Chapter 13 : Crossed Wires: A Guild of Misunderstandings

“…Suddenly move guilds?”

“Why?”

“Like you said, we don’t know when our bodies might switch back.”

“It could be tomorrow, or it could take much longer.”

“In that situation, what do you think we should do?”

“Don’t you think we should stay within the same living radius as much as possible?”

Hearing it, it wasn’t wrong.

Jihan also thought his words had merit.

If only it weren’t for the question he held in his heart.

‘Why?’

‘Why would the guy who cut off contact, possibly fearing I’d use his fame, now call me to Taepyeong Guild?’

‘Is it because our bodies swapped, so it’s more convenient for him?’

Objectively speaking, Taepyeong Guild, where he could receive help from the guild leader, was indeed much better than the mediocre

Yangmyeong Guild.

Jihan’s expression gradually hardened, wondering if Sekyeom was reluctantly accepting him just for his own convenience.

Meanwhile, Sekyeom’s explanation continued.

“Things ended up like this, so I had to tell my uncle, but we can’t tell anyone else.”

“They’d just say we’re crazy if we did.”

“In that situation, it’s difficult for me to live in your guild.”

“No matter how much I act, everyone will notice something’s strange.”

“…I understand what you mean.”

“But is it really okay?”

“What do you mean, is it okay?”

Perhaps finding the question odd, Sekyeom slightly frowned.

Jihan felt the same way.

“I’m asking what you’ll do when our bodies return to normal.”

“I’ll still be affiliated with Taepyeong Guild then.”

“Which means you’re the one bringing me into Taepyeong Guild, and you hate that kind of thing, don’t you?”

“People trying to use you for something.”

“…What are you talking about now?”

Sekyeom’s face, which had been trying hard to appear gentle while explaining the guild transfer, completely crumpled.

The harsh expression revealed made Jihan flinch slightly, even though it was his own face.

Strangely, the sense of intimidation was different from when it was his face.

“…You cut contact with me because you hated that.”

“What?”

Jihan flinched at the sharp question thrown back, sounding incredulous.

For some reason, he couldn’t shake the feeling of being scolded.

“So you’re saying, you cut contact because you thought I would use you?”

“…Isn’t that it?”

Sekyeom’s glare grew increasingly sharp.

Jihan, about to say something but losing his nerve instead, felt his voice trail off.

However, after a moment, wondering why he should feel intimidated, he straightened his posture and asked pointedly.

“Didn’t you say I’d never join Taepyeong Guild?”

“…What’s that supposed to mean?”

Looking at Sekyeom’s face, which showed no understanding, the sorrowful emotions from that time resurfaced.

Even considering it was his own face now.

But Sekyeom genuinely looked like he didn’t know what Jihan was talking about.

“I heard you talking to someone else.”

“What? What talk.”

“Three years ago, when I couldn’t reach you at all, I went to Taepyeong Guild and heard it myself.”

“You saying that.”

“That I would absolutely never join Taepyeong Guild.”

“…Sekyeom stared blankly at Jihan.

Then, after a long moment, as if remembering something, he let out a low sigh, “Ah,” and covered his mouth awkwardly.

“That wasn’t what I meant by that…”

‘Not what he meant!’

Jihan, who had been leaning back, straightened his posture abruptly.

His face clearly showed he had much to say.

That day he visited Taepyeong Guild to meet Sekyeom, who had suddenly cut off contact.

Luckily spotting Sekyeom in a corner of the lobby, Jihan had approached happily, only to accidentally overhear Sekyeom’s words and turn

back with a wounded heart.

Recalling the emotions from that time, Jihan pouted, feeling wronged, as Sekyeom calmly began to speak.

“Back then, you were having a hard time because you suddenly manifested as a Guide, right?”

“So I thought you needed time.”

“But if you belong to a guild, you inevitably have to work as a Guide, so that’s what I meant.”

“You said it thinking of me?”

“Ha, don’t make me laugh.”

“It’s fortunate if it made you laugh, but it’s true.”

“Still, if those words hurt you, I’m sincerely sorry.”

The fierce eyes gradually softened at the sincere apology.

Momentarily flustered by Sekyeom’s earnest apology, Jihan soon cleared his throat and turned his head away.

Then, feigning indifference, he asked casually.

Of course, his eyes betrayed that he was dying of curiosity.

