DPGR 132

Jiho was finally discharged and returned home after ten days in the hospital. Though the wave had stabilized, the researchers had cautioned him to take it easy for a while. Maybe that was why Dojin continued to push him toward what felt like endless rest even after he came home. So even though he was discharged, the frustration remained the same.

“I’m bored…”

At the moment, Dojin was inside a dungeon. Jiho should have gone with him as his pair, but due to Dojin’s stubbornness, or perhaps concern, he had been left behind. Of course, he hadn’t been left completely alone.

“Jiho, are you bored?”

A child who had been watching a kids’ TV program on the couch came toddling over at Jiho’s mumble.
With every step of those bare feet on the wooden floor came a soft, endearing slapping sound.

“Yeah. A little… Heendungi, are you really okay staying home like this? You don’t have to be stuck here with me.”

Jiho looked down at the child who had come up to him, tilting his head.
The child had long hair tied into a ponytail and wore a dress that made it easy to move around. Though he was technically a boy, the fluffy tail sticking out behind him had prompted the choice of outfit.
Behind him, the soft tail wagged gently back and forth.

“Heendungi doesn’t really know.”

“I’m just getting restless being stuck inside… Should we go out for a bit? Just to the park?”

At Jiho’s words, Heendung’s delicate brow furrowed. Jiho squinted at the sight.

“Why? Did Dojin-hyung tell you not to let me go out?”

“Mm, well…”

Jiho knew exactly why Dojin had left Heendungi with him.
Sure, on the surface, it was to protect Jiho in case anything happened, or stop him if he tried anything reckless.
But there was another reason.

It was to keep an eye on him.

“Hyung’s been acting kinda weird lately. I get that he wants to be careful because of the overload risk, but still…”

“……”

“Maybe he just wants me stuck at home.”

Jiho grumbled, and Heendungi seized the opportunity to jump in.

“Dojin Baek is a bad guy. Jiho’s being imprisoned.”

“Imprisoned…?”

“You can’t give in, Jiho. Fight. Confront Dojin Baek and win. Then let’s go out and play.”

He pretended otherwise, but Heendungi seemed just as bored staying inside. Jiho looked intrigued by Heendungi’s little scheme(?).

“Fighting might be a bit much… but I guess I should say something.”

“Mm, good!”

“This is already my fifth day in a row stuck at home. That’s not right.”

“Mm, you’re right.”

“I’ll talk to him when he gets back.”

“Mm! Jiho, you’re amazing! So cool!”

Heendungi wagged his tail wildly, hopping around. Jiho smiled and reached out to pat his head.

‘Yeah, I’ve had two weeks of rest. That’s enough. It’s time I got back to where I belong.’

***

In the deep hours of the night, Dojin returned home, his body heavy with fatigue after clearing a dual dungeon.

“Phew…”

He glanced at his watch. His guiding level was at 31%. This dungeon had been unfamiliar, one he hadn’t entered before, so there hadn’t been any data to prepare with. Still, what bothered him most was leaving Jiho home alone. That worry had made him rush, and now he was paying for it.

‘I wonder if Guide Jiho is asleep already.’

He had rushed back because he missed Jiho, but waking him up at this hour didn’t seem right. Keeping his steps as quiet as possible, Dojin crept into the house. He planned to wash up quickly and then head to the bedroom, where Jiho and Heendung were probably sleeping. But–

“Hyung. You’re just getting back?”

“…Guide Jiho?”

There was no need to soften his footsteps. Jiho was sitting alone in the moonlit living room, waiting for him.
Bundled up in a blanket on the plush sofa, Jiho turned his head to look at Dojin. His caramel-colored eyes glowed softly under the moonlight.

“Why are you–no, I mean, why didn’t you sleep?”

Dojin stammered, caught off guard. Jiho gave a small smile, nodded, and replied softly.

“I figured you’d be late, so I took a nap during the day.”

“Flipping your sleep schedule like that isn’t good for your health.”

“You’re always nagging.”

Jiho pouted at the familiar scolding. Finally, a smile crept onto Dojin’s face too. Looking far more relaxed than earlier, he walked over to Jiho.

“Did you wait for me? Because you missed me?”

“Yeah. And I wanted to talk to you.”

“…Is there something you want to say?”

“I always have something I want to say.”

With that, Jiho stood up from the couch. The blanket wrapped around him slid silently down to the floor.

“……!”

Dojin froze in shock as if someone had hit him over the head. Underneath the blanket, Jiho wore not a single thread.

“This… what is this…?”

As Dojin stumbled over his words in flustered confusion, Jiho giggled, an impish, out-of-character laugh.
He began walking toward Dojin, his bare feet padding softly on the floor.

