episode_0087

Right now, before my eyes, sat Ilseong Group’s precious daughter. She was gracefully lifting a beer glass to her lips.

Seo Harin, a Senior-nim one year above me and the vice-president of the academy’s student council. She gazed at me with a subtly chilling smile.

“Why don’t you sit? Your legs look tired.”

“……”

Even though I was an Awakener, so my legs wouldn’t actually hurt from standing like this. Common sense dictated that her previous words couldn’t possibly be out of genuine concern for my health.

‘I’m trembling.’

I briefly glanced towards the kitchen, assessing the situation. Though I was supposed to be working, I had committed a wrong, so I decided to discreetly take a seat. It wasn’t a particularly busy time anyway… and it was a moment where one person, like me, could be excused. Ah, unfortunately.

With no other choice, I nodded and took a seat opposite Senior-nim Seo Harin. As an extra, I simultaneously reached out, grabbed a single nut, and popped it into my mouth.

“……”

Senior-nim Seo Harin paused for a moment and looked at me with an enigmatic gaze, but I didn’t pay much attention. What could I do? My mouth was dry, and it was just the right moment to put something in it.

I brazenly armed myself and stared back at Senior-nim Seo Harin. Though, inwardly, I did harbor a slight sense of guilt…

I spoke.

“…Perhaps a pub date is to your liking-.”

“Cut it out.”

“Yes, I apologize.”

A swift stop and a swift apology. Excellent. I awkwardly closed my lips again. Senior-nim Seo Harin pressed her forehead as if dizzy. Oh, how unfortunate.

I now began to pick at the nuts as if they were truly mine. Crunch crunch. They weren’t particularly to my taste, but I found myself reaching for more as I ate. It was quite an addictive texture.

As such, it seemed Senior-nim Seo Harin eventually gave up. She didn’t pay much mind to my ‘theft’ and simply looked straight at me.

“Hyunjin.”

“……”

Her voice, calling my name, was subtly low and, at the same time, considerably serious. At such a call, I, too, had no choice but to compose my relaxed expression somewhat.

“Yes, Senior-nim.”

“…Shall we talk a bit more honestly?”

I paused for a moment and gazed intently into her eyes. Within those beautiful black pupils, there was a hint of complexity and a considerable amount of sharpness.

“…By ‘honest talk,’ you mean.”

Even as I reluctantly answered, I felt my body tense up. Her sharpness evoked a different kind of intimidation compared to others. If I had to describe it, it wasn’t a forceful power, but more like a charisma born from her very being.

Senior-nim Seo Harin took another sip of her beer and glared at me with narrowed eyes.

“You.”

Was she getting a little tipsy? With a slightly flushed face, what she spat out to me was nothing short of a shock.

“Are you planning to marry junior Soyul?”

“…Huh?”

She was asking about my relationship with Cheon Soyul. Caught off guard for a moment, I blinked, letting out a foolish sound.

What was this? I couldn’t guess her intention in suddenly asking such a question, and the expression she wore while saying it was so serious, which confused me even more. I reflexively tried to ask why she was asking such a thing, but…

“……”

I quickly observed Senior-nim Seo Harin’s expression and closed my mouth. She genuinely wanted to hear my answer right now. It was an awkward situation for me, but I had no choice but to consider it somewhat seriously.

With nothing else to do, I decided to consider it. Marriage with Cheon Soyul, huh.

Rumors about my engagement with her were already widely spread. It wasn’t particularly strange for Senior-nim Seo Harin to bring it up. So, if I were to briefly ask my heart, what was the conclusion?

Was I thinking of marrying Cheon Soyul?

The answer, surprisingly, came quickly.

‘Probably.’

It might sound ambiguous to some, but from my perspective, it was a very serious answer. Yes, I would probably marry her. I intended to, and she did as well.

To be honest, yes. At this point, I could barely imagine myself marrying someone other than Cheon Soyul in the future. I finished my deliberation and met Senior-nim Seo Harin’s gaze again.

And coincidentally, at that moment, I felt as though I’d read a part of her emotions. It was impatience.

