Approximal Guide Vol. 6 Chapter 2 - Extra (2)

“…So, is this what they call sex?”

“Ugh―.”

His thick cock pressed against my lower abdomen, poking it with a heavy sensation, and then a warm liquid spurted onto my chest, belly button, and abs. I asked in surprise.

“W-what is this?”

“…Ha, damn.”

Why is he cursing all of a sudden? It was strange to hear him swear. I tried to look down to see what had spurted onto my chest, but Moohyuk covered my eyes with his palm.

“What is it?”

“…Just stay like this for a moment.”

He didn’t answer my question and started wiping my stomach with something. One of his hands was covering my eyes, and the other was wiping my stomach. I felt a thick sensation tapping against my lower abdomen, and when I looked through the gap between his fingers, I saw Kim Moohyuk’s cock, smeared with semen like syrup, throbbing and tapping against my lower abdomen.

“Did you come?”

“Fuck, can you please be more considerate with your words? This wasn’t intentional; it was inevitable.”

“If you came, just say you came. Do you want me to use honorifics at my age?”

I was astonished and pushed away Kim Moohyuk’s hand that was covering my eyes. He grumbled with his face and neck flushed red.

“…This isn’t sex. There’s more to do. What did you do during sex education?”

“I slept, of course.”

Or I skipped class to flirt with Hae-sung Han. Hae-sung Han seemed to know everything, and I had no interest in that area, so I did other things during the sex education classes for espers and guides, which others found exciting. It wasn’t just me; guides generally had less sexual desire due to physiological reasons or group characteristics. Other guides weren’t interested in sex education or visual materials, like videos, because they had many espers pursuing them and weren’t starved for attention. As for me, I just didn’t see the point of it.

I hadn’t found a partner to share an imprint with, and I thought Hae-sung Han was enough to be my paired esper. I never imagined that years later, I would be the one begging a 12-years-younger esper to share an imprint with me.

Kim Moohyuk clicked his tongue at my answer and then smiled.

“We have a long way to go since our Hajung knows nothing.”

I felt a bit disrespected and raised an eyebrow. He chuckled and reached into the drawer of the bedside table with his long arm.

“What is it?”

“It’s not just something you do; you need preparation. I’ll take care of it, so just lie still, Instructor.”

His slightly arrogant tone was typical of Kim Moohyuk….But is it okay that his cock is still leaking fluid? As Kim Moohyuk opened a small box he took from the drawer, I stared at his cock, which was still intermittently throbbing and dripping clear fluid onto my belly button.

“Don’t you have too much fluid?”

“…What did you say?”

He paused while tearing open something from the small paper box and looked down at me with an incredulous expression, as if he couldn’t believe what he had heard.

“Did you come earlier and now you’re like this again? I’ve never seen anything like this…”

I was more worried about him than embarrassed. I knew that the amount of ejaculation…or whatever, varies from person to person, but in his case, the amount was unusually large, and fluid kept leaking even after ejaculation, which was strange.

“What are you talking about, really.”

Kim Moohyuk shook his head in disbelief and removed the rest of the packaging, revealing a condom.

“Hey, wait, you said we weren’t doing it today.”

“We’re not. Just stay still.”

I thought that was something you put on your cock, so what is this? He told me to stay still as if I had made another mistake. I kept my mouth shut, and he put the condom on his index finger.

“What? Is that what it’s originally for?”

“Not originally, but today I didn’t cut my nails.”

I didn’t understand the connection between not cutting his nails and putting a condom on his finger. Besides, his nails were always neatly trimmed, so saying he didn’t cut them today didn’t make sense….It seemed that the world of imprinting was something I didn’t understand. I decided it would be better to keep my mouth shut and not ask more questions that might earn me a glare from Kim Moohyuk.

He then took out a tube along with the condom box and squeezed a generous amount onto his hand. The slight sweet smell indicated that it was lube. I was curious and tried to sneak a peek since it was my first time seeing it in person, but Kim Moohyuk chuckled and pressed down firmly on one of my thighs.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

The sudden contact and the spreading of my legs to expose my private parts didn’t feel great. It wasn’t unpleasant; it was just unfamiliar. I was startled and asked, but Kim Moohyuk didn’t respond and brought his lube-covered fingers to my crotch.

At first, I thought he was going to touch my cock. I had hoped he would masturbate me like I had done for him earlier. When Moohyuk was on top of me, the feeling of our erections pressed together and moving was very pleasant. This might not be sex, but if it felt similar, it wouldn’t be bad. I had heard that you need to move your hips, but when would that happen?

