By Zephyria 
As the sight of the two studying with their heads together became frequent, Heo Seon-woo and Jo Eun-gyu kept glancing at Hae-jun. Their faces clearly showed they had something to say, and their constant glances began to grate on Hae-jun’s nerves.
“If you have something to say, say it.”
Hae-jun finally opened the floor, and the two immediately poured out their words as if vomiting.
“Aren’t you bothered that your ex-boyfriend is flirting with another girl?”
“They’re not flirting. They’re studying.”
“But he’s still your ex. Isn’t that weird?”
“Not really.”
Hae-jun crossed his arms. He genuinely didn’t care.
“He’s preparing for the high school equivalency exam to impress you, right?”
“Seems so.”
“You’re not interested in him anymore?”
“Nope.”
“Really, not even a little bit?”
“Nope. Not at all.”
“But he’s so handsome. How can you say that?”
Jo Eun-gyu asked. Hae-jun frowned.
“You think Lee A-gon is handsome?”
“Yes. He’s an incredibly striking, handsome man.”
“…Is he really that much?”
Perhaps love was blinding him belatedly, as lately, Lee A-gon had started looking exceptionally handsome in Hae-jun’s eyes.
Of course, Hae-jun, being a rational and level-headed person, knew well that Lee A-gon’s handsomeness was due to his infatuation. He was fully aware that in others’ eyes, Lee A-gon likely still looked unattractive.
“He’s not handsome. His eyes are too big, his eyelashes are too long, and his nose is too high—it’s weird.”
When Hae-jun accurately described how Lee A-gon’s face must appear to others, Jo Eun-gyu and Heo Seon-woo swarmed him like bees.
“Hyung, aren’t your standards just too high?”
“My standards aren’t high.”
If they were high, he wouldn’t have dated Lee A-gon in the first place.
“No, they are. Your standards are really high. I heard Lee A-gon was an actor before becoming an Esper.”
“That’s prejudice. Not all actors are automatically handsome.”
See, we have the perfect example right here: Lee A-gon. Hae-jun added, and Heo Seon-woo clicked his tongue.
“Wow, this hyung is an impenetrable fortress.”
Seemingly deciding it was impossible to persuade Hae-jun on this topic, he changed the subject.
“Anyway, aren’t you bothered seeing your ex-boyfriend sticking close to a girl?”
“I don’t care. Whether my ex sticks close to a girl or a guy.”
“How can you say that? I don’t think I could do that. Seeing a guy I liked right in front of me, being close with someone else.”
Jo Eun-gyu, who had recently fallen in love for the first time, empathized deeply. Hae-jun chuckled softly and teased him.
“What would you do if Kim Joo-chan Esper broke up with you? You’re in the same unit, so you couldn’t even avoid him.”
“If Joo-chan hyung wanted to break up with me?”
Jo Eun-gyu fell into thought. His already small eyes narrowed even further.
“I’d kill him.”
“…Huh?”
“If he tries to break up, I’ll kill him. I absolutely cannot stand seeing him get cozy with someone else right in front of me.”
Jo Eun-gyu’s voice was quiet as he said this, but cold as ice. It was an answer Hae-jun never imagined would come from the introverted, timid Jo Eun-gyu.
“Uh, Eun-gyu?”
“I’d lure him to a secluded spot, attack him from behind to knock him out, then bury him alive and kill him. He can’t break up with me unless I say so first. If he makes tears fall from my eyes, I’ll make tears of blood fall from his.”
“……”
“But that won’t happen. Joo-chan hyung really loves me.”
A shy, happy expression returned to Jo Eun-gyu’s face as he recited his chilling murder plan, his small eyes narrowed.
Hae-jun bit his lip. Jo Eun-gyu had been completely serious just now. Who would have thought such desires were hidden within that diminutive, shy boy? Looking beside him, Heo Seon-woo was also stunned, looking dazed.
“…Right. May your love last forever.”
“Thank you, hyung.”
Jo Eun-gyu replied shyly.
Until now, Hae-jun thought Kim Joo-chan had completely snagged the innocent Jo Eun-gyu, but now it seemed Kim Joo-chan was the one who had been caught. Hae-jun sincerely wished their love would last forever. It seemed like a disaster would happen if it didn’t.
Lee A-gon’s studies continued steadily. The middle school equivalency exam was held twice a year, in April and August. Lee A-gon said he was aiming for April if possible.
It was already February, and Hae-jun worried the preparation time might be too tight, but he shook his head, dismissing the thought. That wasn’t his problem to worry about. It was a problem for Lee A-gon and the Guide who had become his teacher.
The two were sitting side by side studying again today, and Lee A-gon was even wearing glasses.
