The Guide Is Fixing His Regrets

Click, click, click….

The sound of the shutter lingered in his head as if it had become an echo.
So-Won’s heart sank with a crash.
As if time had stopped, one second of grasping the situation felt infinite.

“I’m in trouble.”

An emergency rang in So-Won’s head.
Eight years later, So-Won’s cell phone did not make a shutter sound.
He didn’t think that his current cell phone would do so.

It’s hard now.
So-Won was unable to read his thoughts due to his lack of facial expression, and it made him more nervous today.

So-Won swallowed his saliva.
Because of the nervousness, the sound of saliva being swallowed was as loud as the shutter sound.
It was even suspected that the shooting button was pressed again.

Come to think of it… Should he pretend it was a prank? So-Won thought about pretending that he didn’t take Tae-Woo’s pic, but the camera lens was too obvious.
Come to think of it, he hated being photographed.
Because of that, it was hard to find his picture on the Internet.
But he secretly took a picture without permission.

What if Tae-Woo gets upset?

Because of the eye contact, So-Won could only look at the floor while rolling his eyes anxiously.
So-Won’s neck went inside more and more like a turtle.

“It came out really well.
Do you want to take a look…?”

So-Won closed his eyes tightly.
Again, So-Won realized that his speaking skills were the worst.
He should have apologized first.

However, he didn’t have the courage to say anything after.

He could never say that he took it because he looked handsome today even if a knife came into his neck.
It was clear that Tae-Woo would think that he was making more fun of him.
So-Won tried to make up a reason even with a lie, but So-Won’s lying skills were poor, so the atmosphere was going to be even worse.

“…never mind.”

Tae-Woo, who had been silent for a long time, said so and turned his eyes.
So-Won was even more restless due to the light response.

So-Won’s face turned blue.
He was contentedly full just now, but now he feel nauseous as if he had an upset stomach.
So-Won couldn’t even lift his chopsticks anymore.

“Thank you.
Please visit again next time.”

When So-Won came to his senses, the time to apologize has passed.
Before he knew it, Tae-Woo already paid for the meal.
He don’t even know how I got home.
There was only a terrible silence in the car heading home, and So-Won couldn’t raise his head with his hands together as if he had committed a crime worthy of death.
The pocket where the smartphone was locked was as heavy as if it contained a lump.

He would have said what he wanted to say, or somehow wring out excuses, but Tae-Woo never really opened his mouth the whole ride home.
It was natural that Tae-Woo usually didn’t say anything first, but So-Won would like him to say something first for today.

“…it’s taken really well.”

So-Won muttered as he looked at Tae-Woo’s picture.
He couldn’t tell Tae-Woo in the next room, but So-Won lied on the bed in his room and talked to himself as if making excuses.

It came out well even if I he look at it again.
A face slightly sideways, a sharp nose, tight lips.
So-Won looked at Tae-Woo in the picture for a long time.
It was only through pictures that he could look so closely at his face, which he had been avoiding for eight years.

Even though he couldn’t see it, but he remembered all the feelings.
The eyes that look indifferent toward him, the nose bridge that sometimes touches when they kiss, and even slightly rough but hot lips.
So-Won’s face was heated by the deepening embarrassing imagination.
To think rationally, he should erase this picture now.
But… he didn’t want to get rid of the only picture he of him.

Midnight was drawing near.
So-Won was looking at Tae-Woo in the picture, and slowly woke up from the bed after finding the time that had passed by.
This is enough to prepare his mind.

“Tae-Woo, I’m going in.”

So-Won turned the doorknob.
When he went inside, his eyes met Tae-Woo, who was just sitting still on the bed doing nothing.
So-Won turned her eyes awkwardly, then quietly closed the door and approached the bed.

The interior of the room was dim because only a small light was left on.
However, at the same time, it was bright enough to see Tae-Woo’s expression and dark red veins flowing through his arms.
And it wasn’t just for So-Won, so Tae-Woo would have seen So-Won’s face, which was also very nervous.
So-Won sat next to Tae-woo, preparing the words he had prepared before entering the room.

“The D-class gate that was held earlier, other esper gathered and cleared it in three hours.”

“Is that so?”

“I heard that no one was hurt and there was little damage.”

“It’s a relief.”

“So… Tae-Woo wouldn’t have to go.””

So-Won said, wriggling her fingers.
Tae-Woo’s hand was placed right next to him, so he could have said it while guiding, but if he did so, he could not hold it for a moment because he was afraid he would not stay still and only make his mind go wild.
So-Won continued cautiously.

“I hung up the phone… Will there be a disadvantage for Tae-Woo…?”

It has been bothering So-Won since he hung up the call from the association.
He thought it would be okay because it was only D-class, but apart from that, he was also worried that his actions might have bothered him.
So-Won regretted that he had done it just to eat dinner with him.

“No.
If it was really urgent, they would have sent an emergency call,” Tae-Woo said, shaking his head.

“I’m sorry that I couldn’t prioritize my appointment with So-Won.”

Tae-Woo apologized.
So-Won feltt like he is the one who should apologize.
So-Won hesitated and managed to open his mouth.
“I’m sorry I took a picture without your permission….
I’ll erase it right away if you like.”

So-Won was nervous the whole time and finally brought it up.
Like a child who has to confess to his parents what he did wrong.

He wanted to hide it because he was so embarrassed and didn’t want to say the reason he took a picture.

“It’s all right.”

So-Won even held his cell phone next to him with the intention of erasing the picture right away, but fortunately, he didn’t say that.
So-Won was relieved and hid his smartphone under the pillow.
So-Won thought he could start guiding freely now.

So-Won moved his hand over the back of Tae-Woo’s hand.
He raised his head, and looked at his messy hair, which must have been tousled as soon as he got home.

“However, may I ask why you took a picture?”

Tae-woo’s subsequent words made So-Won freeze.
He didn’t want to say.
Of course, So-Won was thinking that Tae-Woo wouldn’t ask anything.
In addition, he couldn’t ignore it because their eyes met.

He had to answer.

His head turned blank.

“…….”

Tae-Woo quietly watched So-Won.
Tae-Woo just asked because he was curious, but he saw his shocked face.
So-Won’s face gradually turned pale, and now his whole body is stiff.
The palm on the back of the hand constantly flinched.
As time passed a little bit in that state, his eyes began to turn busily.

The guidance felt through the back of the hand also stood out as if it represented So-Won’s heart.
It was different from what always flowed in calmly, but this wasn’t bad either.

While the guidance continued to take place, he could not say a word.
I thought it was a difficult question, so he was going to say he didn’t have to answer it, but So-Won’s lips opened before that.

“Because…”

It is a voice hard to hear even though your ears are close to him.
However, Tae-Woo, who was sitting right next to So-Won, heard it well.

“It’s just that Tae-Woo suddenly looks handsome… That’s why….”

“…what?”

Listening to a bewildered voice, So-Won couldn’t raise his head.
He had never seen Tae-Woo’s embarrassed face.

But if he look up now, So-Won could be sure that he would have a very embarrassed look.

“.…….”

“…….”

There was silence.
So-Won felt like his palms were sweating, so he took the hand he had placed on the back of Tae-Woo’s hand for a while and put it on his knee.
The atmosphere calmed down even more.

So-Won looked at the door, which was tightly closed.
It was the first time he wanted to run away from Tae-Woo’s room so badly.