But while I was lost in thought, my expectations were dashed. When his condom-covered, lube-slicked finger touched my tightly closed hole, I was bewildered.

“Hey, hey, what are you doing…?”

“I’m going to widen this area. And find the spots you like.”

“Like? What do you mean, like?”

I kept calling Kim Moohyuk, but he didn’t respond and pushed his finger in. His finger was thick with rough skin, which felt strange as it entered me.

“Stop, ugh, ah…”

“Why is it so tight here? Damn…”

How could it not be tight? It’s not supposed to be wide! I wanted to ask him that, but all that came out of my mouth were moans and pleading sounds. Just having one finger inside made it hard to breathe. I struggled.

“Let go, I don’t want to do this.”

I tried to get up, turning my hips while kneeling on the bed. Just as I was about to lift my hips,

“Ah, huh―!”

There was a smacking sound, and I felt Kim Moohyuk’s palm hit my perineum. I couldn’t believe it and blinked. Kim Moohyuk’s middle finger was inside me, scratching my inner walls. My vision blurred as if my eyes were closed, and I saw stars.

“Huh, huh…ah, ugh…!”

“…Don’t run away.”

Someone whispered to me. Kim Moohyuk seemed to be trying to insert another finger, as I felt pressure at my entrance again. I tried to struggle, but Kim Moohyuk lifted my pelvis with one hand as if my resistance was nothing. He pressed down on the back of my neck, forcing my face into the pillow.

“If this position is comfortable, stay like this. I’ve imagined this position a few times.”

He imagined this position? I couldn’t understand what he was saying. Kim Moohyuk’s voice was very low and calm. It was strange because he sounded like he had lost his reason. I knew from years of experience that this was the voice he used when he was excited during combat, his adrenaline pumping.

Why? Why are you excited? I wanted to ask, but before I could form the words, another finger pushed inside me, and I was shocked, forgetting all other thoughts.

“Uh, ha…!”

“It’s tight….And soft.”

I heard Kim Moohyuk mutter something, but I couldn’t process it. His fingers were moving inside me, curling and scratching like hooks, making it hard to think straight.

“Ugh, ah…!”

My kneeling thighs trembled. Even though my legs were weak, my toes curled, supporting me on the bed, and my knees lifted, raising my pelvis. I didn’t even realize I was presenting my ass to him.

“Do you like it? You’re like a cat in heat.”

He chuckled and pulled his fingers out to the tips, then thrust them back in. With only his index and middle fingers inside me, the sound of his other fingers and palm slapping against my swollen perineum was loud. The viscous lube seemed to be melting inside me, making squelching sounds.

“Ah, ah…”

I moaned helplessly. I couldn’t name this sensation, but instinctively, I reached for my cock. The surface of my erect cock was itchy, and I thought scratching it with my hand would feel good. The feeling of my urethra twitching was something I thought only happened when urinating, but I didn’t know why I was feeling it now. Overwhelmed with fear, I called out to Kim Moohyuk, pleading.

“Moohyuk, Moohyuk! Ah, I think I’m going to come, bathroom…!”

“It’s not time for that yet. There’s more to do. Or is the instructor just very sensitive? I don’t have any experience, so I don’t know.”

Contrary to Kim Moohyuk’s calm demeanor, I was far from composed. All I could think about was rushing to the bathroom, lifting the toilet seat, and relieving myself. But for some reason, my hand reached down to grab my cock. If I could just scratch it a little, I thought I might feel better…

“No, you can’t.”

“Huh, please, no…Just once, ah…!”

But Kim Moohyuk blocked my attempt. He grabbed my wrist and pulled my hand away from my cock. The failed attempt at masturbation made me feel like something inside me was about to burst. I writhed and moaned, but Kim Moohyuk showed no mercy and didn’t let go of my hand. Panting and trying to masturbate with both hands, I lost my balance and fell sideways.

“Don’t you like it from behind? I thought you did. I like this position too. I’ve wanted to try it.”

I didn’t understand what he was saying, but he kept muttering and fingering me from behind. I was stuck on my side, moaning and whimpering.

“Ah, wait, huh, ah…!”

“This is just to widen you, but why do you keep feeling it like this? Do you like it that much?”

It’s not that I like it; it’s itchy. Please scratch it for me. I wanted to say that, but my lips could only let out mindless moans.

