Chapter 29: Ch 29: How did things get worse?

The esper who had delivered the news about the ’food batch cycle’ was looking at Noah with intense eyes.

Noah had a feeling he wanted to say something and was waiting for Noah to ask him what he wanted.

But if he could be a petty bitch, then so could Noah. So he kept pretending he had no idea what this man was doing.

Ultimately, it was the other side that gave in first.

"I don’t see how your friendship works. All you do is leech off others without giving them anything in return. So why does Daniel keep hanging around someone like you?"

The esper asked, and Noah had no idea what kind of answer this esper wanted.

In the first place, it was not a question even Noah could answer because he had no idea. Even he agreed that he was not the kind of person Daniel would associate with.

Based on what he had seen in his visions before, he should have been the second-to-last person Daniel associated with. But since the last person was Alan, and he became Daniel’s lover...

It was better not to think about it.

The esper was not done speaking yet. He took a step forward and grabbed Noah’s chin with his fingers before tilting his head up.

"Honestly, I don’t understand what Daniel sees in you. Sure, you have a nice face, but you are a guide with no promising future. You are merely B-rank and clumsy enough to get your leg broken within the first few days. Has Daniel gone blind or something?"

The esper asked, and Noah felt closer to breaking his wrist with each passing second. But he had to restrain himself.

’Don’t break this esper’s wrist. You are a powerless guide who is being threatened. Let’s pretend to be afraid.’

Noah tried to sculpt his face into a scared expression, but it just came off as arrogant. That caused the esper holding his face to look even more irritated.

"You bastard-"

"Hey, do you think Daniel keeps me around because I am cute? I think it’s because of that! What do you think?"

Noah asked while winking at the esper and cupping his face in his hands. His actions disgusted the esper so much that he instantly let Noah go and made a startled noise.

"What the hell are you doing? Ugh, do you really think you are cute? Get over yourself, you freak!"

Now that would have almost hurt Noah...if he had not been so desensitized to hearing those words. The scientists had often reminded him that he was an experiment, and the definition of ’cute’ did not apply to his damaged body anymore.

That was why he could not even be sold off as a ’toy’ like some of the other espers had been before the research lab burned down. And Noah was grateful every day for his scarred body. It had saved him from a fate worse than death.

One day, he would track down each and every unfortunate soul who had been ’cute’ enough to be sold and put them out of their misery. But that day was still far away.

For now, he forced a laugh out of his throat and teased the esper in front of him even more.

"Hey, there is no need to be this shy! If you find me cute, then you should just say it! Come on-"

"Tsk, are you looking to get hit? That would make your ugly face at least a little more interesting!"

The esper was getting angry. In fact, he had gotten so angry that he decided to raise his hand to hit Noah. He had a faint blush on his face that was equal parts embarrassment and anger.

The hit was going to hurt, and Noah had already closed his eyes, accepting his fate, when he sensed Daniel’s familiar presence.

The other guide kicked the esper in the back of his knee, making him lose his balance.

Meanwhile, Daniel walked over to stand beside Noah and wrapped his arm around Noah’s waist to pull him closer.

"Tsk, to think that espers these days cannot even give a compliment without twisting it. There is no need for you to hear their nonsense, Noah. You are cute enough in my eyes."

Daniel’s words were clear, and Noah almost thanked him before he felt soft lips press against his cheek.

It left him stunned, and he was not the only one.

The esper, who was finally starting to stand back up, looked beyond shocked by what had happened.

"T-This is...why did you...?"

He looked at Noah and Daniel, trying to piece together the puzzle, but there was no explanation he could find.

"Noah, we are leaving now."

Daniel grabbed Noah’s hand and pulled him along. And Noah was too stunned to stop him. In fact, he could only look at their clasped hands with a blank mind.

’Did I...get kissed on the cheek by Daniel and get called cute? That was nice of him...?’

Things were not computing in Noah’s mind, and the bad day had suddenly taken a strange turn. He was almost floating in his bubbly thoughts when Daniel opened the door to their room.

And the scene inside made Noah’s happy mood vanish in an instant.

Their room door was locked properly, but the inside was a mess. Noah’s bed had been torn apart, and even the bed frame had been broken.

Someone had clearly taken their time trashing Noah’s side of the room while leaving Daniel’s side untouched.

"Daniel...I think someone broke into our room and trashed it. Should we call someone?"

Noah asked in a strange voice. The scene in front of him did not feel real. Moreover, it was hard for Noah to process that this was happening to him at this moment.

But while he was still processing everything, Daniel was already taking action. He locked the room behind him and grabbed Noah’s hand to tug him along.

"There is no way this was an accident. We need to involve the authorities right now. Someone is out to get you."