Chapter 75: Clingy

“Kang Tae-woo, Esper-nim!”

On his way to the private room to return to So-won, who would be waiting for him, Tae-woo happened to run into the attending physician in the hallway.

The moment the doctor spotted Tae-woo, he hurriedly chased after him.

Tae-woo stopped in place and looked at the doctor, who came running toward him, out of breath.

After reaching Tae-woo, the doctor steadied his breathing and opened his mouth.

“I tried calling you, but you didn’t answer, so I was actually on my way to find you.”

“Did something urgent happen?”

“I just went to the lab next door and overheard something.

It might just be my imagination, but I thought I should tell you just in case.

I didn’t feel right simply letting it go.”

After glancing at Tae-woo’s expression, the doctor continued.

“I heard that Esper Choi Si-hyeok has decided to remain stationed at the Association from now on.”

The timing was uncanny, as if Si-hyeok had anticipated Tae-woo’s actions.

Tae-woo’s face hardened coldly.

Creeeak.

The door opened quietly.

So-won, who had been pacing restlessly near Tae-woo’s desk, brightened the moment he saw Tae-woo return.

Tae-woo, whose mood had sunk after hearing the unwelcome news, felt his heart lighten instantly.

“Did something happen?”

Tae-woo asked as he walked toward So-won.

Whenever he stood in front of him, his stiff tone naturally softened.

“I kept seeing calls coming in on your phone.

It seemed urgent, so I thought it’d be better for you to check as soon as possible.”

So-won answered while recalling Tae-woo’s phone, which had been ringing nonstop.

The long vibration would stop, then start again, repeating several times.

It felt urgent enough that he considered answering it himself, but he hesitated, wondering if it would be rude to take Tae-woo’s call without permission.

“I understand.

I’ll check it.”

Tae-woo nodded and lifted his phone.

It was likely the doctor calling, so there was no real need to check, but So-won still seemed hesitant, as though he had more to say.

So-won glanced toward the desk.

Following his gaze, Tae-woo noticed the broken mouse lying on top of it.

“Ah….”

Tae-woo stiffened at the sight of it.

He had been so focused on rushing to the Matching Department that he’d forgotten to clean it up.

So-won must have been startled.

As expected, So-won looked slightly frightened as he carefully watched Tae-woo’s expression.

For a moment, the terrified gazes of people who had once looked at him in fear overlapped with So-won’s image.

His chest began to beat uneasily.

“Tae-woo, do you… need guiding?”

However, the emotion visible on So-won’s face was nothing but gentle concern.

Tae-woo was able to relax.

“No.

That was… broken by accident.”

“Are you really okay?

Your condition hasn’t worsened, has it?”

So-won reacted sensitively to Tae-woo’s evasive answer.

Preventing him from following and then acting like this clearly meant he was hiding a worsening condition.

After Tae-woo left, So-won had followed the source of the persistent vibrations and peeked around the desk.

When he saw the grotesquely twisted object, his heart had nearly stopped.

“I’m fine.

I just failed to control my strength for a moment.”

“If that’s the case, then that’s a relief, but…”

Still unable to fully relax, So-won brought Tae-woo over and sat him down on the sofa.

He planned to do at least some light guiding, just in case Tae-woo was hiding something.

Standing in front of him, So-won turned his head quickly from side to side, checking the surroundings.

The thought of someone watching him guide made embarrassment rush over him.

At the very least, he wanted to position himself so his face wouldn’t be caught on CCTV.

However, no matter how much he looked, he couldn’t find any cameras.

He had assumed they would have been reinstalled quickly after being broken before.

Instead, only the traces of damage had been neatly cleaned up, and the space where the CCTV once hung was completely empty.

“Tae-woo, where did the CCTV that used to be here go?”

“We decided not to reinstall it.”

“Is that really okay?”

“It was only used to monitor my condition in case of a rampage.

It’s not necessary anymore.”

So-won nodded.

If Tae-woo said it was fine, then it probably was.

In fact, the absence of CCTV made guiding much more comfortable for So-won as well.

From now on, he could guide freely in the private room without worrying about being watched.

“Then… I’ll start guiding.”

So-won climbed onto Tae-woo’s lap and slowly lowered his head.

When Tae-woo’s breath brushed clearly against him, his heart thudded loudly.

Using guiding as an excuse once again, So-won gently closed his eyes.

***

So-won sensed something was off.

Suspicion soon turned into certainty.