“Wait, ah, ugh, wait, please, huh?”

“You want me to stop? What will you do for me if I stop?”

“I-I’ll…do anything, I’ll do it…”

Kim Moohyuk whispered softly and brushed the hair from my forehead. I begged him, and finally, the movement stopped. I couldn’t take it anymore, but now that it was over, I felt relieved. But that was the problem.

“Ah, ugh…What…What is this…”

“…”

Both Kim Moohyuk and I were speechless. Even though there was no more stimulation, my cock throbbed and started ejaculating on its own. It wasn’t a forceful spurt; it just flowed out like water from a faucet.

“This, this is weird. I’ve never…never done this before…”

The tip of my cock still felt sensitive. Is this normal? How did everyone else do this and still function in the military? I couldn’t understand it.

But the most confusing thing was Kim Moohyuk’s excited face. His slightly flushed temples and neck, the veins popping on his forehead, and his tensed jaw muscles were familiar yet unfamiliar. It was even stranger to see Moohyuk looking at me like that. I finally managed to speak.

“Why…Why are you looking at me like that…Is something wrong with me?”

I had a general idea but didn’t know the details about imprinting. Maybe because my body hadn’t been well lately, I had this kind of unbelievable ejaculation. With a mix of suspicion and anxiety, I urged Moohyuk to respond, but he just sighed and chuckled.

“I don’t know if something’s wrong, but it’s fucking hot.”

“…You’re so disrespectful, Kim Moohyuk.”

I meant to say something else, but it came out like a scolding. Kim Moohyuk didn’t seem to care and spread my semen on my stomach.

“We’re going to live together as husband and wife, so forgive your future husband for being disrespectful.”

Husband? Really, now. It wasn’t the wrong word, but it made my face flush. And for some reason, it made me want to laugh. I tried to suppress my smile, but it was hard. Instead, I snapped at Kim Moohyuk, who kept smearing my semen on my thighs and abs.

“Why do you keep smearing that? I said I don’t like it!”

“I’ll wash it off for you.”

He answered casually and picked me up. I groaned but had to wrap my arms around Moohyuk’s neck. He smiled slightly and walked towards the bathroom attached to the bedroom. I heard the bathroom door close behind him.

I had been begging my partner to make the imprint just the other day, but now I was flustered and seemed to have forgotten all about that.

“Ah, wait, I need to pee!”

No wonder, because over the past few days, Kim Moohyuk had been rubbing his cock against mine and my ass more and more. Every day, he would rub and grind against me, making me feel like I really needed to pee.

“Let me go to the bathroom!”

“I’ll do it here.”

“Are you crazy?”

I tried to escape from him under the pretext of going to the bathroom, but instead, he knelt in front of me, leaving me speechless. When I looked down at him, wondering what he was doing, Kim Moohyuk grabbed my pants and underwear, pulling them down to my thighs, and grinned as he saw my exposed cock.

“…Hey, I don’t know what you’re doing, but stop it.”

I had just come into the kitchen to drink some water, and now I was leaning against the sink with my pants down and him on his knees in front of me. It was incomprehensible, and my head hurt trying to understand it.

What was even more surprising was my cock’s reaction. It was red and swollen, twitching in the air, and I felt a sense of betrayal just looking at it. Kim Moohyuk flicked the tip of my cock with his index finger.

“If you don’t like it, why is it like this?”

“That’s because you keep touching it, ah, huh…!”

I tried to push his forehead away with my palm, but suddenly, he took my erect cock into his mouth. It was my first time experiencing oral sex, and the sensation was strange and overwhelming. I was taken aback.

“Hey, wait, ah―!”

The wet sound of suction filled the air between my legs. I froze, unable to move. The feeling of my glans being sucked into his wet lips was indescribable. It felt like thousands of tiny ants were crawling on my cock, and the warmth and texture of his mouth were overwhelming. I saw stars.

“Wait, ah, no, huh…! Moohyuk, huh…”

Of course, I couldn’t form any coherent words. The only reaction I could manage was to tremble between my thighs. I didn’t know if Kim Moohyuk was good at this or if I was just sensitive, but I felt like I was about to come any second.

“No, please, ugh…”

Kim Moohyuk had already taken off my pants completely. He grabbed my ass with both hands, kneading it like dough, and occasionally pressed his fingers against my entrance.

