Chapter 119: An Uninvited Houseguest

I was making materials for my guiding lecture, waiting for Taewoon to get off work at the Center. I took a sip of coffee and glanced at the clock; it was well past his quitting time.

Just as I was starting to worry that something might have happened, my phone began to buzz. Seeing his name on the screen, I immediately pressed the call button.

“Yeah, Taewoon.”

• “Shinui, I’m sorry, but would it be okay if someone stayed over tonight? If not, I’ll sleep at the Center.”

It was the first time he had asked to bring someone home, and I had never seen him have a friend close enough to bring home, so I asked out of curiosity.

“Who is it?”

“Lee Seowon. We’re in the middle of a joint training, and annoyingly, we have to be together until tomorrow morning.”

The joint training, which had started this year, was created because the current Association Espers lacked a sense of camaraderie. The senior and junior Espers who were paired up had to spend a day together, training and going about their daily lives.

It seemed that Taewoon and Seowon were paired up because they were both S-Class and on the same team. I had heard about the training from him, but I didn’t know it was today.

“It’s fine, bring him home.”

I remembered seeing Esper Lee Seowon once at the last A-Class gate. He exuded a cold impression, like his ice attribute ability. Although he had a difficult-to-approach appearance, perhaps because he was young, he just felt like a cute high school younger brother to me.

I closed my laptop and cleaned up the living room and the guest room where he would be staying. Just as I was finishing up, Taewoon arrived with him.

He was emitting a chill cold enough to remind me of midwinter. As soon as he saw me, he looked like he wanted to hug me, but perhaps because Seowon was next to him, he just said he was back and came inside.

“Shinui, we’re here. Hey, say hi. And control your ability.”

At his words, Seowon gave a short nod and suppressed his cold energy.

“Welcome. I’ve been waiting.”

“I only agreed because they said he could stop training in the afternoon since he’s a minor, but he insisted on coming home. Saying it was discrimination.”

“I’m fine with it. Please come in comfortably.”

At my words, Taewoon and Seowon came inside. Seowon had an indifferent expression, but he was carefully looking around the house.

“Would you like something to drink? Is grape juice okay?”

“Yes.”

“What’s with the drink? The kid should go to bed early.”

Although he objected with a sullen attitude, I poured juice into a cup and gave it to him. He must have been thirsty, as he said a short thank you and downed the juice in one go.

“I’m going to wash up first. Hey, be quiet.”

He said to Seowon as a warning and strode to the bathroom. I also suggested he take a shower, but he said he had already showered at the Center.

Since both he and I were not very talkative, silence fell in the living room. In the end, I couldn’t stand the awkward silence and turned on the TV.

A variety show was on. As the entertainers’ laughter filled the living room, the stiff atmosphere eased a little.

Hoping he would come out of the bathroom soon, I was watching TV and subtly observing his actions when the kid spoke up first.

“Did you make a pledge with Esper Hyun Taewoon?”

At his unexpected words, I shook my head and answered honestly.

“No.”

“Then why are you living together? You’re wearing the same bracelet, so I thought you were a couple.”

“That’s right. We’re living together because we’re a couple.”

“But why haven’t you pledged yet? If it were me, I would have pledged right away. I guess you’re not in love with each other?”

It was a rude and potentially infuriating question. But perhaps because he was still young, or perhaps because I had become desensitized from hearing worse things, I wasn’t angry.

“We’ll do it when the time is right.”

“Isn’t that an excuse? I guess dating and pledging are different.”

He said with a twisted lip. I still wasn’t angry. I was just curious and pitied how a child had become so cynical. I was contemplating how to start the conversation when I felt a fierce wavelength from behind.

“Shut your mouth.”

Taewoon, who had already finished showering, was looking at him with a cold expression. It was a gaze colder than the chill I had felt from Seowon at the entrance. I hurried to stand in front of him to block him, but Seowon also didn’t back down and retorted.

“Why should I? I just stated a fact.”

“Go hide in the end room. Or get out.”

Not wanting to leave, he finally moved towards the guest room at the end. As if to express his anger, he made ice crystals form in the hallway and slammed the door with a loud bang that made my eyes wince.

“That b*stard!”

“He’s still a child. Don’t get angry over something like this.”

“Being a child doesn’t give him the right to act recklessly.”

His words were also true, but he could have been gentler. His words were too harsh.

I suddenly remembered Seowon’s family story that Wonjae had told me. I lowered my voice, worried he might hear.

“There’s a rumor that he’s the illegitimate son of an Awakened. That’s probably why he’s sensitive about the pledge.”

“Illegitimate son?”

“Yeah. So don’t be so cold to him.”

At my words, he looked at the guest room with a troubled expression.

“Let’s go to our room too.”

I hugged his back and went into our room. We lay in bed for a long time, silently holding each other.

“You didn’t have a lecture today. What did you do?”

“I made lecture materials. We’re starting radiant guiding practice tomorrow.”

My radiant guiding at the American S-Class gate and the Devil’s Gate had been on the news, and I had received a request for an advanced lecture on it.

“Don’t overdo it.”

“I won’t. How was your day?”

“You have no idea how annoying that guy was, he kept pestering me with questions. He can’t even control his ability properly yet, so during the gate simulation, he destroyed the buildings instead of the monsters.”

He put a hand on his forehead and shook his head as if he was fed up, remembering the situation.

“He’ll get better over time. You have to cooperate with him at the gate, so get along. A senior is a guidepost for their juniors.”

“The problem is that he thinks he can get away with anything because he’s young. His reputation is worse than mine was when I was his age.”

“Just like how public opinion of you is good now, Seowon can also change. He’s not even an adult yet. You should guide him well.”

“…Okay, since you’re saying so, I’ll try to be nice to him.”

“You’re so good, my Taewoon. I’ll praise you.”

I turned over to face him and stroked his head with a smile.

He seemed to like me stroking his head and begged for more. Perhaps because Seowon was in the house, he gave me a short kiss on the lips.

The next day, Seowon ate the breakfast I had made and got ready for work with Taewoon. He seemed to regret his words from last night, as he apologized to me in a small voice. The kid was not used to apologizing, so his tone was stiff and awkward. Come to think of it, it was similar to when Taewoon used to ask for my forgiveness. I thought that he wasn’t a bad kid after all.

“I’m sorry about yesterday.”

“It’s okay. Come and visit again.”

He nodded and left with Taewoon. In his place, only the words he had said last night remained. Because of those words, I started to think about the pledge again.

Taewoon hadn’t mentioned the pledge for over a year. The pledge was still stored in the living room cabinet drawer, gathering dust.

I was waiting for him to open his heart to me. Because it would be more meaningful if he was the one to suggest the pledge, not me.

He was still wary of me and doubted my feelings. The time when he would talk to me about the pledge would surely be when he had gained confidence in his heart. I had been waiting for that day all along.

But after Seowon’s visit, I started to pay more attention to him and tried to be the one to approach him first. He seemed surprised by my changed behavior, but on the other hand, my heart was also pleased whenever I saw his happy face.

I was originally a passive person. But with him, I wanted to be the one to approach him first. I wanted to let him know my feelings, cherish him, and love him.

My behavior must have been one of the reasons why Taewoon was wary of me. I had to change too. So that he could gain confidence, even if just a little sooner.