Chapter 15
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Forest
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Chirrrp. Chirrrp.
The forest was quiet.
A grassy scent wafted into his nostrils.
Being nighttime made the smell feel even thicker.
The sound of waves gradually faded away, and the cries of insects from somewhere fell silent soon after.
Rustle. Rustle.
The surroundings were dark.
But a breeze blew in from the seaside, so he could use the gentle wind blowing from behind as a guide and head straight into the forest away from the coast.
'I was so worried, but it's just dark—no real danger. What a relief.'
[Danger Detection]
Nothing detected.
His steps naturally quickened a bit.
"W-Woojin. Go a little slower..."
But the homeroom teacher, who had no special abilities and thus no idea what lurked in the darkness, kept glancing around fearfully.
The lantern light darted erratically here and there.
At this rate, it would take forever just to make progress.
He didn't want to talk much, but he let out a sigh and spoke.
"It's fine—just trust me and follow."
"O-okay."
The homeroom teacher drew closer behind him and grabbed his clothes with her hand.
"Why grab my clothes?"
"S-sorry. I just can't relax otherwise. I know you're not that kind of guy, b-but what if you leave me behind midway..."
"......"
"A-and... sorry about this morning. For not being a proper homeroom teacher. For disappointing you..."
She was timid, indecisive, and couldn't assert herself properly.
The morning incident where she'd screwed him over was probably just her getting swept up in the moment while fumbling around.
He'd known her personality well enough from the past three years.
There was no further disappointment to be had.
"Do whatever."
"Thanks."
They moved for 30 minutes, rested for 10, then repeated: another 30 minutes of moving.
Partly because the homeroom teacher's stamina was poor, and partly because using his [Danger Detection] ability alongside drained his energy too.
'Still, we've come about three hours in.'
Of course, without proper bearings, they'd zigzagged around, so the actual distance covered wasn't much.
Proof of that: the sound of waves kept reaching his ears intermittently before fading again.
He'd thought they were heading forward, but at some point, they were veering back toward the coast.
He adjusted rightward at the waves coming from the left.
But soon, waves sounded from the right.
Left, then right again.
Zigzagging forward like that, he became certain of one fact.
'As expected, we crash-landed at the tip of the island.'
One might ask how a sea-encircled island could have a "tip," but it did.
More precisely, it was a long, pointed landmass—and they'd come down at the very end.
Evidence: on the first day scouting the island, both left and right coasts had stretched endlessly.
There were sections hidden by the curving shoreline, but overall, he'd seen far into the island's distant parts at a glance.
Meaning the landmass opposite where they stood was much wider.
'Next time, don't plunge straight into the forest—follow the coast far enough, then cut inland midway.'
That way, no trudging through trees, no getting lost in direction.
'Hm?'
And after wandering how long?
Suddenly, red auras flickered into detection far ahead.
'Getting more numerous.'
The count swelled rapidly.
The forest floor and trees teemed with threats.
Some even hovered overhead occasionally.
'Did all the snakes really head out to sea?'
"Woojin? Why are your eyes so fierce..."
Dilemma gripped him.
Press on or turn back here?
No coconuts sighted yet. They might lie beyond these things.
He considered retreating but steeled himself.
Time was short for him.
He needed to learn as much about the island as possible today or tomorrow.
Plus, this morning's snakes had fled from humans in fear.
'As long as I don't strike first.'
Gripping the lantern, he mustered courage and advanced.
Behind, the homeroom teacher clutched his clothes tighter. She'd instinctively sensed danger ahead from his demeanor.
Rustle. Rustle.
Parting bushes carefully, he proceeded.
Then he cautiously shone the lantern on one emitting a red aura.
Something writhed, dangling from a tree. But no matter how he looked, it wasn't a snake.
At a glance, it resembled a spider.
Or rather, a crab with armor plating.
The homeroom teacher peeked over his shoulder and said,
"Eek. A lobster?"
It wasn't a snake.
Up close, it looked like a crayfish.
