* * *

I’ve spent so much time in and out of hospitals that, even without being particularly sociable, I’ve come to know quite a few faces.

But now, they all looked different.

Even the ones I couldn’t ignore stared at me as if I were some kind of marvel.

‘I suppose I would be amazed too if someone who supposedly died twice came back to life and walked around.’

Once due to side effects from guiding, another time due to a monster, and two other occasions narrowly escaping death while guiding out-of-control espers.

Four brushes with death, in total?

Not to mention I’m already in a body I possessed after dying once.

‘Looking back, I’ve led a pretty thrilling life, haven’t I?’

Can someone survive so stubbornly?

Could this place actually be a highly designed afterlife just for me?

…That fleeting suspicion vanished quickly.

The sharp sting when blood was drawn felt too real.

And, above all, would a dream feel this vividly exhausting?

“Haa…”

“Hyung, should I carry you if it’s too much? Or should I grab a wheelchair?”

“N-No, it’s fine. I can walk.”

“…Is it just me, or are you acting awkward? Using formal speech and everything.”

“No, no, it’s really because I can walk.”

I averted my gaze slightly.

While it’s true I can walk, it’s also true that I feel awkward.

This man says he’s Eunsoo.

And I know he is—he is Eunsoo—but… he feels unfamiliar.

I don’t know how I woke up after five years, but my last memory is stuck at “The Wounds of Early Summer.”

In my memory, Eunsoo was just turning 20, not even at his birthday yet.

He’d grown a lot over six months but was still not far removed from the youthful, freshly turned adult I first brought in.

And now, suddenly, five years have passed, and Eunsoo has matured beyond recognition.

He was always a pretty kid with clear features and smooth skin, but now, his face is sharper, and he’s undeniably handsome.

It’s good that he grew up well, but the disconnect is hard to shake.

“…Are you feeling unwell?”

“Huh? No, no. The test results said I’m perfectly fine. I’m really okay.”

Honestly, it’s amazing how fine I am.

I clearly remember falling into the monster’s mouth.

I even heard the sound of something breaking.

I should have been crushed and swallowed, yet I emerged unscathed.

‘Come to think of it… I don’t remember feeling pain then, either…’

I recall falling into the mouth, but not the sensation of teeth piercing me.

Maybe I was paralyzed when the tail hit me?

I don’t know.

“It’s a relief, though. You’re fine.”

The man—no, Eunsoo—smiled at me.

The moment our eyes met, my brain short-circuited.

“Hyung.”

“Yes? What?”

“I want to hold your hand.”

Even after growing so much in five years, he still likes holding hands.

His appearance has changed a lot, but in moments like this, Eunsoo feels just the same.

When I cautiously held out my hand, Eunsoo grasped it joyfully.

It might be embarrassing for two grown men to hold hands in public, but he insisted, gripping tightly like he’d never let go.

That stubbornness made me laugh despite myself.

But there was one thing that caught my attention.

‘Why are his hands so rough?’

It hit me then—Eunsoo’s hands were coarse.

The Eunsoo in my memory had baby-soft hands, untouched by hardship, even while working as a guide for Special Team A.

Five years is a long time, but could it really make his hands this rough?

Especially for Eunsoo, whose body was so naturally resilient to external factors.

How hard must he have worked?

“Eunsoo, did you have a tough time while I was gone?”

The question felt obvious the moment it left my lips.

The climax of The Genius Guide’s Melancholy takes place when Eunsoo is about 23.

Gate appearances had been increasing, likely peaking around that age.

Larger gates than “The Wounds of Early Summer” must have appeared, and he must have gone through a lot.

Even after the story’s ending, I doubt things were entirely peaceful…

“Yes. A lot happened. But it’s okay—it’s just part of the job.”

“You didn’t get hurt, did you? Wait, Eunsoo, your stomach—what about the scar?”

The image of Eunsoo stemming the bleeding flashed in my mind.

As soon as I remembered that gaping wound, I moved instinctively.

The tailored suit he wore fit snugly, so I had to unbutton it to check.

His scar was barely visible now, just a faint mark.

Other minor scars dotted his body, but nothing major remained.

The largest scar, where he’d been stabbed, had healed cleanly.

There must not have been any severe incidents in the past five years.

I sighed in relief.

“Ah, thank goodness… It’s all healed. No injuries, either.”

“Hyung, you’ve gotten bold. Undressing me in a place full of people like this.”

“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry!”

It was only then that I noticed I’d half-undressed him.

Panicking, I fumbled to rebutton his shirt, but my hands were clumsy in my haste.

Why was his suit so tight, anyway?

‘I thought I bought it a size up. Why doesn’t it fit?’

I distinctly remember the drowsy Eunsoo’s questioning gaze when I handed over the oversized suit.

