Guide Me If You Dare-Chapter 186: THE STAGE IS SET

"WHAT DO you mean by that, sir?" Yuno said, pinching the bridge of his nose. He was getting stressed out because of his new producer’s bullshit. "Why should I suddenly change the main character’s physique?"

As usual, he was the passenger princess while Ki Gayoon was driving the car.

They were headed to Lee Woonhak’s clinic.

Of course, they could have just summoned the healer to their penthouse. But there were other errands to run, so they decided to go there in person instead of the other way around.

Yuno actually wanted to sleep in the car because a certain someone drained his energy before they left the penthouse, but his new producer suddenly called. Apparently, it was because he wasn’t responding to his emails.

I’m sorry for being too busy saving this damned country.

Anyway, his previous (kind and lovely) producer (PD) was on maternity leave, so a new producer was in charge of his webcomics at the moment.

And that new PD was being obnoxious already.

<"Mr. Noh, feminine and slim bottoms are more popular these days. Since your main character is a bottom, it won’t hurt if you draw him a little less buff. To be honest, it’s more attractive to see a muscular top with a twink anyway. Especially if the bottom looks a bit younger than his actual age.">

What the fuck?

"Sir, if I’m going to redraw my main character to give him more feminine features while the top remains as manly as he is, then I’ll just draw a straight smut," Yuno said bluntly. "Of course, there are stories where the MC has feminine features, but they fit the story. That’s not the case here. My main character is a freaking spy— a former member of the special task force. Writer Youngji-nim dedicated three pages of the novel to describing how big, buff, and strong the MC is— and you want me to turn that kind of character into a twink?!"

"Pfft."

Ki Gayoon stifled his laughter, but Yuno was too agitated to pay attention to his lover.

<"Writer Youngji-nim has already given us the adaptation rights to her novel, so we have the creative liberty to present the characters how we want in the webcomics. What’s so bad about following the trend? Feminine-looking bottoms who look a lot smaller and younger than the top are more appealing to the readers.">

Says who?

I want to keep this job, so please give me more patience.

"Sir, there’s a BL for everyone. It’s okay if we cater to readers who prefer the buff top and buff bottom dynamic. The main character’s physique is really, really important to the story, so I won’t turn him into a twink," Yuno said sternly. "Plus, I wouldn’t want to draw a feminine main character who looks "a lot smaller and younger" than the top. I don’t enjoy smut scenes when one party looks like a freaking child."

<"Mr. Noh I didn’t expect you to be this inflexible.">

Ah, fuck it.

"Why are you forcing me to draw a feminine, child-looking main character when the story requires a big and buff main character capable of throwing the top off the cliff?" Yuno asked suspiciously. "You know what, Mr. Producer? Somebody should check your hard drive."

<"And what are you trying to imply with that, Mr. Noh?">

"I’m saying you’re so fucking weird for wanting to see a child-looking character being fucked by a man twice his size," Yuno said, completely snapping. "I’m not going to draw your fetish, and I’m reporting you to the company. If they take your side, then I’m quitting. But I won’t go down alone. If I lose this job, you’re not gonna lose yours as well."

<"Mr. Noh—">

Yuno ended the call.

"Do you want me to kill that guy for you?" Ki Gayoon asked casually while rubbing Yuno’s thigh as if he was trying to calm him down. "Based on your conversation, that bastard seems to be problematic."

Ki Gayoon said it lightly, but Yuno was sure he would kill the producer if he asked him to.

Hyung doesn’t joke when it comes to me.

"It’s alright, Hyung," Yuno said, putting his hand on top of Ki Gayoon’s hand. "Nam Sori is working with me in this webcomics series. She’s the storyboard writer. If I tell her what happened, she’ll support me in reporting that producer."

"Nam Sori," Ki Gayoon said as if he was trying to remember where he heard that name. "The friend you met at the Death Camp?"

"Yes. She’s my best friend."

"Your best friend is a criminal."

"Yes, Nam Sori is a criminal since she didn’t register as an Esper," Yuno said. He already got Nam Sori’s permission to share that information with Ki Gayoon. "Unlike Leehan Hyung who officially registered as an Esper to be Sajangnim’s bodyguard, Nam Sori remained hidden with her family. Hyung knows the Rogue Clan, right?"

"Of course. They’re an infamous group of Espers and Guides who refuse to register their abilities to the government. I hire their Espers from time to time."

Right.

The Rogue Clan also worked as mercenaries.

