Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: How to Steal the Protagonist's Woman
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"Today was truly enjoyable."
As the last student finished their exam, the dean stood up and smiled at the class.
"Though I ended up attending due to an unfortunate incident, I'm delighted to have witnessed your passion."
"E-everyone, applause for the dean!"
No, why applause for everything...
Clap clap clap clap clap clap.
But there wasn't a hint of dissatisfaction on the students' faces.
He hadn't shown anything special, but just by staying for a bit, he seemed to have boosted their respect for him.
"Then, having worked hard on your exams today, I hope you all rest well."
"W-well then, I..."
The dean exited the lecture hall gracefully amid the applause, and the teaching assistant hurriedly followed behind.
The moment the two left, the lecture hall buzzed with talk about the dean.
With that kind of aura, it was impossible not to be affected.
'As expected of the man who ushered in an era of peace.'
'Yeah, he's probably going to Luna.'
Sure enough, Louis ignored someone like me completely and went straight to Luna.
Louis's expression looked extremely troubled.
Things hadn't been going his way lately, so he couldn't possibly be in good shape...
Slapped in the face, marked by the professor, and Luna being cold to him...
'CEO-nim, isn't this all~ the achievements of yours truly, Seong Suho~?'
She's totally bluffing.
Don't stay silent, don't...
Standing in front of Luna's desk, Louis forced a smile and spoke.
"Luna, I need to talk about club business. Can we chat for a sec?"
"Huh? Didn't you already quit the club?"
"...How do you know that?"
"Oh..."
Luna glanced at me with a sudden realization.
The incident with Louis's expulsion had happened in the club room yesterday.
Luna and I had learned about Louis quitting while experiencing an intense(?) moment inside the cabinet.
In truth, she could just brush it off by saying she heard it from Professor Sonya.
The problem was that Luna had looked at me with that 'oh crap' expression.
And Louis saw it...
Looking at me and Luna, Louis furrowed his brow and spoke to her again.
"...Luna, let's talk for a bit."
"If it's a long story, can it wait until after club activities?"
Louis sighed and relaxed his expression.
"Haa... Fine. Then after club acti—"
"Ah! Sorry. I have plans after club, so how about tomorrow?"
"..."
Louis pressed his forehead with his right hand and lowered his head.
But Luna's next move was the kicker.
"Let's head to the club room quick."
"Huh? Right now?"
Luna tried to hurriedly drag me to the club room.
But her plan didn't go through.
Louis grabbed Luna's wrist, his face pleading as he said,
"...Luna, please, just talk to me..."
"......Haa... Fine."
"..."
Even after hearing the response he wanted from Luna, Louis didn't relax his expression at all.
I stood up and said to Luna,
"I'll head to the club room first."
"...Okay."
Luna pouted her lips, turned sharply, and walked out of the lecture hall.
Fortunately, Louis missed her expression and glared at me before quickly following her.
"Man, getting all sulky over nothing..."
[Are you in a bad mood?]
"...No? My mood's great."
I chuckled thinking of Luna's pouty face, tidied my desk, and headed to the club room alone.
"Ah, no way!"
Luna nearly screamed the moment she woke up in the morning.
She had fallen into a deep sleep after indulging in her first-time masturbation last night, and that was the problem.
She greeted the sunlight still in her uniform, without even changing clothes.
Luna, who usually woke to the dawn light through her window and prepared, now saw the sun high in the sky, tracing a large arc.
The moment she got up, she faced a dilemma.
Go to the lecture hall in this messy state, or prepare properly even if late?
But the conclusion came quickly.
"No time to wash now!"
She burst out the door into the hallway, and one fact immediately popped into her head.
"Underwear! Ack!"
Luna panicked at the word that slipped out, covered her mouth, and quickly scanned the hallway.
Fortunately, no one was around.
"Phew..."
Luckily no one heard, but the situation hadn't improved.
Realizing she was still wearing the underwear from yesterday's chaos made her feel like her soul was escaping her body.
She clearly remembered what she'd done while wearing them.
She could tolerate not washing, and even messy clothes.
Those two things weren't big issues for Luna, who usually ignored others' eyes.
She thought she could just tidy up neatly when she got there.
But wearing these underwear itself filled her with guilt.
The other person wouldn't know at all, but in her mind, she was the woman who did filthy things to one man.
Still, her sense of duty tipped the scales.
Luna chanted in her head as she dashed toward the lecture hall.
'He won't know, he won't know, he won't know, he won't...'
She arrived at the lecture hall, swallowing her guilt inwardly.
But the first thing she saw was Seong Suho.
All the other students had left somewhere.
'Auxiliary class, huh...'
Recalling the schedule she'd received before, she walked to her seat.
Finally catching her breath, Luna pretended not to notice Seong Suho staring at her blankly and asked,
"Um... today's class..."
"Ah, auxiliary class, so everyone moved. You should hurry too."
"Then together..."
"Nah, I have some business, so I gotta stay. Go on ahead."
"...Okay."
She inwardly resented him.
'Would it kill him to go together...'
A gloom she'd never felt before enveloped her emotions.
But that gloom vanished quickly.
The location of the auxiliary class lecture hall had been erased from the blackboard.
Panicking, Luna covered her mouth, not knowing what to do.
