Chapter 21 : …What? Why isn’t it ringing?

“…Yena, wake up. I know you’re awake.”

“…”

“Tch, how long are you gonna pretend to sleep?!”

“…”

Even though P.E. class was almost over, she showed no signs of waking.

Was it something she’d always wanted to do, or just a sudden impulse?

Teasing me so boldly in an open place like this…

Just imagining someone noticing this situation and seeing my reaction made me feel sticky with guilt, but it was hard to stop her.

Not that stopping her would’ve worked anyway—she wasn’t the type to listen even if I seriously tried.

And…

The occasional biting was too much…

She’d bite, then as if feeling guilty, she’d gently lick the spot—honestly, it was ridiculous. Playing both the villain and the remedy, huh?

‘If she really did this in her sleep… No, no way. Hey, what do you take me for? Huh?’

Her drowsy eyes, as if she’d just woken up, stared at me.

Wow, unbelievable. Haha.

“Ah, slept well.”

“…Hey.”

“Hm? What? Something wrong?”

“Ugh… I wish I’d just die…”

“Pfft… What’s with you? Class is almost over, right? Let’s go!”

“Ughhh…”

So she’s gonna keep pretending she doesn’t know, huh?

Sigh… Not like I can do anything about it, though…

I trudged after Yena, who walked ahead with brisk steps.

“Anyone hurt? Alright, scatter on your own. Yaaawn~.”

Second period just ended, and I’m already exhausted.

Meanwhile, the pretty purple-haired dummy next to me was grinning like an idiot for some reason.

I’m just tired from being messed with.

Hmph, whatever. I’m not talking to her today.

…At least not until she apologizes.

“Hayul.”

“…Hmph.”

“Huh…? What?”

“…”

I coldly brushed off Yena’s shameless attempt at conversation and turned to head back to the classroom.

She should’ve gotten the hint by now, right?

I won’t talk to her until she apologizes first.

It might be a little childish, but…

She’s the one who started with the childish act of pretending not to know.

And so, without another word, I returned to the classroom.

Thud— I plopped into my seat and glared at the spot next to me.

She must’ve hurried after me because she arrived half a beat later.

I scanned her up and down with clear dissatisfaction.

Then my gaze met hers—those pinkish eyes staring straight at me.

This time, she didn’t look away. Instead, she tilted her head and took a step closer.

“Eek…!”

“What?”

“…Ahem, hmm.”

“Hmmm… Not gonna talk to me?”

Yeah, absolutely not.

What’re you gonna do if I don’t talk?

What can you do?

“Boo… I’m sad…”

Yena put on an exaggerated pout, pretending to be upset…

‘Huh?’

Then she just flopped into her seat.

‘…No apology?’

I thought if I acted sulky, she’d smile sweetly and beg.

Why’d she just go to her seat? This girl’s impossible to figure out.

Thanks to my utterly clueless wife, I’m boiling with frustration.

‘Ugh…’

Touching me without permission.

Even when I kept refusing, she kept licking me until class ended…!

‘I’m never, ever talking to you…!’

I stuck out my lip and made my displeasure obvious, but there was zero reaction.

What’s she doing to be this quiet?

Suppressing my rising curiosity is exhausting.

But if I turn and accidentally meet her eyes, it’ll feel weird.

Trying not to make eye contact, I lifted my eyelids just enough to sneak a glance at her—

“…!”

The soft sunlight streaming through the window.

Under nature’s perfect lighting, her profile glowed radiantly, bathed in white light.

Warmly, she stared right at me, as if saying—

‘I’ll keep looking at you until you talk.’

Cheater…

You think being pretty excuses everything?

I must really have it bad for her.

My attempt at a discreet peek was long forgotten as we locked eyes for several seconds.

“…”

I don’t know what to say.

What’s wrong with me?

I was a little mad just a second ago, but one look at her face and it’s all gone?

Ugh… I hate myself.

What am I even trying to accomplish here?

I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

If this keeps up, I’ll die of embarrassment…

“…Apologize.”

“Okay, sorry.”

“…”

What’s with the instant apology?

That’s not like you.

Getting what I wanted so easily is unsettling.

You think a simple “sorry” fixes everything?

Well… I mean, I’m not that mad anymore, but…

Still, it’s annoying.

I’m not forgiving you right away.

But…

Fine, I’ll give you a chance.

“What exactly are you sorry for?”

“Hehe… For doing whatever I wanted even though you hated it— Bleh!”

“…!”

Her lips parted wide, and her tongue slithered out like a snake.

