Ch.110A Cozy Stranger’s Home – 5

I need to sleep. I must sleep. Why? Because I have to go to work tomorrow.

No matter how sweet the honey is, going to work is always hard.

If I don’t get enough sleep, the next day is truly exhausting.

If tomorrow were the weekend, it might be different, but unfortunately, the weekend is still three days away.

Yes. So I really need to sleep now, but…

‘Why are they acting like this?’

I can sense it. Soohyun casually coming out, glancing in this direction, then leaving.

Then Rina Lee, who comes right up and stares at me intensely.

How can I sleep when they keep doing that? I’m just lying in bed with my eyes closed.

This is like trying to sleep in the middle of a wild safari plain.

The moment I let my guard down, I’ll be eaten. Literally devoured.

Some people might be into that sort of thing, but well… at least I’m not.

‘Please. I have to go to work tomorrow, can’t you cut me some slack?’

Come to think of it, I’m not the only one who has to get up early.

Rina is quite the troublemaker and always causing problems.

Nevertheless, as an S-class ability user, she always has to go to the association to work.

Which means Rina also needs to wake up around the same time as me.

Is Soohyun any different? No. She also needs to get up early.

While Rina and I have to go to work, Soohyun has to go to school.

‘So everyone needs to get up early in the morning. Why aren’t you sleeping then!’

My life philosophy is simple. Eat when you need to eat, sleep when you need to sleep.

Deliberately starving yourself or staying up all night. I really, really don’t like it.

Creak, thud—

Soohyun, who had been glancing around again, goes back into her room.

Now I hope she finally sleeps, I really hope she sleeps, I prayed.

Somehow, that wish must have reached Soohyun.

Five minutes passed, ten minutes passed, and even more time went by.

Soohyun didn’t come out of her room again.

‘Well, one down.’

Now only Rina remains. I can only fall asleep once she quiets down too.

How did simply going to sleep become such a tense affair?

The sorrow of not having my own place is this great. Yes, I really need my own home…

Buzz—

Suddenly, a light vibration sound came from my phone.

It sounds like a messenger notification, but what crazy person at this late hour…

[Come to my room. Quietly, so no one hears.]

…It really is a crazy person. More precisely, The Yellow Madwoman.

Wait, how did she even get my number?

[What is it? How did you get my number? I see you have Rina’s number saved too.]

[I swiped Seojin oppa’s phone earlier when you weren’t paying attention.]

She stole my phone and got my number? And even saved her own number in it?

When did she do that? I didn’t even notice my phone was missing.

[Anyway, come quickly.]

[No.]

[I have something to talk about. Very seriously.]

That “serious talk” seems more likely to be a physical conversation rather than a verbal one.

It’s not like I’m impotent or uninterested in women, but…

This seems excessive when we’re not even in any kind of relationship yet.

Above all, regarding Rina… I still don’t have any real certainty.

[I’m not joking. I want to ask about what happened earlier.]

If she’s talking about earlier… Right. It’s probably about Sujin Hyun.

Honestly, I was wondering why she hadn’t asked more about it.

The Elder made contact, not once but twice.

From Rina’s perspective, having witnessed it twice, it’s natural to have questions.

‘Ah, damn. Should I go or not?’

I scratched the back of my head, deep in thought.

I’m worried if I can really get out of there without anything happening, but…

If I don’t go, this is such a major issue that I probably should address it.

While I was contemplating what to do, my phone vibrated again.

[Should I come out?]

Don’t come out, damn it. If Soohyun sees you, you’ll just start another power struggle.

Finally, I got up and very carefully headed toward Rina’s room.

I listened carefully in case Soohyun woke up again, but there was no sign of movement.

I grabbed the doorknob and turned it very gently to open the door.

And the moment I entered, I had to doubt my eyes.

“You came?”

Rina, sitting on the bed with a slight smile.

The problem was what Rina was currently wearing.

“W-what are you doing?”

“What do you mean? I just want to talk.”

Saying that, Rina gestured to the spot beside her.

Without realizing it, I slowly stepped forward and approached her side.

‘Crazy woman. Crazy woman. Crazy woman.’

She’s not wearing clothes. Literally, she’s in her underwear.

And to make matters worse, it’s black underwear?

Her already fair skin looks so incredibly white.

For a moment, I even had the crazy thought, ‘I want to touch her.’

“T-talk, you say.”

“Yes. I’m curious about what you discussed with Sujin Hyun when you two were alone earlier.”

As she said this, Rina leaned back slightly.

Then she spread her legs wide open and placed them to either side.

Thanks to that, her panties came completely into view.

