Chapter 44 : You really can’t go there… Everything will be visible

“Promise? What promise?”

“Haa… First, take your hand off my chest, huff. Then I’ll talk. Do you really like it that much?”

“Yeah. I do.”

“Sure, sure. Of course you do.”

I’ve already tried refusing before.

I’ve even let her coax me into letting her look.

“What if we get caught? Let’s hurry and go eat lunch,” and so on.

Then she hugged me tightly, saying, “If we do this, no one will see.”

I stared at her blankly, and she avoided my gaze.

She probably knew it was a lame excuse.

Sigh… She said she’d seduce me, but…

It seemed like she was way past just seducing.

She was already completely obsessed, unable to control herself.

And I couldn’t even resist her touch.

…Not that I wasn’t trying—I just couldn’t. Anyway.

But right now, I couldn’t leisurely let her grope my chest. If I were alone, maybe, but someone was waiting for us.

“Hayul and Winter, ugh… The four of us were supposed to have lunch together, huff…! Since you were asleep, I said I’d wake you up. Damn it, are you trying to kill me?! Hng, the kids are waiting…! We have to hurry…”

“Hnn… Yeah, yeah. Let’s go.”

Slip, slide.

Yena pulled her hand away from my chest and buttoned up the spot.

She adjusted my disheveled collar a few times.

This is totally…

It reminded me of a child putting a used toy back in its place.

“…You think I’ll forgive you just because of this?”

“Okay, okay. Sorry. Shall we go?”

“…”

Yena walked past me, her footsteps echoing.

I saw her cover her mouth as she yawned.

Her hand…

I wondered if I could hold it on the way.

But I didn’t want to be the first to give in.

After all, she was the one who devoured me last night without even a hint of confession—a complete mess of a person.

Out of sheer spite, I refused to bend first.

“Hey, let’s go together!”

She was already far ahead.

I followed a step or two behind.

In the end, I couldn’t hold her hand.

“Oh, they’re here.”

“Phew… Seriously, why are you so late?”

Winter and Hayul spoke in turn.

The two had been waiting without even touching their trays.

Why does her face look like that…?

Hayul’s face was flushed bright red.

They must’ve done something again.

I ignored the mental image—bad for my mental health.

“Sorry. I couldn’t wake up. If Hayul hadn’t shaken me, it would’ve been a disaster.”

“It happens.”

“Haa… Whatever, I hate both of you.”

Pfft, “Thanks.”

Yena sat across from them and picked up her utensils.

I glanced at them and took the seat next to Yena.

“Did you see the dorm notice?”

“Huh? No, something about the dorm?”

“This morning…”

And so, the four of us chatted about this and that.

Every time my eyes met Winter’s, I remembered the promise.

We’d agreed to meet after lunch, but we hadn’t decided on a place.

But did she even tell Ha-eul?

They were dating.

With how obvious they were, how could she not know?

From Hayul’s perspective, her girlfriend was meeting another girl—of course she wouldn’t like that.

“How’s academy life treating you?”

“Uh, it’s… okay?”

“Right, with the top student sitting next to you, she’ll teach you well.”

Wow, rude.

Guess I didn’t need to worry.

Hayul wasn’t my lover anyway.

I glanced at the idiot beside me.

If I were going to worry, it should be about her.

Now, I had to naturally separate from her to meet Winter.

Should I say I’m going to the restroom?

Or just openly say I’m meeting Winter?

Hmm… Either’s fine. It’s not like we’re dating.

Sigh…

Not like we’re dating…

That short phrase stabbed my heart.

Even if we weren’t lovers, I wished there was at least some emotion.

Looking back at everything so far, most of it was physical.

From our first movie date to last night at her place—

Not once was there any emotional exchange.

One-sided love. That phrase fit perfectly.

If she’d outright rejected me, maybe I could’ve moved on.

They say first loves never work out, after all.

I would’ve suffered quietly and given up eventually.

Haa…

I felt my emotions sinking deeper as I chewed my lip.

“…That’s why it’s driving me crazy…!”

“…You’re really…”

Mealtime was nearing its end.

Trays were emptied, and one by one, utensils were set down.

I’d eaten enough to not be hungry.

Yena glanced at me and spoke up.

“Should we get going?”

“Yeah, let’s. I’m done.”

“Let’s go.”

My eyes met Winter’s again.

Ah, right. We still need to decide on a place.

I paused for a moment, considering ways to stay alone with her.

After a brief thought, a decent idea popped into my head.

“Want to play rock-paper-scissors?”

“Huh?”

“Oh.”

Winter immediately extended her hand.

Had she caught on to my plan?

Of course—her instincts were sharp as ever.

I reached out too.

Hayul had no choice but to join since Winter agreed.

Three against one.

I gave Yena a slight nod.