I didn’t know why. But she was currently displaying both displeasure and impatience towards me. Despite a slight question forming in my mind, I decided to answer her question honestly.

“Yes.”

I gave a short nod. I answered her.

“It might be a bit ridiculous to bring up in this day and age, but we did make a marriage promise, after all.”

“……”

“We have to get married. She’s someone I get along with, so I have no complaints.”

My voice was more firm and resolute than I’d even expected myself. I felt a sudden awkwardness and swallowed briefly.

“…Is that so…?” Senior-nim Seo Harin, glaring at me with a strange look, lowered her voice.

“So that’s how it is…”

“…Senior-nim?”

“Hmph.”

Feeling a slight ominousness, I called out to her, but no immediate answer came. She merely blew, pushing her bangs slightly upwards.

Senior-nim Seo Harin glared at me with quite an aggressive look. Piercingly.

“Hey.”

And the way she addressed me was not her usual friendly tone. Instead, it was cold, low, and almost growling… a somewhat fierce voice.

I instinctively flinched and lifted my head.

“Yes?”

“Since you were honest, I’ll just lay everything out and tell you what I’m really thinking.”

“…Huh…?”

Thud!

She, Seo Harin, slammed her beer glass down roughly and glared sharply at me. Her forceful demeanor made me involuntarily pull my neck back for a moment.

“You know, don’t you?”

‘Know what?’ Before I could even answer, she continued, giving me no room to speak.

“That I was trying to take you in as an adopted son-in-law.”

“……”

“In fact, I’ve been quite open about it… And you’re not so foolish that you can’t even tell the intentions of women who approach you.”

And those words were difficult to simply deny. Because it was true. She had always thrust a marriage contract (?) at me, and I had always rejected it. It felt like a regular annual event.

I just hadn’t expected her to openly state it herself. It was so sudden, too.

I gazed intently at Senior-nim Seo Harin with an enigmatic look, and she, in turn, let out a dispirited sigh.

“Honestly, there was no one else in this school as suitable to be my husband as you. You’re capable, handsome, and your personality is decent. Though I hadn’t expected your history with women to be so colorful…”

“…Ahem.”

At her continuing words, I couldn’t help but cough dryly. They were words that couldn’t help but hit home. Of course, I couldn’t refute them either.

“…Anyway. Still, my thoughts haven’t changed. Senior-nim Cheon Woohyuk and Senior-nim Yoo Seonghyeon aren’t my type. And above all, both of them have really stale personalities.”

Around that time, Senior-nim Seo Harin called over a passing Class A student and ordered another draft beer. There was still liquid left in her current glass.

I looked at her with a wry expression, and she smiled sweetly, looking up at me.

“Hyunjin? So anyway, what I’m saying is…”

“……”

“I haven’t given up on you yet. Honestly, I even had a little bit of feelings for you.”

The conversation was progressing rapidly before I could even fully process her words. I took the glass she offered, blinking in a daze.

“So.”

She then extended another beer glass towards me.

“How about a drinking game?”

It was a face and smile brimming with confidence. She subtly curved the corners of her lips upwards.

“The one who passes out first grants one wish to the winner.”

“……”

“I’ll let you off the hook for completely forgetting our date promise with this. How about it? A deal?”

She confidently clinked her beer glass, and I had to let out a groan, my feelings complex. Hmm.

There was no particular reason to accept this wager, but since she brought up the date promise, it was awkward to simply cut her off sharply.

‘Is there no other way…?’

Ultimately, I smacked my lips but couldn’t find any other option.

“…Alright, fine.”

Hoping for no major trouble, I nodded. A deep smile formed on Senior-nim Seo Harin’s lips.

“You’ve accepted, right?”

Clink! Senior-nim Seo Harin brought her glass to mine, which I was holding. With a pleased expression, she tilted her head back and downed her beer.

… … …

One hour later.

“…Lee, Hyunjin, you were really mean…”

“……”

Senior-nim Seo Harin had half-collapsed, unable to finish even a few glasses. She started gazing up at me with unfocused, hazy eyes.

‘Seriously…’ I muttered inwardly, dumbfounded.

‘How can she be so weak?’

If this was how it would turn out, why did she show such confidence?