BME | Chapter 1.7

It​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ was only natural for the people at the Center to think Lee Hyewoo was an arrogant, materialistic bastard. Espers and guides alike found him obnoxious.

Of course, the more Lee Hyewoo acted aloof, the more interested Jo Huitae became.

With a personality that closed off, Lee Hyewoo was obviously still a virgin who had never experienced penetrative guiding. What kind of face would the Young Master show in bed? Jo Huitae was waiting for Dr. Lee to die, practically offering water in a ceremonial bowl.

“Haa….”

Thinking​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ about Lee Hyewoo, Jo Huitae began to feel heat rising below. Letting out a long breath, he set down his beer and rubbed his swollen cock with his palm. Taking care of himself left an unpleasant aftertaste, but he had no choice when he could not fuck Lee Hyewoo right away.

“Fuck, he’s really making me wait.”

Lee Hyewoo hardly ever smiled, but there was something strangely innocent about his smile when he did. Looking at the nape of his neck beneath that jet-black hair made Jo Huitae want to strip him naked and lick every inch of him right then and there.

“Haa….​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ My Hyewoo should understand how I feel.”

The hand that had been kneading his lower half pulled down his sweatpants. His throat parched, Jo Huitae took another sip of beer. He was looking forward to Friday.

*

Hyewoo looked at himself in the mirror. Dressed in a dark suit, unlike his usual clothes, he looked awkward, as if he were wearing someone else’s outfit. He could hardly remember the last time he had dressed like this.

His​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ hand tightened around the invitation. Hyewoo folded the stiff paper in half and crumpled it into his pocket. He was pretending to be calm, but the palm gripping the paper was already damp with cold sweat. Jo Huitae was one of the few S-rank Espers in Korea. Since his sponsor was also a high-ranking official at the Center, the party was bound to be large. He would have to see many faces he did not want to encounter.

‘Can I really do this?’

The smile he forced onto his lips looked awkward. No matter how he looked at them, his bloodless, pale cheeks resembled those of a sick man. If he looked this pathetic even to himself, he could imagine how unpleasant he must appear to others. He wanted to take off this ill-fitting suit and crawl back beneath his familiar blankets.

Until then, Hyewoo had tried everything he could to obtain permission to move out, but every attempt had ended in failure.

When​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ Hyewoo refused to give up and insisted again that he wanted to live independently, his father began to suspect his intentions. He pressed Hyewoo, asking if he was planning to do something bad behind everyone’s back.

As leaving the house became increasingly impossible, Hyewoo was ultimately forced to choose his second-best option. His father would certainly be furious, and Hyewoo himself felt repulsed by the idea, but…. He could not waste his time like this forever. Hyewoo clenched his fist as though reaffirming his resolve.

“Young Master, shall we go?”

It​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ seemed time to leave. Baek Jinwon, who had been standing at the bedroom entrance, came looking for Hyewoo.

“…Yes.”

Hyewoo obediently followed Jinwon out. Afraid that Jinwon would turn around and urge him on if he fell too far behind, Hyewoo trailed him at a set distance. With Jinwon’s face out of sight, his already enormous body felt even more threatening.

The drive to the hotel where the party was being held did not take long. An unfamiliar cityscape flashed past outside the car window. The closer they got to the party venue, the more Hyewoo’s legs began to tremble. He pressed both hands firmly against his thighs to hold them still.

After​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ taking a deep breath, Hyewoo glanced at Jinwon in the driver’s seat. Dressed formally with his hair neatly swept back, Jinwon drew the eye in a different way than usual. It would be nice if he stood out a little less, but it was not as though he could cover his face.

Still, Hyewoo believed nothing would happen to him with Jinwon accompanying him and two additional members of the escort team tagging along. It was ironic that a man he was afraid to keep beside him could be such a source of reassurance at times like this.

The party venue, which they reached soon afterward, was not particularly well guarded. That seemed to be intentional on Jo Huitae’s part.

“May​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ I see your invitation?”

“Here it is.”

“Yes, thank you. The two of you are confirmed. I’m sorry, but the other two may have difficulty entering.”

The​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ staff member checking invitations at the entrance looked troubled as he continued. Only the invited guest and one companion were permitted to enter, so bringing in two additional bodyguards would be difficult, he explained.

But Hyewoo had deliberately brought two defense-type Espers for today. He could not leave them outside.

“I wasn’t told anything like that….”

Hyewoo​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ took out his phone, deliberately acting as though he had just heard something absurd, and called Jo Huitae. When he said that the escort team members were not allowed in and that he would return home, Jo Huitae told him to hand the phone to the staff member.

“Yes, yes…. I understand, yes.”

After ending the call, the staff member bowed.

“I​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ apologize for delaying your entry. Yes, all four of you may enter together. Enjoy your time.”

“…Yes, thank you.”

Hyewoo bowed his head as well, caught off guard. His cheeks burned with the feeling that he had become a bad person.

