Chapter 24: Temporary Solution

However, the fact that high-intensity guiding was necessary and the act of actually performing it were two completely different matters.

So-won was the same s*x as Tae-woo, and on top of that, he possessed absolutely no sexual appeal.

Just as So-won felt repulsed by the idea, he was certain that Tae-woo wouldn’t want to engage in that kind of guiding with him either.

After agonizing over it for a long time, So-won began to think that maybe—not the highest level, but the stage just before that—might be possible.

But the moment he imagined a concrete scene, he shook his head hard.

There was no way he could tell someone who had already died once to do something that cruel and extreme.

Worse still, if Tae-woo failed to control his strength and something happened to So-won’s body, it would become the most horrific incident of his regression—something he would never be able to forget.

At that point, only one option remained: So-won doing it himself.

Even the pamphlet said that guiding was more efficient when the guide directly handled the Esper.

So-won stole a glance at Tae-woo’s body.

Even through his clothes, the solid outline was clearly visible.

So-won squeezed his eyes shut and quickly turned his head away.

Impossible.

That’s absolutely impossible.

The contents of the pamphlet and the image of Tae-woo’s physique alternated in tormenting So-won.

To forget them, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

Even though he couldn’t see anything, it felt as if Tae-woo’s gaze was still on him.

After tossing and turning for a long time, So-won finally managed to fall asleep.

The place he arrived at after escaping reality was the operating room from that day.

Eight years in the future, Tae-woo lay on the operating table, his face overtaken by blackened veins, staring at So-won.

So-won couldn’t even avoid his dim gaze, as if Tae-woo might close his eyes at any moment, surrounded by a scene drenched in blood.

This time, he realized early on that he was dreaming.

So-won knew that if he opened his eyes, Tae-woo would be beside him.

He desperately wanted to wake up.

If he called Tae-woo’s name, it felt like Tae-woo would wake him.

So-won tried to scream his name—but it was as if his lips had been sewn shut, pressed tightly together and refusing to part.

So-won struggled.

Even knowing that flailing in a dream was useless, he thrashed his arms and legs, gasping as he tried to call Tae-woo’s name.

Minutes passed.

Hours passed.

Days, perhaps.

At last, his mouth opened.

“Tae-woo!”

The moment he cried out the name, So-won’s eyes flew open.

His body was drenched.

Cold sweat streamed down, tears spilled freely, and his entire body was soaked.

His heart pounded—fast, violently, anxiously.

Breathing in ragged gasps, So-won checked the empty space beside him.

Tae-woo wasn’t there.

“Tae-woo?”

It seemed dawn was just breaking; the world outside the window was dimly lit.

So-won staggered toward the window on unsteady legs.

From the window in Tae-woo’s room, he could see the yard where Tae-woo always parked his car.

“Did he already leave for work…?”

The yard was completely empty.

So-won muttered hollowly.

He pressed a hand hard against his head to suppress the headache that always followed nightmares.

He’d thought it was enough just to fall asleep with Tae-woo beside him, but apparently that wasn’t always the case.

Watching the sun rise, So-won slowly calmed himself before heading to the bathroom in the hallway.

He was still exhausted, but he knew all too well that falling asleep again would only lead to another nightmare.

He splashed his face with cold water to chase away the drowsiness.

[What time will you be back today?]

After returning to his room, So-won sent Tae-woo a message.

He hadn’t expected a reply so quickly, but one arrived sooner than he thought.

[I’ll be a bit late.]

“How late…?”

So-won muttered while staring at the message.

No further reply came.

Before the afternoon arrived, his phone vibrated briefly once more.

Thinking it was Tae-woo, So-won hurriedly checked—then his expression fell when he saw the sender.

It was a message from the Guide Association.

It informed him about training sessions hosted by the Association for citizens who had recently become guides.

Curious, So-won followed the link to the Association’s website and found all kinds of courses available.

He wondered why he’d never received messages like this before, then remembered he’d blocked everything related to both the Guide Association and the Esper Association because he couldn’t stand the sight of them.

So-won shook his head.

The training wasn’t mandatory.

The old So-won would’ve ignored it without a second glance, but this time he hesitated as he looked at the basic guide training course.

The words “recommended for middle and high school students” gave him pause, but the content itself seemed useful.

