What Are You Doing!?
“What are you doing!?”
When I asked in disbelief, “You’re taking another day off?” the Doctor nodded with visible effort.
“Yeah… I’m exhausted…”
Despite her words, a faint smile played at the corners of the Doctor’s mouth as she pulled the blanket all the way up to her chin. She was making that face because I had returned yesterday and devoted myself thoroughly to satisfying her. Of course, it had all been part of my plan—to buy more time with Adele.
One corner of my lips curled upward. Still half-dressed, I climbed on top of her. The Doctor burst into giggles and tried to push me away.
“Stop it… I really am tired…?”
“Your expression doesn’t look tired at all.”
“I’m seriously exhausted… I can’t even move.”
“Want to do it once right now?”
The Doctor pulled the blanket up to her nose, answering shyly.
“No… I just want to rest…”
She must have been quite worn out yesterday. For someone with such a strong libido to say something like that…
At her reaction, I let out a soft chuckle and poked her side repeatedly with my index finger. Watching her flinch and twist, I said,
“I thought you couldn’t move?”
“That’s just… an instinctive reaction because it tickles…”
“So you were lying?”
“…I was wrong… Um, you should head to work now.”
Without a word, I brought my face close to hers. As I leaned in for a kiss, she planted one on me with an audible smack. She even slipped the tip of her tongue between my lips and gave them a little lick.
Satisfied with her behavior, I let out a pleased laugh, got off the bed, and finished dressing.
“I’ll be back.”
“Okay… Oh, can you buy some tomatoes on your way home?”
“Tomatoes? Are we out?”
“I used almost all of them yesterday making Italian food. Please?”
“I’ll get some. You rest up.”
“Mm…”
Once I left the house, I drove straight to the lab. I was in the middle of crafting a Device when the Doctor called. When she asked if I had eaten, I flinched and checked the clock. Lunchtime had long since passed. I’d been so absorbed in the welding torch that I hadn’t noticed the time flying by. My motivation had clearly gotten the better of me.
I gave a vague answer that I’d eaten something and hung up. My eyes were growing dangerously tired, so I slipped into the Doctor’s break room and lay down on the bed.
Human bodies really are inconvenient.
Just need to corrupt Adele… So let’s endure a little longer.
With my arm draped over my forehead, I was lost in thought when my phone vibrated. I checked it.
[I remember. I’ll be there by six.]
[Yes! Fighting today too!]
As I stared at the messages, an inexplicable sense of disappointment washed over me. A hollow feeling settled in my chest, like something was missing. Why was I feeling this way?
While I was tilting my head in confusion, Adele’s next message made a warm smile bloom on my face.
So that was it. Damn it… To think I’d been trained by an emoji like this. It was a serious blow to my pride.
[You fight too, Adele. See you later.]
[Ah, I have a favor to ask!]
[Go ahead.]
[I asked Sehwa what her favorite food was and she said tteokbokki. I want to try whatever Sehwa eats too. You’ll buy it for me, right? (๑❛ڡ❛๑)]
It almost felt like Adele was the one devouring me instead of the other way around. Still, she didn’t seem to mind the indirect confession I’d made yesterday. Or maybe she did, but was interpreting it with pure innocence? I couldn’t tell. I’d find out when we met.
I quickly typed a reply.
[I’ll buy it.]
**
I arrived at the annex right on time and rang the doorbell. After the cheerful ding-dong, Silvia opened the door to greet me.
“Welcome. Is that… tteokbokki in your hand?”
“Yes. Adele said she wanted to eat whatever Sehwa eats, so I bought some… but it’s gone cold.”
“So that’s what this is. What a pushover.”
Pushover…? I’m sweating blood for your welfare, and she calls me that? Harsh.
“Where exactly did you learn a word like that?”
“Movies, dramas, the internet… it’s everywhere. Anyway, come in already.”
I followed Silvia into the living room. Adele, who had been eating ice cream while watching TV, came running over. I waved at her.
“Hello, Adele.”
“Jihyeok-ssi! Did you buy the tteokbokki?”
This girl! Her master has arrived and the first thing out of her mouth is tteokbokki? I was going to have to discipline her properly.
I pointed to the bag sitting in the middle of the dining table.
“Yes, it’s right here.”
“Wow! How many servings?”
“Three.”
“Perfect, we can all eat together! Sehwa said to transfer it to a bowl and heat it in the microwave!”
Adele rattled off the instructions like a machine gun, then hummed a little tune as she opened the kitchen cabinet and took out a large bowl. I tore open the plastic fork that came with the tteokbokki and handed it to her.
Watching me, Silvia muttered quietly.
“Definitely a pushover.”
“I can hear you.”
“I said it so you would. If you keep indulging Adele’s requests, it’ll never end. Be careful.”
Adele, in the middle of transferring the tteokbokki, shot Silvia a glare.
“I can hear you too, you know!? Get the forks out!”
“Yeah… got it.”
She folds her tail just as easily as the rest of us, yet she calls me a pushover and throws a fit. I pouted and grumbled under my breath. Then my eyes lit up when I noticed Silvia’s nails were painted pitch black.
As expected of a future Evil Valkyrie. She chose the most perfect color—black. I like it.
Adele blew on the tteokbokki even though it wasn’t hot, then put the bowl in the microwave. Silvia shook her head at the childish behavior, set three forks on the table, and sat down. I took the seat across from her. She let out a long sigh.
“Haa… I still can’t get used to living like this every day. It’s so peaceful…”
“Peace is a good thing.”
