Chapter 57

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 57

Chapter Title: Additional Traits (3)

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Setting my address to the academy dorm and ordering delivery food. You might think it wouldn't be allowed, but surprisingly, the rules were pretty lax.

Well, unlike the terrifying worldbuilding in some webnovels, Blue Pine Academy wasn't some fortress you had to go through strict checkpoints to enter.

In fact, most of the outer areas were open even to civilians.

They had minimal defenses in place to prepare for villain attacks, of course.

'Just think about those Moonlight Cult lunatics barging in—if something like that could happen here, incidents aren't impossible...'

Anyway, the point was that delivery from outside was pretty free and easy.

There were even several late-night spots right on the academy campus grounds.

And braised chicken was a fairly popular dish.

Ordering it didn't feel like a big deal at all.

I took the delivered food and spread it out on the table, then waited patiently.

The kid should be here any minute.

'She said she'd come right away, but she hasn't even texted once until the delivery arrived.'

I must have waited about 20 minutes, but naturally, Baek A-yun from the floor above should arrive faster than food coming from way out there.

"...Jeez."

I sprawled on the sofa and stared blankly at the ceiling. I'd give her another 10 minutes, but if she was any later, that was it.

Then I'd just devour this tempting two-person feast all by myself.

I was watching the digital clock, waiting for the minutes to tick by, when—ding-dong.

The doorbell finally rang.

"Up we go."

I got up with a hint of annoyance in my movements. If she'd shown up this late without a good reason, I wasn't letting it slide.

I stomped deliberately to the door and flung it open.

"...Ah."

And there, as expected, was Baek A-yun. I'd called her, after all.

But now with a damp towel around her neck, looking all fresh and fluffy.

"...".

I clamped my mouth shut for a moment before furrowing my brow slightly. A sweet lotion scent wafted from her twintails.

What was this? Had she taken a shower on the way over?

'...Why? Was that necessary?'

Even as I thought 'Did she really need to go that far?', I couldn't help but naturally piece together the context.

The way she was glancing at me, that glint in her eyes—considering she'd just showered, her outfit looked awfully thin and loose.

Anyone who couldn't read her intentions from that would be the weird one.

I let out a deep sigh laced with sincerity.

...Of course, I hadn't called her with purely innocent intentions myself, but having my short chat messages see right through me felt strangely off-putting.

'Come to think of it, Ryu Se-eun came prepared too, to some extent.'

I had a sudden realization and let out a hollow breath. Was that how it was? Was I really that dirty ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and ugly of a guy?

How the hell did I live my life that every girl I invite to my dorm comes expecting something lewd? Seriously...

As I swallowed a sigh and twisted my expression in complicated feelings,

She had to have noticed the weird vibe, so Baek A-yun spoke up.

"Why the long face...? You called me over but won't even let me in."

"...It's nothing. Just a wave of self-loathing hit me out of nowhere."

"? Out of nowhere?"

Baek A-yun tilted her head quizzically, but I didn't respond further and just silently stepped aside. Meaning, come in.

"...Ahem, excuse me then?"

Baek A-yun raised the end of her voice suspiciously but stepped inside anyway.

She kicked off her slippers haphazardly, padding across the living room on bare white feet.

The moment she spotted the braised chicken and beer on the table, her face lit up and she took a seat. She immediately cracked open a beer can with a pop.

I sat down across from her.

Right—for now, filling our stomachs with this late-night grub and thinking later didn't sound bad.

I raised my can, and Baek A-yun flashed a soft smile and clinked with me.

"Cheers."

"Cheeeers."

*****

About 20 minutes passed like that, and after giving it some thought, it seemed better to cut straight to the chase instead of beating around the bush and testing the waters unnecessarily.

Judging by Baek A-yun's personality, she probably didn't want pointless chit-chat either.

Separate from this nagging guilt gnawing at my conscience, she'd come to my room fully prepared anyway.

Did I really need to be cautious?

"...About that trait I mentioned last time."

So I decided to bring it up right away.

Straight ball from the start. The trait talk.

"Truth is, I awakened one more additional ability recently. Got a bit of a lucky ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠break, I guess."

Whether hooking up with five women in under half a year counted as a 'lucky break' was debatable.

But thanks to it, my trait evolved, so sure, call it a lucky break.

It wasn't important, so I skipped the details cleanly.

Instead, I got to my personal request related to the additional ability.

