I Really Don't Know What They're Thinking (3)
As the tourist bus set off toward Taebaek City, Yeong-eun deliberately moved to the front seat, lay back slightly on the headrest, and closed her eyes.
She was probably trying to avoid me, given how tired she must have been after reaching multiple climaxes before departure.
With Yeong-eun claiming the front seat, the others finally began to relax a bit... When Su Yu-ri started drumming her chest as if to ease her nerves, I approached her and asked,
“Why are you so scared of the lady?”
“Scared? Of course I am! We thought we were just going on a trip together, but suddenly the chairman... the president appears right next to us. How could we not be startled?”
“Yeah, Seoha is too much. He didn't even tell us anything.”
Han Go-eun, sitting beside Su Yu-ri, voiced her complaint in a small voice, and Kim Chang-hyun, who had been sitting in the front with Cho Min-ho, turned around and said,
“Hey. What good is knowing in advance? If you knew the chairman was coming, would you have avoided it?”
“Who said I wouldn't come? There's such a thing as mental preparation!”
“With your personality, mental preparation? I bet you stayed up all night worrying about what to show us, and you didn't even get a wink of sleep. And as soon as we arrive at the resort, you'll collapse and sleep like a baby until morning.”
Kim Chang-hyun's words made Han Go-eun look at him with displeasure, then she turned her head away as if she couldn't be bothered.
Since she wasn't grilling him, it seemed like that was the right answer.
In the rearmost seat, the sulking nun sat with Franc and Hwayeon, while Kang So-ra was with Lydia, staring at her smartphone.
I approached Lydia, who was sitting beside Kang So-ra, and asked,
“What happened to the triplets? You came alone?”
“T-The, ah, we gave the children a rest period. Since Seoha-ssi is here, there's no need to bring the kids along...”
With this lineup, even a large raid team would struggle to match their overwhelming power.
Just the four of us—me, Hwayeon, Yeong-eun, and Choi Soohan—plus a highest-rank variant and a high-tier variant, and Lydia herself being a light-element D-class ability user.
But why does she look so drained? Her face is pale, with a light sheen of sweat, and she really does look like she's in pain.
“Are you that scared of the lady? Why are you trembling like that?”
Seeing Lydia about to collapse, I placed my hand on her head and applied a Healing Touch. Only then did her color return, and she let out a relieved sigh, her face slightly flushed as she bowed her head and thanked me.
“T-Thank you. Whenever I'm in front of the lady, I end up unconsciously tense... Actually, I'm still a bit scared right now.”
Her smile was forced, but her face was full of tension, and I couldn't understand it. Yeong-eun was scary?
Kang So-ra, sitting beside me, spoke in her lazy, cat-like drawl,
“It's weird not to be tense after meeting the chairman~. I was startled too when I first saw him—his charisma was overwhelming~.”
“S-Sora!”
“Why~?”
“W-Women aren't supposed to say things like that!”
“Why not~?”
“It's embarrassing!”
“Embarrassing~? It's a physiological thing~. Lydia doesn't even wet herself~.”
“Sora!”
After watching the tomboyish Kang So-ra and the elegant Lydia pat each other, I left them and approached Kang Ju-chan, who was sitting in the back... Miho was already there, sitting beside him while holding a game console.
Now that I looked, Kang Ju-chan was holding the same game console in his hand.
“Miho. What are you doing there?”
- Master! This human raid monster hunter is really good! His level is the highest level!
Curious, I leaned in, and Miho excitedly held up the pink game console's screen to me... Right below her ID, ninetailFox LV. 221, was kjchan LV. 999.
Whoa, in a game where the average is 400 levels and the highest is 999, he's 999? Even Miho, who was glued to the console whenever she had time, was only at 221 now?
Kang Ju-chan's avatar was decked out in sparkling high-end gear. In comparison, Miho's avatar looked like a slob lounging on the roadside.
“I heard the Lemon Hunter max level is a total noob...”
“Ahaha.”
