Chapter 325
Chapter 325
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 325
Chapter Title: The Reality After the Kiss
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***
Why is a kiss so sweet?
Even though it was just our lips meeting, the sensation it sent through me was far greater than I'd imagined.
"Hngh..."
Feeling Millia's breath as she actively met my lips, I felt like I was floating.
...She was so forward.
And like a surprising new side to her, Millia seemed to be revealing a different charm moment by moment, one I had never felt from her before.
I could feel a passionate affection in her actions. Her arms, wrapping around my neck and holding me tight as if demanding me, were stimulating.
*Slowly.*
At last, the long kiss ended, and she slowly pulled her head away from mine.
Even that moment felt surreal.
"..."
It was as if a current flowed from her slender fingers as they gently brushed against my neck, intoxicating me.
It was as if she was engraving just how charming she was onto me.
"Haah..."
As she exhaled a heated breath, her eyes, fixed on me, were filled with such passion that I couldn't look away.
A laugh escaped me in my slightly dazed state.
I was the one who had leaned in to kiss her as she'd asked.
But after that, the tables turned, and it was as if I was receiving her kiss. It felt like she was the one kissing me.
*Gently.*
Then, she lowered her head to rest on my shoulder, and a strange sense of fulfillment washed over me.
'Why does she feel so alluring?'
We had only kissed and whispered words of love, yet it felt different.
"...What time is your appointment?"
"Six o'clock."
I hesitated for a moment before answering Millia, who was still leaning against me.
I never imagined that right after such an affectionate kiss... she would ask about the time of my appointment with Glacia.
"It's almost six now... What a shame."
*Thump.*
As I dazedly nodded at her whispered words, my heart wavered intensely.
The long kiss was over, and now Millia was leaning gently against me.
And her eyes, as she slowly lifted her head to look up at me, seemed to convey the exact opposite of what she had just said.
*Stay with me.*
...I couldn't shake the feeling that she was telling me not to leave.
"Um... Millia?"
"Yes. I know. I didn't mean to make things difficult for you."
She responded to my call with a faint smile, nodding as she pulled away, and for a moment, my heart sank.
...I'm happy.
And she is so lovely.
She felt even more charming now than when I'd thought of her as my ideal type. It was as if she was trying to show me.
Showing me just how attractive she could be, and how actively she could express her affection. I found it hard to stop myself from falling for her.
It was so good that, conversely, a part of me felt afraid.
Afraid that I would fall too deeply for her.
"Ah, I messed up your collar."
*Gently.*
Watching her smile as she straightened my student uniform, I couldn't easily find my words.
It wasn't a sensual smile or a kiss like before, just a gentle touch, yet it felt like she was... seducing me.
"......"
As I stared blankly, Millia soon removed her hand.
"Well then... Han Cheon-seong, see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah. See you... tomorrow."
After that, Millia smiled and slowly started to walk out. As I saw her off, I felt a very strange mix of emotions.
Even in that moment of parting, my gaze remained fixed on her.
…….
*Thud.*
Now, after parting with Millia, I walked on. The sky was already turning red.
Not much time left until 6 p.m.
"..."
And yet, my heart still felt like it was floating.
I wasn't sure how the time had passed, and the time I spent with Millia felt incredibly short.
It felt somewhat surreal.
'To think our relationship could change so much in just a few days...'
*Slowly.*
I absentmindedly touched my own lips, where hers had been, and composed myself.
It was time to return to reality. The reality I had to face was all around me.
"Glacia must be furious too."
As I spoke, the park where we were supposed to meet came into view.
Today was the day I regularly met with Glacia. The time to face her, just like always, was approaching.
Even though I arrived at the park earlier than usual, I felt a sense of dread.
The happiness from the tender moments with Millia lingered in my heart like residual heat, but I also had to think about the reality of facing Glacia.
"Hoo."
I took a deep breath, calming my heart.
*Slap.*
I lightly slapped my own cheeks and resumed walking.
I had to face her now.
There was no turning back for me now anyway.
…….
"You're here earlier than I thought."
"Glacia. You were already here."
As soon as I entered the park, I saw Glacia waiting for me and studied her face.
She was calm, with no particular change in her expression.
Contrary to my expectation that she would be angry or cold, she seemed perfectly composed.
That struck me as odd.
It was a calmness reminiscent of... when I first met her.
*Tap. Tap.*
"Sit next to me, Han Cheon-seong."
She then sat on a nearby bench and patted the spot next to her, calling me over. Her calm tone and indifferent gaze made me uneasy.
*Step...*
Nevertheless, I acted nonchalant and sat down beside her. Glacia gently looked at me.
