He was manipulated, ab*sed, starved, isolated and imprisoned. He avoids physical touch because of the trauma another esper left him. If not for the kind Esper who lent him a hand and sacrificed himself, the MC would never have been able to leave that place.

running away from the ml

This was his first time running away, his decision to leave the ML makes sense. Their relationship didn't even start with mutual feelings, it was all for the guild's benefit and the ML's convenience.

The MC was eventually found by the ML, and I think it was months later (though I'm not entirely sure). After that, the ML began to show obsessive behavior, exactly what the MC feared most. This is why, even though the ML expected them to talk and promised to wait, the MC ran away again. He was afraid of getting hurt all over again.

BUT it got dragged out unnecessarily when the MC joined Shin Haechang. As for the MC, he's still gullible and passive. This is where I feel the MC's trauma doesn't give him a free pass. After all, the story dragged out despite the ML redeeming himself by being pathetic and chasing the MC multiple times, just to prolonged the story. He communicated with him, but MC is close-minded, it was MC's personality. He was easy to manipulate, and it didn't change throughout the story, (side stories yes) not when the pieces were coming together. Only he started to realise he was wrong, and even if he did, it was still ML who did everything to reconcile their relationship. And mind you? The ML doesn't know about his trauma history because he respects about the MC's decision to said not to. It's really frustrating how the MC trusts Shin Haechang (others) over people he's known longer. Like bruh you said you won't

He's reluctant to guide, yet he sleeps around, whether because he wants to or because he doesn't have a choice to be guide. He's a pe*vert and manipulative. Although he's in a relationship with the MC, it was only to keep the MC in the guild not because he likes him romantically. He's willing to do anything for the sake of their goal.

the MC and ML both emit 'scents' aka pheromones which only the other can smell. They also go into heats. I have no idea where the author was going with that bit of plot or if it was just another device to show that MC and ML are supposed to be perfect for each other.

ML basically does a background check on MC so he figures out MC's trauma. Then they have a pretty anti-climatic conversation. The end.

think people are underestimating the lack of proper human intercation MC had growing up. His earliest years are in racist orphanage. His teens are being groomed by a abusive guild who kept literally totally isolated for 4 of those years plus the threats of r*pe.

Finally the separation got drawn on for literally no reason. And MC was getting dumb seeing mp dying yet still thinking he isn't needed. Deadass bro got him killed.

Oh, the MC's past is just 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔 you'll forgive him everything after you go through those chapters. Andante being the one with more emotional intelligence will take the fault for the lack of communication hahahaha I mean, just tell to your low self-esteem guide that you are doing experiments. It isn't hard, is it?

I think Hyoseop should have been given the opportunity to function in a successful guild, away from onaip and andante, developing his ability. Remember Onaip was still traumatized by the death of their previous guide, and you could feel that. Especially the way some of them treated him (synthy, I believe?).

I think Andante, being an absolute pr**k, got his just desserts, chasing after Hyoseop and even thinking he’d passed away. Especially, because it I was initially difficult to believe in his feelings towards Hyoseop since they magically appeared after his first successful guiding.

and why he’s scared of Andante in the latter half of the book

chapter 195