episode_0484

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No, it’s just…

If that idiot had just clung to Seo Woojin and whined without doing anything else, I wouldn’t have had to agonize over this.

For Yozora to get drunk on just one can of beer and act like this—why did I have to witness this sight for the first time now, of all times?

Ugh…

…But blaming Yozora all night won’t solve anything.

Look at that. No matter how much I curse Yozora in my head, she’s just comfortably leaning against Woojin, purring like a cat.

Pressing the HELP button over and over at that sleeping fool won’t mean a thing right now. So instead…

I should think of a backup plan—anything, really.

“……”

So I picked up a shrimp cracker in front of me, chewed on it, then slowly turned my gaze to the trash bag right beside it.

The first excuse that came to mind was this:

The condoms Yozora bought… wouldn’t it be better to just use them?

But that feels forced, doesn’t it?

Unless condoms are the kind of thing that disappear if you don’t use them immediately, they’re something we can use later.

If Woojin gets suspicious about that part, it’s game over.

No, worse than game over.

Then another excuse… Hmm…

“…Ah.”

“…? What?”

“N-Nothing.”

Sip after sip, the beer can I’d been mindlessly drinking was already nearly empty.

I thought I’d keep drinking beer while racking my brain, but at this rate, I won’t last even ten minutes.

Naturally, my attention shifted—not to my own beer can, but to Woojin’s.

What did it sound like when that can touched the table again?—Gritting my teeth, I ended up just crunching on another poor shrimp cracker.

If that can empties out too, it’ll be the same story.

That idiot will probably start cleaning up soon.

And of course, that stupid fool will try his best not to provoke me.

When I’m in heat, he happily enjoys my body like the pervert he is, but otherwise, he acts all cautious like some kind of saint—unlike the trash he really is.

Those annoying boundaries don’t even matter anymore.

“……”

Even if I just… let it slide.

…I wouldn’t mind.

“Mmm……”

“Hey, you’re heavy…”

“Heheheh…”

“Haah…”

“……”

At this point, there’s really only one way left, isn’t there?

After a brief hesitation, I cleared my throat unnecessarily and tilted the nearly empty beer can, waiting for my chance.

My eyes were fixed on the snack bag.

The target, of course, was Woojin’s hand.

So, yeah—pretending it’s an accident.

If I absentmindedly reach for a snack, our hands might brush against each other at some point, right?

In that shoujo manga I read recently after talking with Sua, the heroine and the male lead accidentally touched hands while reaching for popcorn during a movie…

…

…Anyway.

If that happens, I’ll have an excuse.

I can just blame it on being in heat like usual.

Would it really be weird to ask for sex?

“…Oh.”

“……”

If our hands had actually touched.

If Woojin hadn’t glanced at my hand and smoothly pulled away like just now.

I’m sure it would’ve worked.

“Almost touched. Sorry. Got distracted by Yozora.”

“…It happens. It was my mistake too… So…”

Failing so cleanly is frustrating, but I can’t let my panic show here.

I replied casually with the first thing that came to mind, then as naturally as possible, picked up another shrimp cracker and popped it into my mouth.

Then, matching Woojin’s pace, I took a sip of beer.

Syncing my drinking speed with that oblivious idiot, I lightly shook the can when he wasn’t looking.

…This is bad.

The sloshing sound—it’s practically empty.

I knew there wasn’t much left, but now it’s down to maybe one or two sips at most.

Woojin’s can probably has about the same amount left.

Of course, if I were as talkative as Yozora, I could stretch this out for another hour…

But for me, this is a 5-minute, maybe 10-minute ticket at best.

I racked my brain for anything else I could do in that time, but unfortunately…

Nothing came to mind.

“…Haah.”

So the only way left is to just say it outright, huh?

I know it’s the easiest and fastest way, but… Hmm…

Still, isn’t there another method?

A way to phrase it a little more indirectly?

While I was busy overthinking, even the idle chatter around Yozora had completely died down.

…Staring at the beer can I’d been fidgeting with, something did come to mind.

Not exactly a good idea—

More like a last resort.

“……”

But what’s wrong with a last resort?

Isn’t this the perfect timing for it?

I’m sick of just sitting here, overanalyzing everything.

