Confinement Constitution Guide

Warning! Gully 300m Ahead (3)

That night, I lay in bed looking up at the ceiling, recalling the events of the day. I couldn’t help but sigh. Even petting Cream, who was curled up against my side trying to sleep, didn’t improve my mood. I should have just let Sa Hae-geon put away the game console… Right after Sa Hae-geon had said something embarrassing and ridiculous, I unconsciously asked him to play one more round, fearing the atmosphere might become awkward. That was the root of the problem.

‘I thought you wereWarning! Gully 300m Ahead bored… Are you really okay with playing more?’

‘Y-Yeah. It’s kind of fun.’

‘Then let’s play more.’

At my words, Sa Hae-geon eagerly reconnected the game console with an excited face. The game we resumed made my feelings towards Sa Hae-geon even more awkward. Just like in the first round, Sa Hae-geon led me, with my very poor skills, as we chased after the opposing team. We faced several critical moments, but under Sa Hae-geon’s leadership, we overcame most of them.

My dice-rolling skills were also quite decent. However, the more we played, the more I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Sa Hae-geon. After all, I had asked to play one more game when he was about to put everything away, only to end up holding the team back.

I watched Sa Hae-geon’s expression while rolling the dice, which was at least something I could do well. Contrary to my expectation that he would be expressionless as usual or frowning in frustration, Sa Hae-geon looked extremely happy. …Why?

Could it be that his words about enjoying playing games with me were truly sincere? Even though I was performing so poorly? Was he making such a happy face to prove it to me, who couldn’t believe it?

When that thought crossed my mind, I felt even stranger than before.

Caught up in this unfamiliar feeling, I tried to focus on the game as much as possible to clear my head. As a result, I managed to place third in some of the mini-games, though it was a close call. The final game to determine the winner was the so-called ‘Guiding Game’.

It was a game where team members designated as Guide and Esper had to work together to control their characters in battle. As it happened, Sa Hae-geon was designated as the Esper.

‘This game is your specialty, hyung.’

‘That’s right. Just trust me this time. I can really do well.’

Even though I knew there was a clear difference from real Guiding, I couldn’t help but feel nervous. Still, as an S-class Guide, I felt I shouldn’t lose this game pathetically, and thinking that I should win this time for Sa Hae-geon who had tried so hard, my palms began to sweat.

Taking slow, deep breaths, I gripped the game controller and stared at the screen for 10 seconds. Soon, the game started with a cheerful background music. The four characters that appeared on the screen moved busily. I watched Sa Hae-geon’s character, pressing the Guiding button whenever the ability gauge under his nickname lowered.

Since the game awarded bonus points for Guiding closer to the solid line shown on the gauge, I tried to Guide as close to the line as possible, while Sa Hae-geon attacked the opposing team’s characters by shooting flames wildly. Sa Hae-geon in the game was truly flying. When he took out the opposing Guide first and then mercilessly dispatched the lone Esper character, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh of admiration.

Dealing with Guides, healing Espers, or monsters with such abilities first wasn’t much different from the field. That’s why I was always more tense when moving with the Espers instead of staying at the base camp.

But my thoughts were interrupted as the rankings for the mini-game were announced, and a judge character appeared holding a crown. The judge character praised Sa Hae-geon and me greatly for clearing the game without taking a single hit, and handed us the crown.

‘A crown?’

‘The crown is included in the score.’

‘Really? That’s good, right?’

‘Yes. Very much so.’

Sa Hae-geon replied in a nonchalant tone, but he couldn’t hide his flushed expression. Although he didn’t show it much, he seemed quite pleased that we had won the mini-game together. Of course, I too was leaning forward towards the TV, tightly gripping the controller, as if I hadn’t been playing half-heartedly earlier.

After the last mini-game ended and we took turns rolling dice with the opposing team, it was finally time for the final results announcement. The judge character who had calculated the scores handed over a trophy with a grin.

[The winners are… ‘PigCream’ and ‘0430’! Your party was really, really awesome!]

As the judge character offered congratulations without changing a single word from before, my character and Sa Hae-geon’s hugged each other and jumped around in place. And I too, overwhelmed by an inexplicable sense of achievement and joy, stood up and hugged Sa Hae-geon.

‘See? I told you to trust me!’

‘Yes. Hyung, you were really cool.’

‘Winning the last game made a big difference. It wasn’t much different from real Guiding. I guess I’m just cut out to be a Guide? Is that why I awakened as a Guide?’

I muttered while still embracing Sa Hae-geon, then belatedly came to my senses and checked his reaction. Sa Hae-geon was looking down at me with flushed cheeks. There was a warm smile on his lips, which somehow made me feel embarrassed. As I cleared my throat softly and tried to break away from his embrace, Sa Hae-geon hugged me tightly.

