Survival Rules for D-Rank Guides – 19

Park Yeon-ho and Jo Ha-eon also found out that Lim Haeyul had become a Guide. It was all thanks to Cha Jae-woo.

The group chat became extremely noisy. Most of the messages were nonsense, telling Lim Haeyul to run away quickly. They didn’t forget to include ridiculous comments, saying things like “Tto-yul being Tto-yul.” They kept urging him to escape.

They seemed to know that Lim Haeyul was a D-rank Guide and that it would be difficult for him to handle Cha Jae-woo. Since this information was readily available online, it was no surprise that they knew.

It warmed Lim Haeyul’s heart to see them worrying about him like this. He almost felt tears welling up in his eyes.

[I got a lot of money.]

However, Lim Haeyul couldn’t quit now. Besides, contrary to their worries, his health was perfectly fine. In fact, he had discovered an efficient guiding method that he wished he could share with other Guides.

He really wanted to brag about it, but there was no appropriate place to do so. He wondered if he could tell his friends.

“No…”

There must be a reason why Cha Jae-woo had changed his phone and number, cutting off contact with the Guide Association. Although it seemed absurd to Lim Haeyul, he knew Cha Jae-woo must have had a reason.

It all started when Lim Haeyul discovered a new guiding method. Perhaps Cha Jae-woo wanted to keep this method a secret. If that was the case, Lim Haeyul shouldn’t reveal it to his friends.

Although it was frustrating, Lim Haeyul wasn’t completely clueless. He believed his guess was correct. Otherwise, there would be no reason for Cha Jae-woo to suddenly prevent him from receiving the education he had initially offered.

[Park Yeon-ho: How much did you get?]

[Jo Ha-eon: Is money the issue here? You’re about to die!]

[Park Yeon-ho: No wonder you look so pale.]

[Jo Ha-eon: Wake up and run away! lol What kind of Guide is this?]

“It’s not like I can just quit if I don’t want to…” Lim Haeyul muttered to himself, hesitating mid-sentence as he thought Cha Jae-woo might hear him.

But today, Cha Jae-woo was out. Lim Haeyul had seen him leave in his car that morning. It didn’t look like he was heading to a Gate. If he were, he would have told Lim Haeyul to prepare for guiding.

Anyway, wherever Cha Jae-woo had gone, he wouldn’t be able to hear Lim Haeyul. …Right? He couldn’t hear him, could he?

“This is so frustrating.”

Next time, he should ask Cha Jae-woo exactly how far his hearing range was. Lim Haeyul hadn’t realized he talked to himself so much, but now that he thought he shouldn’t, it was driving him crazy.

[I got 5 billion.]

Initially, it was actually 1 billion, and back then, Lim Haeyul had been moved by a foolish sense of pity for Cha Jae-woo. Later, he stayed because Cha Jae-woo threatened that if he didn’t continue as his Guide, everyone would find out about it. But Lim Haeyul didn’t bother explaining all that.

From experience, he knew it would only make him look stupid.

[Park Yeon-ho: 5 billion?]

[Jo Ha-eon: 5 billion???]

[Kim Geon-ung: What? I thought it was 1 billion!]

[Jo Ha-eon: Are you crazy??????????]

The group chat exploded again, as if Lim Haeyul had dropped a bomb. Even Kim Geon-ung, who had only seen the initial contract, was shocked. Those who hadn’t known Lim Haeyul had become a Guide were even more surprised.

Lim Haeyul forced a bitter smile as he typed on his phone. He wanted to add something to the conversation to show that he appreciated their concern, despite the amount of money he was receiving.

[Jo Ha-eon: 5 billion? You must have been out of your mind to take this job!]

[Kim Geon-ung: No wonder Cha Jae-woo went to all that trouble to get you.]

[Park Yeon-ho: Tto-yul, you idiot. Did you really quit your job just because you felt like it?]

[Jo Ha-eon: Congrats, buddy. Want to share a family registry with me?]

[Kim Geon-ung: You crazy bastard lolol]

[Jo Ha-eon: Someone’s gotta inherit all that money, right?]

However, the message he had typed, “[I’m fine],” remained unsent. His smile faded, replaced by a scowl. He angrily deleted the message and typed a new one.

[You assholes, are you really my friends?!]

Although there was nothing to worry about, it still stung that his friends seemed to care more about the money than his well-being. It seemed like everyone was only interested in money, which infuriated him even more. He remembered that even Kim Geon-ung had jokingly asked to be the beneficiary of his life insurance.

‘Why are all my friends like this?’ he thought, his face flushing with anger.

He kicked the air in frustration, and just then, a message arrived from Jo Ha-eon.

[Jo Ha-eon: Aww, is widdle Tto-yul upset because we didn’t worry about him?]

“Argh! You’re so annoying!” Lim Haeyul shouted, throwing his phone onto the bed. The constant vibrations from his friends’ messages only added to his irritation.

He flopped down on the bed, kicking his feet in frustration before letting out a deep sigh.

“Well, with 5 billion…” he muttered to himself.

