Chapter 159: Quintessential A (14)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 159: Quintessential A (14)
“Hurry up and open the door. Why the hesitation?”
Yura had shown up at Su-ah’s house without warning. As soon as she stepped inside, she spat out those words, causing Su-ah to furrow her brows in annoyance.
“What about your part-time job today?”
“I skipped it.”
Dressed in a white shirt and a high-waisted skirt, Yura gave a curt reply as she tossed the cardigan she’d been carrying over her arm onto the living room sofa. Then, she sat down.
Unlike her usual attire, which always emphasized her figure or exposed some skin, she was dressed relatively modestly today. Even though I tried not to overthink it, I couldn't help but wonder if my comment from two days ago—telling her not to wear the swimsuit she’d worn during summer vacation—had influenced her.
I hadn't intended to control her daily wardrobe, but it seemed she might have interpreted it as me being uncomfortable with her wearing revealing clothes.
While I was lost in those useless thoughts, Su-ah approached Yura on the sofa and looked down at her with her arms crossed.
“What is it?”
“Hmm? What’s what?”
Yura was fiddling with the pad on the table, looking at a game screen. Su-ah spoke to her in a sharp, biting tone. Knowing that these two had clashed many times before, I watched them with a knot of anxiety in my stomach.
“Why are you here?”
“I came to see what you two were up to.”
Su-ah’s scowling eyebrows twitched. In an atmosphere thick with tension, I focused on their conversation. Since even I didn't know why Yura had come, I couldn't rashly say anything until I understood her reason for suddenly barging into Su-ah’s home.
If they had started brawling right then and there, I would have stepped in to stop them, but they weren't exactly fighting. Compared to Su-ah, who had grown prickly the moment Yura arrived, Yura was acting as if it were no big deal.
“Didn't you see him yesterday?”
“I did. And I know A met Blue yesterday, too.”
The reason Yura was so certain I’d be at Su-ah’s house was that I had told her everything—who I’d seen before her and who I was seeing after.
The others probably knew Su-ah and I were meeting today as well, but I never dreamed Yura would suddenly show up like this.
“Exactly! Today is my day to meet him, so why are you here interfering?!”
Su-ah raised her voice, clearly irritated by Yura’s attitude. I hurriedly stepped between them.
“Su-ah, let’s just calm down for a second.”
The moment I tried to soothe the angry Su-ah, Yura stood up and clung to me in a hug.
“Did things go well with Blue yesterday?”
“Yeah, they went fine, but…”
I answered Yura’s question while checking Su-ah’s reaction. Her brow was still furrowed, making it crystal clear that she was not happy about Yura being here.
“Weren't we supposed to divide the time fairly? If you act like this, the whole point of balancing the schedule falls apart,” Su-ah snapped.
Though she said it irritably, I agreed with her. I was trying my best to maintain the current status quo without breaking the balance, but Yura’s impulsive behavior created a lot of potential for problems.
“Could you start by explaining why you’re here?”
Finding out the reason for her sudden visit was the priority. Clinging to me, Yura stared intently at me as I asked.
“Do you hate that I came, A?”
“No, it’s not that I hate it…”
There was no way I could hate it. I, too, desperately wanted to see everyone every day, but we hadn't reached a consensus on that yet.
More importantly, while I said I didn't hate it, my position required me to walk on eggshells around Su-ah. So while I didn't dislike her being here, it was certainly a difficult situation.
Yura let out a deep sigh, released the hug, and sat back down on the sofa. There was an open soda can on the table; Yura didn't care whose it was and took a sip to moisten her throat.
“I’ve been thinking about this long and hard.”
After taking her lips off the can, Yura spoke her first words and set the can back down. She looked back and forth between Su-ah and me.
“Isn't this way too exhausting?”
“Huh?”
I expressed my confusion, and Su-ah, seemingly unable to grasp Yura’s point either, continued to glare at her with a frown.
“Think about it. What we need to decide right now is what our relationship with A is going to be, right?”
“Right,” Su-ah replied coldly. She sat on the sofa and crossed her legs, appearing willing to at least listen for now.
I wondered if I should sit down too, but I worried that choosing which side to sit on might cause another issue, so I remained standing.
“Then what does that have to do with dividing A’s time fairly?”
I didn't quite understand Yura’s point. Dividing the time fairly was the method we’d come up with to decide how to handle our relationship. Yet, Yura was speaking as if the very act of dividing time made no sense.
“We divided the time so we could decide what to do. What do you mean, ‘what does that have to do with it’? Stop stalling and speak plainly,” Su-ah demanded, her voice laced with annoyance.
“I’m asking why we have to divide time just to define the relationship. Our individual choices might differ, but the fact that we all want to be in a romantic relationship with A hasn't changed, has it?”
“……That’s true.”
“Then is there really a need to be so calculating about it?”
“Everyone’s opinion hasn't been finalized yet, and A needs to look after everyone, so we’re being fair.”
“So, you can’t make a decision unless you calculate and divide the time?”
