Churu for the Angry Guide

Chapter 64

Siwoo sat on the bed waiting for Geonho. There was nowhere else to sit as the bed was the only furniture in the room.

He had changed his clothes and mentally prepared himself a while ago, but Geonho was taking longer than expected. It was almost as if he had forgotten they were supposed to meet.

“Why isn’t he coming?”

As he grumbled and was about to go fetch him, Siwoo felt a sudden chill and rubbed his arms. Even though the room temperature was fine, his body felt a bit shivery.

Surely he hadn’t caught another cold?

He was sick of colds by now. Siwoo picked up a vitamin candy from the pile of snacks in the corner with a grumpy face.

Just as he was about to unwrap it and put the grape-flavored candy in his mouth, there was a knock on the door. A very loud one.

Bang, bang!

“Can I come in?”

Who knocks that hard? Siwoo raised his eyebrows and strode to the door. As he opened it himself, Geonho greeted him with a bright smile.

“What are you eating?”

“Candy.”

One of Siwoo’s cheeks was bulging with the vitamin candy. He pulled Geonho’s arm to bring him inside and closed the door. Then he demonstrated by knocking on the door gently: tap, tap.

“Unless you’re trying to break the door, knock like this. Got it?”

Geonho immediately followed Siwoo’s example and knocked on the door.

“Like this?”

“Even softer. Ah, that’s fine.”

Geonho’s mouth curved into a wide smile as he watched Siwoo nod. Siwoo ignored Geonho’s carefree grin and headed to the bed first.

“Come sit down.”

Geonho smelled nice, as if he had just showered. I should have washed up too. Siwoo slightly regretted only changing his clothes, thinking it would take too long.

Siwoo took a deep breath through his nose and secretly smelled himself. He pretended to rub his nose with his arm while checking his scent more carefully. Fortunately, he didn’t smell of sweat.

“What are you doing? I said sit down.”

Geonho was just standing there blankly. Only after Siwoo urged him did he slowly move.

“I’ll sit here.”

Then he plopped down on the floor. Ignoring the perfectly good bed.

“Why are you sitting on the floor? Come up here.”

“I like it here. It’s more comfortable.”

Geonho kept insisting it was really comfortable as he pressed on the hard floor. Siwoo, who had swallowed the sweet juice from the candy, glared at him and then slid down to join him under the bed.

“You sit on top. The floor is hard.”

“You said it was comfortable.”

Geonho tried to lift Siwoo back onto the bed, but Siwoo leaned his back against the soft bed sheets and made himself comfortable. There was no time to be leisurely. They needed to finish the guiding quickly and get some sleep. Before his cold symptoms got worse.

“Let’s try radiative guiding first.”

“Wait a moment.”

Just as Siwoo was about to start the guiding, Geonho stopped him.

“Let’s not do it now. It’s late, so let’s sleep and do it when we wake up.”

“If you’re sleepy, just close your eyes.”

“I’m not sleepy.”

“Then receive it now.”

Siwoo’s voice became stern.

“No excuses. You promised to receive it right away.”

Geonho scratched his not-quite-dry hair at the back of his head and cleared his throat unnecessarily. Seeing Siwoo’s expression that showed he absolutely wouldn’t back down, Geonho found it hard to continue speaking.

“Aren’t you sleepy?”

“No, not at all.”

Siwoo blinked his wide-awake eyes once and gathered energy in his lower abdomen for the guiding. His eyes showed no sign of sleepiness at all.

Geonho’s heart fluttered at the clear sky-blue eyes fixed on him. He had intended to just chat for a bit now, but seeing Siwoo, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

“Do you dislike receiving it that much?”

“No, it’s not that I dislike it. I’m worried it might be hard for you.”

“It’s not hard.”

Siwoo, sitting up straight, let out a long breath. Now that he had assessed the situation, it was time to start the guiding.

“I’m starting.”

And so, their second guiding session began. Siwoo closed his eyes with a short deep breath.

He wanted to stabilize Geonho’s wavelength as soon as possible. Geonho’s injured shoulder bothered him. If he had received enough guiding, it would have healed already. As the country’s only SS-class Esper, his recovery ability was on a different level from others.

Siwoo tried to read Geonho’s wavelength with all his senses.

It wasn’t as fierce as during the matching rate test. However, it was still difficult to approach deeply. Siwoo gave up on trying to read Geonho’s wavelength completely and instead focused on sending out his guiding energy with all his might.

He was even more alert this time, trying to see if Geonho would react to his guiding at all.

