Taming the Obsessive Attachment

Seo Eui-woo smirked and used his ability to lift himself into the air. He ascended leisurely to the ceiling where Kwon Jae-jin was dangling, aligning their eye level before gazing at him intently.

Kwon Jae-jin was drenched in sweat from the arduous task of climbing up the window frame. His thick black hair was damp, his breath was ragged, and his face was flushed. He looked as if something terrible would happen if Seo Eui-woo didn’t reach out and touch him right away.

“I explained everything without leaving anything out. Jae-jin, you’re a mutant. And you’re my Guide. You have to stay here and do the Guiding with me.”

“And I’m just supposed to say, ‘Ah, yes,’ and accept that? While getting fucked? Fucking hell, this is complete bullshit… I’m leaving. Guiding—this fucking bullshit Guiding—I can’t do it anymore.”

“Fucking bullshit…? I wonder what exactly Jae-jin didn’t like about it… I—I really liked it. I still do… even now.”

Seo Eui-woo reached out and placed a hand on Kwon Jae-jin’s forehead. He wiped away the beads of sweat with his fingertips, then cupped his flushed face. Kwon Jae-jin grimaced in utter disgust at Seo Eui-woo’s touch, but in his current position—hanging from the ceiling—he couldn’t shake him off. If his grip weakened, he would plummet straight to the floor.

“Jae-jin, you’re a Guide. Guiding is a Guide’s duty. Even you must know that much.”

“Ugh, fuck…”

Kwon Jae-jin strained his arms, attempting to climb back down the window frame. His taut, swollen muscles creaked precariously. He looked as though he could fall at any moment, his movement along the wall perilous. In stark contrast, Seo Eui-woo effortlessly floated through the air, following him with ease.

“Or… is it that your life isn’t precious to you, Jae-jin? Do you have a reason so compelling that you’d risk death just to return to the Sixth Residential District?”

Seo Eui-woo brushed his fingers against Kwon Jae-jin’s cheek. Jae-jin gritted his teeth, focusing all his effort on ignoring the irritating touch. Since he couldn’t evade him, he had no choice but to endure it. Seeing that Jae-jin couldn’t avoid him, Seo Eui-woo grew bolder, his hands wandering more freely. Wrapping his arms around Jae-jin’s waist from behind, he lifted his shirt and slid his wrist inside.

Tracing over Jae-jin’s tightly flexing abs, Seo Eui-woo lowered his gaze, his gray eyes flickering with an unrestrained glow of satisfaction.

“If you’re so determined to return, even at the cost of your life… then the only option I have is to keep you bound. Handcuffs—would that be alright?”

“You… you crazy bastard.”

“I’ll gag you and tie you to the bed while I’m out on missions. When I return, I’ll feed you, take you to the bathroom. I’ll hook up a catheter for you, so don’t worry about that.”

At those words, Kwon Jae-jin’s fragile concentration finally shattered. His grip on the window frame slipped, and his body, which had been clinging to the ceiling, plummeted downward.

“Oh dear.”

Seo Eui-woo caught him by the waist, lifting them both effortlessly into the air.

Jae-jin, who had nearly crashed to the ground and seriously injured himself, widened his eyes, trying to calm his racing heart. Panting heavily, he was met with Seo Eui-woo’s gentle caresses. A palm, buried deep beneath his shirt, slowly slid along the curve of his waist.

“You’re okay. I caught you. But it’s dangerous, so don’t climb up there again. Besides, you wouldn’t have been able to open that window anyway.”

“Huff, huff….”

“So, what’s your answer? How about handcuffs? Not your thing?”

Kwon Jae-jin stared at Seo Eui-woo with a face as pale as if he’d seen a ghost. His jet-black eyes, dark as the night, were filled with emotions—hatred, disbelief, resentment, and the terror one feels when faced with a madman who refuses to listen to reason.

Finally regaining some composure, Jae-jin grabbed Eui-woo by the collar, his voice trembling.

“I… I can’t trust you, Seo Eui-woo. You’re insane. Talking about handcuffs and all that—how the hell am I supposed to believe you? How do I even know this whole ‘mutant guide’ thing isn’t just some lie you made up?”

“What…?”

“I’m getting out of here. I’ll find someone else to ask, or I’ll go directly to the Center and request help. I can’t believe a single word you say.”

“But, Jae-jin… it’s the truth. If you’re discovered, they’ll kill you on sight….”

“Even if—! Even if what you’re saying is true. Even if I really am a mutant guide. I will never, ever do guiding with you. That kind of thing—fuck… ugh, between two men. It’s disgusting.”

“…….”

“I know espers need guiding. I know it’s a guide’s duty. But why me? Why…? There are plenty of official guides out there! Please, ask them instead. I can’t—fuck, I just can’t do this anymore… it’s horrifying….”

