Survive With the Max Level Guide

Wow, fuck. I had no idea guiding could be this overwhelming. How do I even describe this? Like having the life drained out of you while you’re still breathing?

No. That’s not it.

It wasn’t just a feeling—it actually happened. It was fine when it was just our faces or hands touching. At most, I’d feel a bit drained, nothing serious.

But once we started kissing, it felt like both my body and mind were being sucked into an endless abyss.

Like I was drowning in a bottomless pit. I almost blacked out.

“Let’s take a break.”

My brother, who had been silent, finally spoke. His face was clouded with a storm of emotions. Still, there was one thing I knew for certain. He didn’t feel a shred of guilt about this being something that shouldn’t happen between brothers. The darkness tangled in his expression wasn’t about that.

It was just guilt—pure and simple—for what he’d done. For trying to fuck me. That’s all. That’s why he couldn’t even bring himself to touch me now.

How can I be so sure…?

Those eyes.

Those desperate, starving eyes told me everything.

He no longer saw me as just his younger brother.

“You’re really shaken up right now, so let’s talk after you’ve had some proper rest.”

Coming from someone who nearly lost control, he had the nerve to pretend to be all rational and put my rest first. I mean, sure—he’s not wrong. That should be the priority.

But still, isn’t it weird?

Watching him restrain himself like that stirs up this strange sense of defiance in me.

My brother—he actually wants to do way more than what happened earlier. He wants the guiding that badly.

Honestly, I don’t think I’d mind if things went further. Kissing him wasn’t bad at all. It didn’t make me uncomfortable. If anything… it kinda gave me a thrill.

Maybe… maybe I have a thing for being overpowered?

“Hyung. I didn’t just say that on a whim.”

My voice trembled slightly as I rested my hand against his chest, still wet-eyed.

His firm muscles flinched like they’d been jolted with electricity. Even this simple touch seemed enough to send him reeling—his struggle to hang onto his fraying restraint was written all over his face.

“I pretended not to know all this time… but now that I can stop your pain, how could I keep turning a blind eye?”

“…Cha Eun-soo.”

“It’s okay.”

I met his gaze.

“Yeah. It’s actually because you’re my hyung. That’s why it’ll be okay.”

I repeated the words like I was trying to brainwash myself, and his handsome face stiffened.

Sorry, hyung.

The truth is, I’m not ‘okay’ with it at all. I’m excited—to the point my heart’s racing.

But if I act like this situation doesn’t faze me at all, wouldn’t that be weird?

“…!”

Suddenly, strong arms swept me up into an embrace.

At my age—and with my actual mental maturity—it was the first time I’d been held like this, and embarrassment surged up inside me.

At the same time, I couldn’t help but admire him.

Sure, I might weigh less than average, but I’m still an adult male…And yet he lifted me like it was nothing. Effortless.

Without a word, hyung carried me up the stairs and into the bedroom.

“First, get some sleep. Don’t think about anything.”

He gently set me down on the bed and even tucked the blanket over me.

“Hyung.”

“Please. You’ve already pushed yourself too far.”

Now he was practically begging.

Do I really look that bad?

The mattress felt unusually soft tonight. I fought off the drowsiness threatening to pull me under and reached up to grab the collar of his shirt.

“Okay. But stay here with me. Don’t go anywhere.”

His eyes widened at my shaky, unsteady voice.

“I mean… don’t run away from me, hyung.”

Our relationship had taken a turn—something entirely different from before. And it scared me. But what scared me more was the thought of being left behind.

What if hyung, overcome with guilt over what happened today, decided to leave me?

If that’s the alternative, then I’d rather just be his guide. Be connected to him that way—even if it’s not normal.

That’d be better than losing him completely.

I lowered my gaze, trying to look as forlorn and pitiful as I could, to make him believe that’s truly what I felt.

***

The steady sound of his brother’s deep breathing filled the bedroom.

Cha Eun-hyuk sat near the bed, gazing down at Cha Eun-soo.

Long lashes cast soft shadows over his eyes, not even fluttering. He looked almost ethereal, as if he’d passed out rather than simply fallen asleep.

Never in his life did Cha Eun-hyuk imagine someone could look this beautiful while unconscious.And especially not if that someone was his little brother.

…My beloved brother.

My savior.

Instead of rejecting him, Cha Eun-soo had clung to him—saying he wanted to help ease his suffering. That he wanted them to stay together.

And that had overwhelmed Cha Eun-hyuk’s heart. Completely.

Just how selfish did that make him?

The one who should’ve begged not to be abandoned… wasn’t Eun-soo. It was him—Cha Eun-hyuk.

But even that plea, his gentle little brother had taken away by offering himself first. So soft-hearted. Just like he’d always been, ever since they were kids.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Cha Eun-hyuk let his hand lightly graze Cha Eun-soo’s pale cheek. So much for saying he wouldn’t even lay a finger on him.

It was cowardly, and even he was ashamed of himself—but he clung to the permission Eun-soo had given him, using it to justify this moment.

