SOFTIE 44

[Yeonwoo dotes on me.]

“Exactly. That’s just him being nice because he doesn’t have a Guide to get Guiding from right now. You don’t even know that? Or have you ever actually heard him say he likes you? Not the Guiding, but that he likes your very existence?”

[Yeonwoo…!]

He hadn’t. He never had. While Softy had expressed his feelings honestly and said he liked him many times, he had never heard it from Yeonwoo. Even on that day—the day they did that intense Guiding—he had heard that the Guiding was good, but he had never heard that Yeonwoo liked him.

Softy felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck him from the sky.

But it’s Yeonwoo; even if he doesn’t remember, he came to see me. He became my mate. Then doesn’t that mean he likes me? He likes the Guiding. Then do I… does he not like me…?

Softy shook his head violently. Even without hearing the words “I like you” directly, Yeonwoo told him he was cute, acknowledged him as a mate, and tried his best to like him in any form because “Softy is Softy.”

Doesn’t this mean he likes me?

Noticing that Softy’s triumphant momentum had withered, the Guide shrugged his shoulders as if he had won.

“I figured you’d never heard it. He’s just being nice because he’s on the verge of a rampage if he doesn’t get Guiding immediately. If you have nothing left to say, get out of the way!”

Kicked once more by the Guide’s foot, Softy rolled helplessly to the side and hit the wall. Softy didn’t even think to get up and just lay there face down. He didn’t even feel annoyed or upset.

Softy was curious about Yeonwoo’s thoughts. It just so happened that lately, days of Yeonwoo refusing Guiding had continued, making him even more anxious.

Do you really not like me…? Then, what… what do I do? I don’t want to be apart. Just imagining it made him sad. Softy’s body trembled, and it felt like tears were about to pour out. It was then.

“What is this situation?”

Yeonwoo suddenly appeared. The Guide also flinched, his shoulders trembling as if startled by the sudden voice.

Yeonwoo, who had arrived early with a joyful heart at the thought of seeing Softy, felt anger rising beyond absurdity as he personally witnessed the unexpected scene.

After his pollution level dropped to a stable range through Softy’s Guiding, the speed of his Gate conquests had increased noticeably. Time was gradually shortened, and even when he used his abilities to his heart’s content, the instances of his pollution level spiking instantly decreased.

At first, his teammates worried that clearing Gates too quickly would only arouse more suspicion from the higher-ups, but as their clock-out times got earlier, they came to prefer Yeonwoo sweeping everything away. There weren’t even any Gates left to give him because they had pushed so many his way.

With no Gates assigned and the conquest finished early, he had come to pick Softy up exactly when his class ended. Conveniently, he also intended to look into the strange things Softy had mentioned.

‘I came to find out who was bullying Softy… but to think I’d find them this quickly. This makes me feel even filthier.’

Yeonwoo quietly scanned the crowd. One boasting Guide, whispering onlookers nearby, and the overturned Softy. He clenched his fists. Everyone was the same, whether it was the Guide in front of him personally picking on and belittling Softy, or the others watching.

They didn’t help, nor did they stop it. Instead, they were worrying about the Guide, wondering if they should call an Esper. He had heard it from the entrance—the voices of people ignoring, belittling, and being wary of his precious Guide. That was why he came quickly, but…

As Yeonwoo appeared, the flustered Guide looked toward Softy in surprise and then pointed at Softy, who had bolted upright, shouting:

“He tried to attack me!”

Yeonwoo furrowed his brow as he looked at the young Guide who came running into his space, radiating Guiding energy. It was a good thing his pollution level was stable; otherwise, he would have pushed him away in disgust. Had he not heard the rumors about him among the Guides? Yeonwoo was never the type to be kind to Guides.

The moment the Guide’s hand touched his body, Yeonwoo heartlessly brushed it off. Clutching his tingling hand, the Guide stared up at Yeonwoo blankly.

“Softy did what?”

Yeonwoo spoke with a sneer toward the Guide.

[Yeonwoo…]

Hearing that tearful, sorrowful voice made him even more furious. Where in that cutely sobbing expression was there any intent to attack? Based on what?

