It was already lunchtime by the time the two of them had washed up and finished eating. Afterward, they each went about their own business.
Cha Eun-soo, reclining on the rug spread across the living room floor, made a phone call to Cha Eun-hyuk, while Shim Tae-seong spent his time training in the clearing in front of the mansion.
The sunlight, once golden, had turned a shade of crimson by then.
Suddenly, Shim Tae-seong sensed Cha Eun-soo stepping outside. As he opened his previously closed eyes, he saw him slowly approaching, his footsteps soft and measured.
“I can’t get through…”
Cha Eun-soo spoke with concern coloring his voice.
“To Hyung.”
“He’ll be fine.”
Shim Tae-seong, now standing, replied calmly in an attempt to reassure him. Truthfully, he wasn’t the least bit worried. Regardless of what mission Cha Eun-hyuk was on or what danger he might be facing, it meant nothing to Shim Tae-seong.
No, if anything were to happen to him, it might actually be more convenient… To avoid lingering on that thought, Shim Tae-seong focused on Cha Eun-soo’s expression.
“…I hope so.”
His pale face was clouded with worry. He lowered his gaze as he brought the back of his hand to his lips. Shim Tae-seong gently took that hand and brought it down.
“Shall we take a short walk?”
Cha Eun-soo blinked, then nodded.
“Yeah. That sounds good.”
Hand in hand, the two began a stroll. Shim Tae-seong naturally matched his pace, allowing them to walk side by side.
They wandered along the edge of the lake. Nestled between the forest path and the mansion, the lake was Cha Eun-soo’s favorite place on the estate he had moved into after leaving the main household.
The unfrozen water was strikingly clear and still. Just staring into it for a while brought a sense of peace. As he looked at Cha Eun-soo, bathed in the familiar tones of the landscape, Shim Tae-seong finally spoke.
“Young Master.”
“Mm?”
“The stronger an Esper is, the tougher and more durable their body becomes.”
In his own case, the slender hand he was holding could’ve easily been crushed without much effort. It was the same during sex. No matter how consumed by desire he became, some instinctual caution always kicked in, keeping his strength in check. That was the only reason Cha Eun-soo was able to walk around unscathed like this.
Had he not controlled himself, that delicate body would’ve long since ruptured.
“If it’s the Team Leader we’re talking about, he could probably survive the deep sea with nothing but his bare body.”
It was a comforting remark grounded in truth, and it managed to lift some of the worry from Cha Eun-soo’s face. But soon, he bit his lip again.
“Still, if he ends up fighting other Espers…”
His words trailed off, tension creeping into his voice as he imagined various scenarios.
After all, he’d personally faced Esper criminals during a terrorist attack. The thought that Cha Eun-hyuk might be dealing with people like that… It wasn’t unreasonable to worry whether he’d come back in one piece.
But then, Shim Tae-seong suddenly recalled the look of relief on Cha Eun-soo’s face when he’d told him that his mother and older sister were going abroad for an extended stay. And the plea he had made—that above all else, Tae-seong protect his own life. Wasn’t that more like preparing for a major battle than anything else?
“…Young Master.”
When Shim Tae-seong came to a halt, Cha Eun-soo also stopped in step. The two turned to face each other. Just as the man was about to choose different words to soothe Eun-soo’s anxiety—
Shreeeek!
A sharp, slicing sound tore through the air as something flew directly between them. That black, dagger-like object was aimed at Cha Eun-soo’s wrist. Before it could strike, Shim Tae-seong pushed him back. It was already too late to shield him properly—this was the quickest and most effective way to respond. Startled, Cha Eun-soo lost his balance and stumbled. Shim Tae-seong instinctively moved to catch him—
But was blocked.
“…!”
The figure that had slipped in between them was an unfamiliar man, pale-faced and unknown.
Shim Tae-seong ignored him and tried to teleport to Eun-soo’s side using his ability. But it failed. Another attacker had a blade pressed to the young man’s neck. And that wasn’t all. A vehicle had rattled its way onto the estate and came to a screeching stop. From inside, a swarm of enemies dressed in dark clothing poured out, surrounding the area with military precision.
“Mr. Shim Tae-seong?”
The one standing face-to-face with him—Joo Cheong-gyeong—spoke up.
“This is our second time meeting.”
“…”
“Do you remember me? Our first encounter was at the hotel.”
He smiled. Then he glanced briefly toward the figure holding Cha Eun-soo.
“I was really pissed that time, you know.”
With a dramatic sigh, he added,
“So how things go today… that’ll depend entirely on you. On what kind of condition Mr. Cha Eun-soo ends up being dragged away in.”
Joo Cheong-gyeong, of course, had no intention of harming a valuable Guide. But if he wanted to take him away and make him obedient, some degree of fear had to be instilled first. Though his eyes were on Cha Eun-soo, the veiled threats were clearly directed at Shim Tae-seong. Naturally, it would be best for everyone if this could be resolved without bloodshed.
“Any chance you’re considering stepping aside quietly?”
He asked with exaggerated politeness. Oddly enough, upon hearing that question, a glimmer of relief flashed in Cha Eun-soo’s amber-brown eyes. Did he believe that if Shim Tae-seong chose not to fight, he wouldn’t be hurt?
…No.
Joo Cheong-gyeong hadn’t studied the relationship between the two in detail, but even he could tell they were far closer than they let on. That Guide had felt relieved—simply because his bodyguard wouldn’t have to fight under disadvantageous conditions. Even though he himself was about to be kidnapped.
