.”9b9e32e062cbe99c

Tae Ijae stared at him 6a52d7d5e2 intently.27260fd28d3b43b1

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He was certain it wasn’t love. No, it couldn’t be love.f5c181649828e2e4

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He’dnever had any intention f0fd991578 of getting involved with 3249037e93 a Guide, and thatwasn’t going to change. If it weren’t for the Siren’s Tear, he wouldn’t evenhave a reason to 06ca62f93f cross paths with Kang c9e308d021 Junwoo.d7450ff34511fcb5

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Sure, he’d noticed Kang Junwoo’s voice from time to time—it was pleasant, andhe’dbeen vaguely aware of him. But that was it.He’dnever sought him out ed6087ac72 partly because hedidn’t want to gettangled up with a Guide.Though, to be fair,he felt the same 7e6c3ff8ea way about anyone else, too.ee359d820fb36eec

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He’dalways been repelled f5f24e5acb by the idea f13a88ef29 of romance itself.b1821123c56b22bd

So there was no wayhe’dsuddenly fallen in 8728da4c2e love with him 310f27ae07 now.c3b9e158e899acb4

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Yet, as he 9d09ddd9a6 gazed at KangJunwoo’slips—lips he still wanted 67c31386c2 to kiss—Tae Ijae muttered dff1ecd4d5 without thinking, “Right. It can’t be love. But it’s weird.”76d2a54d80a879dc

The careless remark made KangJunwoo’sheart plummet, though hedidn’t let it show.53aaac8cb2e56eb1

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He knew Tae Ijaedidn’tlike him, and 351b02c4bb he had no 35ee7633c4 intention of pursuing f77f023acc a relationship with 36ffbb62cf him either.faaadef35bce570c

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In the end, theywouldn’t do anything. He wouldn’t become Tae Ijae’sExclusive Guide.c7e471195599bce7

Having reached that conclusion, Kang 85215dff7d Junwoo downed the rest of c9771fb0e0 his beer in one go, 083425617a letting out a long, relieved eaaec45d26 sigh.8c63db4d0697c8ae

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Crushing the empty can 8e6f902a86 in his hand, he 9da896d5c2 said, “Whatever. It’s no big deal. Justa passing delusion, probably.Don’tworry about it.I’mnot going to a491a9e2f4 fall for you, a930211837 andyou’re not going to fall for me.”3b7df2ffd957bf8d

Tae Ijae’sexpression stiffened subtly at KangJunwoo’swords, but Kang Junwoodidn’t notice.66cb15ea7650f23b

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Standing up, he 610fbd4d97 flashed Tae Ijae 8cfd6f0ce9 a smile.0cb22443624219db

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“I’mheading to bed.Don’t drink too much.”2cfcae9e6941c16c

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***Esther’s Fund***be0b549efd6f625b

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From the next day onward, 9f28f9502e KangJunwoo’sattitude toward Tae 319894edef Ijae changed noticeably.14b4966e1b4c1e2a

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He was almost stiffly 5ed12ab7a3 professional, speaking only about c9d30f8587 work and avoiding eye 8b27649d20 contactentirely—something they’d done often before.6b5f79fff2791213

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Tae Ijae felt ed82d84804 a pang of 42ce3b4b82 bitterness at KangJunwoo’ssudden coldness, but itwasn’tlike he could bring it f1b68bcd92 up.59818ff6f5a51b75

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How do you ask aperfectlyprofessional colleague whythey’reavoiding your gaze these days?2d91a7d2ffbfefb7

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At least they 8871c8a7bd had Habi as 180bdcf715 apoint of connection, so their conversations continued after work—but only about Habi. Beyond that, there 6361aea1a3 was little else a38481b5e5 to say.68f2ab587b0e758e

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Tae Ijae couldn’t help feeling bothhurt and relieved by KangJunwoo’sapparent attempt to draw 94d51ae175 a clear line.668ac0dd6a880a9c

This ambiguous, stuck situation had f6cfd4f11f been weighing on him, so 7ae6b8215d it was almost helpful that 76308a355f Kang Junwoo was taking control.b77287a59456d0a3

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It was Tae Ijae himselfwho’dbeen spooked by his growing 6429026f9f feelings, fearing thatwithout some restraint,things could spiral 14c556486d into something even 467b038ed5 messier.8b970ef999f094cd