“Ha, scared?”

“…Can I say thanks in advance?”

Four against zero.

Yeah, figures.

The game began.

“Rock, paper, scissors!”

Round 1.

Only I threw paper.

“Haa…”

The others all threw scissors, ending the round in a crushing defeat.

Left alone, I dejectedly stacked the trays.

“Why did I have to lose…?”

No luck bonus for transmigrators, huh?

I never expected Yena to be good at rock-paper-scissors too…

‘Revoking her “sharp instincts” title.’

I’d tried to rig it by signaling Winter behind my back, but she completely missed it.

‘I literally shaped my hand behind me—how hard is that to understand? Ugh.’

The other three decided to wait near the exit.

“We can walk to class together later,” they said.

If that was the case, why not just go together now?

But they insisted on keeping the promise and left.

“Hayul.”

“Haa…”

Winter’s voice.

Was she haunting me now to tease me further?

“Hey.”

“Wh—What? Why’d you come back?”

“Told them I’d help you. They didn’t stop me.”

She stepped closer and took half the trays from me, then whispered in a hushed tone:

“School rooftop.”

“…Meet at the rooftop?”

I replied loudly, refusing to match her weird secrecy.

They were already gone—why the act?

“Shh, if anyone hears, we’re dead.”

Who’s even listening, dummy?

“Fine, got it. I’ll head there before lunch ends.”

“Copy.”

Copy?

We’re not in the military.

Moments like this made it clear Winter wasn’t entirely sane either.

Anyway, we finalized our flawless plan and finished cleaning.

When we returned to where the other two were waiting—

Yena and Hayul stood stiffly, lips sealed, looking in opposite directions.

“…”

“…Oh. You’re back?”

‘You two are awkward as hell.’

They’d been chatting fine earlier.

Then, Winter grabbed Hayul’s hand and spun her around.

It happened in an instant.

“Going ahead!”

“Wha—Hey! KYAAAAH! Let go!!”

She’d probably make up some excuse and slip away alone.

I had to do the same.

I glanced at Yena, who was watching her leave.

“Yena.”

“Hmm… Just the two of us now? Hehe.”

…This might be harder than I thought.

“Ugh… You’re such a pervert.”

“Who are you to call me that? Just a little touch and you—”

“Eek! Are you insane?! We’re not at your place—!”

A sharp pain flared in my waist.

Damn it, does she think my body is hers?

Yena stepped even closer, her nose almost brushing mine.

Then, with sticky sweetness, she whispered into my ear:

“Then if we go somewhere with no one around… Can I?”

“You—”

“I can?”

“—AS IF!”

“Ah—Oww! That hurt!”

This time, I shoved her back and smacked her shoulder with full force.

100% genuine.

You absolute degenerate.

An escape route opened up.

If I pretended to be mad and ran, it might work.

The moment the thought crossed my mind, I turned and started walking away.

“Don’t follow me! I-I’m leaving!”

There’d been a time like this before.

Back then, Yena just waited for me in the classroom—she knew I’d return eventually.

But this time was different.

I sped up just in case, but—

“Kyahaha…!”

“Haa…”

Right before turning the corner—

A firm arm wrapped around my waist.

At the same time, the soft press of breasts against my back.

Before I could even process the sensation, hot breath grazed my neck.

She buried her nose against my skin and inhaled deeply.

“We’ll see each other in class anyway…! L-Let go!!”

“Let’s stay like this until we get there.”

“People will see—!”

“Then let’s go to the bathroom. There’s one right there.”

Sure enough, the restroom door was just ahead.

But so were the loud, giggling voices of girls approaching from behind.

Yena clinging to me in a deserted hallway, nose buried in my neck—

If they saw this, the rumors would spread for weeks.

Sorry, Winter, but this lust-drunk demon had to be dealt with first.

I twisted my arm to pull out my phone. Yena flinched against me.

‘Let’s see… We still have time.’

Lunch break wasn’t ending soon.

One hypnosis session would make her let go. Fine, bathroom it is.

Might as well vent some frustration too.

After checking the time, I slipped my phone back.

My feet immediately turned toward the restroom—the opposite direction of our classroom.

“Hng?!”

Then, something firm and slightly damp pressed against my neck.

“You—! Don’t you dare bite there… I’ll kill you…!”

Yena’s teeth rested against my skin.

No pressure yet—just a threat.

“Hnn…”

“Ngh… Not there. Seriously, it’ll be obvious.”

Some lines couldn’t be crossed.

Just as I tensed to shove her off—

The hard teeth vanished, replaced by soft lips.

A familiar sensation. My shoulders jerked.

“Mwah… Haa… Fine. Let’s just go to class.”

“…What?”

She pulled away like it was nothing.

‘Are you kidding me…?’

I roughly wiped the saliva off my neck.