Chapter 154

Tap.

Jaeha snapped back to himself as he jerked his hand away with force. He lifted his head quickly. Aiden, looking startled, took a couple of steps back.

“What… was that just now? Why was there a wave…?”

“……”

He looked between his own hand and Jaeha, as if denying what he’d felt. It was understandable—Jaeha himself had no idea what had just happened.

“……”

Even so, a few inferences were clear. First, whether this too was the boss’s trick or not, he likely hadn’t died. And outside, Aiden was trying, somehow, to “bring him back.” He had to get out. How? He didn’t know.

Then, here, he would…

“Guide Aiden. No—Aiden-ssi.”

“Yes?”

There was nothing for it but to trust instinct and move.

Truthfully, he had no confidence. Jaeha was someone who doubted at every step, who feared moving forward, who struggled to judge right and wrong while fretting over others’ eyes. He was afraid. He still couldn’t swear he wasn’t losing his mind. But he decided to try. Better to try than to pack everything down and resign himself.

“…!”

As far as Aiden had retreated, Jaeha stepped forward clumsily, penning him to the wall. He set his hand to the wall above. It didn’t thud or slam, just a soft touch. He did it in case Aiden tried to run, though in hindsight it bordered on wall-slamming.

“Will… you believe me now?”

He stammered, a little disgracefully. He wasn’t small, but Aiden was a bit taller, so he couldn’t fully cage him in. Still, Aiden didn’t flee; he leaned to the wall, and that gave Jaeha hope.

“I know it sounds crazy.”

“……”

“Somewhere, I was definitely your esper.”

Aiden’s brows pinched. He didn’t bother to pick up the discarded mask or politeness; the corners of his mouth didn’t rise again. Only a hollow, almost laugh slipped out.

“…You do seem crazy. It’s rather romantic, but would you step back?”

“No. I can’t. …Sorry.”

“If you won’t, then don’t bother apologizing.”

“……Then why aren’t you pushing me off?”

“……”

From Aiden’s point of view, it was obviously absurd: a strange civilian acting like he knew him, now even claiming to be an esper.

“Guide me. Properly. You know how to guide just for me.”

“I don’t. There’s no wave in your body any—”

“No. You can.”

The distance was close, because he had him against the wall. Jaeha looked straight into Aiden’s eyes and tried to speak as clearly as possible. Truthfully, he didn’t even know what he wanted to say. He wanted to comfort him, to hold him up—but he didn’t know how.

“Aiden-ssi, I’m originally a very pathetic person.”

“……”

“I was an orphan, an unregistered illegal esper… the only things I knew how to do were make a decent drink and read the room.”

So he pulled out what he’d kept pressed down. It was a shabby, shameful truth he could never bring himself to tell his Aiden.

“I’ll say it again—you sound crazy.”

He ignored it.

“The Aiden-ssi I know was someone who shone brilliantly. He did whatever he wanted. And—well, yes—his personality was a little nasty…”

“Excuse me.”

“But he was someone who could move forward, boldly. In the process… he picked me up. Pulled me into the light.”

Aiden let out another thin laugh and set his hands to Jaeha’s shoulders. The weight of his palms meant to push him away, but Jaeha held firm. In a breath-laced voice edged with self-mockery, Aiden answered:

“I’m not that person. And you aren’t an orphan, or an esper. I must’ve been tired and misread things just now. So get a grip. Your parents and hyung would be upset.”

“No, Aiden-ssi. Maybe not from kindness or righteousness—but you did. You saved me.”

“…Do you hate me or like me?”

With a face both amused and incredulous, Aiden pulled his mouth crookedly.

“I…”

Jaeha paused, not because he didn’t know the answer, but because he realized something—then whispered:

“I love you…”

It struck him that neither of them had ever said that properly, honestly. If only they’d doubted less and taken things as they appeared—if only they’d sat across from each other and spilled the truth—would anything have been different?

“Love?”

“……”

“Love.”

Aiden laughed—pleasantly for a scoff, bright and clear—and yet Jaeha could hear the derision within.

“First time I’ve heard that from a stranger at first meeting. Espers really do come with tricks, don’t they.”

“Espers are all strong and therefore stupid and arrogant, right?”

Jaeha vaguely knew this face of Aiden. As head of the Guide Human Rights Association, Aiden disliked espers—resented how they belittled and mistreated guides. He had let that show, if rarely.

“‘My esper,’ huh? So you know I have a nasty temper.”

Aiden’s voice teased with a curl of humor. Jaeha answered squarely.

“Yes.”

“If you love me, shouldn’t you say something nicer about me?”

“…Facts are facts.”

“Heh.”

Aiden’s hands slid from Jaeha’s shoulders—slowly—and then, sweet as sugar, cupped his cheek. His thumb bent to graze the corner of Jaeha’s mouth. An unmistakable invitation. Jaeha had felt this touch many times.

“You want guiding?”

“Yes.”

“Then offer yourself up. Seduce me. Your face is my type—I’ll accept you.”

He tossed out deliberately sharp words. Whether to provoke Jaeha’s resentment or out of a kinked mood, Jaeha couldn’t tell.

“…If I seduce you, will you believe me?”

“I’ll consider it.”

Not enough to quit—but not enough to rest easy either.

Jaeha turned his head and kissed him. Pressed soft lips firmly. He didn’t know any ornate language or seductive tricks. This was the honest, only method he had.

“……”

Whether surprised by the boldness, Aiden’s lashes twitched rigidly. Jaeha paid it no mind, parting his lips to brush skin to skin. Breath tickled warm between them. Aiden didn’t refuse, didn’t push him away—only parted his lips, as if to see how far he would go.

Hesitating, Jaeha did as he’d learned—pressed his tongue in. He hadn’t often taken the lead in touch, but they had done this before. He licked the inside of Aiden’s lip, nipped without hurting, teeth gently meeting. It resembled Aiden’s way of kissing, but it was fresher, greener.

“Haa…”

“……”

Aiden let out a faint laugh. His hand slid to cup the back of Jaeha’s neck and drew him closer. Their brows and noses bumped. The glasses pinched painfully against the bridge of his nose, tilting askew. But he didn’t feel it—Aiden’s tongue pressed into his mouth and made him open wide.

It was familiar—and overwhelming. Jaeha lifted the hand from the wall and wrapped it around Aiden’s neck. The volume, the warmth—so familiar that his nose stung, tears threatening.

He half-opened his eyes. At such close range, Aiden’s gaze was blurred—yet steady, quietly watching him.

And then, Jaeha realized: as promised, Aiden was guiding.

Aiden pulled back, staring.

“You…”

He murmured, baffled. He was astonished that guiding had worked on a civilian.

Yes—Jaeha felt it, very slowly. A great wave—gentle, dampening his pain.

And then, fractures began to run across the arm Jaeha had wrapped around Aiden’s neck.

“Ah…”

It sounded impossible, but it was true. Jaeha loosened his arm and stepped back. As he did, he looked down at his own hand.

Cracks ran through it—and from between them, white light seeped. The flaking pieces shimmered and scattered in the air, and beneath—

Was the hand he knew. Callused and scarred.