“Then why didn’t you answer my calls?”

“…I was afraid you’d misunderstand it was because of guiding.”

“What?”

“I didn’t contact you because I was afraid you’d misunderstand that I was contacting you because you became a Guide.”

“What kind of bullsh*t is that.”

It was an immediate response, seemingly bypassing his brain.

Forgetting his pretense of indifference, Jihan pressed for an answer, and Sekyeom buried his face in his hands.

After struggling with embarrassment for a long while, Sekyeom managed to continue.

“If I contacted you, knowing full well you knew I was suffering because of guiding, I was afraid you’d misunderstand that I wanted that from you, so I couldn’t.”

“I intended to contact you right after the guiding problem was resolved.”

“But I didn’t know it would take this long.”

“Actually, I couldn’t stand it anymore and was about to contact you again midway, but then I heard you started seeing an Esper…”

“I couldn’t contact you anymore because I was afraid you’d be put in a difficult position.”

There were so many errors in Sekyeom’s confession that there were too many points to address.

Unable to open his mouth readily, Jihan just moved his lips for a long time.

Then, after a moment, he let out a dry, hollow laugh and asked irritably.

“I don’t understand a single thing you’re saying, from one to ten, but let’s clarify this first.”

“Why do you keep saying I have an Esper I’m seeing?”

“Are you kidding me?”

At the interrogative question, Sekyeom, who had buried his face in his hands, lifted his head.

His eyes peeking over his hands looked just as bewildered.

“Kidding?”

“What kidding.”

“My mom said so.”

“That you were seriously seeing an Esper.”

“Ms. Joohee said that?”

The Ms. Joohee Jihan mentioned was none other than Sekyeom’s mother.

Sekyeom had also been steadily hearing news about Jihan through his mother.

Jihan couldn’t understand why Ms. Joohee—or more accurately, what his own mother must have told Ms. Joohee.

“Why would she say something like that?”

“What Esper…”

“Wait a minute, was it because of that thing before?”

“That thing?”

“Explain properly.”

Finally recalling something, Jihan let out a small “Ah.”

He thought he now understood the context behind those words.

“Well, actually, about two years after things went sour between us, my mom suddenly asked how about getting a matching rate test with you.”

“Just seeing you would make my blood boil then.”

“So I just made up that I was seriously seeing an Esper.”

“Otherwise, it felt like she’d keep saying the same thing.”

“…You lied?”

“And just because you didn’t want to take a matching rate test with me?”

A hint of disappointment colored Sekyeom’s voice.

However, Jihan had a lot to say about this too.

“Then what was I supposed to do!”

“She wanted me to check my matching rate with the jerk who suddenly cut contact!”

“Would you have felt like saying ‘Yes’ if you were me?”

“Why did you cut contact in the first place!”

“Why does this guy keep raising his voice like he did nothing wrong?”

“Huh?!”

At the outburst, Sekyeom subtly averted his gaze.

He knew that, as Jihan said, the start of this whole mess stemmed from him unilaterally cutting contact.

Although there was a slightly unfair aspect to it, it was an undeniable fact.

“…But my mom said it seemed like you were still seeing them after that…”

“No, they didn’t exist in the first place, so how could I keep seeing them?”

“Besides, my mom thinks I’m seeing someone special if I just have plans on the weekend!”

‘Isn’t that perhaps a characteristic of all mothers?’

Sekyeom also recalled his own mother, who would ask hopefully whom he was meeting whenever he said he had plans on the weekend, and

awkwardly wiped his face.

Even if he answered honestly that he was meeting friends, she often didn’t quite believe him, asking what kind of friends he’d meet on a

weekend.

It was natural for Jihan, who had experienced the same thing, to gain momentum.

“Making fun of someone who’s stuck on the support team because they don’t have a paired Esper!”

“Well, that’s good then.”

“Yeah, it’s good…”

“What?”

“What did you just say?”

“If you had an Esper, I’d have to explain the whole situation now.”

“Things could get complicated in the process.”

“But since neither of us has a partner, things just got a lot easier.”

“This b*stard shows no remorse, huh?”

“Is that really all you have to say right now?”

At Jihan’s furious shout, Sekyeom let out a chuckle.

His troubled expression had also cleared up, looking pleasantly relaxed.

He subtly seemed to be enjoying the current situation.