- This! This one too! Let's catch this one! No-san Shinnyong!
Miho showed her pink game console to Kang Ju-chan while he was holding it and started pestering him.
Kang Ju-chan watched Miho, who was casually handling the game console with one hand as if making a room, with a cute expression, then scratched the back of his neck and spoke in a flustered tone.
“A-Anyway, since my little sister likes Lemon Hunter, I ended up helping. I don't mean I dislike it, though.”
Um. Kang Ju-chan's sister's name was Kang Ju-ye? A cute girl with big eyes, but looking at this guy... he was clearly her brother.
“You're her brother, right?”
“...I'll exercise my right to remain silent.”
Kang Ju-chan turned his head away in a small voice. The guy who punched me in the face after blaming me for his sister's injury was naturally her brother.
- Room made! Come in quickly~!
“Okay. I'll come in now.”
I had originally planned to sit beside Kang Ju-chan, but since Miho was playing with him, it didn't matter. Kang Ju-chan seemed to be enjoying himself with Miho too.
I walked toward the rear seat where the nun and her lovers were sitting, and saw Hiarid crumpled into one seat with an uncomfortable expression. She looked like she had been stuffed tightly into a white blanket, which was incredibly stifling.
“...Are you okay?”
=I-I'm fine... Master.=
She didn't look fine at all...
Her four wings were larger than Hiarid's, and at nearly 220 cm tall, she wouldn't fit in the car seats made for humans.
I literally pulled her out like a crumpled package, grabbed her arm, and helped her up. With a soft creak and the sound of the seat breaking, Hiarid emerged into the aisle and let out a small sigh.
She straightened her wrinkled dress and fluttered her wings slightly. The girls in front of her leaned over the seats, eyes sparkling as they looked at Hiarid.
“Waaah... swan-like white wings... so beautiful...”
“She's really pretty.”
I grabbed Hiarid's arm again and walked toward the driver's seat, telling Choi Soohan to stop the car for a moment and asking Hiarid,
“Since you're so tall, it would be better for you to just fly and follow. That way, you'd be more comfortable too, right?”
=Yes. I will obey, Master.=
Hiarid disembarked from the stopped tourist bus, spread her wings with relief, and soared into the sky. The luxury bus resumed its journey, and I moved to the rear seat to sit beside the nun.
“...”
Seeing the nun turn her head away without a word made my chest feel tight, but there was still time.
I'd better ask slowly why she was acting like this.
Franc helped the nun relax her mood, and I played games with the kids or dozed off for a bit while riding for three hours. When we finally arrived at High1 Resort on the outskirts of Jeongseon, Gangwon-do, the sun had already set.
Many condos were crammed together near the ski slope, bustling with people who had come to spend the weekend skiing, but the place we had reserved with Choi Soohan was a three-story luxury pension house located far from the condos, so the atmosphere was very pleasant.
Of the three pension houses, only the one we were using was occupied, so Hwayeon and Yeong-eun wouldn't have to worry about being watched by others while having fun.
The pension house had its own parking lot, which seemed like an attempt at upscale strategy, but it was fine even if no one used it.
The first to disembark from the tourist bus was Miho, who placed Darky on her head and walked around with curiosity in her eyes matching the color of her tail.
It had snowed recently, so aside from the path, the ground was covered in snow. Miho, with her white hair, white tail, and white puffer jacket, looked indistinguishable from the snow.
At this point, she was practically camouflaged.
Click. Click-click. Click-click-click
- There's a strange sound coming from under my feet!
Miho blew on her breath curiously while scurrying around the snowy field, then shivered from the cold and ended up snuggling into Hiarid's arms.
I led the group inside the pension house and used Spatial Perception to scan the interior.
The first floor had a kitchen, dining area, living room, and a large bath on one side, while the second and third floors each had three rooms, which should be more than enough for our numbers.
There were no surveillance cameras or hidden cameras inside...
