My Purity Was Stolen
Was it because I'd pressed my face too close to Lee Jihye? All sorts of scents wafting from her were poking at my nose.
The fragrant shampoo, perfume, and even the damp sweat smell.
For some reason, unlike the musty, fishy stench guys gave off, hers carried a subtly seductive aroma.
Emergency...!
If this kept up, an unexpected incident was bound to happen in these skin-tight shorts clinging to me.
And with our bodies pressed this close... it was only a matter of time before she noticed!
Teaching Lee Jihye had completely taken a backseat, and the national anthem was blaring from verse one to four in my head.
But it still wasn't enough.
Her scent was one thing, but her ragged breathing kept tickling my ear.
Hah... hah...
Inhale, exhale.
The hot gusts of breath were bad enough, but the sound... damn it, this was my limit.
When even the anthem and tactical nukes stopped working,
Ding—
Thankfully, the bell signaling the end of the match rang out, as if the goddess of fate was saying it wasn't my time to die yet.
I'm saved.
I tried to pull away quickly before Lee Jihye noticed. One more second, and it'd have been public humiliation plus gifting her a weird sensation.
But...
"Huh?"
"Don't let go."
This crazy woman was hugging me tighter instead.
"W-wait... this is kinda dangerous right now..."
"Can't hear you~?"
I tried prying her off with brute force, but her arms and legs had me completely pinned. And yet, strangely...
My brain gave up thinking, and my body thrashed to soak in her warmth.
God... are you trying to throw me in jail as a sex offender now...?
I gazed at the sky with a look of enlightenment.
"That's enough, that's enough. Jihye, let go of Haon."
The gym coach intervened, probably figuring we'd be putting on an unseemly show any second longer.
"Tch."
Lee Jihye smacked her lips regretfully as she eyed me.
That bold expression.
Shouldn't a princess act with a bit more decorum?!
She was supposed to uphold her chastity, live a pure and upright life—that was the concept! But right now, this situation...
It felt like my purity had been stolen.
"Urk..."
I'd beaten up every guy in this gym and held the title of ultimate tough guy, yet here I was, getting toyed with by one girl.
Where had my iron will gone—the one that ate cold noodles piping hot?!
"Haon, that's enough. Get up."
The coach extended a hand to me as I lay face-down on the ring in shame, but...
"Leave me be..."
I swatted it away and slammed my head back onto the mat.
Absolutely not, absolutely not...
This had nothing to do with Little Boss greeting the lively morning.
I have no idea how the next hour flew by.
When I came to, I was already getting ready to head home.
Lee Jihye must've enjoyed today's lesson—or something else—since she'd even paid up, meaning she'd be coming regularly.
As she emerged from the coach's office after finishing registration, the guys working out leered at her with goofy grins.
"Tsk."
But when Lee Jihye clicked her tongue and shot them a contemptuous glare, their faces fell into solemn gloom in real time.
"Let's go!"
She slapped my waiting back with a smack and flashed a completely different expression.
How was she so free with her emotions...
Her contemptuous look wasn't bad, but her smile was...
No, no, what nonsense.
I shook my head hard to clear the useless thoughts and grabbed my gym bag.
"Guess I'll be seeing you every day now?"
She beamed, grinning ear to ear, clearly thrilled.
"Eh, just for workouts."
"Like earlier?"
"Cough!"
Her sudden tease made me choke on air. No way she'd noticed...?
"You're more innocent than you look~"
"What're you talking about? You watch your behavior. Pull that on other guys here, and who knows what'll happen."
I lectured her sternly with a strict, serious Confucian vibe, but...
"Huh? Sorry, but that's only for you~?"
Her soft, heart-melting reply ripped right through me.
I was speechless.
It was so bold, so one-sided.
I hadn't chatted much with girls in this world, but even the dangerously flirty Kim Minji wouldn't flirt like this!
"Pfft, what a dumbfounded look."
Lee Jihye poked my frozen heart and...
"Looks like I've hooked you halfway~?"
...flashed a confident smile before sauntering off.
"This feels unreal."
No matter how long my dry spell had been, getting whirled around like this made me feel pathetic.
But... it didn't feel bad.
At the same time.
Lee Wooju and Kim Minji met secretly at a café far enough that no one from school would spot them.
"Info?"
"You first."
Pure business.
Lee Wooju pulled out a notebook and handed it to Kim Minji.
"Stuff I've jotted down hanging with Haon. Might overlap with what you know, but it's my best shot."
"Hm..."
Kim Minji flipped through each page carefully.
"Well, it's got value."
"Your turn."
