Dirty Sweet Baby Chapter 4

“Second Lieutenant Baek Heeheon, what are you saying right now.”

“I am incapable of guiding an S-class Esper.”

“No, ha! I apologize, Director. It seems this fellow is nervous because he’s startled. I’ll teach him so he understands.”

Brigadier General Kang hurriedly interjected. As expected, he seemed to be watching Cha Mugyeol’s reaction first.

“Listen well, Second Lieutenant Baek. Even if he is S-class, he is an Esper who has just manifested. It might be a different story later, after Director Cha’s core has sufficiently grown and matured, but for now, you are more than enough.”

“It will be difficult. I am also a guide who has only manifested for five years, so I am not yet confident.”

“That’s enough. The higher-ups have already checked Second Lieutenant Baek’s performance records. The Research and Development department has also submitted a report stating there will be no major difficulties.”

“Brigadier General Kang, however, this task is too heavy for me…….”

“Heh heh, this guy……. I thought he was cold-headed, but he’s more spirited than he looks. Put that stubbornness aside. This isn’t a matter that will be resolved just because you refuse.”

Heeheon reluctantly shut his mouth. He was managing his expression, but his brow was furrowing on its own.

The conclusion was that Baek Heeheon was being told to guide Cha Mugyeol.

Because they planned to use the two brothers as a pair for propaganda. Did that even make sense?

‘Guiding… guiding Cha Mugyeol…….’

For a moment, an image of himself holding hands with him came to mind. He felt like he would go crazy from the itching inside.

In the same space,
stuck together,
multiple times,
continuously……!

‘Fuck.’

Heeheon, cornered, turned to look at Cha Mugyeol with the feeling of grasping at straws. His desperate feelings seeped out from his subtly contorted expression.

“Cha Mugyeol.”

How long has it been since he called his name?

The three syllables uttered after a long, distant time felt heavy and difficult. But, for now, escaping the judgment of the higher-ups was the priority.

Because Cha Mugyeol would have no desire to do something like guiding with Baek Heeheon either. It was clear that he would not be pleased to be tied up with Baek Heeheon and have his face plastered all over the country and be the subject of people’s gossip.

‘If Cha Mugyeol also objects, we might be able to turn the tide.’

Cha Mugyeol was the sole and definite heir of Musan Group. He even had the proper title of Director. Brigadier General Kang also seemed to be repeatedly checking his mood. The weight of his words would be different from the words uttered by Baek Heeheon, who had no significant stake in Musan Group and was just a mere second lieutenant.

So…….

“Cha Mugyeol. Say something.”

Heeheon openly urged him, but Cha Mugyeol remained silent.

He was just letting out that characteristic, ominous smile.

In his childhood, whenever he pulled off his selfish, reckless antics, he would always flash that kind of smile, and Heeheon had been mesmerized by it more than once or twice. Many people were crying, angry, and despairing because of him, but Cha Mugyeol alone was calm and composed in the midst of the chaos.

Was it because of that? In the room where not a single breeze should have been blowing, Heeheon felt the illusion of being swept away by a fierce north wind. He felt as if he would be uprooted and blown away even from this place where he had barely managed to set foot after wandering.

‘Why is he ignoring me.’

That, that bastard… does he not know what guiding is?

There’s no way he doesn’t know such a basic fact.

What it means to do guiding with Baek Heeheon… of course he should know, right?

‘What the hell is he thinking? Is he a psycho?’

Even though they were formally brothers, they were on worse terms than strangers, and now that they were both full-grown adults, to be stuck together, holding hands, touching, was he saying that was okay…….

“Hyung.”

Cha Mugyeol called out to Heeheon in a low voice.

With a dazzlingly beautiful face enveloped in the pouring light. As if he had seen through Baek Heeheon’s thoughts from the very beginning. With his eyes, like the momentary new moon night that contained all of creation, curving sinfully.

“Unfurrow your brow.”

“What……?”

“You’re not a child. At your age, you should know how to conduct yourself.”

Their eyes met. Finally.

“At least pretend to be happy to see me, like I am.”

It was over.

In the end, he had been assigned as Cha Mugyeol’s dedicated guide.

‘It’s all gone wrong.’

Force entered the fist resting on his knee. The driver in front drove the car down the straight road. The season was early summer, but the inside of the vehicle was chilly as if a cold draft had swept in. The roadside trees quickly passed by outside the car window.

“……”

“……”

The heavy silence was suffocating.

Neither Baek Heeheon, who could not relax his stiff posture, nor Cha Mugyeol, who sat next to him looking out at the scenery. Not a single word was exchanged between them as they maintained their silence. There were no affectionate words for brothers to exchange anyway.

