episode_0050

It’s been about a week since we went to visit Damin for support.

Me and Lager, Lena and Dakota. The atmosphere among the four of us has changed somewhat.

Me and Lager, who always sat side by side at the restaurant, started sitting diagonally across from each other. The only difference was whether Lena sat next to me or Dakota, but Lager and I never faced each other or sat side by side during meals. That much was fixed.

To be precise, when Lager sat down, I would preemptively take a seat where I could avoid his gaze.

So, it’s not that the atmosphere among the four of us changed.

It would be more accurate to say that my attitude changed.

“Hey, Lager. What are you guys going to do for the end of the year?”

“What do you mean?”

When Lena, who was sitting next to me, asked with a grin, Lena playfully punched my shoulder as I shrugged.

“Oh, pretending to be innocent, huh? You know that couples at the academy plan their vacations together during the end of the year holidays because they can’t freely date at the academy, right?”

“What a random thing to say.”

“Be careful. They say there are so many weddings at the beginning of each year. If a baby is born, you either have to drop out of the academy or get married, no exceptions. If you don’t want to start keeping a parenting diary early on, make sure to use condoms properly.”

Lena teased us with a mischievous smile.

“Hey!!”

At the same time, we both slammed our fists on the table, glaring at each other.

Lena, who was looking back and forth between us with a puzzled expression, burst into laughter as if she couldn’t believe it.

“Look at this. Even though your breathing is perfectly in sync without even trying until the end, you’re pretending it’s not.”

At Lena’s words, Lager and I shot each other resentful glances.

Dakota silently observed us with a subtle expression as we engaged in a fierce eye battle.

Our meals were always like this.

After finishing our meal and taking a break before the afternoon practice, Lena and Dakota headed back to the dormitory, while I went to the smoking area for a post-meal smoke.

“Three left.”

It might be a bit tight until dinner. I have to make sure to buy a pack of cigarettes before going for the afternoon practice.

With that in mind, I took out a cigarette and lit it.

“I’ll have one too.”

At the audacious request that was almost as wicked as stealing a bite of ramen, I frowned and looked at the guy.

“I’m not stealing your mast and lover.”

“So am I NTR-ing your cigarette? Ooh~!”

“You’re really going crazy.”

“Just kidding. Just lend me one.”

“If you take the last cigarette, you have to pay back with a whole pack.”

“You little brat, now that you’re even mooching off your childhood friend, you’ve become a slave to cigarettes.”

“No, this is a universal rule for smokers! Look it up on the wiki!”

“There’s no wiki in this world.”

I didn’t have the confidence to brush off his shameless persistence, so I ended up giving in and handing the guy a cigarette.

“Who cares about the mast. I still have one left. You don’t even know what mast means?”

“Hey, I was planning to smoke all three before dinner, so if I give you one, it’s practically the same as giving you the mast!”

“You little punk.”

“What? I ended up giving you a cigarette anyway, and you’re saying that to me?”

After teasing him to his heart’s content, I finally lit the lighter and took a puff.

I didn’t used to be like this, but I’ve become more and more cheeky. I don’t like it.

As I smoked halfway through the cigarette, I exhaled a long puff of smoke and looked at Lager. He still awkwardly held the cigarette smoke in, only letting out a small cough.

“If you’re going to be like that, don’t smoke. It’s a waste.”

“I’m learning by doing.”

“It’s not worth learning to that extent. What’s gotten into you to suddenly start smoking?”

There were some things I could guess. Since rejecting Lager’s confession during the Daemin support, he had started to touch cigarettes. Although he still didn’t have the courage to fully start smoking, he occasionally came to the smoking area to borrow a cigarette. However, just hesitating like that only seemed like a show of pretense and ostentation.

“Either buy your own cigarettes or quit. Stop stealing mine and smoking,” I said.

“I’ll buy a pack this time. While I’m at it, I’ll buy mine,” he replied.

“It’s not because I’m stingy with cigarettes!”

…Of course, cigarettes do hold about 49 percent of importance when calculated as a percentage. But what’s important is not the 51 percent.

