BCGWR Chapter 46

045.

Side Effects 2

“……Um…… Jung Ha-jin Esper.”

“Yes.”

“……Well, I can get my own water, so…… you don’t have to go to such lengths to care for me.”

“Is it uncomfortable for you?”

“No, on the contrary, I’m thankful and grateful. But, I feel bad. It’s not like I’m so sick I can’t even pour myself water……”

“If that’s the reason, I’ll continue to look after you like this often. Han Ji-su Guide has too little fluid intake. And lukewarm water is good for your body.”

“……”

A flinch.

Ji-su, caught in his excuse of wanting to get his own water, turned his head towards Jung Ha-jin, who sat beside him. Jung Ha-jin sat upright, turning his head slightly towards Ji-su as he spoke.

“I know Han Ji-su Guide likes iced water.”

“……Oh, you do……?”

“Yes. I know you can’t drink lukewarm plain water because it tastes bland, and that’s why you prefer tea or coffee over plain water. I also know you prefer nutty and flavored teas over bitter ones.”

“……!! How do you know all that?”

As Ji-su, surprised by the detailed knowledge of his preferences, asked with wide eyes, Jung Ha-jin’s eyes softened into a gentle curve.

“Didn’t I tell you? That I’m a fan.”

“……Ah…… haha……”

Everything he said with that face sounded like the truth, but the claim of being his fan was particularly hard to believe. Ji-su, suspecting this was probably something he had investigated separately, awkwardly sipped the lukewarm barley tea.

“Ugh……”

No matter how good lukewarm water was for his body, Ji-su still preferred cold, refreshing water with ice floating in it. Nevertheless, out of consideration for Jung Ha-jin’s effort, he managed to drink a few sips.

Ji-su put down the cup and turned on the TV with the remote control. At first, Jung Ha-jin seemed to be watching him, but Ji-su didn’t switch channels. Instead, he immediately opened Netflix, browsed the latest movie list, and spoke.

“Jung Ha-jin Esper. Want to watch a movie together?”

“Sounds good.”

“What genre do you like?”

“I watch everything, no preference.”

Ji-su, unsure whether to take the word of someone who claimed to like everything, safely chose a movie from a long-running series that had existed since before The Cataclysm.

It was a new movie from a massive American superhero universe that he had always liked. As the latest installment in the series, it offered various attractions, such as spectacular action scenes with high production value and surprise appearances by protagonists from other series within the same universe.

The movie began with a major accident caused by the protagonist’s choice, resulting in many casualties. Plagued by guilt, the protagonist sought out another hero with the ability to control space and time to rectify his mistake, successfully turning back time. However, due to the distorted past, another sacrifice was inevitably made in the future.

Ji-su, who was indifferently watching the unextraordinary and common plot, a theme already covered in other movies, suddenly felt a tickle on his fingertips and lowered his gaze. Jung Ha-jin’s middle finger was lightly touching his pinky.

Perhaps he took Ji-su’s failure to withdraw his hand as an acceptance, as Jung Ha-jin’s long middle finger slowly moved up over Ji-su’s pinky nail and began to rub his finger joint.

“……”

Ji-su, who had only lowered his gaze, now fully turned his head towards Jung Ha-jin. Jung Ha-jin, who had been focused on the TV, also turned his head towards Ji-su, meeting his gaze.

“……”

“……? Is something wrong?”

Jung Ha-jin, who had asked as if there was a problem, instinctively lowered his head when Ji-su looked down, then hastily withdrew his hand as if greatly flustered. Ji-su, wondering why he was so surprised when he was the one who initiated the contact, suddenly realized something he had forgotten.

“Ah, that’s right. I was doing Radiating Guiding, wasn’t I?”

“……Yes. I apologize. Unconsciously, I…… No, I am truly sorry.”

Ji-su, reminded again that he was performing Radiating Guiding, nodded indifferently as if understanding Jung Ha-jin’s reaction. Then, shaking his head at the rigid Esper who was about to apologize again, he simply took his hand.

Jung Ha-jin’s arm trembled slightly, but Ji-su didn’t let go. He caressed Jung Ha-jin’s rough hand, with its prominent veins, and then subtly slid his own hand underneath Jung Ha-jin’s palm.

“……”

“……It’s okay to hold hands. I’m just leaking it out anyway, can’t control it, so it’d be a waste not to.”