"Hyung, I’ll introduce you to Nam Sori later."

"Okay."

Hmm?

Yuno couldn’t help but notice Ki Gayoon’s silly grin.

The Esper tried to hide it by covering half of his face, but he didn’t succeed.

"Why are you grinning like that, Hyung?"

"I’m just happy."

"That I’m introducing you to my best friend?"

"Yes," Ki Gayon said, entwining his fingers with Yuno’s fingers. "Because that means you’re keeping me in your life forever, right?"

Aigoo.

Hyung is being cheesy again.

"I have no choice but to keep you, Hyung," Yuno said teasingly. "I’ve already used your body. But do you think I can still return you?"

"Nah, I’ve already ripped the "receipt" to pieces."

Pfft.

Hyung can be funny when he wants to.

"Yuno-ya, will it consider it then?"

"Consider what?"

"Imprinting."

Oh.

"I’m sorry if I’m making you feel like I’m pressuring you," Ki Gayoon said, lifting Yuno’s hand near his lips. And then he kissed Yuno’s knuckles quickly before focusing his gaze to the road again. "I just want to remind you that I’m always ready to Imprint with you."

For a Guide and an Esper, Imprinting had more weight than a wedding.

And for an E-Class Guide like Yuno, Imprinting with Ki Gayoon meant the government might deem him worthless.

However, he wasn’t scared.

I know Hyung will protect me— and he’ll still be with me whether I’m useful or not.

"Hyung, let’s survive first," Yuno said, smiling. "We need to be alive to Imprint, right?"

Ki Gayoon grinned— obviously relieved. "Hell yeah— I’ll outlive the devil himself if it means being with you longer, Yuno-ya."

Aigoo.

So cheesy.

***

"YOU NEED to pay the fine in Noh Yuno’s stead— he breached his contract, after all."

Moon Noa almost choked on his tea because of what Ryu Sungbin said.

He was wondering why this brat wanted to meet him.

I thought it would be for something personal, so I came here despite Leehan’s protest.

To be fair, Moon Noa wasn’t being careless.

He only agreed to meet Ryu Sungbin at the restaurant in the Moonlight Hotel— the hotel owned by his family.

But, of course, he reserved the entire restaurant for the two of them.

Leehan is just outside the restaurant.

On the other hand, it didn’t seem like Ryu Sungbin brought anyone with him.

Well, to be fair, Binbin doesn’t need to bring anyone with him if he wants me dead.

"Noh Yuno hasn’t finished his contract with the National Guide Bureau yet, but he has already stopped going to work."

"I thought the chief gave Yuyu a break?"

"Pay up, and the contract will end neatly," Ryu Sungbin said, obviously avoiding the concern that Moon Noa raised. "You’re the one acting as Noh Yuno’s guardian, and you’re the one who set this contract. Hence, it’s your responsibility to pay the fine."

They could have just asked Noh Yuno or Ki Gayoon.

So, Moon Noa didn’t buy Ryu Sungbin’s excuse.

Hence, he ended up with one plausible conclusion.

"You need my money," Moon Noa said, laughing softly. "You could have asked Yoonyoon to pay for the fine, but you knew Yoonyoon would pay only the exact amount since he hates being scammed. However, if it’s me, you can ask me for any amount you need and you know I’ll give it to you."

"If you already know, then pay up," Ryu Sungbin said coldly. "Setting up the stage for my fight with Ki Gayoon isn’t cheap, so the government needs you to chip in."

"Is that the only thing you need from me, Binbin?"

"Do you think I asked to meet you for a personal reason?"

"If you just wanted me to pay the fine for Yuyu’s breach of contract, then you could have just sent your lawyer to me. You know that I’ll give you the amount of money you need whoever you sent to collect it," Moon Noa said, leaning against the chair while raising an eyebrow at Ryu Sungbin. "But you asked me to meet you here, Binbin. So, if you need something from me, just say it. Who knows? I might give it to you for the right price."

"Unseal it."

There it is.

"Unseal what?"

"Your memories," Ryu Sungbin said bluntly. "You know something about what happened to the Facility that not even Noh Yuno is aware of, right?"

"Even if it’s true, and even if it’s you, you’re still asking for too much."

"I’m not asking you to unseal your memories for free."

"You can’t pay me—"

"I’ll come back to you," Ryu Sungbin said, cutting him off. "If you unseal your memories, I’ll come back to you, Noa Hyung."

Ah.

Moon Noa’s heart wavered easily.

***

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