Side Story 74. The Story After (74)

About a week ago.

Victoria Academy’s Student Council President’s office.

Moon Surin looked at her smartwatch, her face crestfallen. The news articles published on Every Day were filled with Lee Hoyeon’s name.

[Lee Hoyeon the Mage’s Overwhelming Magic Strikes France.]

[China is Shocked, Japan is Amazed, and America is Stunned by Korea’s Mage Lee Hoyeon!]

[News of him joining the Iris Guild after graduating Victoria Academy?]

“Going to the Iris Guild? No way…”

Lee Hoyeon promised to come to Victoria Academy after graduation. We made that promise…!

Moon Surin thought about Lee Hoyeon, who had promised her a future together. She had already gotten her father’s and grandfather’s permission, and it was as good as her own consent too. If it were up to her, she’d want to have the wedding ceremony with Lee Hoyeon right this instant.

“My Hoyeon…”

Moon Surin looked at the collection of Lee Hoyeon’s photos in her album. That man, who was her type from head to toe, was incredibly popular. He was also the most famous mage in the world, and a man loved by a tremendous number of women.

“Why are you so popular?”

She knew the reason. It must be the same reason she liked him. Because he was a kind, good-natured, and lovely man.

Moon Surin hugged the photo album. She hated the reality of him being constantly talked about by others, gaining popularity.

“You said you’d never abandon me…”

This couldn’t happen…! It wasn’t like she didn’t know he had deep relationships with other women. If she were going to get hurt by such things, she wouldn’t have started this in the first place. Moon Surin knew that fact too, so she maintained a certain boundary… but other people seemed oblivious to that line.

‘I want to spend time with Hoyeon every day too…!’

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to spend time with Lee Hoyeon. She was just too busy with Academy duties to see him often. But the Iris Guild met Lee Hoyeon while working like that. Isn’t that totally unfair? Even without that, she had been angry whenever Professor Im Sol summoned Lee Hoyeon under the guise of magic class. She couldn’t just stand by either.

‘No. I have to hold back for my Hoyeon’s sake…’

Moon Surin liked Lee Hoyeon, but she didn’t want to put him in a difficult position. Because she couldn’t ruin his bright future.

‘He does need a plan for himself anyway. But…’

Before that, she needed to secure her own position. To be chosen by Lee Hoyeon, Moon Surin had to make herself appealing too.

‘…To Hoyeon? No.’

That would be too late. To win Lee Hoyeon, she had to seize him, even if it meant resorting to threats.

‘First, I’ll get Hoyeon back to the Academy…’ …and call him over under the pretext of Student Council work. And then, I’ll create an inescapable trap….

‘Nothing too harsh, though. I can’t cause trouble for Hoyeon…’ Just, let’s not cause him any trouble.

Moon Surin slowly pondered her plan.

*

Moon Surin came to meet Lee Hoyeon, having made that resolution. She had successfully managed a natural wedding photoshoot… but unfortunately, Lee Hoyeon grabbed her hand and pulled her into a quiet makeup room.

“Surin noona. What’s wrong? Is something the matter?”

Lee Hoyeon, having found the quiet room, looked at Moon Surin. Moon Surin in the wedding dress was incredibly beautiful, even seeing her again… but that wasn’t the important thing.

‘This noona isn’t the type to act like this.’

Actually, he couldn’t understand. How smart Moon Surin was. There was no way she would cause trouble like this.

“But, Hoyeon, you’re playing around with other women too much… so I have to claim you as mine…”

“…Surin noona. What are you talking about?”

“Absolutely not…. Hoyeon. I can’t give you up. I’m definitely using this photo as promotional material.”

“Really?”

“Uh-huh. It’s true.”

Lee Hoyeon smiled as he looked at Moon Surin.

“Don’t smile like that. I’m serious.”

“Noona. Your habit of looking away when you lie hasn’t changed.”

“Gah…”

Moon Surin flinched, startled without realizing it.

“I’m sorry. Is it because I haven’t been taking care of you properly, noona?”

That was a habit Surin noona only showed around people she was comfortable with. Lee Hoyeon understood Moon Surin’s feelings and smiled. It seemed her inner feelings of dependence on Lee Hoyeon, likely due to not seeing him for a long time, had surfaced. However, Moon Surin was a smart person. Ultimately, it probably wouldn’t have caused any harm to Lee Hoyeon.

Lee Hoyeon looked at Moon Surin and opened his arms.

“Come here. You haven’t visited in so long, have you?”

“Uh, hmm…”

Moon Surin felt inexplicably discontent, but she hugged Lee Hoyeon for now. Even if the plan wasn’t a perfect success, the chance to be held by him wasn’t something that came often. Being held in Lee Hoyeon’s warm embrace made her feel like her worries were disappearing. Moon Surin hugged him tightly, a happy smile on her face.

