Ch.194Episode 38. Someone to Rely On (5)

Despite the loud music and constant chatter around us, Bin Yoon’s lively reaction drew everyone’s attention toward us. For a moment, the surrounding noise diminished.

I lowered my head, pressing my hat down firmly, and Bin Yoon followed suit. She looked like she was about to bury her face in the table.

“Your voice is too loud.”

“I’m sorry…”

Soon enough, people’s gazes drifted away. Only then did I lean back against the sofa with a sigh of relief.

“But still… this is too sudden.”

“Sudden? I’ve been thinking about it from the beginning.”

“Then you should have kept it as just a thought.”

“Really? Well, you’re the only one who knows. This is the first time I’ve talked about this with anyone.”

I had made up my mind after Yu Ari and Yeon Mu-hee earned their licenses. Even if my date today hadn’t been Bin Yoon, I would have brought it up.

“First time or not! That’s not the important part!”

I giggled behind my hand. Watching Bin Yoon’s reaction was quite entertaining. I wonder if the others would react the same way when I tell them?

“Hah… seriously…”

She downed her beer as if to quell her burning frustration and ordered another.

“What’s wrong? Are you disappointed?”

“…”

Bin Yoon just furrowed her brow without saying anything. She really must be disappointed.

Is it like the feeling of visiting your alma mater only to find your homeroom teacher is no longer there?

“…You’re only twenty-six. Why are you thinking about retirement? Your abilities haven’t deteriorated, and you’re in your prime.”

“There’s no particular reason. I just want to.”

I smiled as Bin Yoon stared at me with a serious expression. Somehow, I felt good knowing how she might be thinking about me.

“If you have power comparable to Ha Yu-ri’s, shouldn’t you protect people for a long time?”

That was undeniably true.

But I didn’t become a hero to be a hero, nor did I enter the academy for that purpose.

Moreover, I never had any particular sense of mission. I only moved toward the sights I wanted to see, for my own purposes.

That’s why I’ll never tell them my reason for entering the academy.

The story of how I came to prevent them from becoming villains will forever remain in my heart.

“That’s why I trained you all so diligently, isn’t it?”

The special class was already at a level that could rival active heroes. They proved it through the license exam.

Among the heroes who played villain roles in the license exam, there were quite a few A-ranks. Against such heroes, Yeon Mu-hee and Yu Ari showed overwhelming performance.

They’re likely to be evaluated as S-rank from the start. Though they’ll need to build up achievements to gain real fame.

“Even so…! With you as an instructor, Korea would be safer. Villains wouldn’t dare make careless moves.”

That might certainly be true.

But I had made up my mind from the beginning.

With enough money to live comfortably for a lifetime, there was no reason for me to continue being a hero.

“I might step in for incidents around where I live… but that’s my thinking for now.”

Bin Yoon seemed to realize she couldn’t persuade me and stopped talking. She just pouted her lips sullenly.

“I’ll tell the others eventually, but for now, it’s a secret, okay? I told you because I thought you could keep my secret.”

I put my index finger to my lips and winked. She snorted haughtily and turned her head away.

“…Whatever. Why are you telling me this while we’re drinking? It’s bringing down the mood.”

“Is the mood down? Should I dance?”

“No thanks.”

Bin Yoon responded curtly and chewed on squid with an annoyed expression.

“Ah, I want something spicy.”

“They make good chicken feet here. Want to try?”

“…Yes.”

I ordered chicken feet as she wanted. Even though we had filled up on dakgalbi, was there already room for more food?

“Really… why did you have to bring that up…”

“I just… want you to be certain.”

“What does your retirement have to do with me making up my mind?”

“Because once you graduate, our relationship will become ambiguous.”

I said calmly.

There was no guarantee that my relationship with the others who had feelings for me would continue after graduation.

Perhaps, as Jeong I-yeon said, she might be the only one left in the end.

…No, considering Yu Ari’s current state, that might not be the case.