Lee Wooju swallowed hard.
Chae Serin was near-perfect in his eyes.
Without a spy like this feeding him info, approaching her was impossible barring some twist of fate.
Double digits of guys had already confessed and been shot down.
"Tell you this, and will it help or hurt you~?"
Kim Minji teased, eyeing his reaction.
"Don't mess around."
He was dead serious.
His usual mild, gentle demeanor now burned with resolve and grit.
Amused, Kim Minji beckoned him closer.
He leaned in tensely, and she whispered a bombshell.
"That Baek Haon you hang with? He's Chae Serin's childhood friend."
"What?"
His voice spiked.
"It's true, but for some reason, they act like they don't know each other."
"Why tell me that?"
"That doesn't add up? We swapped info, remember?"
"No, not that..."
Lee Wooju couldn't figure it out.
Why his heart stung so much.
Liking his friend's childhood friend?
Or... profiting off selling his friend's info?
No, something bigger...
"Haon doesn't have a thing for Serin, right?"
His friend crushing on the same girl.
Kim Minji shrugged innocently.
"Why not ask him yourself?"
Just a curt dodge.
"That's not what we agreed."
He glared at her nonchalance, but...
"Nah, it'd be weird if I spilled what I don't even know about Haon. Your move from here."
Her reply was pure fact.
"Ugh..."
"I get it's a lot. So here's the thing..."
Kim Minji smiled slyly.
"For the music performance eval, how about a group of four?"
"...Think it could work?"
"I've got ways."
She tapped her temple, signaling her plans were set.
After briefing him on approach tactics...
"Then you'll get all the truth you want."
"Okay."
Their shady deal wrapped up.
Back home, I scarfed a simple dinner and sat at my desk to study.
I'd craved my own space like crazy at the semester's start, but now it barely registered—proof I was settling in okay.
"Anyway, what now."
A string of heart-pounding thrills.
Honestly, ironic that with Baek Haon's face, this was hitting me now—but the jitters wouldn't quit.
If I'd felt this before, I'd brush it off easy.
Watching Lee Wooju and Chae Serin flirt had me content with vicarious vibes, but my life was shifting.
Some might call it overexcitement...
Unless you're a eunuch, ignoring the signs would be idiotic.
Anyway, future me would handle romance fine.
"That time's almost here."
The main event from the original story was approaching.
The incident pushing Lee Wooju and Chae Serin's relationship forward!
It'd get them meeting not just at school but off-campus too.
"Gotta pair them up somehow this time."
If they'd been partners from the start, it'd flow smooth—but the early snag made me uneasy.
Still, I've got it covered—no worries!
I knew every move they'd make, etched in my brain.
"Absolutely cannot end up in a group with Lee Wooju."
The event kicked off Friday's music class.
During group formation for the performance eval, make sure Wooju's the last one standing. And me...
"Gotta form a group fastest."
Time flew, and the long-awaited Friday arrived.
Still awkward with classmates, but no biggie.
I had my trusty pal Kim Taeyang, master of [Windbag Mouth Skill!]
Third period zipped by, then the highlight: fourth-period music.
Friends clustered in twos and threes, heading to the music room.
"Everyone here?"
The music teacher's chipper voice rang out.
"Let's talk about that performance eval announced last time, a month from now."
Right on script.
"Groups up to four. Bring instruments you can play and do a ensemble. It's challenging, so grading'll be generous—no stress."
Students sighed in relief at her explanation.
Elite school was elite. Even arts scores tanked your college options.
For music majors, this moment rivaled Korean, English, math.
"We'll form groups before class. Random draw?"
"Nooo!!"
She smiled, like she'd expected the backlash.
"Then, ten minutes to sort it out."
Kids scrambled to team with fits.
I bolted straight for Taeyang, but...
"Yo, Haon~ What instruments you play? All-rounder like top of the class?"
"Recorder!"
Taeyang flipped me the bird and vanished.
"For real, quit joking."
"Nah, Haon? Sorry, no spot for you here."
He blocked me with his decade of piano experience as shield.
Damn.
Panicking, I scanned around—solo spots were gone.
The few left? Recorders too, same reaction as Taeyang.
In max crisis...
"Haon~ Wanna team with us?"
My savior, Kim Minji, grabbed my arm!
I rushed over joyfully, but...
"Ah."
Right. She's Chae Serin's bestie.
Chae Serin glaring daggers. Lee Wooju with an awkward grin. Kim Minji slyly linking arms, half-dragging me.
"Ah."
Not a savior—a Cerberus opening hell's gates, and me the idiot following gladly.
Ultimate disaster team assembled!