episode_0503

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…Cute.

He said I’m cute.

Hmm.

“Are you feeling sick? Why are you picking at your food so much today?”

“…Huh? Oh, no. Not really… I just don’t have much of an appetite.”

The words I heard after filming a new video with Seo Woojin the day before yesterday.

I kept swallowing those words—words I’d never heard in my life—until my mom scolded me, finally snapping me out of it.

If I really think about it, it’s not that strange of a compliment.

Cute—isn’t that the most common expression used to praise animals and the like?

Sure, calling a fierce-looking leopard or tiger cute might be a little odd…

But it’s not like it’s some forbidden combination of words.

If I just took it at face value—a simple compliment on my appearance—then there’s nothing weird about it either.

“…….”

No, but still… Cute is a word that suits girls like Hayoon, isn’t it?

…But then again, the one who said it was Seo Woojin.

A guy who’s had multiple sexual partners—it’s not like he wouldn’t know how to throw around empty flattery.

Whatever.

It’s just something to brush off.

There’s no reason to overreact like this, right?

If Baek Jiho had been a little more assertive, he probably would’ve said things like that to me too.

Even if he wasn’t confident enough to call me cute… he would’ve at least worn out the word pretty by now.

So there’s no need to still be hung up on a measly three-syllable compliment…

“Seol Dabin.”

“…Yeah?”

“Stop poking your rice with your spoon. If you’re not hungry, go wash up. What are you doing, acting like a brat?”

“……Yeah.”

…There isn’t.

“…….”

Cute…?

What about me is…

…

…Cute…?

—

503

Sending the newly filmed video to Baek Jiho wasn’t difficult.

This wasn’t the first time—it was already the second, so I’d gotten the hang of it.

After sending him the link to the Ggle Drive at an appropriate time, the 1 next to the message disappeared at some point.

…He didn’t send any follow-up thoughts, so I’m not sure if he actually watched it.

But knowing Baek Jiho’s honest tastes, he probably devoured it the moment I uploaded it.

Licked it clean.

With his dick rock-hard.

But well…

Whatever.

There’s a saying—to each their own.

A girlfriend getting turned on by a video of herself enjoying sex with another man?

I can understand that much.

It’s not like I’m some paragon of virtue either.

Doing that with Seo Woojin… is, well, pleasurable—that’s just a fact, morality aside.

But that’s not normal, is it?

Other normal couples exchange sweet words and spend time together lovingly.

…They don’t gift each other masturbation material featuring sex with someone else.

Can a relationship this twisted even be called a couple?

If anything, the ones acting like a couple are…—…No.

Anyway, am I really going to live my whole life lying to my parents like this?

Today, instead of reading the textbook in front of me, all sorts of random thoughts drifted through my head—

Until, before I knew it, first period was over.

“…….”

…I didn’t even hear the teacher leave.

Then it must be a little past 9 now.

Where’s my phone…?

“Hey, come to the smoking area with me. Light me up.”

“Again? Am I your lighter? Always asking me to light your damn—”

“Just do it. You’re heading to the first floor to smoke anyway, right? Quit whining like a little girl.”

“…You shouldn’t say stuff like that as a girl. It’s embarrassing.”

“Why? You wanna be called a girl too?”

“No, that’s not the point… …Never mind. Let’s go.”

“Ughhh…”

…It feels like I’ve been at school for 10 hours already, but it’s only first period.

Maybe I’m still lying in bed dreaming.

As that stupid thought crossed my mind, I listened to my friends’ chatter and Hayoon’s sleepy stretching sounds for a moment.

After turning off my phone screen, I stretched my stiff body and stood up.

“…Huh? Dabin, you going to the bathroom?”

“No.”

“Then the convenience store? If you’re going, get me—”

“Not going. …Just taking a walk.”

“Huh…? A walk…?”

“I’m still sleepy. Need to move around a bit.”

“Oh…”

A half-hearted lie.

I’m not particularly tired.

Then again, Woojin didn’t come for me last night.

I just blankly stared at my phone…

Biting my lips over that cute comment…

And then passed out.

