episode_0024

Episode 23: More than Expected…?

Moaning.

A natural moan escaped from his lips.

However, the experience took a slightly different turn.

A fist digging into the abdomen.

Certainly, it should hurt.

No, that sounds strange.

Upon closer inspection, it did hurt.

Naturally, right?

Striking the abdomen with a fist should cause pain.

Yet, it was more bearable than expected.

Breathing felt slightly labored, and an unfamiliar moan of pain escaped his lips.

But…

It wasn’t as painful as anticipated?

His back bent, coughing erupted from his mouth.

Yet, the pain felt in the abdomen wasn’t as severe as expected.

Surely, the strength of a woman is formidable?

Recalling Han Se-in’s past.

Compared to his mother’s strikes, this was at a ticklish level.

Just blunt sounds and reactions bursting forth.

Yes. The phrase “empty vessels make the most noise” seemed fitting.

Was it out of consideration?

Raising her head slowly, Kang Hyeon-ah’s expression was indescribable.

Can a person’s expression be so poignant?

Beyond being described as sad and distressing.

In contrast, Kim Hyeong-min’s expression was pure satisfaction.

Like a judge shouting “Pass, pass!”

“Ha, stop…!!”

“Let go.”

A desperate struggle.

Jeong Ah-young grabbed Kang Hyeon-ah’s foot.

Her gestures showed more reluctance to strike than anyone else.

Ironically, kicking to push away Jeong Ah-young’s hand seemed more painful.

The shallow pain felt in the abdomen had long disappeared.

She managed her expression while observing the situation.

“Cough, cough, I-I’ll take it. I’ll take it…”

“A-Young…”

“G-Ga Se-in. Please… don’t come…”

Thud, thud.

Tears fell, portraying agony on their faces.

Rather, just hit me.

Torment me.

She shouted fervently, but Kim Hyeong-min’s response was chillingly cold.

His laughter contained a sense of mockery.

Oh? So Jeong Ah-young likes Han Se-in.

A fact known to everyone, yet the last person who should know discovered it.

“Whose business is it?”

“Ugh…”

A woman who never showed tears now shedding them.

What is love anyway?

Seemingly annoyed by the sudden thoughts, he gestured in annoyance and sorted out the situation.

“How cute. Let’s end it here today.”

“….”

Ultimately, Jeong Ah-young’s plea seemed to have worked.

Kang Hyeon-ah moved with eyes cast down like a sinner.

Park Hyo-rin pursed her lips as if unimpressed.

“S-Se-Se-in-a.”

“Don’t cry.”

“Cough, sorry. Sorry… It’s my fault. Sob…”

The hand that had held Kang Hyeon-ah’s leg now held mine.

Approaching me, Jeong Ah-young knelt, tears streaming down her face.

She had done nothing wrong.

Bowing her head like a criminal, she trembled.

“It’s okay.”

“Why, why, why!”

“….”

Jeong Ah-young’s emotions escalated.

As she raised her head as if apologizing, tears streamed down her cheeks.

A mix of doubt, anger, and complex emotions reflected in her eyes.

Expressing feelings of helplessness, self-blame, anger, and more.

Timid and hesitant, emotions previously not properly expressed now spilled out awkwardly.

Similar to a wail.

Her tearful voice pleaded.

“I’m the one at fault, right? Hmm?”

“….”

“It’s because I’m your seatmate, your partner. Because of me, even you… sob…”

“Why would that be your fault?”

“….”

She slowly bowed her body.

Kneeling to meet her gaze.

The sensation of the hard and cold floor could be felt through the clothes.

Right now, forgiveness was not what she needed.

“It’s okay. It’s not your fault.”

“You’re not mad? You can blame me.”

Jung A-yeong’s tears stopped.

Her still moist eyes wavered.

At my words.

At my expression.

Her expression began to crumble little by little.

“It’s not your fault. It’s those bullies who are at fault.”

“Those…”

She couldn’t continue her sentence.

What she needed right now was warmth.

I slowly embraced her.

The trembling voice that was emerging unstably subsided.

Despite not being able to say everything I wanted to, her emotions began to stabilize.

“Tsk, tsk…”

“It’s okay.”

Pat, pat.

As I patted her back, her shoulders, which had been twitching occasionally, calmed down.

Quite the crybaby. Our A-yeong.

She truly calmed down during lunchtime.

Returning to class, enduring the third period.

By the time seventh period arrived and it was time to go home.

I called out to her in the empty classroom.

“W-what’s… what’s going on…?”

“Oh, I have something to say.”

Anxiety crept onto her face.

A slightly different kind of anxiety than usual, more like excitement.

It was quite understandable.

