GTLTGIDES chapter 73

* * *

“Heewoon, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

“Oh, no. I just twisted my ankle and fell…”

I tried my best to act nonchalant, as if everything was fine, but my body wasn’t cooperating.

My legs trembled, and I pressed down on my knee with my hand to steady it.

Fortunately, Elliot didn’t seem overly suspicious of my explanation.

As he tried to let go of me, I grabbed onto him instead.

“Elliot, let’s use the mucous membrane guiding.”

“I was hoping to just do it manually today.”

“Please, just do it. I haven’t done mucous membrane guiding with anyone today.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You’re the first, Elliot.”

“…”

I need to finish this quickly.

But of all people, it had to be Elliot.

Not Rex, who loves kissing, nor Cha Junseong, who would immediately go along with it if I mentioned efficiency.

It had to be Elliot, who had never even kissed Yang Heewoon before I transmigrated in this body.

What do I do?

How can I get him to agree to the mucous membrane guiding?

After some thought, I put on my most pitiful expression.

“You don’t want to?”

“Hmm…”

It worked. I could tell instantly.

The cold, piercing pink eyes that had seemed ready to see through me just moments ago softened to a gentler glow, more befitting their translucent, shimmering hue his blush deepened as he avoided my pleading gaze.

Of course, it’s Elliot, after all.

The best way to sway him is through sympathy.

And to someone like Elliot, who’s lived a privileged life, I probably do seem like a poor, pitiful person.

“I can’t resist…”

He muttered under his breath, his thin lips betraying slight frustration as he leaned closer, his face tinged pink.

I closed my eyes and welcomed him with my tongue first.

The instant our mucous membranes touched, Elliot’s distinct, cool mental state flowed into me.

And then, in the next moment, my body stiffened.

It wasn’t just Elliot’s coldness freezing me. It was an instinctual self-defense mechanism.

My body was warning me: ‘If you take all of this in, you might die. Don’t accept it.’

Now everything became clear.

‘I’ve reached my limit.’

My capabilities as a guide were completely exhausted.

Like a battery that no longer holds a charge, I had become useless.

From now on, every guiding session would mercilessly drain away what was left of my life force.

But I couldn’t afford to give up guiding.

Forcing my unwilling body to open up, I let Elliot’s emotional impurities flood in.

My mind went blank for a moment, but I didn’t spill a single drop.

I am his one and only guide.

I couldn’t let these impurities go back to my esper and harm him.

“Mm, ngh…”

But I couldn’t completely suppress the feeling of my life being drained away.

Before I could even try to hold back, tears started streaming down my cheeks.

The more I cried, the harder I pressed my lips to his and the tighter I hugged Elliot, trying to focus solely on guiding. I couldn’t let Elliot stop guiding halfway.

Though the coldness from his mental state chilled my mind, my breath quickened.

The energy seeping into me wasn’t supposed to affect my physical body.

And yet, my body, unable to distinguish between real and false, seemed to be mobilizing every possible means to raise its temperature.

I could feel it all too clearly.

The countdown to my death had begun, and there was no way to escape.

I was… going to die soon.

“Ha…”

“Mr. Heewoon.”

It was merely a confirmation of what I already knew.

I didn’t think I was particularly shaken, but who knows how much of my emotions my esper was picking up during the guiding session.

The only silver lining was that Elliot, being the kind of person who hides his own emotions well, might have a hard time reading mine too…

“If the guiding’s over, let go now.”

Suddenly, a small head popped up between me and Elliot, breaking the tension.

Before Elliot could say anything, Eunsoo tugged me away.

Once we were a safe distance away, Eunsoo’s soft hands cupped my tear-streaked cheeks, his thumbs brushing against the traces of my tears.

“Are you okay, Uncle?”

His blue eyes were filled with concern. I couldn’t help but smile in return as I met his gaze.

“I’m okay.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really.”

But it’s not true.

If before I had been walking a path, knowing there was a cliff at the end, now it feels like I’m standing on thin ice.

Death is closing in, gripping me by the throat.

I know my life will end soon, but the uncertainty of when makes it all the more terrifying.

“Eunsoo…”

“Yes?”

I’m the only dedicated guide for Special A Team.

It’s a role that’s far too overwhelming for me to handle.

I want to retire. I hope Eunsoo regains his powers soon.

I hope he can take my place.

