The Guide is Actually a Body-Switching Esper [BL]
Chapter 132: What a Coincidence!

Chapter 132: What a Coincidence!

When Lane lifted his head - as Lane Allen - again, Damien was already standing in front of their table.

"...Huh? Damien Lennox?" Lane blinked a few times, feigning surprise. "What a coincidence! What are you doing here, Sir?"

"Possibly the same thing as Miss Hill," Damien nodded at Ava. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"Well..."

Lane minded. Of course. Not at all because he disliked Damien’s presence, but it was really inconvenient at the time! Not only did he still have to come to the terminals in Xavier’s body - well, that had to wait anyway, since he couldn’t pop up as Xavier right in front of Damien now - but also any conversation Damien were to have with ’Lane Allen’ increased the risk of the man discovering some clues!

But Lane Allen should have no reason to refuse, now should he?

So Lane could only say, defeated, "Please, sit down," as he pointed at the chair opposite him.

And so Damien did.

"I’ve seen you earlier, so I thought I would stop by to say hello... Are you going to the summit as well?"

"Ah, no. I’m just going on a short trip to country B with Ava, and then coming straight back to the Capital. I’m not active as an Esper, so what would I go to the summit for?" Lane shook his head with a little smile on his face. "But you’ve seen me earlier? When? Where?"

"In the waiting area, behind the chairs," Damien’s voice was calm as always, but his words almost made Lane choke on his coffee.

"Wha, what?" He glanced at Damien, his eyes widened.

Damien saw him? Back then? When Lane was ducking behind the chairs?

...Then what he made himself look like such a fool for?

And now it was all even worse!

"A-ah, then. Yeah, I was there... I, ugh, dropped something, and couldn’t find it anywhere..." Lane scrambled for words. He could feel Damien’s eyes on himself, examining his every move. How was he supposed to get out of it now?

"Team Leader Lennox, are you not going to get yourself a coffee?" Ava jumped in to help her friend...

But, wrong topic.

Damien’s eyes instantly wandered to the cups that were already on the table. "Hmm. I suppose I could. What are you having? Is it good?"

Lane wrapped his fingers around his cup, trying to cover the markings on the side. "Ah, well. I have a caramel frappuccino."

With a few extra pumps of caramel, chocolate and vanilla, extra chocolate flakes, and double whipped cream. A ’bit’ sweet.

"And Ava is having a flat white. Her’s better, I think, mine turned out a bit too sweet for my taste," he quickly added.

"Is that so?" Damien arched his brows, but didn’t comment on that. He just got up and went to order.

Lane was very relieved when he returned with a cup of americano. For a moment, he was afraid Damien would say to the barista, ’I’ll have what he’s having.’

But he didn’t, so Lane was safe. Somewhat.

"Anyway, when is your flight?" Lane asked politely, trying to steer the conversation into safer topics.

"It was supposed to depart already, but it has been delayed."

"Wow, that sucks! How much’s the delay?"

"Two hours for now."

Two hours. It was... tight, but there should be still enough time left for Lane to execute his plan after Damien boarded the plane. Well, as long as it didn’t get delayed any further.

"How about you?" Damien returned the question. "When is your flight?"

"In around two and a half hours. We just arrived early, because, well, I always like to be ahead of time!"

Ava’s brows shot up at Lane’s remark, but she refrained from saying anything and exposing his lie. It wasn’t like she wasn’t aware of what Lane was doing - if he and Damien were indeed dating, then Damien must have picked up on a lot of Lane’s quirks and habits by now... Such as him always arriving last minute.

"Is that so?" Damien’s tone was somewhat doubtful, and he shifted his eyes from Lane smiley face to check Ava’s expression. Luckily, the woman noticed it on time, so she quickly fixed her brows, putting the most neutral face she could muster. Not getting any clues, Damien could only nod his head. "That’s a very good habit. People shouldn’t be late... It can also inconvenience everyone around them."

Lane’s eyes twitched. Was it a jab at him? It was, wasn’t it? Damn, too bad he was Lane Allen now, or else he would make Damien pay! (In nature, of course)

Still, he forced on a smile, and agreed ’wholeheartedly’, "Well said!"

Damien said with them for a while longer, until he finished his coffee. Perhaps it was because of Ava’s presence, but he didn’t bring any risky topics. Just chatted for a bit about the summit, and left to return to his group.

Once he left, Lane could finally breathe again. He slouched in his seat, sliding a few inches down, and let out a heavy sigh. "Damn..."

Ava stared at him in silence, battling with her thoughts. She knew that trying to lecture Lane could hardly yield any satisfactory results, so saying anything would likely be pointless... In the end though, he couldn’t help but ask, "Are you sure you want to keep things that way? Don’t you think... this might all go terribly wrong?"

A dry chuckle escaped Lane’s throat. "Yeah! There’s so much that can go wrong here, that I’m almost certain something will!"

"And it’s... fine?"

"Well," Lane shrugged his shoulders, his eyes focused on a random spot on the wall. "Not really, but what can I do? If there’ll be any problem, I can kiss it better or something?"

"Well, anyway!" Before Ava could say anything, Lane shifted in his seat, leaning on Ava’s shoulder. "He might call Xavier now, so I’ll switch for a bit. If he looks, hide me, so he can’t see I’m unconscious! We’ll figure out the rest when I’m back!"

As he expected, as soon as he opened his eyes as Xavier, his phone screen was blinking with the incoming call.

"Hi!" he picked up, "Sorry, I can’t really talk right now. Is it important?"

For a moment, Damien was silent on the other end of the line, taken aback. He didn’t expect Lane to pick up the call. After all, he just saw Lane Allen in the coffee shop a moment ago, the man was still there, drinking coffee with Ava... As he took step back, he could still vaguely see them. They were... kissing? He couldn’t really tell from this angle, but they seemed to be embracing at least...

Eventually, he let out a sigh, shaking his head. "Have you seen my message?"

"About the delay? Yes! But I still won’t make it. Unless your delay is like, a day?"

"No, of course not. Only two hours."

"Then there’s no way! I’m not even in the Capital right now," Lane quickly ’explained’. "Anyway, I really can’t talk now! Catch you in the evening maybe? Text me when you land."

"...Okay. Bye."

"Bye!" Lane disconnected again.

And instantly lay down, pulled the blanket over his head, and switched back. It was too early for Xavier to enter the airport, with Damien wandering around...

Lane wouldn’t admit it, but he started getting anxious. What if Damien’s delay would be extended, while his would leave on time? He could always miss the flight - with both of his bodies, of course- and book another one... But how would he explain it to Damien if he noticed?

Hopefully, it would all work out alright...