episode_0274

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I keep going over it in my head, but—

I definitely didn’t tell Yozora everything.

Officially, all that happened was this: I, who had claimed to find him disgusting to his face, used Yozora as an excuse to briefly contact Seo Woojin behind the scenes.

That’s as far as the “official” story goes.

Everything beyond that was mostly Yozora’s imagination.

But even if it was just her imagination, the fact that she heard Seo Woojin say, “If it’s because of Yozora, you don’t have to do it,” means…

She could reasonably infer what might have happened between us.

Ah, at most, maybe he just groped my chest a little.

Ah, at most, maybe our lips just barely brushed against each other.

Ah, at most, maybe I showed him a little of what was hidden beneath my clothes.

From the perspective of someone as utterly normal as me, I figured that was the extent of it.

“….”

But the idea that she’d be jabbing her fingers between mine like that, just to make sure I saw it—

I never would’ve imagined that.

“…You, you do it yourself.”

“…Hmm.”

Admitting that I’d already slept with him in this situation would be ridiculous.

This is just Yozora’s delusion—or at most, her testing me—but falling for it in a single attempt? That’s just pathetic.

So, pretending not to care—no, actually not caring about such vulgar behavior, I looked at Yozora with disdain and ended the conversation.

…Now that I think about it.

At this point, I think I finally understand why Yozora’s been so unusually fixated on me lately.

To put it simply, she’s trying to put me through the same process as Han Sua.

The end goal… is to tie me and Seo Woojin together.

Last time, didn’t she lead Han Sua down a weird path just to get more affection from that guy?

It’s the same now. She’s obviously trying to add me to Seo Woojin’s collection.

Sorry, but I have zero intention of playing along.

I’ll only… borrow him when absolutely necessary.

I have no interest in the act itself.

No matter how much you try to tempt me—

“Then I guess there’s no helping it! I wanted to play with Seoyeon too, but… Ugh.”

“….”

—No matter how much you try.

I won’t fall for it.

“Done already?”

“Yeah. Mostly.”

“Mostly? What’s left?”

“I don’t really know either.”

“Ehh? What do you mean you don’t know?!”

“Just like how you’d struggle to explain how you wag your tail to me.”

“Ah, true~”

“….”

As I glanced at my now perfectly fine left ankle, Yozora—who had been chattering between me and Seo Woojin—fully moved over to his side.

Now she’s even reaching over the couch to play with a few strands of his hair, twirling them between her fingers.

I thought she followed Seo Woojin here to pull some weird stunt on me, but maybe that wasn’t it.

Maybe… she was just curious how I’d react if she made lewd hand gestures.

Unable to join their conversation, I silently stared at Yozora’s profile before slowly crossing my legs.

“If you’re done, hurry up and follow me.”

“Why?”

“To wash your hands. You touched Seoyeon’s ankle.”

“Shouldn’t you wash them before touching? Now that I think about it, you didn’t wash your hands before touching either…”

“You know how guys are. ‘I’m never washing this hand again!’ or whatever.”

“…What? That’s so weird.”

“If you don’t wanna wash your hands, then touch my ankle too!”

“I never said no. …I’m just baffled, that’s all.”

A conversation so childish it hardly qualified as adult dialogue—the kind you’d forget minutes later.

Listening to it all from the side, I suppressed a sigh and looked at Yozora.

I get that it’s immature.

I get that it makes me sigh.

But the more I listened to their conversation, the more…

Something felt off.

Was it because their dumb talk was pitiful?

No, it was different.

It wasn’t because my earlier assumption was wrong and I was upset—if anything, I should be happy.

At least Yozora’s nonsense didn’t drag me into it.

But still…

Right now, I feel strangely irritated.

I don’t know how else to describe it.

Yozora’s ankle comment wasn’t about it being dirty—it was jealousy over Seo Woojin touching me. So I should be pleased.

Then why does it feel like needles pricking at me?

It’s not like Yozora’s being extra mischievous today.

If anything, she’s less so than usual.

It’s not like she’s drunk, either.

Why?

“Hey, I’m gonna use the bathroom real quick.”

“…Go ahead.”

The complete opposite of when I used needing to pee as an excuse to visit Seo Woojin’s place last time.

Watching his retreating back as he and Yozora entered the bathroom, I mindlessly ruffled my hair and turned on the TV—more for background noise than anything.

Past midnight, there wasn’t much on.

News here, a movie recap there.

…Fine to leave on like radio, I guess.

Not worth paying attention to.

Even the so-called “idiot box” couldn’t hold my interest. Leaning back on the couch, I listened to the sound of running water from the bathroom.

