Ch.137Episode 28. MT Trip (8)

“Since the drinking session seems like it’ll go on for a while, I’d just like to ask you to clean up the outdoor area. We’ll take care of the inside of the pension tomorrow.”

I was starting to get annoyed at the team leader for saying this when it was nearly midnight. If this was the plan, we could have cleaned up earlier and rested at the pension.

“Understood.”

But I didn’t want to ruin the mood by showing my irritation, so I simply agreed and started cleaning.

“Can’t we just burn all this stuff?”

“Instead of saying useless things, wipe the food off the table.”

“I’m starting to envy Bin-yoon.”

If you’re that envious, you should pretend to be drunk too.

“By the way, instructor.”

“Yes?”

“You seemed pretty used to carrying Bin-yoon on your back. Have you done it before?”

Yu Ari casually approached and nonchalantly threw out the question. I came up with a reasonable excuse to her inquiry.

“…You saw the news, right? The article about the underground research facility of Akcheon in Gangwon Province.”

“Yes. I-I’ve been keeping up with all the news in this industry. I especially p-print out articles featuring you, cut them out, and meticulously store them in a file.”

What? Why would you cut those out?

It’s a bit terrifying how her obsession is starting to show.

“…Anyway.”

Feeling like I shouldn’t mention it, I pretended not to hear her comment and continued.

“They were developing potions at the underground research facility. It was still in the development stage, and there were too many side effects to conduct a full demonstration.”

If I had abandoned Bin-yoon, by this time, Anrak would have been completed, and they would have been controlling the Association.

“But then Akcheon found someone who could solve those side effects.”

“And that was Bin-yoon?”

“Yes.”

“I-I see. So you helped with the commute to the research facility to prevent any kidnapping…”

“That’s right.”

“But… was it really n-necessary to c-carry him on your back?”

“Otherwise, I would have been late for work.”

“I see.”

She seemed to understand, but she clearly wasn’t satisfied. Her expression didn’t look relieved at all.

“…Still, I d-don’t like seeing someone other than m-me on your back, instructor.”

“Geez. You’re so honest.”

I thoroughly messed up Yu Ari’s hair as she was wiping the table with wet wipes beside me. She smiled foolishly, seemingly pleased despite my rough touch.

* * *

By the time we finished cleaning, it was past midnight and the night had deepened. Nevertheless, the noise from the larger pension still hadn’t subsided.

But the Special Class, treated as a nuisance at the Academy, couldn’t join them there. Even if we did, we would only make the atmosphere awkward.

Rather than that, it was better to give them space and enjoy ourselves separately.

I came out of the bathroom after taking a shower.

As I emerged with my hair pushed back, still slightly damp despite towel-drying it, Gu Yeon-hwa, who was passing by, stared at me intently.

“You look good with your forehead showing.”

“You think so? Thanks.”

I patted her head and headed toward the drawer with the hair dryer.

“Go shower quickly. We need to sleep soon.”

Since we were sharing the pension with the Special Class students, I hadn’t originally planned to shower. I thought the atmosphere might get strange if I showered while sharing the pension with those students who had romantic feelings for me.

But after sparring, I was sweaty and covered in dust, so I couldn’t bring myself to go to bed without washing.

I dried my hair with the provided hair dryer and then flopped onto the bed.

“Phew…”

As I stared blankly at the ceiling, a shadow fell over me. Her fluttering white bob hair looked particularly bright.

“Jin oppa.”

“Yes?”

“I have something to talk about.”

“Something to talk about?”

I glanced over the railing to the first floor. There was no one there. They seemed to be in their rooms or bathrooms, doing their own things.

“…Can’t we talk here?”

“I don’t think we can talk about it here.”

She smiled, lifting the corners of her mouth, but for some reason, her eyes weren’t smiling. If anything, she seemed tense.

“Alright. Let’s go outside.”

We put on slippers and went outside. I followed her to the entrance of the pension where the walking path was visible. It was quite dark without any streetlights.

“What did you want to talk about that we had to come all the way out here?”

“I needed to clear my complicated thoughts while we were out. Couldn’t help it.”

“I see.”

I wasn’t sure what she meant, but she must have had her own concerns. I didn’t press further since things weren’t awkward between Jeong I-yeon and me, and the atmosphere wasn’t bad.

