GTLTGIDES chapter 42

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“…Why are you smiling? I’m really upset right now.”

“No… Sorry.”

“Ahjussi, I really want to know. Why on earth have you been living so poorly? The house is a mess, you can’t cook… you don’t even eat properly, so you look like you’re about to collapse. Why do you work so hard guiding others while neglecting yourself? It’s so pathetic…”

‘Poorly,’ ‘pathetic.’

Eunsoo’s words pierced my heart like knives.

While I was too shocked to say anything, Eunsoo gritted his teeth and turned away from me.

“Wait. Eunsoo…!”

Bang!

The bedroom door slammed shut with a loud noise, as if he couldn’t bear to look at me anymore.

I closed my eyes tightly and crossed my arms, as if to shield myself from the impact of Eunsoo slamming the door.

It was as if I was trying to protect my head.

Then I sighed and slowly opened my eyes.

Just standing still made my heart race.

My chest hurt, so I consciously regulated my breathing, pressing down on my heart.

‘It’s only the second day of living together, and it’s already the worst…’

Objectively speaking, I am the worst as a guardian.

If Eunsoo weren’t almost an adult and didn’t follow me so exceptionally well, I would never have been recognized as a temporary guardian.

Should I start looking for a foster family now?

It might be better for Eunsoo to live with a kind couple, and maybe even have siblings, rather than stay with me alone.

‘Maybe I should consult about it later…’

I could keep his with me only while I find a foster family.

It hurts, but thinking about it calmly, this seems to be the right decision.

Wouldn’t it be better for his to find a lifelong family rather than getting attached to someone who’s going to die?

“Eunsoo, are you mad?”

But now wasn’t the time to be wallowing in guilt.

Since Eunsoo is the type to dig himself into a hole if left alone, I had to comfort his quickly.

Fortunately, he didn’t lock the door. He didn’t even yell at me to get out after giving me a sidelong glance.

I approached the child crouched in front of the bed and squatted down in front of him.

Eunsoo didn’t try to meet my gaze, but he did glance at me. It meant he was willing to talk.

I smiled softly and asked, “First, let’s eat breakfast. What do you want to eat? Even though it’s early, there should be some places open. Let’s go out and eat. Okay?”

“…”

“Why do your eyes look like that? Did you cry?”

“No… I didn’t cry.”

It seemed half a lie. Although he didn’t shed tears, the area under his eyes was red.

He was clearly holding back tears.

Is Eunsoo that upset?

Did he have high expectations of me?

But I’m just an ordinary person, nothing more than Average Joe.

“It’s okay. Don’t worry. I know I’m not very reliable, but I’ll do better from now on. I’m still not good at it, but I practiced today, and if I keep practicing, I’ll get better.”

“I…”

“And I haven’t been living that poorly. Honestly, for a single guy living alone, I think I’m doing okay. But I admit I’ve been living sloppily, so I’ll work harder to create a better environment from now on. If you stay with me, we’re a family now, so let’s slowly adjust to each other.”

“…Family…?”

“Yeah, family.”

It seems he liked the word “family.”

Eunsoo’s cloudy, sky-like eyes focused on me. His red lips quivered as he whispered softly.

“I’m sorry… for saying those mean things…”

“It’s okay. You weren’t wrong, after all.”

She’s kind.

A child who knows how to apologize immediately is a kind child.

Kind behavior deserves praise.

I cupped Eunsoo’s cheeks and showered his with affection.

The child was momentarily startled but soon melted and smiled warmly at me.

“Ahjussi, then…”

“Hmm?”

Eunsoo’s hand wriggled as it reached out to grab mine.

He held my hand tightly but hesitated, his eyes shining as if he had made up his mind.

Ding-dong.

The doorbell rang, interrupting him.

Eunsoo’s mouth opened, as if to say something, but there was nothing he could do.

“Wait a moment. Sorry, Eunsoo.”

I stood up and walked toward the door.

Who could it be?

The glowing face outside was unmistakable, even through the distorted view of the door viewer.

I quickly opened the door.

“Elliot! What brings you here?”

“Hello, Heewoon. Sorry for dropping by unannounced.”

“No, it’s fine. Want to come in?”

I immediately regretted my words.