Last night, Kim Moohyuk had complained when I said I was just going to sleep. He said that if we skipped even one day of stretching, it would tighten up again, and he couldn’t afford to miss a day. Before I could resist, he had inserted his fingers and moved them inside me. That area was still throbbing, but it seemed like his fingers were moving more easily inside me now. I hated that I was noticing these details.

“Wait, huh…I don’t like this…”

“…”

I tried to push his forehead away with all my might, but it was useless. My hand lost its strength, and I could only grab his hair and shake it. From the side, it might have looked like I was pushing his head down and forcing my erect cock into his throat. But I was far from rational, and Kim Moohyuk didn’t miss my reaction, occasionally looking up at my face.

Meanwhile, the urge to come was getting closer. The feeling of his tongue licking my shaft and the soft, wet sensation of his tongue sliding against my glans was indescribable. I couldn’t hold on much longer. The urge to come was overwhelming, and I felt like I was being tortured.

“Huh, no, I’m going to come, please…!”

“…”

I begged him to take his head away, but he still didn’t move. In the end, I had to come in his mouth, scratching his back with my nails. The thought of coming in the mouth of someone I had always seen as a protege was overwhelming. The complex emotions mixed with the post-orgasm exhaustion.

“Huh, ah…”

“Did you enjoy it?”

Kim Moohyuk asked as he pulled my wet cock out of his mouth. I couldn’t even respond and just panted. He grabbed my semi-hard cock again and licked it, as if trying to clean up the remaining semen. The embarrassing sight made me feel miserable. I closed my eyes, and as if reading my mind, Kim Moohyuk stood up and pressed his lips to my cheek.

“I can’t kiss you because your lips are dirty. If you enjoyed it, that’s good enough. Why do you look like a teacher who just slept with his student?”

Yeah, that’s exactly how I feel. I wish I had done this to Kim Moohyuk instead, so I wouldn’t feel this way. I didn’t understand why this was necessary for the imprint, and I felt guilty for making Kim Moohyuk do this to me. I asked, catching my breath.

“…Do you like doing this?”

“Yes. I like it, so I kept touching your cock until it was sore.”

This guy, calling his instructor’s cock a dick. But I couldn’t argue because Kim Moohyuk’s eyes were strangely gleaming. It felt like if I said the wrong thing, he might bite me.

Kim Moohyuk, sensing my desire, spoke in a tone that said he would let it go.

“Let’s go wash up.”

“No, I can wash up by myself, really…”

I knew that washing up would lead to another round, so I felt troubled. But Kim Moohyuk didn’t care about my refusal and picked me up, wrapping his arms around me. I sighed at the familiar scene. Lately, this had been happening every day.

Last time, he suddenly barged into the bathroom while I was showering and insisted on helping me. Of course, his assistance was excellent, but that wasn’t what I wanted. I thought a little freedom would be nice, but it was hard to escape from him.

Plus, seeing Kim Moohyuk’s erection throughout the shower was distracting. He acted like it was natural for him to be hard and just did his thing.

The problem was that I couldn’t ignore his arousal. Every time his erection twitched, I felt my face flush, and it was hard to bear. Even my own cock started to stir, which was embarrassing.

Even after finishing the shower, I couldn’t relax.

“…Do you always wear just an apron?”

I asked, feeling absurd as I watched Kim Moohyuk prepare a meal with his shirt off and an apron on. He didn’t even turn around and responded,

“It’s comfortable. Don’t you like it, Colonel? You seemed to enjoy it before.”

“…”

I couldn’t bring myself to say, “It doesn’t look good, put some clothes on.” Besides, when did he get that idea? I had only been in front of him like that once, and back then, we weren’t even in this kind of relationship. It was unfair to be misunderstood like that.

Up until now, I had never really liked anyone, but if I were to be in a deep relationship with someone, I thought it would be with a woman, whether they were an esper or a guide. But Kim Moohyuk was far from my ideal type. Yet, seeing him like this made me feel something I couldn’t understand.

…Maybe my preferences had changed? Even before I realized my feelings for Kim Moohyuk, seeing him like this made my heart race. I couldn’t understand it and shook my head. But what was important now was the proposal for the imprint. Lately, Kim Moohyuk had been all over me, and I was exhausted, but I hadn’t given up on my plan.

Yesterday, I managed to measure Kim Moohyuk’s ring size while he was asleep. I had to be careful because he was a light sleeper. I wanted to do something special for the imprint since it was a once-in-a-lifetime event. I heard that proposals were important to ordinary people, so I thought it might be the same for Moohyuk, who had lived outside the center until he became an adult.

