GTLTGIDES chapter 51

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Cha Junseong wasn’t wrong.

Strictly speaking, I’m someone who finds it hard to take care of even myself.

I am fully aware of this.

That’s why, selfishly, I chose people among the weak of this world—people I cherish and could help.

Huimang, who is precious to Yang Heewoon, and Eunsoo, who is my idol.

Just those two.

That’s the limit of what I can manage, no matter how hard I try.

It makes sense to treat Eunsoo specially, so the excuse of “helping because He’s a child” doesn’t hold.

I tried to think of another excuse, but nothing came to mind. So, I decided to confess.

“Because I like Eunsoo.”

“…What do you like about that kid?”

What is this? His voice is frightening. It’s filled with an unusual amount of emotion.

Why is he like this? Cha Junseong shouldn’t dislike Eunsoo…

“You’ll come to know, Mr. Junseong. Our Eunsoo is truly talented and a beautiful child.”

“….”

“Take a closer look next time. He’s really beautiful. his face, his actions, everything.”

You’ll come to love him.

Even more passionately than the family you cherish so much.

To the extent that you’d be willing to give up everything else for Eunsoo.

Why waste time hating a child who you’ll come to love both in the original story and now?

Life is too short even to just love.

Unaware of my earnestness, Cha Junseong instead showed his displeasure.

“Well, right now, I don’t particularly want to know.”

“Why not? Seriously, our Eunsoo is a good kid. Please ignore what others say, believe in me, and look at his without prejudice.”

“….”

“You’ll come to love him. He’s a much better guide than me, smarter, and more adaptable. It’ll be much more comfortable when you go on missions together.”

Compared to me, he has better health, guiding abilities, and every other talent beyond comparison.

After just a few missions with Eunsoo, you won’t be able to go on any without him.

And at the same time, you’ll probably think, “How did I ever manage being on the same team with someone as lacking as Yang Heewoon?”

Just like in the original story.

My heart ached.

An extra can’t win against the main character.

How could I ever win against Ye Eunsoo?

Even though I know it’s inevitable, the thought of parting ways with the three espers pains me.

‘I never intended to like Eunsoo’s men this much…’

Even though I set boundaries knowing the ending, it seems I’ve been gradually giving a part of my heart, like getting soaked in a drizzle.

I forced a smile.

“When all three of you start receiving guidance from Eunsoo, you’ll soon forget someone like me, right? But please think of me from time to time. I did my best, too…”

“…Yang Heewoon.”

“I’d be happy if you could just remember me as someone who, though lacking in ability, tried hard.”

Just like me, Yang Heewoon burned his life to guide, so it would be nice if this much is remembered.

Once I forced myself to smile, my heart felt lighter.

I laughed softly, but Cha Junseong’s mood was strange.

He was looking at me with sad eyes.

His lips, tightly shut, finally parted as he spoke with difficulty.

“Why… Why would you say something like that?”

“It’s just… because it’s true…”

“I told you. I like you.”

“…”

To prefer a B-rank over an S-rank. And the S-rank isn’t just any S-rank but a cheat-like one, blessed with protagonist-level advantages.

It was so absurd that I laughed.

‘He must have grown quite attached to me.’

How kind.

Well, even if it’s just words, it’s something.

Though it’s an empty phrase that will vanish the moment he receives guidance from Eunsoo, I’ll enjoy it for now.

“Thank you.”

“…”

I replied with a smile, but Cha Junseong’s face distorted instead.

His brow furrowed with discontent.

Maybe he noticed that I considered his words empty.

But what can I do?

That’s the truth.

Saying any more would probably only upset Cha Junseong.

I checked the time.

It was getting close to dinner.

I should go home before it gets too late.

To my home, where my bunny-like child is waiting.

“I should head back now. Eunsoo is probably waiting without having dinner yet.”

“Yang Heewoon.”

But before that, I was stopped. A large hand firmly grasped my shoulder.

“If you leave Special Team A…”

“What?”

“With me…”

Then his thumb pressed against my collarbone. Hard enough to hurt.

My lips slowly parted in surprise.

In that moment, even under the dim incandescent light, I could clearly see Cha Junseong’s face turn red as he hurriedly let go of me.

Unable to meet my gaze, he turned his head and covered his mouth.

After hesitating for a while, he added in a trembling voice,

“No, I’ll tell you later.”

