Don't Support the Guide - Chapter 19

Adrian silently observed the scene for a moment before stepping under a tree to shield herself from the rain. She then raised a hand toward the sky, creating a light.

Boom! Crack!

“……”

The light Adrian conjured was instantly swallowed by the sudden crash of thunder and lightning. Undeterred, she continued sending signals into the sky, attempting again and again.

But with lightning flashing repeatedly, she couldn’t be sure whether her troops would recognize her signal correctly.

Letting out a sigh, Adrian turned back and reentered the cave. It would be faster to wait for the rain to stop rather than standing outside and getting soaked.

“Is it raining outside?”

“Very much so.”

“Then… what about the signal?”

“We’ll have to wait and see. More importantly, take off your shirt.”

Samuel didn’t argue and simply unbuttoned his damp shirt. As the wet fabric peeled away from his skin, a different kind of chill seeped in.

Adrian stepped closer and draped her jacket over his shoulders. But Samuel’s frame was broad, and the jacket barely covered his back—it was practically useless.

“…Ridiculous.”

Adrian muttered, staring blankly at the sight. Samuel felt oddly self-conscious under her gaze and averted his eyes.

She then picked up her own discarded shirt from the ground and hung it over Samuel’s chest. Since it was far too small for him, she tied the sleeves around his neck to secure it, making it look like an oversized bib.

Samuel blinked at her in disbelief.

“…What? Does it look that bad?”

“It’s not that, but… Commander, what about you?”

Adrian was now left wearing only a thin undershirt. While it wasn’t overly revealing, it wasn’t the kind of attire expected from a commanding officer.

“Is this really the time to worry about that?”

“The temperature is dropping. I’ll be fine, Commander. Please, wear your shirt instead.”

“You’re awfully dense, Lieutenant. Your lips are turning blue.”

“……”

“And you’re shaking like a leaf. What exactly about this situation seems ‘fine’ to you?”

Samuel pressed his lips together. But no matter how much he tried to suppress his shivering, it wouldn’t stop.

“I assure you, I’m really okay, Commander.”

Adrian let out a sharp scoff.

“Stop talking nonsense. Lieutenant Samuel, you do know how to suppress guiding, don’t you?”

Guiding was the natural energy that flowed through a Guide’s body. Unlike Espers, Guides didn’t need to actively channel it—it would automatically transfer upon physical contact.

That was also why guiding was a double-edged sword. If an Esper forcibly embraced a Guide, they could drain their energy at will.

Because of this, Guides were trained from an early age to suppress their energy, even when touched. But it wasn’t an easy task. It required forcing every bit of guiding energy back into the heart, keeping it locked inside.

Samuel, in particular, wasn’t very skilled at suppressing his guiding.

“…Yes, I can do it.”

“Then do it.”

Adrian shifted closer on her knees. Samuel, looking momentarily dazed, seemed to realize that following orders took precedence. He shut his eyes, focusing on steadying his breath.

That, at least, was a relief for Adrian. She had been maintaining a façade of composure, but if Samuel had questioned her motives, she would have likely stumbled over her words—something completely unlike her.

“Keeping your body temperature up is the priority.”

Samuel wet his dry lips, the flicker of his tongue leaving a faint sheen. Adrian’s gaze traced the movement absentmindedly.

“So don’t misunderstand.”

“…Understood.”

With no dry cloth to wrap around him, their only option was to share body heat. The thought made her face grow uncomfortably warm.

The cave filled with silence as Samuel concentrated on suppressing his guiding energy. In the stillness, Adrian found herself observing him—his dark, rain-drenched hair, the strong arch of his brows, the sharp cut of his nose, the fullness of his lips.

There was no denying it—Samuel was handsome. And drenched like this, he was even more striking.

It seemed he wasn’t the only one who needed to regain control.

“All done, Commander.”

“That’s the injured ankle, right?”

“Yes, but I’m fine. You can come up now.”

“You’re sure there are no other injuries? Your hip? Your legs?”

At her doubtful tone, Samuel let out a quiet chuckle.

“I’m really fine.”

Satisfied, Adrian cautiously straddled him. But she kept her legs tense, not wanting to place any weight on the injured man. Samuel chuckled again.

“Are you planning to stay like that the whole time?”

Adrian shot him a glare before finally relaxing her posture. She reached between them, grabbing the makeshift bib she had tied earlier, intending to toss it aside.

Before she could, Samuel stopped her and instead draped it over her shoulders.

“You’re cold.”

“I’m fine, Lieutenant.”

“But if you warm up even a little, that’ll help me too.”

