- Saintess Ha Yeon-ah - Peel-Peel-
Park I-rae lay on the soft hospital bed, watching Seong Ye-han peel an apple beside her with surprisingly deft hands.
Senior...
The ripe red apple quickly revealed its firm, snow-white flesh, the long peel curling like a snake's shed skin and neatly piling up on the tray.
"Here. Ahh—"
"Ahh—"
His familiar words from their childhood—ones she could no longer witness—accompanied the apple slice he brought to her lips, cut to the perfect bite-sized piece. Blushing slightly with embarrassment, she obediently opened her mouth and swallowed the piece whole.
*Smooch—*
Pretending it was an accident, she sucked on his fingers—which he'd used instead of a fork or chopsticks at her request—*lick*—wrapping her tongue lightly around them to savor the sweet-tart juice clinging to his skin.
As the fingers slipped from her mouth, a sticky sound followed, and a thin transparent thread stretched from the tip to her lips—*drip*—thinning before *snap*—breaking. Seeing senior's face flush just like hers moments ago was a delightful sight.
"You really..."
"Hehe. Why, senior?"
His voice held a hint of reproach, but it was warm like spring sunlight. He shrugged helplessly, and Park I-rae met his gaze with a brazen smile.
Time with senior was the vital spark in her otherwise boring hospital life.
Honestly, she felt ready to discharge right now, but Seong Ye-han and Ha Yeon-ah had insisted on monitoring her condition a bit longer. What she'd endured was an S-rank hunter's ability, after all—no matter how fine she felt, even Park I-rae couldn't stubbornly push it.
Aftereffects could lurk unseen, tormenting you later even if everything seemed okay now.
Of course, she wasn't worried. As a member of Neorul Guild and the little sister cherished by the Saintess Ha Yeon-ah, she was in the best possible position for healing in the world.
Energy overflowed within her, urging her body to move, but she held back. Better to endure a little itchiness than worry those around her needlessly.
As she thought that, his hand brought another apple slice to her lips.
*Chomp—Crunch-crunch—*
"So, senior. What did you want to say?"
Having polished off the entire apple he'd peeled, Park I-rae finally spoke.
She'd known Seong Ye-han for years now. Sure, about a year of that had passed without seeing his face, but they'd already tasted each other's most intimate, shameful places. She was confident she could read what senior wanted just from his eyes.
According to her Intro to Seong Ye-han Studies, when he cast his gaze slightly downward, placed his hands firmly on his knees, and clenched and relaxed his fists—it meant with high probability that he'd done something he thought was wrong and was about to confess it.
"Spit it out clean, senior. I'll forgive you."
"Anything?"
"Hmm... If it's something like marrying another woman instead of me, I'll slap you."
"Huh?"
"Then I'll follow you on your honeymoon, kneel at your suite door, and beg to join for a harem threesome on your first night."
"Ahem... Th-that's not it."
"If that doesn't work, I'll move next door to your new place, eavesdrop on you and her having sex, masturbate to it every day, and seduce you into cheating with me."
"Wh... That's heavy... my love."
"So do better, senior. Hehe."
Even as she smiled softly, seeing his adorably trembling form made Park I-rae clap her hands—*clap*.
The gloomy, sticky tension that had weighed on the room vanished with the sound, replaced by the cozy air of the VIP hospital suite.
"So? What is it you want to say?"
"Ahem! Ahem!"
Watching him steady his breathing, Park I-rae calmed her own pounding heart. She knew it wasn't that kind of talk, but whatever confession came from his lips was something he thought would be bad for her—so she needed to brace herself.
"Irae. You know... about my ability?"
Thus began Seong Ye-han's confession.
Park I-rae knew about it. The ability that added his partner's stats to his own through sex... A buff with overwhelming potential if he chose the right partners. He'd reached A-rank—what most awakeners dreamed of—in just a year because of it, so of course she knew.
But he wouldn't have built up to this just for that. There had to be more.
Thinking so, she waited quietly... but with focus so sharp anyone could see it.
And... his follow-up words delivered a massive shock to Park I-rae.
First, the initial target of his ability: Shin Ye-hwa. The story of him—the man dubbed the incarnation of trash, the poster girl for crazy bitches—was so absurd it made her question his sanity. It was the kind of plot twist that would get flak for lacking plausibility even in the sleaziest erotic tale... A development that left her mind blank.
Of course, she knew well how his hot, firm, rock-hard cock could melt a woman's body and heart completely—but still, this was...
Let's just say Shin Ye-hwa's a weirdo.
Park I-rae figured the woman had some personal circumstances no one else knew about. She'd lost her words at the Earth-shattering fantasy worthy of applause for the author, but the true shock came right after.
His ability's growth from achieving the impossible feat(?). Main heroines, sub-heroines, extra heroines. Shin Ye-hwa's mind-blowing "support"(?). And the fact that besides her and Shin Ye-hwa, Sword Saint Yeo Seon-hui and the outlaw (half-slave treatment, apparently) were already in the mix...
Finally, sex with him lifting harmful status effects from heroines—and the resulting trouble with Ha Yeon-ah. Park I-rae heard it all, without omission.
"Senior..."
"Yeah...?"
"You're trash."
"Ack!"
"But it's okay. I still love my trash senior."
"Irae..."
Seeing him gaze at her with moved eyes at her final words, Park I-rae suddenly hardened her expression, glared venomously, raised her hand high, and spoke.
He stayed still, as if thinking, Yeah, that's only fair...
"But... punishment."
Seeing him squeeze his eyes shut at her words, she swung her hand toward his cheek—then softened at the last moment, cupping his face instead.
*Smack—*
A light kiss.
"!!"
Smiling at senior, who widened his eyes in surprise at the soft, moist touch on his lips, Park I-rae said,
"But... if you neglect me... you know, right senior?"
"Follow on the honeymoon, move next door, and... yeah?"
"And finally, I'm getting pregnant with your baby, senior."
"You really..."
"Hehe."
And so the untimely confession wrapped up in a fluffy, dreamy atmosphere.
Chatter and laughter bloomed softly.
How much time passed?
Seong Ye-han left, saying he had to wrap things up with Ha Yeon-ah, leaving Park I-rae alone.
In the now-quiet room, she lay fully on the bed, lost in thought.
Senior's confession was shocking, sure—but weighing good versus bad, it was good for her.
First, no more fretting over his other lovers in their relationship. She still felt deep regret and anger for not being his first, but this was practically an official harem now—no more guilt.
Just competing openly for his favor put her in a league of her own compared to before.
But one thing still nagged at her.
His harem members were no joke. Shin Ye-hwa might've been demoted from S-rank, but she was a head-turner any man would drool over. Senior Yeo Seon-hui was youthful, perky, and elegantly beautiful like a noble scholar, ageless. The outlaw probably had a killer face too.
And due to his special ability, he'd link with more outstanding, beautiful women ahead. Maybe even Ha Yeon-ah...
"This won't do."
Park I-rae raised her arm, clenching her fist. The power she'd once thought sufficient... Her skin looked a shade paler.
She still vividly remembered her frailty—overpowered by an S-rank without a proper fight.
Insufficient.
She assessed herself objectively. Looks? She didn't think she lost to anyone.
But ability... In front of S-rank, A-rank was mere dust.
"Senior... I'll get stronger."
Park I-rae resolved. The efforts of the past year—half wasted—rekindled her extinguished will once more.