Ch.178Episode 35. New Year’s Eve Date (End)

“Huh? Why would I be jealous? I’m just… saying…”

“That’s what jealousy is, dear.”

“H-hmph. That’s ridiculous. Really. That’s all in your imagination, you know?”

“Is it?”

“Yes!”

Despite her words, she was clearly sulking. Her tone was filled with discontent too.

Is she upset that I’m getting along with other women?

“Still, when I’m with you, I can focus only on you and treat you well.”

“Ugh! T-that’s exactly why people get the wrong idea. If you were ugly, you wouldn’t even talk like that…”

She knows I’m handsome and that’s why she’s responding to my advances.

If I were ugly, I wouldn’t be making advances—I’d be crumpled up in some corner, resenting whoever made me possess an ugly character.

“Isn’t it my intention to make you misunderstand? I’m just being honest.”

“Is this what they call pure evil?”

“Come on. It’s good for both of us. It’s not evil.”

“Instructor, you’re definitely going to get burned badly over relationship issues.”

“I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.”

If she wanted to stop our relationship because she didn’t like me seeing other women, I’d gladly agree.

After all, their feelings come first, whatever happens.

That said, I intended to maintain our instructor-student relationship. At least until she becomes a hero, I need to watch over her.

“You’re really trash! Playing with women’s feelings…! I can’t forgive that even from you, Instructor!”

“I know.”

“I only kissed you before because you weren’t dating anyone.”

“I’m not exactly dating anyone now either.”

I told her I liked her, but we never clarified our relationship after that. The clearer the relationship, the harder it becomes to make a move.

“W-what?! So you… you spend the night with someone without even dating them?”

“That’s possible, isn’t it?”

Am I being too open-minded?

Still, we’re not married, and there are plenty of men with good abilities who have multiple female friends and relationships. I don’t see why I shouldn’t do the same.

“You don’t see students as p-partners, do you?!”

“Of course not. I’ve never thought about just mixing bodies. I take relationships seriously.”

In modern times, messing around with multiple women deserves criticism, but I think it’s fine if the women themselves don’t have a problem with the relationship.

Is that too trashy of me?

“You’re not dating, but you do everything couples do… What kind of relationship is that exactly?”

“Female friends?”

“How is that just being friends?!”

Bin Yoon-i slammed the table as she shouted. People who had been quietly drinking turned to look at us. Embarrassed, she shrank into the corner of the sofa.

“Those girls are strange too, really.”

“So what?”

“Could you not dismiss it so simply?”

“Are you disillusioned?”

“Yes, I am.”

“That’s a shame.”

I chuckled and picked up a piece of fruit to eat. Bin Yoon-i pointed her finger at me with a sullen face.

“Instructor. I’m seriously criticizing you right now, you know? Could you take me seriously?”

“I am taking you seriously. Are you disappointed that I became special with the others first?”

“D-disappointed? No. I have other things to be disappointed about. It has nothing to do with me.”

Her reaction seemed strangely defensive.

I had suspected it since she didn’t reject my physical advances, but it was clear that Bin Yoon-i had feelings for me too.

“Like I just said, I don’t take these relationships lightly.”

“But you’re seeing multiple women at the same time.”

“…”

I had nothing to say to that.

“What are you planning to do in the end? Haven’t you thought about how it will hurt them?”

“I’ll try not to hurt them.”

“It’s already hurtful. Starting with meeting me.”

Again, I had nothing to say. I was reminded of Yu Ah-ri telling me not to go further while we were together.

“So you don’t need to be so nice to me.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Like I said before, I don’t like fighting… Don’t make me develop feelings for you.”

I had been deliberately guiding them to develop feelings for me, but that’s not wrong, is it?

“If that’s what you want, I’ll do it.”

“Really?”

“If that’s what you truly want.”

“W-what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Who knows~?”

I raised my voice at the end, giving my words a meaningful nuance. She didn’t like that either, pouting her lips and gulping down her draft beer.

“Ugh…!”

“Drink slowly. You’ll get drunk like before.”

“H-hmph.”

It’s funny how she snorts to hide her embarrassment.

“You’re really immature.”

“I don’t want to hear that from you.”

After that, I carefully led the conversation to avoid topics related to the other girls. Bin Yoon-i seemed to relax a bit as we exchanged light small talk.

However, separately from that…

“Whew…”

Her angry beer drinking quickly got her drunk.

She rested her forearm on the table and wobbled her head, seemingly unable to maintain her senses.

“Hey, hey. Don’t plant your head in the food.”

I said, holding her head. And then…

“I’m not drunk!”

Bin Yoon-i poured out the common drunken protest. I reluctantly got up from my seat. I went to her side and grabbed her arm.