Her obsession seems to be growing stronger…

“Even if you don’t make up your mind, it’s not the end, but I think it will be difficult for you to see me.”

“…”

If she was still hesitating, I just needed to make her resolve firm.

Bin Yoon sipped her beer silently for a while. She stared at the table, seemingly deep in thought.

“…You know, don’t you? That I was practically abandoned by my parents.”

“I know.”

“The relationship lasted until now… only because my parents wanted to use me.”

She spoke self-deprecatingly.

“I believe you’re someone I can rely on. Someone I can trust. But…”

She hesitated. Her grip tightened on the handle of her glass.

“You don’t look only at me. Won’t you abandon me someday? I’m afraid of that. I’m scared… of being betrayed by someone I trusted.”

With so many wounds, she couldn’t help but be cautious.

Those words were equivalent to saying she already liked me.

However, she was afraid to take another step because this relationship wasn’t in the right state.

Indeed, it’s not easy to develop feelings for a man who dates multiple women.

Whether dating me or having a relationship, she might wonder if I’m doing the same with other women.

…Thinking about it this way, I really am trash. I have nothing to say.

“…Ah, I’ve made the mood gloomy. I was just saying… please forget I—”

“I won’t push you away unless you push me away first.”

I spoke calmly but firmly. Bin Yoon’s pink eyes widened.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I’d let her cheat. If another man tried to approach her, I’d drive him away.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Can I trust that?”

“You can. Have I ever disappointed you before?”

“You’re really disappointing me right now.”

“Then I have nothing to say.”

I awkwardly replied, looking into the distance. Bin Yoon found my reaction amusing and burst into laughter.

“Ahahahah—!”

Bin Yoon let out a clear, joyful laugh. I watched her intently until she stopped laughing, a smile on my face.

“Can you promise me?”

“What promise?”

“Promise me you won’t disappoint me.”

“Hmm. Can I keep that?”

“Usually, people just say they won’t disappoint you, don’t they?”

But she would obviously be disappointed when I met the other girls. It was right not to make promises I couldn’t keep.

“Okay. Then I’ll say it differently.”

“Hm?”

“I already know you’re a playboy and trash.”

I’m not sure how to react when she insults me so directly. Should I be grateful that this relationship continues despite the insults?

“Just don’t lie to me. If I ask what you did on dates with the others, answer honestly.”

“Uh, well…”

“What? You can’t do that either?”

Bin Yoon glared at me when I hesitated.

“No, it’s not that… I’m just wondering if you’ll be okay…”

Many people have meltdowns just hearing about what their exes did, so it was disconcerting to be asked to talk about it openly.

“I’ll be fine. I hate not knowing more.”

“Really? If you’re okay with it, I don’t mind.”

“You promised. If you break your promise by lying, I won’t forgive you.”

“Uh… okay.”

A chill ran down my spine as she spoke with a smiling face. I thought Bin Yoon might be the scariest heroine of them all.

“By the way, I never said this, but I dislike fighting, not that I can’t fight.”

“What does that—”

“Mediate well. It’s your responsibility.”

I have nothing to say.

In a one-on-one situation, I could absolutely be in control, but in a one-against-many situation, it wasn’t easy to maintain the upper hand. Naturally.

“Well, shall we continue drinking, Instructor?”

I sensed a strange emotional current in Bin Yoon’s eyes as she raised her beer glass.

Clink!

I clinked glasses with her while watching her carefully. It wasn’t my imagination that the atmosphere had changed.

“So now that… we’ve made things clear. What are you going to do?”

She licked her lips, glistening with beer. The subtly suggestive tone was strangely seductive.

Is it because of the alcohol? Or is she… provoking me?

Either way, I don’t dislike this atmosphere.

“…Weren’t you the one who said not to create this kind of mood? Are you sure about this?”

“…At this point?”

Bin Yoon seemed to have made up her mind too. Then let me approach without hesitation now.

I stood up and moved to sit beside her.