Friend 5

The warm-up was just a prelude.

Before the main workout, Baek Da-eun finished warming up her body.

Her father literally wanted to raise her like a princess, but Baek Da-eun didn’t agree.

She is strong.

With that strength, she will protect the weak.

Working out was part of that effort.

“Ugh…!”

However, unlike Baek Da-eun, Han Seoyeon wasn’t as enthusiastic.

Until she finished her warm-up, Han Seoyeon just watched Baek Da-eun.

Her behavior was somewhat awkward.

Baek Da-eun realized that her consideration had been lacking.

“…Maybe working out wasn’t the right choice after all.”

First friend.

First hangout.

She didn’t know what to do or how to do it.

Before the weekend, she should have researched more about what girls do when they hang out together.

What’s the point of two girls meeting up just to work out?

“I’m sorry.”

“…You don’t have anything to apologize for.”

If it wasn’t enjoyable for both of them, there was no reason to do it.

Baek Da-eun just wanted to hang out with her friend, Han Seoyeon.

“I, I don’t particularly dislike exercising or anything.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. It’s just, well. How should I put it…”

Just one sentence saying she didn’t dislike it.

With that one sentence, Baek Da-eun regained her energy.

“The, the outfit, I don’t know where to look─!”

“I see. So, you’re a beginner who doesn’t know what kind of exercise to do!”

Baek Da-eun grabbed Han Seoyeon’s arm and led her.

“Well then, shall we start with some light stretching?”

“Wait, let me finish what I was saying…!”

“It’s okay! I’ll teach you everything!”

Baek Da-eun held Han Seoyeon’s body and carefully adjusted her posture.

“First, you do this here─.”

“Ah, ahhh…!”

To groan at just this level of stretching.

It seemed that Han Seoyeon’s body lacked flexibility.

“Hnng…!”

…Some strange thoughts crossed her mind, but Baek Da-eun quickly dismissed them.

She was simply working out with her friend, nothing more.

They were touching.

That body.

So very close.

She could feel the sensation.

Those soft, plump things clearly visible to the eye.

‘No!’

Han Seoyeon suppressed her excitement.

‘Wh-What am I thinking, having such lecherous thoughts about my younger brother’s friend…!’

The other person is a friend who has a crush on her brother.

There’s no meaning behind this approach.

And yet, to feel lust.

Even putting aside her senior!

What kind of thoughts are these, like some animal in heat?

‘I’m not that kind of pervert!’

This is just normal contact between friends.

She shouldn’t have such lecherous thoughts.

‘I, I─!’

Han Seoyeon shook her head vigorously.

She deliberately averted her gaze.

And then focused on the exercise.

“It feels good to work up a sweat after so long.”

“…Phew, huff, haa.”

The time of endurance soon came to an end.

It was a time too dangerous for the heart of a virgin like Han Seoyeon.

“Now that we’ve worked up a good sweat…”

Life is full of unexpected turns, as they say.

“Shall we go take a shower?”

“Y-Yes…?”

When one thing ends.

“T-Together, that’s…!”

“Han Seoyeon, you worked up a sweat too. Won’t you feel uncomfortable if you don’t wash up right away?”

Another follows.

Whether it was fortune or misfortune.

Han Seoyeon couldn’t say for certain.

It was spacious.

Rather than a bathroom, it was closer to a huge bathing area.

The floor was covered in marble.

Various types of bath water flowed from different places.

It was no longer surprising to see such extravagance in a rich household.

Baek Da-eun stretched as usual and entered the bath.

“Whew…!”

Han Seoyeon followed behind.

“…Towel?”

With a towel wrapped around her body, covering all the precious parts of a young woman.

“I-It’s embarrassing!”

“Embarrassing, you say?”

Baek Da-eun tilted her head.

What could be embarrassing between two girls?

However, the circumstances of a TS pretty girl were different.

Not only seeing, but showing her body as it is to another girl!

“…Are you really okay with that? It’ll be difficult to wash properly that way.”

“…”

Her body had just finished exercising.

The bath filled with hot water was enveloped in steam.

There was no reason to keep the towel on.

“…A-Alright.”

Reluctantly, Han Seoyeon removed her towel.

Then she entered the bath.

“What…!”

“W-What is it?”

And then, she shuddered.

“…Please don’t keep sneaking glances like that.”

What could it be?

That thing.

That thing unfolding before Han Seoyeon’s eyes.

This world is inside a novel.

Being inside a novel allows for some convenient developments.

Of course, for those living in this world, it’s reality.

