episode_0384

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“Hey, wanna try it in the nurse’s office? The three of us together?”

…Even if we are in the same class, this is a bit much.

Even if I sit right behind Yozora, this is still too much.

Lee Jiyoon and Yozora—

How is it that they keep having the exact same thoughts?

“No. The risk is too high if we get caught.”

“I told you, we won’t get caught. Who’d come to the nurse’s office at this hour?”

“That’s… …Ugh….”

Amid the distant sound of music from the outdoor stage—

At first, Jiyoon dragged me and Hayoon out here, saying she had something to talk about, but the moment we escaped the crowd, she started whispering nonsense.

Just as I was about to counter her point by point, I hesitated for a moment. Jiyoon, with her arms crossed under her chest, flashed a faint smile.

She rarely ever smiles, except at times like this.

In this way, it’s clear she and Hayoon are sisters, but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to be dragged around helplessly by her.

Honestly, it’s not just about the risk.

I somewhat agree with Jiyoon’s point—”Who’d come to the nurse’s office now?”

Besides, I’ve already had my fair share of reckless experiences in the quiet nurse’s office, so I’m not too concerned about that.

And when it comes to risk, as long as we don’t get caught, it’s fine.

But even so, I couldn’t bring myself to nod right away.

Just like when Yozora said something similar earlier—

“The main building’s probably locked by now. How are you gonna open it?”

“Just tell the control room you left something in the nurse’s office. They’ll open it for you. You’re a teacher, not a student. They won’t bother following you around.”

“Fine, let’s say they open it. Won’t they get suspicious if you’re gone too long?”

“Hmm… What if we say we have something urgent to take care of? Like forgetting something for the festival?”

“…Even if I go in, how are you and your sister getting in?”

“How? They just unlock the door from afar when they’re not patrolling. Even if you go in with me, they won’t notice.”

“And if the nurse’s office light is on, won’t people passing by find it weird—”

“We’ll just turn it off. There. Problem solved.”

“…….”

“Anything else bothering you?”

There were plenty of reasons,

but seeing her refusal to back down,

I sighed and scratched the back of my neck before asking,

“Does it have to be the nurse’s office?”

“It doesn’t have to be, but… …Isn’t it exciting? Hiding something only we know in the middle of everyday life?”

“…You’re insane.”

“Why? Hayoon’s just listening quietly because she doesn’t hate the idea either.”

“Ah, no… I just… It’s….”

“If you really don’t want to… I guess I’ll just have to go alone—”

“……W-Wait….”

“….”

“…Turn off the lights. Just for a little while….”

In the end, all I got was

a confirmation of why Jiyoon went behind Hayoon’s back to do that at the PC bang yesterday—

though her intentions were already pretty obvious.

384

Walking silently wasn’t hard, even with shoes on.

These legs are trained every day—there’s no way I couldn’t manage something so simple.

But getting any closer than this was pushing it.

The tension made even the smallest mistake possible, and my hair might accidentally brush against something. Or I might feel their gaze.

So this distance was just right.

After tailing the three from afar, I hid behind a roadside tree near the building and caught my breath.

Being away from the noisy festival grounds, the surroundings had grown oddly quiet.

Of course, the distant music hadn’t disappeared, but the faint chirping of insects told me I should still be cautious.

“…….”

From the direction they were heading, their destination seemed to be the main building.

If they had turned elsewhere, they might’ve been going to the convenience store or the training grounds, but this path led nowhere else.

But why?

No matter how much I thought about it, it made no sense—but what if this ridiculous suspicion was actually true?

Pausing to adjust my clothes in the chilly night breeze,

I watched as the three turned a corner and disappeared. Quickly, I crouched and followed.

I didn’t forget to check my surroundings for witnesses.

Honestly, it wasn’t so much “I must not get caught” as it was “I’d be embarrassed if someone saw me tailing them.”

Anyway.

This was still important.

“…A call?”

Peeking out from behind the tree again,

I saw Seo Woojin holding his phone to his ear near the main entrance.

Clearly, he was making a call—but why?

Luckily, it didn’t take long to figure out.

Jiyoon, waiting by the door with her hands in her pockets, pulled the handle the moment Woojin ended the call.

