episode_0272

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…Since I’ve already showered, I shouldn’t smell.

It’s already embarrassing enough that I have to do this… It’d be even worse if I reeked.

Before Seo Woo-jin arrives, I lie down on the couch and sniff my arm for no reason.

Since I can’t really tell normally, I take out all nine of my pale blue tails for the first time in a while. Sniff, sniff.

Fortunately, what lingers at the tip of my nose is mostly the soft scent of body wash.

Grapefruit, grape, some kind of floral extract… You know, that kind of fragrance.

But between those sweet scents—

There’s still a faint, unpleasant alcoholic odor.

Just to be sure, I exhale lightly into my palm and sniff—and sure enough, it’s noticeable.

…Well, of course.

I drank a little outside and even more after coming home. It’d be weirder if there was no smell at all.

Not that it matters whether I smell or not… but still.

Frowning at the traces of alcohol mixed with the minty toothpaste scent, I rinse my mouth with the water Han Su-ah left behind.

But it’s a meaningless gesture.

Even if it weren’t for the lingering alcohol on my body, the faint smell of beer has already spread throughout the apartment.

…Unless you’re someone like Yozora, you probably wouldn’t like this kind of smell.

So it’d be best to air the place out a little before Woo-jin arrives.

With that thought, I carefully push myself up from the couch.

Just as I open the balcony window and return to the couch to lie down for a bit—

“…?”

My phone on the table vibrates briefly.

…There’s no one who’d contact me at this hour.

It must be Woo-jin, since we agreed he’d come.

“Ugh…”

After glancing at the clock on the living room wall, I stretch my arm and fumble to pull the phone toward me.

If I had to guess, it’s probably a message like, I’m almost there, but I forgot the apartment number.

Yeah. He’s only been here once before, so it’s understandable. It’s not like he’d remember perfectly after just one visit.

Dazedly, I hold the phone up toward the ceiling and turn on the screen—

…And at the same time.

“…”

I nearly drop it on my face.

The name on the notification—

It’s not Woo-jin.

It’s Yozora.

“…What?”

You just went home—what business do you have calling me all of a sudden?

Did you forget something?

But it’s not like you brought anything with you in the first place.

If you left your phone, you wouldn’t be able to call at all.

Then what, you’re just letting me know you got home safe?

Are you my girlfriend or something?

No, more importantly, aren’t you stronger than most criminals?

No matter how much I rack my brain, it’s all just speculation.

Pressing my palm against my throbbing forehead (thanks to the alcohol), I unlock my phone after failing the complex passcode twice.

I should’ve just used a simple fingerprint instead of worrying about security…

[Yozora] – Where is this? –

…Ah.

272

You really are like a fox. Mhm.

Until now, I thought you might actually be a nine-tailed bear instead of a gumiho, but no.

Seeing how you sent all your friends home and then creepily called a guy over—you’re definitely a fox.

And just as perverted as all the other gumiho I’ve met.

You clearly said you weren’t interested in men and pushed them away.

Did you suddenly hit a heat cycle or something?

A perverted gumiho who can’t even keep her own word.

“If you’re going to Seo-yeon’s place, I’m coming too. I’m bored.”

“Why are you tagging along? Besides, it’s just gonna be treatment and that’s it.”

“It’s my friend’s place anyway, so I can go if I want, right? I’m coming. I’m coming.”

“Hey, wait… You’re heavy…”

“Heavy?! I may not look it, but I’ve never even gone over 50kg… And even if I did slightly, it was unavoidable—”

“Are you about to say you only gain weight in fall and winter? Like an animal growing winter fur?”

“…How did you know? I was literally about to say that.”

“…Just a hunch.”

While clinging tightly to his back, I imagine what that perverted gumiho could possibly be planning by calling Woo-jin over.

Naturally, the first thing that comes to mind is treatment.

The second thing… is using that as an excuse for sex.

Because from what I heard last time while riding on Woo-jin’s back, it didn’t seem like they crossed any lines.

How should I put it?

Maybe she just touched him lightly, or maybe they did go all the way…

But if I had to guess, it didn’t seem like she genuinely enjoyed it.

At most, it was probably just a formal, boring round of sex.

Definitely not like that time when an excited Woo-jin pinned me down on the couch in front of Su-ah and went bang, bang, wrecking me like crazy.

Given how quickly she accepted the excuse, “Yozora told me to do it,” it was probably just an embarrassing experience.

Plus, from what I’ve seen of Seo-yeon’s personality, she’s adorably awkward—so in that kind of situation, she’d probably just freeze up and panic.

Well, in the end, it’s all just speculation.

“Anyway, I’m coming. Sending a grown man alone into a single woman’s home is a crime. A crime.”

In that sense, this is a golden opportunity.

Helping Woo-jin score points… and maybe getting a nice reward in return.

So I cling tightly to his sturdy body until he finally agrees.

Of course, while pressing my chest against his back to stimulate his libido.

“She’s the one who called me over. How is that a crime?”

“I don’t care. I’m not letting go until you take me with you.”

“It’s not even gonna be fun. And you smell like alcohol, so get off.”

“Seo-yeon’s gonna smell like alcohol too, you know? She had two beers and some soju today.”

“…That’s a lot.”

“You downed over six bottles of soju with me last time!”

If I sensed annoyance in his tone, I was ready to switch tactics—but he didn’t seem that bothered.

So before his mood sours, I casually drop some useful info to prove my worth.

Baek Seo-yeon. She’s at least a little drunk right now.

And then—

“…Hey, Woo-jin.”

“What.”

“Seo-yeon… is pretty, right?”