I took another long drag of the cigarette, exhaled the light smoke through my nose, and spoke.

“Are you doing this in front of me on purpose? Acting like you’re struggling because of me and feeling sorry?”

Lager shook his head with a dumbfounded expression.

“What are you talking about? It’s not like that.”

“Then what is it?”

After pondering for a moment, Lager responded nonchalantly, “When I smoke, I cough and feel terrible, but when I turn around, I keep thinking about it?”

You’ll ruin your lungs with late smoking. I brushed my hair back and nudged Lager.

“Why bother doing something that’s not good for you? Quit before it’s too late.”

Lager chuckled at my comment.

“What’s it to you? I’ll do what I want with my body.”

Well, come to think of it, he was right. Whether his lungs rot or he gets cancer, if Lager insists on doing it, I had no right to stop him.

After all, we’re not even lovers.

Feeling like I had said something unnecessary, I scratched my nose and grumbled.

“Hey. And when you’re with Lina, try to control your expressions. You keep making people misunderstand that we’re dating because of you.”

Just as Lager finished smoking his cigarette, he awkwardly flicked his fingers to extinguish the butt and threw it into the trash can after seeing me do the same.

“Just date her, why do you keep denying it so hard?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, scary.”

As I squinted, Lager crouched down in a ridiculous manner as if trying to block a punch and chuckled.

“Did you forget what I said last time?”

I didn’t like Lager’s attitude since that day. He was so gloomy for a day or two that I felt sorry for him. Dakota was worried about Lager, and Lina kept nagging about what happened, which was annoying and troublesome.

But on the third day, Lager changed.

He started shamelessly showing off a skill he had learned from somewhere.

Now it was my turn to be confused by his behavior.

Doesn’t he have any pride?

No, wasn’t he someone who always took care of his pride?

If he was just cheerful, I would have welcomed it. It was much better than walking around advertising, “I got dumped,” in a gloomy manner every day.

But Lager’s shamelessness shone in a different area.

“I like you.”

That was it.

Instead of giving up, he seized every opportunity to confess fervently whenever he could, claiming that he liked me.

“Even if you act like this, I won’t be excited about you. We’re completely different. Tell me back then, not now, sing that you like me now. What will change?”

Feeling sorry for his stubbornness, I casually rubbed my forehead as I put my hand in my pocket.

But no matter how much I tried to train my mental strength, it just didn’t work.

“It doesn’t matter. I’m not asking for your approval.”

“What’s the big deal? What’s with this attitude?”

In response to that question, Lager put his hands in his pockets and replied coolly with a smile.

“I’m always the same. I’ll always be consistent.”

“I’ll keep waiting, so if you ever change your mind, I’ll be there to catch you. I’ll hug you right away.”

I shook my head with a disgusted expression as I watched him casually drop a cheesy line.

“You really are a man.”

“If your goal is to become a female, then shouldn’t I become a male for you?”

“Don’t get it twisted. I’m not doing that. I may have a female body and even menstruate, but I’ll return with a male mind intact.”

“Will that male mind stay intact until you reach 10,000 points?”

“…There must be a way.”

It’s a risky bet. But Lager’s attitude of preparing for the possibility that I’ll fully adapt to the female body and even change my mind didn’t sit well with me.

I will never succumb to becoming a female.

Wee-oo, wee-oo.

At that moment, emergency sirens blared throughout the academy. The team on guard duty had requested additional support at the academy.

As Lager and I were about to rush out to the main sports field, which served as the assembly point during emergencies, we suddenly locked eyes and stopped in our tracks.

“Is this it? The mission branching point.”

In response to my question, Lager nodded as he took out his phone to check the additional mission that had been assigned this time.

[Sudden Mission: Choose the heroine!]

[Additional points will be awarded upon completion of the mission!]

[If Ael Cloym dies: Additional points 500 points]

[If Dakota Kale dies: Additional points 500 points]

[No points will be awarded if both die!]

Lager’s complexion turned pale as he read the contents.