If anything, a hermit crab—minus the shell.
"Probably a coconut crab."
Yes—the sources of those red auras were coconut crabs.
Coconut crabs scuttled everywhere in the forest.
Coconut crabs of all colors, about 40 cm in body length.
He'd seen them in a video once, but up close, those claws looked seriously threatening.
One wrong brush, and it'd hurt bad.
So he observed with curiosity but kept his distance.
Instead, he gazed up above with satisfaction.
'There they are. Coconuts.'
Coconuts hung from the tops of tall trees.
Having them right there yet considering turning back—he was glad he'd pushed on.
'But what's with the coconuts glowing red?'
Not all, but some coconuts bore red in [Danger Detection].
Wondering if the ability glitched, one plummeted to the ground.
'Ah, got it. They're marked red because they're about to fall.'
The system warned of imminent drops—hence the danger label.
He picked up the fallen coconut. Lighter than expected.
"T-take it...?"
"Yeah. Gotta prove we weren't just sightseeing."
He wanted to snag a coconut crab too, but those massive claws seemed risky. Better just mention seeing them.
'Climbing myself is dicey, and who knows when the others drop—might as well rest and wait.'
Fortunately, two red-marked ones remained, and he'd memorized their spots. He retreated to a crab-free area and plopped down.
"What time is it?"
"W-wait a sec. Um... 11:10? Around there."
The homeroom teacher checked her smartphone and replied.
Four hours since departing at 7.
"Then we'll rest here till 3 a.m."
"Eh? No more wandering?"
"You're exhausted. Grilled shellfish late last night, up early grabbing clams this morning."
He handed her water as he spoke.
She gripped the canteen tightly with both hands, blinking. Then she bowed her head and mumbled,
"Th-thanks. Woojin."
After drinking, she returned the canteen.
But had he been overly kind?
The moment he took it, she suddenly seized his hand.
"W-Woojin."
She clutched his hand firmly with both of hers, staring straight at him.
Maybe his kindness was too much, or perhaps the lantern's light was dimming, faces hard to discern in the dark.
That might've given her the excuse for courage.
"Woojin. Why have you never complained to me?"
"......"
"You could vent, come to me for counseling once in a while."
"And if I did? What would've changed?"
"Well, no... But I wanted to get closer to you. That's why I waited three years..."
Three years of violence in that tiny school society.
Teachers submitting to power, endorsing the injustice.
Counseling was impossible.
"Sorry. Really sorry. For being an incompetent, frustrating, pathetic teacher. I know. I'm indecisive and useless. Sniffle. Pathetic, me... Three years as homeroom teacher, never once helped you. Sniffle, sniffle."
No teacher could've changed it.
Perhaps because she was like this, he at least escaped torment from her.
Sometimes, those bowing to power were crueler than the wielders.
PE teacher, math, science—they'd sacrificed him without hesitation to curry favor with the class.
If she'd been like them, he truly couldn't have endured.
He soothed the sniffling, teary homeroom teacher.
"Don't cry at night. Snakes come."
"Sob, sob."
Sigh. How'd he end up comforting her instead?
Once the tears burst, no sign of stopping.
Time to change the subject.
"You asked earlier. Why I never vented complaints."
She finally stopped crying and looked at him.
"Song Duri Teacher. My former homeroom teacher. She said that when she got kicked out of school."
-Sorry. Couldn't protect you, have to leave alone. Don't lose hope. Three years is short. Obey the new teacher who comes as my successor. No complaints.
"So that's why."
She'd tried helping him and got fired for it.
The only one who'd fought for him till the end, never submitted, stepped up.
Result wasn't great, as seen.
Still, no reason not to honor her simple request.
"I see."
The teacher smiled brightly.
He wondered if he misread in the dark—no, she was really smiling.
"You look happier somehow."
"Do I? Hehe. Actually, Duri Teacher and I are super close. Study abroad buddies, shared a room like sisters. Look, we're still chatting."
"Huh?"
She opened her messenger chat for him.