“Out of nowhere?”

“No, be honest. She is, right?”

I already know you don’t think badly of her.

“Her biggest flaw is not being honest, but after a while, even that’s kinda… adorably awkward?”

“…So what?”

“My guess is, even during sex…”

“…”

“She’d actually be really into it but keep saying she hates it.”

Even though the conversation didn’t call for it, I deliberately steer it toward something lewd.

“And just when you think you’ve pulled out completely like she wanted, she’d bite her lip and glare at you… Pfft.”

“Hey.”

“Hm?”

“…Never mind.”

“Never mind? What’s never mind?”

“It’s nothing.”

“What? Did you imagine doing that with Seo-yeon?”

“I didn’t.”

“You’re a guy. How could you not? I’ve been going at it with my fingers just thinking about that time you told me never to contact you again.”

“Stop with the weird talk and get off. You’re seriously heavy now.”

“Ugh. You carried me just fine when I passed out drunk last time~”

“…”

“Hey, hey. Didn’t you imagine Seo-yeon getting all honest in heat?”

“…How much did you hear? About that.”

“Ever since you carried me from the bar!”

“So you heard everything.”

I already have a rough idea of your relationship.

…If you’re going to do it, I can help.

So, I’d like a reward too.

I lace my words with that nuance.

“But what happened between you two back then? Why use me as an excuse?”

“It’s nothing. It’s all resolved now.”

“That’s why I’m curious about before it was resolved.”

“…She said she was in heat and couldn’t help it, so I stayed with her for a bit.”

But judging by the mood, he doesn’t seem to have picked up on my nuance.

Or maybe he just hasn’t thought about doing that with Seo-yeon yet.

…If I just say the word, I could bring Seo-yeon over—dazed from being teased senseless.

Briefly lamenting the missed opportunity to score points with him, I laugh at the ridiculousness of the word “heat.”

“That’s weird~ Mutants don’t go into heat~ That’s just an event to get guys hard and make their dicks stand~”

“Normally, they don’t. But gumiho are different, apparently.”

“…Huh? You talked about that? She admitted she’s a gumiho?”

“Yeah.”

She revealed it? Her true identity?

Not to family or even a close friend like me—but to a third party?

To someone of the opposite sex, who’s obviously gonna think weird thoughts?

…No matter how I spin it, it’s strange.

What was she thinking?

There’s nothing to gain from telling him—only risks.

The chance of her secret leaking increases, and Woo-jin might start looking at her with lustful eyes…

“…”

…Maybe Seo-yeon wanted to make herself more appealing.

Unconsciously, to make Woo-jin want her even more.

Does that sound too much like a smutty novel?

Ugh. I need to stop watching porn.

Then again, I have been watching way too much since I couldn’t meet Woo-jin.

Videos, art, literature—

I consumed it all, especially the non-consent genre.

Erasing my 0.01%-accuracy speculation, I refocus on Woo-jin in front of me.

A much simpler person than that hypocritical pervert who can’t even keep her own word.

…A simple man who gets hard just from a pretty face and a nice body.

If I do this, he’ll hate me, right?—I thought,

But he actually hated me enough to tell me to get lost.

“…So, Seo-yeon outright admitted she’s a gumiho, and all you did was stay with her for a bit?”

“…Pretty much. Yeah.”

“That’s unbelievable. Shouldn’t you have pinned her down and had sweaty sex?”

We’re still outside, but the alley is quiet, with only the occasional passerby.

About twenty steps from Seo-yeon’s place, I loosen my arms around his waist.

Then slide them lower—

Until Woo-jin grabs my wrists to stop me from going further.

“…You hate me, right? But you still fucked me in a public restroom, almost getting caught.”

“…”

“Seo-yeon’s practically oozing pheromones… and you don’t want to touch her?”

Like a child throwing a tantrum, I drag my hands down toward his pants.

“…So you like me more than Seo-yeon, then?”

Provoking him simply.

…That primal desire that comes with being the opposite sex.

Just a little.

I tease it.

“…Is that how you interpret it?”

“What? Isn’t it?”

“I don’t really think about it. It’s not about who I like more… just who turns me on more.”

“…So the me you claimed to hate—the one you fucked in a men’s bathroom, used like an onahole in front of Su-ah—”

“Did I say you don’t turn me on? I just told you to get lost because you were pissing me off.”

“So if you’re thinking about that… does that mean you don’t hate me right now, even though I’m clinging to you?”

“Yeah.”

“Ugh… Then how many points would Yozora get for not annoying you and letting you go free? Out of five.”

“Five.”

“…”

Just a little.

Just a little.

“…You didn’t even hesitate?”

“I already said it. Did I say you don’t turn me on?”

“But… you should at least think about it to sound sincere…”

I throw out an unscripted line, savoring the small happiness.

…I’m not some naive middle schooler, but after indulging in that tiny satisfaction—

“Then I have another question.”

“What.”

I return to my original goal.

“…The Yozora who helps you score with my friend because she wants your praise—”

“…”

No beating around the bush—direct.

Even this dense, simple-minded man should understand.

“How many points is she worth?”

“…”

“She’s gotta be over five, right?”

“…”

“…No?”

“…I don’t know about points. But I can praise you.”

“……What kind of praise?”

“The one you’ve always wanted.”

“…”

“…”

“…Promise?”

“Yeah.”

“Then… I’m coming to Seo-yeon’s place too. I’m bored.”

“…You crazy bitch.”

“Can I come?”

“…Fine. Whatever.”

In the dimly lit alley, just steps away from the bustling road.

Close enough to be mistaken for a couple.

Whisper, whisper.