“It’s quite chilly.”

As if announcing that summer was giving way to autumn, the breeze that brushed against my body in just a short-sleeved shirt was quite cool.

“It’s autumn now.”

“That’s right.”

I quietly observed her fluttering white bob hair before looking at the ridge visible from here.

“Jin oppa.”

“Yes?”

“How would you feel if I said I was going to stop being your fan?”

“I don’t think I’d feel anything in particular.”

Fans were beings of little significance to me.

I had heard her say that having more fans meant more work coming in, but I had no desire for work. I didn’t particularly want to raise my ranking either.

I just wanted to bring down Akcheon so that the Special Class could safely become heroes.

At this point, it was unlikely that Akcheon would target the Special Class, but I didn’t want to leave even the slightest possibility.

“That’s disappointing in its own way.”

“You know I don’t really like getting attention from others.”

“…Then is my attention unwelcome too?”

“No. The attention from a student I’m in charge of is different.”

“Is that so? Then…”

Jeong I-yeon, who had been enjoying the scenery, turned her body and took a step toward me.

“Do you see me just as a student? Or…”

She paused mid-sentence. After briefly biting her lip, she looked straight up at me as if she had made up her mind and asked.

“Do you see me as a woman?”

“…I see you as a student.”

It was true that I had used the romantic feelings each Special Class student had for me, but it was clear that I saw them as students.

“But instructors don’t go on dates with students. We held hands too. Did that mean nothing to you?”

“Well… it would be a lie to say it meant nothing. But I have no intention of dating any of you.”

“I see. In other words, you’re just stringing us along?”

“If you put it that way, it makes me feel bad.”

If she felt I was stringing them along, I had no intention of denying it.

If she called me trash, that wouldn’t be wrong either. After all, I was using their feelings and then subtly telling them I would reject their confessions.

“But didn’t we have this conversation a few hours ago?”

I-yeon wasn’t stupid enough to have forgotten already.

There was definitely an intention behind her bringing this up.

“We did. You said you couldn’t date us, but you could treat us like lovers.”

“That’s right.”

Even as I answered, I felt something unsettling.

“Then I’ll say something without much meaning too.”

“Hm?”

“I’m going to stop being your fan.”

“…What?”

“You said you don’t care about fans’ attention anyway.”

I immediately understood what “stopping being a fan” meant.

“Instead… treat me like a lover.”

And she bluntly stated exactly what I had understood.

For a moment, my thoughts froze, and I couldn’t respond immediately. I really hadn’t expected her to say it.

“…But I-yeon.”

“I’m not asking you to date me. So it doesn’t matter, right?”

This was my own blunder.

I thought she would hesitate like the others, but I didn’t expect her to go full throttle.

“I’ll willingly put myself in that pool you’re keeping. Just as you want.”

I wonder what expression I’m making right now.

She gazed at my face intently, having completely shed the tension she showed earlier.

With a smile in her eyes, she seemed to be asking what I was going to do.

“But still, this…”

I was about to try to salvage the situation when she interrupted.

“I know, I know. I know you’d feel burdened. So I’ll give you a pretext.”

“A pretext…?”

“I’ll use my remaining wish now.”

She’s using her wish here? Surely not…

“Kiss me.”

She pointed to her lips as she spoke. I was speechless again at the unexpected wish.

“After we kiss, the rest will be easier. It’s always hard for people to cross the line the first time, but the second and third times are easier.”

“…Are you sure you won’t regret this? Are you okay with me acting like trash? I might just play with you all and then discard you.”

“You can’t be that kind of trash. From what I’ve observed so far. You must have something you want from us.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I’m your fan. Or… I was your fan.”

Her voice was filled with confidence, beyond mere self-assurance.

She spoke as if she knew me better than anyone else.

“Besides, you’re too kind to be trash.”

“…”

“Of course, considering that you’re involved with multiple women, you might be trash… But at least when facing me or the other students, you’ve always been sincere.”

Jeong I-yeon took another step closer and pressed against me.

“So face me sincerely this time too. I’ve given you the pretext.”

“Jeong I-yeon, you…”

“You’ll grant my wish… won’t you?”