WTSG 4

The Beginning of Temptation (4)

As soon as they signed the typical pair contract, exchanging contact information was usually the next step. However, Kang Junwoo and Tae Ijae completely skipped that step. Honestly, who jumps straight into living together without even exchanging phone numbers first? Kang Junwoo shook his head in disbelief as he quickly rinsed off. The guy who had teleported to fetch his belongings had told him to order dinner, so he would likely teleport back soon. Junwoo felt a sense of urgency, wondering if Tae Ijae might have realized he didn’t have his number and was waiting for him at the spot where they parted ways earlier. He hastily dried his wet hair, changed into comfortable clothes, and rushed to open the front door. At that moment, almost miraculously, Tae Ijae appeared right in front of him.

“What’s this? Where are you going?”

“…How did you know?”

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“Know what?”

“My house…”

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Tae Ijae let out a sigh mixed with a scoff as he passed by Kang Junwoo, who looked a bit bewildered and entered the house. Despite saying he was going to fetch his belongings, all he had slung over his shoulder was a large duffel bag.

“Is that all your stuff?”

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“What, do I need more? Should I have brought a bed too?”

“No, that’s not it… How did you know where the house was?”

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“We’re paired now.”

“…Excuse me?”

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“You signed the pair contract with me earlier today.”

“Yes, I did. But…”

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“As soon as you sign, it automatically marks the location… What, you really didn’t know?”

Suddenly, Kang Junwoo remembered the policy change from a few years ago. Previously, you could only know your partner’s location if you were imprinted. Imprinting allowed abilities similar to telepathy and enabled an Esper to instantly reach their imprinted guide without teleporting. This ability was highly effective when either the Guide or the Esper was in danger, prompting the Ability Research Center to develop it further so that it could manifest even without imprinting.

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In the end, they developed a system where a small chip was implanted in the wrists of Espers and Guides, allowing them to know each other’s location even with just a pair or exclusive contract, similar to imprinting. However, no matter how much research was done, they couldn’t replicate the telepathy.

“Oh, I’ve never done a pair contract before.” 

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“And I have?” Tae Ijae chuckled as he placed his bag on the coffee table. “I want to wash up first.”

“Oh, it’s over there,” Junwoo said, pointing to the bathroom.

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“Did you order food?”

“I wasn’t sure what to order.”

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“What do you usually eat?”

“I cook for myself.”

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“Don’t you ever order in?”

“Sometimes.”

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“And what do you order during those times?”

“Chicken or pizza?”

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“……”

“……”

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“I like kimchi jjigae¹ or doenjang jjigae², hyung³.” Tae Ijae said, lightly patting Kang Junwoo on the shoulder as he walked towards the bathroom.

Junwoo called after him, “Is it okay if I handle your stuff? I’ll organize it in the dressing room.”

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“Sure,” Tae Ijae replied briefly, as if it didn’t matter to him, and entered the bathroom.

As Junwoo carried Tae Ijae’s bag to the dressing room, he recalled being called “Hyung.” It seemed that Tae Ijae was quite lacking in conversational skills with people. His speech levels fluctuated, sometimes formal, sometimes informal, switching between “you” and “hyung,” making it all a bit dizzying. Yet, strangely enough, it wasn’t awkward, uncomfortable, or annoying—perhaps all thanks to his striking appearance.

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While hanging Tae Ijae’s clothes in the empty wardrobe, Junwoo thought about him. He had never ordered kimchijjigae or doenjangjjigae for delivery before and didn’t know which place did it well. Fortunately, he had ingredients for kimchijjigae at home, so he figured it would be quicker to make it himself than wait for delivery. With that decision made, he quickly finished hanging the clothes and headed to the kitchen.

Kang Junwoo opened the refrigerator and took out ingredients for kimchijjigae, along with some eggs and ham for a quick side dish. Having lived alone for quite some time, he was accustomed to cooking. A significant reason for this was that Han Dokyung, his first love and the first Esper he imprinted on, particularly enjoyed the food he made.

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“Come to think of it, is this the first time since then?” Kang Junwoo felt a twinge of irony as he recalled his resolve not to get involved with any Espers when he first joined the First Division.

“But Tae Ijae is different. He explicitly stated he wouldn’t receive any guiding, and it’s even written in the contract.” Kang Junwoo nodded unconsciously as he sliced the zucchini with a knife. Given the situation, he thought he might as well enjoy the view of the unattainable rice cake⁴ beside him.

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Compared to the past days when he was curious about Tae Ijae from afar or when he heard stories about him, having a pair with no risk and no need for guiding was beneficial rather than detrimental. Although it was a pity not to hold his hand under the pretext of guiding, Kang Junwoo was relieved by Tae Ijae’s refusal to be guided, as he wasn’t sure he could resist being more captivated by him after peering into his depths.

