Hero Academy (4-27)
In the pitch-black classroom where they could barely make out each other's faces, Seong Su-ho's resolute words flowed into Seong Su-a's ears.
"I'm planning to submit my resignation tomorrow."
"…."
Seong Su-a's silence wasn't born of composure.
Her mind had ground to a complete halt, like a city plunged into blackout after a lightning strike.
Seong Su-ho, matching her silence, simply embraced the faint moonlight streaming from the moon, his expression shadowed as he averted his gaze.
Seong Su-a remained quiet for a long while, only snapping back to reality when the tilting moonlight fully illuminated his face.
"I-Instructor… Seong Su-ho. What do you…."
Seong Su-ho kept a stern expression, never once meeting her eyes.
Like a man who had committed a grave sin….
"Exactly as I said. Starting tomorrow, I'll submit my resignation to the principal and leave the embassy…."
"Why…."
She already knew the reason.
But even so, Seong Su-a clung to a vain hope, praying he'd offer some other excuse.
Yet Seong Su-ho bowed his head and confessed his own shame with his own words, piece by piece.
"What I did to you, Instructor Seong Su-a… it was something I absolutely shouldn't have done. Or I could turn myself in to the police directly…."
"You know that's not true!"
Seong Su-a's voice cracked with tears as she approached him.
"Or… do you really not know?"
"…."
It was beyond frustrating—it sent chills down her spine.
She had been sending him signals all along.
Signals begging him to see her not as a colleague, but as a woman….
Even if they were instinctive signals, she was certain he'd pick up on them.
If it seemed he hadn't noticed, she was even prepared to send stronger ones to provoke him.
But what infuriated Seong Su-a wasn't that he'd missed her signals.
She had felt it, time and again.
The fact that he harbored feelings for her as a man….
There was only one conclusion she could draw.
"Do you… hate me as a person?"
He might be attracted to her rationally, but repelled by her on a personal level.
Ironically, such rebellious psychology sometimes crept into relationships between men and women.
A visceral disgust born from clashing values, despite an appearance you couldn't tear your eyes from and an allure that kept drawing you in.
Seong Su-a couldn't understand his behavior any other way.
But Seong Su-ho firmly denied her conviction, shaking his head side to side.
"How could that be? You're like an idol to me, Instructor Seong Su-a."
"An… idol?"
Caught off guard by the sudden praise amid the heavy mood, Seong Su-a flushed red in confusion.
But Seong Su-ho put a final end to the hazy atmosphere.
"That's exactly why."
"Huh?"
"Someone like me can only end up as a stain on your life."
"What… do you…."
Gazing out the window, Seong Su-ho continued as if murmuring to himself.
"Someone like me doesn't suit being by your side, Instructor Seong Su-a. No… I never belonged there in the first place."
"…."
"You deserve better than someone like me by your side."
Only then did Seong Su-a piece together all the clues upon hearing his words.
The reason Seong Su-ho was showing such determination to distance himself from her.
'Oppa….'
It was all because of one man.
Seong Su-a slowly walked toward Seong Su-ho, who stared endlessly out the window at the night.
"That's not true…."
"…."
Seong Su-a had begun living her life in lonely solitude for the sake of that one man.
She had no intention of blaming him.
It was her choice, after all.
But in this moment, for the first time, she felt a flicker of resentment.
'Because of Oppa….'
The man who stared steadfastly at the distant moon without turning his head.
She began to resent Cho Kang-hyeon for cowering the one man who might look at her.
A man whose mere existence isolated her, and now even restrained her right to love.
As Seong Su-a hugged Seong Su-ho from behind—he who steadfastly refused to look at her—he reacted with rejection and whispered.
"Not yet… I'm still not in a good state. If you come closer…."
"I don't care."
Seong Su-a gripped the resisting Seong Su-ho tightly, embracing him fiercely from behind.
"I don't care. So…."
Burying her face in his back, Seong Su-a sobbed and pleaded.
"Don't go… please… please don't go…."
"…."
"I just need you… please…."
Sobbing for a long while, Seong Su-a sensed his movement and clung even tighter.
Fearful that he might abandon her in this pathetic state and flee.
"Don't go… don't go…."
But despite her desperate embrace, Seong Su-ho slipped from her grasp and turned to face her directly.
Throughout her visit, he hadn't spared her a single glance—but now, looking down at Seong Su-a, he uttered the line she'd desperately awaited.
"Instructor Seong Su-a…."
"Hng…."
With those words alone, the heavy feathers weighing on Seong Su-a lightened, and his lips moistened them, sending them soaring away on the wind.
The countless lonelinesses that had enveloped her….
"Chuu… hng… haa…."
…tasted the gentle warmth of the sun once more through one man's lips.
After dealing with Moon Ju-a, I took Lena and Beatrice straight to the core's location.
Destroying the core?
It was so straightforward it hardly seemed like the crux of the incident.
The moment I took down all the assailants and shattered the core.
Thanks to Lena sensing the presence, we quickly hid and observed the intruder in secret.
It was Seong Su-a.
Seeing her wandering in search of me, I began formulating a plan.
The plan was simple.
While she searched for me and stepped away, I'd move elsewhere and stage a situation to stir her sympathy.
Not difficult at all.
As long as no one sneezed….
Achoo!
Beatrice let out a massive sneeze, then awkwardly scratched her head as we stared at her.
I wondered if succubi even had periods, but that wasn't the issue.
That sneeze gave away our position to Seong Su-a, and just as she was about to burst into the infirmary.
We must buy time!
Crash!
As the door shattered, I charged at Seong Su-a and showered her with kisses.
No grand plan.
Just the thought that Lena and Beatrice couldn't be discovered.
But my desperate actions….
'Perfect… right on plan.'
Your acting is impeccable.
…were yielding results beyond the plan.
I explored Seong Su-a's mouth while holding her tight.
'Never expected it to go down like this.'
I'd thought today was the perfect opportunity, but I hadn't imagined capturing her heart quite this way.
I had no intention of ending the date with a mundane goodbye.
But I hadn't planned for such a deep, lingering kiss either.
At minimum, I wanted us to bare our hearts to each other, entangling our roots like trees buried in soil, advancing our bond.
But an unforeseen incident skipped all the intermediate steps.
Not a shallow, damp process—but a deep, intense one that bound me and Seong Su-a together.
Forcibly prying open Seong Su-a's heart, allowing my feelings to take root in hers and burrow in deep.
Arrogant as it sounded, I was certain.
The affection I'd planted in her heart couldn't be removed unless her heart was ripped out….
So there was only one thing left for me to do.
'Leaving here just like that would be a shame.'
Seong Su-a would think I was in heat.
'Then I should play along with that, right?'
She'd surely understand all my actions.
I pulled away from her lips and looked down at Seong Su-a.
Gone was the fresh, vibrant smile she always wore.
Her face was that of a woman exhausted after flailing in a nightmare and being rescued.
I murmured as I gripped the chest of Seong Su-a, who wore such a pitiful expression.
"Haa, haa… Instructor Seong Su-a…."
"Hngg…."
At her moan, I pulled my hand away again, hesitating as I gazed at her.
Seong Su-a smiled, gently taking my withdrawn hand and placing it back on her breast, then spoke.
"You don't have to hold back. No…."
Using my hand, Seong Su-a squeezed her own breast firmly and replied with a seductive smile.
"I'll make sure you can't hold back."