Su-ah fell silent at Yura’s words, seemingly having a lot to think about. As I listened to Yura, I began to see her intention.
Initially, we agreed to divide my time fairly based on Yubin’s suggestion so that I could talk to each of them individually. However, as time passed, Yura had grown dissatisfied with the situation where they had to be calculating about time and separate from the others just to talk.
Of course, this was an opinion she could only hold because she was in favor of polygyny, but Su-ah also seemed to be questioning the necessity of strictly dividing time.
“I get what you’re trying to say. But is there any other way?”
“We can just all be together. Of course, it’ll be hard to be together all the time, but isn't it best to meet A whenever you want and whenever it’s possible?”
“That would be nice. But then people will overlap, won't they? And Red and I are against the harem idea.”
Hearing Su-ah’s words, Yura glanced at me with a smirk before turning back to Su-ah.
“I guess you don't have the confidence to keep A all to yourself when we’re all together?”
That blatant provocation made a cold sweat run down my spine. I felt a chill so sharp I thought I might actually be sweating.
Su-ah wasn't the type to fall for such an obvious taunt, but she couldn't hide her displeasure.
“Oh? Then I suppose you have the confidence to keep A all to yourself when we’re all together?”
“I was the one in favor of the harem, remember? I’m fine with us all being together.”
Having said that, Yura looked at me again.
“What I hate most is that A has to walk on eggshells around us.”
“Eh?”
I flinched at her words, looking back and forth between the two. Yura was still looking at me, and Su-ah, who had been focused on Yura’s words, also turned her gaze toward me.
“It’s a fact that everyone became happy thanks to A, right? But A himself is the one walking on eggshells between us. Look at him now. He’s standing there because he doesn't know whether to sit next to you or me.”
I had no choice but to be cautious. While it was true that I hadn't fully realized that dating five people at once was wrong, I was starting to feel that "I didn't know" was no longer a valid excuse.
The more I thought about what to do when everyone was gathered, the more my mind went blank.
Even now, being with just Su-ah and Yura, I didn't know what the right move was.
I didn't want a single action of mine to hurt either of their feelings, and that thought restricted my movements even further.
“We can just do this.”
Yura stood up from the sofa, walked over to me, grabbed my arm, and pulled me down to sit. Once she sat back down next to me, I was sandwiched between Su-ah and Yura.
“See? No problem, right?”
Yura, sitting beside me, gave a beaming smile and pressed close to me. I could feel the pressure of her large breasts through her clothes.
“And what if the balance we assigned to each person gets messed up? That’s exactly why A was so exhausted before!”
Su-ah’s reason for agreeing to the time division was clear. A month ago, my attempts to maintain balance within an irregular schedule had piled up, leading to extreme fatigue that everyone had witnessed.
“That was because we didn't know what A was going through.”
“So now that you know the situation, you’re saying you’ll just humbly accept meeting him while he’s seeing all five of us?”
“I’ll say it again: I’m in favor of A’s harem. No matter how many people he meets, I’m satisfied as long as I can see him once a day. It’s even better if I can see him more and spend more time with him.”
Yura let out a sigh and spoke her mind, staring intently at Su-ah. While Su-ah hesitated, searching for words, Yura added one more thing.
“Yellow. Do you want to have sex with A?”
Startled by her bringing up sex in this situation, I stared at Yura before glancing at Su-ah. Su-ah also seemed quite shocked by the sudden and blunt question; she sat still for a moment before noticing my gaze and looking at me.
When Su-ah momentarily turned her blushing face away, Yura continued.
“I really want to do it with A. Even when we met two days ago, I wanted to be held so badly. I wanted to have sex so intensely that I’d lose my mind. But A said it would be difficult until the situation is sorted out.”
I could sense a strange hint of disappointment in her voice. I realized that my indecisiveness, under the guise of "sorting things out," was creating yet another problem.
“……No matter what, I hate having the time I can spend with A taken away.”
“Yeah. Me too.”
“Whether it’s games or sex, I want to spend more time with A than anyone else. Because I’m his girlfriend.”
I listened closely to Su-ah’s sincere words. Yura also focused on her and nodded.
“But it’s also true that I don't want to see A struggling between us. That’s why I agreed to the equal time division.”
“I know. I agreed at first because I thought it was for the best, but my mind changed after meeting A two days ago. I completely understand if you disagree with me, Yellow.”
“……No, now that I hear it, I think it might not be so bad to just be together when we can. But don't get it twisted—this doesn't mean I’m joining the harem yet. I’m only saying this because I’m confident I can monopolize A even when we’re all together. Since nothing’s been decided yet, I just think it’s better for everyone to meet when we can.”
Their opinions were starting to align to some extent. Yura, from her pro-harem stance, wanted to meet me whenever possible even if others were around. Su-ah, while anti-harem, also wanted to see me continuously whenever she could.
Their goals were different, but their immediate objective was the same.
It wasn't just these two; the others also wanted to be with me.
Yura had even given me control over her suit, and Hayoung and Su-ah had shown their devotion to the point of considering joining Spacetro just to be with me.
In this situation, I had to make a firm decision.