“……”

Han Ji-su said it casually and turned his gaze back to the TV. Watching his reaction, Jung Ha-jin also turned his head forward, tightly gripping Han Ji-su’s hand that had nestled into his palm.

Then, the Radiating Guiding, which had been subtly spreading like a fragrance, instantly concentrated on their clasped hands, flowing from the point of contact into Jung Ha-jin. Jung Ha-jin’s eyebrows twitched at the vivid Guiding energy, making him wonder if it was truly unintentional. Even though he was the one holding Han Ji-su’s hand, the blatant Guiding continued as if Han Ji-su’s soft hand was caressing him from his hand to his forearm, up to his shoulder, gently embracing his body.

He wondered if Han Ji-su was doing this on purpose, but seeing how absorbed Han Ji-su was in the movie, it seemed this, too, was happening independently of his will.

Thanks to this, when Han Ji-su’s Guiding energy traced up his neck, stroked his cheek, tickled, and then brushed his ear, Jung Ha-jin had no choice but to clench his teeth and make a fist with his other hand.

By the time the soft energy slowly stroked the back of his neck, then moved forward and descended to his collarbone, it was hard to focus on the movie. No, in fact, the movie’s content no longer registered.

Now, all his senses were focused solely on Han Ji-su’s touch—no, on Han Ji-su’s Guiding.

Jung Ha-jin’s lips parted, his mouth feeling parched. He wanted to ask if he could just hold Han Ji-su for a moment.

Not for long, just for a moment. He wanted to hold him for a very brief few seconds, and if Han Ji-su Guide was okay with it, he wanted to do it. As an Esper, a fervent urge to ask for permission with a desperate expression boiled within him.

Then, in an instant, as if to mock the Esper who instinctively desired a Guide, the Guiding that had been caressing his firm body quickly diminished. It then began to subtly linger only in their clasped hands.

Thanks to this, Jung Ha-jin’s thirst intensified. Just as his lips parted and he was about to turn his head towards Han Ji-su, his eyes met with a ball of fur peeking out halfway from behind his bedroom door in the distance.

“……”

“……”

Toto, with sharp eyes, tapped his own eye with a tiny paw, then poked the air towards Jung Ha-jin as if pointing an accusatory finger.

Jung Ha-jin knew well that the chubby hamster’s temper was far from ordinary, so he squeezed the armrest of the sofa with his other hand and turned his gaze back to the movie.

Late at night.

Jung Ha-jin stood by Han Ji-su for a while, even after confirming that Han Ji-su had taken his newly changed medication, fallen asleep without incident, and that no more Guiding energy was seeping out.

Although Toto had squeaked, subtly urging him to turn off the light and leave, forcing him out, it was clear that separating from Han Ji-su evoked a primal sense of regret.

Jung Ha-jin knew well that this regret was not from his reason, but from an Esper’s instinctive desire for a Guide. Therefore, to wash away the beast-like urges hidden behind the plausible name of instinct, he had to take a long, cold shower in the bathroom attached to his room.

He lowered his body temperature to the point where cold air emanated from him, even using his skills, and then, only loosely dressed in pants, he lay on his bed in his room. Perhaps because he had been on edge the entire time the movie was playing, fearing he might do something disrespectful to Han Ji-su, his head throbbed slightly.

This time, he had been flustered by the unexpected sudden intimacy, but he believed that if he continued to be careful, nothing like today would happen again. Just as he was about to touch his throbbing head, Jung Ha-jin’s arm froze in mid-air. He sensed a presence from Han Ji-su’s room, followed by the sound of someone approaching his own room.

As he sat up on the bed and looked at the door, he heard Toto squeaking. The owner of the footsteps, seemingly oblivious to the anxious cries of his companion monster, opened Jung Ha-jin’s door without knocking.

“……Han Ji-su Guide?”

“……”

Han Ji-su stumbled slowly closer, his eyes unfocused due to the medication. With a blank expression, he approached, gazed at Jung Ha-jin, then placed both hands on his broad shoulders and sat on his lap.

“Han Ji-su Gu……”

“Hyung……”

“……”

A low, yearning call sent shivers down his spine. Even as Toto, who had climbed onto the bed, squeaked and tugged at his guardian’s pajamas, Han Ji-su now completely hugged Jung Ha-jin’s neck and rubbed his cheek against him.

“Jae-yoon Hyung……”

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