Churu for the Angry Guide

61

The sky wept incessantly, pouring down rain. Siwoo shed just as many tears, and very sorrowfully at that.

“I, I… So, I—”

“Take your time speaking.”

Geonho, who had been touching Siwoo’s cheek, tried to wipe below his nose with his bare hand. Siwoo recoiled but didn’t avoid it. He just cried even more.

“I didn’t mean to deceive Boreom for two weeks either.”

Tears blurred his vision, making Geonho invisible. Perhaps because of that, he was able to pour out his pent-up frustrations smoothly. With nothing in sight, the words came out easily.

“But I couldn’t change back into a human…”

“What?”

At Geonho’s low voice, Siwoo hesitated for a moment. Even though he could just tell the truth, he found it hard to speak.

“It’s true. It’s not a lie…”

This was a fact he hadn’t even told the guiding team leader and the secretary. He thought they wouldn’t believe him if he said he couldn’t return to being human.

I’m a cat beastkin. A dirt-poor cat beastkin with no family.

It was the perfect condition to be branded a thief and a liar. That’s why Siwoo had often been blamed for crimes he hadn’t committed since childhood. Denying it only led to harsher punishment.

“It’s true…”

Those experiences had made Siwoo tight-lipped.

“Why are you telling me this now?”

Geonho’s hand, which had been cupping Siwoo’s cheek, suddenly moved away. Siwoo unconsciously stretched out his neck, but Geonho didn’t touch him again. Seeing the retreating hand, the corners of Siwoo’s mouth drooped.

“Did you tell the secretary?”

“No, I didn’t…”

“You should have told him.”

It sounded like he was gritting his teeth. Geonho was trying not to raise his voice.

“You couldn’t change back for two whole weeks?”

Geonho rubbed his eyes and lifted his head high. His expression was hidden as he covered his face with his hands.

“No, that’s not it.”

Siwoo stared at Geonho like that and slowly continued his answer.

“I tried a few times, but stopped…”

“Why?”

“I told you already.”

Siwoo lowered his gaze and scratched his cheek. He hesitated, embarrassed to say it out loud again.

“Because… it was comfortable when you treated me well.”

His voice, barely above a whisper, rolled across the damp ground. He bit his lower lip and quietly swallowed, his throat burning.

And then, suddenly, Geonho stepped back out of the umbrella.

Surprised, Siwoo blinked as he looked at Geonho. Geonho used his telekinesis to keep the umbrella over Siwoo while he faced the pouring rain himself, his face turned up towards the sky.

“What are you doing?!”

Siwoo immediately tried to approach Geonho, but that damn telekinesis bound his feet again. First Yoo Jihan, and now Kang Geonho was using his ability on him at every opportunity. Damn telekinesis.

“Why are you getting rained on! Come back under quickly!”

He tried to push the telekinetically floating umbrella, but it didn’t budge. Geonho stubbornly continued to let the fierce raindrops hit his entire body.

The raindrops that hit Geonho’s body and bounced off also reached Siwoo. Geonho, who had been standing still staring at Siwoo, took a step back. His chest heaved greatly as he put his hands on his waist.

He seemed to be taking deep breaths. His face was obscured by the heavy rain.

“You should have told me right away, you idiot.”

His suppressed voice barely reached Siwoo through the loud rain.

“Did you give me a chance to speak?!”

Siwoo retorted, scrunching up his eyes. Even if he could turn back time, he wouldn’t have made the excuse about not being able to return to human form.

“But you still deceived me! I even gave you a chance to be honest!”

“Stop yelling and just talk.”

“Then you come closer!”

Geonho swept his wet hair back and exhaled deeply. As if determined not to come closer, he just kept looking at Siwoo.

“Come here quickly!”

Only after Siwoo shouted even louder did Geonho finally move his heavy feet. He had no choice but to go because Siwoo started coughing again.

Siwoo, who had been coughing wetly, looked up at the touch stroking his back. The moment he saw Geonho’s injured shoulder, his emotions surged again.

“Your bandage is all wet!”

“Stop being angry.”

Geonho’s thick fingertips gently pressed against Siwoo’s lips. He looked down at Siwoo very carefully while covering his mouth.

It was light enough pressure that Siwoo could have easily shaken it off by turning his head. But Siwoo didn’t resist.

Up close, Geonho’s eyes were red-rimmed. The rain must have stung quite a bit.

“We’re going to our lodging, right?”

Geonho asked as he slowly released Siwoo’s lips. Siwoo, who had been quietly looking up at him, just nodded slightly.

“Let’s just change your shoes and go.”

Geonho suddenly took off his own shoes and knelt in front of Siwoo. It happened before Siwoo could stop him.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“Your slippers are dirty. You can’t wear those.”

Siwoo glanced at his mud-covered slippers. They were dirty, but not unwearable.

While he was distracted for a moment, large sneakers were put on both his feet. The inside of the shoes was warm, just like their owner. It was a warmth hard to reject.

“Then what are you going to wear?”

“It’s comfortable barefoot.”

Geonho shook his head as if to say not to worry about him. Then he tightly tied the laces of the oversized sneakers. The rain might get in if left loose.

Ah, did I tie them too tight?

After pulling the laces hard, he looked up at Siwoo, worried he might have overdone it.

“Does it hurt?”