I wanted to show him something because I felt guilty for realizing my feelings for him so late. Thanks to that, my recent search history was full of the word “proposal.” I found out that people usually rent a nice hotel and plan a surprise event, or propose on the jumbotron at a baseball game. The point was to surprise the other person.

But since Kim Moohyuk was always so calm, I worried that surprising him wouldn’t be easy. I asked Han Byeongeun for ideas, but he just complained, so I ignored his message. In the end, the internet was my only help, but most of the ideas were useless.

Proposal Plan:

I got a sketchbook from Daiso with “Will u merry me” written on it, and a few balloons. If you order from Coupang, it usually arrives in a day. The cake is from a local bakery; I asked several times if it was past its expiration date, and they gave it to me at half price. So, I bought it cheap; I was worried because the person I will propose to has a strong preference for fresh cream, but chocolate cake seems hard to digest. Since she needs to eat well to have a baby, I had to be careful. After some deliberation, I bought it on the bakery owner’s recommendation.

Even though I wanted to keep it simple, I thought it was important to make a good first impression on my future wife. What do you think? I want to hear your opinions, brothers.

Every time I saw posts like this, I imagined myself proposing to Kim Moohyuk with a sketchbook I bought for 1,000 won, and it was miserable. These people must have been rejected. They probably didn’t get married. I couldn’t be rejected. I didn’t think Kim Moohyuk would reject my proposal, but I didn’t want to ruin his mood with a weird or shabby proposal.

Suddenly, I felt a chill and shivered. Kim Moohyuk suddenly rested his chin on my shoulder.

“What are you always looking at?”

“Uh, uh?! W-what? Oh, a baseball game.”

“You don’t even know the rules of baseball.”

“H-hey, you little punk, how dare you talk to your master like that, huh?”

I knew I looked suspicious, but I couldn’t stop acting weird. Kim Moohyuk hummed and pulled me by the waist, sitting me on his lap and making me lean against his chest. I forgot my surprise and suddenly became docile.

…This embrace was strangely comforting. This shameless guy barged into my life, refused to leave, and now I couldn’t live without him. Thanks to his efforts, we could be together like this. Our relationship was 90% his effort and 10% my charm.

With that shameless thought, I relaxed my body. Kim Moohyuk liked it when I leaned on him completely, so I didn’t think about getting up again.

It was an afternoon filled with a strange sense of peace.

“…I understand everything, but why do I have to be dragged out here? I have so much research piled up, and you’re using a high-level talent like me for this…”

“Ah, stop complaining. Do you really have to ruin my chance to get married at this age?”

When I dismissed his grumbling, Han Byeongeun pouted. How old is he, and he still acts so immature? Tsk tsk, I clicked my tongue and continued packing things to take on the yacht. After much consideration, I decided to propose by renting a yacht on the Han River. I got the idea from a housewife’s blog, where she shared how special it was to be proposed to with fireworks on a yacht. Thanks to her detailed bragging on the internet, everything from arranging the yacht to preparing for the proposal went smoothly.

“Normal people do things like this. We could just mix in some waves, right?”

“There he goes again. Hey, instead of talking, check the cake reservation time again. If the timing is off, it won’t work.”

“We can just call for a quick service.”

“What’s quick service?”

“I don’t know. But in movies and dramas, they always call for quick service in situations like this.”

Han Byeongeun and I, who were slightly lacking in common knowledge about what normal people do, belatedly put our heads together and searched for what quick service was. Since we were used to being self-sufficient at the center, we didn’t know that non-powered people used such services.

“Wow, isn’t this done by teleportation espers?”

“No way, teleportation espers are rare. Look here, it says something called Damas will come.”

“Damas? Is that a private esper?”

“Come on, if it were illegal, would it be so widespread?”

While Han Byeongeun and I were gaining knowledge about the world through blogs, a message came from Kim Moohyuk.

Moohyuk:

Where did you go?

12:44 PM

This perceptive guy. It was amazing how he couldn’t wait and sent a message. The yacht arrangement wasn’t even finished yet, but I felt I had to go. When I said I had to leave, Han Byeongeun waved his hands, signaling me to get lost. If I had more time, I would have disciplined that brat.

But before I could say anything, Kim Moohyuk called.

• Why didn’t you reply after reading my message?

