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“I’ll apologize.”

Jaehyo, who was friends with Saheon, patted his Guide’s shoulder and offered what sounded more like consolation than an apology.

“So what exactly is going on?”

Jaeyoung’s face stiffened awkwardly in confusion.

It was obvious Jaehyo had brought his Guide along without explaining anything.

He’d thought Jaehyo, who was the complete opposite of Saheon, would handle things more smoothly, but this kind of bulldozing behavior was very much in line with Saheon’s friend.

“How much can I say?”

It sounded like he was asking Saheon, but Jaehyo’s gaze was fixed on Jaeyoung.

Jaeyoung looked at Saheon in confusion and met his eyes.

The steady look made it feel as though all decision-making power had been handed to him.

“What is this, seriously?”

“Why does it feel so tense?”

Jaehyo’s Guide looked around, completely lost.

Since this situation had happened because of him, Jaeyoung couldn’t feel at ease.

“I’ll explain.”

“You guys should go on ahead.”

“Everyone’s probably waiting.”

Jaeyoung pushed lightly at Saheon’s back, the person he felt most comfortable with.

Jaehyo’s Guide’s eyes went wide at the sight.

It looked like a rabbit sticking its long ears into a lion’s nostrils.

“There’s still time.”

“You’re the one who told me to bring him.”

“Didn’t the situation change?”

Both Saheon and Jaehyo insisted on their own words.

Realizing things weren’t going as he’d planned, Jaehyo looked back and forth between Saheon and his Guide, clearly flustered.

“He may look easygoing, but he’s not the kind of guy who goes around spreading other people’s secrets.”

“You can tell by the fact that careful Ahn Jaehyo has kept him by his side for years.”

With an annoyed expression, Saheon gestured toward the man while speaking to Jaeyoung.

“I don’t know whether to be grateful or offended that you trust me.”

Jaehyo’s Guide blinked slowly, muttering with an uncomfortable look.

“If it’s something difficult, you don’t have to tell me.”

Then he smiled at Jaeyoung as if to reassure him not to worry.

The way he tried to put him at ease was very similar to Jaehyo.

Since even Saheon had said something close to praise, he really did seem trustworthy.

‘He must’ve done guiding for him pretty often.’

The scene of the man reaching for Saheon’s hand replayed slowly in Jaeyoung’s mind.

The way he’d extended his hand without hesitation felt far too natural.

“Then once this contract ends, please sign an exclusive personal contract with me.”

“An Esper as well-mannered as Jaehyo is rare.”

The man asked for compensation with a shameless grin, looking at Jaehyo.

Unlike Jaeyoung, he seemed to be affiliated with the state.

‘Is being state-affiliated bad?’

Well.

Thinking about doing the same intimate things he did with Saheon with complete strangers already made him want to complain.

Jaeyoung was physically affectionate, but only with people he liked.

And how could he be sure there wouldn’t be another ‘Gil Seongpil’ among Espers?

Just thinking of the name sent a shiver of disgust through him.

‘Come to think of it, that senior hasn’t been around lately.’

He quickly pushed the thought away.

There was no point thinking about someone who wasn’t even a good person.

“Of course.”

“And don’t go changing your mind later just because you find a Guide with a higher matching rate!”

When Jaehyo agreed, the man looked happier than anyone in the world.

Jaeyoung, who’d been listening blankly to a conversation that didn’t include him, slowly raised his hand.

He hadn’t even made a sound, yet all eyes turned to him.

“I don’t think Jaehyo-hyung should be paying a price because of me.”

It felt like he’d shown up without thinking, only to find out there was an entrance fee—
and that someone else was paying it.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t have come after all.’

A shadow crossed Jaeyoung’s face.

He felt like he’d inconvenienced several people by following along half-heartedly.

“Even if this hadn’t happened, it would’ve turned out this way eventually.”

“It was only a matter of time.”

Instead of Jaehyo, Saheon spoke up, patting Jaeyoung’s head as if telling him not to worry.

“He’s right.”

Jaehyo nodded with a smile, trying to ease Jaeyoung’s burden.

“I’m not the kind of person who ignores other people’s wishes.”

Finally, the Guide Jaehyo had brought added calmly.

Since everyone except him seemed perfectly fine, Jaeyoung decided to let it go.

“Then I’ll repay you, hyung.”

He added it anyway, not wanting to pretend nothing happened.

A good meal was something Jaehyo could accept without 부담.

As expected, Jaehyo smiled and agreed.

“Do whatever you want.”

“Just don’t get out of the car.”

The government claimed that once-cleared dungeons were safe, reassuring the public.

But Saheon, who had actually cleared them, never fully relaxed.

How much could Jaeyoung really do without leaving the car?

When Jaeyoung stood there blankly, Saheon opened the door himself and pushed him inside.

“If he gets annoying, kick him out.”

With that, the door closed.

They hadn’t even exchanged proper goodbyes.

Panicked, Jaeyoung rolled the window down.

Saheon, who had been about to speak to Jaehyo’s Guide, turned around.

“Hyung!”

Jaeyoung flinched when Saheon reacted before he even finished calling out.

