“Threaten? No, that’s not it.”

I frantically waved my hands.

“I really like Seunghyuk.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them, and I immediately regretted it.

I didn’t want the main character and the main uke fighting over me. I definitely didn’t want anyone dying because of it.

That said, confessing my love to the main character in front of the main uke was not something I ever wanted to do. And this wasn’t even the first time.

But the milk had already been spilled. I had to save the person first.

I waved my hand quickly.

“Jun-ah, see you later.”

“Sunbae, are you okay?”

Don’t ask and just go! Can’t you see the murderous aura coming off Joo Seunghyuk?

Kim Jun was kind and upright, but he lacked awareness. Even in the original story, he repeatedly did things Seunghyuk hated, which eventually led to his own captivity.

There were more than a few moments where I wondered if he was deliberately trying to get locked up—but no, that was just his personality.

There’s a reason why the character tags include oblivious uke and frustratingly dense uke.

“Of course I’m okay. Our Seunghyuk is such a sweetheart...”

Sweetheart, my ass. Because Kim Jun refused to leave, I ended up digging another black hole of embarrassment.

“Understood. If anything happens, please contact me.”

Don’t say that either! You damn oblivious uke!

It sounded nice, but even if I was in danger because of Seunghyuk, I wouldn’t call Kim Jun—I’d go to the Center or ask a high-ranking Esper for help.

He probably meant well, but that kind of concern only made things harder for me.

“There’s nothing to worry about. Seunghyuk is so kin—ki–kiind and sweet...”

Even if I was saying it just to survive, calling Joo Seunghyuk kind made my tongue freeze from guilt and caused an automatic buffering error.

“Got it. I’ll see you tomorrow then, sunbae.”

“Yeah. See you tomorrow.”

I finally managed to send Kim Jun away.

But it wasn’t over yet. After the oblivious uke, it was time to deal with the obsessive yandere alpha.

“Hyung, do you like me?”

His voice pierced through me before I even had time to catch my breath.

“Uh-huh.”

“Then why does it feel like shit? It sounded like Yeonsu made that up to protect that bastard.”

One lacked awareness, the other was too sharp. It was a lose-lose situation.

“...Of course not.”

“Do you really like me?”

“Yeah.”

I nodded quickly. At that moment, the voice of Professor Jeon, head of the Esper department, rang out from the school speaker system.

“Ah-ah, mic test, mic test. S-class Esper Joo Seunghyuk, please # Nоvеlight # report immediately to Testing Room 1. I repeat, S-class Esper Joo Seunghyuk, please report to Testing Room 1. Everyone’s waiting.”

Testing Room 1 was where 1-on-1 matching rate tests were conducted. I guess they were planning to test Seunghyuk’s recovery by pairing him with another Guide.

Good. An escape route had appeared. But Seunghyuk didn’t budge, only kept staring down at me.

“Can you say it over the broadcast?”

“Yeah.”

It was a strange demand, but I nodded without hesitation.

His expression was dark—too dark. He looked like he might lock me up right here or do something befitting a hardcore 19+ angsty smut novel.

Doing that kind of thing in the middle of campus was totally within the realm of possibility. Compared to that, saying something over the school broadcast was nothing. It’d just be another entry in my list of cringe memories.

“Really?”

“Yup. Should I go say it now? Where’s the broadcast room?”

I turned to run off, but Seunghyuk grabbed my arm.

“No need.”

“Huh?”

“Sweet and kind as I am, I’ll let it go.”

He caressed my face. But his expression still hadn’t softened. It wasn’t the same blazing fury from earlier, but the cold gleam in his eyes was somehow even scarier.

It must be because I lied for Kim Jun’s sake...

“Can’t let my guard down. I block the other Espers, and now I have to start keeping an eye on Guides too?”

Block? Block what? Did he do something to the matching rate? The same question that came up during the matching test surfaced again, but I didn’t have the courage to ask.

“Th–there’s no need for that. You’re the only one for me.”

Seunghyuk said nothing, just stared at me. I studied his expression, then leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

“...You’re really the only one.”

“Bullshit...”

His eyes turned glacial in an instant.

Shit. I thought he’d like the kiss, but it completely backfired. I was going to die trying to save Kim Jun.

I dropped my head and shoved my hand into my jacket pocket. I might really have to press the panic button the Center gave me.

Suddenly, he yanked my waist forward and I stumbled.

“What’s with the cheek? Should at least be on the lips. Right?”