“But it’s fake peace. Because Tyrat is scheming in the shadows.”
“I agree.”
“I want to finish everything quickly and settle down on Earth…”
That won’t be happening. You all have to help me conquer the entire universe, remember?
I was silently listening to Silvia when Adele returned with the perfectly heated tteokbokki and set the bowl in the center of the table. Then, without waiting for anyone, she grabbed a fork, stabbed a piece of rice cake, and popped it into her mouth.
“It’s delicious…”
Silvia and I watched her savor the taste with her eyes gently closed, then exchanged glances and simultaneously picked up our forks.
**
“…Ahem…!”
I was quietly reading the Bible in the study café when Adele cleared her throat. I looked up.
“Is something wrong?”
“Ah… I was wondering if you had any questions…”
It made sense. I had been reading the Bible in complete silence for three hours straight. I chuckled inwardly and answered casually.
“Not really. I understand everything.”
“Oh, I see… That’s impressive.”
“Thank you.”
I turned my eyes back to the Bible. A little while later—
“Hm…! Ahem!”
Adele cleared her throat again. When I looked up this time, I narrowed my eyes just a fraction.
“What is it?”
“Are you sure you understand…? You haven’t asked a single question in three hours.”
“You don’t think I’m slacking off, do you?”
“Th-then I’ll give you a quiz! What weapon did Lady Rosario use when she fought against the pure evil Helix~?”
She dragged out the end of the question. My heart melted at how adorable she was. I answered smoothly.
“The Sword of Light. It was created from Lady Rosario’s power. The pommel had a sun emblem, and the blade burned with golden light. She used it to cleave through the darkness Helix created, then pierced his heart and annihilated him. Thanks to that, darkness lifted from the Rongel Galaxy and four others, bringing peace.”
Adele pouted at my flawless answer. The sulky expression was incredibly cute. I grinned at her and asked,
“Correct, right?”
“Yes…”
“Got any more?”
My voice dripped with confidence. Adele frowned and quickly fired another question.
“Lady Rosario’s first apostle! What was her name!”
That bitch? I knew her very well. Helix had been an ancient evil similar to me—cunning and insidious. He had seduced the first Saint, corrupted her, and made her his subordinate. I remembered it clearly.
“Priscia. She fell for Helix’s schemes and turned traitor. She tried to stab Lady Rosario in the back and was annihilated.”
You too will swing a hammer at the back of Rosario’s head… just like Priscia.
“Th-the second one!?”
“Cassandra. Because of Priscia’s betrayal, the faithful refused to acknowledge her. Instead, they recognized Lady Cassandra as the first Saint.”
“Th-third! And fourth!”
“The third is Elise. I don’t know the fourth.”
Adele let out a triumphant huff, as if she had caught me.
“How could you not know Lady Mariam? And you said you understood everything! Jihyeok-ssi, you lied! Your attitude toward learning is terrible!”
“Calm down. The fourth Saint hasn’t even appeared in the text yet.”
Adele chewed on the tip of her index finger, deep in thought. She seemed to be cross-referencing what I had covered with the Bible. Soon her eyes widened, and her face fell as she realized her mistake.
“R-right…”
“See? Also, if you keep biting your finger like that, the nail you just did will disappear.”
“Ah…!”
Adele quickly hid her hand behind her back. I gave her a gentle smile and lowered my gaze back to the Bible. Without looking up, I asked,
“Did you really think my learning attitude was that bad?”
“N-no… It’s excellent…”
“Thank you.”
After that exchange, I read the Bible for nearly thirty more minutes. When Adele began showing interest in the various objects around the room, I looked up again.
“I’d like to take a short break.”
Adele agreed readily.
“Sure! I actually need to use the bathroom too!”
You don’t have to announce that so energetically.
“Go ahead.”
Once Adele left the room, I rested my arms on the desk and fell into thought.
She’s not going to mention yesterday’s confession? That’s disappointing… Still, she at least knows I like her. Maybe I should take comfort in that.
I stood up and fiddled with the coffee pot in the room. I was preparing two cups when Adele returned, her hands still damp, and stood beside me.
“Jihyeok-ssi, what are you doing?”
“Making coffee.”
“Oh!? Teach me too!”
She was wiping her hands on her oversized sweatshirt. I let out a tired laugh, pulled a tissue from the box beside me, and held it out to her.
“Use this. Don’t wipe your hands on your clothes.”
“Thank you!”
She beamed and thanked me, then wiped her hands with the tissue. But because it was so soft, little bits of it stuck to her fingers.
Should I push the accelerator here? Or take a step back?
My hesitation didn’t last long. I gently took her right wrist and began carefully picking the tiny pieces of tissue from between her slender fingers one by one.
If Adele reacted strongly here, it would mean she was conscious of my confession yesterday. Why? Because in the past, she had never shown any discomfort when I touched her hair, patted her back, or even gave her a shoulder massage. The old Adele wouldn’t have panicked over something as small as holding her hand.
And Adele…
“…..”
She froze in shock. Her already large eyes grew even wider, and her mouth hung open so wide an egg could fit inside.
She’s definitely conscious of it. That settles it.
Once I had removed all the tissue, I released her hand. Her arm, completely limp, dropped straight down and hit her thigh with a soft thud.
“Paper towels in the bathroom work much better. Keep that in mind.”
My indifferent tone snapped her out of it. She shook her head vigorously several times, then pulled the hand I had held against her chest and cried out.
“Wh-wh-wh-what are you doing!?”
Her reaction was far too honest… It was almost heartbreaking.