Chapter 34: Devoured By Waves

In an instant, his lips were seized, and Tae-woo’s arms wrapped around So-won with a force that felt like it might crush him.

Along with the mingling of saliva, a sharp wave surged in.

So-won let out a pained moan, but even that was soon swallowed between their locked lips.

Tae-woo’s tongue pried open his tightly shut lips and forced its way inside.

The heat of it, along with the violent wave, roughly ransacked his mouth.

Tae-woo hooked So-won’s tongue as he tried to retreat, dragged it out, and licked and sucked at it mercilessly.

Startled by the sudden shift in attitude, So-won tried not to bite his tongue, but every time he flinched in shock, his teeth inevitably tensed.

“Ta-Tae-woo, please, wait.

I can’t breathe— ngh!”

This wasn’t like the Tae-woo he knew.

He didn’t give him even a moment to breathe, and So-won, panting, pushed him away slightly.

But as if his desperation hadn’t reached him, Tae-woo immediately pulled him back in and claimed his lips again.

A sudden fear gripped him.

So-won tried to slip out of his arms, but the arms imprisoning him showed no sign of loosening.

“Haah… hnngh…!”

Perhaps he didn’t like the way So-won kept turning his head just to breathe—his hand came up to clamp firmly around the back of his head, blocking any escape.

His face couldn’t move at all.

There was nowhere left to retreat.

The savage waves that had surged in suddenly drained away, and strength left his legs.

He could barely stay standing, and So-won had no choice but to cling to Tae-woo’s clothes, leaning into the arm wrapped around his waist.

“A—”

Though it wasn’t cold, his body trembled violently.

He’d heard that some Espers lose control when they receive overly strong guiding, but he never imagined that Tae-woo—always so composed—would be one of them.

Having completely lost his reason, Tae-woo was fixated solely on devouring So-won’s lips.

The way he pressed him, demanding guiding, was brutal.

It was frightening.

The thick arms squeezing his waist felt as if they might strangle him to death.

Waves surged in again and again, threatening to swallow his entire body.

It hurt.

It was exhausting.

But he couldn’t run away.

He didn’t want to leave Tae-woo alone in that lonely pain again, like he had eight years ago.

So-won forced his trembling body to calm.

And little by little, he began to accept Tae-woo.

With clumsy movements, he parted his lips, and he didn’t reject the desperate arms pulling him close.

“Ah… hngh….”

Their lips collided, tongues tangled.

Saliva he couldn’t quite swallow spilled down his chin.

Along with a wet, sticky sound, soft moans leaked out now and then.

How long had it been like that.

So-won gradually felt Tae-woo’s waves settling.

As his condition calmed, Tae-woo’s movements slowly grew gentler.

The arms that had been squeezing him as if to break him loosened.

The guiding that had felt like being devoured had, before he realized it, turned into softer kisses.

In the once-blank haze left by the reckless guiding, a strange, unfamiliar feeling began to linger.

“Mmhn….”

The hot tongue swept across the roof of his mouth.

The ticklish sensation made a sweet sound rise up his throat before he could stop it.

So-won hurriedly swallowed the moan.

Please don’t let Tae-woo hear that.

He desperately tried to keep any sound from escaping, but the longer the kiss lasted, the more embarrassing moans slipped out between his lips despite his efforts.

After a bit more time passed, Tae-woo returned to himself completely.

Feeling the waves fully subside, So-won slowly pushed him away.

Just as he expected, Tae-woo didn’t stop him when he tried to pull back.

A transparent strand stretched between their parted lips before snapping.

So-won gathered his ragged breath and asked,

“Are you… a bit calmer now?”

“…Yes.

I’m fine now.”

As if he couldn’t bring himself to face So-won, Tae-woo let his head drop lightly onto So-won’s shoulder.

Startled for a moment by the unexpected gesture, So-won soon raised his hand and gently patted his broad back.

Tae-woo stayed like that for a moment, quietly accepting his touch.

Then, as if to show that he truly was all right now, he stood up steadily.

Watching him, So-won tried to rise as well, but his body didn’t move the way he wanted it to.

Though his mind wasn’t afraid at all, his body trembled the way it had when he first met Tae-woo eight years ago.

Seeing Tae-woo’s furious expression and violent behavior seemed to have triggered an old trauma.

“Tae-woo….”

The voice that slipped from his lips trembled pitifully.

Tae-woo, who had been surveying the wrecked surroundings, turned his gaze toward him.

So-won forced a smile, trying not to let his fine trembling show.

“I’m sorry, but… my legs gave out.

Could you help me up…?”

