Chapter 66
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Blue Pine Festival (7)
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3:45 p.m. Not much time left until 4 o'clock, when the match between the second-year first and second place students would begin.
Cheon So-yul and I sat apart in the waiting room beneath the stadium, killing time.
"……."
"……."
Silence hung in the air. It was an excruciatingly quiet time. The waiting room wasn't particularly spacious, but there was no conversation between us.
An atmosphere utterly different from our usual one.
I was pretending to scroll through my smartphone, spacing out to pass the time, while Cheon So-yul had been lingering in front of the mirror since earlier.
She wasn't really doing much—just fiddling with her hair endlessly.
Honestly, I was certain of it. Right now, both she and I were probably feeling the exact same thoughts and emotions.
In other words, this was pure awkwardness.
The minor incident that had blown up at the tavern the night before. Ji-woo noona's teasing remark and Cheon So-yul's mistake in reacting to it.
I grumbled inwardly with a hint of dissatisfaction. If she'd just laughed it off then, we wouldn't be in this mess now, right?
'It's not like it's the first time she's heard that kind of talk.'
A sigh escaped through my lips.
First love this, first love that—did she really think I hadn't heard that nonsense all year long?
Since we'd always been so close, I figured it was just something we had to deal with. But the key point was that Cheon So-yul was already used to hearing those kinds of things. At least until now.
Yet, of all times, she blushed then. Her words faltered, her eyes shook so badly they nearly lost focus—it was almost painful to watch.
What had changed? Was it simply because the one making the joke wasn't a classmate but someone else?
It wasn't an impossible guess, but somehow, it didn't feel like that was the whole story.
"……."
Pretending to look at my smartphone, I rolled my eyes to sneak a glance at Cheon So-yul, clenching my sweaty hand tightly for no reason.
That girl.
Cheon So-yul.
Pikachu.
Maybe that crackling thunderbolt girl... wasn't just feeling simple friendship toward her closest friend anymore. Maybe it went beyond that.
Toward me—
'......Toward me......'
I let out a hollow sigh and squeezed my eyes shut. Unable to hold back any longer, I stood up from my seat and pocketed my smartphone.
She'd been stealing glances at me under the pretense of looking in the mirror, and sure enough, her shoulders twitched.
A quick glance at the clock showed there was still some time before the match started.
I decided to head out first and kill this awkward time outside.
"Ah, uh......?"
As I stepped toward the stairs leading out of the waiting room, Cheon So-yul suddenly panicked for some reason, her mouth opening and closing.
Her large eyes shook wildly, followed by a sudden shout.
"W-Wait!"
Cheon So-yul jumped up from her seat in a hurry.
Clunk! Her chair slid back a bit.
I flinched in surprise too. She froze in place, looking up at me with awkward eyes.
"......Uh, um."
"……."
The moment I read the anxious, foot-stomping worry(?) in her eyes, I couldn't help but rub my face dryly.
"Haa."
A sigh slipped out.
It was mine.
Cheon So-yul flinched and started looking at me with timid eyes. Whether I spoke or just watched silently, her mouth stayed shut tight.
Suddenly, it hit me— what the hell were we doing? I felt a surge of absurdity.
A dry chuckle escaped naturally, along with the realization that lingering in this embarrassing atmosphere wasn't like us at all.
I moved. Turning around, not toward the stairs, but toward Cheon So-yul.
"Wh-What?"
Her stiff expression shifted to utter confusion.
She looked like she couldn't understand why I was approaching her, but that wasn't my problem.
I just pushed her against the wall, lowered my head to block any escape, and pressed my lips to her soft ones.
"......?!?"
Cheon So-yul's back straightened rigidly in an instant. Her arms snapped to her sides in a perfect at-ease stance......
Her eyes, meeting mine, were petrified—completely fixed in place.
And like that, for about ten seconds, after a light but somehow intense kiss.
"Phha......!"
Cheon So-yul squeezed her eyes shut as if she couldn't take it anymore and shoved me away hurriedly.
She wiped her lips lightly with her sleeve and stared at me with earthquake-wide eyes.
"Y-You, you you you, what the hell was th-that?!"
I'd expected that reaction. And I had no intention of wasting this short time on useless talk.
I grabbed her wrist immediately and kissed her again. This time, I slipped my tongue deeper, savoring the soft, yielding sensation.
If this saliva, which should taste bland, felt like the world's most irresistible aphrodisiac, was my head just messed up?
