Chapter 23
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Thawing (3)
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Lee Hyun-jin. The prized disciple of Archmage Seol Ha-yeon, a young pure-blood mage who was peerless when it came to ice magic.
In truth, Cheon So-yul hadn't gotten along with that male student from the start.
……Of course, even now, calling their relationship perfectly harmonious would still raise a few eyebrows.
Even accounting for that, things had been even worse a year ago, right around the time they first entered Blue Pine Academy.
For one thing, weren't they disciples of rival archmages? They couldn't help but feel a basic rivalry toward each other. And above all, their personalities clashed—fiercely, stubbornly so.
Cheon So-yul was a girl with towering pride and a fierce spirit, while Lee Hyun-jin was a boy with a sly, slippery side laced with plenty of mischief.
Their dynamic was one that was bound to clash in some way. They talked often, made efforts to get somewhat close.
But in the end, they became the kind of pair who bickered at the mere sight of each other.
Their personalities just didn't mesh. Without some change, they might have ended up as barely tolerable bad friends—or even something vaguer than that.
So when did that change come?
'……Hng.'
With her arms pinned by Lee Hyun-jin, Cheon So-yul panted raggedly, her mind drifting to memories of the past that ill suited the current moment.
Yes, it had been about eight months ago.
It was during the height of their first semester's fresh excitement. Making new friends had been enjoyable enough, and absorbing new knowledge was something she'd longed for.
The midterm evaluation in the first year, first semester had been much the same.
The lower monster habitats in Geryong Mountain, managed by Blue Pine Academy under the pretext of giving students real combat experience and research on monsters and gates.
True to the academy's ethos of fierce competition among students, it was time for monster extermination exams that mimicked real battles.
A blunder on the academy's part. A failure to control the monster population meant that Cheon So-yul, moving alone, found herself in quite a perilous spot.
One wrong move, and she might have been buried under a horde of monsters.
She was distributing her Heavenly Thunder efficiently to thin them out, but then a second gate break hit right on top of it, trapping her in a cave midway up the mountain range.
Just as she thought this was truly the end—
A sharp crackling echoed as a pillar of ice surged high, scattering frigid blue mist.
And then a frantic voice rang out.
"Hey, you okay……?!"
"……Lee Hyun-jin?"
There he was, Lee Hyun-jin, forcing his way through the monster horde with uncharacteristic close-quarters combat.
His body splattered with blood that could have been monster or human.
……She later heard that he'd simply been pushing deeper into the mountains for better scores.
But then he'd heard the distinctive crack of her thunder echoing repeatedly and sensed something was off.
'……What an idiot.'
To charge through the monsters ahead based on nothing but a vague hunch.
Just to rescue someone who might or might not be in danger.
Even after that day, Lee Hyun-jin and Cheon So-yul encountered various unusual incidents during their school life, but the memory that stood out most vividly was undoubtedly that time.
The roughly five hours of monster defense alongside the boy she'd found somewhat disagreeable until then.
It was a 'real' crisis outside the academy's plans. Not the easiest thing to admit, but……
Deep down, Cheon So-yul had quite enjoyed it.
At first, isolated amid the horde, there had been fear. No certainty she could break through.
After Lee Hyun-jin appeared like a miracle, the needless bickering somehow made those trivial fears fade naturally.
So she felt grateful. Immensely so. She even considered asking her sister at work for advice on how to thank him properly.
She scrapped the idea of asking about 'gifts for a guy' out of fear of the response, though.
Anyway.
That was why. After finishing the semester, through summer break and into the second, their relationship rapidly grew closer.
She still wasn't certain about romantic feelings, but if she had to form such a deep bond with someone……
At the very least, Cheon So-yul couldn't imagine anyone but Lee Hyun-jin.
So it was fine.
She didn't dislike it.
Even aware that as students, this was rather debauched, if it was with Lee Hyun-jin, it was okay. It felt somehow inconsequential.
Cheon So-yul realized a loose smile had nearly crept onto her lips.
To stop it, she reached out, grabbed the back of Lee Hyun-jin's head, and forced a kiss.
"Eek……!"
That was the trigger. Lee Hyun-jin scowled, his expression saying he couldn't hold back anymore, and Cheon So-yul read the lewd omen.
She tugged her lips up slyly and prodded his cheek with her index finger.
Then she let out a voice thick with pleasure.
"I'm…… about to cum soon too."
"……!"
"Yeah, hn. Cum whenever you want……."
Her brows furrowed slightly, stifling the occasional sultry moan.
Cheon So-yul looked up at Lee Hyun-jin with eyes curved like crescent moons.
Then parted her lips with a soft 'heh'.
A rather blatant invitation.
"……Ha."
Lee Hyun-jin let out a dry chuckle, as if he couldn't deal with her. And as she wished, he lowered his body slightly to tease her tongue.
"Hnn……!"
Cheon So-yul's eyes snapped wide. Her hips bucked sharply, and a thick wave of pleasure from her lower belly engulfed her body.
The third climax of the night.
"……."
I lay on Cheon So-yul's bed, staring up at the ceiling.
Even counting the stains would be pointless; the paint job was impeccably clean.
So I just lay there. Blankly, limply.
No energy left for anything else.
The pillow was plush, cradling the back of my head deeply…… The blanket was thick and winter-appropriate, soft and warm. Perfect.
Just as I finished today's final 'workout' and settled into rest—
"Where do you think you're sleeping?"
Thwack!
"?!"
……A sharp pain shot through my lower body. No joke, my body nearly jolted upright, and I frantically lifted my head.