"......"
As she stared at me without a word, I broke the silence as I usually did.
"Have you... been waiting long?"
"No, just a little."
"That's a relief. Oh, so... where should we go today? If there's anywhere you want to go, or anything you want, just say the word."
My heart wavered even as I made the suggestion.
Just this morning, I had planned to spend the day training with Glacia, but I couldn't bring myself to suggest that now.
I tried to read her mood to accommodate her, but... she was just so calm.
"I don't know."
As she looked me in the eye and replied, her answer was simply nonchalant.
And looking at her now, I couldn't sense any anger, disappointment, or any other emotion.
"How about we go see the animals in the lounge like last time? You really liked the rabbits."
Even when I carefully mentioned something she liked, Glacia's reaction was lukewarm.
An air of indifference. No matter what I said, her reaction was just calm and hard to read...
As I continued to speak one-sidedly.
A sense of urgency grew in my heart.
"Han Cheon-seong."
"Uh..."
"Instead of going somewhere, I'd like for us to talk. And you don't have to try so hard."
"Okay. I understand."
...She isn't angry. She isn't showing any signs of being hurt.
She's treating me so rationally that she almost seems at ease. That's why I felt more anxious. I had no idea what state her heart was really in.
What on earth...
'What emotions is she feeling as she looks at me?'
There was a brief pause in our conversation.
This situation felt awkward and uncomfortable. Not knowing how to act around Glacia, in particular, made me more anxious than I'd expected.
"There's something I want to ask."
As Glacia finally spoke first, I answered cautiously.
"You can ask. I'll answer if I can."
"Really? Then... are you and Millia a couple?"
Glacia's question was so direct it made my words feel hollow.
"...That's right. She and I are a couple."
And I didn't hesitate to answer that.
Starting tomorrow, there would probably be an uproar since so many students saw us kiss, but I knew I couldn't deny it.
Millia and I would have to be officially known as a couple now...
"A couple. I thought so."
Hearing my answer, she suddenly gave a faint smile, which made me flinch for some reason.
...It's quiet.
And she's perfectly calm.
This calmness I felt from Glacia wasn't like her recent self.
The girl who had always been direct about her feelings, her likes and dislikes, was now subtly trying to hide her emotions.
So I had no way of knowing what was on her mind, or what she was thinking.
"I'm sorry, Glacia."
The apology slipped out before I could stop it.
"Sorry? Why are you apologizing to me?"
"Because I feel like I hurt you..."
"Hurt me? That's not it. And there's no reason for you to be sorry. You and I were friends from the start. We're not a couple like you and Millia."
*Thud.*
Every word she threw at me was heavy.
And as she said, we were friends. Even after we had honestly shared our feelings, the answer she gave me then was that we should remain 'friends'.
'She definitely said that, but...'
Honestly, I never felt like we were just friends.
In fact, after that, we treated each other as members of the opposite sex, both in perception and action.
We didn't hold hands or hug without emotion... we clearly acted with the feelings one has for the opposite sex.
"Glacia. Are you... really okay?"
I asked her again as she stared at me silently.
If she was really okay.
I wished she would just be honest and tell me if she was angry, or hurt... or feeling anything else.
"Yes. I'm fine."
And yet, Glacia's reply was incredibly calm.
There was truly no change in her expression.
The way she looked at me, spoke, and answered—aside from that faint smile earlier—was virtually unchanged.
"......"
Looking at her, I couldn't bring myself to speak rashly.
Normally, I would have started the conversation and guided it to make it easy for her to respond. But not now.
'What exactly is our relationship...'
What's going to happen to it?
Even I couldn't figure out where things stood between Glacia and me.
I didn't know how Glacia thought of me, but I had been conscious of her as a woman from the very beginning.
"Actually, after we parted ways today, I did a lot of thinking."
"What did you think about...?"
"About myself, and about you. As I kept thinking about our relationship, an answer just came to me."
An answer.
Her voice was still calm, but I tensed up.
And I inadvertently guessed what that answer might be.
'So the reason Glacia was so calm was...'
As my heart began to calm down, a hollow laugh escaped me. I felt like an idiot.
...When I thought about it, it was only natural.
For Glacia to see me today and decide to sort out her feelings was the most logical course of action. Why hadn't I considered that possibility?
Was I being arrogant?
"Han Cheon-seong."
"...Yeah, Glacia."
"Can I ask you for a favor?"
For the first time today, Glacia spoke to me with hesitation.
"......"
Before I even heard what it was, I found myself nodding.
Whatever choice she had made, I felt I had to respect her decision.
Even if that meant thinking about the end of our relationship...