Chapter 118
Chapter 118
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: Training Camp (5)
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The atmosphere of the training camp had ripened fully, and many games took up the baton one after another.
As cadets who hadn't been able to hold drinking sessions a few times during the grueling semester training, the heat in the air didn't dissipate easily.
"...What's that?"
"You don't know? It's the washing machine, man, washing machine!"
"Arms flailing around like crazy—how are you supposed to tell?!"
Thanks to the cadets constantly updating their black histories moment by moment, the freshmen were splitting their sides laughing.
Recreation games might seem like they wouldn't be fun just hearing about them, but watching people scream at the top of their lungs or play along brought a surprising amount of entertainment.
A warmth filled the chest in the forgotten peacefulness.
No matter how tired, a pleasant, drowsy yawn escaped. This must be what it means to have a higher quality of life.
"Alright, then... The people with the highest cadet numbers in each group! Please come up front!"
This game seemed to be one played solo.
Going up front to do some awkward dance or something would be a real ordeal if you couldn't stomach the embarrassment.
"What's your cadet number?"
"Starts with 3? Mine's 2."
"Mine's 4."
Considering that the men's cadet numbers started with 1 or 2, this was probably targeting the women.
Comparing directly, it ended up falling to Azalea for our game this time.
"......Do I really have to go up?"
"Fighting. Go sweep them."
"Ugh, got it."
Still not recovered from the black history of the previous movie-guessing game, Azalea fanned her flushed face and walked forward.
The stage filled with quite a few pretty cadets.
Excluding the group that was all guys, it was mostly women, as expected.
Bead scanned all the cadets on stage, then brought over a large newspaper and waved it flutteringly.
"Alright~ The leading group right now is Group 4 with 2100 points! And Group 10 is hot on their heels with 1900 points? The other groups still have a chance to turn it around. Because this game has 500 points on the line!"
It was inevitable to hang large points on later games to boost motivation.
Bead began laying out newspapers one by one on the floor while explaining the game.
"This game is simple. You just have to stand precisely on the newspaper for exactly 10 seconds—10 seconds. Got it?"
Standing on the newspaper as long as possible.
The cadets on stage nodded at Bead's confirmation.
"However!!"
This wouldn't be fun otherwise.
One condition followed.
"Not alone, but as a pair—the pair that lasts the longest on this newspaper wins. With who? Fufufu. I'll tell you now."
Bead giggled to herself as if it was hilarious even while explaining.
"Bring up the opposite sex you like the most!"
"Ooooh!"
The seated cadets cheered excitedly.
A few female cadets on stage grumbled, but that was their problem.
Other people's black histories and love stories are always the most fun to watch.
"Hurry down and bring them up! You get 10 seconds. Late penalties!"
A game only possible in this heated atmosphere right now.
The female cadets went down reluctantly and each grabbed a hand, coming back up.
Cadets from all-male groups awkwardly approached some female cadets, only to be coldly rejected in scenes too cringeworthy to watch with eyes open.
Azalea, too, pushed through the seated cadets and walked toward us.
As expected of the "what if."
Her lips trembled, her face red as a ripe persimmon.
"I-I don't know anyone... Come with me."
Excuse first, request second.
Unlike her stammering earlier lines, her latter words dripped with determination.
Her pink eyes held anxiety and anticipation blended together.
Even if the lighting only illuminated the front of the auditorium, making faces hard to see clearly, her mindset going into this was vaguely clear.
'Here it comes.'
I'd known it would.
What could I do?
Thinking to just get it over with since it was a game, I started to stand—
-Hee hee.
Suddenly, Bead on stage grinned slyly right at me.
Something felt off.
Instinct told me so.
"Have fun. Win this, and drinks are on me."
"Uh, uh-huh."
Leaving Se-young's burdensome words behind, I went to the front of the auditorium. Faces exposed under the gaze of so many cadets.
Stares piercing the face. Scattered murmurs. But too noisy to make out words.
Bead, still grinning, fiddled with the mic and poked my side with her elbow.
"Alright, everyone, remember these faces. Date them~ Date them~ Fufufufu."
Eye contact with Azalea while doing so.
As Bead winked slyly, Azalea's lips curved up slightly this time.
......Did they scheme this whole thing just to mess with me?
Bead was a sly fox whose true intentions were unknowable, and Azalea was in a similar state, so spreading a net like this wasn't strange at all.
She grabbed the mic as if it was already too late and yelled at the top of her lungs.
"Everyone, get in position and up you go!"
Game start.
First up on the newspaper was none other than Azalea.
She seemed embarrassed, but suspiciously tugged my sleeve urging me on.
Her rising lips—embarrassment or joy?
The newspaper was spacious enough for one, but body contact seemed inevitable anyway.
No choice but to step forward.
As distance closed, our bodies touched through clothing.
Up to that point, it was fine. Other cadets seemed to permit this level of skinship, passing smoothly.
-Tremble tremble.
Azalea's face, trembling like a wet kitten, wasn't visible from my side.