Would it really be so bad to let go, just a little?

…It’s not like there’s anyone here to hear my pathetic voice except—

Yozora, who’s sound asleep.

And Woojin, right in front of me.

Once in a lifetime.

And if it’s just Woojin listening…

Especially when the stage is already set like this…

“…Here. Cheers. Hurry up.”

“You just drank. Already?”

“It’s just beer, who cares? Yozora’s asleep anyway, so let’s just finish and clean up.”

My hesitation was brief.

I clinked my can against Woojin’s and downed the rest of my beer in one go.

As expected, there were barely two sips left.

But to make it seem like more, I exaggeratedly gulped a few extra times even after the can was empty.

Of course, the actual amount didn’t change, but at least I could pretend I drank a lot at the end.

That’d give my upcoming “idiotic acting” the bare minimum of plausibility.

“…Huu…”

…I thought about fake-hiccuping like I was drunk, but I wasn’t confident I could pull it off naturally, so I gave up.

Instead, I let out a sigh that reeked of alcohol and ran through the scenario in my head.

If Yozora were in my place right now, what would she do?

Given how simple she is, it wasn’t hard to guess.

She’d find some way to seduce Woojin and drag him to bed.

Those condoms from the convenience store? Just props—she probably wouldn’t even use them.

But setting aside the end result, what about the process?

…In other words, how would Yozora tempt Woojin?

The answer was simple.

“What’s wrong? You drank a lot just now—feeling dizzy?”

“……”

She always says she loves him.

She always says she wants to have sex.

All she has to do is say what’s on her mind.

“…Woojin.”

“Yeah?”

So, I can do the same.

With a little help from intoxication—even if I’m not really drunk.

“I’m quitting being a villain. It wasn’t what I wanted in the first place.”

“That’s what you said in the infirmary. …What, you want praise for deciding to stop doing bad things?”

“…What if I do?”

“…Huh?”

“Praise me. …Hurry.”

Blaming the slight flush on my face—

On the alcohol.

“…I like being praised too, just like Yozora. I like it when you pet me gently, the way you do with her.”

Sitting up straight would look weird, so—

I let my chin rest slightly on my hand.

In a voice even more tired and sticky than before.

“So hurry up and praise me… Ah, it’d be easier if I just went over there.”

Even though I know exactly where this went wrong.

Playing dumb, keeping a straight face as I moved closer.

…Past Yozora, who was purring away, oblivious to the world.

Lightly.

“…Here. You don’t get many chances to pet a gumiho as much as you want, right?”

I straddled his lap, facing him.

“Baek Seoyeon. You seem kinda drunk, so maybe later—”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“…Pfft…”

I said I wanted to be petted.

I said I wanted praise.

I even spat out those embarrassing words myself, so there was no point holding back now.

Maybe he really thought I was drunk, given how flustered he was, stammering nonsense.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I playfully pressed my lips against his.

It’s not like we haven’t done worse during sex.

Hell, I’ve even left hickeys on him before—so what’s the big deal about a little peck?

…It’s just part of our routine, isn’t it?

Except if we treat this like routine, the side effect is—

“…We touched. The two of us.”

“…You said we shouldn’t.”

“I’ll take the punishment, so… it’s fine.”

We should treat sex like routine, but—

…Well.

If you just put in a little more effort.

I don’t mind.

“I don’t think sex with you is… bad… I mean…”

“……”

“…I-I like it… kinda…”

I like it.

I like having sex with you.

Stammering it out, I grabbed Woojin’s hand and placed it on top of my head.

…All that effort to make it seem plausible? Gone.

Whatever.

I feel good.

Just keep petting me.

Hold me tight.

Burying my face in his chest, I thought just that.

“More importantly, hurry up and pet me… Instead of just groping my chest or flicking my nipples all the time… Every now and then, something wholesome like this…”

“Hey, wait. There’s something I need to tell you first—”

“There is. No, there’s a lot. Good girl… So pretty… Stuff like that…”

“Baek Seoyeon. Hold on— That’s not—”

“…Pfft.”

“…?”

…Right next to Woojin.

Even as Yozora giggled happily—

“Ah, uh, sorry. Should I step out for a bit? An hour or so?”

—I didn’t notice until I heard her laugh.