"Ch-Cheon So-yul?"
Obviously, only one person in this room could interfere with me like this.
Cheon So-yul lay seductively beside me, plastered to my side.
Her right hand toying lewdly with my spent member.
My face went blank as I gaped. What the hell……?
"Euk……!"
Before I could voice the question, a genuine groan escaped me first.
Cheon So-yul was stroking my shaft gently with her index finger while thumbing the tip.
I glared at her wide-eyed, but she just giggled vacantly under my gaze.
"……I can go a bit more."
"……."
"You too, right?"
And that was no different from a death threat.
I clamped my lips shut. Cold sweat beaded and trickled down my cheeks.
Confirming my expression, Cheon So-yul grinned and slithered up onto my thigh.
Like a nimble cat, she swiftly took position.
This time, she loomed over me, hands moving.
Instinct screamed danger.
"……Hey, wait. Just a sec."
"I'll help. Let's get it hard again."
Trying to grab her arm was futile. She brushed off my hand casually and started her clumsy handjob.
Body exhausted, but the damn thing responded anyway. I paled; she beamed with impish glee.
"See? What 'just a sec'? You're raring to go too."
"No, wait. I really can't do more……!"
"Tch, shut up! If I say we're doing it, we do it! Get hard quick! Hard!!"
That night.
I sent Cheon So-yul over the edge three more times before finally getting proper sleep……
"……Well, if you'd said something theoretical like 'do whatever you want, it's your freedom,' I might not have held back then. Hell, I might've gone wild."
Morning had come, and Cheon So-yul said as much.
It was an answer to a question.
The night before, she'd only told Lee Hyun-jin that if he didn't want to see her with another guy, he should do better. Not to focus solely on her.
When he'd asked about it, she'd given that reply.
That if he'd said to do as she pleased, she really might not have restrained herself.
She would've done exactly as she wanted.
……Logically, yes, whatever she did with whomever was her freedom.
Cheon So-yul knew that.
She just hoped his answer wouldn't be so trite. Why?
'……If he wouldn't even get jealous, I'd feel truly pathetic.'
Cheon So-yul bit her lip and glared irritably at Lee Hyun-jin. Even his flustered look was infuriating.
Yes, that was the feeling. He was exasperating, but above all, she absolutely didn't want to hear 'do whatever.'
More bluntly—
Cheon So-yul wanted him to be jealous of her.
Everything else aside, it was a matter of pride.
Yes, pride. If Lee Hyun-jin didn't need her, it would scratch a deeper wound…… That pointless pride.
When her reckless bluff made his face darken, she even felt a base sense of superiority.
His jealousy pleased her. It confirmed he saw her as closer than any of his many friends.
'……Yeah. That's all it is.'
Cheon So-yul repeated it inwardly, forcing even herself to accept that it was all about pride, nothing more.
"Haa."
Having sorted her thoughts, she gathered her messy hair into a single ponytail.
She shook her head to fluff it out, then shot Lee Hyun-jin a sparking glare.
"You."
And spoke.
"If you don't want to see me in bed with another guy, do better from now on. Fail to satisfy me even once, and your chance is gone."
It was a warning. Words she didn't truly mean, but bluffs like that sometimes worked surprisingly well.
This was one such case. Lee Hyun-jin looked reluctant but wasn't brushing it off.
Cheon So-yul nodded in satisfaction.
"……Yeah, but."
One thing she hadn't expected.
Lee Hyun-jin asked awkwardly.
"You wanna keep doing this with me from now on?"
"……."
An utterly unforeseen counterattack.
Cheon So-yul froze briefly, but her sharp mind spun quickly to the ideal response.
"Y-Yeah."
Affirm first. Then redefine the relationship.
"Let's make it clear, Lee Hyun-jin. From now on, you're my—"
She paused midway, a strange shyness surging. But seeing his anxious face calmed her.
Cheon So-yul forced a strained smile laced with twisted emotions, pointed at him, and declared boldly.
"From now on, you're my one and only sex friend……!"
"?"
Lee Hyun-jin looked dumbfounded.
"Cheon So-yul."
"What?"
"Last question. You okay with that?"
"……With what?"
"If I don't focus only on you, is that enough?"
"……."
Lee Hyun-jin asked with uncharacteristic seriousness, and Cheon So-yul hesitated just a moment.
A flicker of conflict in her eyes.
But then—
"……Ha, what're you on about."
She forced a casual chuckle, shrugged coolly, and glanced sidelong at him.
"Doesn't matter much? A playboy like you? I'd reject you first. Sex friend? Maybe. Husband material? Disqualified a hundred, a thousand times over."
"……."
"……Well, telling an awakener not to use their trait is pretty rude anyway."
What can you do? Your trait just happens to be that pervy.
She added with a playful smile, sticking out her tongue with a 'bleh'.
It was pride, too.
Acknowledging him as a continual fling partner was fine.
But bringing up husband or son-in-law now felt like bending too much, too many times. She hated it.
If anyone wanted that lovey-dovey future, he should beg first.
Cheon So-yul thought that and quickly averted her gaze from him.
"Do whatever. I won't care who you screw."
That's why.
She didn't see it.
"Yeah……?"
The profoundly subtle expression on Lee Hyun-jin behind her.
Or the faint emotion flickering in his eyes.
'I should've grabbed the leash tighter back then, instead of…….'
Years later, Cheon So-yul would regret that foolish choice—prioritizing pride over gain—and gnash her teeth over it.
But to the girl she was then, barely twenty, it was a heartbreaking truth she couldn't yet grasp.