Episode 23: A Rough Start (4)

“Right, like an F-class Guide like me would be of any help. Honestly, I doubt I’m even making a difference right now, but still…”

“…”

“Ah, damn it. If it wasn’t for that face, I’d have bolted by now.”

Frustration at herself and the anxiety surrounding Juyul tangled in her mind, causing her to spill words without a second thought.

Before seeing his face, her emotions were divided: 80% hesitation, 19% the lure of payment, and just 1% concern. But as soon as she approached him and saw his flawlessly sculpted face, her hesitation dwindled all at once.

Sodam took a deep breath and, with resolve, placed both hands on the back of Juyul’s neck. Since his bare skin was only exposed there and on his face, she really didn’t have much choice.

“I’m going to make sure to charge extra for this, so be prepared,” she murmured, as if making a promise to him—or maybe to herself—and closed her eyes to focus. In her mind, the icy ocean appeared again, now filled with even more shards of glacial ice than before.

Pushing her now-warm hands, still lingering with the heat from Guiding Seonghwa, into the chill, her fingertips felt like they’d freeze on contact. She couldn’t bear to move her hands any deeper and opened her eyes, muttering in a forcedly cheerful tone.

“If I pass out, Baek Juyul will handle it somehow, right? He wouldn’t just leave me here. Yeah, right.”

“…”

“He’ll give me a reward for helping, and pay for the trip, too. I mean, he’s got to be the kind of guy to watch out for my wallet and my safety, right? Otherwise, he’d be worse than a dog’s—uh, ahem. At least a dog has loyalty, you know?”

She didn’t know if he could hear her, but Sodam kept talking, determined to lodge her worth deep in his mind as a debt he’d have to repay. You never know; maybe tomorrow, her words would echo in his head, prompting him to double her fee.

Imagining a brighter future, she closed her eyes tightly, determined to keep going. She ignored her numbing fingertips and continued moving her hands diligently until an intense cold seemed to freeze her thoughts themselves.

‘This… this feels colder than it did yesterday. Is it because my body got warmer after Guiding Seonghwa? No, that’s not it. It’s… Baek Juyul has gotten stronger.’

The realization hit her hard, making the one she was touching feel less like a human. Back when she first heard he was SSS-class or when she’d Guided him by instinct, it hadn’t fully registered. But after having a comparison point with Seonghwa, she could grasp just how overpowering Juyul’s energy was. Now, her hands were trembling, not just from the cold, but from a deep-seated fear of him.

‘If even after all this, my Guiding falls short, if the storyline veers off course and he loses control right here… then I’ll just die. Unlike the original Maeng Sodam, who at least left something behind, I’ll disappear with nothing… just die, completely gone.’

She closed her eyes, terrified to reach her hands further into the turbulent currents. She felt as if, in that raging torrent, she might be swept away and killed. In her mind, she could vividly see herself shredded and torn apart like the now nearly unrecognizable Leviathan.

‘…He seems calm now, so maybe I should stop here? I feel like I might faint soon, but not right here next to him. It’s not like I haven’t done any Guiding. Haven’t I done enough?’

A frightened inner voice screamed at her to turn back and flee.

Sodam’s worn-out sneakers dug into the sand, as if ready to take flight, yet she didn’t move an inch. She was held back by a small, lingering sense of obligation—just enough to keep her rooted.

‘…It was hard to tell if what held him back was his soaked clothing or that ever-present weight of responsibility.’

As she watched Juyul’s solitary figure, struggling with an overwhelming loneliness, Sodam felt a pang of sympathy—a kinship, perhaps, with someone who’d always been alone, much like herself. Now, there were two sets of footprints in the sand, hers and his, a stark contrast to the original story where he’d stood alone.

So, didn’t she, too, have a place by Juyul’s side?

‘Right. I’ve already taken over this body once; who knows, maybe I’ll reincarnate again, or maybe dying here will just send me back to my original world. Let’s keep it simple, Sodam. Just imagine him so touched he hands you a blank check. If I bolt now, there won’t be any blank check.’

