Chapter 39: Unexpected Encounters

“Why are you doing this? What… what is this?”

Han Do-hoon gently brushed Sa-yoon’s fringe aside. He kissed his sweat-dampened forehead, then met his eyes. Unlike Sa-yoon’s face, contorted by overwhelming pleasure, Han Do-hoon’s was fierce with raw desire.

“Sa-yoon.”

Unable to reply, Sa-yoon could only gaze at Han Do-hoon, gasping for breath.

“Do you know what I thought when you avoided my calls?”

“Hnnngh!”

Han Do-hoon’s hips, which had paused, began to move once more.

“I can no longer go back to a time without you, Sa-yoon. But I wondered if you might feel differently. If, someday, you might casually inform me that it’s over.”

Their hips collided, sending splashes of water onto the sheets. Sa-yoon swayed helplessly with Han Do-hoon’s relentless thrusts, unable to catch his breath. His tensed toes curled and then stretched out again. He bit down hard on his lower lip, and saliva, unmanaged, trickled from his convulsing jaw.

“Hnnngh… ngh… ugh…”

“That’s why I intend to try harder.”

Han Do-hoon’s brow furrowed deeply. He, too, was nearing his limit. He pulled Sa-yoon’s struggling body closer, embracing him as Sa-yoon’s hands beat against his back. Pressing him down onto the white sheets, his body flushed crimson, Han Do-hoon pinned him with a strong, almost devouring intensity.

“Gasp!”

He swallowed Sa-yoon’s gasps for air, burying himself deep within the most intimate part of him. As Sa-yoon’s inner walls convulsed and tightened around him, Han Do-hoon let out a shallow breath. He licked his lips, savoring the tingling sensation.

“…….”

Sa-yoon, whose chest heaved violently as he expelled ragged breaths, finally lifted an arm. He brought his elbow down sharply on the side of Han Do-hoon’s neck.

“Try harder? What more are you trying to do? Are you trying to kill me?”

Sa-yoon rubbed his face with his forearm. Tears, pooled around his eyes, now streamed freely. His thighs, still trembling from the aftershocks of climax, quivered uncontrollably. He cleared his throat, his voice half-hoarse.

Frankly, he was mortified. His relationship with Han Do-hoon wasn’t new, and he had been pushed to the brink of losing consciousness before. However, being so utterly swept away, so completely out of control, was a first. The sheet beneath him was a sodden, messy wreck.

Sa-yoon pushed Han Do-hoon, who had shifted slightly to the side, and sat up. Perhaps from the shock of being hit, Han Do-hoon simply stared at him, looking dazed.

“What? If you feel wronged, then hit me back.”

“Ah… No. It’s just… it’s been a long time since I was hit like that.”

Sa-yoon felt all the fight drain out of him at Han Do-hoon’s bland reaction. Just moments ago, he had been raging fiercely, but now Han Do-hoon sat there like a scarecrow, looking utterly lost.

“Don’t do things you don’t usually do. I’m quite satisfied with our relationship right now. So let’s just keep things simple. If you have a complaint, say it with words.”

Even without such ‘effort,’ Sa-yoon had no intention of ending their relationship. His connection with Han Do-hoon was quite satisfying, and the lingering unpleasant feelings had been resolved, so that was the end of it.

‘He came back, wanting to make things work, and put me through all that trouble?’ Feeling indignant, Sa-yoon kicked Han Do-hoon a few more times. Watching his raised leg tremble, a fresh wave of irritation surged through him.

“Is your tantrum over?”

“I apologize.”

Han Do-hoon, readily admitting his fault, ran his hand over Sa-yoon’s body. He caressed his concave navel, slick with sweat, and his touch ascended over his abs, reaching his chest. He gently rubbed Sa-yoon’s flushed chest and nipples with his fingertips.

“May I be gentle this time?”

Han Do-hoon buried his face near Sa-yoon’s ear and whispered. Sa-yoon, feeling a tickle on his neck, subtly nodded. Hearing Sa-yoon’s soft chuckle, Han Do-hoon nibbled his earlobe. With a sense of gratitude for the unspoken permission, he began to caress Sa-yoon’s body gently once more.

[Han Do-hoon]

[If you don’t have plans tonight, would you like to have dinner together?] 04:15 PM

[Jin Sa-yoon]

[I have an engagement today. Tomorrow works for me, shall we meet then?] 04:20 PM

[Han Do-hoon]

[I will make a reservation for 6 PM tomorrow.] 04:21 PM

Sa-yoon typed out an affirmative reply and then turned off his device. His relationship with Han Do-hoon was being smoothly maintained. It was clean and straightforward, never encroaching upon their respective private lives.

The only slight change was that Sa-yoon had now decided to cooperate with Han Do-hoon. Up until this point, despite their agreement, it had been a relationship where only Han Do-hoon had exerted effort.

To others, it would have seemed rude not to have done so before, almost a given. However, for Sa-yoon, who had habitually drawn lines with people due to his complicated circumstances, this was a significant decision.

