episode_0208

Cheongsong Academy, second-year Class A’s self-proclaimed insider girl, Rachel Brehelton. At this moment, she felt cold sweat dripping down, soaking her back.

[Hyunjin: Drink?]

…

The reason was none other than this: she couldn’t help but recall the moment she almost got struck by lightning by the top student of the entire second year for reportedly trying to flirt with her man.

Cheon Soyul, and Lee Hyunjin. Classmates who maintained a close relationship even privately. However, the former was a symbol of fear for Rachel, and the latter was the partner of her first experience, making her feel complex emotions.

That very young man had sent such a text without any warning.

‘Drink, with me?’

Naturally, Rachel couldn’t help but fall into confusion. Her blue eyes trembled endlessly as she quickly glanced around.

Even after quickly turning her head, there was no one particularly noticeable. For instance, Cheon Soyul, or Cheon Soyul, or Cheon Soyul…

Then, perhaps it wasn’t a trap? Rachel swallowed dryly, her trembling hands moving to type.

There was no need to say it twice. Whether it was a trap or not, it was a proposal full of risks. Although Rachel did harbor some romantic interest in Lee Hyunjin, it was certainly not enough to risk her life for.

‘Refuse it. Refuse it. Refuse it immediately.’

She tried her best to calm her shivering body, typing her reply onto the screen.

[What time…?]

…

And immediately, she regretted it. She set down her phone with a despairing expression, feeling utterly devastated by her lack of self-control.

How could there be such an easy woman? Her whole body was crushed by self-loathing.

‘What do you mean, what time…?! Why, if the time fits my schedule, am I actually going to go out?! With him, doing that thing again?!’

Rachel knelt on the floor helplessly. Thud. Other students walking through the campus flinched and looked back at her, but she was in no state to care about her reputation.

She had chosen her own punishment, and there was no way for her to turn back. She had already replied.

‘…Maybe we’ll just have a drink and then part ways?’

At the very least, Rachel decided to ignite her hope circuit with all her might.

Right now, Lee Hyunjin had only suggested having a drink; nowhere in that concise text was there any mention of spending a hot night at a motel.

If so, if so, he might have another reason. For instance, perhaps he had a fight with Cheon Soyul and needed a female friend’s advice.

…

Rachel hardened her expression, thinking that it was quite a plausible guess.

If that were truly the case, then this might even be an opportunity for adultery—.

“What insane nonsense are you spouting, Rachel!?”

Smack!

Rachel urgently lifted her head and violently slapped her own cheek. It was punishment for having thought something she shouldn’t have.

It wasn’t that she was trying to raise an issue with her ethics or anything like that. After all, hadn’t she already committed a similar act once before? There was no point regretting having another adulterous relationship(?) now.

However, however, yes. There was only one thing Rachel Brehelton cared about at this moment.

-Don’t you think you’ve committed a truly mortal sin against me? My friend, Rachel.

Those words the light-brown haired girl had softly whispered once in a small cafe in the academy. Also, that voice, tone, and intonation. That moment when she even had to feel the terror of possibly being struck by lightning and turned to ash, leaving no trace…

‘…How, how could I ever forget…’

Sniffle, sniffle. Rachel sobbed with half-genuine, half-forced emotion. Since she had already sent the message, she couldn’t take it back, but her distress was also beyond her control.

“Alright, what happens, happens, dammit…”

Eventually, Rachel reached a state of resignation. She clumsily stood up, then subtly checked her phone.

Just then, Lee Hyunjin had sent the time and place in response to her question.

Rachel briefly pulled her skirt forward slightly and stared intently at the underwear she was wearing today.

“Hmm.”

And the conclusion she quickly reached.

‘Let’s quickly go to the dorm.’

First, I should go back to my room and then think. And while I’m at it, I should change into pretty underwear.

Rachel, who had changed direction with quick steps, had both cheeks flushed crimson with a blush.

Her worry about possibly being struck by lightning and disintegrated to an atomic level could be set aside. After all, such worries would be handled by herself the day after she had sex with Lee Hyunjin…!

Rachel temporarily discarded her intellectual rationality and decided to unleash the heart of a beast.