To keep the shirt in place, Samuel wrapped an arm firmly around Adrian’s back. Slowly, cautiously, she pressed herself against him, her body molding to his. His skin was damp and ice-cold to the touch.

Yet, despite the chill between them, a heat coiled deep inside Adrian’s core.

She ignored it, adjusting her position, pressing closer. Samuel’s body was solid against her, broad and unyielding.

The cave was silent except for the sound of rain.

Or at least, that was how it should have been.

Instead, Adrian was acutely aware of every little sound—the quiet gulp of her own throat, the way Samuel’s heartbeat had quickened against her, the barely audible hitch in his breath.

It was then that she realized just how much more awkward this was than she had imagined. Every time she shifted, their skin brushed, and each touch sent an inexplicable warmth racing up her spine.

Adrian clenched her eyes shut. She had to say something—anything—to break the tension.

“…Are you warming up, Lieutenant?”

“Yes. Much warmer.”

His voice, thick with restraint, rumbled above her.

“How did you fall?”

“I’m not sure.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“But it’s the truth.”

“You’re telling me you just slipped?”

“Maybe I did.”

“…So, no one pushed you.”

Silence.

Adrian tilted her head up. In the dim cave, their eyes met.

“You know you’re lucky to be alive, right, Lieutenant?”

“It’s not luck.”

“Weren’t you scared, being alone like that?”

“I wasn’t scared.”

Adrian let out a short, amused laugh. Most people who had been stranded would be overwhelmed with relief upon seeing their rescue party. Yet from the moment Samuel had laid eyes on her, he had barely reacted. He acted as if he had already faced death countless times before.

That attitude had been bothering Adrian from the start, but she chose not to comment on it. Samuel had his reasons for being the way he was.

And frankly, she had no desire to be the kind of person who dug into a Guide’s past.

“Honestly, I feel like you would’ve made it back on your own anyway.”

“…I suppose I would have, one way or another.”

Samuel reached out, his fingers brushing against Adrian’s damp hair before carefully tucking a strand behind her ear.

“But I never expected you to come for me, Commander.”

There was relief in his voice, quiet but unmistakable.

“Well, it could have been someone else. The entire unit was mobilized to find you.”

Adrian rested her head against his chest again, retreating from the cold air that seeped through the gaps between them.

Samuel’s body had regained much of its warmth now, and Adrian was finally starting to adjust to the situation. The steady heat, the occasional press of bare skin against skin—it was all strangely pleasant.

As she shifted slightly to settle into a more comfortable position, she suddenly noticed something.

“…Lieutenant, your guiding energy keeps leaking.”

“…I apologize.”

“Suppress it properly. You’ll collapse if you keep this up.”

“But…”

What now?

Adrian raised her head again, only to find Samuel deliberately avoiding her gaze. His neck and ears were flushed red.

“…I keep losing focus.”

At that very moment, his guiding energy surged.

“You…”

“I’m sorry, Commander.”

Adrian understood immediately. She had been pretending not to acknowledge it, but she, too, had been feeling a different kind of heat creeping up on her.

But unlike Samuel, she couldn’t afford to lose control. She couldn’t take his guiding energy right now.

“If this keeps up, you’re really going to pass out.”

She was about to pull away to give him space when a firm hand wrapped around her forearm.

Samuel was looking down at her, his expression uncharacteristically urgent.

“…May I take back what I said?”

“What do you mean?”

“Now that I think about it… I was scared.”

“……”

“So… could you comfort me?”

Adrian’s body hesitated mid-motion, and she accidentally shifted against him—against something solid and unyielding.

She froze.

There was no mistaking what it was.

For a split second, memories of their bond flashed through her mind. Her mouth went dry.

She spoke before she could stop herself.

“…What exactly are you asking for, Lieutenant?”

“…Let me lean on you.”

Adrian nodded slightly, and Samuel lowered himself toward her. His forehead pressed against her shoulder, and when she instinctively leaned back, his large hand slid firmly around her waist to hold her steady. His breath was warm against her chest, his sharp nose brushing against her skin.

And then, suddenly—his lips. A small, fleeting kiss. Nothing more than a light touch.

But the sheer unexpectedness of it made Adrian let out a quiet sound of surprise.

Samuel lifted his gaze. Outside, the rain continued to pour without end.

“…Commander.”

And then, Samuel did something entirely reckless. He stopped suppressing his guiding energy altogether.

Adrian let out a short laugh of disbelief.

This was an outright invitation.

And for an Esper, it was the kind that was utterly impossible to resist.

“Lieutenant… I’m not exactly chaste.”

“Does that matter?”

“It means that if you act like this… I won’t be able to stop.”

“…And what if I don’t want you to stop?”