22. Sorting Out Relationships (3)

After the regular class ended, I hurried to the headmaster’s office where Sanya-nim was waiting.

As I entered, Sanya-nim greeted me with a faint smile that was almost imperceptible.

Her lips twitched occasionally, giving her a suspicious expression.

Sure enough, before I could even plant my ass on the chair at the table, she couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing.

“Wooh, Pfft! Puhahahahat!”

“Why are you laughing all of a sudden without saying anything…”

“I saw everything. Pfft, Puh-heup…! Ah, it’s the first time I’ve seen Jihoo-gun so flustered. So, did you come to ask for another day off?”

No, how did she know?

Did she learn mind-reading in the meantime?

Sanya-nim, who was laughing so hard that tears welled up in her eyes, seemed annoying for some reason, so I questioned her as if I were pressing her.

“How did you know when I didn’t even say anything?”

“It’s written all over your face. ‘I’m really, really sorry, but could you give me just one more day off?’ Of course, I’m just kidding, and I obviously watched secretly with CCTV and sound waves. That much is okay between us now, right?”

Right, this person was a voyeuristic pervert.

I had forgotten because she had been showing such a normal side of herself for a while.

No, that’s not the point, did I look that stupid? Still, I think I handled it pretty well, didn’t I?

“Did I look that weird…?”

“Ah-ha, Jihoo-gun is such a babe in the woods in the most unexpected places? Well, I guess it’s possible. It’s funny that you still don’t know how to handle women properly after having so much sex.”

Suddenly, I imagined myself caught between Hayul and Jung Yewon, not knowing what to do… I suddenly began to understand why Sanya-nim was bursting into laughter as if she were about to suffocate.

Honestly, at first, I was so overwhelmed by the force of the two of them that I couldn’t say anything and just stared blankly, so I could roughly guess what kind of terrible expression I had on my face.

Anyway, putting my embarrassment aside for a moment, it seems that Sanya-nim knows my situation well, so I think the rest of the conversation will proceed relatively smoothly.

“Ugh, just one more day, I promise I won’t skip again after that… I’m sorry for keep asking for just one more day and gradually increasing it, but this is really the last time, so could you please just once…”

“How could I refuse? Do whatever you want, Jihoo-gun.”

“Ah, thank you so much… I’m really, really sorry for keep breaking my promise.”

“Okay, enough, let’s hear who you’re meeting. Who is it today, and who is it tomorrow?”

Should I tell her the truth…?

Considering the consideration I received from her, it would be right to tell her, but wouldn’t it be a bit embarrassing to say the names of the women I’m hitting on with my own mouth?

Still, since Sanya-nim can find out easily enough if she’s determined to, I decided to just tell her willingly so that it doesn’t become more awkward.

“Today is Seo Joo of Class N, and tomorrow is Hayul. Lee Hayul from our class.”

“Ah… So yesterday was Jung Yewon? Wow, aren’t you tired of doing that for three days in a row? You’re really amazing.”

“…Are you complimenting me? Ahem, I guess the magic power of the bead I received when I had sex with Sanya-nim last time had a big impact on my physical abilities. These days, I only get a little tired even if I do it for about 4 or 5 hours in a row.”

I felt like Sanya-nim’s eyes were twinkling for some reason after hearing my answer.

Could it be… No way, right?

“Ah… Is that so…? Yeah, okay. Go have fun. I’m going to work you hard on Thursday as much as you didn’t do, so be prepared. Got it?”

“Yes. Then I’ll see you the day after tomorrow.”

Fortunately, it seems that the impure things I’m thinking about aren’t going to happen.

I was a little scared because Sanya-nim’s eyes were so similar to when she was seducing me and dragging me into bed, but I guess it was just a needless worry.

With a slightly relieved heart, I picked up the black tea on the table and poured it into my mouth.

“Ah, that’s right. Jihoo-gun. I have something to say before you go.”

As I finished the short conversation and was about to get up from my seat, Sanya-nim suddenly grabbed my arm.

Wondering what was going on, I turned my head and saw Sanya-nim looking at me quietly with a serious expression, her playful face from just a moment ago gone.

“Why are you suddenly in serious mode again? I can’t adapt if the atmosphere changes so quickly like this.”

I tried to brush it off with a light joke, but it wasn’t the kind of atmosphere to do that at all.

Words that poked at my heart, words with bones in them, flowed from Sanya-nim’s mouth.

“Jihoo-gun, are you taking good care of Joo Ha-yang?”

“Actually, I haven’t been able to pay much attention to her lately… That’s why I’m going to meet Joo Ha today… That’s why.”

“So you’re pretending to be generous now?”

“That’s… not it.”

Even though I said it wasn’t with a firm voice, I was accepting it to some extent in my heart.

