episode_0113

In the past, it was mentioned as if passing by once. Noah’s heart had a size so large that it was questionable how it had been hidden until now.

Even Madogu couldn’t completely reduce it, to the extent that bandages had to be wrapped around it.

The seal of such a heart was released while the bandages were still intact. What would happen to the tightly bound heart once it was released?

“Ugh… so stuffy…”

From inside the tightly wrapped bandages, the heart burst out. It was like a dam collapsing. The shirt also seemed to sense its end, starting to tear as if it would rip apart.

Although the buttons risked their lives to do their duty, they helplessly came undone in the face of a natural disaster, just like a human facing nature’s wrath.

“It’s uncomfortable…”

Noah, with his forehead furrowed, struggled for a moment and then abruptly tore off his shirt up to his shoulders. He then grabbed the bandages around his chest and pulled them off haphazardly.

“Noah, Noah! Are you okay?”

A loud voice burst out momentarily but was choked back along with a gasp.

“Don’t raise your voice to call someone else? Oh, no! There must be a reason why Noah has been cross-dressing all this time; it shouldn’t be revealed like this!”

That was the voice of reason.

“Phew, much better!”

…!

With a final act of throwing the bundle of bandages onto the floor from inside his shirt, Noah turned pale. His body stiffened, only managing to exhale a thin breath before inhaling deeply.

With a rustle, Noah sprawled on top of me, showing a relieved smile as he found complete freedom.

“So cute, really?”

In real-time, a bomb exploded in my mind. The mini-Rians began a frenzy of battle. The remaining shreds of reason were swept away by instinct. The dwindling shreds of reason shouted out:

There are other people in the dorm! Snap out of it!

Noah is drunk! He’s not in his right mind!

Is it humane to be dominated by instinct?!

You and Noah are friends! Snap out of it!

Those mini-Rians were slaughtered the moment Noah tilted his head to the side and their breaths mingled closely in the air.

As Noah’s breath drew closer, the mini-Rians from the ‘reason camp’ were cornered at a dead-end. The mini-Rians shouted loudly:

What can you do if you lose reason?!

You haven’t even held a woman’s hand!

More than any fact, the painful attack made their eyes burn hotly. Their words were true. Would losing reason in a situation where one couldn’t even twitch a finger lead to anything other than fainting?

Such thoughts shattered under a fierce physiological response of blood rushing uncontrollably due to an overwhelming reaction. A new confusion arose in my mind.

“W-what’s happening? Why is this happening??”

Not reacting to this situation was no longer an option; however, reacting was even more bewildering. I’m not saying I wanted to react.

“This shouldn’t be happening! Why?”

In the world of comedy, such a physiological response was allowed only when becoming an adult to share love with a partner or to have time alone. In any other situation, it would only result in a runny nose, with no further reactions occurring.

Noah and I were not in a romantic relationship, nor was it a time for solitude. Whatever reaction occurred, it was a situation where nothing should happen!

In such a situation, with a physiological response occurring… unknowingly, it felt like becoming an excited heroine who had taken some strange drug.

Yes, my mind was currently chaos and confusion itself. Rather than grasping the situation, understanding it was overwhelming.

“Eung? Lian.. Why aren’t you responding?”

“Gasp..”

Noah’s body jolted slightly as if a child pulling away while being tickled.

“Uh, ah, wait Noah…”

A warm sensation swelled above the chest. Despite the potential embarrassment of a nosebleed, all that showed was a blush on the face. There wasn’t even any interference!

‘What should I do? How should I handle this?’

With the unimaginable happening, it felt like Noah’s magic and my brain had both come to a halt. Just when I thought my eyes were spinning, Noah crawled up to my face and pressed hers against mine.

“Ah.”

Beautiful green eyes filled my vision. Frustration lingered in her eyes due to the lack of response.

“Lian..”

Noah’s sleepy voice and breath spread over my lips.

“Why…”

Like a scene from a movie, Noah’s enchanting lips slowly parted, her voice elongating like silk. It felt like every element of my body was freezing in real-time.

“Answer…”

As her voice gradually weakened, and Noah’s eyes were half-covered by her eyelids.

Tap.