Yet curiosity crept back in. Why did Tae Ijae want to pair with a guide if he wasn’t going to receive any guiding? And why, of all people, did that guide have to be him?

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Tae Ijae, who initially planned to just take a shower and leave, was captivated by the uniquely designed bathtub. Abandoning his intention to wash in the booth, he turned on the water in the tub. As the water filled, he gazed at the head of the tub, which was spacious enough to fit two adults comfortably. A charmingly small birdhead, resembling either a duck or a goose, protruded its beak. “What a taste,” he thought, chuckling involuntarily at how this amusing bathtub seemed to suit the pale and pretty face of its owner.

Finding the wait tedious, he used his ability to maximize the water pressure, quickly filling the large tub with warm water. Tae Ijae immersed himself in the tub and rested his head against the duck-bill-shaped backrest. He wondered where one could even purchase such a bathtub with a backrest shaped like a duck—or was it a goose? Either way, it was certainly unusual.

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On a day like today, soaking in a bath seemed far better than just taking a shower, so he felt justified in using the tub. Although it wasn’t particularly polite to use someone else’s bathtub right upon arriving at their home, the tub’s uniqueness and his own fatigue made him think it didn’t really matter.

Today, of all days, a new gate opened in the area I regularly cleaned, consuming quite a bit of time. If it had been a regular gate, I could have finished more quickly, but unfortunately, a Red Gate appeared, requiring me to call for backup, which took time. If I could just receive proper guidance, I could handle a Red Gate on my own. In fact, I could manage it even now, but I had orders to always request support for anything above a Blue Gate due to the risk of going berserk.

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I was following headquarters’ instructions because my eyes were becoming increasingly darker, which was bothering me. Well, if only I could get my hands on the Siren’s Tear, it wouldn’t be an issue at all. The Siren’s Tear doesn’t have the same effect as a guide’s guidance, but it’s said to be more effective than berserk suppressants. Among the odd-eyed sirens that rarely appear in Black Gates once every few decades, only the blue eye has the ability to stabilize an esper’s wavelength, and they called it the Siren’s Tear.

However, despite being a rare item, it was considered useless because there were no espers who needed it. It made sense since only someone like me, who feared receiving guidance itself, would need it. Most espers preferred guidance and stabilized their wavelengths with suppressants to the point where they didn’t need support guidance.

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So in the end, that unique item was something only I needed.

The fact that his one and only best friend treated such a rare item as nothing but a mere trophy from a bet was infuriating. Tae Ijae, feeling a surge of irritation, raised his damp hand and ran it across his forehead. Then suddenly, an image of Kang Junwoo, who had been standing there with his hair still wet from not drying it properly after washing, His hand paused mid-motion.

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Junwoo’s eyes already had a naturally soft, almost shimmering look, but today, maybe due to his damp hair, he had looked especially alluring. In truth, it was the first time Tae Ijae had seen his face up close, and he hadn’t realized just how fair and beautifully crafted it was. Junwoo was often called the “Iron Wall Ice Prince” or “Ice Prince,” and people constantly remarked on his striking features. Tae Yijae had known he was handsome, but he hadn’t realized it was to this extent. 

It was a world where beauty transcended gender, but still, Junwoo had a way of making him feel a strange way—even though they were both men. It wasn’t just the look; it was also his voice that stirred something unusual. As an S-Class guide, perhaps his appearance was only natural, but his face—and voice—had a way of stirring something inexplicably odd in people.

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The first time Tae Ijae heard Kang Junwoo’s voice was at the center’s founding anniversary party. Around that time, Ban Jiho, an A-class guide and grandson of the chairman of the Ability Management Center, was persistently clinging to him. Jiho confessed as often as he ate meals and would confess again every time he was rejected. But Tae Ijae never imagined that Jiho would go so far as to trap him on the terrace and lock the door.

To prevent espers from using their abilities recklessly, the annex building, used for hosting parties, was controlled so that no abilities could be used within it. As a result, Tae Ijae couldn’t teleport out despite Ban Jiho’s absurd provocation. In truth, if he wanted to, he could have broken through the locked door with sheer strength rather than using his abilities, but he found an intercom connected to each terrace, making such measures unnecessary.

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Tae Ijae lightly pressed the back of Ban Jiho’s neck, who was drunkenly charging at him, causing him to faint, and then picked up the intercom. The person who answered was Kang Junwoo.

At first, Tae Ijae’s ears perked up at the calm and steady voice. It wasn’t a clear voice like rolling jade beads, nor was it a sweet voice that tickled the ears, yet somehow, that neutral and straightforward voice lifted his spirits, which had been soured by Ban Jiho.

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He had forgotten that voice until he heard it again in Zone K, where the entire first team had been urgently summoned.