Chapter 56: The Lunatic Who Finally Lost the Last of His Reason

“You’re asking because you don’t know? We had a promise.”

“I-I didn’t mean right now!”

“I’ll spell it out for you, so listen carefully. Doing proper skinship at Legion is a bit much, right? Those immature espers and the baby dragon could barge in any second.”

“…Y-yeah, that’s true!”

“Exactly. So let’s go to a hotel. There we’ll take off our shirts and pants and—”

Lee Chae hurriedly covered Haejin’s mouth. If he stayed quiet, he’d have to listen to full-on pervert talk.

“Enough. I know the promise and I plan to keep it. You think only espers have instincts? I’m an awakener too—I’ve got them.”

He hated being dragged along in anything. Especially in front of Cha Haejin, who was superior in every way—he wanted to be equals. In guiding, in relationship initiative, in skinship—everything.

“I’m not getting pulled along, so don’t decide everything yourself. Unless we do it together.”

He removed his hand. Haejin’s lips curled high, eyes full of mischief. Seeing that face made Lee Chae instantly regret his words. Why say something he couldn’t handle? His only experience with contact guiding was that one forced, dragged-along time with Haejin… He actually had zero confidence he could do it properly.

“Then you decide. I’ll gladly be led.”

Haejin’s breathing was already rough—somewhere along the line he’d gotten way too excited.

He held out his hand. Lee Chae took the trembling hand and left Legion.

They walked endlessly. An hour had passed according to the phone. Not a word between them. Breaths were still ragged, their joined hands slick with cold sweat.

The summer heat had eased, but the heat radiating from the person beside him felt suffocating. He had to either pick a place soon or back out—but he couldn’t decide.

After another ten minutes, Haejin suddenly spoke.

“Where are we going? How long are you gonna drag a guy with a hurt leg?”

Lee Chae ignored the obvious fake injury and stared into the distance. The sun was setting. He’d planned to buy time and figure things out, but the longer he walked, the emptier his head became.

“No imprinting.”

“Wow, you’re already thinking that far? I was planning to take it step by step.”

“Sh-shut up…”

Even the curse only made Haejin grin wider. How was he so relaxed when he claimed it was his first time too?

Will we really go all the way? Probably.

Curious, yes—but not scared. Haejin hated espers who ignored consent out of instinct as much as guides who used contact guiding as bait. He’d stop the moment Lee Chae said no.

The real fear was himself. A light touch already made his whole body shake and blood rush—once it started, he might drown and never resurface.

Only after meeting Haejin did he realize how weak he was to impulse.

Just then, Haejin stopped walking and spun Lee Chae by the shoulders.

“Jung Lee Chae, what’s so complicated?”

The low, husky voice scattered his thoughts even more. Unable to answer, Lee Chae just stared.

“I know you get anxious when there’s no plan. But planning impulses is ridiculous, isn’t it? From what time to what time, how many kisses, how much skin contact…”

Lee Chae let out a small laugh. Trying to schedule even impulses—how like him.

“You think it’s funny too, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Sometimes just following your heart is the answer. You didn’t make that offer without knowing this would happen. You entrusted me with your time—why not try entrusting your heart a little too?”

What if I can’t come back? If I fall too deep and my carefully guarded life crumbles…

The words circled in his head but never left his mouth. Haejin’s large hand ruffled his hair and slid down.

“I told you not to overthink, and you’re doing it again. The person who said ‘trust me’ will take full responsibility—what’s there to worry about?”

His heart tickled again. If Haejin had just spouted perverted nonsense and dragged him along, Lee Chae would’ve been disappointed. But this patient persuasion felt so mature.

Haejin’s fingers massaged the nape of his neck and trailed down his spine—Lee Chae’s shoulders shook. So with zero plan, clinging only to the petty pride of “I don’t want to be dragged,” Lee Chae ended up dragging Haejin to a hotel.

He’d bravely brought him here, but now what?

Thinking about what came next made his stomach churn like he’d be sick. Haejin, infuriatingly relaxed, said he’d shower first and disappeared into the bathroom. The sound of running water boomed like thunder.

They say the first time hurts—will I be okay for tomorrow’s schedule? No, worse—what if I mess up and become a joke? What if he sees my scrawny body and gets disappointed? At least my arms have some muscle… maybe?

A million thoughts tangled while Haejin finished showering and stood in front of the mirror. Water still dripped from his hair. Lee Chae had worried he’d pounce the second he came out—thankfully not.

Why is he acting so natural?

Haejin tied his robe securely and dried his hair like this was routine. The broad shoulders the robe couldn’t hide made Lee Chae cautiously speak.

“I-I’ll go shower too.”

“Okay.”

“Um… you know…”

He trailed off. Haejin turned with a casual “Hm?” That blank face left Lee Chae speechless.

“Never mind.”

The bathroom was steamy. Haejin’s lingering energy pressed down on him—he felt dizzy and gripped the sink. He managed to shower, constantly glancing at the door, half-expecting Haejin to burst in.

Haejin turned off the hairdryer. His hair was so dry it could crumble. He’d acted calm in front of Lee Chae, but his heart was about to explode.

How is a guy sexy just by breathing? Are all guides like this?

He used to laugh at espers who ruined themselves over guides—now he was exactly that.

If I’d known, I would’ve fooled around somewhere at least once…

The thought made him slap his own cheeks. Thinking such trash when he wasn’t even in his right mind—this was serious.

What if I pass out in the middle?

It was all Jung Lee Chae’s fault. That intense first guiding, running away every time they met, dangling contact guiding as bait while demanding he fix his reputation… Even the sneakiest humanoid couldn’t match Lee Chae’s seduction.

Haejin sat straight, circulated energy from his core to the top of his head, slowly releasing it. If he didn’t, he felt like he’d break down the bathroom door like a lunatic.

He hadn’t even calmed down fully when Lee Chae emerged—still in the exact same clothes, jacket buttoned to the top like armor.

“Uh, hyung…”

Danger. Every time he called “hyung,” Haejin lost control. He forced the voice out the other ear and slowly turned. The pale neck was impossible to look away from.

So sexy.

“So, what I said was contact guiding… that’s… well, guiding first, and normal dating… meaning even without imprinting, contact gui—”

Lee Chae babbled nervously, but nothing registered. All Haejin could process: trembling eyelashes, innocently seductive eyes, lips opening and closing.

“So what I meant by skinship was—”

There’s a limit to torture and a limit to endurance. His ears had gone weird, now his eyes were failing—soon he saw nothing at all.

Complete loss of reason.

Haejin lunged without thinking.

“W-wait—mmph.”

Lee Chae flailed—then went limp the moment their lips met. Haejin had initiated, but every time they parted for air, Lee Chae desperately chased his lips like he’d die without them.

You little—acting all high and mighty earlier.

Haejin slowly undid Lee Chae’s shirt buttons. Lost in the kiss, Lee Chae didn’t even notice his clothes coming off. It was a desperate kiss, like he’d die without it. Haejin barely held onto his slipping sanity, removing the shirt gently so Lee Chae wouldn’t panic.

He pulled back to admire the bare torso— Lee Chae’s hand brushed his waist. The loosely tied robe ribbon slipped free. Nothing underneath, obviously. Finally realizing the disaster before him, Lee Chae jolted back a step.