“Ski equipment is over there. We have prepared sizes for everyone. The night operation starts at midnight, so if you want to ski, bring your gear and follow the path to the west.”
Choi Soohan pointed to one wall on the first floor, where a display case held gleaming ski plates, poles, and various colored ski outfit sets.
The kids were hesitating while watching Yeong-eun, as if they wanted to go skiing right away but felt like they needed permission from her.
After looking around the pension house, Yeong-eun smiled kindly as if she were doing a kind chairman cosplay and told the hesitant kids,
“Don't worry about me and have fun.”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
With Yeong-eun's permission, Han Go-eun and Kim Chang-hyun answered enthusiastically without arguing and immediately dashed to the display case.
- What's this?
=It looks like a fireplace.=
Miho, who was fascinated by the real wood logs crackling in the fireplace, grabbed Hiarid's hand and walked over to it. The kids who were watching Miho's cute appearance and Hiarid's angelic figure also followed when Han Go-eun and Kim Chang-hyun called them over.
Yeong-eun smiled at Han Go-eun's group chattering and asked Choi Soohan,
“What about the rooms?”
“There are three rooms of the same size and type on each of the second and third floors.”
“Then we'll use the third floor. We'll head up then~.”
“Eh? Not skiing?”
Yeong-eun glanced at the noisy kids selecting ski outfits and plates, then smiled and mimed holding a small glass as if drinking something.
Was she trying to drink? It seemed my guess was correct, and Yeong-eun told Choi Soohan to bring alcohol and snacks, then led Franc, Hwayeon, and the nun upstairs.
With Franc gone to the third floor, the kids became even more excited without any hesitation and began gathering ski gear.
“The highlight of the ski resort is night snowboarding!”
“Whoa~! All the ski equipment is brand new! Can we wear anything??”
“Where do we change clothes~?”
“Feel free to choose. Changing rooms are in the rooms on the first and second floors.”
After Kang So-ra's words, Choi Soohan, who had been organizing luggage in the back, explained.
At the mention of the second-floor rooms, the girls squealed and rushed upstairs with their ski clothes, while the boys followed suit, racing to the second floor to change. Only Choi Soohan organizing luggage on the first floor and Miho stuffing logs into the fireplace and Hiarid quietly watching beside her remained.
Miho, who had stuffed so many logs into the fireplace that there was no empty space, grew bored and walked over with a trot, grabbed my sleeve, and asked,
- Master. What's a ski?
“That long, narrow board you see? It's a toy where you slide down from high places on it.”
- Uwoong? Why slide down from high to low?
Miho tilted her head, not understanding the concept of skiing. So I picked her up, carried her to the first-floor balcony, pointed out the panoramic view of the ski resort and people playing, and said,
“When you slide down from high to low like that, normal people can feel the speed they can't normally sense. Want to try it, Miho?”
- It's cold! It's freezing! I don't want to!
Miho shook her head vigorously, jumped out of my arms, ran to Hiarid who was pulling out logs from the fireplace, grabbed her hand, and started pestering her to play together.
Miho, a game addict. I wonder if it was good for her personality development.
Leaving Miho sitting between Hiarid's legs playing games, I went upstairs to the second floor. In the largest room, the girls were changing clothes, while the boys were in a smaller room doing the same.
When Kim Chang-hyun, Kang Ju-chan, and Cho Min-ho entered the room to change into ski clothes, Kim Chang-hyun, who was extremely excited, shouted immediately,
“Hey! Why aren't you changing?! Not skiing?!”
“I'll ski later. You know, don't leave Lydia alone. If some idiot starts a fight, I'll back you up, so don't let it slide.”
“Of course!”
“But Senior, your face doesn't look good. Are you okay?”
Kang Ju-chan, wearing a white ski outfit and looking a bit chubby, asked while putting on a ski hat. The guy who had been silently watching over the kids from behind seemed to have good instincts for reading the atmosphere.
Kim Chang-hyun and Cho Min-ho looked at Kang Ju-chan with faces that showed they hadn't noticed anything and both spoke up.