“Ah, sorry. Han Byeongeun was being annoying.”

“Stop using me as an excuse!”

Han Byeongeun yelled from the side, but I ignored him and asked Kim Moohyuk where he was.

I waved roughly at Han Byeongeun and left. Since Kim Moohyuk had called, I couldn’t stay with him any longer.

• Why are you two meeting so often these days?

I was about to say I’d be there soon and hang up when Kim Moohyuk asked that, making me feel guilty. I exaggeratedly replied,

“Uh, well, you know, adults sometimes gather, have tea, play Go, things like that. Where are you?”

It seemed I had handled it well. I felt relieved inside and asked Kim Moohyuk again about his whereabouts.

“Ugh—!”

Suddenly, I felt a sharp sensation and the feeling of guiding energy being drained. I dropped the phone from my ear and collapsed. I had dismissed Han Byeongeun, who had offered to help me because of my bad knee, and now I had fallen hard on the ground. The sound of my aluminum cane clattering on the ground was loud.

Startled, I felt my lungs, which hadn’t fully recovered, gasping for air. I had no choice but to cover my mouth with both hands and take deep breaths, even though I knew it looked pathetic.

“Are you okay?”

It was only when I heard a voice that I realized the cause of the guiding energy drain was something else. I had collided with an esper.

In the past, even if I were unguarded, I wouldn’t have been so vulnerable to have my guiding energy drained. It seemed that my injuries hadn’t fully healed, and I couldn’t resist when I came into contact with a high-level esper.

The damage to my guiding core was significant, as it hadn’t been long since it had recovered. I couldn’t even answer the question of whether I was okay, gasping for breath. This was not the time for this. I had abruptly hung up on Kim Moohyuk, and I didn’t know what kind of scolding I would get from that nagger. Even as the taste of blood filled my mouth from the turmoil in my guiding core, I fumbled to find my phone.

“Is this what you’re looking for?”

A large hand handed me my phone, which had fallen somewhere. Without even thanking him, I pressed the phone to my cheek and caught my breath.

“Uh, Moohyuk. I just slipped with my cane for a moment.”

• Did you fall? Where are you now?

“No, I just stumbled. You know I’ve been getting better lately.”

Even with cold sweat forming on my forehead, I did my best to reassure Kim Moohyuk. I knew all too well what thoughts had crossed his mind when I was lying unconscious, unable to operate my damaged guiding core.

I couldn’t tell Kim Moohyuk that I had fallen just because some guiding energy was drained. As I felt a sudden surge of warmth and nausea, a white cloth with a faint scent was pressed to my mouth. To my surprise, blood stained the white cloth.

“…”

• Colonel?

Kim Moohyuk called out to me from the other end of the line, but I couldn’t respond. The esper who had passed by had grabbed my neck and gently pressed a handkerchief to my lips.

“Ah, um… Moohyuk, don’t worry. I’ll head home right away.”

Unable to continue the call, I hung up. The man finally loosened his grip on my neck. He had slicked-back hair and wore a distinctive uniform, likely from the central unit. His physique, wrapped in a well-fitted uniform, looked strong and solid. He seemed to be about the same height or slightly shorter than Moohyuk.

“Thank you?”

Although I was the one who had my guiding energy drained, I felt I should thank him. As I bowed my head slightly, the well-groomed esper shook his head.

“No, it was my fault. Can you stand?”

“Yes, well… Oh, wait!”

Before I could answer, the man lifted me up by my armpits. It was slightly embarrassing to be lifted like a child at my age, but I reminded myself that showing annoyance would be undignified.

“You didn’t have to do that. But thank you.”

Despite my lingering irritation, I offered a polite thanks. The man continued to look at me intently with a serious expression.

“…What is it?”

I didn’t know everyone in the central unit, but I should have recognized someone of his caliber. He looked closer to my age than Moohyuk’s, appearing a few years younger than my former self. His scrutinizing gaze made me uncomfortable.

“No, it’s just… you resemble someone I know.”

Even as he said that, he didn’t avert his gaze. I sighed and reached for my cane on the ground, but he was quicker. His graceful movement as he picked up the cane was impressive.

Wow, there really are people other than Moohyuk who look like they belong in a photoshoot just by breathing. But I still preferred someone more masculine. Thinking of Moohyuk’s perfect face at home, I realized I might be biased. The man handed me the cane and spoke.

