Chapter 48: The Only Guardian (2)

“Uuugh!”

Clara returned to her small room, flopped onto her bed, hugged her pillow, and rolled around.

She kicked the bed lightly with her fair legs. She couldn’t bear it otherwise.

─ Then pat my head.

The desire she unconsciously blurted out and Rohan’s acquiescence, followed by his touch.

These two things circulated through the girl’s body, generating heat like crazy.

Having my head patted by Oppa… I’m crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy.

The girl was confused by her own actions. And she was embarrassed enough to go insane.

“Huu…”

Clara lifted her head from the pillow and pressed the back of her hand to her flushed cheeks, trying to cool them down. They felt like burning coals.

Even though the heat had subsided considerably compared to when he was stroking her, just how red was her face back then?

Me?

Suddenly, really suddenly, her mind was in turmoil.

More about her own state than the work she would be doing with Rohan.

Do I want to be praised by Oppa? Or…

Even a girl just starting to enjoy a normal life has an inkling of such feelings.

Having enjoyed subcultures, the girl knew the relationships between men and women like the back of her hand.

But the feeling of ‘love’ that forms the basis of it all. Every character had different feelings, and the triggers were all different.

No. It’s only been how long since I met Oppa… Just a feeling of liking him, thinking he’s a good person…?

That thought became a refuge for Clara, preventing her from taking the next step.

She had seen many times how confessions were rejected, what happened afterward, and how relationships crumbled.

Wasn’t it absolutely terrifying?

Of course, that was also seen in games and animations, not reality.

“…”

That’s why the girl was scared and afraid to confirm this feeling.

The moment she named and solidified her current feelings, even without confessing, she didn’t know how things might change.

Buzz──!

The long-awaited smartphone vibration.

The girl, lost in thought, shot out her hand like lightning.

“!”

The Instructor, that red-haired beauty!

Just thinking about her was terrifying. If she stood before her, she wouldn’t be able to speak. She gulped.

W-What do I do? I can’t beat her with my current skills…

For some reason, the girl’s consciousness jumped to that conclusion.

“…”

The heat subsided in an instant. The girl calmly got up from the bed.

She felt like she needed to take a shower with ice-cold water right away.

And although Clara herself didn’t know why,

Right now, training was so, so much more urgent than games.

“Wow!”

So this was what the top-class housing in Academy City looks like.

Following behind Juyeon, Rohan let out an audible gasp of admiration as he walked through the luxurious entrance.

Seeing this, Juyeon silently chuckled, entered the passcode, and reached for the doorknob.

But a sudden thought made her pause.

I put away all the underwear on the drying rack, right…?

She always made sure to keep up with housework and tidying, but she couldn’t be too sure.

She also remembered leaving the lights on in her rush to leave.

“Rohan.”

“Yes!”

“I apologize. Can you wait just a moment?”

“Of course.”

Rohan, an unexpected guest, understood Juyeon.

While waiting, Rohan sent a text to Clara.

How long did he wait after Juyeon entered her house?

Beep!

The door swung open, revealing Juyeon’s face.

She wasn’t in her usual suit but comfortable casual clothes. A rare sight in Abyss City.

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting when you’re not feeling well. Come in.”

“Not at all! Excuse me!”

Juyeon’s house was filled with a gentle, cozy warmth.

A pleasant temperature permeated the space, making him feel like he could fall asleep the moment he leaned against something.

“Make yourself comfortable. Rest is the best medicine right now.”

“Yes! I’m surprised by how spacious it is. I’ve never seen a house like this before.”

“It’s just a lot of work to maintain, even if it’s spacious. I don’t actually use much of the space.”

As Juyeon said, just the hallway leading to the living room was long and wide.

Yet, it was impeccably clean overall.

Is this a reflection of the Instructor’s personality?

Not a speck of dust could be seen in the corners. Meticulous.

The same went for the spacious area presumed to be the living room; it looked like a meticulously maintained model house.

A digital clock floating on the window caught his eye.

Seeing the time, Rohan naturally spoke.

“Ah, the day has changed.”

“Indeed. It’s already Sunday.”

Rohan thought to himself. A lot had happened in just one day.

Meeting Noa, studying, working part-time at the bookstore, Noa and Clara getting acquainted there, visiting the dormitory with Clara afterward, and annihilating an entire organization.

Finishing it all by arriving at Juyeon’s house and reaching Sunday, Saturday was truly a masterpiece upon reflection.

Good. I like it.

Unlike his past life, Rohan enjoyed his vibrant daily life.

He felt like he could continue to put in the effort.

“It’s late, so you should get to sleep soon. I’ll give you some toiletries, so wash up briefly and go lie down in the bedroom.”

Listening to Juyeon’s advice to avoid getting his wounds wet since she had applied medicine, Rohan fell into thought for a moment.

Then he looked around. Seeing the closed doors, he asked out of curiosity.

“Um, Rohan here! I have a question for the Instructor.”

“Speak.”

“Are there multiple bedrooms in this house?”

Juyeon looked at him, unsure of his intentions.

Then, after a moment of thought, she understood. A faint smile touched her lips.