If radiative guiding didn’t work at all… he was prepared to try contact guiding.

He had mentally prepared himself. He could at least hold hands. Or even hug if necessary.

“Can I talk?”

Geonho, who had been observing Siwoo’s furrowed brow as he concentrated on guiding, cautiously opened his mouth. Although the comfortable silence wasn’t bad, he wanted to talk with Siwoo.

“Keep it short.”

Siwoo briefly opened his eyes and picked up the phone on the bed. He decided to try radiative guiding for just 10 more minutes. While he was setting the timer, Geonho asked an unexpected question.

“Why did you change guilds so many times?”

Is that even a question? Siwoo paused for a moment, then continued his guiding with an indifferent expression.

“Why do you think?”

Siwoo said in an unconcerned tone, crossing his arms.

“I only do radiative guiding and my personality is nasty. Who would like that?”

“Your personality isn’t nasty.”

Siwoo’s sharply curved eyes widened a bit. His sky-blue eyes, reflecting the indoor light, sparkled even more.

“Your expression and tone might be harsh, but your personality is kind.”

Geonho was sincere. He wasn’t trying to comfort Siwoo; he really thought that way.

The more he observed Siwoo, the more he felt that Siwoo had a tender heart and was very considerate of others. Being considerate of others was proof of kindness. That’s what Geonho believed.

“What are you saying…”

Siwoo mumbled quietly, avoiding eye contact. Me, kind? It was the first time in his life he had heard such a thing.

Well, this was the guy who called his own brother kind too.

Siwoo sighed and looked at Geonho. He had sort of known it before, but Kang Geonho seemed to have completely different standards for living among people than others did.

“And I like you.”

His taste is weird too.

Siwoo scratched his forearm and closed his eyes again. He put even more effort into sending out his guiding energy, signaling that Geonho should stop talking now.

“I really like you a lot.”

“I know. Shut up.”

As if it was anything new. Siwoo didn’t take Geonho’s words too seriously. It wasn’t like this was the first or second confession he had heard.

He had already received countless love confessions from Geonho while living as a cat. Geonho was the type to clutch his chest and act like he was dying of love just from making eye contact or seeing Siwoo yawn.

He probably just means he likes cats.

Siwoo shook his head lightly, trying to let it go in one ear and out the other. It was frustrating that Geonho’s wavelength still showed no reaction. Now was the time to focus solely on guiding.

Geonho didn’t speak anymore either. He closed his mouth and just watched Siwoo with his eyes closed. A bright smile reminiscent of a sunflower danced across his handsome face.

“Can I talk again?”

After a few minutes had passed like this, Geonho carefully opened his mouth again, enjoying the silence.

He tilted his head slightly and waited for Siwoo’s permission. The answer came quickly.

“Briefly.”

Siwoo, with his eyes tightly shut, was enveloping Geonho with his guiding energy. However, Geonho’s wavelength didn’t seem to feel the guiding at all. Even after more than 10 minutes, it hadn’t stabilized at all.

Maybe radiative guiding really doesn’t work.

“I’m not stupid.”

Siwoo, who had been pouring out energy frantically, opened his eyes. At the same time, he met Geonho’s downcast gaze.

“I might be easily fooled, but I’m not stupid.”

Behind Geonho’s low voice, Siwoo’s past verbal slip flashed through his mind.

[Who told you to take me in and raise me! The one who got fooled is the stupid one!]

He must have been holding onto that. Siwoo had hoped he had forgotten.

“I just wanted to say that.”

Geonho shrugged his broad shoulders and lowered his gaze. Feeling awkward for bringing it up unnecessarily, he was rubbing the back of his neck when suddenly something white came close to his face. It was the top of Siwoo’s head.

“Just receive it for 10 minutes.”

Siwoo, who had hugged Geonho without warning, attempted contact guiding. He rested his cheek on Geonho’s injured shoulder and drew out all the energy he had gathered in his lower abdomen. Filled with apologetic feelings.

“I know. You’re not stupid.”

Siwoo poured all his guiding energy, infused with an apology, into Geonho.

“I was the one talking nonsense, so just forget it.”

Even though he knew it was a selfish request, he mumbled while hugging Geonho tightly. He had no idea what else to say. He just hoped that Geonho would forget it as he asked.

Geonho rested his head on Siwoo’s thin shoulder. He grinned while tightly hugging back the body that was being pushed backward by his weight. Even though he smiled silently, Siwoo could feel his smile. If you tell me to forget it…

“Okay, I’ve forgotten.”

Of course I should forget it.