Slip. I slid down a few centimeters, settling in comfortably.

“….”

“Use the hand soap properly!”

Yozora’s voice carried through.

“Water’s enough.”

Seo Woojin’s quieter reply followed.

The exaggerated sound of scrubbing, the lather being worked up.

Giggle. Yozora’s unmistakable laughter seeped through the door.

“….”

…Muffled by the door, barely audible.

Logically, the TV should be louder in my ears.

But it was noisy.

Just a little.

Enough to be annoying.

274

Was there even a point to this, given we’d already slept together?

Still, I humored Yozora’s enthusiasm.

For strategic reasons—it seemed best to stay on good terms with her.

And for purely personal reasons…

Using Yozora, my long-time friend, to provoke Baek Seoyeon.

Seemed like it’d be fun.

“Did you see Seoyeon’s face?”

“Looked like she wanted us to hurry up and leave.”

“No way. No way. She was totally jealous!”

“How is that a jealous face? Idiot.”

“Girls make that exact face when they’re jealous! Dummy.”

A spur-of-the-moment, utterly Yozora-like prank, hatched as we walked through the alley.

Honestly, the script was so dubious that “half-believing” would’ve been too generous. But the results were amusing.

Baek Seoyeon’s cheeks flushing red as she watched Yozora’s hand movements.

Baek Seoyeon, pretending not to care but waving her hands in a way that screamed otherwise.

Baek Seoyeon, unable to jump into our conversation, left speechless.

These were sides of her I’d never seen when it was just the two of us.

“She acts all aloof, but she’s way more interested than she lets on. A little push, and she’ll cave.”

“Or she’s hiding, like a hermit crab.”

“If she were that cautious, she wouldn’t have let me into her place. Right?”

Unlike earlier, Yozora hid her voice behind the sound of running water so it wouldn’t carry outside.

As I watched her smiling sweetly beside me, I shook the water off my hands and lightly ruffled her hair.

…Would she prefer a tight grip on her chest or neck instead?

But judging by her expression, she seemed content with just the head pats.

“Let’s head out soon. It’s late.”

“…Hey, um…”

“I know. …You asked for it.”

“….”

Nodding, Yozora and I stepped out to find Baek Seoyeon lounging on the couch, watching the news.

Usually the epitome of a student council president, now she’s relaxed in pajamas, glued to the TV.

She seemed tense earlier, but now she looked natural.

Overlaying that with the Baek Seoyeon I’d seen moments ago, I spoke up before leaving.

“I’ll get going now. How’s the injury?”

“…Fine. I’m okay, so… …Be careful on your way back.”

I’d meant to ask if she was still in heat like last time.

Not sure if she caught the subtext, but—

…Whatever.

I didn’t press further.

“….”

After all.

Problems would arise soon enough.

They left.

Only after carefully timing my breaths to seem unbothered did I finally exhale the tension trapped inside.

To Seo Woojin and Yozora, I must’ve seemed perfectly fine.

Given how they left without another word, I guess it went okay.

Sure, Seo Woojin touched me while treating my ankle but didn’t do anything perverted…

Though tomorrow might be a bit of a hassle.

Can’t be helped.

I didn’t expect Yozora to be waiting nearby after pretending to go home.

Maybe we’ll meet like that couple we eavesdropped on in the emergency stairwell.

Or, well… I could hold out until after school and seek him out then.

“Haah…”

Click.

After turning off the TV, I headed to the bathroom they’d used.

The air was thick with a mix of air freshener and fruity hand soap—how much did they even use?

Sweet layered on sweet, like pineapple and banana mixed together… An odd sensation.

Grimacing at the cloying scent, I brushed my teeth again, turned off all the lights, and collapsed onto the bed.

Grateful I wasn’t in heat right now, I closed my eyes.

“….”

Curled up under the blankets, I was on the verge of sleep when—

“…Ah, damn it…”

A familiar message alert chimed.

Groggy in the pitch-black room, eyelids leaden, I muttered curses as I fumbled for my phone.

2:30 AM.

Assuming I fell asleep right after lying down, I’d only slept about an hour and a half.

Who the hell messages at this hour—

…Right. It must be urgent.

Urgent enough to message now.

Reining in my irritation, I pulled down the notification bar to check the sender.

“….”

Yozora.

Below her name, a plain line of text: “Sent a video.”

– Can you see this okay…?

…Inside.

A clip of Yozora hiding her phone somewhere.

Positioning it to capture the bed before hitting record.

Holding up a peace sign, as if to say, This is for you.

All captured in perfect clarity.