SOFTIE 43

Watching the rejoicing Softy, Yeonwoo couldn’t figure out where things had gone wrong. On top of that, there were these figures. The pollution level had dropped significantly, yet Softy didn’t show even a single sign of exhaustion.

[Huh? But usually, they say it should get down to 20%…]

When he even suggested doing more, Yeonwoo sat bolt upright. He tottered for a moment, but Softy caught and supported him.

“Softy, let’s head out now. People are worried about us. They’re about to break the door down any second.”

[Why would they worry when Yeonwoo is with me? It’s fine. I blocked it so they can’t come in.]

“…Let’s rest at home. It’s uncomfortable here. The floor is hard, too.”

At Yeonwoo’s words, Softy thought for a moment and then nodded. Thinking he had successfully persuaded him, Yeonwoo tried to leave quickly, but his legs were shaking.

[Should I carry you?]

“…No. More importantly.”

His clothes were a total mess. They were at a level where he simply couldn’t wear them. At least the pants were okay since they had been taken off further away, but the top was a problem. Scanning the vicinity, he spotted a gown left behind by the researchers. Yeonwoo put on the gown and scanned the room.

Fortunately, Softy had taken care of all the ejaculate that had dirtied the floor…

“Fuck.”

[What’s wrong?]

“No, it’s nothing.”

Let’s be careful; Softy shouldn’t hear and learn harsh words.

However, Yeonwoo couldn’t stop himself from muttering curses internally. Today had been such an exhausting day.

In the meantime, Softy had returned to his round glutinous rice cake form and was waiting for Yeonwoo to pick him up. Seeing that sight made a smile break out.

It was a story he could never tell anyone because it was too embarrassing, but Softy had exerted himself for his sake. The proof was the lowered pollution level.

“Softy, thanks for the Guiding.”

[Let’s do it again next time! Tomorrow? Is tomorrow good?]

“Not like today. Do it like you used to.”

[Why?]

Because I don’t think my mental state can handle it.

“It was dangerous today.”

In many ways.

“Since the pollution level dropped a lot, today’s kind of Guiding… seems like it’ll be fine. Softy, do you know that at the end you were so tired the Guiding energy couldn’t be felt? You overdid it, too. You shouldn’t overdo it.”

[I’m not sure about that. I’m perfectly fine!]

“No. You have to be careful. If Softy gets sick like I did, my heart will ache.”

[…Mmm, I hate it when Yeonwoo worries.]

…I’m saved.

Yeonwoo breathed a sigh of relief internally. While it was true it had felt good, he never wanted to experience it again.

[But Yeonwoo liked it. I liked it too and wanted to do more.]

Yeonwoo did not answer.

Softy had many, many worries.

He was rejected by Yeonwoo again today. You liked it when I touched you down there. So why do you keep stopping me when I try to touch you? Didn’t you say the Guiding was good? Why do you hate it when I’m doing something good for you?

Softy was puzzled. They said humans were sensitive, but he didn’t know what the problem was. Yeonwoo had explained it, but Softy couldn’t understand. Why do you refuse to show me just because you’re embarrassed?

Naturally, he couldn’t help but think that the reason Yeonwoo was refusing lay in the Guiding, or in himself. Softy stared intently at his reflection in the window.

Was my appearance the problem? Softy recalled his behavior during the Guiding. Was it the sharp teeth? Or pressing down with my feet so he couldn’t move? Because I tied his hands with tentacles? I can’t tell.

If I change into a human, will Yeonwoo like that too? It was certain that Yeonwoo had liked it when he turned into a human. He didn’t dislike it when he approached. In fact, he reached out first.

Softy looked at the window and pulled out a tentacle. Since his body was small, the surface area it touched was small, and even when he pulled out a tentacle, it was thin like thread. When he turned large, Yeonwoo was scared of the tentacles that grew as large as his size. That was why he had turned into a form like Happy, the dog Yeonwoo said he had raised. But in that form, he couldn’t use his hands and feet properly.

Yes, a human seems best.

If I become a human, I can hold hands with Yeonwoo, I can hug him, and people won’t look at us with strange eyes. Yeonwoo will proudly take me around, too!