‘Far from pretending to be happy to see him…….’

Heeheon slowly clenched his molars. To endure the uncomfortable atmosphere even a little, he turned his gaze to the navigation screen that appeared in front of him. The estimated arrival time of 8 minutes to the destination felt like an eternity.

As he endured the terrible time, the scenery outside the window gradually began to change. Once they left the familiar area near the Center, unfamiliar terrain began to catch his eye. Although he had lived in the special residential district for five years, he had spent most of his time within the Center, so there were many places that were unfamiliar to Heeheon as well.

At some point, the vehicle seemed to be climbing a hill, and then a house built on a gentle highland came into view. The house, which was clearly visible even from a distance, was too luxurious to be called a typical detached house.

It had a large plot of land around it and was surrounded by a high concrete wall, and it seemed to secure sunlight with full-length windows and even had a separate annex connected to it. It was to the point where it should be called a mansion, not a house.

Passing through the main gate surrounded by the wall and entering the property, a beautiful garden with a large lake on the side came into view. The lush greenery welcomed the visitor cheerfully.

“We have arrived, Director. I will open the car door for you.”

After a long wait, the vehicle came to a stop in the yard. The driver quickly got out to assist Cha Mugyeol. Heeheon opened the car door with his own hand and slowly got out. He could not erase the bitter smile that appeared on his lips.

“Well then, I will be taking my leave. Please call me whenever you need me.”

The driver, who had finished his crisp salute, disappeared in the military vehicle. Seeing a personal driver, who was only assigned to commander-level officers, so naturally assigned to Cha Mugyeol, left a bitter taste in his mouth for no reason.

Well, it’s not just the driver that’s the problem.

‘A house of this size has even popped up.’

A grand three-story house like a mansion. The bright ivory exterior walls stood out even more against the blue summer sky. Heeheon muttered lightly.

“Nice house.”

Originally, according to the Center’s regulations, newly manifested Espers and guides were supposed to enter the dormitory facilities of the training barracks as training cadets. Baek Heeheon had also lived in a group in a chicken-coop-like dormitory for five years. But for some reason, Cha Mugyeol seemed to be an exception. No, rather, he seemed to be receiving commander-level treatment.

Cha Mugyeol, who had been looking out the window the entire ride, let out a short laugh.

“Go in.”

When he stood at the entrance, the door opened automatically. The security system was in operation, and it seemed a scanner was reading and recognizing the visitor. The interior was clearly visible inside. The hallway, calmly decorated in monotone, and the spacious, open living room all smelled of a brand new house, as if the interior had been newly done.

Heeheon squatted down at the entrance and untied the laces of his combat boots. While he did so, Cha Mugyeol, without taking off the expensive shoes he was wearing, stood behind him and looked down at the crouching Heeheon.

“Why?”

“What.”

“I asked why.”

“What why.”

Useless scraps of words were exchanged. He felt a surge of emotion for no reason. Heeheon swallowed a difficult sigh and asked.

“What the hell are you thinking.”

Now that they were finally alone, he had to ask. About this troublesome situation.

“Awakening as an Esper might not have been your choice, but being a dedicated guide is a different situation, isn’t it? I’d appreciate it if you didn’t drag me into your and Musan Group’s affairs.”

Heeheon, worn out, deliberately drew a line.

Even at his cold words, Cha Mugyeol did not bat an eye and replied indifferently.

“Who dragged who in.”

“What did you say?”

So, was he saying that the current situation was Baek Heeheon’s fault?

He asked back as if interrogating him, but there was no answer. Cha Mugyeol was the first to slip on indoor slippers and enter the hallway. As Heeheon watched his tall back striding toward the living room, his nerves were on edge.

“Cha Mugyeol. I’m not finished talking.”

Heeheon, who had roughly and quickly pulled off the laces of his combat boots, followed him in. In the elegant living room, which was so sophisticated that it felt alien to him, Cha Mugyeol sat leaning against the end of a black leather sofa. The sofa sank under the weight of the large man. The space suited him as if it were tailored for him.

Cha Mugyeol, who had stretched out his body in a loose posture, loosened his tie with one hand.

“Ha…… so noisy. Nothing will change just because you act like that, hyung.”

He completely untied it, took it off his neck, and even undid one button of his shirt with a flick.

“Whether it changes or not, explain it properly first…….”

“That’s why I’m telling you to shut your mouth, Baek Heeheon. I’m not in a very good mood right now either.”

No…….

This fucking bastard, really.

Heeheon held onto his fading consciousness. He, who was tilting his head askew, cocked his chin.

“Enough of that. What about the guiding?”

“……What?”

“The guiding. We should start with that, shouldn’t we. It’s been building up.”