Ch.160Why Did I Even Make That Promise – 3

“Be honest with me. You were acting like that on purpose, weren’t you?”

Honestly. Honestly? To be honest, it wasn’t completely untrue.

I thought if I did this, you’d be startled and offer me candy.

But that wasn’t all I was aiming for, our handsome Seojin oppa.

You don’t know. When I heard about that incident and how you were involved.

When I learned about those people who made you grow up without knowing family bonds.

I was truly furious. I wanted to erase them from this world right then and there.

If Seojin oppa hadn’t stopped me, hadn’t held me back,

I would have explained everything to my parents and caused a proper scene.

I like you, and those guys did terrible things to someone I like.

It’s natural to be angry, right? I can be angry on that person’s behalf, can’t I?

“Rina. I’d appreciate it if you could let this go quietly. I have my own plans.”

“Don’t say no. If you stay quiet, I’ll grant you one wish. Deal?”

Of course, I only thought about it for one second before shouting “Deal!”

Am I being materialistic? No. Was I really aiming for this? Of course not!

When the person involved says it’s okay and asks me to hold back, wouldn’t it be stranger to stay angry?

I’m only letting this go for Seojin oppa’s sake, okay?!

I absolutely didn’t get angry because I wanted this or was aiming for this!

Anyway, now I have a “right.”

And I didn’t forcibly extract it—oppa offered it first.

‘…But why is this guy here huffing and puffing again?!’

Soohyun Kim, who must have heard the news from somewhere and came running, now standing right in front of me with flashing eyes.

That’s strange. I never advertised myself as Rina, and I came in quietly.

Did Chairman Kang tell him? Did he hear that I wasn’t coming to work today?

That can’t be it. I heard the chairman is extremely busy with Association matters.

“Back off! Back off!”

“Hey. Keep it down, will you? Are you trying to attract everyone’s attention?”

I tried to find a quiet place, but it’s not completely empty, you idiot!

Now Seojin oppa is officially an S-rank ability user.

Naturally, he’ll be the focus of everyone’s attention, and the same goes for the Academy.

There will be many people lurking around—do you want them all to hear that I’m here?

‘Absolutely not. I ran away saying I had a regular checkup today!’

If my mom finds out about this, I’m seriously dead. She’ll say I’m bothering oppa again.

She said if I get caught bullying a colleague again, she’ll literally flatten my head!

“Why are you coming all the way here to harass the Arbiter?”

“I’m not harassing anyone!”

“Anyone can see from the Arbiter’s expression that he’s suffering!”

Is this person crazy? Where in oppa’s face does he look troubled…

“…Seojin oppa. Am I really making you uncomfortable by being here?”

His expression does look a bit strange. Does he really think I’m harassing him?

And here I was trying to be considerate by changing my style and putting on makeup before coming.

Hmm… Maybe next time I should just barge in saying “Rina is here!”?

*

“…Seojin oppa. Am I really making you uncomfortable by being here?”

Well. To be precise, it’s not you, Rina, but the combination of you and Soohyun that’s troubling me.

If you’re going to come, come one at a time. When both of you attack simultaneously, it’s troubling for anyone.

Soohyun vigilantly keeping Rina in check, and Rina looking at Soohyun in disbelief.

I’m afraid this might escalate beyond bickering to actual knife-fighting.

Before I try to stop them, it seems best to change locations first.

Both women and I are now at the center of attention.

If we stay like this, there’s a “hundred percent” chance strange rumors will spread.

Now, this should be private enough. This is my personal resting place.

Here, even if Soohyun and Rina squabble, it shouldn’t be a problem.

…Well, it might still be a problem, but anyway.

“Take it easy. Seriously. I may be one thing, but you’re still nothing to Seojin oppa either!”

Rina’s fact attack. Normally, Soohyun should flinch and tremble.

But not this time. Instead, Soohyun smiles as if she’d been waiting for this.

“Yes. That’s right. For now, that is. For now.”

Look at how she’s deliberately emphasizing “for now”?

It’s a nuance clearly meant to give the impression that something’s going on.

Rina wouldn’t miss that. She immediately narrows her eyes.

“What are you trying to say?”

“What do you think? Obviously, before long, the Arbiter and I will have a very deep relationship.”

Rina turns her head to look at me.

She turned so forcefully that I could hear the whoosh!

“Ha!”

Then she snorts and turns her gaze back to Soohyun.

“At best, you’re just flirting a little? How pitiful. I’m thinking of a relationship far beyond that level.”

“No, that’s not true!”

“Then what is it?”

“A deeper relationship! S-soon, the Arbiter and I will… w-we’ll become lovers!”