But the moment Cha Eun-soo’s gaze met Shim Tae-seong’s eyes, all color drained from his face. Had he realized, just from Tae-seong’s tightly sealed lips, exactly what kind of decision he was about to make?
“No—don’t…!”
He thrashed violently, heedless of the blade held near his body. Joo Cheong-gyeong watched his reaction with interest. Unfortunately, the one restraining Cha Eun-soo was also an Esper, completely unfazed by the struggle. While observing the young man drowning in despair, Joo Cheong-gyeong turned his gaze forward again.
The massive body that had been standing there—was gone. Joo Cheong-gyeong shrugged.
“Knew it. The guy’s obviously not the negotiating type.”
No sooner had he muttered those words than Shim Tae-seong appeared behind him.
KWAAAAANG!
An earth-shaking blast echoed through the area—far too powerful to be the result of mere fists colliding. The two Espers locked eyes, both radiating raw killing intent at close range.
“This isn’t fun at all. But… it’s not like I ever planned to mess up the Guide. Even at the hotel, I meant to take him politely.”
“…”
“You’re the one who ruined that.”
The calculated provocation, designed to stir his temper, succeeded in making Shim Tae-seong’s attacks even more aggressive.
Yet even as Tae-seong came in hard with rapid, unpredictable strikes from blind angles, Joo Cheong-gyeong blocked most of them.
Though not overwhelmingly dominant, Shim Tae-seong couldn’t deny the reality—he was being pushed back.
Ironically, the reason was Guiding.
Living with Cha Eun-soo, he had received an overabundance of Guiding. His wave condition was in top shape—but it had dulled his senses. That may be what a normal Esper state was supposed to be, but… Espers who lacked Guiding were often hypersensitive to a painful degree—and that heightened sensitivity enhanced combat instincts.
Joo Cheong-gyeong, moving as if he could see the future, reacted with incredible agility, exchanging blow after blow with Shim Tae-seong in a relentless rhythm.
“Bodyguard-nim…”
Cha Eun-soo couldn’t visually track the brutal melee between two S-class Espers, but he could see something else—Shim Tae-seong was accumulating wounds.
“Stop… please, stop!”
His eyes reddened in helpless frustration. Unable to do anything, he suddenly clutched the Esper restraining him. He intended to try coaxing him through Guiding. But all he felt was the cold surface of leather gloves. The contact between their skin was blocked—Guiding couldn’t take place.
Crunch! Crack!
In that moment, Joo Cheong-gyeong grabbed Shim Tae-seong’s arm—and savagely twisted it. And that was only the beginning.
“…Ah…”
Cha Eun-soo witnessed it all—how a victorious Esper, especially one devoid of morality or even basic humanity, sought to utterly crush another Esper with ruthless brutality.
“Please…”
His face contorted in shock and fear.
“Please, stop… just stop…”
His trembling voice, thin and fragile as if it might vanish at any moment, quivered in a sob.
Joo Cheong-gyeong, who had been lifting Shim Tae-seong by the throat, halted mid-action. His gaze shifted to the Guide now at a safe distance. A face soaked in tears filled his view.
“Well, well.”
Still catching his breath, Joo Cheong-gyeong wiped away the blood that had splattered across his face.
“What’s got you so heartbroken?”
With a silent signal, one of his subordinates released Cha Eun-soo.
The young man staggered from weakness but didn’t collapse. Somehow, he managed to stay on his feet as he moved toward the scene of the carnage.
Once he confirmed Shim Tae-seong had lost consciousness, Joo Cheong-gyeong flung his body aside. Cha Eun-soo dropped to his knees in a panic and gathered the fallen man in his arms.
Joo Cheong-gyeong tilted his head.
“You two seem awfully close.”
Hic… hngh…
“I heard your relationship isn’t that old… Did you get attached during all that Guiding?”
Tears streaming down his face, Cha Eun-soo looked up at him.
“I’ll do whatever you want. Anything. Just… hic… just don’t hurt my friend… my bodyguard… anymore. Please, I’m begging you.”
Joo Cheong-gyeong felt a spark of amusement at being recognized by the Guide. Even during their first meeting, he’d sensed he was quick-witted—and now he was sure.
To see through his disguise like that… perhaps fate had dealt them an interesting hand. He bent down on one knee, locking eyes with him. Even in the dimming light, the Guide’s tearful eyes gleamed. On the outside too, Cha Eun-soo was perfectly his type.
“I don’t enjoy killing either. Mr. Shim Tae-seong has quite the valuable skillset, after all…”
Hngh…
“Even with enemies, I prefer to offer a chance. That’s just how I operate.”
He had, after all, already given them the opportunity to end things peacefully. His gaze dropped to Shim Tae-seong’s tightly shut eyes.
The man had fought with the desperation of a dog trying to protect its master. If Cha Eun-soo was in his hands, that dog would surely come crawling back. And maybe—just maybe—then he could be tamed. That too had once been Jang Hee-gang’s way.
“Well then.”
Joo Cheong-gyeong smiled gently. Then tapped the corner of his mouth with his index finger.
“As a sign of goodwill… how about you give me a kiss?”
Cha Eun-soo’s eyes wavered. Even if he hated it, he knew resisting would be utterly meaningless in this situation.
Joo Cheong-gyeong watched the timid yet keen-eyed Guide’s expression with intense interest.
Cha Eun-soo, trembling uncontrollably, carefully laid Shim Tae-seong down. Then, tightly shutting his eyes, he slowly leaned forward.
His moist lips came to rest against Joo Cheong-gyeong’s.