Now that I thought about it, the building was supposed to be locked at this hour.

With no reason to come to the academy this late, I’d completely forgotten.

So Woojin must’ve called the building management.

They probably remotely unlocked the door for him.

Being the school nurse, he’d have an easier time getting permission than a student. Mm.

“…They all went in, but.”

Where would they go?

The nurse’s office was the first thing that came to mind, but…

Regardless, I’d seen them enter with my own eyes. I wouldn’t feel at ease until I figured out their purpose.

Frowning at the increasingly vivid, nauseating suspicion in my head,

I waited a reasonable amount of time before approaching the main entrance the same way they had.

Maybe because I was used to seeing it always open, the sight of the locked glass door felt oddly unfamiliar.

When I tried opening it, it just rattled uselessly.

Thinking it might be a pull door instead, I tried that too—but no luck.

Seems like it unlocks once, then relocks immediately after closing.

I’ve seen this kind of system elsewhere, so it’s not surprising, but…

Is this as far as I go?

Will the truth about those three slip back into the shadows?

Or should I ask a friend for the security office’s number?

Just as I was stepping back to avoid running into them at the entrance—

“Now that I think about it, the nurse’s office window….”

Wasn’t it just a short stretch of grass and a few trees?

Recalling a memory, I quickly followed the building’s exterior to where the nurse’s office should be.

Of course, there was no guarantee they’d gone there,

but it wasn’t like I had any other options.

All I could do was take a gamble on the most likely possibility.

So, moving silently—truly silently—I approached the presumed nurse’s office window.

Then, just as I got close—

“…Huh?”

A faint presence stirred inside.

“…….”

I could hear something,

but it was hard to make out.

Good soundproofing? That was the first thought, but I wasn’t sure.

Maybe they were just being extremely quiet.

Pressing close to the wall beside the window, I carefully checked its condition.

Luckily, one of the windows nearby was unlocked.

But even if I tried to open it just a crack to hear better, there were too many risks.

What if Woojin or the others were facing the window?

Even the slightest creak could give me away.

If I made noise, it’d be like a cop announcing their presence while busting a crime ring.

Not an easy decision.

What should I do?

As I wracked my brain, I squinted at the next window—locked.

The one after that, too.

Huh? Why is this one the only one unlocked?

Did they forget to lock it after airing the room?

Tucking that detail away, I focused on other possibilities.

Regardless of the reason, I still couldn’t use this window.

Another observation: none of the windows had curtains or blinds drawn.

If I peeked in like a ghost, maybe I’d get lucky and not be seen.

Or maybe not. My face might be visible, making it riskier than carefully opening the window.

…Just as I was weighing my options—

“……!”

Someone inside suddenly lowered the blinds.

Startled, I held my breath and pressed flat against the wall.

My heart pounded like it was about to burst.

I could feel it throbbing, swelling violently in my chest.

Once the faint footsteps inside grew distant, I finally exhaled shakily into my palm.

If I’d been peeking in, I’d have been caught for sure.

…That was close. Too close.

I aged ten years in a second…….

“Phew….”

But the blinds being drawn did eliminate one concern.

If I could open the window without noise, I could create a small gap without being noticed.

Of course, standing in front would cast a huge shadow from the moonlight.

But pressing against the wall and eavesdropping? That was fine.

Repeating this thought until my heart calmed down, I exhaled into my palm again and examined the window.

…It’s pretty clean.

Not so much well-maintained as just new.

So the hinges probably aren’t rusted.

Would it make any weird noises?

If I pushed gently with my pinky and it caught, I could just give up, right?

Even a sliver of space would be enough to hear inside.

“…….”

So.

Just a little.

A tiny test push wouldn’t hurt…

“…….”

…Ah, it’s working…

…….

….

…?

“…You use this bed the most, right? Normally?”

“Yeah. Sometimes I sit on it while waiting. Students with leg or joint injuries lie down here too.”

“Then this is perfect. …You’ll think about it every time you work, won’t you?”

“Think about what?”

“What do you mean, ‘what’? That we—no, that I and Hayoon—had our way with you in a place where students usually rest. You won’t forget that, will you?”

“W-Wait. Jiyoon. That’s too….”

“…….”

……Huh?