“There’s only one. Cadet Rohan is also the first guest I’ve had in this house.”

“Oh… I’m honored!”

“Heh, you’re surprisingly showing a nervous side.”

Juyeon spoke playfully, but it was true that Rohan was her first guest.

She had never invited anyone, let alone a man, to the residence provided by the Academy Dean in Academy City.

And it wasn’t much different at the House of the Three Kingdoms.

Juyeon’s home in her homeland was where she lived with her parents. Though friends occasionally visited, they were all women.

Having a man other than family in her house was a first for Juyeon in her entire life.

“There’s only one bed, but don’t worry. This Instructor doesn’t plan on sleeping tonight.”

“By any chance─”

As Rohan tried to voice his anticipated question, Juyeon cut him off.

It was a forceful interruption that didn’t allow for a rebuttal.

“I’m not staying awake because of Rohan’s issue, so don’t mind it.”

“…”

“I’m just curious about the rest of the story in the book I put down. I’m not someone who will suffer from staying up one night.”

There might be urgent calls from the Peacekeepers regarding the on-site investigation and the remaining members of the organization.

Those calls would have to be answered by Juyeon, his guardian, anyway.

“Go wash up for now. This should be all you need. It has almost everything inside.”

Opening a shelf, Juyeon handed him a toothbrush.

Since he couldn’t shower today, this would suffice.

After Rohan finished washing his face and brushing his teeth, he came out.

In the meantime, Juyeon was drinking coffee and delivered some unfortunate news.

“Unfortunately, this Instructor doesn’t have any clothes that would fit Rohan. The sizes wouldn’t match.”

“It’s alright. These clothes are comfortable.”

Though their strength was incomparable, Rohan’s build and height were larger than Juyeon’s in appearance.

It couldn’t be helped that there were no clothes for him to wear.

“The open door over there is the bedroom. Go and get some sleep.”

“No, I’ll sleep on the sofa!”

“Hmm, are you disobeying this Instructor? The impression that Cadet Rohan is a troublemaker is getting stronger by the minute.”

“…I’ll intrude in your bedroom.”

Understanding that it was pointless to argue, Rohan quickly bowed his head.

Juyeon followed him, saying she needed to see him tucked into bed.

“Are you cold? I can turn up the heat.”

“It’s perfect. The temperature is amazing; I feel like I’ll fall asleep as soon as I close my eyes.”

“…”

He chatters really well.

Juyeon chuckled in amusement.

Admiring the feel of the expensive pillow as he lay down, Rohan called out to Juyeon, who was about to leave the room.

“Instructor.”

“Hmm?”

“Going to the training room after waking up…”

Before Rohan could finish his sentence, Juyeon’s eyes sharpened.

Her piercing gaze felt as hot as fire.

“I won’t allow it. Are you begging to be under this Instructor’s supervision until you’re fully recovered?”

“No! I was going to say… I should rest after all.”

He expected as much, but now he wouldn’t be able to face Ichinose, who had become like a part of his morning routine.

It was truly a shame.

“But I will still go to my part-time job.”

“Ask for a day off. As the Peacekeeper said, you’ll receive a considerable amount of bounty and reward money.”

Normally, Juyeon wouldn’t be able to stop him in this regard. However, things were different now.

Having secured a promise from Rohan to take a day off from his part-time job with just a few words, Juyeon untied her arms and reached for the light switch.

“Instructor.”

“Do you have something else to say?”

“It’s the most important thing.”

“…What is it?”

Satisfied that Juyeon was listening attentively, Rohan lifted his head slightly from the pillow and spoke with a smile, getting to the main point.

“Thank you so much for today. If I see you in my dreams, I’ll thank you again.”

“…”

With those words, he plopped his head back onto the pillow and closed his eyes.

Juyeon let out a chuckle and turned off the lights as she left the room.

..

..

3:00 AM.

Juyeon sat in the living room, leisurely reading a book.

Her phone was placed beside her so she could answer any calls.

Rustle. Rustle.

How many pages had she turned?

─ If you go that way, the path…

Rohan’s voice drifted from the bedroom.

Juyeon’s sharp hearing picked it up instantly, and she rose from her seat and headed towards the bedroom.

Silencing her footsteps.

As Juyeon stepped into the bedroom, she saw Rohan groaning on the bed.

“I have to kill… Ugh…”

Was he having a nightmare?

Even with his eyes closed, the pained expression around his eyes painted a clear picture of his emotions.

“If I just clear this path… I can… live…”

The words he mumbled in his sleep were all the same.

Struggling to survive.

“…”

Was he reliving his time in the Southern Region?

Juyeon felt an indescribable emotion at Rohan’s unfamiliar appearance.

He never showed this side of himself at the Academy.

She had only ever seen him being polite and trying to smile.

Perhaps those actions were masking the aftereffects of his trauma.

Juyeon took a step closer to the bed.

Carefully, she extended her hand.

“It’s alright. Don’t worry.”

“Mmm…”

Juyeon soothed him with gentle words so as not to wake him and wiped away the cold sweat with her warm hand.

His face seemed a little more relaxed.

With a gentle smile, Juyeon sat down on the edge of the bed.

She waited for Rohan to calm down.