Lee A-gon wearing glasses? Hae-jun knew perfectly well his eyesight was fine, so why was he wearing them? Had his eyes deteriorated in such a short time? Impossible. Lee A-gon could control his own body. Was he wearing them for style? To look good for that female Guide?
That day, Hae-jun felt restless all day. He wanted to see Lee A-gon’s face with glasses up close and was curious if his eyesight had really worsened.
The next day, Hae-jun loitered unnecessarily around the library, waiting for Lee A-gon. But time passed, and Lee A-gon didn’t appear. Hae-jun returned empty-handed.
The problem was that Lee A-gon was nowhere to be seen the next day either.
The same happened the day after that. He couldn’t find Lee A-gon anywhere.
By this point, Hae-jun grew anxious. He was worried about the unseen Lee A-gon and couldn’t bear the restlessness.
On the fourth day, Lee A-gon was still not visible within the unit. He couldn’t just wait any longer. Hae-jun called for Jeong Han-sol.
“Guide-nim.”
To Jeong Han-sol, who came running with a bright smile, Hae-jun made a request.
“Lee A-gon Esper hasn’t been seen for several days. Could you find out if something’s wrong?”
Jeong Han-sol’s brightly smiling face turned into a pout. Regardless, Hae-jun didn’t even seem to notice. Telling him to go find out quickly, he pushed Jeong Han-sol on the back, sending him back to the dormitory.
“Lee A-gon Esper is currently on sick leave. They say he’s holed up in his room and won’t come out.”
About twenty minutes later, Jeong Han-sol returned and reported. The moment Hae-jun heard that, his eyes went wide. He left Jeong Han-sol behind and headed straight for the male Esper dormitory.
“Guide-nim?”
Jeong Han-sol tried to stop him, but Hae-jun shook him off and roughly flung open the entrance door to the Esper dormitory.
An unprecedented situation occurred: a Guide appearing in the male Esper dormitory.
In a space where there were no Guides to impress, the Espers were living like pigs. They wandered around half-naked, eating and sleeping wherever they pleased.
The Espers who encountered Hae-jun in the first-floor lobby rubbed their eyes, unable to believe what they were seeing.
As he went up to the next floor, Espers passing by with just a towel around their waist—or even without one, letting their junk swing freely—were startled, shrieking and crouching to cover themselves.
What the hell. Hae-jun thought to himself. We’re all men here. I’m a Guide, not a woman. Why are they screaming and covering up?
“Where is Lee A-gon Esper’s room?”
Hae-jun stood blocking the path of an Esper who had crouched down covering himself, preventing his escape, and asked. A young Esper with a face red as a boiled octopus, burying his head, muttered in a tiny voice. Hae-jun leaned toward him.
“What did you say?”
“Um… if you could just move aside a bit…”
After much hesitation, what he finally said was ridiculous. Really, what a piece of work. Hae-jun pushed the Esper aside in annoyance. The Esper fell over, his junk swinging.
“Lee A-gon Esper’s room. Where is it?”
“R… Room 310.”
The Esper answered, trembling. Crying over another man seeing your junk? Hae-jun shook his head disapprovingly and went up to the third floor.
Standing in front of Room 310, Hae-jun took a light breath and knocked. After waiting a while with no answer, he brought his face close to the door and called for Lee A-gon.
“Lee A-gon, open the door.”
“……”
“It’s me. Hae-jun hyung. Open the door.”
“……”
Room 310 remained silent. Hae-jun took a deep breath.
“If you don’t open this door right now, I’ll never…”
Creeeak. Just as he said that, the door opened. A pale finger, curled inward, stood in the dark crack of the door.
Hae-jun widened the crack and entered. The pale fingers scurried away like bugs exposed to light, followed by the rustling sound of a blanket.
There was light coming from outside, so the interior wasn’t completely dark. As his eyes adjusted, he soon saw a bulky, coiled shadow under the blanket on the first-floor bunk bed. Needless to say, the person under the blanket was Lee A-gon.
“Lee A-gon. Look at me.”
“……”
“Hyung is here. Lift your head.”
“……”
Lee A-gon didn’t budge. Hae-jun had no intention of waiting long. He approached the bed and yanked the blanket off.
Startled, Lee A-gon lifted his head. He seemed not to have expected Hae-jun to do this, looking around in a flustered panic before hurriedly curling his body up.
It seemed he didn’t want Hae-jun to see his body. This time, Hae-jun had no intention of indulging him. He immediately turned on the light. Then, everything became crystal clear.
“Ah, no.”
Lee A-gon groaned, covering his eyes with his hands, but it was too late. Hae-jun had already seen Lee A-gon’s face.
Hae-jun’s eyes widened in shock. It had only been four days. In just four days, Lee A-gon had reverted to the face he had when they first met.