“I’m sorry about the guiding. I couldn’t help but take a bite of a guide with matching waves.”

Huh…? A bite? His words felt off. As I pondered the oddity, I heard a familiar voice.

“Sweetheart.”

“Uh, what?!”

Suddenly, an arm wrapped around my waist. Startled, I recognized the familiar waves and realized who it was. Moohyuk, who had somehow appeared behind me, pulled me into his embrace.

“When did you get here?”

“When you hung up on me.”

Moohyuk smiled, his eyes crinkling. It was rare for him to smile like that, and it usually meant he was quite angry, which startled me again. …Why was he angry? Did he find out I coughed up blood? I had lied to avoid worrying him, but I didn’t know how he would react, given his sensitivity about my health.

When Moohyuk learned about my damaged guiding core, permanent knee injury, and impaired lung function, his despair was evident in his ESP waves. I realized this while guiding him later. It was a painful experience for both of us. Moohyuk seemed unable to overcome his feelings of failing to protect me and a slight sense of betrayal.

Despite his age, Moohyuk was mature and took on many burdens. Though he didn’t show it, I could sense through his ESP waves that he deeply regretted that day and harbored a bit of resentment towards me for my choices. Each time, I felt a mix of guilt and pity for him.

That’s why I wanted to hurry with the imprinting. Sharing an imprint would alleviate some of the esper’s anxiety towards their guide. However, incidents like the one that just happened were unpredictable, and I hoped Moohyuk didn’t notice me coughing up blood. As I glanced around nervously, Moohyuk looked down at me and whispered in my ear.

“What did you do wrong to look at me like that? Should we talk about it slowly at home, sweetheart?”

It was a chilling statement. I wanted to vehemently deny it, but the man who had witnessed everything spoke first.

“I just helped him up after he fell.”

It was a strange remark. Wasn’t the reason I fell because of him in the first place? But I couldn’t deny it, so I looked at him with a blank expression, and Moohyuk responded with a sly smile.

“I didn’t ask.”

“Hey, you…”

No matter what, it wasn’t good to be so hostile right away. I forced a smile and stepped in front of Moohyuk.

“Haha… He gets a bit irritable when he doesn’t sleep well. We’ll be going now.”

Then I nudged Moohyuk’s side, signaling him to leave quickly, but Moohyuk continued to glare at the man with fierce ESP waves. The man didn’t avert his gaze either.

“That bastard—”

Moohyuk cursed under his breath, grinding his teeth. Startled, I hurriedly patted his back.

“Oh, oh dear, I’m tired… Shall we go, sweetheart?”

I ended up calling him “sweetheart” out loud, blushing with embarrassment. Moohyuk, who had been glaring at the man, looked down at me in disbelief and then chuckled. He then lowered his hand from my waist and squeezed my buttocks.

“What are you doing?”

I was startled and glared at him fiercely. It was embarrassing to be doing such things in front of others. But Moohyuk, still smiling, said,

“If you’re tired, should we go straight to bed when we get home? Even though it’s early evening.”

…This guy has no filter. I couldn’t hide my blushing face and broke into a cold sweat. It was embarrassing to be seen like this while feeling the man’s gaze. The problem was that I didn’t dislike Moohyuk’s possessiveness or find it strange like before. In the end, I hid my rising smile and urged Moohyuk to leave.

I thought the incident was resolved, but I had underestimated Moohyuk. As soon as we got home, I had to endure his nagging.

“You’re too careless.”

“What could I do if I really fell? Not everyone has reflexes as quick as yours.”

“You’re insensitive.”

“Why do you have to say it like that…”

Even after rubbing my face with my palms, Moohyuk didn’t stop nagging, as if he was determined to warn me this time.

“I heard you refused Mr. Han’s offer to take you home. You could have waited for me.”

“I didn’t want to bother you…”

“You thought of me? Then why do I always end up feeling worse?”

Most of his points were valid criticisms of my careless nature. But no matter how good the advice, hearing it repeatedly can be annoying. Moreover, I was already frustrated by my increased dependence on others after the accident. My knee had worsened, and my lung function hadn’t fully recovered, making everything uncomfortable. Moohyuk’s overprotectiveness finally made me snap.

“Hey, did I do it on purpose?! No! Just ease up a bit.”

“…”

Moohyuk fell silent and looked at me. His eyes were filled with something tumultuous, making me hold my breath. But he closed his eyes, turned away, and sighed.