I'd explained it step by step to Ryu Se-eun just a few hours ago during our hookup, so no hesitation there.

Though she was so out of it then, not sure if she really got it...

Anyway, I wanted to test this ability to gauge affection levels a bit more personally, and I needed to check the precise limits of the periodic absorption too.

An assistant was essential. And so, subject number two(?) was Baek A-yun.

"That's why I called you so suddenly. Got any time tonight—"

I finished the rough explanation and was about to wrap up when I paused.

A beat late, I noticed. Baek A-yun's demeanor was oddly lukewarm.

Not like she was dissatisfied or reluctant about what I said.

More like her attention was elsewhere, tuning me out.

"...What're you doing?"

I called out to her in a mix of confusion and exasperation. No response.

She just tilted her head, blankly scanning the room.

She must have been listening at first—she nodded along midway, so probably got it then. But after? Who knows.

As I felt puzzled and tried to snap her out of it again,

Baek A-yun's lips moved.

"Oppa."

"...Huh?"

She turned to me with narrowed eyes, and I flinched, straightening my posture reflexively.

Slowly, an awkward air began to fill the room.

Baek A-yun tilted her head to the side. The motion was so nonchalant and plain it sent chills down my spine.

She added one more line right after.

"I didn't do anything wrong to you, did I?"

"...".

It came out of nowhere.

Honestly, I had no clue.

More realistically, I had a few guesses but couldn't pinpoint the exact reason...

At least it wasn't displeasure from me calling her here with impure motives.

If it were, she wouldn't have come. Wouldn't have worn something so loose on purpose.

Anyway, bottom line: I swallowed dryly.

The last time Baek A-yun called me 'Oppa' was that day we fought on the street, then headed to a motel as a makeup gesture(?).

After that, she'd consistently called me 'Hyun-jin-ssi' at school.

But now she was calling me Oppa again? Dropping her usual polite speech too?

Something was wrong. As I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠broke into a cold sweat, gauging her mood,

"Jasmine scent."

Baek A-yun crossed her arms smugly while staring at me. She shifted into a slouched pose, legs crossed, glaring dissatisfiedly. Intently.

"As far as I know, not many people at school use this scent. At least in my circle, just one. Kanzaki Rie from our A-Class, same as you, Oppa."

"...".

"And I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠think I smell So-yul-ssi’s orange-mixed shampoo here and there... Oh, and look, there's a long teal hair strand draped over that pillow?"

Only one person in the academy has that.

Baek A-yun added with a slight sneer.

"Se-eun-ssi was here too, huh."

Her tone was questioning, but it had already passed that point.

Just a few words tossed to confirm what she already knew.

I couldn't say a word, but my face must have looked pretty bad—Baek A-yun let out a hollow chuckle.

She uncrossed her legs, stood, and approached me.

"But don't get the wrong idea, Oppa. I knew you were a total playboy from the start when we got together. Even if you swap girls every time and have your fun, my feelings haven't changed."

Her hand moved. Baek A-yun's slender finger trailed across the nape of my neck.

"You know that, right? How much I like you, Oppa."

"...".

"Hm, no answer?"

My expression wavered, but I had no choice but to nod.

Only then did Baek A-yun smile in satisfaction.

"Anyway, it doesn't really matter. Whether you've brought three girls to your room lately or lived a promiscuous sex life... I still love you, Oppa."

I was sweating bullets, clenching and unclenching my fists. Each word made my heart lurch with a chill.

This wasn't the first time Baek A-yun confessed her love, but...

At least back then, it hadn't felt this spine-tinglingly terrifying.

If anything, it had made my heart race.

'...I was the one who called her here to devour her.'

I had a feeling I knew what came next. So I politely clasped my hands together and waited for her to continue.

Her eyes curved into a smile.

"But, you know."

Baek A-yun took a small step back from me.

She padded lightly to the bed.

"When I think about it, it kinda pisses me off. So-yul-ssi, Se-eun-ssi, and Rie-ssi too. Three whole girls came and went from here, so why am I only coming now?"

She stripped off her ridiculously loose top entirely, left only in her dolphin shorts, and perched on the edge of the bed.

Plus, she hadn't been wearing a bra to begin with. She bared her bare chest and looked my way.

"...Mm."

Smiling sweetly yet icily as she spoke to me.

"I'm not the last one on your list you called over, right? My loving big brother."

"...".

I sensed killing intent.