Tae-woo kept sticking close to him.

More precisely, it had started after Tae-woo went out alone yesterday and returned.

At first, So-won thought it might just be his imagination.

However, Tae-woo refused to leave him alone even for a moment.

It was the same even when So-won went downstairs briefly to drink some water at home.

It felt less like surveillance and more like simply following him and staying by his side.

Thinking that perhaps Tae-woo needed guiding, So-won had been guiding him in his room.

Then a sudden worry crossed his mind.

It’s almost time to sleep, so I should wash up soon.

What if he follows me into the bathroom at this rate?

Rising from the bed, So-won spoke carefully.

“I… I’m going to wash up.”

“Understood.”

As So-won left the room, he glanced back.

However, Tae-woo remained seated on the bed without moving at all.

After getting worked up on his own, So-won felt slightly disappointed seeing Tae-woo stay put.

Aside from that, nothing else had changed.

Returning to their usual routine, So-won licked his lips while spending time in Tae-woo’s private room.

He’d just eaten lunch, but his mouth still felt bored.

So-won scanned the room.

Aside from coffee and green tea placed atop the water purifier, there was nothing else.

Unfortunately, there were no candies or chocolates in sight.

So-won glanced at Tae-woo.

Seeing that his hands were idle, it didn’t look like he was working.

However, he also seemed deep in thought, making So-won hesitate to speak.

After watching him for a bit, So-won slowly stood up.

Sensing the movement, Tae-woo lifted his head.

He stared at So-won with a look that seemed to ask where he was going.

“I’m going to the convenience store for a bit.”

“I’ll come with you.”

Tae-woo replied and stood up.

The reaction was exactly what So-won expected.

He felt slightly awkward.

After grabbing his phone and card, So-won stepped outside with Tae-woo.

The weather had grown much colder.

The season when people wore thicker clothes had arrived.

The leaves were turning red, preparing to change their attire as well.

Sensitive to the cold, So-won put on a coat.

Tae-woo, however, looked exactly the same as always.

A black shirt rising up to his neck.

Black pants.

So-won knew Tae-woo didn’t feel the cold thanks to his abilities, but it still bothered him.

Did Tae-woo always dress like this even in midwinter?

So-won tried to recall what Tae-woo used to wear.

Embarrassingly, nothing came to mind.

They had rarely met before.

Even when they did, So-won had been too busy panicking at the sight of the blood vessels covering Tae-woo’s body.

Back then, So-won’s only concern had been his own survival.

There was no way he would remember Tae-woo’s clothes.

Once outside, So-won walked side by side with Tae-woo.

Then, from somewhere nearby, the sound of a camera shutter rang out.

Click.

Click.

As the shutter sounds continued, So-won, who had been walking absentmindedly, felt something was odd and looked around.

Only then did he notice camera lenses aimed at Tae-woo.

That was when he realized people were taking pictures of him.

“Ah, right…”

He had briefly forgotten after growing used to life in Canada.

Here, Tae-woo couldn’t avoid people’s attention.

Because Tae-woo rarely showed himself openly in public, some people passed by without recognizing him.

Most, however, noticed him and slowed their steps.

Remembering that Tae-woo disliked being photographed, the surrounding shutter sounds began to grate on So-won.

Regretting his decision to come to the convenience store, he grabbed Tae-woo’s hand and quickened his pace.

When they arrived, Tae-woo stopped in his tracks and fixed his gaze on the shelves.

With faint suspicion, So-won asked,

“Tae-woo, have you… never been to a convenience store before?”

“Yes.

This is my first time.”

So-won fell silent.

He knew Tae-woo only went back and forth between gates and the Association.

Still, he had assumed Tae-woo would have visited a convenience store at least once.

Then again, maybe he really wouldn’t have a reason to.

So-won tilted his head.

He couldn’t imagine Tae-woo eating snacks or drinking soda.

Tae-woo didn’t smoke either.

He did seem to drink alcohol, but it was the kind of expensive liquor that wouldn’t be sold at a convenience store.

“…..”

Suddenly, So-won felt embarrassed by the armful of snacks he was carrying.

Quietly putting one back when Tae-woo wasn’t looking, he said,

“You should pick something too.”

“I’m fine.”

As Tae-woo replied, his gaze shifted.

There, in his line of sight, was a familiar rectangular package.

Condoms.

They just happened to be there, but So-won visibly flustered.

He hurriedly grabbed Tae-woo and dragged him toward the counter.

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