Or maybe love itself was that dangerously addictive drug.
I pressed my body closer to the wall. I slid my knee between her legs and used my free hand—the one not holding her wrist—to gently grasp her breast.
"......!!!"
Second-year first place Cheon So-yul and second place Lee Hyun-jin. One minute remaining.
Cheon So-yul's expression finally twisted in shock. Her eyes pierced my face, demanding to know what insane thing I was doing.
I ignored it. Like I said, her confusion wasn't my concern.
I pulled away from her lips with a soft smack, wiping the saliva and stray hairs from the corner of her mouth as I murmured lowly.
"We'll talk later."
"......Wh-What?"
Without pause, I went right back in. Lips met, hands on her chest, knee pushing deep under her skirt.
"Eek, hng......?!"
Cheon So-yul's body convulsed as a very private spot was stimulated by my uniform pants.
She trembled all over like a frog hit by electricity, her five fingers clenching.
Almost instinctively, habitually, she placed those hands on my shoulders and pulled me into a fervent embrace without realizing it.
I continued the kiss, deciding to remove her skirt. My hand slid downward.
Cheon So-yul flinched.
But no further resistance.
Her reason was already numbed from the sudden ambush—that was her state now.
She was just surrendering to my touch, letting her thoughts fade away.
"......Hoo......"
I exhaled my heated breath deeply and met Cheon So-yul's gaze.
Her fervent golden eyes stared straight at me.
The air in the waiting room began to heat up scorchingly, and our lust-filled gazes tangled together.
I spoke to her one last time.
"We'll talk about the rest later. For sure."
"……."
"Suddenly, there's a lot I want to hear from you."
Tension or thrill? Whatever it was, Cheon So-yul trembled all over at my words, her face flushed bright.
I finally tugged her skirt halfway down and reached for her underwear.
Nothing could stop us now.
Really—
"......"
"……."
Except for the mechanical speaker voice announcing the match start, that is.
That was a slight exception.
Cheon So-yul and I froze. We faced each other, our eyes reflecting the same conflicted meaning.
We had two choices.
Keep going, or end this brief tease, regain our senses, and stop.
In that agonizing dilemma, the difference between Cheon So-yul and me was one thing.
'Just a little more......'
I stroked her hair once more, as if nothing else mattered.
"......W-Wai, wait, just a."
Cheon So-yul pushed away my approaching face again, reclaiming the reason that had flown out to the stratosphere.
She panted roughly, forcing herself back to composure.
"Okay, okay, so, ah......"
Her shaking eyes turned to me. What was funny was how she startled herself, cheeks turning rosy.
Anyway, it was a fresh reaction.
Cheon So-yul looked incredibly vulnerable, weakly stopping my advance with trembling hands.
Avoiding my gaze as best she could, she spoke in a feigned calm voice.
"I-I'll talk. Like you said, later, I'll confess everything. I-I'm not sure what, but, uh, anyway......"
"……."
"......Let's finish our match first and think about it then. Okay? We can't do this now......"
Her tone was coaxing, meant to calm, yet she was the one in full panic without realizing it.
Cheon So-yul patted my hand soothingly with her awkward smile.
'Hmm......'
It was a dilemma for me too, but what could I do?
Pretending to give in, I nodded at her request.
"......!"
Her face lit up instantly with a blooming smile.
I couldn't help but let out a wry chuckle.
At the same time, I realized it. This was a bit of a problem.
She looked too cute right now.
Yeah, even more than Baek A-yun clinging to me calling "Oppa, oppa."
I leaned down one last time, leaving a quick kiss on Cheon So-yul's forehead.
My reason had returned a bit. Like she said, now wasn't the time—if we'd kept going, it could've turned into a huge disaster.
Anyway, all good.
Let's solve this tournament first and think later.
Finish the match, talk afterward. That works.
I thought that as I let out a short breath.
The second-year first and second place students appeared a bit late. And among them, the first place girl looked somehow disheveled.
At the same time, in one spot in the stands, a man examined her closely with the sharp eyes of an outstanding Awakener.
Somewhat ragged breathing.
Somewhat messy clothes.
Somewhat glossy lips.
His eyes took in every detail.
"......Ah."
And that man—
Blue Pine Academy fourth-year student council president.
The eldest son of the great archmage, Cheon Woo-hyuk...
Grabbed the back of his neck and collapsed right there.