But the reason I shamelessly lied to Hayoon was—

“…….”

Because of the message I sent Woojin on my way to school.

He still hadn’t read it.

…I wanted to visit him when there were as few people around as possible—early in the morning.

[Seol Dabin] – When are we meeting next? – I’ll clear my schedule, so let me know now. – When are we meeting? – Hey. – Yo.

Once before leaving home.

Once while walking to the academy.

Twice after arriving at the academy.

Even though nearly two hours had passed since the first message, Woojin never showed his face.

He hadn’t even read them—the messages still had a 1 next to them.

This part, honestly, I didn’t understand at all.

I mean, it’s not like there’s any reason he can’t read them when they come in, right?

It’s not like I’m demanding an immediate reply.

If someone’s with him, I get it—talking to me would be risky. A hundred times over, I understand.

But two hours…?

Who could possibly be with him for two hours?

Hayoon—the one who’d be most troubled if caught—was in class with me the whole time.

The only plausible reason is if Jiyun was pretending to be sick and staying in the infirmary…

“…….”

I don’t know. I’ll just have to go see for myself.

Buttoning up my coat against the cold, I checked my watch and headed to the first floor of the main building.

“…….”

…I really don’t want to see his face.

But I have a reason.

No choice.

9:30 AM.

Though it’s a little late to still call it morning, the sparrows must still have things to do.

Under the slanted sunlight, their chirping accompanied me as I reached the first floor. Glancing around, I stopped in front of the infirmary.

As expected, the area was quiet.

Not many students have outdoor classes this early, after all.

…And even if they did, most of them are less people and more like robots, monsters, or dinosaurs.

Those muscleheads treat the infirmary like some last-resort revival spot, so unless something major happens, I won’t get caught.

Even if I do, I can just say I came because of a cold—any excuse would work.

The only real concern left is…

“…Is he even in there?”

Whether Seo Woojin is actually inside—that’s the only question.

Hmm.

“…Excuse me. I came because I got hurt somewhere.”

The sparrows’ chirping, sharp in the quiet, was interrupted by my light knock on the door.

“Come in.”

Fortunately, Woojin was inside.

Whether the soundproofing was good or not, his reply was faint, but at least he answered.

…But his voice sounded completely unbothered.

Then why had he been ignoring my messages all this time?

Holding onto that small question, I turned the doorknob.

“…….”

“Welcome, Seol Dabin. Want a candy?”

Inside, a guest was sitting on a chair.

Not someone I’ve never seen before.

Even if his long, thick padded coat covered his whole body, that long, bluish-white hair was something I’d seen countless times at the academy.

Even recently—by the Han River.

At Seo Woojin’s place.

And now, inside the academy.

But still.

“Hello, Seo Yeon sunbaenim.”

“…Yes. Hello.”

We’d only ever talked one-on-one.

I’d never spoken to him with Woojin present before.

Glancing at the senior sitting on the chair, I closed the door behind me after a brief greeting.

The heavy door scraped against the floor as it shut.

“What brings you here at this hour? Are you hurt? Or did you have something to say to me?”

“…Uh, more importantly, why is Seo Yeon sunbaenim here…?”

“Ah, Baek Seo-yeon… No, the student council president is…”

Honestly, I already knew the answer before asking.

Third-years at the academy are usually busy with hero agency work—career-related stuff—around this time, but…

…I know exactly what kind of relationship this senior has with that man.

He probably took some time off to visit Woojin.

The reason he came at this exact time… is likely the same reason I’m here now.

But I asked anyway because Woojin doesn’t know that I know about his relationship with Seo Yeon.

So I wasn’t sure how to act around the senior.

That’s why I tested the waters with that question, but—

“I came because I wanted to see him.”

“…….”

“…….”

Seo Yeon sunbaenim gave such a simple, straightforward answer that—

“…Ah, for reference, it was one-sided. Until yesterday.”

“…….”

“…….”

—I, a mere mortal, couldn’t decipher what he meant.

…In the end, I just…

…sat down silently…

…on the empty bed next to him.