Hyewoo​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ entered quietly, deliberately trying not to draw people’s attention. Baek Jinwon followed behind him. Bringing three bodyguards along would have attracted too much attention, so he had sent the other two to the room assigned to Hyewoo.

Every so often, a few groups recognized Hyewoo and glanced his way, but he was not close enough to any of them to exchange greetings. Hyewoo avoided them, pretending he had seen nothing.

The party was already lively inside. Hyewoo’s expression stiffened. While he was searching for Jo Huitae from a secluded corner, his eyes met a familiar face. Of all people.

He​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ tried to avert his gaze, but the other person approached him first. Wearing a broad smile that nearly hid his eyes, he walked over in a way that made him difficult to ignore.

“Hyewoo hyung!”

A pretty boy with a bright smile greeted Hyewoo. Hyewoo met him with an ambiguous expression, neither smiling nor frowning.

“Hyung,​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ hyung! I didn’t hear you were coming. What brings you here?”

‘Hyuuung, don’t try to get out of it. Let’s enjoy ourselves together. It’s not like it’d be your first time anyway.’

Another voice overlapped the boy’s innocent one. Hyewoo’s stomach churned unpleasantly for a moment.

Choi Yeogyeong looked younger than he had in Hyewoo’s memories. In contrast to the nature he kept hidden, his smile was nothing but sunny.

Hyewoo,​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ who was extremely shy around strangers, rarely approached anyone first. That was why most of the people who had become acquainted with him tended to be outgoing personalities who initiated conversations themselves. Choi Yeogyeong was one of them. Even when Hyewoo failed to treat him warmly, Yeogyeong had always welcomed him, calling him hyung over and over, and Hyewoo had secretly found that endearing.

But Choi Yeogyeong was also one of the Delta Team Espers who had exploited Hyewoo. The moment his father died, Yeogyeong had revealed his true nature. Because Yeogyeong had been someone Hyewoo thought well of, the shock of it had been difficult to forget.

His throat felt dry despite having drunk water. Hyewoo hid his sweat-damp hand behind his back. He realized anew how fortunate it had been that he had mistaken Jinwon for a dream when he first saw him. Unlike when he had encountered Jinwon, recognizing that this was reality had stirred his emotions far more than expected. Even though he had come prepared, his revulsion surged.

Hyewoo​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ turned around anxiously to check whether Jinwon was still where he had been standing. Fortunately, Jinwon had not moved. When Hyewoo met his usual formal smile and emotionless eyes, his roiling heart gradually began to calm.

At least for this moment, Jinwon would protect Hyewoo. As he thought that, his fear slowly subsided.

“It’s been so long, hyung. Have you been well?”

Choi​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ Yeogyeong had already come right up to Hyewoo.

“…Hi. It’s been a while.”

Hyewoo greeted him in an even voice. His expression clearly showed that he was not happy to see Yeogyeong, but Yeogyeong seemed accustomed to it and stepped right up to him.

“I​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ heard you were sick. Are you feeling better now?”

Furrowing his brow, Yeogyeong lightly gripped Hyewoo’s arm. Hyewoo looked down at the hand holding him, then stepped back.

“I’m just… still feeling a little sluggish.”

“You​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ must have been really sick.”

Yeogyeong looked at Hyewoo with concern. Choi Yeogyeong seemed to think Hyewoo was acting this way because he was still unwell.

His eyes were filled with nothing but concern as he looked at Hyewoo. He looked completely sincere, without a trace of deceit.

Hyewoo​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ had once seen him sniffle while watching a TV program. It was about an Esper who had retired after an accident and an old dog, and Choi Yeogyeong had leaned against Hyewoo’s shoulder, saying how heartbreaking it was. Yeogyeong had hidden his true nature that way until Hyewoo’s father died.

But now Hyewoo knew. The reason Yeogyeong approached him so casually despite how clearly Hyewoo showed his discomfort was not his sunny personality. It was because he simply did not care how Hyewoo felt.

“It makes me sad knowing my hyung was sick. Should I help you a little?”

“I’m​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ fine. I’m all better now. I’m just a little tired.”

“But I want to help youu….”

Choi Yeogyeong was an A-rank healing-type Esper. Whenever Hyewoo looked even slightly unwell, he would take Hyewoo’s hand and flash him a beaming smile as he offered to help.

‘Ah, I’m bleeding. I’m sorry. Don’t cry. I can treat you, can’t I?’

Even​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ when Hyewoo was bleeding and crying that it hurt, Yeogyeong had smiled at him with that exact same expression. The heart that remembered the sensation from that day began to beat faster and faster. Hyewoo swallowed a sip of the champagne in his hand. A sharp chill spread down his esophagus.

“No, you don’t have to help me. I’ll be fine after I rest for a bit.”

“You’re doing it again, hyung. I told you, it’s okay to ask me for help if you’re hurt.”

Even​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ after being refused once, Yeogyeong pressed against him again. He had always been persistent, so Hyewoo had never expected him to back off after a single refusal.