Until You’re Mine

Min-tae’s words made Jaeyoung tighten his grip on the box of glutinous rice cakes.

Everyone else had received chocolate from Saheon.

Jaeyoung alone had gotten rice cakes.

Anyone could see it was blatant favoritism.

“I like rice cakes too……”

Min-tae looked back and forth between the empty chocolate wrapper in his hand and Jaeyoung’s rice cakes, his eyes full of regret.

Only Haewoon, who was already used to being treated differently by his parents whenever Jaeyoung was around, wore an expression of quiet acceptance.

“Well, you should’ve tried being prettier on a daily basis.”

Jaeyoung joked as he took a bite of the rice cake.

Out of pity, he might’ve considered sharing, but if Min-tae ate what Saheon had clearly chosen for him, there was no telling what kind of retaliation might follow.

“To dare joke like that about the princess……”

Instead of laughing along, Dongjun sucked in a sharp breath, horrified.

Did he not realize that calling him “princess” might be the more dangerous move.
Jaeyoung blinked.

“So you do know when I behave nicely.”

Saheon twisted his lips as he agreed with Jaeyoung, completely ignoring Dongjun as if he hadn’t spoken at all.

At that point, even Min-tae gave up on stealing Jaeyoung’s share.

“Thank you.”

Jaeyoung smiled brightly and thanked him, considering it his rightful portion.

It wasn’t even embarrassing.

It was obvious that “behaving nicely” referred to his Guiding.

“Chew properly.

And don’t blame me if you mess up the exam.”

Saheon reached out and brushed the white powder stuck to Jaeyoung’s lips.

Jaeyoung chewed obediently and nodded.

He didn’t spare a thought for the fact that his friends looked seconds away from fainting.

“f*ck, thank god I got chocolate.
If I’d gotten that, I would’ve choked and never even seen the exam paper.”

Min-tae whispered into Jaeyoung’s ear, apparently forgetting that enhanced Esper hearing made whispering useless.

“Do you have something going on today too, hyung?”

Jaeyoung tilted his head at Saheon, whose expression looked unusually pleased.

“Not today.”

The easy answer made Jaeyoung’s eyes widen.
He’d expected Saheon to say nothing special.

“But soon.”

Saheon finished the sentence unbearably slowly.

Dangerous curiosity flickered to life, and Jaeyoung’s gaze stayed glued to him the entire time.

What could it be, whatever had him this pleased.

“See you after the exam.”

After that, Saheon deliberately turned his head away.

The look he gave his brother Haewoon was as cold as wind piercing through a scarf.

Even the farewell sounded perfunctory.

‘At least he’s trying.’

Jaeyoung tucked his lips into his scarf so no one would see him smile.
The soft yarn tickled his cheeks.

“Seriously, what’s he staring at now?
What the hell is wrong with him?”

Haewoon, oblivious, snapped irritably, his cheeks flushed.

No one noticed the secret exchange of looks that had passed between Jaeyoung and Saheon.

Having answered only what he knew, Jaeyoung left the exam hall feeling light on his feet.

As if he’d been waiting, Saheon appeared right in front of him.

‘No way.
That can’t be it.’

Jaeyoung let out a hollow laugh, dismissing the thought as ridiculous.

S-rank Esper Jin Saheon wasn’t only needed at dungeon sites.

And yet, was this impossibly busy man really waking up at dawn to hand him rice cakes, then waiting until the exam ended to abduct him into a car?

“They said they’re going straight home to rest.”

Jaeyoung spoke while pulling the seatbelt over himself.

Saheon didn’t look interested.

“You’re going to my place to rest.”

The immediate answer made Jaeyoung’s eyes fly open.

“I’m going to your house?
Right now?”

Saheon didn’t reply, only started the engine.

Jaeyoung gripped the seatbelt with both hands.

It felt like heading into an unknown world.

Exciting, and terrifying.

“Even Haewoon said he’s never been to your place.”

Jaeyoung spoke casually, sneaking glances at Saheon’s profile.

Apparently, Haewoon didn’t even know where it was.

“Why would he come to my place.”

The coldness was enough that Haewoon would’ve been hurt if he’d heard it.

Jaeyoung shook his head slightly.

He’d planned not to mention it anyway, but now he was sure.

Haewoon could never find out.

The car entered an unfamiliar neighborhood.

As Jaeyoung looked around, he spotted a well-known convenience store.

“Hyung!
Pull over there for a second.”

Jaeyoung lifted his arm and pointed to the roadside beside the store.

Thankfully, Saheon stopped without comment.

“I’ll be right back!”

Jaeyoung jumped out and rushed inside.

“Hello!”

“Welcome.”

Unlike usual, he barely looked at the clerk and went straight to the shelves.

“What should I buy?”

He hesitated in front of the rows of products.

It wasn’t a supermarket, and a convenience store wasn’t ideal for buying something to bring to someone’s home.

After some thought, he headed for the drink cooler.

Colorful beer cans caught his eye.

