The Guide is Actually a Body-Switching Esper [BL]
Chapter 137: The Gala (1)

Chapter 137: The Gala (1)

The TV was on, but Lane barely noticed what was happening on the screen. Instead, his eyes were focused on Damien, observing the man through the open bathroom door from where he lounged on the couch. It was his first time having the chance to observe the man getting ready...

And it was far quicker than he thought. With how well put together Damien always was, Lane expected him to spend a long time in front of the mirror... But no, it was just a few short moments, and Damien got all dressed and styled his hair, so that not a single strand was out of place.

"Are you not getting ready?" Damien asked, glancing at Lane as he brushed his hair back one final time.

"I am though?" Lane arched his brows. He was already fully dressed - they were all wearing their Association uniforms, so for a change, he also got dressed up fast. "Why? Do you think I look bad?"

Damien gave him a long stare, scrutinizing all the details. "It’s not that. But your collar is uneven, your top button is unfastened, and your hair is messy."

"So you think I look bad," Lane pouted his lips.

Damien closed his eyes, holding back a sigh. "You look good. Very nice. However, your loose attire is inappropriate for the occasion... Come, I’ll fix it for you," he said, approaching Lane.

"Well, okay then!" Lane didn’t even try to hold his grin, as he got up and allowed Damien to come close. Damien’s strong fingers swept through Lane’s hair, pushing them back, and brushed by Lane’s neck as he fixed the collar, sending shivers down Lane’s spine. The scent of the herbal shampoo filled his nostrils, familiar and alluring. Without even realizing, Lane instinctively leaned closer and closer, until he was almost close enough for a kiss...

"Alright, it’s all done," Damien announced, taking a step back and destroying the mood.

Tsk.

"...It’s not the time for that," he soon added, as he noticed the disappointed and displeased look on Lane’s face. "We need to go now."

"Then when will be the time?" Lane nudged Damien, trailing after the man. "Once we come back?"

Damien didn’t answer. Not with words at least. Only the tips of his ears were tinted red.

So Lane took that as a yes.

Coaxed into obedience, he went quiet, a satisfied smile plastered on his face.

"Xavier." As they were waiting for the elevator, Damien spoke again. "I will be busy tonight, as there are a lot of people whom I need to greet, as the leader of our delegation. It might be boring to you, so I won’t force you to stick by my side all the time..."

The corners of Lane twitched, raising up again. How perfect! He was planning to dip at some point anyway, but now he could do so with Damien’s permission. Because as much as he enjoyed Damien’s company... It would be an inconvenience for him tonight, when he would be trying to investigate Molzen, and who knows whom else. He needed to be alone for that!

The smile didn’t escape Damien’s attention, causing the man’s perpetual frown to deepen. "I won’t force you to stay with me," he repeated, his tone growing more serious with every word, "But please behave yourself. It’s a large-scale, international event, and we’re all representing the Awakened Association... So don’t go around causing trouble."

"Me? Causing trouble? That’s my least favorite thing to do!" Lane laughed out loud. However, seeing Damien’s frown deepen even further (how was it possible to frown that much? Damien was going to ruin his handsome face with wrinkles at an early age at this rate!), he suppressed his amusement, putting on a serious expression instead.

"Don’t worry, Team Leader. I will act properly tonight," he reassured. Still, he couldn’t stop himself from adding, "So I hope you will reward me adequately once we’re back."

Damien didn’t look quite convinced, throwing Lane doubtful glances, but the elevator had already arrived, so they didn’t have any more time. There were more people inside, so they couldn’t continue their conversation.

Despite Damien’s doubts, Lane truly intended to behave himself, and not just in hopes for getting his, ahem, reward. In order to properly spy on the participants, he couldn’t bring any attention to himself. Thus, causing trouble was the last thing on his mind.

The venue was slowly filling in by the time they arrived, the rest of their delegation already waiting at the entrance. With Lane by his side, Damien was affected by the man’s habitual tardiness, and thus they were the last to arrive - although at least they were not late, as the gala had yet to officially start.

Right from the start, Damien, together with Hannah Jones, the other Team Leader present, began greeting everyone around them. They didn’t even get to walk over to the nearest table to grab themselves some drinks, because there were simply too many people they had to talk to! The conversations weren’t anything interesting either, just some boring, polite exchanges...

Truly, a pain in the ass! Lane couldn’t be more glad to be just an ordinary member, who could remain quiet and stay back.

His eyes wandered around, examining all the faces. Representatives from all the governments, civilians and Awakened, scientists, journalists, members of powerful Guilds from all around the world, quite a diverse crowd. Not everyone gathered was important, of course, but a good chunk was.

At least from a general perspective. Lane, however, was mainly interested in one person at the moment - the man from earlier, whom he suspected of being ’Molzen.’

It was only after the official opening and the speech from the Director of the Awakened Agency, the government institution from country K and this year’s organizer of the summit, that Lane had finally spotted his target. Molzen - or the man who could potentially be him - was standing by one of the tables with snacks, and talking with people Lane didn’t recognize.

He waited until Damien finished conversing with the Leader of the Red Streak Guild, and stepped forward. "I’m gonna go get myself something to eat," he whispered.

Damien turned his head, giving Lane a long, pointed look. "Remember what we talked about."

"Of course! I wouldn’t want my reward canceled!" Lane chuckled, curving his lips in a wide grin.

Damien stared at him for a bit longer, as if still hesitant, eventually though, he nodded his head. "See you later then."

"Sure thing!"

Having said that, Lane walked away, disappearing in the crowd.