The same tongue that had tasted every part of me—just seeing it made my shoulders tremble.

Yena grinned, crescent eyes curving as she watched my reaction.

The tip of her tongue swiped slowly across her lower lip before retreating.

“Sluurp… That.”

“Eek…”

“Sorry~?”

Immediate regret flooded me.

I should’ve just accepted the apology without asking.

Now the mood’s gotten weird…

“Hm? You’ll forgive me, right?”

“…Fine. Just look away…”

I slumped forward onto my desk.

No wonder she apologized so quickly—she had something like this planned.

“Could she really be planning to mess with me again?”

I tensed up briefly at the thought, but as time passed, no teasing came.

‘Sigh…’

Closing my eyes, a faint darkness wrapped around me.

How much time had passed?

My mind wandered to other topics.

‘Midterms…’

Thanks to Yena’s constant antics, I’d almost forgotten—

but the most pressing matter was the upcoming exams.

If I wasn’t planning to return to reality, I had to adapt to this place.

‘Not like I want to go back now anyway…’

Honestly, life here was way better than my past one.

I held two cards in my hand:

A genius girl who aced everything, and the ability to control her.

For a split second, the idea of ‘swapping answer sheets’ crossed my mind—but that was too inhuman, so I dismissed it.

Besides, Yena’s success was my ticket to a cushy life.

She’d earn the money, and I’d stay home gaming all day…

‘Wait.’

Do I even need to study?

If I just sweet-talk the dummy sitting next to me, wouldn’t life solve itself?

Great house, brilliant mind, flawless looks—the perfect bride was right beside me.

Why take the hard path?

“Pfft.”

A laugh escaped me at the absurd thought.

It was probably a terrible idea, but…

Eh, it’s just imagination. No harm, right?

Then—

Creak—

The classroom door slid open.

“Ughh…”

“Good to see you, kids.”

“”Hello!””

“Yeah, yeah. You all prepped?”

Just as I was slipping into delusions, the teacher’s arrival yanked me back to reality.

“Gnn…”

Groggily, I forced myself upright.

Kicking Yena out and gaming alone at home…

That didn’t sound too bad.

But it was just a fantasy. My future was my responsibility.

Besides, we’d promised to study together.

For now, I resolved to focus on the current lesson.

…

..

.

‘…This is hard!’

Time blurred into self-study period.

I’d barely grasped half the material.

Was this college-level or what?!

(I’d never been, but still.)

This definitely wasn’t standard high school curriculum.

‘…Probably?’

Not that I’d paid attention back then either.

I tried hard in freshman year, but…

…Let’s not revisit that memory.

Too depressing.

The point was, I had to catch up starting today—so I turned to the purple-haired genius beside me.

“Yena.”

“Hm?”

“…Hand.”

“Got it, hehe.”

I’d asked for her hand without thinking.

She took mine without hesitation.

It felt weirdly familiar.

Since when do you listen so well?

Why’s she like this when I didn’t even do anything?

I let her pull me up.

“Study room?”

“Sure! Let’s go.”

“Haha…”

Our code for studying together.

Since I hadn’t hypnotized her, she’d take it at face value.

“Heehee~”

“Why so happy, dummy?”

But her enthusiasm was baffling.

Since when does Yena enjoy studying?

“Just… in a good mood today.”

“…Tch.”

‘We’re literally just going to grind textbooks. Chill.’

Today would be wholesome.

No hypnosis.

I’m desperate here.

After several brutal classes, I’d realized something:

I was hopelessly behind.

A bitter truth, but what could I do?

At least I had a top-tier tutor.

[Study Room]

Lost in thought, I reached a familiar wooden door.

It slid open smoothly—well-maintained.

Yena entered first.

I followed, and—

Click— thud.

The lock engaged automatically.

Did that happen last time?

No interruptions—not bad.

“Inhale…phew.”

The room smelled like warm wood.

Cozy, in a way that begged productivity.

And by productivity, I meant…

an onslaught of studying.

Ugh.

I hate studying.

So. Much.

Yena kicked off her shoes and knelt on the tatami, setting her bag aside before gazing up at me.

Her sparkling eyes screamed ‘I’m expecting something.’

“…Yena, what’s up today?”

“Huh? Oh, well… maybe something?”

“What kinda answer is that?”

“Hehe. Just a feeling. C’mere.”

She patted the spot in front of her.

Suspicious, but this was normal for her.

Shrugging, I toed off my shoes and joined her.

As I unzipped my bag and spread out textbooks, she mumbled something too soft to catch.

“…Huh? Why isn’t it working?”