Chapter 10: A Sleep Without Nightmares

When Tae-woo’s expression darkened, So-won—who had been watching him even more cautiously—continued speaking.

“Would it be all right if I lived at your place, Tae-woo?”

Tae-woo?

Tae-woo was startled by the familiar form of address, though his blunt expression didn’t change.

It sounded better than the “Kang Tae-woo, Esper” title he was used to hearing, but hearing it for the first time from a Guide still felt oddly unfamiliar.

Before he realized it, the dark thoughts that had been filling his head had disappeared.

Interpreting Tae-woo’s silence as discomfort, So-won hurriedly began to explain.

“They say the national support housing has CCTV everywhere.

Living in a place like that is kind of—”

…unpleasant.

Mid-sentence, So-won noticed the CCTV on the ceiling and shut his mouth.

So there are surveillance cameras here too…
He felt relieved—he had almost turned Tae-woo’s private room into another unpleasant place.

It was a good thing he stopped himself in time.

If he’d kept talking and irritated Tae-woo, he would’ve had to see that tightly furrowed brow again.

Tae-woo found So-won’s choice unexpected.

If they were going to live together, the national support housing would obviously be safer.

In fact, when Espers and Guides first began cohabiting, they often used national facilities under 24-hour surveillance for safety reasons.

Guides were little different from powerless civilians, and Espers were time bombs that could go off anytime, anywhere.

Even in So-won’s case—especially since his partner was Tae-woo—the national facility would’ve been safer.

Tae-woo’s house was located in a quiet area on the outskirts of Seoul.

If something happened, help wouldn’t come quickly.

“…I’ll give you the address.”

After some deliberation, Tae-woo made his decision.

He rarely stayed at home anyway.

On days when his condition was bad, he needed several guiding machines attached to him, but his house only had one.

Because of that, he usually spent his time in a private room at the Esper Association.

So-won also seemed reluctant about the national housing, and since Tae-woo would continue staying in his private room, it wouldn’t inconvenience So-won much even if he lived at Tae-woo’s place.

So-won’s face brightened when he received Tae-woo’s consent.

It felt like he’d finally crossed one major item off his list of things he needed to do.

He’d thought up plenty of questions to ask, but after finishing the most important matter, nothing else came to mind.

Should I go now?

But it hadn’t even been thirty minutes since he arrived.

After hesitating, So-won spoke.

“Would you like me to guide you?”

“Please.”

Tae-woo didn’t refuse.

So-won had suggested it knowing he wouldn’t.

Even so, while he wasn’t surprised by the answer, the tension was unavoidable.

So-won stood up from across from him and moved to sit beside him.

Glancing at Tae-woo’s profile, So-won was once again struck by how big he was.

It felt like sitting next to a massive black ox.

So-won wasn’t small by any means, but next to Tae-woo, he felt like a small animal.

He looked down at the large hand that had been quietly extended toward him.

The back of the hand, with dark red veins bulging beneath the skin, was still frightening and grotesque.

Still, he had to muster courage.

So-won gently placed his hand atop Tae-woo’s.

A sharp, prickling sensation shot through him as Tae-woo’s wavelength flowed into him.

Tae-woo felt a heavy wave of fatigue crash over him, but thankfully, he didn’t lose consciousness like before.

Unlike in his dreams, the hand wasn’t cold—it was warm.

That warmth eased So-won’s heart.

Tae-woo was still scary, but not to the point where So-won felt like he couldn’t even stand properly.

Seeing him die—something he’d never imagined in his life—had clearly left trauma behind.

In just a few days, So-won could feel his perception of Tae-woo slowly changing.

Tae-woo’s hands were enormous.

Even with his own hand fully spread, he couldn’t cover Tae-woo’s clenched fist entirely.

When he moved slightly, he could feel the veins beneath the palm.

Spreading his fingers just a little revealed a single dark vein.

They’d always looked disgusting before, but now… they somehow looked painful.

Turning his head, So-won saw Tae-woo sitting quietly with his eyes closed.

Around his eyes, large and small veins spread like those on the back of his hand, making the area look especially dark.

In eight years, those veins would spread as if devouring his entire body.

His face would grow even more gaunt, the hollows of his cheeks deeper.

And in that state, he would meet a miserable end.

So-won’s expression darkened.

Tae-woo showed no sign of opening his eyes, so So-won studied his face more closely.

Thick eyebrows, sharp eyes, and a high nose—his features were beautifully defined, as if carved with a chisel.