“I know it sounds shameless of me to say this, but…”
When I, who had been silent throughout their exchange, finally spoke, Su-ah and Yura both turned their attention to me.
Without meeting either of their eyes, I stared blankly at the table in front of the sofa and spoke to them.
“If possible, I want us all to be together. And I hope no one fights because of me in the process. But… I don't have the confidence that I can give everyone equal attention to the point where everyone is satisfied when we’re all together.”
I wasn't lying. It was true that I wanted us to be together, and it was true that I didn't want them to fight over me.
But I knew how difficult that was. To achieve that impossible feat, I would have to care for and look after everyone equally so that no one felt left out.
And yet, I lacked the confidence to do even that. That was why I had racked my brain so much until a month ago, and my efforts had ultimately led to the worst possible outcome.
Though it might not be the same as the situation with Team Guerrilla, I couldn't shake the anxiety that my attempts to make things work would lead to an unforeseen disaster. My confidence plummeted in an instant—and then Su-ah flicked my forehead.
“!”
There was a sharp thwack! but it didn't really hurt. I was just surprised that Su-ah had flicked me and stared at her in shock.
“Who told you to do it all by yourself?”
“Huh?”
Yura, who was pressed against me, leaned in even closer.
“Exactly. No one asked you to worry about everything, A.”
Yura seemed a bit miffed as she slightly furrowed her brows.
“We agreed to divide the time because we saw you trying to handle it all alone. But if you want us all to be together too, then we can just solve it together. Do you really find your girlfriends that unreliable?”
Su-ah spoke as if she were scolding me, but I could feel her concern for me in her words.
“No. I can trust you.”
A month ago, the reason I had felt extreme fatigue and failed to notice Team Guerrilla’s tailing was that I had tried to handle everything on my own.
Back then, I couldn't tell my girlfriends about my situation, so I had no choice but to deal with it alone. But things were different now.
While there was still plenty of room for conflict between the harem and exclusivity stances, my girlfriends now knew about my situation because they wanted to be with me. And they understood.
It might be greedy to hope for zero problems, but now, when problems did arise, we could share and face them together.
“What about me? You can trust me too, right?”
“Of course. But are you really okay with this? If the others agree to meet whenever possible, you’ll have the least amount of time since you work every day.”
“I told you, I’m pro-harem. It’s much better for me to give up a little of my time so the others can meet you and things flow smoothly.”
At my words that I could trust Su-ah, Yura pressed for an answer about herself. Immediately after I answered, I asked if it was really okay to change the time-sharing method.
I found Yura’s answer so admirable and lovely that I immediately leaned in and pressed my lips against hers.
“Mnh.”
I held Yura’s waist as she pressed against me, our tongues intertwining. As I was enjoying her soft, sweet lips, Su-ah poked my head with her finger.
“Hmm?”
When I broke the kiss and looked at her, Su-ah was watching us with an ambiguous, hesitant look in her eyes.
“……What about me?”
She spoke with a scowl, but she looked adorable. Smiling at Su-ah’s rare display of cuteness, I leaned over and pressed my lips to hers.
Yura watched Su-ah and me kiss with a satisfied expression.
“Yellow. Just looking at you now, you seem totally pro-harem. Why don't you just join us?”
“Hmph! Forget it! I just thought it was better to be together right now. I have no intention of giving up on exclusivity.”
As our lips parted, Su-ah shouted back, denying Yura’s claim.
“But, us being like this just by ourselves…”
After kissing both of them, it suddenly bothered me that the three of us were doing this without letting the others know.
While seeing everyone together wouldn't be a problem going forward, Yura had arrived unexpectedly today, so the others didn't know that Su-ah, Yura, and I were currently together.
“Don't worry about that.”
Yura pulled out her smartphone and gestured to Su-ah and me as we watched her.
“Keep kissing.”
After a moment of hesitation, Su-ah and I pressed our lips together again at her command. Yura, who had her shirt buttons halfway undone, pressed close to me and took a photo so that all three of us were in the frame.
Then, she sent a text somewhere and said, “There. Shall we wait about thirty minutes?”
“What did you send?”
Curious about the text, I asked her after the kiss ended. She showed me the message she’d just sent.
It was sent to none other than the group chat with the Hunter Killer members. Along with the photo she’d just taken, she had written: [We’re going to have a fun time.]
The number next to the message was 1. This meant that, excluding Su-ah, who was kissing me, and Yura, who sent the text, the other members had checked the message instantly.
“Do you think they’ll come just because you sent a photo like that?”
“The desperate ones will. They’ll know they’re the ones losing out if they don't come after seeing that. As for Red, she’ll probably come because she’ll think this goes against our agreement to divide time fairly, right?”
I nodded, finding her logic plausible.
“Help me explain when the time comes, Yellow. Oh, do you have a lot of blankets at your place?”
“I have enough, but why?”
“I think we’re going to need quite a few.”
As Su-ah and Yura resumed their conversation, I looked at the text Yura had sent again. I was stunned, unable to even imagine what was about to happen.