“It’s a bit strong.”
“What?”
I sniffed a few more times and then backed away, covering my mouth and nose with my hand, grimacing.
“Did you shower today?”
“Of course. I showered last night and this morning.”
“Shower again before we go to the diagnostic center.”
“I thought you said you weren’t avoiding me because of the smell.”
Yu-geon sounded somewhat aggrieved.
“I was avoiding you because of the smell.”
He looked shocked, his mouth agape as if frozen in place.
“Unless you want to get bitten by a Cremon during guiding, listen to me.”
I gave him a short warning and left the meeting room.
* * *
“What’s up? Did Yu-geon shower for something special? Should I be excited?”
“No… It was just hot, so he showered. What about Gu Sa-weol?”
“She’s already in the test room. Let’s wrap this up quickly. As I get older, listening to others’ groans just makes me jealous and annoyed.”
“…That won’t happen.”
The voice of the researcher who would conduct the matching rate test with Yu-geon came through the speaker. The test room consisted of a circular bed in a sealed space where only the sounds were shared; what happened inside wasn’t visible.
The data needed would be transmitted via sensors attached to the back of our necks, and we would follow the instructions for the test.
Click.
Yu-geon entered the test room. He had grumbled initially but seemed to have taken a long shower. His hair was still slightly damp, and his skin, heated by the steam, had a healthy flush.
“Are you satisfied now?”
“I’m not sure yet.”
Yu-geon approached me on the sofa, tilting his neck as if inviting me to smell him. I placed my hand on his thigh and took a deep breath. The scent of fresh body wash mixed with a faint sweet smell of his skin.
“Well, it will have to do.”
I spoke begrudgingly, indicating we should proceed. Yu-geon sighed and sniffed his own wrist before giving me a puzzled look.
‘What would you know? You’re just a mere human.’
I watched him with a mix of exasperation and amusement when the voice came through the speaker.
“Guide Gu Sa-weol, Esper Baek Yu-geon. Beginning matching rate test.”
“Yes.”
“Understood.”
We straightened our postures, facing each other. Yu-geon appeared confident, while I swallowed nervously, feeling my body grow stiff.
For a typical guide, the tension might come from physical contact with an Esper, but my reason was different.
‘I must not bite Baek Yu-geon.’
That was my sole concern.
“Please hold hands.”
This was the first stage. Yu-geon extended his hand, and I placed mine over his. He gently clasped my fingers together.
“Good. We will proceed with guiding for five minutes in this position.”
As soon as we held hands, the researcher’s voice came through. Data must have been transmitting through the sensors already.
I channeled my resonance through our joined hands. Yu-geon flinched slightly and turned his gaze to our clasped hands.
“Wow.”
It was a brief comment. While he had often received guiding through my guiding crystal, this was the first time through physical contact.
He looked at our joined hands with eyes gleaming like a child with a new toy. It was also my first time directly feeling his resonance. It was soft and cloud-like, reminiscent of warm spring sunlight.
That I would be guiding Baek Yu-geon through touch—if he hadn’t discovered I was a Cremon, this day might never have come.
Even though he was holding my hand lightly, his grip felt firm. Feeling awkward, I instinctively fumbled my fingers, noticing calluses on his palm.
The rough texture made me imagine sinking my teeth into that skin, drawing out the blood. The thought of the flesh parting and the taste of his blood on my tongue was too tempting.
So delicious.
“No, I can’t.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
I forced myself to look away, trying to push the vivid images out of my mind.
“We’re progressing to the next stage,” the researcher instructed.
Yu-geon raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment, waiting for me to follow.
“Please embrace each other.”
This was the second stage. I hesitated for a moment before moving closer. Yu-geon wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a hug. His body was warm, and his heart beat steadily against my chest.
I could feel his breath on my neck, and I had to resist the urge to nuzzle closer and take in more of his scent. Instead, I focused on maintaining my composure and continuing the guiding process.
“Good. Maintain this position for another five minutes.”
As we held each other, I felt the resonance flow between us more intensely. It was almost overwhelming, the way our energies mingled and merged. Despite the initial awkwardness, I began to relax slightly, allowing myself to lean into the connection.
Yu-geon’s hand stroked my back soothingly, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of comfort. For a moment, I almost forgot about the constant danger of my true nature being exposed.
“We’re doing well,” Yu-geon whispered. “Just a bit longer.”
I nodded, focusing on the warmth and steadiness of his presence. It was grounding, a stark contrast to the chaotic thoughts that usually plagued me.