As Sa-yoon clasped his hands together, he felt the hard ring beneath his glove. This flat ring was both his shackle and his freedom. Because of it, he found it difficult to form deep connections with others—or rather, because of the truth concealed by this ring.

Oddly, Han Do-hoon had never asked about Sa-yoon’s ring. Even as their bodies intertwined and their hands clasped repeatedly, he had never once found it strange. Whether this was part of their agreement to respect each other’s privacy, or simply due to his personality’s lack of interest in his surroundings, Sa-yoon considered it a fortunate outcome.

–A transport vehicle will arrive shortly. Please step back from the entrance.

The voice echoed from the speaker, prompting Sa-yoon to unfold the roster in his hand. Let’s see, a total of five overseas Espers were scheduled to arrive today.

“Calling it a transport vehicle makes it sound like we’re greeting criminals.”

A black-coated transport vehicle was dispatched to conceal the identities of the arriving overseas personnel. Instead of criminals, precious Espers were inside, and their vehicle smoothly entered the entrance. From the large, bus-like transport, people began to disembark.

Sa-yoon raised a hand to his ear and activated his translator. A dull hum settled after the static of the machine.

The atmosphere was distinctly different from domestic operations. Domestic Espers, who worked in relatively peaceful conditions, often behaved like immature boys.

They might proclaim themselves ‘Cool Espers, Protectors of the Nation,’ but in reality, they were no different from children splashing in puddles after a rain.

In contrast, those who had seen action overseas carried a distinctly weighty aura. From their very origins, these individuals who had endured foreign battlefields exuded a grim intensity from their complexions alone.

‘It makes sense, too.’

Sa-yoon reviewed the roster he had just checked. Three out of the seven individuals were from countries already conquered and lost to the Rain. The list also included individuals with over a decade of combat experience.

“You’ve all had a difficult journey. I am Jin Sa-yoon, Team Leader of the Korean Esper Unit’s Esper Team 3, and I will be your guide.”

“Levian Christine, from the International Esper Security Association.”

Among them, this man possessed the most formidable record. Levian Christine was the only S-rank Esper among the dispatched personnel.

He hailed from a now-annihilated Northern European country, a veritable monster who had been on battlefields ever since his awakening. His reputation was as vast as Han Do-hoon’s. Sa-yoon couldn’t fathom what the Director-General had said to secure such a prominent figure for support.

Sa-yoon extended his hand to Levian, who had pale blond hair and deep-set eyes.

“I didn’t expect Team Leader Jin Sa-yoon to come out personally.”

“You… you know me?”

Sa-yoon, who had been about to retort, ‘Who are you to know me on sight?’, quickly collected himself and rephrased. It was always easier in the long run to make a decent first impression.

“Of course. You’re famous, after all.”

While Sa-yoon wasn’t sure in what context he was famous, he decided to focus on his immediate duty.

“Well, I’ll take that as a compliment. Here’s an orientation pamphlet with a map of the headquarters. We’re about to head to your accommodations, but do you have any questions beforehand?”

He distributed pamphlets to Levian Christine and the Espers standing behind him. Sa-yoon was considered one of the tallest Espers in the country, yet these overseas individuals were no less imposing in stature. Was there truly no overcoming genetic differences? Even the shortest Esper among them was only slightly shorter than Sa-yoon, meaning they all seemed to easily exceed 180 centimeters.

Levian, standing at the very front, appeared almost as tall as Han Do-hoon. With an odd expression, Levian flipped the pamphlet over.

“The map indicates restricted areas in orange. Please be cautious of your movements. Your accommodations and the training grounds are on opposite sides, so there should be no chance of error.”

“Hmm…”

Levian smiled meaningfully. His eyes darted around, sweeping over his surroundings, before meeting Sa-yoon’s gaze. His smile deepened. Levian possessed the typical looks of an American playboy, and his current expression felt as slick as a rugby player from a teen drama. Sa-yoon met Levian’s gaze, his thoughts tinged with prejudice.

Their gazes clashed. It was Levian who first conceded defeat, shaking his head.

“A pity. I’ll follow quietly here.”

Levian gestured behind him, and the Espers standing in formation nodded subtly. ‘What are these people?’ Sa-yoon wondered, ‘They seem organized, yet they behave like thugs.’ As Sa-yoon narrowed his eyes, Levian merely shrugged.

“Normally, when we’re dispatched to other countries, we like to establish a bit of camaraderie first. You could call it a custom.”

“Ah, I see.”

In other words, they had intended to pick a fight with their guide and demonstrate their power, but Sa-yoon’s presence had made them hold back. Sa-yoon clicked his tongue, wondering why Espers, no matter the country, were all so similar. He, too, had come out to establish authority over these guests.

“If you want to spar, I can oblige. But it can only be at the training grounds. Land prices are high in Korea, so facilities are closely spaced.”

If he accidentally burst a pipe in a research lab, several years’ worth of his salary would vanish. Sa-yoon led these individuals, who were indistinguishable from guests or invaders, toward their accommodations. Contrary to their initial belligerent attitude, the Espers quietly followed Sa-yoon.