I’ll practice every single day.

Softy made a resolution to himself. Someone appeared to disturb Softy’s musings.

“Are you still taking classes? Isn’t it about time you gave up? There’s no way he’d like receiving Guiding from the likes of you.”

Softy turned his head sharply as he looked at the Guide who came to pick a fight today without fail. He was the Guide who had kicked him last time, and he picked fights with Softy every day as if he were clocking in.

He babbled nonsense like: because you’re a magic beast, no one will see you as a Guide; I’ll do much better than something like you; right now you’re Yeonwoo’s Guide, but later it’ll be me.

Ignoring the words of a human who knew nothing was one thing, but he couldn’t help being annoyed. That Guide had become Softy’s most hated human.

What do you know about Yeonwoo? The idea that he was bad at Guiding was a thing of the past. Yeonwoo liked Softy’s Guiding, and by accepting it, he had dropped into the green zone.

Softy felt proud. Furthermore, Yeonwoo had personally told him that they had become a pair. He had explained that being a pair meant being mates.

What is a mate? It means a being that is always with you and is more precious than anything else. From the very beginning, Yeonwoo had introduced him to the humans as his Pair Guide.

That meant he had thought of him as a mate from the start. He felt like he could fly through the sky with joy. It must have been because he thought of him as a mate that he accepted everything last time. Of course, not now… but he did not give in. Because it was certain that Yeonwoo liked the Guiding.

“Can you even communicate? How does Esper Seo Yeonwoo stand it when it’s so frustrating?”

Softy stopped in his tracks at the Guide’s words. The reason Softy hadn’t spoken was simple. It was in case Yeonwoo was scared. There were so many humans who were terrified when a magic beast spoke to them. Since Yeonwoo liked cute things, he figured he should greet him by crying cutely.

He thought that every time. But Yeonwoo had forgotten him. He hid it because he liked Yeonwoo looking at him as something cute rather than being afraid. But things were different now.

Yeonwoo likes talking with me.

Softy thought for a moment and turned around. When the magic beast that had ignored his words all this time stared intently at him, the Guide flinched slightly. He had acted boldly only because Softy stayed still no matter how much he provoked him, but he hadn’t forgotten that the slime in front of him was a magic beast.

“A-Are you planning to attack me? You know there are Espers nearby, right? Just try attacking me, and I’ll immediately call the Espers…”

[Yeonwoo likes me. He accepted the Guiding very happily.]

“Wh-what?”

Softy spoke, completely ignoring the Guide’s words. Hearing Softy’s voice for the first time, the Guide’s eyes widened in surprise.

After a little time passed, he realized Softy had spoken to him. The Guide was flustered but did not back down.

“What are you talking about, for a mere magic beast?! Why would Esper Seo Yeonwoo like you! He’s only being nice to you for now because you’re the only one who can Guide him! You shouldn’t get delusional. Just you wait. Once I become a Guide, I’m going to apply for a pair with Esper Seo Yeonwoo. You might not have known, but my matching rate came out quite high. It was a whopping 58%. It’s lower than the Team 1 Guide, but if I get close to Esper Seo Yeonwoo, it could get as high as…”

[I’m at 93%.]

At Softy’s statement, the Guide stopped talking for a moment.

“What? 9-93%?! D-don’t lie!”

[And Yeonwoo’s Pair Guide is me. How could someone like you become his mate?]

Softy nonchalantly recited the truth and crushed the Guide’s pride. He couldn’t accept that a magic beast had a 93% matching rate with Yeonwoo.

“How do I know if that’s the truth or not! Prove it!”

[Why should I prove it? Yeonwoo is mine anyway.]

Watching Softy talk back so articulately, the Guide could only let out a hollow laugh. He didn’t know what Softy had been thinking while keeping his mouth shut all this time, but it meant he had been thinking things like that continuously. The Guide huffed.

“But you’re still a magic beast! Once he gets Guiding from a human like me, his mind will change. I can make him feel much better than something like you! Another human is bound to be better than a magic beast!”

He should have shouted back boldly that it wasn’t true, but thinking of Yeonwoo who had been avoiding him lately, Softy’s insides twisted.