Seeing him like that made my face turn red, too.

Cha Junseong hadn’t directly expressed his intention.

But just from his actions, I knew what he wanted to say to me.

Because Cha Junseong had done the exact same thing in the original story.

And since that scene was one of the most intense in “The Genius Guide’s Melancholy”, as a heavy reader, there was no way I wouldn’t recognize it.

The line that accompanied that action was…

“Let’s imprint, Ye Eunsoo.”

“Become my guide, only mine.”

In other words, in the context of an Esper and a guide’s relationship, it was tantamount to a proposal, and Cha Junseong was about to say it to me.

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Tonight, the moon was bright.

Or maybe not.

I can’t say for sure if it’s brighter than usual since I don’t usually walk around looking at the sky.

It just seemed bright because I was staring blankly at the sky.

‘What’s going on here…’

I parted ways with Cha Junseong almost as if I was fleeing. He didn’t try to stop me.

Perhaps he, too, was having a moment of realization, finding his own words absurd.

Me and Cha Junseong, getting imprinted? That’s impossible.

Even Eunsoo, an S-rank guide, was constantly criticized for being an orphan and having no roots in his family.

There’s no way I would be acceptable.

If Eunsoo’s main conflict with the other two was because of their strong personalities that wouldn’t back down, the main conflict with Cha Junseong was with his family.

“Cha Junseong’s family is a collection of trash and old-fashioned bigots.”

I even thought, “Polwel is better,” while reading the book, which says a lot.

They’re greedy for money and fame and value the family’s reputation above all else, not hesitating to do dirty deeds.

They don’t take responsibility for their actions, and when something tough comes up, they dump it all on Cha Junseong.

What’s the use of Cha Junseong living a righteous life when his family is wallowing in mud?

Creating troublesome situations and forcing him to handle them.

Moreover, asking Cha Junseong to cut ties with his family is unrealistic, given his deep affection and sense of responsibility towards them.

And his family, who benefits from his skills and his status as an S-rank Esper, isn’t likely to let him go easily.

Also… there were other problems.

“It’s not something that can be done just because you want to…”

‘Soul Imprint.’

A spiritual bond that can only be formed when an Esper and a Guide fully open their bodies and minds to each other.

It’s not something that can be easily established just because both parties agree.

In fact, in the original story, Eunsoo and Cha Junseong failed to achieve this imprint. All they ended up with was three days of intense, heated scenes.

“…If I tried that, I’d probably die.”

How could I last for three days?

Even trying three times would be too much for me.

I’ve never done it even once before… and in my current state, I just don’t think I could handle it.

‘Though, to be fair, Eunsoo was probably the reason it failed even after all that effort…’

Eunsoo had endured so much pain alone for so long that he became a child with a strong sense of self-love.

Even after such prolonged physical intimacy, he never fully opened his heart to Cha Junseong.

If they had succeeded back then, the ending where all three Espers lived together would never have happened…

“Soul Imprint…”

In essence, an imprint between an Esper and a Guide carries more significance than a marriage.

While even being bound by the laws created by humans is frightening, an imprint is an act of binding souls to each other.

Why would anyone want to do that? Especially with someone like me, just a B-rank Guide.

Even though forming an imprint would make the relationship more efficient for both, B-rank is still just B-rank.

At best, it might brush up against the bottom of A-rank, but it would never reach the level of S-rank like Eunsoo.

Moreover, the guiding efficiency with non-imprinted partners drops dramatically, so it’s definitely not the kind of choice someone like Cha Junseong, who is obsessed with efficiency, would make.

‘I really don’t understand what he’s thinking…’

My head is a mess.

Whether it’s Rex wanting to sleep together or Cha Junseong suggesting an imprint, both of the Espers are making me uneasy.

Thanks to these two Espers out of three making me so anxious, other concerns—such as my feelings about other people or the issues regarding Elizabeth Polwel—have been pushed to the back of my mind.

Should I be grateful for that…?

“I’m back…”

And as soon as I opened the front door, I thought to myself, “Out of the frying pan, into the fire.”

Chills ran all over my body.

You know how sometimes, when you’re about to face misfortune, your senses get extremely sharp?

That’s exactly how I felt.

The air in the room felt strange.

I couldn’t put my finger on why, but there was a sense that a scolding was coming.

I crept inside, and sure enough, there was Eunsoo glaring at me with a face full of displeasure.

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