“Jae-jin….”

“I’m begging you, Seo Eui-woo. Please, let me go back. Let me return to where I belong—to the Sixth Residential District. I want to go home. Please, okay? Can’t you just let me go…?”

“Even if you say that… it’s really not possible….”

“Why not?! Why can’t I return to where I was born and raised? The Sixth District is my home! I skipped work without notice, so I need to check in at my job. I have to go home….”

Jae-jin’s fists, clenched around Eui-woo’s black combat uniform, trembled slightly. He was trying to suppress it, but the barely contained rage seeped through.

He bit down hard on his jaw, his eyes contorting in distress. Then, as if he were digging up something he never wanted to reveal, he forced himself to continue, his voice breaking.

“And… my family….”

“…….”

“I have to go back… to my family.”

Awakened individuals are taken away at birth, screened, and isolated, forced to live in special residential zones. They never belong to a family unit; they exist as independent entities until they die—alone. But ordinary people…

Unlike Seo Eui-woo, Kwon Jae-jin, who was born an ordinary civilian…

***

The fire crackling in the quiet hearth flickered and dimmed.

The way the flames died down was unnatural.

An unsettling vibration rippled through the air, carrying an ominous premonition.

And then—darkness fell.

The power was out.

Perhaps the circuit breaker had tripped—darkness engulfed the newly relocated mountain villa. The ceiling lights in the living room, spaced evenly apart, flickered out one by one, and a pitch-black veil covered their vision. Everything was reduced to faint outlines, their actual forms hidden from view.

In the midst of it, Seo Eui-woo lifted his head.

His sharp gaze glowed with a primal intensity, his entire focus dedicated to his ability. Those gray eyes, rather than resembling a human’s, were more akin to those of a beast.

“…Ha.”

With a short exhale, Seo Eui-woo withdrew his hand.

The fingertips that had lightly touched the center of Kwon Jae-jin’s forehead slowly pulled away, and the power that had burrowed into him faded completely.

Eui-woo’s long, thin eyelashes briefly lowered toward the ground before quivering slightly with an unreadable grimace. A hollow chuckle escaped his lips, tinged with self-mockery.

In the meantime, the power returned, and the previously extinguished lights flickered back on one by one.

As if nothing had happened, brightness reclaimed the living room.

Now fully conscious, Kwon Jae-jin slowly opened his eyes and stared at him.

“Seo Eui-woo, is it over now? Have you already finished reading my memories?”

It was Kwon Jae-jin speaking—or more precisely, the second iteration of Kwon Jae-jin.

Seo Eui-woo remained silent for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle.

“No.”

The reply was brief, lacking any proper explanation.

His gaze curved into a warm, affectionate smile as always, but it wasn’t quite the same as before.

“…?”

Jae-jin frowned slightly, his expression urging an explanation.

Unable to hold it in any longer, Seo Eui-woo burst into laughter.

“Haha. Hahaha.”

“What? What’s so funny?”

“Ah… I wonder. Why did I do that?”

“What? What are you even talking about? Did you see my memories or not? What the hell is going on?”

“Mm, well…”

Seo Eui-woo reached out and gently ran his hand over Jae-jin’s hair. His large palm smoothed through the thick, jet-black strands with calm strokes. Not stopping there, he traced slow, deliberate circles along the curve of Jae-jin’s round ear with his thumb, smiling all the while.

“I didn’t get to read much of your memories. More than that… mm. There’s actually something that might surprise you. I figured I wouldn’t be able to concentrate, so I stopped using my ability.”

“What? What are you talking about? Explain it properly.”

“Hmm… should I really tell you? I’m not sure.”

“Seo Eui-woo.”

“Yes, Jae-jin?”

“Seo Eui-woo.”

“Yes…”

Kwon Jae-jin stared directly at Seo Eui-woo, as if facing off against him.

His firm, black eyes clashed midair with Eui-woo’s unstable, icy-gray gaze. The silence between them pressed down like a weight, ringing alarms of unease.

Jae-jin let out a deep, heavy sigh and muttered in a begrudging tone.

“Look, I have no idea what you saw in my memories or what this so-called ‘surprising’ thing is. I can’t even begin to guess. But whatever it is, you might as well just say it. If I had anything I seriously wanted to hide, I wouldn’t have let you mess with my head in the first place.”

“…Yeah.”

“Honestly, this whole act of yours is kind of funny. Why are you hesitating now? What’s the point of being reserved at this stage? We’ve already seen everything—whether we wanted to or not.”

“…….”

“Come on, Seo Eui-woo. Didn’t I tell you before? To trust me. Not to go easy on me, but to actually believe in me. Don’t you remember?”

“…I remember.”

“Then why the hell are you—”

“…….”