Chapter Text
Boring.
If Minhyun just had the capability to choose the job that he wanted to do, he would never take this new assignment given to him.
"You know," he faces Jihoon, who is now staring at the computer screen of the one he is guarding. "Let's just tell our chief to reassign us. do you even know how lifeless it is—"
Never mind , he's not going to continue what he was saying because it was cut off by Jihoon's sudden scream when Daniel won. He sometimes thinks that it's unfair when Jihoon enjoys the current situation while he is busy thinking of ways how to get out of it.
What he was trying to say is he wants another job, if possible, and he needed Jihoon to be with him. He cannot face their chief alone, especially that he doesn’t have the courage to be able to ask him if he could reassign them to a different duty. Minhyun is thinking maybe Jihoon can make him agree by asking him himself. The chief favored Jihoon so much he thinks he can make him agree in an instant.
"Sorry, hyung. What was that again?” Jihoon faced him, finally, after a few jumps and screams, but Minhyun didn't bother to talk again. He'll just explain it next time, not in this loud computer room.
He saw Seongwu just after a while, who looks like he lost his spirit because of how his character died in the game he and Daniel were playing, walking in slow steps while he was leaving the room. Maybe the two boys already bid goodbyes but he was busy talking to himself to notice.
He looked at Jihoon as a question of what happened but the other just shrugged at the action before saying, "You gotta go. I guess we'll see again tomorrow.”, when Seongwu is now out of their sight.
Seongwu is fast in walking (or Minhyun just didn’t leave the place immediately) so once Minhyun caught up with him, he patted his shoulder while saying comforting words. It’s the least thing that he could do at that moment.
"Come on. It's just a game!"
He forgot Seongwu couldn't even hear him, what more feel the pat that he gave. In short, he could never feel his presence.
There's a part of him that was bored and used to this routine, but there will always be a part that wishes that he can be seen. It's really lonely when he is alone and not when his fellow guardians. It's his first day with Seongwu and his unfamiliarity with the boy isn't really helping.
The accumulating thoughts in his head was cut when Seongwu suddenly kicked a stone out of frustration.
"How did I even lose to Daniel? Now my allowance for the whole week was cut into half. The worst part is it's just Monday."
The boy was grunting as he now enters their house. He immediately slouched to their sofa and threw his bag, not caring where will it land.
"Then be thrifty with your remaining money and don't play games again with Daniel."
Minhyun has a habit of talking back to humans whenever they talk to themselves. It's a practice he developed as a way of saving his sanity. At least it gives an illusion of them exchanging conversations.
"Ahh. Yes, that's right."
Seongwu looked onto Minhyun's direction and it made Minhyun stunned. No, he looked at him and he felt that their eyes met, but when they did, Seongwu immediately diverted his gaze.
"I'll just use my remaining money..." He said in a lower voice.
No way. He has been guarding humans since god knows when and no one of them had actually seen him. Maybe it's just his illusion or maybe it's just his wish.
✧ ✧ ✧
After weekends ended fast, Minhyun felt tired than any other day of his life. No, it's actually the first time he experienced a physical manifestation of tiredness. It feels like he needs something to recover his energy, something that could at least replenish his whole body. He knows that humans do sleep and it's one of the things they do to recharge. He hasn't tried it yet because guardians do not sleep; they don't have to, but this day has been unusually weird that he thinks he needed one.
He was about to nap on the sofa in Seongwu's house, since Seongwu still has the time before he goes to his classes but Minhyun can't even sleep due to his loud actions. He hasn't even tried again when he gave up. There's no point in attempting and Seongwu is about to leave anyway, and he has to follow him.
Seongwu arrived peacefully at the school, with no disturbances or whatsoever (this is one of the reasons why Minhyun really thinks his duty is boring, though he isn't really wishing for any complications to come). He is especially close to Daniel, together with Jaehwan and Sungwoon, who greeted him enthusiastically as soon as he steps foot on their classroom. It helps him to conclude that that must be his group of friends.
Of course, he also meets Jihoon again who is Daniel's guardian.
"Hyung, why do you look so tired?" Jihoon scanned Minhyun's face, worried. "Did something happen yesterday?"
"Nothing," he paused while remembering what happened. Nothing much worth taking note happened except for one. He's hesitating to tell Jihoon about Seongwu possibly seeing him but it's very impossible. "Don't worry, I'm fine."
Classes are ongoing and Minhyun, as well as Jihoon, doesn't have the interest to listen to lectures so they made their way out to wait until it is finished. They saw Daehwi, who guards Jinyoung, a junior of Seongwu and Daniel at the same school.
Daehwi who started to work ahead of them said it really takes a long time for classes to end that students are usually dismissed in the late afternoon. The three decided to have a walk around the campus and sit on a comfortable spot that they have seen.
However, their supposedly free time was cut off when Daehwi saw Seongwu climbing off railings to get out of their school premises. He immediately called Minhyun's attention.
"Hyung," Minhyun seems to be pacing out. "Isn't he who you are guarding?"
When Minhyun had turned to face the direction where Daehwi's pointing at, he saw Seongwu who has now escaped. Without further ado, he left his spot and attempted to teleport to where Seongwu is. To his dismay, he cannot even use his power due to the lowering energy that is remaining in his body.
Jihoon and Daehwi noticed this and asked him what's wrong. He told them that he cannot explain this now as Seongwu is getting out of their sight.
Minhyun ran.
He doesn't remember the last time he did it because guardians like them has the ability to just disappear in an instant and appear on where they wish to be.
He saw Seongwu sitting at one of the benches, closing his eyes and feeling the sea breeze coming from the nearby lake. Since it is past noon, there were no other people in the area aside from the two of them.
Minhyun walked nearer to him. It’s only the sound of birds chirping and rustling of leaves that can be heard and he likes how peaceful it is. He sat on the space beside Seongwu, who is still closing his eyes and smiling. He just noticed how perfect his features are and he can’t help but to admire. Maybe it’s just an illusion because of the wind blowing, but sometimes he is thankful he can’t be seen so that he can stare at people, like what he is doing now to Seongwu, without limit.
“Do you know that I can see you?”
Minhyun was taken aback. Guardians can never be seen and there were no other cases before to prove that it is possible. He just set his gaze straight to the lake in front of them and pretended that he didn’t hear anything, but no matter how much he pretends, he cannot deny that he feels the fast beating of his heart.