Then he whispered in my ear.

‘Hyung, want to play one more round?’

I found myself nodding to his question without realizing it. The game had ended quite satisfactorily, and I had gotten a sense of how to play.

‘But are you sure you want to play too?’

Sa Hae-geon responded to my cautious question with a bright smile.

‘Yes. I want to play one more round with you too, hyung.’

‘Okay. Then… let’s do it. One more round.’

Sa Hae-geon nodded at my answer, smiling even more brilliantly than before. Soon, he stopped smiling and started operating the game console to begin matching again. Even though his arms around me had loosened considerably, I remained standing there in Sa Hae-geon’s embrace, unable to think of breaking away.

It was because Sa Hae-geon’s brightly smiling face towards me seemed to be imprinted in my eyes and mind, refusing to fade away. At the same time, a big realization hit me. …I was much more superficial, caring about looks way more than I had thought.

‘Hyung, we’re matched.’

I barely came to my senses at Sa Hae-geon’s words. Sa Hae-geon and I were still embracing each other. The moment I realized Sa Hae-geon’s warmth was taking over my body, I felt my hair stand on end. This wasn’t right. If we kept hugging like this, things would surely get complicated.

‘…Ah, really?’

‘Yes.’

‘T-Then we should sit properly. Yeah…’

When I had first hugged him, caught up in the joy of victory, it was fine, but now as I awkwardly pulled back and sat on the sofa, Sa Hae-geon looked at me with puzzled eyes. I avoided Sa Hae-geon’s gaze and just stared at the TV screen where the text “Connecting with opponent” had appeared.

My ears felt hot, as if I was running a fever, but I had no time to worry about that.

That was the problem. It was practically the first time I had had physical contact with an Esper without the purpose of Guiding. I was simply dumbfounded. Even if I was happy about winning the game, was it enough to make me hug Sa Hae-geon?

And even though I preferred radiation Guiding over contact Guiding, isn’t it a Guide’s instinct to unconsciously Guide when there’s physical contact? I couldn’t believe that I, as a Guide, had forgotten my duty and shared a ‘normal’ hug with Sa Hae-geon like a civilian. More accurately, I didn’t want to believe it.

‘Maybe I’m weakened from being tormented by Sa Hae-geon so much…’

It was a nonsensical thought. Sa Hae-geon always replenished my energy with food as much as he tormented me. Then… Could it be that I had momentarily forgotten I was a Guide, having adapted to this peaceful captive life? But I didn’t act like this when I was held captive by other Espers.

I felt a bit confused. What was the difference between them and Sa Hae-geon? I was even taking the initiative to Guide him, which I hadn’t done for the others. My thoughts kept chasing each other, and as I stared blankly at the ceiling, lost in thought, at some point I fell asleep like a machine that had lost power. I heard the sound of a door opening in my sleep, but that was all. I didn’t want to bother waking up from my deep sleep to pay attention to it.

* * *

About an hour after Chae Do-min fell asleep. The closed door opened and someone entered. As Chae Do-min, still in a light sleep, tossed and turned, the blanket covering him became disheveled. Sa Hae-geon stroked the top of Cream’s head, who was looking up at him while snuggled against Chae Do-min’s side, and then neatly rearranged the disheveled blanket.

He quietly gazed at Chae Do-min’s face, which had a peaceful expression. Then, after hesitating, he lightly poked the soft-looking cheek with his index finger. Feeling the warm, squishy sensation on his fingertip, Sa Hae-geon unconsciously flinched and clenched his hand.

He still couldn’t believe that Chae Do-min was breathing in his house, that he ate the food he cooked with relish, that they made eye contact and conversed, that he had suddenly hugged him while playing games. It all felt like a dream. But at the same time, he didn’t want it to be a dream. Sa Hae-geon stood in place, taking in the sight of Chae Do-min for a very long time, only heading to the kitchen as dawn was breaking.

His stamina, which had improved exponentially when he awakened as an Esper, had doubled again after receiving Chae Do-min’s Guiding, allowing him to stay up for days without issue. However, he had no intention of changing this regular routine, both to pay more meticulous attention to Chae Do-min’s health and to try living the same lifestyle as him.

Sa Hae-geon opened the refrigerator and hummed a tune as he skillfully took out ingredients. He was planning to make jeon-ga-bok (stir-fried abalone and vegetables) for breakfast today. Throughout the preparation of ingredients, Sa Hae-geon’s mind was filled with the image of Chae Do-min hugging him tightly and smiling beautifully.