“Ah, yeah...”

So that’s what it was. I could never understand this lunatic’s logic.

I quickly reached up and kissed his lips. Then, I gently licked them.

He seemed especially angry today, so I thought I’d try doing it like he always did. But the moment I licked his lips, I got embarrassed and immediately pulled back.

“...What was that?”

“A kiss.”

“That’s it?”

“Uh? Yeah...”

“You suck.”

“...Sorry. I’ll practice.”

Honestly, I was terrible. Even I had to admit it. I hung my head in shame, but then his icy voice cut through again.

“Practice? With who?”

“With you.”

The second I answered, his lips crashed into mine.

Startled by the sudden deep kiss, I instinctively clutched his shoulders and accepted it.

When his lips parted slightly, he whispered in a low voice,

“I’ll teach you. But only use it on me.”

“Okay.” 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

As I answered, a warm tongue slipped past my lips.

It was slow—like he really was trying to teach me. Maybe I should try to memorize it?

I focused on each of his movements, but then a slow heat started rising from below.

It wasn’t Guiding, and yet the warmth was spreading—confusing me.

What’s happening? I checked, but my mana was completely blocked. I wasn’t unconsciously Guiding him.

Even the thought that something felt wrong slowly melted into the haze.

“Ugh, mm. Haa...”

A burst of heat slipped from my mouth as he finally pulled back.

“Haa...”

I was panting from the heat. I tried to catch my breath and looked at Seunghyuk. He looked back. His eyes suddenly widened. Why?

But my brain wasn’t working well enough to figure it out.

“Seunghyuk, I... I feel hot. My body, hah... I think I have a fever.”

“Don’t talk.”

Suddenly, everything went dark.

He’d thrown his jacket over my head.

“S–Seunghyuk?”

What the hell? Why is he doing this? Is he trying to kidnap me now?

“It’s not an excuse, I–ugh, I really think I caught a co—”

“Yeonsu, shhh.”

Seunghyuk lifted me into his arms and started walking with wide strides.

“Joo Seunghyuk! I said get to Testing Room 1 immediately! Joo Seunghyuk!!”

“What on earth is going on? Is student Yeonsu sick again?”

Professor Jeon’s shouting and the janitor’s worried voice echoed around me.

The dorms? As long as he wasn’t dragging me to some shady place, it was fine.

Relieved, my tension dropped—and the heat came rushing back.

“Haa... haa... Seunghyuk, I can’t breathe.”

I didn’t know if it was the fever or the jacket, but I couldn’t breathe.

But Seunghyuk ignored me. My body swayed as he walked. Eventually, he set me down somewhere. Light returned as he pulled the jacket off.

The sudden brightness made my eyes sting. I blinked slowly—and saw a familiar space.

It was my bed. My room.

“Seunghyuk, why? Why did you cover my face? Haa, I couldn’t breathe...”

Just to bring me to my room?

A wave of frustration burst forth. I knew better than to criticize a yandere, but I couldn’t stop myself. Maybe the fever was melting my rationality.

“You couldn’t breathe?”

“Yeah. And I’m hot.”

“Sorry. You looked too sexy and cute—I couldn’t let anyone else see you.”

Crazy bastard. Only Joo Seunghyuk would think that about me. How the hell did I end up with this lunatic?

Even while burning with fever, I felt utterly ridiculous and miserable.

“No, I’m not...”

When I shook my head, Seunghyuk brushed his fingers across my lips.

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I’m not.”

I shouldn’t talk back to this maniac... but I couldn’t stop my mouth.

It was like being drunk—my rational brain was shut down.

“Sorry...”

“What are you apologizing for?”

“For being sick all the time. But this time it’s real.”

“So before, you were faking?”

“......”

After being discharged, I’d pretended to be sick a lot to get away from him. The guilt shut my mouth. Seunghyuk gave a faint smile and pulled me down to lie with my head in his lap. It was firm and surprisingly comfortable.

I touched the “pillow”—his thigh—then sat up.

“What is it?”

“I need cold medicine. Thanks for bringing me back, Seunghyuk, but you should go. I don’t want you to catch—”

His warm lips pressed against mine.

“You’ll catch—!”

Startled, I tried to push him away, but he kissed me again.

I was sick. I had to stop him. But I had no strength.

Seunghyuk began undoing my buttons one by one. I knew I had to stop him again, but I just couldn’t.

The burning heat slowly melted into hazy pleasure.