The hollows of his cheeks and angular jawline made So-won want to trace them with his fingers.

His shave was clean, and aside from the veins around his eyes, his face was flawless.

He’d never noticed because of the veins, but Tae-woo was surprisingly neat-looking.

So-won tried to imagine Tae-woo’s face without the veins—but couldn’t.

As he watched Tae-woo’s closed eyes, drowsiness gradually crept over So-won as well.

Lately, he’d been short on sleep thanks to nightmares that came whenever he closed his eyes.

But holding Tae-woo’s hand, he felt certain that if he fell asleep now, he wouldn’t dream.

Tae-woo’s quiet breathing sounded like a calm lullaby.

So-won’s eyes slowly closed.

Tae-woo felt a light bump against his arm and opened his eyes, which he’d had closed only briefly.

Beside him, So-won had fallen asleep, his head resting against Tae-woo’s arm.

Judging by his steady breathing, he hadn’t woken while nodding off.

This was the first time Tae-woo had seen someone sleeping this close.

And at his side, no less.

The defenseless posture and the light weight pressing against his arm stirred something inside him.

Even through the fabric of his sleeve, So-won’s head made contact—and guiding occurred there too.

The guided area had merely expanded by the size of So-won’s small head, yet Tae-woo could feel his condition improve dramatically.

It’d be nice if he touched a little more…

If only he weren’t wearing long sleeves—if bare skin touched bare skin, it’d be even better—

Tae-woo stiffened.

Dirty desire reared its head again.

He bit down on his lip, scolding himself.

Looking down at the head resting against his arm, Tae-woo noticed that So-won’s hair wasn’t the same color as his own.

It was a dark brown, slightly lighter than Tae-woo’s clothes.

The fine strands, slightly wavy and well-kept, looked like they’d feel nice to touch—even imagining it, Tae-woo could almost feel the softness.

Unlike himself, So-won’s skin was clean—so pale it made him look like a different species altogether.

Chubby cheeks like a rabbit’s, round eyes—he looked cute and innocent.

Lee So-won.

Tae-woo recalled it.

A few days before So-won was matched as a Guide, the Guide who had asked for him in the ER was also named Lee So-won.

According to the attending doctor, that day was when So-won awakened as a Guide.

Tae-woo was certain the Guide from that day was the same So-won now sleeping beside him.

He didn’t know how So-won had known about him, or why he’d been looking for him.

What puzzled him even more was that the very next day, So-won had requested a designated match with him.

The result had been an astonishing 100%.

It was as if So-won had known in advance that he would match with Tae-woo.

Then why hadn’t he run away?

Why hadn’t he refused the wavelength test?

Why had he been the one to apply for a designated match with someone everyone avoided?

He remembered So-won trembling when they first met in the guiding examination room.

During their first guiding, his face had gone pale—he’d been unable to move.

If he was that afraid, why had he come to Tae-woo’s private room today?

So-won… was he regretting his choice?

He wanted to know.

And yet, he didn’t.

Tae-woo looked at the small hand resting atop his rough knuckles.

A gentle warmth flowed in from where they touched.

Feeling that flow, his mind settled.

Tae-woo wanted to believe it.

That So-won was a little different from everyone else.

Without touching him, without waking him, Tae-woo simply let time pass.

***

So-won woke up more than two hours later.

As consciousness slowly returned, he realized his body was tilted slightly, leaning against something hard.

It didn’t take long for him to recognize it as Tae-woo’s arm.

“Ah!”

So-won let out a short cry and quickly moved away.

Tae-woo had already noticed he was awake.

When the light weight disappeared from his arm, he felt an unexpected sense of loss.

Their eyes met.

Though brief, it had been a long time since So-won had slept so deeply without nightmares.

Some of the fatigue had faded from his face.

“I’m sorry.

I must’ve dozed off.”

He checked the time.

Nearly three hours had passed.

That wasn’t dozing—that was proper sleep.

“You must’ve been tired.”

So-won’s face flushed.

He felt as though Tae-woo were looking at him with disdain.

The flat tone and lack of inflection only made it worse.

Seeing So-won’s wandering gaze, Tae-woo had intended to reassure him—but the result was the opposite.

“I’m sorry… I’ll guide you properly next time.”

He couldn’t be sure he’d guided Tae-woo well, having fallen asleep not long after starting.

He’d been the one to offer first.

Embarrassment washed over him before the heat in his face could subside.

So-won couldn’t bring himself to look at Tae-woo’s face.

He wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.

So-won chose to flee.

“Um… I’ll get going now.”