No, perhaps it’s because it’s reality that such things happen.

Reality always surpasses fiction, after all.

Moreover, isn’t Baek Da-eun a high school girl in her growth phase?

“…They’ve grown a bit recently, so I’m conscious of other people’s gazes.”

They surpass.

Not only Han Seoyeon’s, but even Michaela’s.

In terms of cup size.

“…If it bothers you that much, would you like to touch them?”

Honestly, she wants to touch them.

She wants to knead them─.

[Abnormal Status: Fascination detected.]

[Activating Clear Mind and Still Water.]

[Abnormal Status has been removed.]

‘Oh no! What was I thinking!’

Han Seoyeon came to her senses.

She had almost sexually harassed her brother’s friend.

Fortunately, the spirit of Clear Mind and Still Water held her back.

As expected of an S-class quest reward.

‘Get a grip, Han Seoyeon! You have your senior!’

Han Seoyeon is not what people call a “love at first sight” type.

The main character of a “munchkin” story is always steady.

She will not waver.

Even against a friend who has a crush on her brother!

Before they knew it, the day had grown dark.

Like any student, weekends always felt short.

“…It’s gotten dark.”

The enjoyable friend’s housewarming was coming to an end.

“Are you thinking of staying over tonight?”

“No. I’m not.”

Han Seoyeon stated firmly.

Without a moment’s hesitation.

An empty dormitory.

That place without Michaela was quiet and chilly.

If asked whether it was a place she wanted to be, the answer would be no.

Staying over for a night wouldn’t have been a bad choice.

But.

“I want to wait at the dormitory and welcome my senior when she returns.”

She had to go back.

If Michaela returned after her grueling schedule to find an empty dormitory, wouldn’t it be a bit lonely?

“I see…”

“Yeah. So I can’t stay overnight.”

There’s nothing more lonely than coming home to find no one there.

“Well, we still have some time left…”

However, it was still too early to end the day.

“Shall we have some girl talk?”

“Girl talk, you say?”

Girl talk with a female friend.

This too was something she didn’t want to miss.

It’s only around 7 o’clock anyway.

Prime time for energetic high school girls.

“For example, talking about the person you like?”

“The person… I like…”

“Yeah. In my case, it’s my senior. In your case, it’s Suho.”

The night was just beginning.

“This is something I’ve really been curious about.”

Han Seoyeon asked.

“How did you come to like Suho?”

“─.”

How did she come to like him?

It’s already decided.

Because he was her lifesaver.

Because he saved her from that hell.

‘…Ah.’

─She suddenly realized.

That wasn’t Han Suho.

‘Was that it? Was I…’

It was a simple story.

‘The person I like,’

The person she truly likes,

“Young miss.”

Her thoughts were interrupted.

A servant politely opened the door and entered.

“I’ve brought some snacks suitable for the evening.”

Smoked cheese, and half a glass of wine.

Suitable appetizers for enjoying the night without going overboard.

“Oh, it looks delicious!”

“…Indeed it does.”

A bright smile at the sight of food.

Seeing that smile, Baek Da-eun couldn’t even be angry at herself.

“Can I eat?”

“Yes.”

The other person already has someone they like.

“I’ll enjoy it!”

Until now, had she been bothering her without knowing anything?

“Oh! Fancy cheese!”

This much was enough.

Just this kind of relationship.

“It smells good. Rich people’s grape juice smells like wine!”

Just this much.

…Can she really be satisfied with just this?

“…Huh?”

Making her worries seem meaningless.

“Han Seoyeon?”

All too temptingly.

Han Seoyeon, with her face flushed from drinking, was completely defenseless.

Skill: Clear Mind and Still Water.

A skill that allows one to maintain a clear mind and exhibit the best combat abilities regardless of the situation.

But skills cannot be considered absolute.

After all, they are just supplementary things bestowed upon someone.

While the status window is set to a language that the player can understand, it doesn’t necessarily explain everything.

For example, in the case of Clear Mind and Still Water:

It negates all mental interference skills and abilities.

This means that even if it’s not related to mana, as long as it’s related to the mind, it can block everything, creating a powerful mental barrier.

However, it does not apply to pleasurable acts with individuals who have a certain level of intimacy.

The point to note in this sentence is “pleasurable acts.”

By one’s own will, this skill does not activate for individuals who have surpassed a certain threshold of intimacy.

Those pleasurable acts naturally include drinking alcohol.

In other words:

“…Huh?”

Han Seoyeon was still, a lightweight.