Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Blind Date (1)
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-Ding, di-ring~
The alarm signaling the end of class rang out.
A girl closed her sleek notebook and rose gracefully, striding out of the classroom with poised steps. The gazes of countless cadets followed her every move.
-What the hell does a noble like that even think about all day?
Gazes filled with admiration, envy, and sometimes even affection.
There were more than a truckload of nobles desperate to get close to her, but the aura emanating from her body forbade anyone from approaching.
Cornus.
The eldest daughter of the Cornerus Family and an outstanding cadet at El Academy.
Her bright yellow hair swayed gently along with her lightly swaying hips.
A height just over 160 cm. Above her curvaceous waist, breasts that drew everyone's eyes jiggled enticingly.
F-cup? Or maybe bigger.
Cornus, seemingly oblivious to the heated stares from the prime-of-life cadets, tilted her head in puzzlement at the looks directed at her chest.
"?"
The cadets desperately averted their eyes, knowing that ogling a noble could be tantamount to a crime.
Ornaments shaped like bright red berries were embedded like rubies amid her hair, sparkling brilliantly.
...What was I about to do just now?
Standing blankly in front of the classroom door after stepping out, Cornus suddenly seemed to remember something and placed one fist in her other hand.
"Spicy chewy rose tteokbokki."
Recalling Si-heon's face, she quickened her steps once more.
A cadet who happened to be leaving the classroom overheard her mutter and whipped around in shock.
-S-Spicy chewy rose tteokbokki? Hey, what's that?
-Who knows. Looks like she likes it.
Ignoring the cadets' chatter, Cornus headed to the lab from Si-heon's last practical session that she'd memorized long ago. Spotting his familiar back, she called out cheerfully.
"Sian!"
Her one and only friend.
The man who had introduced her to spicy flavors.
"Huh? What's up?"
Cornus grabbed the back of Si-heon, who was heading home in clothes damp with sweat, and widened her hazy eyes as much as she could.
"Spicy chewy."
"You want me to buy you tteokbokki?"
"Yeah."
Nod, nod. Si-heon chuckled in amusement at Cornus bobbing her head enthusiastically.
"Can't today, kid. Got a blind date tomorrow, so I need to go shopping for clothes."
"...Blind date. Why a blind date all of a sudden?"
"I'm hurting for it too, you know. Hell if I remember the last time I dated."
"You've dated before, Sian?"
Cornus's eyes went wide as she asked. It almost sounded like, You've dated? A shadow of sadness crossed Si-heon's face.
"Su-yu... Do I look like a guy who's never dated to you?"
"Just curious... Is dating fun?"
"Eh, who knows."
Si-heon tilted his head, struggling to recall a past romance that he could barely even remember now.
Beautiful, sure, but not exactly enjoyable. Not a memory he particularly wanted to dwell on.
"Do you have to go on a blind date? Me?"
"Friends and girlfriends aren't the same."
Cornus pouted sulkily. She looked so heartbroken over missing out on tteokbokki that her lips puffed out like a duck's.
In truth, it was more like an expedition than a blind date, but did he really need to spell that out?
"Spicy chewy tteokbokki..."
Her forlorn mutter was so dejected that Si-heon couldn't hold back a laugh.
But no meant no.
"What about training then?"
"Yeah, think it'll be tough today."
Pout. Her lips stuck out so far she really did look like a duck. Si-heon pondered for a moment, then held up one finger.
"How about training on your own then? Ace the next exam, and I'll buy you tteokbokki whenever you want."
Twitch. Cornus's ears perked up.
"Tteokbokki for life?"
"Yeah."
"Spicy chewy?"
Si-heon nodded, and anticipation lit up Cornus's eyes.
"I'll train."
*****
"A blind date, you say?"
"Yes."
"The fuck. Skipping training for that bullshit?"
After swinging by the clothing store and piling up some decent outfits on the bed, Baek Do—who was lounging with a sip of cola—scolded him.
Why'd it have to be Baek Do today of all days? His mood soured. He'd hoped Hwang Do would greet him brightly when he got back. Instead, here was the snow-white Dull-i bitch waiting.
"Didn't I tell you? It's a quest."
"Quest?"
"If I don't fuck those three, it's game over."
Standing in front of the mirror, holding clothes up to his body and stating the facts dryly, Baek Do gaped like she'd been struck dumb.
"For real?"
"Why would I lie?"
Baek Do's face hardened dramatically as she covered her chest with her pale white hand.
Si-heon scowled fiercely right back and struck first.
"Even if you offered, Master, I wouldn't touch it. I'd rather bite my tongue and die."
"You really wanna get fucked up?"
Even her refined speech cracked as she spat curses. Clearing her throat belatedly, she sneered at him.
"Ahem, ahem. Unbelievable. You think you could even fuck a woman like me?"
"Confidence overflowing, huh? So, Master, how many handsome guys have you fucked?"
Speechless, like honey-mouthed and dumb.
Never been with a man, huh? Si-heon exaggeratedly covered his mouth and snickered.
-Pfft.
"Hah, you don't even know about premarital chastity, you ignorant fool!"
"Whoever ends up as your husband will have it rough with that personality. Who keeps their virginity these days? You're not some boomer."
"...Shut your mouth unless you want a funeral on my wedding day."
He could feel the killing intent, but Si-heon wasn't one to back down.
"Who's walking down the aisle with you, Master? Someone that high-spec just lives with you."
"Ridiculous."
"Then go out and get a boyfriend for once."
He tossed it out thinking her personality made it impossible. Baek Do dropped her trembling gaze to the floor and whistled.
"I only want to date the person I'll marry. In other words, if it's not marriage material, I don't want to date."
