Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Deepening Obsession
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I tossed and turned all night.
It would've been weirder if I'd slept well.
The moment I opened my eyes, the ceiling seemed to spin. It wasn't a hangover. It was because last night's incident in the alley kept replaying in my head.
'I must've lost my mind. No matter how urgent it was.'
I rubbed my dry face and got out of bed.
Even if it was a dire situation with a motorcycle barreling toward us, yelling at my junior and yanking her by the collar like that was blatant overkill.
And to grip her wrist hard enough to leave a bruise...
"Hoo..."
I checked my phone.
Normally, I'd have gotten a [Good morning, Senior!] message first thing, but not today. Ominous.
She must be pissed, right? Or maybe I'd acted too brutish and she'd lost all affection for me, or gotten scared.
Either way, it was my fault, and my stomach churned.
I half-assed washing up, got ready, and headed out. I stopped by the pharmacy in front of school and bought the most expensive, most effective bruise ointment and pain-relief patches.
I didn't know if this would get me forgiven, but I had to show at least some sincerity.
My steps toward the lecture hall felt heavy.
How should I face Seo-ah? Just apologize first, I guess?
I cautiously opened the back door of the lecture hall.
"......"
Seo-ah was already there.
In our usual corner spot where our group gathered.
But the vibe was off from normal.
Usually, she'd be chatting with friends or scrolling her phone, but today she was resting her chin on her hand by the window, staring blankly outside.
Even her little gestures felt heavy for some reason.
I swallowed hard and approached her.
"Seo-ah."
At my call, her shoulders flinched.
That sight pricked my conscience.
She slowly turned her head to look at me.
"Ah... Senior."
Her voice lacked strength. Or more precisely, it was wet.
The instant our eyes met, her face flushed red like a ripe peach.
She hurriedly dropped her gaze and fidgeted with her fingers.
"You're here...?"
She didn't seem angry, but she wasn't her usual bright self either.
Like a puppy scolded by its owner, all huddled up.
So my yelling yesterday had traumatized her. Guilt crushed me.
Of course she couldn't be fine.
"Did you get home okay last night? I was worried since you didn't text."
"Y-yes! I was just... tired, so I went to bed early."
Seo-ah answered in a voice that barely rose above a whisper.
I pulled the ointment and patches I'd bought from my bag and placed them on her desk.
"Here, take these. I grabbed your wrist too hard yesterday—worried it bruised."
"......"
Seo-ah stared blankly at the pharmacy bag, then shook her head slowly.
"I don't wanna put it on."
I doubted my ears for a second.
"Huh? Why? It hurts."
"Just... I'll leave it. It's punishment for my mistake."
What was she saying?
Frustrated, I pulled up a chair and sat down.
"Hey, punishment? It was an accident. And it's my fault for not controlling my strength, not yours. Gimme your hand. I'll put it on."
I reached for her left arm.
The same wrist I'd grabbed yesterday. She had it wrapped tightly in a long-sleeved cardigan.
"N-no! I'm really fine!"
Seo-ah recoiled in shock, yanking her arm back.
Her reaction was so extreme it left me flustered.
Was I that scary? Did she hate even my touch that much?
"Okay, okay. I won't force it. But put it on when you get home later, got it?"
"Yes..."
Seo-ah nodded obediently.
Gone was her usual bold, foxy demeanor—she was like a docile dog now, living or dying by my every word.
The gap was so huge it threw me off.
For some weird reason.
Watching her act all meek and watch my every move,
it stirred a vicious sadistic urge in me... Was I just trash?
Throughout class, Seo-ah was off.
She didn't laugh at the professor's jokes, just stared blankly at the board or stole glances at me.
When our eyes met, she'd jolt and turn away, ears turning red, not knowing what to do.
'She must've been really shocked.'
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
Even back during my ski resort part-time four years ago, I had this habit of getting rough with my words in emergencies. That time it was life-or-death, so fair enough, but yesterday was too much.
Class ended, lunchtime.
On the way to the cafeteria, Seo-ah trailed right behind me. No arm-linking or teasing like usual—just a half-step back, like my shadow.
"Seo-ah, what do you wanna eat? Pork cutlet?"
"Whatever you're having, Senior."
"Coffee? Iced Americano?"
"Yes, anything you buy me is fine."
