KCDT Chapter 17

“Hmm…”  

Scrunching his brows at the sunlight waking him from deep slumber, Cairo tossed and turned. Since it had been a while since he slept so well, he wanted to savor the feeling some more.  

<…!>  

Then realizing his hand that held Yujin’s right before he fell asleep now felt empty, his eyes shot wide open.  

Where is he? He couldn’t have run away after leaving me, right? Anxiety pumping his heart, Cairo hurriedly got off the bed.  

I shouldn’t have fallen asleep after all. Even if it meant bearing the pain of skinning my thigh with a knife, I should have stayed awake watching the Guide instead.

His heart thumped loudly, pounding faster in impatience. The sweat filling up his palms was unpleasant. At the same time, discontent toward the Guide who made him feel this way surged up.  

Why would his disappearance from my side is making me feel this way?  

Though Cairo had never once walked loudly or caused a commotion, in this moment, he forgot all such manners. He was solely focused on finding his guide as quickly as possible.

Bang!  

“Whoa!”

That sigh of relief, as if he was a safe haven for him, suddenly made Cairo’s chest tight. How could this guy feel such emotions when they hadn’t known each other for long? Unaware, Cairo was deeply falling for Yujin.

“It’s you. You surprised me. Don’t open doors so hard, I got scared for a minute.”  

<Why did you disappear from my side? How presumptuous, for a Guide. And why are you speaking informally again?>

“Why aren’t you speaking Korean?”

Despite not understanding each other’s words, they both asked similar questions, looking at each other with the same expressions. Surprisingly, even though they still couldn’t understand each other’s language, they shared the same look.

“…Are you kidding? You can speak Korean.”

<I don’t know what you’re saying so speak imperial tongue quickly. No, nevermind. Just give me your hand already.>

Seeing Yujin speak words he couldn’t comprehend again, Cairo squinted his eyes shut at the unpleasantness and pain he felt.  

Unlike his usual stimuli, having gotten used to comfort without irritation or pain thanks to Yujin’s guiding, Cairo was now sensitive to even small stimuli, eagerly seeking Yujin’s hand.  

Striding over to hold his hand, it was as if Cairo’s airways opened up, a small breath escaping him. Despite having just woken up, he mumbled as if completely exhausted.

“This isn’t enough…”

“Speaking Korean again?”

However, no matter what Cairo muttered, Yujin just looked puzzled as he spoke the weird language and went back to Korean.  

“…Could it be.”  

As if a thought occurred to him, Yujin let go of Cairo’s hand just in case. And prayed inwardly. Please keep speaking Korean.  

<What are you doing? Why are you letting go?>  

“Ah, damn it…”

Yujin was discouraged by the absurd situation where he couldn’t communicate if he let go of the hand. Either way, Cairo held his hand again.  

“Stop wandering and try guiding.”  

Hearing an understandable language again as their hands connected, rather than fainting, Yujin chose escapism. This must be an illusion. This kid is just playing a prank.

“…What’s that?”  

Determined to focus on the conversation, no matter how much Yujin thought about it, the ‘guide’ Cairo talked about didn’t seem to be the general guide he knew of.  

Thus, last night he had searched overnight for another meaning to ‘guide’ and if there was a language similar to what Cairo spoke.

But the result was nil. Guide only meant what Yujin knew, and he couldn’t find any country that spoke a language similar to Cairo’s either.  

In the end, he even came across the Gestalt collapse phenomenon without grasping what exactly he was trying to find.

So he figured he might as well just ask what that meant. Since they couldn’t hold a conversation even with verbal communication, Yujin decided to let everything go and listen to Cairo’s words.  

“I don’t know what Guide you’re talking about, and I couldn’t find which country’s language you’re using either. So let’s have an honest talk. Where on earth are you from?”

“…You don’t even know who I am and mean that you kidnapped me?”  

Hearing that Cairo still thought it was kidnapping, Yujin almost slapped his forehead.  

“I said this yesterday too but I never kidnapped you. This is my house, I just went out in the morning then came back after going to the company, and I was surprised to see you here.”

“…Then why am I here?”  

“That’s what I want to ask…”

Cairo seemed truly perplexed. So Yujin wanted to cry even more. If even he didn’t know, then where on earth did this guy come from?  

But soon, Yujin changed his mind. While he still couldn’t figure out how and why Cairo came to his house, seeing his bewildered face, Yujin couldn’t press him for reasons either.  

“…Then what does the reason matter. Let’s just think about sending you home.”

“You’re sending me back?”  

“Obviously. Since I didn’t kidnap you.”  

Despite his explanation, Cairo flinched in surprise at the words ‘sending back’ making Yujin not even crack a hollow laugh anymore.  