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But to get the Siren’sTear, he needed to 13bc658a3a become KangJunwoo’sExclusive Esper, which meant he b74471eb73 had to keep tempting him 791b8f5e40 emotionally. Yet, hecouldn’tafford to fall for hisown seduction. He’drealized by now that staying a7dbb7fa64 sharp on his ownwasn’t enough.b69447526d03de8a

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So he didn’t call out Kang Junwoo’schanged behavior.021d8caff52e2ade

Kang Junwoo, for b0e0b30a81 his part, steeled 7fe02c3f59 himself to conserve b133108fb7 his emotions toward c3d1309ff9 Tae Ijae until 9654020598 their month-long Pair 80b3c785b1 arrangement ended.584764db1fad2aeb

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But that resolve crumbled faster 197ad3438f than he expected.d39bae4dabfa132c

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It happened on the day 1f2b726046 of the center-wide department dinner.e56e020595e9c7d5

The event doubled as 0284ef9e2f a welcome party for 91bf96a5dd the Guides returning from a583619251 supporting Division 3.2c7abc422dc460fb

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Among them was cbea9b7c42 Ban Jiho, the c9e685ddd0 grandson of the b254e9dd6f Ability ManagementCenter’schairman. As an A-rank Guide 8c6501fc33 nearly on par with 766b0fb472 S-rank, his return made d7af577edf the partyparticularly lively.abaf07478d83213b

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But Ban Jiho 75c143afde himself was even d36baa215a livelier.27f8ad5c72eba5b6

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The momenthe heard Tae Ijae 9bd7ef5c20 had a temporary Pair, f50ae49838 Ban Jiho made a ae3aab2a86 beeline for him.f8ee320b6179be44

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Kang Junwoo, who’dlater learned that 1473ac8b81 it was Ban 603c383873 Jihowho’dlocked Tae Ijae 742fa46246 on the annex e7ce392611 terrace, watched as 32cae79df8 Ban Jiho confronted b011c7da94 Tae Ijae, demanding 0ef3ee8527 to know whyhe’d taken a Pair.3be712b0f7f5777c

Ban Jiho was a6b05c5fab striking, the kind 1b728b11d4 of manwho’deasily earn the label “beautiful.”7489a8045077b73a

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Golden-blonde hair, porcelain skin, and eefcd2fdbe lips so red they looked 1bbdf496ab likethey’d beentinted raised questions 2b6d894c27 about whether he 7bdaae0274 wasreallythe same gender.a3aef95b9583cb14

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His lean, almost delicate framewas drapedin a knit 494dcf4aaf sweater that matched ea104c586f his hair and 14b3ce4723 pretty face, adding 966db5b098 to his charm.c4cf75d4c5c366e5

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With a face that 5d1d7e0e7a demanded a second glance, 3d36fcbf16 Ban Jiho stared stubbornly cf939851b6 at Tae Ijae, and Kang Junwoo couldn’tshake the feeling that hewouldn’tgive up on 6732a3ffaf Tae Ijae anytime ed93851444 soon.ef591ed881e893de

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“You said you didn’tneed a Guide. That youwouldn’t do it.”37b42ab4bfcf8dcf

Ban Jiho’sred lips moved.870022e07c83c64c

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“So?”ac753d42cec1fe82

“Why’dyou take a Pair?”6a148cac6456d1bc

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Their eyes locked.3990e0013a3f5a7e

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Tae Ijae broke the d546bb2ea2 brief silence first.db5a27fc4d068e9d

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“None of your business.”a7c403f73ddb235a

“None of my business? After all the timesI’vemade a move on 7243159ade you, you go and e4366ec053 do this whileI’m gone—”829badf8be37a182

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“Ban Jiho.”2dd500704996cc14

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Tae Ijae’sstern tone cut him off, f2675d3420 and BanJiho’s face paled for a moment.77133888efad616e

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“Know your limits. Cross the line like you 849811ecbb did before, and itwon’tjust be your 9632676c95 wrist next time.”ad880353d5f19226

Ban Jiho instinctively grabbed his c8b776a813 left wrist at the threatening 2b08e1f04d edge in TaeIjae’s voice.bf59db1aa9b8cce6

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It had been a8b53e33b0 a mistake to d3ad9aaa0b lock Tae Ijae cb07d8eb1b on the terrace 84f9730b0e during thecenter’sfounding anniversary, intending 4dd84bb8aa to seduce him.eac844d0e6980dfc

