* * *
It’s already been a month since Special Team A was put on hold.
And once again, I was a lousy guardian.
After proposing that we split household chores, I ended up leaving all the cooking to Eunsoo and, once again, messed up.
I’d told him, “How can we leave all the housework to Eunsoo when he’s preparing for exams?”
But despite saying that, I really did end up leaving it all to him.
“Ah… Ugh, I’m so sleepy…”
In my defense… I really couldn’t help it. It’s hard to do anything when no matter how much you sleep, you still feel drowsy.
Just like that time at the amusement park, I couldn’t shake off the exhaustion.
But I couldn’t just pour caffeine into this weak body to hold on a few more hours, could I?
It’s not like I didn’t try at all.
But, in my sleep-deprived state, I ended up knocking over dishes and breaking expensive decorations, adding to Eunsoo’s workload.
That’s when I realized my limits.
So, I set a shamelessly simple goal for myself:
‘I’ll just try not to die…’
Maybe this persistent drowsiness is my body’s way of staying alive.
I could end up just slipping away in my sleep, but if not doing anything lets me hang on for one more day, isn’t that worth it?
At least I was able to manage my sleep so I’d be awake when Eunsoo was at home.
I’d send him off in the morning, sleep all day, and then wake up when he got back from school so we could have dinner together.
We’d chat a bit about school life, then I’d head back to bed.
Honestly, I felt like my attachment to Eunsoo might be bordering on unhealthy.
But it was better than having him worry that I was sleeping too much.
“Since the college entrance exam is coming up, we barely have any classes now. Most of it is self-study… it’s a little disappointing, but it’s okay. Oh, and guess what! I scored ten goals playing soccer during gym class. The other guys were pretty slow, so I thought I’d go easy on them next time.”
“Yeah, yeah. It’s no fun if it’s too one-sided.”
“Oh, but there was one kid who was pretty good. He joined toward the end and seemed pretty talented. Turns out he’s a special recruit. He doesn’t come to school often, but he joined after seeing me play and challenged me.”
“So, did you win?”
“Of course! Although… it was a bit close. Technically, he was better than me. He’s got the physique too. But I wouldn’t lose to him in strength or stamina!”
Fortunately, Eunsoo didn’t ask what I’d been doing while he was gone. He just kept sharing stories about himself.
Even though it would be natural to be annoyed at a lazy, jobless guardian, my Eunsoo had been balancing school and housework for over a month without a single complaint, handling everything flawlessly.
Even though Polwel had assigned him a caretaker and helper, there must have been small tasks he couldn’t avoid.
After his amazing scores on the September mock exams, the school even called to say what a promising and brilliant student he was and how well he was adapting.
It felt so… expected that I barely reacted…
“Uncle, your mouth’s going to split open.”
…though I learned there’s nothing quite like hearing praise for your own kid.
Unable to contain my warm feelings, I hugged Eunsoo tightly, beaming with pride.
“You’re amazing. I’m so proud of you.”
“Hmph. Why are you making such a big deal of it? It’s not that impressive. Just because I did well in the September mock exam doesn’t mean I’ll do well on the real one. I don’t want to get overconfident and mess up on the main test.”
My Eunsoo wasn’t just content with his current success; he was already preparing for the future, and that moved me.
“I won’t put any pressure on you.”
“Well… if there’s something you really want to give me, I’ll take it.”
He even tilted his cheek toward me in that adorable way.
I could go on all day listing Eunsoo’s sweet, admirable qualities.
I showered him with praise, knowing how hard he’d worked and how hard he’d continue to work, hoping my encouragement would give him extra strength.
But even my brilliant Eunsoo couldn’t always succeed effortlessly.
In October, after the Education Ministry’s mock exam, he was still confident, but with several private mock exams afterward, he seemed to lose some of his momentum.
He became noticeably tense, studying like his life depended on it.
On weekends, he’d shut himself in the study, and I’d barely see him except at mealtimes.
That’s when I started to wonder.
‘Does he really need to push himself this hard?’
In the world of “The Genius Guide’s Melancholy” , guides have secure government jobs.
While their earnings aren’t huge, they enjoy good welfare benefits and pensions.