“Haaah… Hoo, haaah…”

Lee Hoyeon’s scent. It smelled so good after so long.

“Lift your head.”

Lee Hoyeon let out a sigh of relief as he looked at Moon Surin. Fortunately, Moon Surin had maintained her sanity. It seemed she hadn’t completely lost her mind.

“Hoyeon. Hmm…”

Lee Hoyeon embraced Moon Surin with a light kiss. As their tongues touched and saliva was exchanged, the atmosphere between them quickly heated up.

“Now, let’s put the photo aside first…”

Lee Hoyeon naturally took the photo away. Later, I’ll have to contact that photographer and make sure the photo is discarded or something. This photo is too dangerous the moment it gets out into the world.

“Th-the photo, give it back. I’ll keep it.”

Then, Moon Surin carefully reached out her hand.

“…Are you really just going to keep it?”

“Uh-huh. I promise.”

“Really? Look me in the eye and say it.”

Lee Hoyeon stared intently at Moon Surin. Moon Surin looked into Lee Hoyeon’s eyes, then finally turned her head away. And whispered softly.

“M-maybe I’ll leak one or two copies to the press. Or maybe not.”

“As expected, you can’t be trusted.”

Lee Hoyeon put the photo in his pocket. That was close.

“N-no way…. This was a photo taken with the most expensive photographer in our country…”

“…That photographer?”

Moon Surin made a crestfallen face, her expression despairing. Seeing that look made him feel sorry again. Come to think of it, she probably had high expectations since she came to see him after so long…

“Sigh. And don’t you dare leak it to the press, okay?”

“Uh-huh! I understand…!”

Moon Surin smiled brightly, looking at the photo Lee Hoyeon handed her. It was a little unsettling… but Moon Surin was smart, so it should be fine.

“….”

Moon Surin hugged the photo tightly, as if it were a treasure. Seeing that, Lee Hoyeon felt unnecessarily awkward and approached Moon Surin.

“Surin noona.”

“Uh, hmm.”

Moon Surin closed her eyes as she received Lee Hoyeon’s kiss. Just hugging felt so good, and as the intimacy progressed, her head felt like it was heating up.

Slid.

Lee Hoyeon naturally placed his hand on Moon Surin’s chest. Through the thin wedding dress, he could feel the presence of her soft breast.

“N-nnngh. Hoyeon…”

“Yes. Noona.”

“…Let’s go to the dormitory instead of here.”

This was a photo studio that Moon Surin frequented. To perform such a grand event here… her heart was pounding.

“Should we? Has your excitement calmed down a bit?”

“I-I wasn’t excited!”

Moon Surin fanned her flushed face as she came out of the makeup room.

‘Did I clean the dorm properly? I can’t remember…’

Maybe it was because she was wearing this dress, but her heart was pounding unnecessarily. After Lee Hoyeon stopped by her dorm last time. She had put away quite a lot of Hoyeon’s photos, but still, most of the room was filled with Lee Hoyeon’s pictures.

‘Hoyeon said it was okay… Ugh, it should be fine.’

Moon Surin exited the studio with a worried expression. Lee Hoyeon, following her, snapped his fingers to cast a perception-blocking spell and looked around.

‘So this was a photo studio?’

Moon Surin had told me to hurry and follow, so I did, but it was such a fancy place I didn’t even realize it was a photo studio until we were taking pictures.

“Okay, let’s go. Surin noona.”

“Uh-huh…. And, don’t mind too much if the dorm is a bit messy…”

“I told you it’s fine.”

Lee Hoyeon chuckled and followed Moon Surin. It wasn’t that far from the Academy, so they should arrive soon.

“Come in carefully. Hoyeon.”

Because Moon Surin walked so quickly, they arrived at the dorm in no time. Lee Hoyeon followed her inside the dormitory.

Ttirring-

As the door opened, a pleasant scent wafted out from inside. It was Moon Surin’s scent.

“It’s been a while since I came to your dorm too, noona.”

“Uh-huh. It has.”

Come to think of it, isn’t this better than the Student Council room? Let’s agree to meet here from now on too.

‘The Student Council people keep hitting on Hoyeon…’ She didn’t like people, male or female, clinging to Lee Hoyeon at all. Especially the women, every single one of them had eyes burning with desire. As if Lee Hoyeon were someone’s boyfriend….

“Noona? What’s wrong with your face?”

“Ah, it’s nothing. Just thinking about something else.”

Lee Hoyeon looked at Moon Surin’s reddened face and entered her room.