But he wasn’t old enough to buy alcohol.

‘And I don’t even know if hyung likes drinking.’

Reluctantly, he looked away from the beer and stuck to his original plan, loading several kinds of drinks into a basket.

“Thanks for waiting.”

Saheon only gave the plastic bag in Jaeyoung’s hand a disinterested glance.

Saheon’s home turned out to be a newly built officetel.

They parked in the underground garage, took the elevator up, and entered the first door in sight.

“Excuse me.”

Two pairs of slippers were neatly lined up by the entrance.

There was no reason for it, but they felt prepared for him.

The strange thought made Jaeyoung fidget his fingers, the rustle of the plastic bag reminding him of its presence.

“Hyung, here.”

Saheon stared silently at the hand Jaeyoung held out.

“It’s nothing, really.
There wasn’t much to buy at the convenience store.
But it’s my first time coming to your place.”

When Saheon didn’t take it right away, Jaeyoung started rambling.

He always did this when visiting a friend’s house, but this time it felt oddly embarrassing.

Probably because Saheon just kept staring, like he had no intention of accepting it.

“Come in.”

“I’ll wash my hands first.”

Saheon gestured toward the bathroom with his chin.

When Jaeyoung glanced back, he saw Saheon pulling the drinks out of the bag and placing them into the fridge.

Only then did Jaeyoung relax and head into the bathroom with a smile.

After that, the first thing Jaeyoung did was Guiding.

He worked so diligently that even he wondered why they hadn’t signed a contract yet.

“Aren’t you going to ask how the exam went?”

Leaning comfortably against Saheon’s chest, Jaeyoung suddenly asked.

“It’s your life.
I figured you’d handle it.”

Saheon replied casually.
It could’ve sounded cold.

“You even brought rice cakes to cheer me on.
That means you’ve got some stake in it.”

Jaeyoung pouted slightly.

Perhaps curious about his expression, Saheon lifted his chin and looked down at him, eyes crinkling.

“Oh?
So I have a stake in you?”

His voice was unmistakably pleased.

Meeting his bright gaze, Jaeyoung had the sudden feeling he’d made a serious mistake.

“You didn’t have to come all the way to the exam site……”

Avoiding his eyes, that was all Jaeyoung managed to say.

He silently cursed his own poor choice of words.

“What if you ran into someone on the subway?

They bump into you, realize you’re a Guide, and start sucking you dry.
Then what?”

“I’ve practiced a lot.
I can take the lead now.”

Jaeyoung clenched his fist, determined.

Saheon looked at him like he was adorable.

Then, without warning, an invisible tug-of-war began.

Jaeyoung was helplessly dragged along by Saheon’s power.

“And what exactly can you do?”

Saheon lifted his chin, as if to say, see.
It felt almost mocking.

“You can’t just yank like that.”

Jaeyoung complained, hurt and indignant.
Saheon’s eyes flashed sharply.

“Espers are no different from beasts.
Do you think reason works on a starving beast?”

Fear gripped Jaeyoung’s chest.

Saheon’s warning was that threatening.

“They’ll pin you down and take everything.

They won’t care if you’re in pain, or if you stop breathing.”

Saheon spoke through clenched teeth, then fell silent.

He stared straight into Jaeyoung’s pale face.

“I’m protecting you.”

Saheon’s fingers brushed deliberately between Jaeyoung’s own.

A strange heat bloomed, tickling his palm.

Red crept up his pale skin.

“But if you keep following me around, it won’t stay a secret.”

Jaeyoung voiced his complaint in a tiny, almost swallowed whisper.

Every time Saheon appeared at school, fans crowded the area, passersby gathering out of curiosity until it became chaos.

Saheon made no effort to hide himself like celebrities did.

He could’ve left the moment he was spotted, but he never did.
Rumors piled up around Jaeyoung’s unremarkable school, fueled by Saheon’s fans.

“There might already be people who’ve noticed you and are circling.

So I have to keep showing myself.

Let them know I claimed you first.”

“You’re the only stalker here, hyung.”

“Stalker?”

Saheon echoed the word after a short laugh.
He didn’t look amused.

Jaeyoung pressed his lips together and looked away.

He didn’t want to lie and call it a joke.

Instead, he buried himself deeper into Saheon’s arms to placate him.

“Getting bold.”

Saheon brushed Jaeyoung’s nape as if he might grab it.

This time, his mood didn’t seem bad.

“Want a kiss?”

Jaeyoung lifted his head slightly and puckered his lips toward Saheon.

A service that usually cost massive blood loss, reserved for when Saheon went on A-rank or higher dungeon missions.

“You’re really playing with me now.”

Saheon’s lips curved, amused.

Jaeyoung pressed a quick kiss there and pulled back.

Saheon lowered his gaze, studying him quietly.

“Until we sign a contract, expect me to keep following you.”

The words sounded even more obsessive than before.
Jaeyoung frowned.

Maybe I should just sign the damn thing already.

Lately, that thought kept coming back to him.