“Okay, that’s enough for the second stage,” the researcher announced. “Prepare for the final stage.”
My heart pounded. The final stage was the most intimate, involving close physical contact without crossing into sexual territory. It required trust and a deep connection.
“Lie down on the bed and hold each other closely,”
The researcher instructed.
We moved to the circular bed, lying down side by side. Yu-geon pulled me against him, his arms wrapped securely around me. I rested my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.
“Relax.”
He murmured.
“We’ve got this.”
I closed my eyes, focusing on the sound of his heart and the rise and fall of his chest. The resonance between us was almost palpable, a steady flow of energy that connected us deeply.
“Five minutes, Maintain the connection.”
As we lay there, I could feel the intensity of our connection growing. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced, a profound sense of unity and understanding. Despite the fear and uncertainty, I felt a glimmer of hope.
Maybe, just maybe, we could make this work. If we could maintain this connection, if we could keep my secret safe, there was a chance for a future where I didn’t have to live in constant fear.
The five minutes felt like an eternity, but finally, the researcher announced that the test was complete.
“Well done, both of you. The data looks promising.”
Yu-geon and I slowly disentangled ourselves, sitting up on the bed. I felt a mix of relief and exhaustion.
“See?”
Yu-geon said with a small smile.
“We make a good team.”
I managed a weak smile in return.
“Yeah, we do.”
As we left the test room, I couldn’t help but feel a little more hopeful. We had a long road ahead, but for the first time, it didn’t seem entirely impossible.
At my sudden words, Yu-geon cautiously asked
“What?”
I licked my lips, shaking my head to clear my thoughts. No matter how much I liked the scent, having dangerous thoughts so quickly was not right. Yu-geon was different from others. His scent was too dangerous for me. Being close to him would constantly remind me that I was a Cremon.
While I battled my inner turmoil, Yu-geon’s resonance and scent grew stronger. I bit the inside of my cheek and started breathing shallower than before.
“Gu Sa-weol, can you hear me?”
“What?”
“I can hear your heartbeat. Can you hear mine?”
Espers had heightened senses and could feel my pulse just by holding my hand.
But telling that to a guide, whose physical abilities were no different from an average person, made no sense. Maybe if I unleashed my creature form, I might.
“I can’t hear it.”
“Your heartbeat sounds like it’s trembling.”
Yu-geon laughed silently, seemingly finding it amusing and fascinating.
‘What kind of sound is he hearing to make him react like that?’
It wasn’t his first time guiding, so why was he so fascinated? Maybe it was something he could only hear from me due to our high matching rate. He seemed excited.
“It’s such an unfair relationship.”
“…?”
“Think about it. Espers are bound to be dependent on their guides. I never understood that when I studied the theory, but I think I get it now.”
As he spoke, Yu-geon absentmindedly rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb, as if lost in thought.
“You should have been the Esper, and I the guide.”
“That’s nonsense.”
I cut off his incomprehensible words dismissively, yet he continued to smile.
“Keep your fingers still.”
“Yes, Guide.”
At least he was obedient. Though a bit disorienting, it seemed the test would proceed smoothly at this rate.
“Alright. Moving to Stage 2. Let us know when you’re ready.”
“We’re ready.”
“Alright, starting now.”
Without consulting me, Yu-geon replied and tapped his neck, indicating where he wanted me.
To make it easier for him, I undid the top button of my blouse. As I contemplated undoing another, Yu-geon gently pulled my hand away, signaling that it was enough. We refrained from speaking further, likely to avoid having our conversation overheard through the speaker.
“This is fine.”
“Really?”
Yu-geon then unbuttoned my second button. I had meant that speaking was fine, but it seemed there was a minor misunderstanding.
Fortunately, I was wearing a camisole underneath, so it wasn’t an issue. Yu-geon then grasped my chin, lifting it slightly. My neck was now exposed to him.
“……”
With the buttons undone, I felt my body temperature dropping slowly. Shivering slightly, I swallowed hard, feeling Yu-geon’s gaze on my neck.
He hadn’t started yet, and I was about to look down when he spoke.
“I’m going to start. Stay still.”
He pressed a finger to a spot on my neck as if confirming a target. His unfamiliar touch made my neck twitch, and he gripped my chin a bit tighter. Finally, his warm lips touched my skin.
“Ah.”