Seeing his face filled with fatigue made my heart sink, but his next words were unexpected.

“I was too harsh.”

“No… I was wrong.”

As soon as he admitted it, I realized I was the one overreacting. Feeling guilty, I let my eyebrows droop, and Moohyuk chuckled, kissing the corner of my lips. Then, in a voice mixed with a sigh and affection, he murmured,

“Let’s wash up and eat. Couples fight all the time.”

Even though we hadn’t even had our wedding ceremony, his playful remark about being a couple was both comforting and a reminder of how he always managed to defuse the tension. Feeling sorry that he had to be the one to do it, I quickly reached out and hugged his neck. I wanted to hug him properly, but ended up clinging to him like a cicada on an old tree. As an older partner, I felt I should apologize for causing him worry.

“I’m really sorry. I’ll be more careful next time. I’ll make sure to tell you to come pick me up, okay?”

“…Try being cute again.”

Calling my apology an attempt to be cute made me freeze. It was harsh enough having to act cute at my age, all because I was dating someone younger.

“I’m sorry, really.”

I added a clumsy apology that wasn’t cute at all. Even though he asked for it, I felt embarrassed and laughed. Moohyuk pressed his lips to my cheek like a stamp and gave a small bite.

Thanks to Moohyuk’s forgiveness, our dinner that evening ended on a cheerful note. I was so excited about proposing on the yacht that I almost spilled the secret to Moohyuk several times, forgetting he was the one I was planning to surprise. Other than that, it was an ordinary evening.

The problem arose the next day. I ran into the man I had seen yesterday.

“We meet again.”

“Yes, we do…”

I looked at him without hiding my puzzled expression. He smiled and made small talk about the weather, but I was curious why he was near Han Byeongeun’s lab. He was wearing a central unit uniform, suggesting he was there for administrative work, but Han Byeongeun’s lab was on a different floor. He didn’t seem lost, which made it even stranger.

“What brings you here? This floor only has labs.”

“Oh, I mentioned I wanted to take a tour.”

I couldn’t fully believe him. The lab floor had a lot of confidential information, and even I carried a pass that Han Byeongeun had issued long ago. Recently, people recognized me and didn’t check my pass, but they wouldn’t have let an outsider in without one. Besides, I knew there were no tour passes. It was suspicious.

“Well, take a look around then.”

I gave a half-hearted greeting. The man smiled in response. I watched his eyes form gentle curves as I limped away. I was about to turn the corner to Han Byeongeun’s lab when I pressed myself against the wall to hide my guiding presence. It was difficult with my guiding core still not fully recovered, but at least I wasn’t coughing up blood like before.

I took deep breaths and hid behind the wall to observe the man. He was still standing in the middle of the hallway where we had parted. He didn’t seem to be there for a tour. As I continued to watch, I remembered Moohyuk’s nagging from the night before and sent him a message.

I met that guy from yesterday in front of Byeongeun’s lab again. He seems suspicious.

Do you know him? He looks like he’s from the central unit. 1:48 PM

Normally, Moohyuk would check messages right away, but today the “1” next to the message didn’t disappear. What was Moohyuk doing today? He mentioned something about an external task, but I couldn’t remember the details. I sighed and put my phone back in my pocket. Just as I was about to press myself against the wall again, I heard a chilling voice.

“Still here?”

Suddenly, I was surrounded by ESP waves. I realized the danger too late. I couldn’t use my cane; the sound of the rubber tip hitting the floor would be too loud. I couldn’t run fast, and my injured leg was already screaming in pain. But I had no choice but to keep moving.

However, my efforts were futile against an esper.

“Ugh—!”

“You didn’t get far.”

He quickly caught up and grabbed my waist. I dropped my cane, which clattered loudly on the floor. Fortunately, my phone didn’t fall out of my pocket, but I couldn’t call Moohyuk now. I didn’t know the man’s intentions, but he wouldn’t wait for me to finish a call. I shouted at him in a high-pitched voice.

“Who are you?!”

“I’m glad I found you quickly. I can’t stay in this form for long.”

The man seemed to have used his abilities to change his appearance. Whether it was an illusion or physical transformation, I didn’t know, but it wasn’t his only ability. If he had infiltrated the center targeting me, he was likely a remnant of Accent.

I came up with a few hypotheses but couldn’t find a way to defeat him. All I could do was buy time, hoping Moohyuk would notice something was wrong and come. I struggled violently, trying to escape, and the man laughed.