Maybe then I can live a little longer.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Uncle, something did happen, didn’t it?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

But I decided not to tell him.

There’s no point in saying anything that will only make things worse.

It would only burden his with guilt.

Eunsoo is enough as he is now, laughing and pretending to be tough over little things by my side.

I’m going to die.

My body is breaking down from guiding these S-class espers, far beyond what a B-class guide like me can handle.

My life was already short, and now it’s even shorter because the only person who can replace me has lost his powers.

But none of this is Eunsoo’s fault. It’s not the fault of the three espers of Special A Team, or of me, or Yang Heewoon.

It’s just… we’re all terribly unlucky.

This is the world of the novel ‘The Genius Guide’s Melancholy’.

In this world, Yang Heewoon is destined to die, leaving only Eunsoo to guide the three espers.

No matter how much Eunsoo resents them, he will inevitably be forced to guide them.

Everything in this world has been meticulously set up for the sake of “narrative coherence.”

We’re all just walking the paths laid out for us, with no choice but to accept our fates.

There’s no one to blame.

All we can do is live each day without regrets.

I’m satisfied knowing that Yang Heewoon’s death will mean a little more to them now.

I stroked Eunsoo’s hair his fine, soft hair slipped through my fingers. He’s so lovely, so precious.

“You know I love you very much, right?”

“I know. That’s why I’m holding back my anger.”

Eunsoo laughed and grabbed my left hand, which she’d practically claimed as his own.

“Just wait. Once I get my powers back and become an adult… I won’t let you get distracted by anyone else.”

“Yeah.”

“You just said ‘yeah,’ right? Remember that. When I’m grown up…!”

His voice rose in excitement.

I knew I should be listening carefully to what he was saying, but I could barely make out his words.

My ears were ringing.

My head hurt. My body felt so heavy, like a waterlogged sponge weighing me down.

“Yeah…”

I wanted to give up everything right now and collapse.

I wanted to get an IV and sleep, just for half a day, no, for three days if possible.

But I couldn’t. I still had responsibilities and a child I needed to protect.

‘Hang in there…’

It was getting harder and harder to hold on to consciousness.

---

We boarded the safari bus.

I’m not sure if it was because we had booked the whole VVIP experience or just good timing, but we got the chance to feed the animals with the zookeeper accompanying us.

…Though I didn’t get to enjoy this rare opportunity because I was too exhausted from guiding Elliot, so I decided to just watch from the bus.

Thankfully, Eunsoo, Elliot, and Rex all loved animals, so they were having a great time on their own.

“I want to feed the tiger, too.”

“Hey, this is my spot. Why don’t you head over there?”

“Those ones said they’re full.”

“Rex, your size is scaring the tigers. Back off a bit.”

“They’re recognizing you’re an Esper, not because of your size. They’re not coming your way either.”

“I feel like I’d be happy if you both just disappeared. Why don’t you consider that?”

“No.”

“Don’t want to.”

“Even S-class Espers and grown-ups can be so petty…”

“You’re shameless, especially since you’re clearly being treated like a predator too.”

Just listening to the loud chatter made me smile.

They really suit each other.

Even though they bicker and fight like that, they end up having the same tastes.

They’ll find little things in common, and those small commonalities will become the ties that bind them, slowly growing into love.

By the time they realize it, their feelings will be so overwhelming that they won’t be able to breathe without each other, filling up their hearts completely.

‘I love this so much…’

The heart of the onlooker otaku felt warm.

My beloved couples, love each other passionately!

“Oh wow, you’re eating well. I wish my man would eat like that…”

“Heewoon doesn’t really eat, huh.”

“If he ate even a quarter of what they do, I’d carry him around.”

“I can’t figure out his tastes. These guys will eat anything as long as it’s fresh meat, but my guy is so picky…”

“Yeah, Heewoon is very picky, isn’t he?”

“He barely takes one bite and almost never takes a second. I don’t know if he eats little or just has a small appetite.”

“With Heewoon, it’s probably both.”

“There’s no hope, huh.”

“Tiger, tell the man if he doesn’t eat, you’re gonna growl at him. Just don’t actually growl, okay?”

Wait… Is it just my imagination, or did the conversation subtly turn into bad-mouthing me?

* * *

*Summary page is only available for login users. Non-users can view the chapters on the chapter list.*