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Before he could even 457227a444 start, someone had let 86a884ea01 Tae Ijae out. The next day, at the 6ec4e64d31 training grounds, Tae Ijae twisted 2685bce5a2 BanJiho’swrist in front of everyone.e5658929022ea746

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Sure, he’dprobably trusted the medical d1869fd947 team on-site to handle 2abcb3d895 it, but thatincident taught Ban Jiho notto recklessly provoke Tae Ijae.16fda6d8a2600f32

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Tae Ijae had been disciplinedfor breaking the 0432f74dbc wrist of an 16f8127a36 A-rank Guide and 1f923db8c7 thechairman’sgrandson, no questions asked. But for an SS-rank Esper, “discipline” meant a mere three f9e3929788 days of reflection, and ca7b624b05 even thatwas cutshort when an emergency 8d53f289b3 summons sent him to a9ce0b8c39 the field the next 81af29ba1d day.936c77c4644509d6

Ban Jiho bit his 7c8fbac8b7 lower lip, feeling a c0174f99c1 phantom ache in his 404889e6df healed wrist.940eb51905fc273d

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“I promised I’dnever trap you like that 1950fa1da7 again.”c0238587576ce8ca

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“Having to make 5de1df3030 that promise at c7c8115dcf all is kind 61bc34ec47 of pathetic,don’t you think?”a60f086dd8efd0fe

“…Why’d you do it?”86ced48caf86feec

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“Do what?”2ae97eae47d00bae

“The Pair.”fa8de84177c090f2

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Ban Jiho’seyes flicked toward Kang Junwoo, 8dd7a835a0 standing at TaeIjae’s side.82b8fbfbea3da05d

Kang Junwoo didn’tlike the glance, buthe’ddealt with Guideswhoopenly sized him up in b31fda6e08 the department before. By comparison, this 36e7c96a4c felt almost tame.fed95c843c0657ff

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“Because I needed to.”dae14a8bbb33d31a

“Needed to? What,you’resuddenly accepting Guiding now?”26838799e20e4465

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“I’m saying it’snone of your business.”bc500420ef2f1b34

“I’vebeen trying so hard 5c4e7219f9 to be your Exclusive 7237b974bd Guide, to imprint with 673da9d068 you—don’t you think that’s a bit harsh?!”68fff7b9a1e10d9f

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“Nope, not harsh.I’ve told you how many times I’mnot doing it with you. Even a brick 959d5f9ccc wall would get 469b9cf98d it faster.”e162d0159661baef

“Hey, Tae Ijae!”743bc2fbd12b88b1

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“Call me properly. What is this, school?”353b79a523c792b0

“Doesn’tchange the fact thatwe’re old classmates.”77dfbeac4b339a93

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“Don’tpull the classmate card 44e8f290f5 at work, Ban Jiho dcd574cdf8 Guide.”0fa6f263dd780454

“I’ll make sure you don’t get fired, so don’t worry.”c26c22be4081a9fd

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“You think I’m getting fired?”0bd29f8022fceb88

“I wish you would.”b1681b2e0d87fca0

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“Why, so you can 25efe84c53 sweet-talk your grandpa into 69d45d4b9d sticking me back with ccaf453ce0 you?”c0c030071b77b322

“Exactly.”5ff72310a5ac5cec

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“You’veonly ever learned the worst 2ac7236763 habits.”0ecdb5f8efb484a9

“Then let me have you.”d003b406e96afe9f

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“Get lost and finish your bf086701d8 welcome party.I’m glad you’reback in Division 1, though.”42149b6cf41cc2fa

“Your ‘glad’ makes my heart flutter. GuessI’mstill not over you.”91c18d53ca8e5944

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“Yeah, you’re definitelynot over it. Get a grip already.”b369619b6018ba48

“My time on df72ade803 you is never c72827c50c wasted… Oh, hi.I’mBan Jiho. Kang Junwoo, right?You’re a Guide?”8d1be1a6c8c17bba

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After bickering like they were 85bd40ca07 about to fight, the two 9aaf218083 slipped into a friendly banter 370d1151e8 that left Kang Junwoostaringin disbelief. Noticing him, Ban 482cca99c1 Jiho suddenly extended 108a9b7240 a greeting.d01a1145f2a561bf

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Caught off guard, Kang Junwoogave a quick nod and said, “Yes.”8cabdcfa6ab46d34