Then he steadied himself and blurted out what he wanted to say.

“Please be careful and don’t get hurt!”

Having overheard Jaeyoung’s words, Jaehyo and his Guide exchanged complicated looks.

Saheon, wearing a languid smile, looked like a well-fed beast.

Soon, Saheon and Jaehyo disappeared from sight.

The man, who hadn’t had anyone open the door for him, climbed into the back seat on his own.

“I’ll go to the back too.”

Jaeyoung turned around to greet him, then immediately grabbed the door handle, realizing how awkward the angle was.

“No, no.”

“Just stay there.”

Jaehyo’s Guide waved his hands frantically.

It felt like there was an unspoken “please” in his voice.

‘Is he shy around strangers?’

Jaeyoung quietly let go of the handle.

He couldn’t make someone uncomfortable after dragging them into this.

“Oh, right.”

“We didn’t really introduce ourselves properly.”

“I’m Kim Jaeyoung.”

“I’m twenty.”

Embarrassed that he’d forgotten something so basic, Jaeyoung laughed and rubbed the back of his neck.

The man, who had been studying Jaeyoung intently, followed up with his own introduction.

“Ah! I’m Ha Yoonseo.”

“I’m twenty-four.”

“You’re my hyung then.”

“If you’re okay with it, feel free to speak casually.”

Jaeyoung’s friendliness made Yoonseo lower the guard he’d been holding up because of Saheon.

“Thanks for coming, hyung.”

“I was honestly worried about being alone for five hours.”

Jaeyoung’s harmless smile even made Yoonseo feel guilty.

Yoonseo waved both hands quickly.

“No, really, it’s fine.”

“There’s nothing to do in the waiting tent either.”

Most Guides were dispatched according to dungeon clear times.

Still, the government kept some stationed near dungeon entrances just in case.

Yoonseo glanced at Jaeyoung with a look like he had something to say.

Noticing, Jaeyoung opened the door for him.

“Do you have something you’re curious about?”

“Then skip anything that’d be awkward and answer what you can.”

Yoonseo replied immediately.

Even so, his words didn’t come easily.

Jaeyoung waited quietly, smiling, giving him time.

“Well… um…”

“Jaeyoung, are you… maybe the Princess’s… partner?”

After hesitating, Yoonseo squeezed his eyes shut and blurted it out.

Honestly, guessing he was a Guide might have been faster.

Jaeyoung’s face turned red as his lips parted without sound.

‘Why does he look at it like that?’

‘Do we… look good together?’

Just imagining it made his stomach feel strangely itchy.

This wasn’t the first time someone had misunderstood.

Haewoon, their friends, even family members had all assumed they were lovers.

“That’s what I thought!”

“The Princess isn’t the type to look at someone like that, with his eyes all—like this!”

As if reaching a conclusion, Yoonseo pressed his fingers to his eyelids to exaggerate double eyelids.

‘Hyung doesn’t look that greasy…’

Jaeyoung argued silently.

Yoonseo was too excited to interrupt.

“And that line—‘Do whatever you want.’”

“I never imagined I’d hear that come out of his mouth.”

Listening to him, Jaeyoung realized maybe Saheon’s attitude was why Yoonseo hadn’t guessed he was a Guide.

After a moment’s hesitation, Jaeyoung spoke carefully.

“First of all… Saheon-hyung’s younger brother is my best friend.”

“Oh.”

Yoonseo responded flatly, clearly unconvinced.

Jaeyoung hadn’t expected it to clear things up either.

“And actually…”

“I’m Saheon-hyung’s Guide.”

As he said it, Jaeyoung fidgeted with his earlobe.

It was probably burning red.

It wasn’t some huge, forbidden secret, but keeping it hidden for so long made saying it aloud feel strange.

Yoonseo stared at him in silence.

He clearly didn’t believe it.

“You don’t believe me, do you?”

“You really think Jin Saheon didn’t have a Guide until now?”

Yoonseo scoffed, as if it were ridiculous.

The one who felt complicated after hearing that was Jaeyoung.

‘Right.’

‘There’s no way hyung didn’t have a Guide.’

Jaeyoung’s eyes drooped.

Still, the fact that Yoonseo couldn’t accept it easily meant Saheon treated him differently from other Guides.

He didn’t fully realize how much Yoonseo’s words were tossing his emotions around.

“Um… it’s true, though…”

Jaeyoung muttered awkwardly.

Since Yoonseo was a Guide, there was no real way to prove it.

‘If he doesn’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do.’

Even if Yoonseo didn’t know, Saheon wouldn’t suddenly stop letting him guide him.

So maybe it didn’t matter.

As Jaeyoung blinked quietly, Yoonseo’s face slowly drained of color.

“…Why?”

Yoonseo slammed his hand down on the seat Jaeyoung was sitting on.

Having given up persuasion, the truth finally hit him.

He looked like he might bite if Jaeyoung even blinked.

“Are you being threatened?”

“Or are you just bad at saying no?”

Yoonseo asked with a despairing expression.

His eyes were filled with absolute conviction that there was no other reason Jaeyoung would ever guide Saheon.