It was mealtime, and there was nothing in the house to offer a guest.

Although Rex had brought a few things yesterday, none of them were food.

What should I do?

Should I suggest we go out to eat with Eunsoo and Elliot?

…But there wasn’t much point in that.

Elliot’s expression soured the moment he glanced around the house.

“…I had a feeling. Wow. Is this a house, or a pigsty?”

“….”

Elliot’s words cut deep. Having just been scolded by Eunsoo, the pain doubled.

A pigsty, really.

Maybe when I first came back from a long time away, but now?

I’d cleaned up diligently, so this was harsh.

But I couldn’t complain.

The contrast was stark: Elliot, dressed stylishly enough to walk straight into a fashion show or party, in my shabby home.

And more than anything, Elliott was holding something in both hands that could silence my complaints.

“Elliott! Don’t tell me, are you going to eat what’s in your hands?”

“Yes. I figured you might have skipped breakfast or were eating takeout, so I brought this. If you’re going to eat, eat what I brought. It’s all easy to digest. You’re not fully recovered yet, after all.”

“Elliott, you’re my savior!”

I was worried that Eunsoo might go hungry because of my incompetence, but this was a welcome sight!

I hurried over and grabbed the lunchboxes he was holding.

How many layers are there?

It’s the kind of luxurious lunchbox you only see in movies or dramas.

“Wow. You really haven’t eaten, have you?”

“Well….”

“Do you know how irresponsible you are? The house is a mess, you haven’t eaten. What were you planning to do if I hadn’t come?”

Elliott pressed both my cheeks with his hands as if to punish me.

My lips turned into a pouty fish mouth again.

“Mmph….”

“You’re irresponsible, but I’ll forgive you because you’re cute.”

What does it mean to be irresponsible but cute?

I didn’t quite understand, but I didn’t really mind.

Elliott was smiling brightly, like flowers blooming in spring.

After looking around the house, Elliott decided it was beyond help and called a cleaning service he knew.

He even insisted on covering the cost.

‘I would’ve refused under normal circumstances…’

If I had been living alone, I would have declined.

But the words “pathetic” and “pitiful” from Eunsoo hit me so hard that I decided to accept.

As a result, we had to leave the house for a while. We put the food Elliott brought in the fridge and left.

Instead, we went to a traditional Korean restaurant we had visited before for a late breakfast and lunch.

Honestly, I was glad.

I had enjoyed it so much before that I wanted Eunsoo to try it too.

“Eunsoo, wasn’t it delicious? I’ve been here before, and it was amazing then too.”

“….”

“Of course it’s good. Who would be a regular at a place that isn’t?”

“…You’ve been here before?”

After the meal, we went to a private café.

As soon as we walked in, the owner, who seemed familiar with Elliott, led us to a room inside without hesitation.

The order came quickly. The fragrant smell of the herbal tea, which was my share, filled the room.

“Yeah. So, this is my second time.”

“You came here alone? With that person?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm….”

Eunsoo, who had been stirring his chocolate drink for a while, sulked at my answer.

“I was just okay with it.”

“….”

“Oh, come on. You ate so well.”

“….”

Eunsoo’s lips protruded in a clear lie.

In the original work “The Genius Guide’s Melancholy”, while the king of home-cooked meals is Cha Junseong, Elliott is the one who provides the meals most suited to Eunsoo’s taste when they go out.

That’s why this stubborn character from the original work went along with Elliott’s doll-playing game.

The Eunsoo in the world I live in now wasn’t much different from the one in the original.

He ate so well that just looking at him made me feel full, so I didn’t eat as much as last time.
But that’s okay.

Eunsoo ate everything I left behind.

He’s at the age where he needs to eat a lot to grow.

There’s nothing wrong with eating well, so why is he so grumpy?

I stuffed a cookie in his mouth to cheer him up.

Even though he had a disgruntled face, he was eating the café’s drinks and cookies quite well.

After filling the kid’s mouth with something tasty, I turned to Elliott.

“So, why did you suddenly come by? Just for a housewarming visit?”

“Well, there are a few reasons.”

Elliott glanced at Eunsoo. As soon as their eyes met, Eunsoo, who had been munching on the cookie I gave him, stopped.