A friend you hang out with.

And even a male friend asks you to stay after school?

Wouldn’t any girl feel excited?

In that sense, Jung A-yeong fidgeted so much that one might think she forgot about what happened during lunchtime.

Her fidgety fingers still looked uneasy.

“Um… well.”

I was unsure how to phrase it.

I struggled with what to say.

With the lengthening of my voice, a deep sense of unease appeared on Jung A-yeong’s face.

That’s not it, you idiot.

As my mouth opened and words came out.

Jung A-yeong’s eyes widened.

“Could you hit me once?”

“…What?”

Shock, fear. And… desire?

Mixed emotions in Jung A-yeong’s eyes.

No, that’s not it.

It wasn’t really in that sense.

It was out of genuine curiosity, not a sexual meaning.

This was a kind of experiment.

Because I was curious after being hit by Kang Hyeon earlier.

Naturally, wouldn’t it hurt if he hit me with all his might, even if not too hard?

Regardless.

Jung A-yeong’s cheeks grew warmer.

“You, you, want that…?”

“No. I don’t like pain.”

“But why…?”

“Enough. Don’t ask, just try hitting me for now.”

Approaching her, I offered my stomach.

To satisfy my curiosity.

Wouldn’t Jung A-yeong punching me provide some answers?

Whether my body is insensitive to pain.

Or if Kang Hyeon is not hitting hard enough for it to hurt.

“My stomach…?”

“Yeah, don’t hit too hard.”

“Got it.”

Jung A-yeong lightly clenched her fist.

And then.

“Ow!”

Ah! Damn!

It hurts like hell!

Cursing rose up to my throat but was barely swallowed.

“Ah, ow… Ugh, ugh…”

“S-sorry. Are you okay? Sein-ah? Are you okay?!”

“Why did you hit so hard…?”

“Ugh, sorry. Sorry…”

Breathing was difficult.

It really hurts too much.

Even though we reached a conclusion.

It hurts.

Looking at Jung A-yeong, she flinched.

It hadn’t even been a month since we met, but for the first time, I disliked her.

Was it something I sensed?

Jung A-yeong’s face gradually turned pale blue.

“I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Sein-ah. I was wrong.”

“Cough, gasp, phew… No, no. Hey. Don’t kneel!”

This is driving me crazy.

How can there be no middle ground?

You don’t hit just hard enough, then hit with all your might, and finally kneel down and apologize?

In agony, he momentarily forgot his pain and focused on helping her up.

“Ugh. Get up.”

“I’m sorry!!”

“I said… get up.”

We should head home. Seriously.

How long will you kneel here apologizing?

And then, that evening.

After dinner, I chatted with my sister.

Lazily. Thanks to the spring weather, the warmth was pleasant, not chilly.

“Sister.”

“Yeah?”

As expected, she was cautious.

I don’t know why she gets so tense whenever I call her, but her reactions were intriguing.

Then, I voiced the curiosity that had been lingering in my mind.

It was about what happened with Kang Hyun, but I kept it vague, only showing my doubts.

“Is there a way to hit without causing pain?”

“…Why do you ask?”

Han Seyeon’s gaze, lost in thought for a moment, turned slightly peculiar.

Her eyes sharpened gradually.

“Oh, just curious.”

“You can make it sound fierce. It exists.”

“I see.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

The atmosphere grew heavier.

Han Seyeon’s expression darkened gradually.

Something was amiss.

Her condition was deteriorating, even though she denied anything was wrong.

Surely, I wasn’t veering towards strange thoughts.

“Oh, really nothing? Look at this.”

“……!!”

Gulp.

For a brief moment, Han Seyeon’s eyes flickered.

It was because I had lifted my clothes with one hand.

Being at home, I was dressed in a thin T-shirt.

Naturally, my belly was exposed.

My sister’s eyes trembled as she observed this.

And…

“What the hell.”

“Sis…?”

I couldn’t help but be bewildered as well.

Was Kang Hyun’s punch not painful because of me?

All that remained in my memory was the fact that it didn’t hurt, but…

Now, the memory of Jung Ayoung’s punch had vanished beyond recall.

However,

The mark left on my stomach was hers.

On my fair skin,

There were purple bruises on my soft belly.

“Damn… Jung Ayoung…”

There was no reason to blame her.

But the situation was getting increasingly difficult.

“Who is it?”

*Sigh.*

With an aggressive stance, I involuntarily let out a gasp.

Han Seyeon, usually busy reading my cues, displayed a completely different demeanor.

Like a fierce wolf growling.

Confirming my bruise, Han Seyeon’s face was terrifying.

“Who did this. Who said that.”

Seriously.