“Don’t come any closer.”

In contrast, Dojin backed away like someone facing a fear. But he had no choice but to stop at Jiho’s next words.

“Today, we’re going to do guiding. Level 3.”

“…What?”

“I actually called the lab earlier today.”

Jiho pulled out a small device he had left on the coffee table. It was a wavelength scanner that could measure guiding compatibility from home.

“I showed them the data, and after a consultation, they said I’m good to go. My numbers have stabilized, so it’s okay to do guiding now.”

Truthfully, Dojin had already noticed that Jiho’s waves had begun to return to a stable range. He was the one monitoring Jiho’s readings every day and consulting with the lab staff, there was no way he wouldn’t know.
Even so, Dojin had delayed guiding. Even if the numbers were back to normal, he still believed Jiho needed rest.

But he hadn’t expected Jiho to go behind his back and contact the researchers like this. Jiho looked triumphant, grinning at him with pride.

As Dojin let out a half-laugh, half-sigh, Jiho seized the moment and stepped right up to him. He leaned forward and lightly grabbed the sleeve of Dojin’s left arm.

“Wasn’t today’s dungeon a dual one? I heard you had it the hardest. Something about needing to get home right away.”

“…And where did you hear that?”

“That’s a secret.”

“Did you plant a spy in Alpha Team?”

“Hmm~ I said it’s a secret.”

Jiho scrunched up his nose and shook his head, as if telling him not to dig further. Dojin narrowed his eyes as if considering interrogating his little guide to find the leak, but gave up.

Instead, he took off his outer coat and draped it around Jiho’s shoulders.

“Guiding isn’t necessary. A shower and some medicine will be enough.”

“I’m fine now. My numbers are stable, so I can do guiding. And you said yourself that you’re more okay with receiving guiding now. So why medicine?”

It was true. Ever since the dungeon break incident, when he’d absorbed Jiho’s guiding energy, Dojin’s resistance to guiding had softened.
Even during his regular therapy sessions, the psychologists had begun recommending gradually increasing both frequency and intensity.

Dojin now wanted to go back in time and slap himself for telling Jiho all that.

‘I didn’t expect him to come at me like this.’

Or had he really not expected it?

Dojin clenched his jaw and looked at Jiho. The truth was, what he wanted wasn’t guiding. He wanted Jiho.

He wanted to lick every inch of Jiho’s body, to bury himself deep in that tight, hot place. He wanted to sink his teeth into those soft cheeks, pink nipples, his belly, and those round, plump cheeks, mark him with his own traces.
He wanted to drink down every last drop of the sweet fluid leaking from Jiho’s pink shaft.

There was no need for guiding in that act. What Dojin hungered for wasn’t guiding, it was Jiho himself. But not now. Not yet.

“Hyung…”

Jiho stretched out the word as he called him. When Dojin flinched and didn’t respond, Jiho began to coax.

“Dojinie hyung.”

Dojin-hyung. Dojin. Baek Dojin.
Jiho rolled the names sweetly on his tongue. Dojin’s eyes turned red at the corners.

“Not now. At least not tonight.”

“Why not?”

“Because I…”

Dojin trailed off, because Jiho wasn’t even listening, he was staring off somewhere absentmindedly.

Following Jiho’s gaze, Dojin looked down. There it was, his very obvious bulge.

“…You’re hard?”

The question was innocent, naive. Dojin’s face flushed with embarrassment. Jiho, on the other hand, looked pleased.

“Should I help you?”

“I said no.”

“Why? You’re hard. So why not?”

“…Because I don’t think I can hold back tonight.”

“Hold back? Why would you hold back?”

“Because… I don’t want to be rough with you…”

The more he spoke, the more question marks popped up above Jiho’s head.
Dojin fumbled to explain, unsure how to get through to him.

“It’s been a while. And… it’s the first time since we admitted we like each other.”

“……!”

“My guiding levels are low right now, so I’m more likely to lose control. I might get ahead of myself and be rough with you. That’s why.”

Dojin had already refused Jiho’s guiding several times. Because of that, Jiho had gotten used to being turned down.

Dojin knew this, which is why this time, he wanted to be honest. He didn’t want Jiho to feel hurt or misunderstood.

Even if it left his ears burning with shame and self-loathing, it was better than hurting Jiho.

“I will guide with you, but only after I’ve taken my meds. If my numbers rise to a safer level, then I’ll do it.”

That should be clear enough.
Dojin hoped it was. He didn’t think he could explain his feelings any better than that.

But the question mark still hovered over Jiho’s head.

“So… you want to delay guiding because you don’t want to be rough with me?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“Okay… but why?”

“…Excuse me?”