It was starting the very next day, and the morning session still had plenty of spots.

After some hesitation, So-won pressed the apply button.

Not long after, a confirmation message arrived.

Tae-woo returned home late that night.

After getting out of the car, he looked at his house, light spilling out from inside.

It seemed his guide had forgotten to turn off the lights before going to bed—the entire house was brightly lit.

Thinking So-won must already be asleep, Tae-woo entered the house.

And just like the night before, he saw So-won waiting to greet him.

It wasn’t an hour So-won should’ve been awake.

Seeing the tired look on his face, Tae-woo instinctively bowed his head.

“I’m sorry.

I had a lot of work and got back late.”

“It’s okay.

I couldn’t sleep anyway, so I was just awake.”

Without realizing his face clearly showed that he’d been waiting, So-won lied.

Considering he hadn’t been able to sleep because of nightmares, it wasn’t entirely a lie—more like half the truth.

You said you’d only be a little late.

Behind his smile, So-won voiced a small complaint.

He didn’t like that Tae-woo had arrived well past midnight, but after being tormented by terrifying visions all day, seeing him made it feel like an invisible tail was wagging behind him.

Trying not to show how relieved he was, So-won spoke.

“Tae-woo, I have a favor to ask.”

“Yes.

Please go ahead.”

“Could you take me with you when you go to work for a while?”

The guide training So-won had signed up for was held at the Guide Association headquarters.

It was far from Tae-woo’s house, but since it was near the Esper Association where Tae-woo worked, the two buildings were less than a five-minute walk apart.

If Tae-woo gave him a ride, attending the training would be much easier.

“May I ask why?”

“I signed up for guide training at the Guide Association.

It starts tomorrow and lasts for a week.”

“Understood.”

Tae-woo agreed without asking anything further.

Hearing his answer, So-won couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from lifting.

There was another reason So-won had applied for the training.

Tae-woo probably hadn’t realized it yet, but now he would have to come home every night to take So-won with him in the morning.

He wouldn’t be able to quietly leave the house while So-won slept, like he had today.

So-won no longer had to spend the entire day anxious, wondering if Tae-woo would come back.

It had been his biggest worry since they started living together, and he hadn’t expected it to be resolved so easily.

He was glad he hadn’t ignored the message from the Guide Association.

He felt his heart lighten almost instantly.

Waking up early to follow Tae-woo might be a bit tiring, but it was far better than having nightmares.

He had already picked out several more courses to take after the basic training ended.

A class that started the very next day, another that lasted an entire month.

So-won planned to keep signing up for different courses until the nightmares stopped, using them as an excuse to keep Tae-woo close.

Thanks to the wide variety of courses available, he could follow Tae-woo around for at least several months.

Once he finished saying everything he wanted to say, drowsiness came crashing over him.

Walking upstairs with Tae-woo, So-won let out a huge yawn.

When they arrived at the doors of their rooms facing each other, So-won didn’t go into his own room and instead followed Tae-woo into his.

Noticing So-won behind him, Tae-woo held the door open until So-won had fully entered.

***

The guide training covered extremely basic material.

Embarrassingly enough, it was perfectly suited to So-won’s level.

The materials created directly by the Association were well-written and neatly organized.

They covered not only guiding itself, but also guide obligations, regulations, and even the duties of the Esper who would become a partner—everything a guide needed to know.

Because it was a beginner course designed for students, the explanations weren’t very deep, but for So-won, whose knowledge was almost a blank slate, it was an efficient way to learn a lot in a short time.

Still, there was no way studying for the first time in eight years would go smoothly.

At some point, So-won found himself spacing out, and when he heard that the lecture was over, he stared blankly at the people leaving the classroom.

It had only been a three-hour lecture, but just sitting still had been difficult.

He was sure he’d listened, yet nothing remained in his head.

Even if the lecture itself hadn’t stuck, So-won stood up with a lighter heart.

He could always review the materials the Association had handed out once he got home.

Heading back to Tae-woo’s house at an unhurried pace, So-won felt no fear in waiting anymore—because he knew Tae-woo would come back, whether early or late.

With his greatest worry gone, So-won felt relaxed.

“I’m sorry.

I don’t think I’ll be able to give you a ride tomorrow.”

“What?”

It was Thursday evening, only two days after the training had begun.