It was just a simple question asking if it hurt, but Siwoo’s pupils trembled slightly. Thinking Siwoo hadn’t heard the question, Geonho asked again.

“I’m asking if the laces are too tight and hurt.”

The shoes were so distorted that they seemed likely to hurt. It wasn’t easy to adjust the strength properly. Controlling his strength had always been difficult for Geonho.

“…No.”

Just as Siwoo opened his mouth, a large bolt of lightning struck. Kwaaang! Along with the loud thunder, a strong light flashed across the sky.

At the same time, triangular ears popped out with a ‘poof!’ from between Siwoo’s white hair.

“Are you okay?”

Geonho jumped up and embraced Siwoo, who had curled up. He was more surprised by Siwoo’s reaction than the lightning.

“Let’s go quickly. Can you run?”

Geonho asked carefully as he examined Siwoo.

“Or do you want to get on my back?”

He suddenly envied Jihan hyung’s teleportation ability, which he usually didn’t care about. If it had been Jihan hyung, he would have taken him to the lodging in the blink of an eye. Meanwhile, all Geonho could do now was run fast.

“You put your arms around my neck. I won’t touch you.”

He could move Siwoo with just telekinesis, but he thought that would make him cold. Telekinesis couldn’t block the wind.

“What should I do? What’s comfortable for you?”

Geonho tried to think of the least uncomfortable way for Siwoo. He couldn’t think of any other position except having Siwoo directly cling to him. He was confident in acting as a heater, given his terribly high body temperature even in summer.

“You’re cold now, right? You might catch a cold. I’ll keep you warm.”

Siwoo, who had hidden his protruding ears, suddenly grabbed Geonho’s collar. Geonho thought he might be angry again, but…

“I’m sorry.”

After some hesitation, what came out of his stiff lips was an apology, not a curse. Siwoo gripped Geonho’s collar even tighter as he squeezed out the words.

“I…”

His pale face and neck turned slightly red, as if a drop of red paint had fallen on them. For Siwoo, revealing his inner thoughts was the hardest thing in the world.

“I’m sorry for deceiving you.”

He mumbled very quietly, though it was close enough to hear even if spoken softly. Despite the heavy rain interfering, his apology was fully conveyed to Geonho.

And Geonho’s response came immediately.

“I’m sorry too.”

Geonho repeated his apology. He must have said “I’m sorry” well over ten times.

“Why, why are you apologizing…”

Siwoo’s eyes widened in surprise. His tail, which he hadn’t managed to hide, popped out of his pants. He couldn’t touch his bottom in front of Geonho, so he left it as it was. As Geonho continued speaking, the tip of the damp white tail curled up slightly.

“I didn’t listen to you.”

Geonho swallowed a painful breath and roughly rubbed his eyes again.

“I hurt you, and then acted nice on my own terms.”

With each word he spat out, his mouth became unbearably bitter. It would probably be better to chew on spoiled food. He regretted making Siwoo uncomfortable and not looking at him properly.

“I’m a fucking bastard.”

Seeing Geonho hit his own chest hard, Siwoo was startled and gripped his collar even tighter.

Bastard? You are a dog beastkin, but…

“Let’s go for now. You’re cold right now.”

Geonho shook the moisture from his hair and spread his arms wide horizontally. He was saying to come into his arms on your own, as he wouldn’t touch Siwoo himself. It might be slower than teleportation, but he was confident he could run faster than anyone.

“My body is really warm. You’ll be hot if you hug me.”

He tried to appeal in his own way, but Siwoo just stood there blankly. Maybe he still didn’t want to be hugged.

“Are you forgiving me?”

Siwoo, who had let go of Geonho’s collar, suddenly asked. He felt he needed to hear it directly to be reassured.

“You said you hate liars the most.”

“…”

“Then you must hate me too.”

“If I hated you, would I be here?”

Geonho let out a loud dry breath that could have been either a sigh or a laugh.

“If I hated you, I wouldn’t care if you froze to death.”

Siwoo watched him persistently. He seemed to want a more definite answer. Geonho willingly told him everything.

“I don’t hate you. I’ve forgiven you completely. I’m not angry anymore.”

“That’s enough then.”

Only after being forgiven did Siwoo put his arms around Geonho’s neck. The moment his body, shrunk from the cold wind and rain, touched Geonho, it melted like ice cream. It was a body temperature that would be very useful in the cold winter.

“Can I hold your waist?”

Geonho watched Siwoo, who had collapsed into his arms, and asked cautiously.

“In case you fall.”

Thanks to the valid reason, permission was granted. As soon as Siwoo nodded, large hands wrapped around his slender waist.

It felt much thinner when touched than when seen. There was no fat on his sides at all. It was a skinny body with no fat or muscle. No wonder he gets sick often.

“I’ll never make you uncomfortable again.”

Geonho whispered softly as he held Siwoo tightly and prepared to run. He inwardly vowed never to stress this flower stem-like body again.

“Really?”

“Yeah, I swear on my brother’s name.”

Siwoo, who had loosely wrapped his arms around Geonho’s neck, tilted his head back for a moment. His long eyes with sky-blue irises narrowed slightly, then became clear again.

“Then receive guiding.”

A firm voice rang out amidst the mercilessly pouring rain.

“Right now, today.”