Chapter 15 : Rampage (2)

Jisung pressed his hand against the face that was thrust towards him. This time, Hyunwoo obediently backed away.

“…It’s not nice to tease your elders.”

Hyunwoo chuckled softly at his words.

‘That, that…! He’s becoming more like a fox than a cat.’

Jisung frowned and pouted his lips. He felt like he was constantly being manipulated by Hyunwoo. ‘Well, it’s all Park Hyunwoo’s fault that I became a Guide in the first place…’ Jisung sighed softly and slumped his shoulders.

He didn’t regret his decision. But being swayed by a kid three years younger was a different matter.

‘My dignity as an older brother… Did I ever have any to begin with?’

Jisung tilted his head to the side. As he was lost in thought with a groan, Sunwoo called him.

“Hyung, it’s almost time for the meeting.”

“Ah, right.”

Jisung checked the clock on the wall. 6:46. The meeting was about to start. He stretched his stiff body and got up from his seat. Hyunwoo approached his side. Jisung glanced at Hyunwoo for a moment, then turned his head away with a huff.

“Hyung, are you mad?”

At the voice laced with laughter, Jisung frowned. He felt like he would look petty if he said he was mad. But if he said he wasn’t, Hyunwoo might pull the same prank again later, so Jisung ultimately chose to remain silent.

“Hyung~”

Hyunwoo called him in a slightly affectionate tone and came closer. Then he crinkled his eyes and smiled beautifully.

‘This kid, he’s thoroughly using the fact that I’m weak to his face.’

There’s a common saying. No matter how angry you are, it melts away when you see a handsome face. That was true. Seeing his beautiful smile, the anger that had been simmering just a moment ago gradually subsided. But his pride was a little hurt, so Jisung lightly smacked Hyunwoo’s forehead.

“Ouch~”

“Liar. How much can it hurt when a weak Guide hits you?”

“It hurts when you hit me, Hyung.”

Jisung made a sullen face at Hyunwoo who was smiling brightly at him.

‘He really is all talk…’

As Jisung was glaring at Hyunwoo, Minseong approached them with a greeting. At that, Hyunwoo’s smiling face instantly turned expressionless. Hyunwoo, who had only glanced at Minseong with his eyes, then turned his head away.

Despite Hyunwoo’s reaction, Minseong approached them with a smile.

“Going to the meeting?”

“You too?”

“Yeah, since I’m the leader of A-Team.”

“Hmm… Huh? You were the leader?”

Jisung’s eyes widened. He pointed at Minseong and asked, and Minseong smiled kindly and nodded.

“I’m not very charismatic, am I?”

“No, that’s, um…”

Jisung, trying to find words to refute, then closed his mouth. At that, Minseong laughed out loud. He certainly looked strong and had a sharp impression that made it difficult to approach him, but as soon as he opened his mouth, his atmosphere changed completely. With his gentle way of speaking and his meticulous care for those around him, Jisung felt like he wanted to call him “hyung” if he were older.

“Like everyone’s older brother…”

“Hmm? What did you say?”

“Oh, nothing.”

Jisung shook his head from side to side. While talking with Minseong, they had arrived in front of the meeting room. Hyunwoo grabbed Jisung’s hand as he was about to open the door. At that, Jisung turned around with a puzzled expression.

“Why?”

Hyunwoo smiled faintly and opened his mouth at Jisung’s question.

“Hyung, come behind me.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll go in first.”

Jisung, who had been blinking blankly, then nodded. As he came behind Hyunwoo, Sunwoo grabbed his wrist.

“…Is there something dangerous inside?”

“Yes.”

“Really?”

Hyunwoo grabbed the doorknob and opened it without hesitation. At that moment, dozens of gazes poured onto Jisung. Goosebumps rose on his back at the gazes that seemed to be sizing him up. He felt like all the hair on his body was standing on end.

Jisung’s footsteps stopped. ‘What?’ As he raised his head in confusion,

Crash!

The light on the ceiling fell violently onto the table. Jisung, who had been blinking blankly, then looked at Hyunwoo. He didn’t have to be told who had slammed the table with the light. A cold killing intent flowed from Hyunwoo’s body. At his appearance, as if he was about to rush to kill the person in front of him at any moment, the gazes that had been directed at Jisung disappeared all at once.

After looking around for a moment, Jisung asked in a small voice.