He could understand why their attitudes had changed. They had always seen him struggling with money, so it made sense that they would be impressed by such a large sum. But still, he hoped they weren’t being serious.

He glared at his still-buzzing phone. He had no intention of telling them, but he definitely wouldn’t share that he had found a way to guide an S-rank Esper without draining his energy.

* * *

Cha Jae-woo returned home late that night. Lim Haeyul, who had been getting water from the kitchen, greeted him with a slight bow and quickly checked his aura. Fortunately, it was unchanged, indicating that Cha Jae-woo hadn’t been to a Gate.

“When should we do the guiding?” Lim Haeyul asked.

Whether Cha Jae-woo had been to a Gate or not, they had agreed to do guiding at least once a day. Letting his mana go to waste was not an option.

“After I shower,” Cha Jae-woo replied, looking tired. “Come to my room in about an hour.”

“Your room?” Lim Haeyul asked, surprised.

“I don’t want to go back and forth,” Cha Jae-woo explained.

He must be really tired, Lim Haeyul thought. Since moving into this house, Lim Haeyul had never set foot in Cha Jae-woo’s room, and the thought made him uneasy. It wasn’t that he was worried about what might happen; rather, he couldn’t shake the memory of the first time he had seen Cha Jae-woo’s room, filled with flesh-colored tones.

First impressions really do matter, he thought. Cha Jae-woo’s spacious bedroom had seemed stark and cold, but in Lim Haeyul’s mind, it was forever associated with that vivid, heated image.

“Yes,” Lim Haeyul replied, trying to keep his voice steady. He backed away slowly, hoping Cha Jae-woo wouldn’t notice his discomfort.

He didn’t want Cha Jae-woo to think he was still hung up on that embarrassing moment from his teenage years. Fortunately, Cha Jae-woo didn’t try to stop him, and Lim Haeyul could hear his tired footsteps retreating down the hall.

* * *

The hour passed quickly, but Lim Haeyul found himself growing more and more nervous. It was just a change of location, from his room to Cha Jae-woo’s, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of unease.

Maybe it was because he had snuck out yesterday, and this would be their first guiding session since then. He tried to tell himself that was the reason, but deep down, he knew it was because he was nervous about being in Cha Jae-woo’s room.

“Ugh, I really don’t want to go in there,” he muttered under his breath, then quickly clamped his mouth shut. He had almost forgotten that Cha Jae-woo could hear him now.

He wondered just how much Cha Jae-woo could hear. Could he hear every little sound in the house? Was that why the staff was so quiet?

At first, Lim Haeyul had thought the housekeeper who woke him up every morning was stern and talkative, but he realized now that she was actually quite reserved. The driver was even more so.

There were other staff members in the house, but Lim Haeyul had never spoken to them. He barely even noticed their presence.

Lim Haeyul realized that the staff in the house were considerate of Cha Jae-woo’s exceptional hearing. They seemed to genuinely care for him, and after living in the house for over two months, Lim Haeyul had come to understand this.

Cha Jae-woo’s heightened senses must make it difficult for him to find peace and quiet, so the staff’s silence and careful movements were likely their way of showing consideration. Lim Haeyul felt a bit embarrassed, realizing that his own silence was initially just to avoid being overheard talking to himself. But he decided to see it as his own way of contributing to Cha Jae-woo’s comfort.

Before he knew it, Lim Haeyul found himself standing in front of Cha Jae-woo’s door. He hesitated, wondering if he should knock or announce his presence. But Cha Jae-woo opened the door as if he had been waiting, startling Lim Haeyul and causing him to step back.

“You heard me coming…” Lim Haeyul said, forcing an awkward smile.

“Yes,” Cha Jae-woo replied, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Lim Haeyul nodded and followed Cha Jae-woo into the room, feeling a mix of curiosity and discomfort.

The room looked much the same as it had on his first day, minus the crowd of people. The memory of that day made him uncomfortable, but being in the room now, the details seemed to blur. He looked around, taking in the space with fresh eyes.

“Don’t get any ideas, it’s my room,” Cha Jae-woo said as he walked past Lim Haeyul towards the bed.

“You can make jokes,” Lim Haeyul muttered without thinking.

“Not as well as you,” Cha Jae-woo replied, surprising Lim Haeyul with his casual response. Feeling more at ease, Lim Haeyul pulled a chair over to the bedside, where Cha Jae-woo was already lying down.

This was a new position for guiding, but Cha Jae-woo seemed comfortable with it. He extended his arm, ready to begin. Lim Haeyul, however, felt a bit awkward.

“You look like a patient,” Lim Haeyul commented, but Cha Jae-woo barely reacted, too tired to engage in conversation. He waved his hand dismissively, as if shooing away a fly.

“I will begin the guiding,” Lim Haeyul said, a bit disappointed that their interaction was so brief. He had hoped for a bit more conversation, but Cha Jae-woo seemed too exhausted.

Lim Haeyul placed his hand on Cha Jae-woo’s, noting the size difference. He closed his eyes and focused on the guiding. The Black Mass was still intimidating, but Cha Jae-woo’s steady breathing was calming.

Author: Levia