However, contrary to what Yujin thought, hearing he would send him back, Cairo hurriedly grabbed onto him. Already holding one hand, he hugged Yujin’s waist tightly as if absolutely refusing to let go. Taken aback, Yujin was bewildered.  

“Why, why? You don’t wanna go home?”  

Could he have run away from home? When I secretly applied medicine while he slept yesterday, I felt it too, but could it indeed be domestic violence after all?  

‘His clothes look neat and tidy though…’  

Of course, that itself couldn’t conclusively deny domestic violence. Since the people who only take care of what meets the public eye did exist.

“Could it be that your parents hit you?”

As Yujin stroked the boy’s hair affectionately trying to soothe even if awkwardly, Cairo leaned against the touch but kept shaking his head no. The man might have been a nuisance, but he had never gone as far as hitting him. However, had Yujin read his mind, he would’ve grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.  

“If not, is there any other problem?”  

More than anything, his immediate concern was the Guide before him. Cairo felt like he could melt under her guiding touch and the warmth in her voice, and he resolved even more firmly not to let go of Yujin.

‘My Guide. You are mine.’  

His young eyes filled with distinct greed. Nuzzling into Yujin’s waist that he grabbed even more, Cairo declared to him.

“Come with me too.”  

“…Huh?”

“You’re my Guide. So you should come too.”

Faced with Cairo’s sudden change of attitude and insistence on taking him along, Yujin was at a loss for how to react.

‘Did he like the chocolate bar I gave him yesterday that much?’

For Yujin who still didn’t know what a Guide was, this was the best guess he could make. After all, since from his position, he couldn’t understand why Cairo had opened his heart to him.  

“Uh, well. I can’t go with you. But I can give as many chocolate bars as you wa…”

“You can’t go?”

Yujin shut his mouth at the frosty voice which transformed from clingy desperate pleas before. Afterward, he inwardly freaked out. What kid makes a voice like that?  

Yujin’s alarmed pupils met Cairo’s sharply cold eyes. Despite just a kid whose head came up only to his chest, Yujin flinched the moment their eyes interlocked.  

He did feel embarrassed to be scared by a child but couldn’t deny he was startled for a moment.  

‘What kid gives a look like that…?’

Feeling awkward whether to avoid his gaze or keep facing him, when Yujin tried to pry Cairo off, just lightly pushing him away, Cairo hugged him as if trying to break his waist on the spot.  

“Ahh! My waist, my waist!”  

“Why aren’t you coming with me?! You’re my Guide! I don’t know how I’m supposed to live now without you…!”

“Idon’thaveacluewhatyou’resayingbutcantyouatleastleigomywaistfirstitfeelslikeit’llbreakaaah?!”

Feeling like his waist would snap backward and break as the grip was so powerful, Yujin desperately shouted without a pause between his words. Perhaps sensing his sincerity, Cairo seemed reluctant but loosened his grasp.  

While he still didn’t let go completely, at least a terrible accident of his waist snapping was prevented and Yujin heaved a sigh of relief. 

This time, anger soon welled up inside Yujin. Though more so at the absurd situation itself rather than Cairo who almost crippled his waist.

‘What did I do wrong to have to use up my vacation days and go through this.’

As Yujin deeply sighed, Cairo’s shoulders quivered slightly, still not letting go of his waist and face buried against him. Realizing the fierce kid was now cautiously minding him, Yujin had no choice but to placate him by patting his back instead of scolding.  

“Phew, for now, let’s have a conversation. Can you let go of this uncle (samcheon) or a bit?”

“Why are you my uncle? Do you know impersonating royalty is subject to capital punishment?”  

Honestly, Yujin wanted to say ‘brother (-hyung)‘ but thinking from Cairo’s position, uncle (ahjussi) or ‘samchon’ would be closer than brother, yet he reacted with a stern look instead.

“Royalty…? What…”  

Feeling dizzy for a moment realizing how big the scale was, Yujin decided to shelve thinking too deeply about it since that seemed to get me nowhere.  

“Then call me Yujin.”

It doesn’t feel too good to be called by my first name by a kid, but since it’s common abroad… He probably meant it in that sense. After all, if I tell him to call me brother he’ll just refuse saying I’m not his brother.  

“Yujin… That’s a nice name.”  

As if trying to engrave that name somewhere, Cairo muttered it slowly. Due to his improved mood, he loosened his grip around Yujin’s waist as well.

To further lighten the atmosphere and continue the conversation, Yujin asked for the boy’s name which he hadn’t gotten to yet.  

“Speaking of which, what’s your name?” 

“……You really don’t know who I am?”