Chapter 26 : Do you like that kind of thing too? I don’t mind, though

Yena grew colder by the minute.

Or rather, she became more composed.

“Trash. Rapist. Drop dead. You’re awful.”

“…”

“…Now you won’t even answer.”

No matter how hard I tried to provoke her, there was no reaction.

It was really fun watching her tremble earlier, though.

After a few responses, Yena took a deep breath and, with her usual calm eyes, ignored everything I said.

No matter how much I attacked her pride, the result was the same.

If anything…

She even seemed oddly confident.

No matter how many times I provoked her, it felt like running in circles.

“…What are you thinking? Seriously, what are you doing?”

“I wasn’t thinking anything.”

Hmm, is she a little different from usual?

There’s definitely something off, but I can’t pinpoint what.

“…Did you break down all of a sudden?”

Her dull reaction was disappointing, but I quickly brushed it off.

I never planned to spend much time here anyway.

‘I should get going.’

I packed my books into my bag and tidied up the desk.

Since Yena had already cleaned up, there wasn’t much to do.

‘Alright. Let’s go.’

After one last glance around, I picked up my phone.

“Well, you get it, right? Erase everything from your memory, and listen to me from now on?”

“…Yes.”

“Oh, right. You. If you jump on me the second you wake up, you’re dead. Don’t. Never.”

“Pfft, okay~”

“I’m kinda worried, though…”

Not like I can keep her locked up here forever.

I raised my arm to show the unlock screen.

Yena blinked a few times at the cheap-looking blue light, then shook her head once and glanced at me.

I feigned ignorance and said nonchalantly,

“Hurry up. The door’s gonna close.”

“…”

The other students must’ve already left.

I glanced toward the exit—

Then noticed Yena approaching in my peripheral vision.

“Huh…? Uh, Yena? Why…?”

“…”

She strode closer.

Only about a hand’s width apart now.

Staring into her pink eyes made my body tremble slightly.

Thump, thump, thump.

My heartbeat roared in my ears.

Why is she acting like this?

For a moment, I wondered, but since she didn’t do anything, I decided to wait and see.

“Hmm, hmm. Yena? Why?”

Is she really okay like this?

I… My head’s spinning just from her being this close.

‘I told her not to pounce. So why…?’

Yena’s behavior was off.

She wouldn’t answer, no matter what I said.

And the way she stared into my eyes—it felt like she was plotting something.

“H-Hey… Yena? We gotta go now. We can do this later, ah, no. I mean—!”

“…”

“Uhh… C-Could you at least say something…?”

“Hayul.”

“Ah, uh! I-It’s just… Time’s running out. The gate’s closing, uh, we can’t—”

The height difference forced me to look up.

Her gaze bore down on me, and my words tangled.

Staring into her eyes, my sentences fractured into fragments.

A soft touch grazed my shoulder.

Her gentle stroking made my muscles relax against my will.

Yena’s pretty face slowly leaned closer.

She seemed to want something—badly.

Against my will, my mind painted the next scene.

In this position…

It’s obvious…

‘Hayul, I’m sorry for forcing you earlier. This time, I’ll be gentle… Close your eyes and part your lips.’

The thought sent a jolt through my chest.

At the same time, I felt moved.

Had Yena finally learned love?

Something even hypnosis couldn’t achieve.

I don’t know what’s going on, but…

‘I can’t refuse…’

I squeezed my eyes shut and slowly parted my lips in acceptance.

Anticipation flooded my mind.

Yena leisurely moved toward my lips—

“Hand me my bag behind you…”

“Chu—”

“Huh? What are you doing?”

“…Huh?”

I opened my eyes.

There was nothing in front of me.

I froze, lips slightly puckered.

The pink membrane waiting for a partner trembled pathetically.

“What… is this?”

A single finger pressed against it.

A light pressure on my lower lip—

Only then did I start to understand.

Instinctively, I forced my tongue back and slapped her hand away.

“Wow, you’re seriously lewd—”

“Shut up! Don’t—don’t say a word! Not one! Or I’ll—I’ll kill you…!”

“…”

She tilted her head, smiling faintly, then pointed behind me.

She grabbed the bag on the floor and tossed it to me.

“The bag! Ugh, damn bag…! T-Take it! I’m leaving first!”

A final act of mercy?

Yena kept her promise and stayed silent.

But the way her lips quivered—she was holding back laughter.

If I looked any longer, I’d die of embarrassment.

I spun around.

Dashed toward the wooden door.

Shoulders forward—

I pushed with all my strength—

THUD!

“Ghk—!”

My shoulder shattered.

No, “shattered” wouldn’t even do justice to the pain—it shot through my nerves like a hammer to bone.

I crumpled to the floor, clutching my shoulder.

“Hic… It hurts so much…”

“…Pfft.”

A mocking laugh came from behind.

I wanted to turn and snap at her, but the throbbing pain made me hold back.

To distract from the humiliation, I glared at the door.

“Why—why won’t it open…? Ah, it’s locked. Ugh… Tch…”

In my panic, I’d forgotten to unlock it before pushing.

I weakly punched the lock mechanism.

“Damn it…”

“Does it hurt?”

“…”

Of course, only my hand hurt now.

How many minutes had passed?

I gingerly moved my shoulder—feeling mostly back to normal.

‘It hurt like hell earlier.’

But now, it’s perfectly fine.

She glanced back and unlocked the lock.

With just a few button presses, the lock clicked open easily.

A sigh of disbelief escaped.

“Ha…”

“It’s okay. That can happen.”

“…I hate you.”

“I like you, though.”

I could already picture her expression.

A satisfied smile, as if she had just eaten something delicious.

There was no need to check.

I simply reached out and opened the door.

The wooden door slid open smoothly, almost gliding.

“…Huh?”