Seong Suho beside her asked,
"What's wrong?"
"Well... the auxiliary lecture hall location..."
"Oh?"
As he turned to look at the blackboard, Luna bowed her head and blamed herself this time.
'...Stupid. What am I doing? When I first came to this school, I vowed to succeed no matter what...'
Luna started self-reproach.
She felt like a fool bewitched by a man.
'He's not at fault... I'm the idiot...'
Tears welled up in frustration.
The moment tears threatened to fall, a gentle line from Seong Suho flowed into her ears.
"Third floor, Lutel Hall."
"...Pardon?"
"Go to Lutel Hall on the third floor."
"Ah... um..."
Seeing his confident expression, Luna was convinced.
'He stayed to tell me the lecture hall...'
From her perspective, there was no other reason for Seong Suho to stay here.
'I don't even know what his auxiliary class is...'
Luna had only learned Seong Suho's main class was Wind after asking.
Yet he'd known her auxiliary class in advance and stayed just in case.
As Luna murmured, Seong Suho asked,
"What was that?"
"...No, thank you."
Luna said that to Seong Suho and tried to leave quickly.
She thought she needed to get out fast so he(?) wouldn't be late because of her.
But the moment she turned, Seong Suho suddenly grabbed her arm.
Luna's whole body prickled with goosebumps, and she let out a near-scream.
"Wh-what are you doing?!"
Luna noticed her palm in Seong Suho's grip.
She recalled what she'd done with that hand last night.
The image was crystal clear in her mind.
'N-no way! Did he figure it out!?')
As panic over being caught overwhelmed her, Seong Suho replied.
"Ah, sorry, startled you. Why scream..."
"Y-you grabbed my hand so suddenly..."
"Your cuff's undone."
"Huh?"
Her mind went blank as she stared blankly at him fastening her sleeve button.
Just one second.
To her, it felt like an hour.
It was Seong Suho who brought her soul back.
"Hey, you'll be late."
"Ah!"
The word "late" snapped her back, and she turned and ran to the auxiliary class hall.
Before leaving the lecture hall, she glanced back at Seong Suho.
"Thank you."
Luna kept glancing at her sleeve as she ran to the auxiliary class hall.
...
...
Barely avoiding being late, Luna focused on the auxiliary class and returned to the original lecture hall.
She spotted Seong Suho lying on his desk, having returned before her.
But he was fidgeting uncomfortably.
Seeing him, Luna could clearly tell.
'...Did he get hurt somewhere? Why does he look in so much pain?'
It was completely different from his usual self.
Worried, Luna asked him,
"Are you okay?"
"Huh? Why?"
To her eyes, even answering seemed painful for him.
"You look tired."
Luna was genuinely concerned.
But his response was incomprehensible.
"Ah, drank too much ramyeon, feeling stuffy."
"...? Ramyeon?"
"It's a thing."
"..."
Luna was starting to get annoyed.
It always felt like she was the one approaching, making Seong Suho seem mean.
But the conversation ended there.
The teaching assistant in charge of magic circle practice had entered.
'Haa... I really hate this class.'
She could somehow endure the TA's advances.
But the fear of Seong Suho seeing it was indescribable.
Luna hoped he'd save her again while dreading him witnessing the humiliation.
The exam began, and Louis went first, demonstrating his magic circle.
Luna admired Louis's magic circle.
'To improve that much in just a few weeks... impressive.'
Even as a childhood friend, it was hard to believe the growth in mere three weeks.
But Luna quickly pushed thoughts of his skill aside, wanting to change his behavior.
Louis, whom she'd known forever, was like a little brother to her.
Not the kind you bicker and fight with, but one you had to look after.
Lately, though, he felt annoying.
She'd found a guy she liked, and it felt like her little brother kept pestering her.
'Haa... Should I tell Louis to give me some space...'
In Luna's mind, her own love life took precedence over hurting Louis.
As Luna pondered how to handle Louis, her name was called from the podium.
"Luna Staatfeldt."
"Yes."
Luna slowly walked to the podium.
Inwardly, she prayed endlessly.
'Please..., please don't do anything...'
The moment she stood on the podium, she started drawing the magic circle without waiting for the signal.
But then, a sleazy voice came from behind.
"Hold on."
The TA circled her body, looking her up and down.
'Haa... Here we go again.'
She wanted to punch that creepy face leering at her body.
For the first time, Luna felt like hitting someone.
Her eyes met Seong Suho's.
His angry expression was vividly clear even from here.
Luna turned her head away, trying not to look at him.
'Please don't look...'
The moment the TA touched her collar.
Bang!
The sound of a desk being slammed echoed.
Luna instinctively looked toward Seong Suho.
It wasn't him who slammed it.
But seeing his face, she knew exactly what he was about to do.
'Magic circle?'
She wasn't sure exactly where he was looking, but definitely toward the podium.
And suddenly, a pig-like squeal erupted beside her.
"Kaaaaack!"
As the TA fell, he tried to grab Luna, but she fortunately dodged his hand.
Thud!
The TA started squealing toward someone.
But Luna grew numb to the noises around her, her gaze fixed on one person.
In her eyes, only Seong Suho, pretending nothing happened, filled her vision.