He read through, even tapped Song Duri Teacher's profile.
Chats and profile both brimmed with happiness. She'd moved schools but seemed thriving there.
'Good.'
A weight from three years eased away smoothly.
The brief two months of first semester freshman year—she'd blown her life for him, and it'd always nagged.
'Really glad. Truly.'
As relief washed over, a woman's distinct fleshy scent tickled his nose.
He looked up: Lee Sujung, the homeroom teacher, right in his face.
"Teacher?"
Her face filled his vision.
Smack. Peck. Peck.
Soft lips pressed his, while tentative hands climbed his thigh from below, fiddling with his member.
"Teacher. What are you—"
"...Stay still. This is me mustering courage for the first time in my life."
She tugged his pants down.
Not fully erect yet, they slid off easily.
"Pent up a lot here, right? Stay put. Teacher will take care of everything."
She lowered her head into his crotch.
Smack. Peck. Peck...
Wet sensations on his glans and shaft.
Darkness amplified the tongue play and lip softness vividly.
'...Teacher Lee Sujung.'
His class homeroom teacher—the school's hottest-faced, best-bodied beauty instructor.
Just twenty-nine.
Indecisive and unassertive, sure, but her looks made her wildly popular among male staff.
Her brown wavy perm and warm smile fit her cozy image perfectly—male teachers often gossiped.
-Teacher Lee Sujung, right? Totally killer.
-Bet she'd be a great homemaker. Pure, modest vibe. No cheating, accepts anything. Should marry a girl like that.
"Smack. Peck... Mmm... Haa..."
Hands gripping his cock tight, she licked devotedly. Her kneeling pose even felt reverent.
Slurp...
She sucked every corner of his glans meticulously, leaving it slick and sloppy, then swept her hair back and rose.
Lifted her skirt.
Slid off her panties and positioned herself atop him.
"Now, putting it in."
Legs spread wide facing him.
She aligned his cock at her entrance and hugged him, slowly lowering her hips.
Squelch—
As mentioned, the dark sharpened his senses.
The moist pussy walls and scorching heat emanating from within registered fully.
So hot it felt like it'd burn him.
Squish—
"Ngh..."
The homeroom teacher gasped raggedly, hugging tighter. His glans sank into her pussy.
Then suddenly, resistance gripped his cock—intense resistance.
'This is...?'
Blocked, her ass lifted again slickly.
"Teacher, wait—!"
Splat.
Before he could stop her, she slammed her hips down hard.
"Hnnngh."
Liquid trickled down his shaft.
No light needed to guess what.
He'd experienced it once breaking Park Jimin's hymen.
"Teacher, you were a virgin?"
"Y-yeah. Kinda lame getting busted at my age? Hehe."
"Not what I meant."
Were the school's teachers blind?
They flirted lewdly about Teacher Lee Sujung daily, yapping about marriage and dating... yet no one had touched her?
And she couldn't refuse well.
Politely put, her personality would've let anyone drag her on a date to a motel without protest.
"You're too attractive... Surprised no one's been with you. Never dated a guy?"
"Yeah. Got lots of proposals, but I had duties first."
"Duties?"
Smack. Teacher Lee Sujung kissed him.
"Wanted to hold off till you graduated safe. Focus on you. As homeroom teacher, you're my first student."
"......"
"Hehe. Though I never helped once."
Teacher Lee Sujung let out a foolish laugh.
Watching her, he felt dazed, unable to move.
"...Teacher really is a fool."
"Heh? R-really?"
She truly was. All for that reason.
'And I'm a fool too.'
That stubbornness... He could've cracked open his heart once or twice.
"Sorry for being foolish. Sorry for not helping three years. Shameless, but forgive this worthless teacher now?"
He nodded faintly.
"Sob. Thank you!"
She hugged him fiercely.
A heart closed three years.
Actions never dared three years.
Only at graduation, crash-landed in this wilderness, could they finally reach each other.
The courage unspoken then, now each took one step forward.