GTLTGIDES chapter 12

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I was surprised. You’re talking to me.

I thought you wouldn’t care even if I lingered around, considering how indifferent and uninterested in the world you seemed.

My surprise soon turned into excitement.

I didn’t know what to do as my face flushed with heat, so I picked up the drink I had bought earlier.

I also grabbed a marker pen.

Then, I wrote “Yang Heewoon” on the packaging and went to the counter to pay before handing it to Eunsoo.

‘Did you really ask for my name?’

Was this the answer you wanted? Was it a foolish response?

But you probably already knew about the Special A Team… No, wait.

You’ve been locked up until now, so do you even know what the Special A Team is?

How was it in the original work?

Lost in confusion with all these thoughts, Eunsoo stared at me again.

Confirming that I was looking at him, Eunsoo spoke.

‘Ye…’

Just from the first syllable, I could tell what he was going to say.

“Ye Eunsoo.”

Eunsoo told me his name.

“Oh.”

“Uh…”

Damn. This is driving me crazy.

Tears started streaming down my cheeks before I knew it.

Eunsoo was flustered.

As a convenience store part-timer, he was probably supposed to only say necessary words, but he was so startled that he called out to me.

Just from telling me his name, I suddenly burst into tears.

He must think I’m some crazy guy.

I was just as confused by the situation.

Was I becoming emotional because I was sick?

Just as I felt like dying of embarrassment, a sound snapped me out of it.

WEEEEENG!

“Oh…”

It was the alarm signaling the creation of a gate.

As soon as I took out my terminal and pressed the confirm button, a message appeared.

DING.

[C: Field]

It was Cha Junseong. He’s telling me to come quickly.

I have to go. I must go. I can’t defy a patron who gives me two million won. Guiding him is part of my job.

In my rush, I couldn’t shake the thought that I should feed Eunsoo something.

I grabbed a sandwich, paid for it, handed it to Eunsoo, and ran out of the convenience store.

“Yang Heewoon…”

The voice of Eunsoo muttering my name was probably just a hallucination born from my desire to hear him call my name.

Fortunately, this gate wasn’t very large.

But because I had just stepped out for a moment, I was dressed in light clothing. The continuous rain since yesterday had cooled the air, and my body couldn’t stop trembling.

Even without looking in the mirror, I could tell my face was pale.

Perhaps because of this, Cha Junseong, who had called me here, took one look at my face and ordered me to stand by.

‘Collecting and releasing mana in this state might make things worse…’

The already overwhelming presence of Cha Junseong felt even more burdensome, and I thought I might die of a heart attack while guiding him today.

‘But even if I die now, I have no regrets…’

Remembering Eunsoo’s lips twitching as he told me his name made me smile.

Eunsoo, that indifferent kid, told me his name.

I am a successful Fan.

“Why did you drag yourself out here if you look like you’re about to die? Are you that desperate for two million won? Do you want to overdo it and die tomorrow?”

Elliot, who joined the scene late, sidled up to me and said.

How can those pretty, red lips say such ugly things? If he’s going to worry, he should do it nicely.

I hesitated briefly before slipping my hand into the pocket of Elliot’s coat.

It’s warm…

“What are you doing?”

“Um, I prefer spicy beef soup over mala soup.”

“What?”

“The food for my funeral. Oh, is mala soup too Chinese? Then let’s go with pork rice soup. With plenty of meat so everyone can have a warm, hearty meal before they leave.”

Talking about pork rice soup made me hungry.

Come to think of it, I gave Eunsoo the sandwich and have only had coffee milk today.

…Though in this state, I wonder if I can digest anything even if I eat.

I smiled at Elliot.

“Remember what I just said if I die. You’re smart, right?”

“What nonsense is this? I’m not saying I’m not smart, but your words make no sense.”

“No one will cry for me, and I don’t like mourning cries. It’d be better to have a karaoke machine and have everyone sing a song and dance…”

“…Hey, you.”

“Wouldn’t that be an unforgettable funeral? Even if no one remembers Yang Heewoon, they’ll remember Yang Heewoon’s funeral.”

“Heewoon, are you very sick?”

I was just joining in the talk about dying soon, but Elliot was taking it seriously.

His white, delicate fingers, and then his palm, touched my forehead.

“You have a fever.”

“Yes, I do.”

I knew it.

My vision was blurry, and the world kept spinning.

Cha Junseong must have known my condition at a glance.

That’s why he left me here, in the safe zone.

“Go inside. Even when you’re healthy, you’re useless at the scene, so don’t bother coming out here.”

“I need to be here until this incident is over. That’s the contract; if I leave early, I won’t get paid.”

“Are you out of your mind? You have a fever close to 40 degrees, and you’re talking about money? Are you mad about money?”

“Yes, I am.”

Yang Heewoon wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t mad about money.

Even as “Me” replaced “Yang Heewoon,” that didn’t change.

Elliot seemed frustrated by my attitude, his pretty face twisted.

Worried that the unqualified guide might collapse at any moment, he was anxious.

“Damn it, I’ll give you the money, so go in and lie down. I don’t want to see you staggering around like a dying man.”

“Really? Don’t take it back later.”

“Just go inside!”

“Contact Junseong for me.”

“Ugh! You’re driving me crazy! Were you always like this? Did the fever make you snap?”

“Don’t go mad….”

Oh, weird. I can’t see the keypad. Am I old enough to need reading glasses already…?

To make matters worse, the terminal I was holding disappeared from my hands.

“What? Where….”

I realized a beat too late that it had fallen, not disappeared.

And my body was about to meet the same fate as the terminal.

“Heewoon!”

Hearing Elliot shout my name was the last thing I remembered before I lost consciousness.

“Ugh…”

I woke up on the office sofa.

My body felt as heavy as a ton of bricks. Although the headache had subsided a bit, I could feel my muscles twitching.

It was a severe flu. I marveled at how I managed to hold out with my already weak body.

BEEP.

I felt something in my ear. It was a thermometer.

Even in my blurry vision, Elliot’s light pink eyes stood out clearly.

Despite everything, Elliot’s eye color was really beautiful. When I saw my reflection in those eyes, I felt like I was diving into a pool filled with flower petals.

Feeling unexpectedly good, I grinned.

“What’s so great about it?”

“I’m just happy to see Elliot here when I woke up.”

“What are you talking about? Anyway, it seems like your fever has gone down. Why were you so adamant about not going to the hospital?”

“Ah….”

Now that I think about it, I was briefly conscious while Elliot was moving me.

I remember clinging on and begging, almost crying, saying to go to the office instead of the hospital.

…It’s a bit embarrassing, but I’m alive thanks to that.

“Well, it’s because I didn’t want to spend money on hospital bills….”

It’s not like I’m going to live long anyway, so what’s the point in spending more on medical expenses?

Also, if I went to the hospital and they noticed something wrong with my body and wanted to run tests, or if the results ended up getting leaked to the authorities, that would be a problem.

I’d have to take off my clothes right away.

If I can’t work as a guide, I’d have to vacate my house, return my car, and my income would drop drastically…

Most importantly, the special A team needs to work without a dedicated guide until Eunsoo joins.

That’s a problem.

“What did Junseong say?”

“He got really angry, asking if I wasn’t taking care of myself.”

“…I see.”

“He even thanked me for stopping him from dragging you to the hospital.”

“Thank you.”

I smiled sheepishly.

I really am grateful. If I had been taken to the hospital as I was, it could have been a big problem.

Elliot frowned slightly.