I don’t know where to look. Should I just leave?

Yes. Let’s leave. What kind of conversation can we have like this? She really is crazy, I shouldn’t have listened to her…

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Rina’s pale foot rests on my leg.

There’s not even any force in it. I could easily push it away and leave.

No matter how powerful Rina is, she can’t stop me with just one foot.

Yes. But, clearly that’s what I should do, but…

‘…I want to touch… Shit, am I crazy?!’

This is cheating. How can even her toes be pretty?

It’s the first time I’ve ever wanted to touch someone’s feet.

To the point where I’m wondering if I have some kind of foot fetish.

“Answer me, Seojin oppa. If you keep avoiding it, I’ll have to make reasonable suspicions.”

“What reasonable suspicions?”

“It’s obvious. That you’re making some kind of deal with the Elder?”

“Do you really think I would do that?”

At my question, Rina smiles slightly.

And then without a moment’s hesitation, she answered, “No.”

“Then…”

“But it’s better to be certain. This isn’t me being sensitive. It’s something anyone would find suspicious. You encountered that shadow woman Sujin Hyun twice, but there was no injury, not even a fight? Even Jiyoon unnie would say this is suspicious, don’t you think?”

“…”

I have nothing to say. Yes, I admit it. Even I think it’s a bit much.

I glanced at Rina. Is she someone I can tell the truth to?

There’s no evidence. And to make matters worse, Sujin Hyun has been making all kinds of wild claims.

She might misunderstand and think I fell for Sujin Hyun’s nonsense.

In the worst case, she might suspect I’m collaborating with her.

‘…No, that’s not the issue. Apart from everything else…’

How can I trust a woman who’s acting like this in front of a man she’s not involved with, damn it.

“She kept trying to draw me in.”

“You, Seojin oppa.”

“I must have been an attractive target in many ways. Maybe because I performed well against Hyuk Kwak.”

At my words, Rina thought for a moment, then nodded saying, “That could be it.”

A B-class who can wound an S-class in a fierce battle.

Anyone would think, ‘This guy has potential.’

“Hmm… Okay. That’s somewhat of an answer. Not everything, but it’ll do.”

Does this person really have mind-reading abilities? It’s a very reasonable suspicion.

“So did you answer? To that traitor woman.”

“I didn’t explicitly say I would refuse, but I implied it.”

“How?”

“I asked if she wanted me to become the same kind of person as her.”

At that, Rina stares at me with wide eyes.

I wondered why she was suddenly acting like that, when she burst out laughing, “Pfft!”

“Rina?”

“Ah, sorry. Sorry. It’s just too funny to imagine.”

“What’s so funny? Are you saying my words are funny?”

“No, not that. I’m laughing thinking about how that traitor must have felt hearing that. Even though she’s an S-class who people have always respected, and as an Elder she’s been feared as some kind of terrifying figure. How shocked she must have been to hear such words from some man.”

As if it was truly hilarious, Rina laughed silently for a while.

But, come on. If you’re going to laugh, couldn’t you curl up a bit?

Why are you spreading your body more? With your legs wide open and your breasts bouncing visibly…

If I stay any longer, the last thread of my reason will snap.

Just because there’s a feast right in front of me doesn’t mean I should dive right in—that would be barbaric.

Whether this meal is prepared for me. And whether the utensils are ready.

Those are things that should be considered before eating, at least that’s what I think.

“Now, one last question, Seojin oppa.”

Hurry up. I want to leave. I’m tired, so tired.

“Don’t you have anything to say?”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m asking if you have nothing to say. Looking at me right now.”

As she says this, Rina strikes another pose.

Seeing all of this, I once again had to clutch my heart internally.

Full breasts, slim waist, elegantly curved hips.

Shimmering blonde hair, and looks that anyone would call beautiful.

How can she be so aggressive? She’s constantly testing my self-control.

“…If you keep doing this, it puts me in a difficult position.”

I almost said, “If you keep doing this, I’m all for it.” Shit.

Barely suppressing my true nature, I added that she should tone it down a bit.

We’re not in any kind of relationship, so how can this make sense?

At that, Rina suddenly curls up the corners of her mouth into a smile.

Why is she doing that again? It’s making me nervous.

“By the way, Seojin oppa. That offer is still valid.”

“What offer…”

“The one where I asked you to date me.”

Swish, slide—

Rina’s foot gently rubs against my thigh.

“If Seojin oppa just says ‘Let’s do it,’ then today becomes our first day. And if we’re a couple… we can do those kinds of things, right?”

At that moment, I had this thought: Is this woman really inexperienced?