I inhaled sharply at the unfamiliar sensation. Yu-geon’s hair brushed against my jaw, releasing the sweet scent of his shampoo. His slick, warm tongue gently enveloped my skin.
‘This isn’t going to work.’
“Baek Yu-geon, how long will this take?”
“I just started.”
His words were muffled against my neck. I could feel his hot breath and even hotter tongue. He slowly licked up the side of my neck.
‘Oh, damn. This is driving me crazy.’
I felt dizzy from the start. Warning bells rang in my head, and despite trying to steady myself, my breathing grew more labored.
“Doctor, how long does this take?”
“The percentage is dropping. Sa-weol, relax. The more anxious you are, the slower the progress.”
“……”
I thought I had prepared myself mentally, but the reality was different. When Yu-geon’s lips touched my skin, it felt like his scent poured over me, clouding my mind.
My mouth filled with saliva, and I swallowed repeatedly, working my throat. Yu-geon must have noticed because I felt him chuckle against my skin.
“Are you nervous?”
“No, it’s just…”
Yu-geon’s resonance grew more intense. The combined effect of his scent and resonance made me sweat at the nape of my neck. Unfortunately, even his resonance fueled my thirst. His resonance wrapped around me warmly.
“Hmm…”
A moan escaped my lips as Yu-geon’s lips moved slowly, gently sucking. Despite his careful touch, I trembled like someone scared out of their wits. Yu-geon, sensing my discomfort, soothed me by stroking my back with his other hand.
“Why are you shaking so much?”
“……”
“Breathe slowly.”
“……”
“Are you okay? Do you think I’m going to eat you?”
“No… I…”
“What?”
Yu-geon lifted his head slightly, seemingly not hearing me well. Unfortunately, he was sucking on the area just below my ear, and I could clearly hear the sound of his tongue licking his lips.
“I feel like… I’m going to eat you.”
My voice broke off. The tension had my entire body rigid. I was barely holding on by a thin, taut thread of sanity. Feeling the hot movement around my mouth, I lowered my head and mumbled.
“What do you mean you’re going to eat…”
Yu-geon suddenly stopped moving too. There was a sweet taste. It wasn’t just a fleeting thought of biting him; I could actually taste it on my tongue.
‘Wait, taste?’
I snapped my eyes open wide.
“……”
“……”
Silence fell between us. I blinked rapidly, my previously foggy mind sharpening in an instant. Somehow, I had ended up pulling Yu-geon’s hand closer and biting his finger.
‘Damn it.’
As if that wasn’t enough, my heart started pounding wildly, trying to suppress the intense urge. I gripped his hand tightly, and something warm dripped through my fingers.
It was blood. My nails had grown long and sharp without me realizing it. My heart felt like it plummeted.
“Hey, Baek Yu-geon.”
“Uh, yeah.”
Yu-geon responded with a slightly startled voice.
“I think something’s wrong.”
“Me too.”
“What?”
“No, why?”
Both of us were clearly flustered. I closed my eyes and brought my lips close to Yu-geon’s ear.
“I think I’m starting to transform into a creature.”
“……!”
Yu-geon’s reaction was immediate, a sharp intake of breath followed by a sudden stillness.
“Hold on, Sa-weol. Stay calm.”
He whispered urgently.
“I… I don’t know if I can.”
I replied, my voice trembling. The taste of his blood in my mouth was overwhelming, and I could feel the transformation creeping in.
“Focus on my voice.”
Yu-geon instructed, his tone firm but gentle.
“You can control this. Just breathe and listen to me.”
I nodded, squeezing my eyes shut tighter and trying to follow his lead. His presence was steadying, a lifeline I desperately needed.
“Alright, just take it one step at a time,” he continued.
“Let go of my hand slowly. We need to keep this from escalating.”
I obeyed, releasing my grip on his hand, though it took immense effort. The transformation receded slightly, but the urge was still there, lurking beneath the surface.
“We need to get out of here,” Yu-geon said.
“We can’t let this happen here.”
“Where do we go?” I asked, fear edging my voice.
“Follow me,” he said, his voice low but reassuring.
“I’ll get us somewhere safe.”
With that, he gently guided me out of the test room, moving quickly but carefully. My mind was a whirl of fear and confusion, but Yu-geon’s calm determination was the only thing keeping me grounded.
As we made our way through the corridors, I focused on his voice and presence, clinging to the thread of control he provided. The transformation was a constant threat, but with Yu-geon’s help, I managed to keep it at bay, one step at a time.