"Eight, nine, ten. Ding ding! Now fold the newspaper in half!"
The real ordeal started next.
The half-folded newspaper forced their bodies to press inescapably.
Forward or backward, some part had to be squished in this subtly lewd pose.
-Ah, I can't do this.
-Heh heh, told ya.
Some cadets tried and dropped out, declaring failure.
Messing up could lead to ostracism in the academy, so bailing like that was one way.
Before going up, I pointed at cadets pretending to fall and asked Azalea.
"Wanna quit? Looks fine to drop out like that."
"Come in quick."
She spread her arms toward me, face even more flushed than before... no, more relaxed.
"......Gotta win the game."
Her tone mixed demand and plea, leaving understanding to me.
"Hurry hurry~!"
Bead urged excitedly, so I finally stepped onto the half-section newspaper.
Bodies pressed tight.
Azalea hugged my waist with both arms to keep from falling.
The front row cadets giggling and Bead's lecherous gaze were infuriating.
"......Hoo."
Our breaths grew a bit ragged.
Pressure just above the stomach. Squeeze, press. The soft sensation pressing repeatedly like emphasis drew a gasp.
Squirm squirm. Her hands on my waist moved a bit suspiciously.
I stealthily looked down at Azalea.
For some reason, instead of looking down as she should, she stared straight at my face.
"...Hup."
Crimson eyes with a brighter alluring glow.
Eyes that should have been so, now deepened one level further, oozing sticky light.
Her gaze was strange.
She often used "switch flipped" to show her tension rising, and if anyone truly had a switch flipped, it was Azalea right now.
Haa—
Hot breath exhaled softly hit my face.
The faint floral scent wafting... just like the woody body fragrance from when our bodies had mingled before.
A scent that drove people mad.
Combined with Lewd Demon, it was the biggest culprit clouding my mind—the thing I had to guard against most.
I tilted my head down slightly to create space, but she hugged tighter.
"Don't let go."
'Was her speech always like this? Not even stammering now.'
Her hands moved up to my shoulder blades, groping, then burying her face relentlessly without reservation.
"Ten! Ding, ding, ding! Drop off!"
Bead, who'd been smirking while counting slowly, sped up to end it, and Azalea pulled away from my embrace.
Her face, despite the teasing, looked so concerning I worried unwittingly.
"......You okay?"
Face flushed like she'd been bewitched by something.
"I'm fine. Next, next."
Obsession.
I'd thought it was fine since nothing strange had happened until now—that easy assumption hit me now.
It had been over a week since I first saw obsession in Azalea's affinity.
Compared to the immediate reaction from the Lunar Path, she'd held out well until now.
Now actively folding the newspaper herself, I was speechless.
"Th-then, starting now! Up you go!"
Even Bead looked dubious as she shouted. Remaining cadets climbed onto the newspapers.
Some among them were confirmed couples, skinshipping without hesitation.
Of the four remaining teams, two were couples.
The other team besides us, favorites to win, climbed up grimly.
"Why aren't you coming...?"
Let's do it.
Feels like I'd suffer if I didn't.
Step forward first like before. Definitely narrower now.
My build wasn't small either, so this folded newspaper made it hard for even four feet.
Normally, you'd fall here.
"......"
Normally.
"Step on my feet? Or should I step on yours?"
"......Step on mine."
"Tch."
Azalea pouted dissatisfied, stepped on my feet, and hugged with all her might again.
Balance precarious but holdable. Standing on my feet raised her height more, creating an even more burdensome scene.
The heavy time returned.
"O-one~ Two~ Th-three~"
Damn 10 seconds—no, actually 30. Bead's malicious dragging.
-Ah!
-Kyaa!
Nearby cadets collapsed.
Dating rumors inevitable anyway, I gritted teeth and held balance.
"You okay...?"
"Not okay."
"I'll stick closer."
Pressing her face to my collarbone nearly toppled us from the shiver.
The pose was now intense embrace. Cadets cheered at the spectacle.
"Who'll win? Only two teams left! Winner here takes it all!"
Bead's live commentary amped the mood further.
In that pink atmosphere, or maybe unnecessary strength surged, Azalea whispered so softly in my hidden embrace even I couldn't hear.
-......
Couldn't hear.
Voice too small, surrounding noise too loud.
"Ah, uh...."
Problem was, that whisper crossed a line for Azalea.
-Pop.
Slightly above her left temple. A tiny "peng-" sound only I could barely hear from her head.
Pink flower.
Meager but vibrant petals bloomed matching her hair color, symbolizing her joy.
-Wobble!
Azalea, suddenly blooming, lost balance and fell backward.
"Ah!"
For some reason, it evoked fruit, something not to show others. I reached out and pulled her back.
Rough method, but effective. She regained balance, covering one side of her head with her hand.
'What, flowers blooming on her head?'
Stunned by the inexplicable phenomenon, but with faces close, I saw Azalea's expression filling my view.
"......"
Her eyes were even murkier now.
Just a bit.... In a dangerous way.