This might sound harsh, but Seo-ah was a perfect dog.
If I said "sit," she'd sit; "eat," she'd eat.
At this point, my worry turned into something oddly satisfying.
The school goddess, high-and-mighty Yoon Seo-ah, submitting only to me—it gave me this strange sense of superiority, tickling my heart.
We sat in a quiet corner of the cafeteria.
Seo-ah barely touched her food, picking at it. Using chopsticks with her right hand, but I could see her fussing with her left wrist. She gripped her cardigan sleeve to keep it from slipping.
"Does your wrist hurt a lot?"
"No, it doesn't hurt."
"Liar. You've been fiddling with it nonstop."
I set down my chopsticks and spoke seriously.
"Show me. If it's bad, we need to go to the hospital."
"I'm really fine..."
"Yoon Seo-ah. Listen."
A commanding tone slipped out unbidden.
I tried to soften my expression, but her reaction was unexpected.
"......"
At my low voice, her shoulders trembled faintly.
She set down her chopsticks and slowly, very slowly, placed her left arm on the table.
Like a retriever hoping for praise.
Staring straight into my eyes, she tremblingly rolled up her cardigan sleeve.
Her exposed white wrist.
There, the finger marks I'd left yesterday stood out vividly as dark red bruises.
It was worse than I'd thought. Her pale skin made it pop even more.
"Ha... This is insane."
I sighed, gently wrapping my hand around her wrist.
My fingers overlapped the bruises.
"Eut..."
Seo-ah swallowed a low moan.
I thought it was from pain. I rubbed gently around the bruise and said,
"Sorry. I must've gone crazy back there."
"......"
"Does it hurt a lot? What if it scars."
Upset, I lowered my head and carefully stroked her bruised wrist. Her body shivered.
She looked up at me.
Her eyes were misty, but her lips curved subtly.
"Senior..."
"Y-yeah?"
"You can... grip it harder."
Suddenly, her fingers dug into the back of my hand.
"It hurts... but when you touch it, Senior, it doesn't hurt at all. This spot tickles instead."
Seo-ah tapped her left chest, over her heart.
"If I don't listen and act dangerously again... punish me like this. Okay?"
Her eye smile curved seductively.
A chill ran down my spine.
Why?
This wasn't the attitude of a victim forgiving an apology.
It was the masochistic gaze of someone begging her tormentor for more.
I realized instinctively.
Yesterday's accident had unlocked something in Seo-ah.
And what filled that space was a twisted obedience toward me.
"......You're one with weird tastes."
I let out a hollow laugh. Seo-ah beamed and rubbed her cheek against my hand.
"Only for you, Senior. If another guy did it, I'd cut his wrist off."
It didn't sound like a joke.
I stared blankly at her bruised wrist.
A woman proud of the mark I'd left like a badge of honor.
'Dangerous.'
My reason screamed warning, but my hand didn't let go of her wrist.
No—instead, an impulse surged to press my thumb firmly into the bruise.
Curious how far she'd react.
I was definitely getting dyed by Seo-ah too.
In the darkened room, Seo-ah leaned against the headboard, staring blankly at her left wrist.
The vivid red handprint on her white skin. Each throbbing pulse of pain made her lips twist upward strangely.
"It hurts..."
She whimpered, rubbing her hot cheek against the bruise. Her wrist burned like it'd been scorched.
This heat. The overwhelming force that felt like it could crush bones. The rough breathing and shouts unimaginable from her usual gentle senior.
Suddenly, a distant memory flashed in her mind. That hand, the only thing holding her in the freezing cold.
The desperate voice yelling "Don't die!" as she faded away.
The senior's voice in the alley today was chillingly identical to that night's.
"As I thought... it was him."
Seo-ah pulled out a worn box hidden under her pillow. Inside was a single, unpaired old glove. She clutched it to her chest.
"I thought he was just kind... but he's still the same."
She'd been unsure all this time.
Whether he was the one she'd been searching for, or just a lookalike. But today confirmed it. The nature that would gladly become a monster to save her.
"Still the same as ever."
Her eyes glistened wetly. Even if he didn't remember, it didn't matter. Her body did. That searing warmth, that brutal salvation.
"This time, I won't let you go."
She kissed her bruised wrist and whispered softly into the darkness.
"Take responsibility. Like back then... take responsibility for me to the end."