“Uh, I didn't notice. Where's Seha-senpai feeling sick?”
“It seems a bit odd to just play among ourselves...”
I waved at the guys who seemed unsure if it was okay to play among themselves and said,
“That's why I'm going to check on them. Since he's a workaholic, he might have been dragged here against his will, so don't worry and have fun.”
“Yeah.”
When the guys who had finished changing into ski clothes came out of the room, Kim Chang-hyun immediately dashed to the room where the girls were and threw the door open, shouting,
“Hey! Come out...!”
Oh no, the girls were still changing.
Through the door Kim Chang-hyun had thrown open, he saw the girls in underwear and froze stiff. There, Han Go-eun was in black lace underwear, of course. Oh ho, so Lydia and Kang So-ra looked slimmer when wearing clothes? Su Yu-ri... I felt sorry for her.
“Kyaaa!”
“Kyaa!!”
“You pervert!! Close the door right now?!”
“S-Sorry!!”
The girls hurriedly covered their bodies with the clothes in their hands and screamed, startling Kim Chang-hyun, who had been frozen staring at the skin, and he quickly closed the door.
Seeing Kim Chang-hyun's face flushed red, I looked at him with pity. He seemed embarrassed too and scratched his head.
“I didn't know you hadn't changed yet. Hehe.”
“Hehe my ass. If it were Han Go-eun, she'd definitely come out and nail you to a pole.”
“Ah, it hurts if you get nailed to a pole.”
Why would you just barge into a girl's room?
When I went upstairs to check where the nun was, I found her, Franc, Hwayeon, and Yeong-eun sitting around a table with alcohol in the center.
The nun was just lowering her head, and her lovers were also silent, all thinking about something.
I opened the wooden door carved with patterns of trees and the moon and entered. Everyone looked at me, but the nun turned her head away the moment our eyes met, looking slightly angry and sulky.
“What conspiracy are the four of you plotting while leaving me behind? Trying to succeed the Grand Blue chairman position?”
“What are you talking about?”
Franc looked at me with a bewildered face, glanced at the nun who had turned away, and spoke again.
“Seoha, are you not going skiing?”
“I don't know how to ski. And since there's something more curious than skiing, I'm going to deal with that first.”
Yeong-eun, looking at me with a troubled expression while shrugging her shoulders, poked Hwayeon's side.
“...”
Hwayeon, who had met Yeong-eun's eyes, looked at the nun's gloomy and awkward face, then stood up from her seat and approached me.
“I'll teach you. Let's go.”
“Eh? But I...”
“You'll figure it out slowly from now on. If you keep interrogating and chasing like this, it won't be good.”
With that, she clung to me, crossed her arms, and pulled me away forcefully!
“Have fun~.”
“Enjoy yourselves!”
“Eh?! What the hell! They're plotting while leaving me behind?!”
As I was pulled away by Hwayeon and looked back, shouting, Franc came flying over with a dumbfounded expression, pressed my forehead, and said,
“It's not like that. Please leave this to us and go have fun!”
Seeing the door close in front of me with a dissatisfied face, I smiled and hugged Hwayeon's arm, turning the conversation.
“You don't want a one-on-one date with me?”
“Do I look like I wouldn't?”
“Hehe. Let's go down.”
Because of Hwayeon's cheerful smile as she pulled me along, I had no choice but to descend the stairs while muttering dissatisfiedly.
“I was just curious about the nun, why are you all blocking me like this.”
“If you show so much interest and pester, Seha will only find it harder to answer. Just leave it alone for now. Then naturally, you'll return to your nun.”
My nun? She wasn't my nun before?
Anyway, since Hwayeon was saying all this, there must have been something wrong with me.
It wasn't because I wasn't her real brother... Hmm. I thought I hadn't changed much, but maybe it wasn't the case from her perspective?
Since Franc and Yeong-eun seemed to be up to something, I should just enjoy skiing and wait comfortably for now.