As soon as I stepped out, I saw familiar faces.

Long, jet-black hair cascading down to her waist.

Drowsily opened black eyes.

It was Winter.

One hand shoved into her pocket, the other holding a black umbrella.

“Haha.”

“Huh?”

Winter smiled at me in her usual monotone voice.

Or maybe it wasn’t even a smile to begin with.

It could have been some kind of code.

Just then, a blonde girl beside Winter poked her.

“Haa… This is ridiculous.”

This girl was familiar too.

“You just shortened ‘Hayul’s Hi,’ didn’t you?”

“Good. As expected of Autumn.”

Warm-toned blonde hair.

Sharp, golden eyes.

Autumn, who always stuck to Winter like glue.

She sighed and lightly smacked Winter.

“Ah. Why?”

“Die. Just go die…!”

‘Did she really hate that phrase that much?’

I actually found it kind of funny.

Seeing how much she disliked it, they really were an incomprehensible couple.

I sensed movement beside me.

Yena was slowly walking out.

The wide-open door perfectly obscured her from their view, and vice versa.

“Is someone there?”

“I don’t know! Just come out and see for yourself…!”

I could understand Autumn’s frustration.

As soon as she saw Yena’s carefree expression, she got even more riled up.

Yena chuckled.

She was pretty, but I didn’t like her.

She walked toward me and—

“…!”

Yena wrapped her arms around my neck.

Startled, my shoulders flinched and shot up.

Her breath brushed against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.

I whispered to her, shocked by her sudden action.

“You crazy—hey. Are you out of your mind? Everyone’s watching… Let go! You don’t even know who’s here…!”

“We heard everything from inside. You were talking so loudly.”

“I don’t knooww… Just let me gooo…!”

Of course, there was no way she would let go.

She even greeted the other two while still hugging me.

“Heh, hi~ You two look good together.”

“Stop spouting nonsense… Let me gooo…”

I grabbed her arms and pulled, but she didn’t budge.

‘Ha…’

Might as well give up…

Lately, nothing seemed to go my way.

As I relaxed my arms in surrender, Yena hugged me even tighter, satisfied.

“Ah, Yena, hi? So you were here too.”

“Oh, Yena.”

“Here we go again. Just die. Die already. I seriously hate it.”

Autumn’s irrational hatred toward Winter was almost suspicious.

She kept saying she hated her, but in reality…

She had been clinging tightly to Winter’s arm this whole time.

Winter, on the other hand, just kept her hands in her pockets.

Now that I looked closely, their posture was a bit strange.

Autumn was leaning her hips back and shaking her leg.

Yena seemed to notice something as well, tilting her head in curiosity.

“Hey, why are you holding an umbrella?”

“That’s not the point right now— Wait. Oh… Why am I?”

Winter had been holding an umbrella this whole time.

And now that I looked again, Autumn was holding an identical one.

No way…

“Holy crap. You guys are in trouble.”

“They said it would rain today. You didn’t bring one?”

A cold sweat trickled down my back.

Rain? No one told me that.

Clinging to desperate hope, I glanced to the side.

“…Yena. What do we do?”

“Hmm…”

Yena put a hand to her chin as if thinking—

Only, the chin she touched wasn’t hers.

A sudden ticklish sensation on my chin.

“Hey, can you not? Everyone’s watching…!”

“Shhh. Stay still, will you?”

“Ugh… Why won’t you stop…”

I tried to push her hand down with both of mine, but she just grabbed my chin even tighter.

At this point, it was less painful to just let her do it, so I gave up.

Not because I liked it or anything. Definitely not.

A few seconds passed.

Since she didn’t get anything out of it, she just kept rubbing my chin absentmindedly.

‘…She just wanted to touch it, didn’t she?’

Winter had been watching us silently, then, as if making up her mind, nodded.

She held out the umbrella in her hand.

“Yena. Here.”

“Hm? You’re giving us the umbrella?”

“Share it between you two.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll share with Autumn.”

‘Oh, dear God…’

A golden halo seemed to glow behind her as she handed over the umbrella.

Though, maybe that was just because the blonde girl was standing behind her.

Either way, this was a good thing.

I was just about to thank her when—

“Hah. As if. Who said I’d share?! You’re out of your mi—ieeeek?!”

There was a clicking sound.

At the same time, Autumn’s expression twisted strangely, and she collapsed.

She buried her face into Winter’s shoulder, trembling.

What the hell just happened?

I stared blankly.

Winter hadn’t moved at all.

Though, her hand in her pocket seemed to be fidgeting.

Click—

“Hicc… Huu…”

Another sound.

Autumn’s strength drained, and she clung to Winter tightly.

I just stood there, dumbfounded.

‘…What the hell.’

What exactly had just happened?

I was a little curious.

But somehow, I felt like I shouldn’t ask.

I glanced at Yena beside me.

She didn’t seem surprised.

“Hmm. Again.”

“…F-Fine, we’ll share the umbrella…”

“Good. That’s a good girl.”

With that, they took the umbrella and disappeared.

Now, it was time to deal with my confusion.

I turned my head.

“Yena…”

“Hm?”

“Ugh…”

I faced forward again.

Not because I was scared of her gaze.

Just… staying vigilant. Yeah.

“…So. Autumn was acting weird.”

“How so?”

“You… didn’t notice?”

“Hmm…”

She rubbed her chin thoughtfully—

Which reminded me… I had completely forgotten about it halfway through.

But I definitely wasn’t going to ask her to do it again. Ever.

Yena seemed to finish her deliberation and spoke.

“Do you like that kind of thing too? I wouldn’t mind.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“I’m just surprised you’re kinkier than I expected. I’ll try harder from now on.”

“Wh— What the hell are you saying?! What does that have to do with anything?! Are you insane?!”