Hey, aren’t you going to ask the person involved for their opinion, Soohyun?

I’d like to think about this a bit more on my end.

“Well, well. Like children playing house? Holding hands a bit, sharing a kiss, and calling it a relationship? My dear child. This unnie doesn’t play such childish games. True lovers need to have ‘physical conversations.'”

Hey, you crazy woman. What are you suddenly talking about?

“I-I’m going to do that too! The Arbiter promised me!”

“…I was promised the same thing.”

“You too?”

Both Soohyun and Rina turn to look at me simultaneously.

As if wondering what’s going on, as if asking if I really intended to embrace another woman.

But they shouldn’t look at me like that. I’m the most wronged one here.

“Look, both of you, stop this. I only said ‘I’ll grant you one wish.’ What that wish is, what you want—that was decided by you two.”

How was I supposed to know both of you would talk about adult matters?

Rina, well, to be honest, I somewhat expected it from you.

But Soohyun, I didn’t expect it from you too! I thought you’d just ask for a date!

I never imagined both of you would simultaneously say “Let’s do that!!”

“…”

“…”

“I really am wronged here.”

I tried to act nonchalant, but inside I’m trembling.

Honestly, even I think this deserves a beating with no excuses.

It looks like I promised adult matters to two different women at almost the same time.

I absolutely didn’t intend that, but that’s how it turned out.

This isn’t some fantasy world where a harem just happens.

Physical intimacy is essentially a promise to be together for the long term.

That’s why all hell breaks loose when someone does such things with someone else while having a lover.

But looking at it now, it seems like I’ve openly declared I’d do just that?

Even if I could somehow get past Soohyun, Rina might really hit me.

Well, now that I’ve got my S-rank, I should be able to endure one hit…

“So, when does Rina plan to use that wish?”

“This weekend.”

“This weekend? Oh no. I already picked this week.”

“Hey! Who says you get to pick first!”

“Right here. I already told him.”

“I came here to tell him now!”

“Too bad. You’re late.”

Fortunately, both of them are targeting each other, not me.

Even if they don’t use it this week, the promise doesn’t disappear.

The fact that they both insist on using it this weekend… well, I don’t know.

“No way. I can’t accept this.”

“If you can’t accept it? Are you planning to subdue me by force?”

“Are you crazy? Do you think I’m the kind of woman who resorts to violence first?!”

Um, that seems accurate, Rina. Anyone you ask would agree with that.

Even your parents would probably shake their heads in disapproval.

“Let’s decide fairly with rock-paper-scissors.”

“Why should I? I already told him! Even if it’s the same wish, the one who speaks first has the advantage. Why should I give up that advantage?”

“From now on, I’ll contact you first before coming to the Academy. How about that?”

“Fine. Let’s decide with rock-paper-scissors.”

What’s this? What is this? How is everything flowing so naturally?

Soohyun? Contacting doesn’t mean getting permission, right?

And Rina? Isn’t it strange how coolly Soohyun is accepting this?

“And before we play rock-paper-scissors, I have something to say.”

“What is it?”

“No using the fact that you went first later, or claiming legitimacy. The choice ultimately belongs to the Arbiter. This is just a temporary arrangement. Understood?”

“What? Are you perhaps lacking confidence?”

Rina, who had been standing fine, suddenly crosses her arms and says that.

She’s not doing it because she’s dissatisfied. That pose is subtly emphasizing her chest.

“I’m doing this for your sake, Rina.”

“…Huh?”

“In case you lose at rock-paper-scissors, and I really go first. So you don’t cry and whine later, I’m giving you an escape route.”

“Wow… you really know how to irritate people.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. So, do you accept or not?”

“Fine. I’ll accept it. For your sake too.”

It seems the deal between them is already done, regardless of what I think.

“One round, right?”

“…Best of three?”

“One round. No clinging desperately.”

“Fine. And don’t make any strange excuses.”

And so began the rock-paper-scissors match that would determine the fate of these two women.

“Hehehe.”

“Aaaah!”

A moment later, both the winner and the loser screamed.

“Soohyun.”

The winner of the fateful rock-paper-scissors looks my way.

“Um… I’m just asking out of curiosity.”

“Yes, Arbiter. What is it?”

“Did you predict that Rina would throw rock?”

The reason I’m asking this. Soohyun’s expression seemed to say “as expected.”

While Rina was screaming in despair, Soohyun didn’t look particularly happy.

“Yes.”

Huh? Wait a minute. How?

“Grandfather told me. Rina unconsciously uses her fists a lot, so when she gets nervous during rock-paper-scissors, she tends to throw rock first.”

“…”

Rina, maybe it’s time to start living a little more kindly.