Chapter 5: First Contact Aftermath

He pressed in until there wasn’t a single gap between them, like he wanted contact guiding was his birthright.

Heat swallowed Lee Chae whole, as if he’d been thrown into a furnace, while pressure strong enough to burst every vein crushed down on him.

Lee Chae squirmed and desperately recited the Guide Rights Charter.

“Espers, regardless of rank… hngh… must obtain the guide’s consent before guiding, and in cases where rights conflict— AAGH!”

He’d only tried to save his own skin by quoting the law, yet murderous intent flared in the man’s eyes.

When Lee Chae screamed under the pressure, a hand clamped over his mouth and a growl rumbled against his ear.

“Shut up for one second… f*ck!”

Was contact guiding always this violent?

The moment the thought crossed his mind, a throat-splitting thirst tore through him.

Not his thirst, the other man’s.

It felt like his entire body was being sucked dry.

“Haa… ha… you’re so f*cking clumsy. First time guiding? Or is it just your rank that sucks? Do it properly.”

His mouth spewed insults, but his arms yanked Lee Chae’s waist closer, greedy for more.

“Take your own guiding quietly and stop throwing a tantrum.”

Lee Chae forced space between their bodies and glared up.

Red-rimmed eyes, tear-streaked cheeks, lips gasping for air, chest heaving…

“Cute, acting all high and mighty just because you’re a guide…”

“Hoo… I don’t know how old you are, but hyung is busy right now. You got what you needed, so get off me.”

The grip loosened.

The second they separated, ice-cold emptiness hit, and Lee Chae shivered hard.

“Trying to seduce me by playing hard-to-get and pretending not to know me? Mission accomplished.”

“You lunatic…”

The words slipped out before he could stop them.

That pretty face paired with that filthy mouth was infuriating.

Where the hell did that insane confidence come from?

Lee Chae had answered with a curse, yet the man just kept talking like nothing happened.

“Guides who play coy at first are the most attractive. They act like they’d die for you, then ditch you the moment real danger shows up. I hate that type…”

“You forced it. I never agreed to anything.”

The man laughed and rubbed his jaw.

The scent of half-burnt firewood clung to his hand, completely mismatched with his refined looks, yet somehow suited him perfectly.

“You really don’t know me?”

“Are you deaf? I told you several times.”

He asked again, genuinely baffled.

“TV, radio, even casual conversations with friends…”

“I said I don’t know! If you’re so famous, just tell me your damn name instead of whining for me to guess.”

The man shrugged, looking almost embarrassed.

“…Fine, whatever.”

Now Lee Chae was curious.

Judging by the attitude, he had to be famous.

Which top esper was the most famous again?

Lee Chae ran through the rumors in his head, landed on one name, and shook his head.

No way the world’s strongest esper was this much of a psycho.

Then he remembered the way the monster had flickered out earlier, like embers dying.

Wait… no way…

Lee Chae sucked in a sharp breath.

“It… it can’t be… Cha Haejin?”

The moment his own name left Lee Chae’s lips, the scowl on Haejin’s face melted into a satisfied smirk.

He looked ridiculously pleased that Lee Chae had finally figured it out.

What a clown. So famous he’s starving for attention from a random D-class?

Lee Chae found the whole thing pathetic and hilarious.

“At least you’re not completely stupid. So? How was it, guiding an S-class?”

Lee Chae looked up at him.

The guy was a full head taller and still acting like a childish brat.

Hard to believe this was the living legend, Cha Haejin.

So he answered sharply.

“Why even ask that sh*t? Obviously it sucked.”

Haejin’s face crumpled again, genuinely pissed this time.

Lee Chae wondered if he’d gone too far, but the guy had been an ass from the start, so no guilt.

Born to S-class parents, raised wanting for nothing, one of the only S-classes in the country; of course everyone kissed his ass.

But Lee Chae had no reason to bow.

He didn’t dream of being a famous guide; he wanted a civil-service job at headquarters.

He didn’t need to suck up to any S-class.

Everything was annoying. He just wanted to get to his part-time job.

Lee Chae ignored the glare still pinning him in place and turned.

“Cha Haejin, I’ve got places to be. Bye.”

He spun on his heel, ready to snap if the guy grabbed him again.

And of course, Haejin did.

“Why again!”

Lee Chae yanked his arm with all his strength, pissed at the complete lack of manners.

This time Haejin let go easily, probably aware he’d been wrong.

“I let go, so stop sulking. People will think I assaulted you or something.”

“Then say what you want and be done.”

Haejin pulled out his phone and held it out.

“Put your number in.”

“…”

Lee Chae stared at the phone like it was an alien artifact, then answered coldly.

“Why the hell would I give you my number?”

“Damn, that’s a fresh question, but not funny. If you wanna leave fast, just do it.”

Lee Chae gritted his teeth and glared.

The casual assumption that everyone had a phone pissed him off even more.

Only politicians and high-rank awakened could afford phones in this ruined world.

Not having one wasn’t shameful.

But right now, in front of this guy, it felt humiliating.

And he hated himself for feeling small about it.

Lee Chae handed the phone back and muttered.

“You need a number to save a number, genius.”

Haejin frowned, taking it back, looking genuinely thrown.

Lee Chae’s face burned hotter.

It wasn’t poverty itself that humiliated you; it was people’s reactions to it.

He turned away weakly.

“Bye. Thanks for… whatever.”

“Wait. If you don’t have a number, at least give me your name so I can find you later.”

“Why the f*ck would an S-class need a D-class’s name?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. Acting all expensive when you’re just a D-class, what’s your problem?”

At the insult, Lee Chae gave up and rattled it off.

“Jung Lee Chae. Twenty-one. Second year, Awakened Management University. Happy?”

He shot one last glare.

Haejin shrugged and even waved like a smug bastard.

Lee Chae shook his head and walked away.

Only later did it hit him: he’d been insanely rude to an S-class, the world-famous Cha Haejin.

But whatever.

He’d guided the man and it hadn’t ended in disaster.

What Cha Haejin thought of him was none of his business.

He needed to get to work, but the guiding had drained him completely.

His body felt like jelly.

Screw it. He went home instead.

Missing one day meant the whole family went hungry, but if he went like this he’d just be a burden.

All because I did that damn contact guiding. Never again.

Even after reaching home, Lee Chae burned with fever, heart racing, mouth dry, chest tight.

The aftereffects of his very first contact guiding were brutal for a D-class.

Haejin watched Lee Chae’s retreating back for a long time, repeating the name under his breath.

“Jung Lee Chae… Jung Lee Chae… Jung Lee Chae…”

The guy never once looked back.

But Haejin couldn’t tear his eyes away.

The warmth from holding him, the way every cell in his body had roared to life; it was still vivid.

He had never accepted contact guiding without consent before.

He had never broken his vow: no exclusive guide, non-contact only, never rely on nothing that felt too good.

Yet he’d given in on pure instinct.

And the feeling had been devastating.

“F*ck… this is insane.”

Clinging desperately to a complete stranger, a D-class, begging without words.

That had never happened in Cha Haejin’s life.

“Is he even really a guide?”

Still dazed, Haejin seriously wondered whether Jung Lee Chae was actually a guide at all.