It’s not that he’s gained weight. His entire body has simply grown thicker—muscular, even.

It felt less like touching Eunsoo and more like dealing with Rex or Cha Junseong.

Frankly, it was a bit… overwhelming.

“It’s okay. Let me do it.”

Eunsoo’s hand covered mine as I fumbled.

His hand was so large it completely enveloped mine.

Late to realize, I felt my face flush hot.

‘Ugh… He’s definitely not a kid anymore, so what the hell am I doing?’

---

I turned my body, feeling awkward about watching Eunsoo adjust his clothes for too long.

But then, I felt the gazes around us.

…We’d certainly become the center of attention.

Just the miracle of Yang Heewoon’s phoenix-like recovery was enough to draw eyes, but now Eunsoo had revealed such a strikingly toned body—it would be stranger if people weren’t staring.

I couldn’t exactly blame those whispering behind their hands as they passed by.

In the end, this is all my fault.

“It was just a joke. I’m not upset. You don’t have to keep your distance,” Eunsoo said, straightening his clothes with casual ease before reaching out to take my hand again.

…Only then did I fully register just how big his hands were.

“Uh, sorry for acting like that out of nowhere. I’m just glad you’re okay now. You really didn’t get any serious injuries, right?”

“Yeah, no major wounds. You can check when we get home.”

“Great. I’ll do that.”

Eunsoo wouldn’t lie to me about something like this, but still… I wanted to confirm it with my own eyes.

Just once. For sure.

I felt a quiet happiness bubbling up at the prospect of being able to check first.

I smiled and squeezed his hand, which made Eunsoo look at my face for a long moment.

“Why are you staring like that?”

“Just wondering if I don’t seem awkward to you anymore.”

“…You don’t.”

Between us, five years of distortion had formed.

It wasn’t an ordinary situation, after all, so neither my mind nor my heart had fully adjusted to the current Eunsoo.

His height, his body, even his voice had changed so much.

But it was still Eunsoo.

My Eunsoo, the boy I love.

I couldn’t let myself keep feeling awkward forever.

I’m confident I’ll adapt.

After all, I’m someone who got transmigrated here.

“I’m glad,” Eunsoo said, and his bright, radiant smile seemed to light up the world.

“Then… I can do it now.”

“Huh?”

Do what, exactly?

---

Eunsoo’s decisiveness was astounding.

The moment we returned to the hospital room, he grabbed both of my shoulders.

“If you don’t like it, push me away, okay?”

I was still trying to process his flushed, intense expression when he began showering kisses on my face. M

y cheeks, my forehead, the bridge of my nose, my eyelids—everywhere except my lips, which he barely avoided.

Now that he was so much taller than me, he must have found it hard to bend down and kiss me standing up.

Instead, he simply scooped me up like I weighed nothing and carried me to the sofa in the corner of the room.

Sitting me down on his lap, he hugged me tightly and resumed his affectionate onslaught.

At first, it was just kisses.

But at some point, he started nibbling at my cheeks and practically sucking on my skin like I was some kind of candy.

“W-Wait, Eunsoo.”

“Don’t you like it?”

“No, it’s not that…”

“Then just a little more. Just a little.”

“Mhm.”

“I missed you, hyung. I missed you so much.”

His voice, trembling and raw with emotion, silenced any thought of stopping him.

Five years.

Five years is a quarter of Eunsoo’s life at 20 and a fifth at 25.

If he’d spent that time yearning for me, it’s amazing he managed to hold back for this long.

He must have been conscious of how much he’d changed and had been careful not to shock me too much.

How could I possibly push him away?

I simply smiled, telling him to do as he pleased.

---

Even as his lips trailed over me, I didn’t find it strange.

If anything, it felt like being enthusiastically licked by a large dog reunited with its owner after a long time.

…Though with his size now, he was more like a wolf than a dog.

Even though he’s much bigger than me now, he’s still so cute.

I patted his head as he nuzzled closer.

His hair, at least, hadn’t changed much since the last time I’d tousled it, and its familiar texture soothed the tension in my body.

Eunsoo’s hands joined in, running along my back and neck as he held me tightly.

His lips never left my skin, murmuring between kisses.

“…I’m so happy.”

Even as he spoke, his lips remained pressed against my neck.

At this point, I couldn’t help but wonder—wasn’t this excessive?

How did my once-reserved Eunsoo grow into such an affectionate puppy?

…Maybe this is karma.

I used to shower little Eunsoo with kisses when he was just too cute to resist.

Now, compared to when Eunsoo was small and adorable, I’m the older one—shouldn’t he find it a bit gross?

But I guess, seeing me for the first time in five years, he’s overwhelmed with pent-up longing.

As he eagerly expressed his emotions, I could only chuckle and let him continue.

* * *