“What was that?”

“Establishing dominance.”

“Huh?”

“And blocking any advances.”

“Wha?”

Jisung blinked with a look of utter confusion. Sunwoo calmly explained to him.

“The Guide of an S-Rank Esper is always at the center of attention. We’re busy, so there aren’t many opportunities to see each other’s faces. Besides, you’re the Guide who even defeated the Center Director, Hyung.”

“Did I really win?”

“So they’re curious. They’re curious about what kind of person this Guide named Lee Jisung is. And they’re also subtly trying to hit on you.”

“And Hyunwoo blocked them?”

“Yes. It’s a kind of warning, saying he’ll kill anyone who approaches you, Hyung.”

Jisung nodded in understanding.

“Sunwoo, did you experience the same thing?”

“Yes, it was hard trying to calm down the angry Yuaan-hyung.”

“Yuaan got angry?”

Jisung, surprised, looked at Yuaan. Jisung had never seen Yuaan get angry before. ‘That Yuaan got angry to protect Sunwoo?’ As the gaze turned to him, Yuaan, flustered, blinked his eyes rapidly.

‘Oh, that’s unexpected.’

As Jisung chuckled, Yuaan’s blinking speed increased.

Thanks to Hyunwoo’s display of dominance, the meeting proceeded without any problems. Jisung, who had not been on many missions, just listened to the opinions of others. Surprisingly, it was Minseong who led the meeting. As he was a sociable person, he was friendly with most of the people there, so there was no problem in leading the meeting.

“If we go in like that, there’s a risk of being taken out at once by enemies who might be ambushing us.”

“That’s true. Then here…”

Occasionally, Sunwoo would offer an opinion and help decide the direction of the mission. The meeting ended without any trouble. Jisung, rubbing his stiff shoulders, checked the time and squeezed his eyes shut and opened them at the clock hands pointing to 5 minutes to 11.

‘I’m tired…’

Did he have to go on a mission at the crack of dawn tomorrow in this state? No matter how he thought about it, it was inefficient. Espers could handle this much, but Guides had bodies no different from ordinary people. For a Guide who was supposed to be caring for an Esper to be in a state where he needed care himself, it was so absurd that he almost laughed.

“Hyung, are you okay?”

“Mmm, I’ll be fine if I go to sleep right now.”

The mission was scheduled for 6 AM tomorrow morning. He had to wake up at 4 AM at the latest to get ready and leave immediately. Still, if he slept now, he could get 5 hours of sleep. Hyunwoo watched Jisung walk, pressing his tired eyes with his hand, and then scooped him up. Jisung’s thoughts came to a halt as he was held in Hyunwoo’s arms like a princess. His brain couldn’t understand what had just happened. He slowly blinked his eyes, met Hyunwoo’s, and was horrified.

“Put me down!”

“You’re tired.”

“Not that tired! I can walk on my own two feet!”

“I’ll take you to bed. Sleep if you’re sleepy.”

“No, no, no!”

Jisung struggled to get out somehow. As he had experienced so far, he couldn’t win against Hyunwoo, an Esper, in terms of strength. The gazes of the Espers and Guides who had just finished the meeting turned to Jisung.

“…Hyunwoo.”

“Yes?”

“Hyung has a social reputation, and it just disappeared.”

Hyunwoo tilted his head at Jisung’s words. Jisung bit his lip and smiled at him who was looking at him cutely with an expression of not knowing anything.

“It’s nothing. It’s fine.”

Jisung felt a comfortable ride and looked at Hyunwoo. He was beaming with joy for some reason. Looking at his crescent-shaped lips, Jisung thought, ‘A perfect semicircle,’ and then sighed softly.

Being carried like a princess at 25 was a new and embarrassing experience. He had never thought he, a man, would experience something like this. He knew that if he genuinely got angry and told Hyunwoo to stop, he would stop immediately. But he didn’t want to get angry at Hyunwoo for something like this. It was embarrassing, but it was also true that he was tired, and besides, it was quite comfortable.

Jisung, blinking his eyes drowsily, then leaned his head against Hyunwoo’s body.

‘I think I’m too soft on this kid…’

He was aware of it, but he couldn’t fix it. Jisung, frowning, then gave up with a ‘whatever’ attitude.

A person’s heart was the one thing that was most difficult to control.