Survive With the Max Level Guide

“Ah…….”

He quickly composed his expression, as if surprised.

“With a physique like yours, I thought you’d be an Esper specialized in physical enhancement. You must’ve worked insanely hard to get there.”

“…I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Shim Tae-seong quietly averted his gaze.

Was he embarrassed? Or just pretending to be?

“I’m way too weak-willed for that. I don’t think I could ever manage it.”

“You could definitely do it, Young Master…”

Why stop mid-sentence?

He slowly looked me up and down, then let out a faint cough.

Do Espers have some sixth sense that tells them whether a body can bulk up or not? I wasn’t even serious about working out, just made a casual comment—but now I weirdly felt like my pride had taken a hit.

“I’m not really expecting much either. Still… would you be able to help me out with exercise later? I’ve been thinking I should do it for my health, at least.”

“Exercise, you mean.”

“Yeah. Nothing seriously wrong with me, but I’ve had little aches and pains all over since I was a kid.”

I said it while rubbing my forearm. Shim Tae-seong, already well aware of my overheated state, let a flicker of sympathy show in his eyes.

“Of course, I’ll pay you separately for your time.”

“That won’t be necessary. I’ll just help you out.”

“Then I’ll feel bad.”

“It’s no trouble.”

“…Thank you.”

Smiling sweetly, I finished the rest of my tea. Then, I stood up.

“I’ll go get another drink, just a sec—”

My body, already in terrible shape, had turned to complete garbage after guiding my brother. The moment I stood, a wave of dizziness turned everything in front of me a blinding white.

Just as I reflexively reached for the sofa to steady myself, a hand caught me.

“Are you alright?”

Shim Tae-seong, who had been seated across from me, was suddenly right beside me in the blink of an eye. I instinctively checked my position—no skin contact, thankfully—then widened my eyes in genuine surprise. So this was the caliber of a veteran bodyguard.

“Yeah… I just got a little dizzy, that’s all.”

“Even so, you should go lie down. I’ll escort you.”

Without hesitation, he lifted me into his arms.

As my arms reflexively wrapped around him, I debated whether to rest my hand on the exposed back of his neck—but thought better of it.

Couldn’t cause a scene where the housekeeper might be walking around.

He carried me up the stairs and stopped in front of my bedroom. Shim Tae-seong opened the door with no difficulty and stepped inside.

Just as he was about to lower me onto the bed—

“……!”

I instinctively grabbed Shim Tae-seong’s hand as I settled onto the sheets.

“Thanks for carrying me.”

“I—”

“Bodyguard-nim?”

What the hell.

Why so quiet?

I’d been expecting something—so yeah, I couldn’t help feeling a little let down. But the way his eyes were wide open and his entire body had gone rigid made it clear: he was absolutely feeling the effects of the Guiding.

How long does he plan to stand there frozen like a statue?

“Bodyguard-nim.”

I let go of the hand I’d been holding.

Only then did Shim Tae-seong gasp like he’d finally remembered how to breathe, his chest heaving with strained exhalations.

“What’s wrong all of a sudden? Are you feeling sick or something?”

I looked at him with a worried expression.

Bloodshot eyes stared back at me without a single blink. He looked completely entranced, but there was still a sliver of reason left in him—barely. The way he was desperately holding something back was painfully obvious.

I swallowed a laugh at the ticking time bomb in front of me.

Did he even realize the veins bulging in his forearm?

Shim Tae-seong clenched and unclenched his fists over and over before taking a deep breath.

“I-it’s… nothing.”

Really?

He’s holding back this?

“It’s nothing at all.”

The words came out through clenched teeth, full of strain. And yet, compared to my brother’s intense reaction earlier… this Esper had some terrifying level of self-control.

Almost hard to believe he was supposedly on the verge of a rampage.

Still, instead of checking the registry again, I chose to act.

“Excuse me.”

Just like I did with my brother, I gently pressed the back of my hand against Shim Tae-seong’s forehead. He could’ve dodged easily—should’ve, even—but instead, he stayed perfectly still, like he’d been frozen in place, quietly accepting my touch.

“Oh dear. You’ve got it much worse than I do. When did it even start…”

Hot.

He must’ve been suppressing a raging urge—barely holding himself back from making an irreversible mistake. From possibly forcing himself on his first ever Guiding target.

And from the confused look in his eyes, it was clear he didn’t understand why this was happening to him. Yeah… he’s definitely been hiding the fact that he’s an Esper all this time.

…Ah.

I’m kinda getting turned on.

It’s been twenty years since I reincarnated. My abstinence streak was way too long. Even though I felt like shit, maybe it was the heat, but my dirty thoughts were running wild.

The idea of messing with someone who thought they were the one manipulating me—when really, I was the one pulling the strings…

Fuck, how exhilarating would that be.

***

Shim Tae-seong’s life was defined by endurance.

He lost his parents overnight in a terrorist attack and was left in the care of relatives. There, he endured daily violence and insults as if they were a normal part of life—all for the sake of protecting his one and only younger sibling.

But one day, even that sibling, who had awakened as a Guide, was taken from him. Under the law, the custody of a minor Guide could be transferred to the Association with the guardian’s consent.