"Oh, a hopeless romantic. Now spill your type."
"A man stubborn about his ideals. Food tastes should match as much as possible... Looks don't matter. He can take concubines, no problem—as long as he's kind to me... Wait, taking concubines might be worth considering too. Hold on, why am I telling my disciple this?"
Baek Do, who had been counting off fingers while dreaming of her ideal man, startled and glared at him.
A woman with such romantic notions about men.
No dating unless it's marriage material?
Si-heon had gotten royally burned chasing romance like that. Should he warn her?
Relationships with strict hierarchies where you're bled dry top to bottom? Total trash. He could vouch as a witness.
'Eh, she'll figure her own life out.'
Still, it was Baek Do. No way she'd get played like he had, right?
Having picked out clothes to wear, Si-heon unpacked the food he'd bought on the way and set it on the table. He called out to Baek Do, still fuming.
"Eat up."
"Pass."
"Then just me?"
He fired up the meal kit he'd grabbed.
Green onions, canned beans, ham, and assorted ingredients.
Soon enough, a hearty, fragrant army stew was ready.
Mouth watering.
As he set the tableware for his meal, Baek Do peeked at the table, drawn by the smell.
"...What's this?"
"Army stew?"
"You gonna eat? Then say so from the start. Why snoop now?"
"Didn't know it'd be army stew. It's my favorite."
Thick-skinned as ever. Si-heon sighed deeply. Damn her refined tastes.
No helping it. He set two place settings and beckoned her over. Baek Do was already seated, brightly snatching a piece of ham.
A radiant smile bloomed on her beauty of a face.
"So much ham!"
"Loading up on ham's the rule, right?"
"You get it. A meal needs meat. Remember those cheese chicken skewers? Can't fathom why a guy like you likes blowfish."
"Why bring up blowfish here? As long as it tastes good, who cares."
"Fair point."
Baek Do nodded in agreement.
With matching tastes, they enjoyed a pleasant meal chatting about this and that.
After roughly finishing, Baek Do rose, tied back her snow-white hair, and tapped the table.
"I'll clean up."
"What's gotten into you? Doing all the chores."
"I'm not one to just hoard favors."
"Like that about your personality. Except the blowfish thing."
"Why bring up blowfish again? If you like it, just say so."
"True enough."
-Pfft.
They shared a laugh, cleared the dishes casually, and turned in. Now, only one thing left for Si-heon: the blind date he'd been waiting for.
*****
Blind date day.
Early morning, he got a text from Se-young and met her downstairs at the dorm. She patted a unfamiliar car and handed him a sleek key fob.
"You can drive, right? She's not the type to care about money anyway, but I grabbed something decent so you don't look cheap."
"...You're really thorough."
Se-young gave a wry smile. She approached, eyed his outfit, and pressed her cheek to his.
"Listen, kid. I'm fucking pissed. Don't overdo the fucking."
"No clue if I can. I'm shy."
"Bullshit. Just get her drunk and knock her out. She'll love ditching her cobwebs."
Love it, huh.
Imagining two chicks like Se-young in the world... Wait, might not be so bad?
Anyway.
He glanced around, confirmed no one was watching, and pulled Se-young into a quick hug.
"Thanks."
"Gross, kid."
She scrunched her nose like it was disgusting but didn't resist as he buried his face in her embrace.
"Sniff... Hngh."
He licked her choker and sucked on the spot.
Like branding her.
Chin in her cleavage, he admired the bright red lip mark.
"You like this stuff, right?"
"...Fucking hate it."
Yet her breathing was a bit ragged.
After a light hug, Se-young's face ripened like a red apple.
"Got time. Wanna drive? I'll take you."
Silence meant yes.
Se-young wordlessly took shotgun. Si-heon started the car, hands familiar on the wheel despite the time away.
He smoothly pulled out of the lot and hit the road.
"Kinda fun riding in a car driven by my own cadet."
Se-young crossed her legs in the passenger seat, gazing at him intently with deep eyes.
Accelerating steadily, Korean signs faded, replaced by lines of Japanese ones.
A few bizarre shops straight out of manga or newspapers caught his eye.
"Maid cafes here too?"
"You into that?"
"Well... Who isn't, honestly?"
"Fair."
Driving on, a sudden thought hit him.
"So, who's my blind date? Usually you chat a bit on KakaoTalk first, right?"
"Oh, that."
Se-young twirled a lock of hair by her temple nonchalantly.
"She wants that romantic first-meet vibe where you talk for the first time on the date."
"What the hell."
"Don't worry, she's pretty. Though her tits are smaller than mine? Mine are pretty big."
Mid-description of the blind date girl, Se-young thrust out her chest dramatically for self-promo.
Si-heon cut her off and asked what he'd been dying to know.
"So, what's her name?"
"You've seen her before. Star."
Star.
The girl with bright yellow stars in her pupils.
No way, her?
"The one you're thinking of. Yup."
"Whoa."
Never saw that coming... But they'd met once, so conversation should flow easy enough?
Se-young's words made sense now. Star's beauty was top-tier.
Recalling her face while driving, a smile slipped out.
Too obvious?
"Hey."
Se-young frowned.
"Thinking about you two fucking pisses me off. Get over here."
"Huh? Suddenly?"
"Told you not to overdo it. Gotta drain a few rounds first."
Se-young leaned toward his lap and unzipped his pants.
Si-heon jolted, gripping the wheel tight, and blurted urgently.
"Whoa, Teacher, I'm driving..."
"Shut up."
On this auspicious road to his blind date.
Over the window of their car, Se-young's head bobbed hundreds of times.