When he held out his hand with an embarrassed smile, Tae-woo carefully took it.

Drawn up by that gentle strength, So-won found himself standing almost automatically.

“I’ll escort you somewhere quiet.

Can you walk?”

“No….”

Standing up alone was already too much, and seeing how badly his legs were shaking, walking was out of the question.

In the end, So-won was carried in Tae-woo’s arms.

Feeling the gazes of people all around them, he couldn’t bring himself to lift his head.

Too embarrassed by everything, So-won buried his flushed face into Tae-woo’s shoulder.

They soon arrived at a private room in the Association.

Having escaped to a familiar place away from prying eyes, he finally felt at ease.

Tae-woo carefully set So-won down on the bed.

“Thank you, Tae-woo.”

He lifted his head to thank him quietly, and their eyes met.

The first thing he noticed, before even those pitch-black eyes devoid of emotion, was Tae-woo’s lips.

So-won cleared his throat awkwardly and looked away, and the atmosphere instantly turned stiff.

“What happened earlier was because Esper Choi Si-hyeok suddenly said he needed guiding and forced it.

I tried to avoid it, but it all happened so fast….”

Still like that, So-won began making excuses.

He wanted to pretend it had never happened, but he didn’t want Tae-woo to misunderstand—so it was a conversation he felt he had to have.

“I apologize.

It was entirely my fault.”

“What?

N-No, it wasn’t your fault, Tae-woo…?”

“No.

It was my failure to protect you, Lee So-won.”

Though it truly wasn’t his fault, Tae-woo stubbornly shook his head.

Thinking that continuing the conversation would only make him blame himself more, So-won hurriedly changed the subject.

“By the way, what brought you down to the lobby?

I’m not asking for any particular reason—

I just remembered that you usually avoid crowded places.”

“…I looked out the window and saw you, So-won.”

“Oh.”

So he’d rushed down the moment Si-hyeok approached him.

Separate from how touched he felt, realizing that Tae-woo must have seen him hesitating over whether to call while looking up at the Association made him suddenly self-conscious.

As So-won turned his head, trying to swallow that embarrassment, Tae-woo raised his hand.

“—!”

Before he could think, So-won flinched violently, shrinking back in fear.

Only after a brief silence did he gasp and look at Tae-woo.

Tae-woo quietly lowered the hand he’d raised, having done nothing at all.

“There’s dust in your hair.”

“Ah… thank you.”

He must have gotten debris on him when the floor broke earlier.

So-won awkwardly brushed at his hair.

Watching him, Tae-woo spoke again.

“May I ask what brought you to the Association, Lee So-won?”

“Well… I came to do guiding for you….”

His voice grew quieter and quieter.

He had come to guide him, but because he’d run into Si-hyeok, things had spiraled out of control.

In a place with so many onlookers, Tae-woo attacked Si-hyeok and even showed signs of rampaging, forcing people to evacuate.

“…..”

In the end, he had done guiding—but at this rate, it might have been better if he hadn’t come at all.

Just imagining reporters making a racket about what happened today was already giving him a headache.

If he felt like this, how much worse must Tae-woo feel.

He’d come wanting to help, but instead it felt like he’d caused a major incident.

“I’m sorry….”

“You’ve done nothing wrong, Lee So-won.

There’s no need for you to apologize to me.”

Seeing So-won’s expression darken, Tae-woo continued,

“I’m sorry for putting you through something unpleasant.

I’ll take you home shortly, so please rest for now.”

He dipped his head briefly and turned as if to leave.

But So-won was just a bit faster in grabbing the lapel of his clothes.

At the weak tug, Tae-woo paused and looked back at him.

After hesitating, So-won slowly spoke.

“So… about that…

If the guiding wasn’t enough….”

He spoke in a barely audible voice, head lowered.

The tips of his ears, visible through his hair, were bright red.

So-won hesitated again before continuing.

“Would you… like to receive guiding…?”

He lifted his head and finally met Tae-woo’s eyes.

The moment he faced those clear eyes looking at him with such embarrassment, Tae-woo found that he couldn’t bring himself to shake his head.

“Then—”

Tae-woo began to speak, but at that exact moment, the door burst open.

The tense, fluttering atmosphere shattered instantly.

Both Tae-woo and So-won turned toward the people who had entered.

Espers in combat uniforms.

Not just one or two—there were so many that the hallway looked completely full.

What are they here for?

Is this an emergency summons?

So-won read the room.

The rigid, disciplined atmosphere felt ominous enough that he wondered if he should excuse himself.

“Esper Kang Tae-woo, you’ll need to come with us.”