Besides, Eunsoo is an S-rank guide—extremely rare worldwide, and unique in our country.
With his good looks and the protagonist’s aura, he could become a superstar if he wanted.
Even without that, Polwel had already provided him with enough money to last a lifetime.
There was no need to worry about tuition or living expenses for four years, even without a scholarship, so he’s likely doing all this for pride.
‘It’s remarkable, really…’
Neither Yang Heewoon nor I ever considered going to college or working hard.
All we cared about was finding a job as soon as possible.
We studied half-heartedly, only because it was expected of us.
So, seeing Eunsoo willingly put in so much effort made me admire him even more.
“Hey, Eunsoo.”
“Yes?”
Even now, he was clutching a vocabulary book in one hand, his sharp blue eyes filled with determination as he scanned the pages.
“Do you enjoy studying?”
“No, it’s completely boring. There’s no high school senior on earth who enjoys studying. Even if it’s fun at first, the pressure makes it awful as the college entrance exam approaches.”
His answer was unexpected.
“You work this hard even though you don’t like it?”
“Well… um. Isn’t it cooler to be good at something than bad at it? Besides, there’s not much else I can do at my age, so I might as well build up my resume. And since I don’t have a school rank, I have to rely entirely on my test scores. With the exam so close, I have to work hard.”
I was in awe.
My kid had it all figured out!
“Eunsoo, you’re incredible.”
Hearing my praise, Eunsoo puffed up his chest with a cute “ahem,” radiating such passion that I half-joked he could keep the house warm in winter without a boiler.
It’s good to be so dedicated.
Watching him with a proud smile, I noticed Eunsoo glance at me and then set his vocabulary book down.
“Why?”
“Well… I do have some room in my schedule, so when I’m with you, I want to focus on you. You’re more important than studying, Uncle.”
I pressed my hands over my mouth to keep from gasping with emotion.
How thoughtful.
Could such an admirable 19-year-old exist?
He was prioritizing me over studying—who else could be this precious?
‘I wonder if there’s anything I can teach him?’
Now that it’s come to this, I wanted to do something to help him in return.
But nothing came to mind.
Eunsoo was better at housework, was way ahead in studying, and probably had at least as much social skill as I did, if not more.
The only edge I had was my experience as a guide in the Agency.
And maybe my knowledge about the three espers was still ahead of his.
I’d figured out what I could teach him.
“Well, would you like me to teach you something too?”
“You? Sure.”
The main character cleared his throat a little awkwardly before starting.
“Rex’s presence is hot, Elliot’s is cold, and Cha Junseong’s is this pressing, suffocating weight.”
“…Sorry?”
“Junseong’s is the most painful. The first time you experience it, you’ll feel like you’re having a heart attack. As for Rex and Elliot—just to be clear, if you try guiding them at the same time, it might seem like they’d balance each other out and turn lukewarm, but they don’t. It feels like jumping between a hot bath and an ice bath at the same time. Going through it even once will make you understand why alternating hot and cold treatments are used as torture, so don’t try it. And if Junseong joins in, well, you’re pretty much guaranteed a shock-induced death. So make sure you take turns, even if you’re in a hurry.”
Talking about the Special A-Team filled him with an odd sense of nostalgia.
I miss them.
It’s been over a month since I last saw them.
I might have lost track of time from sleeping so much, but it feels like a long time.
Worry crept up on me, too.
Even though they’re on standby and not on any active missions, life has a way of building up emotional impurities. Will they be okay?
Since I haven’t heard anything, they should be…fine.
‘I want to guide them.’
The thought slipped out unintentionally.
It made me feel a bit of self-loathing—wondering if I’d become some sort of masochist who enjoys that brutally painful sensation that nearly kills me…
But aside from the overwhelming pain they bring me, everything else about it feels so good.
The way their arms wrap around me, their warmth.
When it’s a direct guide through mucous contact, that indescribable feeling of sharing breaths.
The sensation of accepting them deeply inside, becoming one with them.
And… the feeling of being thoroughly loved through all that closeness and exchange of emotions.
A smile formed on my lips without even realizing it.
* * *
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Gracias