The Guide is Actually a Body-Switching Esper [BL]
Chapter 107: She’s Stunning, Isn’t She?

Chapter 107: She’s Stunning, Isn’t She?

After the meal, Nyla dropped them at the Association Headquarters. Together with a whole six big bags filled to the brims with food - the leftovers from the feast Lane had ordered. Despite Damien’s insistence Nyla should take them - she was the one who paid for it, after all - in the end, they got entrusted to Damien...

"You shouldn’t have ordered so much," Damien said, once they were left alone, standing on the quiet, empty pavement, filled with yellowish streetlights. "Now they will expect something in return."

Lane, however, only laughed in response. "Nah-ah. It doesn’t work that way!" He shook his head, tapping Damien’s shoulder. Then, he continued, talking as if he was explaining basic life concepts to a child. "Think about it this way. You buy someone a drink at the bar. And they accept it, and drink it. Does it mean they now owe you a hookup?" He gave Damien a pointed look, before answering himself, "Of course not! They didn’t ask for it, you were the one to offer. So, you’re not entitled to anything. If they choose to return the favor, that’s great, but if not, then you might need to try a bit harder to entice them to do so. Get it?"

The example Lane presented was kind of displeasing. The last thing Damien wanted to think about was what experiences Lane had at the bars, regardless of whether he was on the buying or receiving end. So, his face naturally darkened with a frown. But, he chose not to confront the man about it. "That’s... true," he just muttered, "but they might have some expectations."

"Well, that’s their problem." Lane shrugged his shoulders. "The Allens are loaded though, a meal like that is not even a chump change for them, so there’s no reason for you to hold back. You can just rip them off whenever they offer something to you. As long as you’re not agreeing to join them in return."

"You really don’t want me to join them," Damien said rather than asked.

"Well..." Lane folded his hands behind his head, stretching his back. "I’m at the Association, so of course not!"

So he said, but he sounded rather unconvincing, causing Damien to shot him a doubtful look. "Is that the reason? I’m sure that they would pay your contract severance fees as well if we asked them to. Wouldn’t you want to join the top Guild?"

"...I thought you were loyal to the Association?" Lane muttered.

"I’m asking about you now. Did anything happen between you and the Allen Guild? Or... Guild Leader Allen in particular?"

"Hmm."

For a long while, Lane didn’t answer. So long, that Damien thought he wasn’t going to say anything at all, and he was about to change the topic, despite his disappointment...

"Well, I despise him," Lane finally admitted, albeit unwillingly. "I did have the misfortune of getting involved with him in the past... But I don’t really want to talk about it."

"Is it just him, or...?" Now that he got the man talking - at least a bit - Damien didn’t want to give up so easily, even though he was all tense approaching the topic, as if he was stepping on thin ice. "You didn’t seem too fond of Miss Nyla either."

Lane let out a heavy sigh, shooting Damien a quick, tired glance. There was no way for him to explain himself well even if he wanted to, not without revealing his real identity and his past, so he could only say, struggling to pick up the right words, "Well, we met, and we... don’t, I mean didn’t, get along. She’s way better than Miles Allen, but... She still pisses me off, although for a different reason."

For a good moment, they went quiet, just standing pointlessly in front of the entrance to the Headquarters. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Lane’s eyes shone with a mischievous twinkle, and he asked, "She’s stunning though, isn’t she?"

Completely taken aback by the sudden question, Damien stared at Lane in silence.

"What?" Lane shrugged his shoulders. "I’m just saying. I don’t mean anything by that."

"You’re good-looking as well," Damien calmly stated. It wasn’t just politeness, he clearly meant it, but...

Lane still couldn’t help but roll his eyes. "Come on. I know my current face is not bad, but... She’s simply gorgeous, don’t you think so?"

Faced with the uncomfortable question again, Damien could only fall silent.

"Oh come on!" Lane clicked his tongue, impatient. "It’s not a trick question. I’m just trying to check if your eyes are working okay! I was below the average last time, and yet you were so into me..."

"...I’m not into you because of your looks." Damien’s voice sounded low and a bit strained. It took Lane by surprise, and rendered him momentarily speechless.

He soon recovered though. Yes, of course, that much was obvious - each of his recent bodies looked completely different, so it was unlikely that Damien was after him because ’Lane’s’ looks were his type. And, since it wasn’t about his REAL looks, there was no reason for Lane to be displeased or disappointed about it. So, he just laughed, and pressed on again, "Yes, exactly, I’m the best regardless of my face, so you can just answer me honestly!"

Damien hesitated for a bit longer. He was kind of uncomfortable, praising someone else in front of the man he liked, but he had a feeling that Lane wouldn’t let him off until he answered, so he finally admitted, "...She is indeed beautiful."

Lane’s eyes instantly turned into crescents, his lips curving in a wide smile, his whole face brimming with satisfaction.

It was suspicious. So suspicious that Damien couldn’t help but ask, "What are you so happy about?" as he observed the man with a frown.

Instantly, Lane suppressed his smile. Or at least he attempted to. But, it was so bright and wide, that any attempts to hide it only made it shine even more. "What? I’m not happy at all! How dare you look at someone else!" he uttered loudly, trying his best to sound offended.

And failing miserably.

Because Lane was indeed happy. How could he not? After all, although they were not identical twins, Nyla did look just like a female version of Lane! Therefore, Damien praising her looks was almost as if he was complimenting Lane!

This was the closest he could ever get to Damien praising his real face. And although not perfect, it felt great.

Way better than he thought it could.

"Well, anyway! Stop thinking about her, if you want to make out with me ever again!" He threatened, walking backward a few steps in the direction of his apartment. "I’m gonna go home now! Good night, Team Leader! It’s late, so you should head back as well!"

And then, he made his escape, leaving Damien alone on the pavement with the plastic bags, utterly confused. The man could only stare at his receding back, struggling to process what just happened. Truly, he couldn’t even begin to understand what was going on in Lane’s head.

Just what was it that he said that made him so satisfied with himself?