I rationalized it with all sorts of reasons, but I knew better than anyone else that it wasn’t an emotional rift that would end with a few rounds of sex in the first place.

“What do you mean it’s not? Jihoo-gun, have you even seen Joo Ha-yang’s face in the past few days? You haven’t, have you? Now that I see it, it seems like Jihoo-gun isn’t ready to meet yet.”

“Then what do you want me to do…? I’m trying my best right now, and I’m meeting them even if I have to split my time so that I don’t leave anyone out. How can I prepare more here?”

But admitting it and acting on it are always separate.

Just because Sanya-nim is pointing out my hypocritical side, does that mean I have to obediently bow my head and follow her? I definitely didn’t think so.

The guilt of not paying attention to Joo Ha all this time, the questions and awkwardness about Joo Ha’s actions that seemed to be distancing herself.

I suppressed all those emotions, prepared to be scolded, even punished, and poured them out to Sanya-nim as if I were screaming.

However, instead of getting angry, Sanya-nim chuckled after hearing my words.

“Did I tell you to prepare more? You have to listen to what people say until the end.”

“Yes…?”

“What kind of feelings do you think Joo Ha-yang has for you? Would you like to think about it?”

“Well, that’s… Ah.”

Come to think of it, I had never even tried to look at myself from Joo Ha’s point of view.

I went back over my memories with Seo Joo Ha one by one and slowly began to recall the feelings she must have felt.

First of all, the guilt of not saving me from the King Worm sooner.

The worry that she might become a burden, even though she relies on me every time.

And… the question that she always keeps in her head, wondering if I might hate her for who she has become.

We were looking at each other through a mirror.

A truly foolish pair, feeling the same emotions but unable to say it first and suffering in silence.

Only then did I understand what Sanya-nim was saying.

It’s the same as when the leaves wither if you care too much and are too considerate.

Sometimes, no matter what situation the other person is in, it may be better to approach them with a normal attitude rather than with clumsy worry and sympathy.

“I understand. Approaching her as if nothing happened, right?”

“Yeah, it seems like you’re a little more prepared now.”

Sanya-nim smiled brightly when she saw my face.

I also gave an awkward but bright smile.

As expected, a teacher is a teacher.

Advice that she can give because she has lived a much longer life, if it weren’t for that, I might have still gone to bed tonight feeling uneasy.

I bowed my head to Sanya-nim and left the headmaster’s office.

Now it was time to head home, where Seo Joo Ha was waiting.

* * *

“You can come out now.”

Only after confirming that Lee Jihoo had completely left did Sanya-nim turn around and tap on the closet.

“Did Jihoo go…?”

“Yeah, how was it listening from the side? You’re exactly the same as him.”

The identity of the person who carefully came out of the closet was none other than Seo Joo Ha.

She moved her creaking body from side to side because she had been hiding in the narrow closet, and answered Sanya-nim’s question.

“Yes, I can’t deny it anymore…”

Seo Joo Ha couldn’t help but feel a strong sense of kinship from Lee Jihoo’s cry to Sanya-nim.

That’s because when Sanya-nim asked Seo Joo Ha a similar question, she had answered the same way.

‘Does Joo Ha-yang really love Jihoo-gun? Or is she just using him as a tool for self-consolation, pretending to like him?’

‘Do you think I’m just pretending that I can’t approach him first? I’m always trying to say hello, but I can’t. I’m so sorry to Jihoo, and I keep worrying about whether someone like me can be by Jihoo’s side… But because I love Jihoo, I’m not giving up and I’m doing my best, so how can I love him more here…?’

Her face flushed as she thought about the answer she had given.

Seo Joo Ha shook her head to blow away the embarrassing memories, and bowed her head to Sanya-nim, who was looking at her with a satisfied expression.

“Thank you… Hearing Jihoo’s words made me even more sure. Thank you, Sanya.”

“Puh-heut, how can you guys be so similar even when you’re saying hello? Okay, don’t overdo it anymore and go home quickly. You can’t let Jihoo arrive first, can you?”

“Yes, I was going to move with the shadow anyway…”

Shadows rise from Seo Joo Ha’s hand.

The shadows, which flowed down the hallway as if black ink were dripping, soon completely soaked Seo Joo Ha’s feet.

Ttak.

When she flicked her finger, the shadow opened its mouth wide and swallowed Seo Joo Ha.

The shadow, which had sucked everything in without leaving a trace, gradually shrank into a small dot and disappeared.

“Aigoo, kids these days really have too many unnecessary worries. They can just bump into each other recklessly at least once, you know.”

Even as she said that, Sanya-nim had a satisfied smile on her face.

She stared at the place where Seo Joo Ha had disappeared for a long time, then turned around and left.