*****

“…Oh…”

It was then, outside the academy, a bit into the bustling city streets, that I was quietly waiting for my appointment.

Just then, a brilliant golden hair entered the corner of my vision, and I lifted my head.

“W-were you waiting…? Hyunjin…”

…

Even seeing Rachel’s shy expression as she timidly greeted me, I couldn’t immediately reply.

The reason was none other than Rachel’s outfit, as she fidgeted with her fingertips. Despite the weather gradually getting a bit chilly, she had dressed up exceptionally prettily.

A short T-shirt that slightly exposed her navel, an ivory cardigan worn over it, and a skirt that revealed her thighs, paired with white stockings…

It was truly an outfit that commanded admiration. Was she on a date?

‘…Is this a date?’

After a moment of thought, I suddenly had that idea. Certainly, if one were to classify it, shouldn’t this also be considered a type of date? I felt like I had become an insensitive guy, having come out in casual clothes.

But there was nothing I could do about it now, so I praised Rachel with a faint smile and in as neutral a tone as possible.

“You dressed up nicely.”

“…Eh?”

“Perhaps because we always meet in uniform, it feels a bit unfamiliar, but…”

As I spoke and turned, Rachel, who had been momentarily stiff, flinched and quickly caught up to my side with short steps.

“Anyway, let’s go, I’m hungry.”

“U-uh, yeah.”

That was the end of the conversation. Besides, the bar was nearby anyway…

‘Looks like she’ll burst if I poke her.’

Rachel’s face was beet red, and she looked truly overwhelmed, making it difficult to continue the conversation. To think that such a confident social butterfly of a female friend would become so timid only in front of me, it felt very strange. It felt as if I had become the male protagonist of a light novel. It was truly ambiguous; I didn’t know whether to take it as a good thing or not.

“Two people.”

Anyway, we quickly found a suitable bar. A place with a good atmosphere, neither too crowded nor too empty. Rachel was silently trotting behind me, clutching my lapel almost imperceptibly. And though it wasn’t intentional, we somehow ended up taking a seat in a very secluded spot.

…

…

Rachel, sitting opposite me, at that point, her flushed face was slowly returning to its original color. She fanned herself with her hand, letting out an awkward forced laugh, seemingly flustered by herself.

“…Is it because it feels like I’m seeing your face after a long time? I got a little nervous. Ahem.”

She furtively glanced at me, then let out a forced light laugh. I, who had ordered two draft beers through the waiter, also responded with a wry smile.

“What’s there to be nervous about? What, are you afraid I’ll eat you alive?”

It was a joke I made, intending to further accelerate the gradually easing atmosphere, but.

…

At that very single sentence, all of Rachel’s movements froze with a crack. As if she had been afflicted by petrification magic. It was too late to realize my mistake, but there was no way to take back the words I had uttered.

“…Th-that…”

“Hyunjin.”

As I was about to say something, it was unexpectedly Rachel who spoke first. She wore an expression that was completely relaxed, making her previous stiffness seem meaningless, and smiled vaguely.

“It’s an obvious story, isn’t it?”

“…Huh?”

“It’s true that Hyunjin and I have a pretty good relationship… But, are we close enough to meet separately outside of school like this? Well, I don’t know.”

…

“Phew, okay. It’s fine. I came out fully prepared for this, anyway.”

Rachel, roughly gripping the draft beer that had arrived remarkably quickly, as expected in a bar, immediately poured it down her throat.

“Hey, you…”

Gulp, gulp.

A one-shot performed before I even had a chance to stop her. Rachel slammed the empty glass down with a bang! And with a slightly flushed face and eyes, she glared sharply at me, speaking.

“Let’s just do it again today, sex.”

…

“Oh, not as adultery, but as romance.”

Saying that, she let out an empty laugh and swiftly lifted her leg from under the table. Her leg, stretched out, extending her white stocking, soon approached and touched my crotch. The female friend in front of me casually poked my ‘thing’ with the tip of her foot, and then, with an utterly seductive expression, she stuck out her tongue.

“I’ll buy the condoms, Hyunjin. If we run out, we can do it raw.”