“Shall we go?”

“What are we gonna do?”

“No, what do you mean? We need to go to the academy.”

“What are we gonna do at the academy?”

“?”

Was this twenty questions?

“Go to the dorm and sleep, what else?”

“Liar… You’re going to make a move on me!”

“Alright, that’s enough drunk talk. Let’s go home.”

It seemed better to take her home before she said anything unnecessary. People were starting to pay attention to us due to Bin Yoon-i’s raised voice.

I quickly paid the bill and pulled her outside.

“You didn’t even drink that much. Why are you drunk?”

“I’m not drunk! See how clearly I’m speaking?”

“Right. Got it. I’ll call a driver…”

“How much is the driver?”

“Well, it depends on the distance. Since the academy is on the outskirts of Seoul, it might be a bit expensive.”

She pondered for a moment while leaning on me for support.

“Hmm… Then how much is a motel?”

“What?”

I was speechless when she suddenly asked about motel prices. I hadn’t expected such a direct question from someone who had been so shy.

“Which is cheaper?”

“…I think the driver would be cheaper than staying at a motel.”

“Really? Then call a driver please.”

Maybe I should have said the motel was cheaper.

It felt like a missed opportunity, but I wasn’t ruthless enough to take advantage of someone who was still hesitant. I could approach her properly when she was ready.

I called a driver on my phone, then crouched down in front of her.

“Get on my back. We need to get to the car.”

“Yay~!”

I almost fell over when Bin Yoon-i jumped on me like she was headbutting me. She was indeed heavy.

“Hey, how am I supposed to carry you if you crash into me like that?”

I regained my balance, placed my hands under her knees, and stood up. Having carried her several times before, I quickly stabilized my posture.

“…Instructor.”

“What?”

“Are you disappointed?”

“About what?”

“…Nothing.”

I could guess what she was trying to probe, but I decided to pretend not to know. There was no need to rush things.

“Did you call for a driver?”

“Yes.”

After briefly greeting the driver who came to the public parking lot, we got into the car. I put Bin Yoon-i in the back seat and sat beside her.

“Please take us to Aegis Academy.”

“Sure.”

The car started moving.

Bin Yoon-i had already fallen asleep with her eyes closed. Her head swayed back and forth with the movement of the car. I gently guided her head to rest on my shoulder.

“Mmm… It’s because Instructor is bad…”

Her sleep-talking was a bonus.

Looking at Bin Yoon-i, then gazing out the window, a random question popped into my mind.

If it’s possible to detoxify alcohol with the super recovery effect, would a breathalyzer still show a reading? It was a silly question.

I should experiment with that sometime.

* * *

“Thank you for your hard work. Please get home safely.”

“Oh, you don’t need to give me this much…”

“No, it’s fine. Thank you for coming all the way out here. Please drive safely.”

After giving the driver double the fare for driving us well to the dormitory, I carried Bin Yoon-i on my back toward the dorm.

“It’s Bin Yoon-i today?”

“…Pardon?”

The female dormitory supervisor gave me a meaningful look as she saw Bin Yoon-i on my back. I could only respond with an awkward smile.

“Although our academy encourages romance… you seem to be entangled with too many students. Are you sure that’s okay?”

“…It’s fine.”

“Then that’s all that matters.”

The supervisor shrugged and cheerfully opened the door for me.

I was barely able to enter her room by listening to the floor number and password that Bin Yoon-i mumbled.

Bin Yoon-i’s room was as messy as a research lab.

It wasn’t dusty or full of trash, but books and papers were scattered all over the desk and floor, making it difficult to step anywhere.

I carefully placed my feet between the gaps in the books and laid her on the bed. I wanted to tell her to wash up before sleeping, but that didn’t seem possible.

In the end, I only removed her shoes and coat.

“Thank youuu…”

“You were awake?”

“…I had to wake up when we got out of the car.”

Her pronunciation had improved, suggesting she had regained some of her senses.

“Alright. Go to sleep.”

“…Thank you.”

I gently stroked her head as she thanked me again. Just as I was about to turn and leave, Bin Yoon-i spoke.

“Instructor.”

“What?”

“…Is there a way for us not to fight?”

“I wonder.”

I immediately recognized this as her roundabout confession.

“That’s not something I can control. But…”

*Kiss*

I placed a kiss on the forehead of Bin Yoon-i, who was looking at me with drowsy eyes.

“It would be easier if you were clear about it.”

“…”

“I’m going now.”

After giving a smile to Bin Yoon-i, who was dazedly touching her forehead, I left the room.

Now I should go rest too.

…Though I’m not sure if I’ll be able to.