“This is quite different from what I heard?”

“…Pardon?”

Yeonwoo looked at the Guide’s name tag with a chilling gaze.

Lee Yu-han—he was indeed the Guide Haeyoon had mentioned. He knew the Guides wouldn’t exactly welcome Softy warmly. He could just ignore the bickering. But there was no mention of hitting. If it were just words, he wouldn’t be this angry, but to lift a foot?

How often would Softy end up overturned in the middle of a hallway?

“You kicked Softy, didn’t you.”

“…!”

“And yet you shamelessly claim you were the one bullied. I’m about to make you pay the price for that, what do you think?”

“I-I…”

“No need for excuses.”

The Guide trembled under the cold aura radiating from the S-rank Esper. Since Espers and Guides can feel each other’s wavelengths, this method was quite effective. Without even sparing a glance at the Guide who had collapsed on the floor, unable to control his body shaking from the vast energy, Yeonwoo coldly brushed past him.

“I should have come sooner.”

Yeonwoo approached Softy, knelt down, and gathered him into his arms. There was dirt on the body he wiped clean every day. Yeonwoo lightly brushed off the filth.

“You’re not hurt anywhere, right?”

[Yeah, it doesn’t hurt!]

He was sobbing just a moment ago, but it seemed his mood had cleared up already.

Yeonwoo swallowed a sigh and gave a warning glare toward the surroundings that still maintained a deathly silence. Now that he had made an example out of one person, they would be careful about how they treated Softy.

[Yeonwoo, are you mad?]

“No, I’m not. Just… sorry.”

[Why is Yeonwoo apologizing?]

Was I really this lacking? Fearing that Softy might be attacked, he had given him a magic tool. However, that Guide had merely been acting in a mocking way, not lunging to kill. That was why it hadn’t activated, and Softy had been left alone in the midst of those terrible gazes.

He had left him be because Softy liked attending classes, but if he had known he was being treated like this, he wouldn’t have left him here alone.

No. That’s not it. You knew Softy, being a magic beast, wouldn’t be welcomed. You sent him even though you knew the fence wasn’t safe. He thought people wouldn’t dare touch him because they’d be afraid of Softy as a magic beast, but to think there were those with enough guts to…

They poured out insults to his face and even lifted a foot. He had seen the faint footprint on his body.

I was negligent. Based on the delusion that the Guide Association would try to win Softy’s favor, he had vaguely assumed things would be fine.

Weren’t they trying to win Softy over? Or had Shin Witaek already done something? Right, they say a former enemy can become an ally. It seemed they had concluded that Softy couldn’t be used.

Because he seemed too close to me? Those persistent bastards. At least until the classes were over, they should have continued their persuasion while minding Softy’s safety and feelings. More than that, were there really that many people who approached Softy to the point of frustrating him multiple times? The only one he’d heard about from Softy was Guide Yoon Hyunseop…

Yeonwoo swallowed a sigh. It’s all because my own ability is lacking. He shouldn’t give Softy any burdens other than Guiding. Since the Guide Association was far removed from the Esper Association, it was difficult for Yeonwoo to know the internal workings. He occasionally collected information when he came to pick up Softy, but it was limited.

Should I try breaking in secretly to find out?

Just as Yeonwoo’s mood was hitting rock bottom, something cold tapped his cheek. At Softy’s warmth, the corners of Yeonwoo’s eyes curved softly.

“They look down on you because you’re this cute and kind.”

Hearing the small whisper, Softy tilted his head and asked.

[Am I cute?]

“You are.”

[Then, you know…]

Yeonwoo looked down at the fidgeting Softy. What was he hesitating so much for?

[Do you like me? That human earlier said so. He said Yeonwoo only likes my Guiding and doesn’t like me.]

Yeonwoo wanted to turn around right now and go back to that Guide. Come to think of it, he had let him off too easily. Softy had been struck multiple times, yet he had let that Guide go without a single wound.

“Who says such crap? It’s not true. I like you because you’re Softy.”

[You like me?]

“Of course. I like you. I like you a lot.”