The mingling breaths dissipated into the air, and the distance between us became zero. I was immobilized like a prey caught in an ecstatic trap. Noah’s soft brown hair cascaded over my shoulder, tickling my cheek.

It felt like Noah’s scent was permeating through my entire body.

***

The moment our lips touched, Noah seemed to fall into a dreamland. As a result, our lips met deeply for about a second before making a clear ‘pop!’ sound and parting.

Noah’s relaxed face slumped over Lian’s shoulder. Lian’s gaze was unfocused, almost as if his consciousness had completely logged out at the moment their lips touched. Instinct was the only thing occupying his body now.

Lian’s previously immobile hand began to twitch slightly before moving. His much larger hand moved to embrace her as Noah’s body pressed against his.

“Uhh… I need to rest…”

“…!”

Ribbon’s voice could be heard from outside the door!

In that moment, time seemed to slow down for Lian, feeling like a second was stretching into a year. The desire dominating his mind shifted to ‘I can’t get caught in this situation!’

Perhaps due to instinct taking over, Lian swiftly embraced Noah and headed towards the entrance.

Thud!

Lian forcefully pushed his body against the slowly opening door from the inside. Since it was a door that opened inwards, blocking it with his body meant that even without a lock, the door couldn’t be opened.

“Eung? What’s going on?”

Ribbon sounded perplexed as she tried turning the doorknob. As Ribbon’s voice came closer, Lian gradually regained his senses.

“Th- Ribbon, I’m still inside.”

“Huh? Oh? Brother? I need to rest..”

“Oh! I’ll be out soon, just a moment!”

With an urgent expression, Lian looked at Noah in his arms. Although he intended to wake her quickly, his gaze unintentionally drifted towards her lips. Heat rushed to his face, and his body stiffened.

“Brother… Hurry…”

“Oh!”

Under Ribbon’s urging, he barely regained his composure. Having experienced a tremendous event, he didn’t dare speak to Noah properly, but now was not the time for such trivial concerns.

Lian gently shook Noah, speaking in a voice quiet enough not to be heard by Ribbon.

“Noah, Noah… Please wake up. Noah…”

…

Noah, seemingly deeply asleep, only stirred as he was shaken but did not open his eyes.

Thump!

“Oh, brother!”

Lian felt like crying.

***

Noah was having a pleasant dream.

In the dream, Noah was a soft and warm giant brown rabbit. Below him, Lian lay saying, “I’m sorry, I’ll be honest from now on… And Noah, you are a really cute rabbit.”

Like most dreams, upon waking up, one realizes it was just a dream.

“Noah… Noah…”

“Mm?”

Noah felt the face of Lian from his dream, both in agony and happiness, gradually fading as he regained consciousness. Someone was shaking her gently.

“Noah, if you’re awake, wrap the bandage quickly.”

…!

At the mention of the bandage, Noah’s eyes snapped open. His vision was obscured by brown cloth. It seemed like even his head was covered with a blanket. She tried to sit up immediately, but a firm hand pressed her down.

“Check your clothes and then get up.”

“Lian…?”

Hearing Lian’s whisper from behind the cloth, Noah squinted and looked down at her body.

…!!

Although her chest felt quite weak due to the magic operation, there were no bandages wrapped around it. Noah instinctively crossed her arms over her chest. Her pupils darted around.

“Since everyone has gone downstairs to eat, take your time to prepare and come down slowly. Oh, the bandage will be next to you.”

After quickly speaking, Lian let go of Noah’s hand. Soon after, the sound of the door closing echoed in the room. Lian had left.

With a flushed face, Noah hurriedly got up, wrapped the bandage around her chest, and buttoned up her shirt.

In an instant, she returned to her usual self, a behavior she had been doing for years. However, her face still looked pleasantly familiar.

‘Why am I sleeping without the bandage? How does Lian know about this?’

Noah grabbed her confused head and began to search her memory.

‘I clearly went down to the lobby last night…’

She started to carefully recall her memories.

‘I helped the bartender who almost fell… In return, thinking it was water, I drank strong liquor… And then came back to the dormitory.’

Noah felt a rush of heat from her throat to her ears.

After diligently searching her memory, she fully recalled yesterday’s events.

“Uh, wha…t?”

She completely broke down.