During that period, when he was consumed by helplessness and grief, Shim Tae-seong awakened as well. He was an Esper. The moment he resolved to visit the Guide Association in hopes of seeing his estranged sibling again, his vision distorted—and in the next instant, he was standing in front of the Association building.

Miraculously, no one had witnessed it. Realizing this, Shim Tae-seong felt relieved. Thank god. He was still a child, and his power could too easily be exploited by others. He had to hide it. A kid who had been at the mercy of cruel adults couldn’t think any other way.

That vow didn’t change even after he became an adult. His top priority in life remained his younger sibling. In the shadows, organizations targeting Guides were always a threat—his sibling could be kidnapped at any time.

If that day ever came, he needed to be able to rescue them without restriction. That meant his powers had to remain a secret—unregulated and out of anyone’s control.

Still, to make sure his sibling was safe, he quietly used his powers to check in and occasionally meet with them—without anyone knowing.

Shim Tae-seong joined the Esper Terrorist Response Unit, influenced by the trauma of losing his parents. Just as he had planned, he concealed his abilities and pretended not to be an Esper. He acted like he didn’t require Guiding. All he had to do was show off a body honed to the extreme to make it believable.

Which, in truth, it was.

Among his teammates, the one he grew closest to was Cha Eun-hyuk. Their shared pasts—both having lost something and both cherishing a younger sibling—gave them a deep sense of camaraderie.

Even without that, though, Eun-hyuk was someone you couldn’t help but respect. Sharp instincts, decisive leadership, and above all, formidable strength. If anyone had the makings of a leader, it was him.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before Cha Eun-hyuk became the team leader.

Shim Tae-seong’s next tragedy struck shortly after.

News of his sibling’s death.

It wasn’t from a kidnapping, nor a terrorist attack—just like he’d feared.

It was a car accident.

Humans were so fragile. It was easy to die if you weren’t an Esper. He’d foolishly overlooked that simple fact.

What if he hadn’t clung to the shadow of his long-dead parents, blindly choosing a job? What if he hadn’t just worried about his sibling from afar—but had stayed right there by their side?

Would things have turned out differently?

Crushed by grief and regret, he eventually left the unit. And he decided to atone for his loss by protecting others.

But the trauma of losing every family member wasn’t something easily ignored. He became reluctant to form bonds. That’s why he avoided long-term assignments.

At least, until Cha Eun-hyuk contacted him.

He offered a longer-than-usual contract term and requested that Shim Tae-seong start the very next day—guarding his youngest sibling, Cha Eun-soo.

A younger sibling… The words triggered memories of the sibling he failed to protect. He couldn’t refuse.

He had no idea what kind of secret awaited him in the one he’d meet at the end of his acceptance.

‘Hello.’

In all his life, Shim Tae-seong had rarely used the word “beautiful.” But Cha Eun-soo was striking enough to draw such unfamiliar praise from him without hesitation. And he was the kind of young man who could smile kindly, even at someone he’d just met.

‘Instead of just standing here like this… would you like to come in for a cup of tea?’

He radiated a warmth that made it feel like spring in the dead of winter.

But that gentle breeze of warmth—

‘Thanks for carrying me.’

—upended Shim Tae-seong’s entire world simply by brushing lightly against his skin.

A drastic easing of the pain he had carried like a leaden burden.

The torment he had brainwashed himself into thinking was bearable now crumbled away, mocking him with how sharp and effortless the relief was.

He looked down at the source of this jarringly unfamiliar sensation, like he might burn it to ash.

Cha Eun-soo.

What had been just another name on a new assignment had now become letters he would remember until the day he died—etched into his soul.

Was he a Guide? Or was he this defenseless because he believed Shim Tae-seong’s lie—that he wasn’t an Esper?

In no time at all, he was consumed by a whirlwind of violent, clashing impulses.

He wanted to treat him gently—and at the same time, ravage him. He wanted to cup that startled face and kiss him breathless, steal every exhale from his lips. He wanted to ruin that soft, flawless skin until it was a mess, make him scream his throat raw, and claim even his voice as his own.

The craving teetered on the edge of destruction, gnawing away at his reason.

“Bodyguard-nim?”

Thump. Thump. His own heartbeat pounded so hard it made his eardrums tremble. He didn’t know how he managed to say he was fine, or even sound halfway convincing. But the look of a prey worrying for its predator—far from dousing the heat—it only made his arousal blaze hotter.

In the end, he had no choice but to offer a warning, his voice trembling pitifully.

“Please… remove your hand.”

“But…”

Maybe Eun-soo thought it meant he really was okay, because he didn’t let go right away. He seemed concerned about Shim Tae-seong’s high fever.

And in that boiling head of his, thoughts began to splinter.

…No more.

He couldn’t go any further.

Shim Tae-seong took hold of the other’s hand. Then, drawing on every ounce of self-control he possessed, he carefully—politely—moved it away. His hand trembled violently, twitching like a muscle in spasm, and Cha Eun-soo’s brows knit with concern.

“Bodyguard-nim… maybe you should see a doctor—”

“I’ll be stepping out.”

Rudely, he cut him off mid-sentence and left the room.

For someone barely holding it together, conversation was a luxury he could no longer afford.