The issue was that even after she’d pushed her Guiding to the limit, Juyul’s condition remained unchanging.

After yesterday’s half-hearted Guiding session, she’d vowed to never go beyond handholding again. But now, it seemed she had no choice.

“Seriously, Esper Baek Juyul should be really grateful to me. It’s not like I go around kissing just anyone, you know.”

Sure, she was doing this to save someone, but it was still awkward to kiss him so boldly. And given Juyul’s stunning looks, the way her heart fluttered each time she took Guiding to this level was a terrifying experience in itself.

‘If I end up falling for him at this rate, I’m dead. Get a grip, Sodam! This is a rescue mission, for heaven’s sake. You’re saving lives here. Got it? Don’t get any ideas!’

With one last word to Juyul and another to herself, Sodam closed her eyes and leaned in toward his lips.

The first gentle kisses transferred only the faintest amount of Guiding energy. Sodam could feel it too, and knowing it wasn’t enough, she firmly pressed her hand against Juyul’s chin, parting his lips for a deeper connection. She’d boasted about not being the kind to kiss anyone, but here she was, doing this so intensely that if Juyul were fully conscious, he’d probably think she was some kind of kiss-crazed lunatic.

But since he wasn’t, she didn’t need to worry. With that in mind, she slid her tongue into his mouth, coaxing his own tongue, hidden behind his lower teeth, to meet hers. Then, she sucked on the tip of his tongue hard enough to make a quiet, satisfying sound.

Savoring his energy as though it were a life-sustaining elixir, she nibbled lightly with her front teeth, thoroughly playing with his tongue before finally pressing her lips fully against his. Because of their height difference, she had to pull him down with all her strength, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

Fortunately, he seemed to have enough presence of mind to stand upright, holding firm no matter how tightly she clung to him.

At some point, the movements of her tongue, exploring his mouth as if committing every inch of him to memory, slowed. She realized that if she fainted here from the effort, no one would know how much she’d endured. But he, of all people, needed to know. After all, he was the one paying for this.

Coming to her senses, she slowly pulled away, catching her breath, and muttered with a hint of self-indoctrination.

“Where else are you going to find a Guide who offers aftercare like this? If I were an Esper, I’d be so grateful I’d clear all my debts.”

Yes, this was all about paying off her debts. Firmly locking that thought away, Sodam shut her eyes again, banishing her fears as she leaned in for another kiss.

This time, feeling the warmth in his lips, she felt a sense of relief.

If his lips could warm up with a single kiss, he couldn’t be anything other than human, right? As that thought took hold, her fear began to fade, replaced by a smile on her once-tense lips.

Her heart felt like it might stop, and her veins seemed to freeze a little, but she was fine. For now, she was still managing to stand.

“Heh.”

“…What’s so funny?”

The quiet laughter that slipped through her barely parted lips finally prompted Juyul to speak. He hadn’t thought he’d pushed himself too far, though he’d admittedly felt close to his limit. He’d intended to regain a bit of stability here, in this rare solitude after the battle, before returning. After all, no one would dare approach him in his current state.

No one, that is, except for this absurdly bold Guide.

“Rewards and travel expenses, is that really all? And my face?”

“W-Wait, Esper Baek Juyul, you… you’re conscious…? Gasp!”

At the sound of his voice laced with amusement, Sodam’s eyes flew open, initially dismissing it as an auditory illusion. She tried to pull away instantly, but Juyul’s arm snaked around her waist, pulling her firmly against him. He followed her instinctive retreat, leaning in to press his lips against hers, a playful smirk curving one side of his mouth as he murmured teasingly.

“If you faint, I suppose I’ll take care of you. Even though I never asked for this little ‘business trip’ of yours, I’ll even cover your expenses. But don’t you think clearing my debts entirely is a bit excessive?”

“T-That was… just something I said…”