His firm fingers moved from cheek to lips, to the tip of his nose, then to the edge of his ear. He gently cupped that side of his face and lowered his head, letting their foreheads touch. The warmth radiating from him was achingly sweet.

His mind, as an Esper, was in complete chaos. It screamed at him to take this Guide now. To bury himself in that soft, delicate body and rid himself of the torment once and for all.

The veins on the back of his hand bulged as he fought to keep his grip loose. He pulled his upper body away with effort and let out a heavy breath.

“……”

Unlike him, other S-Class Espers wouldn’t even bother holding back.

If they discovered the existence of a Guide of the same grade—unprecedented in history—they would stop at nothing to claim Cha Eun-soo for themselves. Even if it meant fighting tooth and nail.

And if one of them showed up…

No. He couldn’t allow that to happen. Not even slightly.

The fact that Cha Eun-soo was an S-Class Guide could never be revealed to the world. It had to be buried—completely and permanently.

But even if both of them kept their mouths shut, there was still the issue of the physical checkup scheduled at the Esper Association in two days. His condition wasn’t fully stable yet, but his noticeably improved energy signature would raise suspicions.

Someone would ask: Did you receive guiding from someone?

And even if he denied it, the examiner would believe the machine over his words. They’d deploy agents to investigate, dig into his tracks, and eventually uncover the Guide’s identity.

There was only one way to stop that.

He had to destabilize his energy signature again—to ruin it deliberately.

“Nn…”

As if protesting his decision, Cha Eun-soo let out a faint moan. His brow furrowed in discomfort.

Cha Eun-hyuk touched his forehead—he had a slight fever.

He adjusted the temperature of his hand to cool it down. Eun-soo’s face slowly relaxed at the touch.

Cha Eun-hyuk watched over him closely, looking for any other signs of discomfort.

And just like that, he stayed awake all night, eyes open, until the first light of dawn crept into the room.

“Mmm…”

Beneath the covers, Cha Eun-soo began to stir. His eyelids trembled, and then fluttered open. Bloodshot eyes blinked a few times before focusing—and saw Cha Eun-hyuk.

A wave of relief washed over him.

“…Hyung.”

His voice was raspy and soft—syrupy sweet. The morning sunlight streaming into the room made his already-beautiful face shine even brighter.

Caught in that moment, Cha Eun-hyuk delayed his reply.

“You can sleep a little longer.”

“Hyung… don’t tell me you didn’t sleep at all?”

“This much doesn’t matter.”

And he meant it. He’d once gone a full week without sleeping. But Cha Eun-soo didn’t seem satisfied with that answer.

“Don’t say things like that. Espers are still human. Even if you’re tougher than most, your body will give out eventually.”

He said it in a scolding tone as he pushed himself up with a hand on the sheets, trying to sit upright—

“Ah.”

A short cry escaped him as he swayed, and Cha Eun-hyuk quickly caught him. His eyes filled with concern as he looked him over—Eun-soo’s complexion had gone pale.

“Dizzy?”

“A little. My throat’s dry too… Help me up?”

“Wait.”

Cha Eun-hyuk stopped him from moving any further and guided him gently to lean back against the headboard. Then he turned and left the room, heading downstairs.

The house was quiet—just the two of them lived there. On Cha Eun-hyuk’s days off, no domestic help came by. He preferred his rest days free of any other presence.

In the kitchen, he filled a glass with water.

When he returned to the bedroom, Eun-soo was still sitting quietly on the bed.

“Thanks.”

Eun-soo took the glass and sipped from it, quenching his thirst. Once he’d finished, he placed the now-empty glass back on the tray. Cha Eun-hyuk took it and set it aside, then slowly opened his mouth to speak.

“Eun-soo.”

His quiet voice made Eun-soo lift his head.

And his eyes widened in surprise.

“?”

Because Cha Eun-hyuk was kneeling on the floor.

“I know how confused you must be, having lived your whole life as a civilian until now.”

“Even so, you offered to take my hand first.”

He hadn’t expected it—hadn’t dared to hope. And yet, the moment Eun-soo reached out, he’d nearly grabbed on without hesitation.

To Cha Eun-hyuk, learning that Eun-soo was his Guide hadn’t brought even a sliver of regret. In fact, it only deepened the affection he’d already carried for him—transforming that fondness into a yearning that wouldn’t stop growing.

But… was it the same for Eun-soo?

He’d grown up completely outside the world of Espers and Guides, living a normal life until adulthood.

That made it even more likely he’d see guiding between brothers as immoral—Even if they weren’t related by blood, they’d still lived together as family for years.

If he accepted this role as his brother’s Guide while bound by that mindset, it could eventually break him—mentally, emotionally.

And yet—

“I can’t refuse your decision.”

I don’t want to refuse it.

“So if you want to take it back… say so now.”

Cha Eun-hyuk’s face twisted in torment, weighed down by guilt.

“Can you really live your life as my Guide?”

His selfishness, cloaked in the guise of an older brother’s conscience, demanded a definite answer from his younger brother.