episode_0069

“Rina, what kind of place is Yeongchang?”

“Well, I haven’t been there myself…”

Rina mumbled her response, still munching on the pile of potato fries in front of her. I, too, had never been to Yeongchang due to my military service, so I couldn’t picture it in my mind.

“Don’t worry too much. What could possibly happen in Yeongchang? Oh, I heard that your salary gets cut during the period you’re there.”

My salary is piling up as I have nowhere to spend it right now. If the penalty is the only concern, there’s no reason to fear going to Yeongchang.

The real issue is coming back.

Even though it’s just a short visit to Yeongchang, I have to continue going on missions. Having not completed two sudden missions already, the difficulty has increased significantly, and now just coming back alive earns you extra points.

In a situation where I have no way to protect myself, how long can I survive?

That was the most daunting part.

“Why do you keep sighing deeply like that? Are you that worried?”

Rina, who was inhaling her hamburger, looked up and asked me. She seemed to be showing too much concern.

“No, I’m just full.”

A better excuse than I expected popped out of my mouth. Rina nodded, saying, “Hmm.”

“If you have any worries, just tell me. Don’t suffer alone.”

Rina’s unusually serious tone made me feel awkward, so I tried to lighten the mood with a playful joke.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it. I’ll handle it myself.”

“Well, why not talk to Lager about it?”

“Yeah.”

And just like that, she doubled down on it. She really knows how to push my buttons.

Rina’s unrestrained tongue started to run wild like crazy.

“By the way, have you resolved things with Chief Seondo? Who’s going to date Lager?”

“Stop it.”

I tried to regain control of the situation with a stern voice, but Rina wasn’t having any of it.

“Remember, there’s barely a fortnight left until the year-end vacation. Don’t let Chief Seondo steal it from you. Go out with Lager this time and properly capture his heart! If you’re really worried, you could even make ‘Beer 2nd Generation’ a bit early…”

“Hey, cut it out!!”

Once again, we ended up raising our voices in the restaurant. It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence, but it was still uncomfortable, with a few people shooting disapproving glances our way. Feeling belated embarrassment, I lowered my head and slowly sat back down.

Whether that bastard is going to a year-end vacation or a sex party, what does it matter who he goes with? Why should I care? Anyway, I don’t understand why there are so many people around me who stick their noses in where they don’t belong.

In the end, I waited until Rina finished her meal before leaving together. It would have been less boring if she had gone out first to smoke a cigarette or something.

Feeling regretful, I decided to escort Yujoo back to the dormitory for now. I’m not sure how the people around here perceive Yujoo as the ‘original person,’ but she must find everything here unfamiliar.

It’s a bit of a hassle, but I can always come back down for a smoke.

After arriving at 9th floor, room 919, and seeing Yujoo off, as I was about to head back down, Yujoo stopped me at the door.

Thinking she might have something to ask, I turned around. The petite squirrel-like girl hunched her shoulders and clasped her hands in front of her chest, cutely bowing her head.

“Oh, thank you for today…”

“No need to thank me. Just rest well. Everything you need should be there.”

“Yes. I’ll do that.”

“Oh, by the way, could you quickly check the drawer in the dormitory desk? My phone might be there.”

“Just a moment!”

Yuju hurriedly ran to the dormitory desk as if a sound effect of ‘whoosh’ would follow her steps, rummaged through the drawer, and pulled out her phone. As expected, it was there.

“Look at the fingerprint. It will unlock.”

“Wow! This is amazing, isn’t it?”

“I felt the same way at first. Give me your phone. I’ll give you my number.”

“Oh…”

Yuju handed over the phone with an excitement that was hard to contain.

“Why are you so happy?”

“Of course, I am happy!”

Yuju nodded vigorously and explained, “I met a character from a novel that I really love, we even had a meal together, and exchanged numbers. I’m a big fan!”

Although I was grateful for Yuju’s excitement and shoulder-shaking, it was a bit overwhelming. I couldn’t help but wonder if seeing me up close, who wasn’t in the novel, would be a disappointment.

Well, that’s something to think about later.

After confirming that my number appeared on Yuju’s phone, I waved my hand as I headed straight to the elevator.

“If you need anything, contact me.”

“I’ll contact you even if there’s nothing wrong!”

“Don’t contact me if there’s nothing wrong.”

“Yes…”

Seeing Yuju looking downcast with her shoulders drooping, holding onto her cane, made me feel a little sorry, but what could I do. I can’t stand annoying things.

I finally arrived at the smoking area after taking the elevator down and took out a cigarette. The sound of the cigarette burning ‘sizzle’ was oddly artistic today.

As I watched the red glow of the cigarette emerge amidst the swirling smoke, a sudden thought crossed my mind.

-We even showered together. You know all about that, right?

Showering. You know there’s a shower room in every hospital room, and how cramped the space is, but still, you undress and squeeze your body in for a shower…

-What if President Seondo asked how it would feel if Lager’s child got pregnant?

Dakota has Lager’s child. Having a child means they… did it. Yeah, of course. It’s obvious. It’s definitely not something the stork brings.

Before I knew it, the cigarette had burned out completely, and I crushed it on the floor, stepped on it, and threw the butt in the trash before immediately taking out another one. The heavy scent of the red cigarette spread through the smoking area once again.

At the same time, more useless thoughts began to creep into my mind.

-If a relationship between students at the academy is proven to be true, they both have to leave the academy or get married if they don’t want to. But what evidence would there be to ‘prove’ a relationship between students?

If Dakota really planned this to make Lager completely his own.

And if the two of them got closer during this caregiving period, and they really went on a year-end vacation together.

“…What’s the big deal. There’s no reason it wouldn’t be okay.”

Just for the sake of it, I took a long drag of the cigarette, letting the sound of it burning linger at my lips.

It burns well.

…It burns well.

I absentmindedly watched the cigarette burn, then suddenly took out my phone.

And typed a message.

[Are you perhaps Dako…]

I stopped there.

I couldn’t bring myself to type anymore and just held onto the phone.

I just held onto it.

As my lips heated up from the burnt-out cigarette butt.

“Damn, really… It’s annoying.”

I tossed the burnt-out cigarette to the ground, kicked it with my foot, and put it out.

“It’s annoying. It’s frustrating. Why. Why do people keep saying weird things around me…”

At that moment, with just a single thought crossing my mind.

─No, it can’t be…. I still love them, right?

“No, it’s not true! What do you know!!”

I shouted in frustration for no reason.

Putting my phone back in my pocket, I repeated to myself countless times, muttering to myself, and hurriedly walked back to the dormitory as if fleeing.

No.

It’s not true….

Absolutely, I don’t care at all.

I mean it.