Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: You Said I Could
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***
*Rustle.*
As she slowly pressed her body against his, Glacia had been curious for the past few days.
‘What does it feel like to hug a friend?’
In the past, there were often times she couldn’t understand others when she observed them. And among those things, she especially couldn’t comprehend hugging a friend.
When something happy or sad happened. Or even for no reason at all, people would embrace each other. They weren’t family, yet they so easily allowed their bodies to be touched.
She found it so fascinating to watch.
When they unreservedly offered their embrace or were held by another. Just what kind of feeling did they get to make them act that way...?
Because I had only ever felt that with my sister. The feeling of being held by her was always warm and cozy, so it was simply nice.
Because I could feel the warmth of family.
So I was curious.
Whether something others experienced so easily, something I never had, held that much meaning.
And now, I was finally putting it into practice.
Leaning my body against Han Cheon-seong's chest, as if gently hugging him, felt very... strange.
“...Glacia?”
Even Han Cheon-seong's voice, sounding a bit louder, felt different than usual.
“Han Cheon-seong. You said I could.”
Despite that, there was no hesitation in my reply.
I had asked Han Cheon-seong before acting, and I had clearly heard him say I could.
Moreover, we had called each other friends several times. So, in essence, I had repeatedly sought his consent.
“Well, I definitely did say that... but.”
Despite his flustered voice, I focused on the sensation of this moment, leaning against his chest.
It was obvious, but the feeling of being held by Han Cheon-seong now was different from when my sister held me.
Very, very... different.
‘Is this what it feels like to hug a friend?’
It was somehow different from what I had imagined. A very different feeling.
It didn't feel comfortable.
It wasn't warm or cozy like my sister's embrace. Instead, I even felt a strange sensation that made me a bit more tense.
And at the same time, a ticklish feeling in my chest... a peculiar sensation that was hard to describe with words.
Wondering if I was leaning awkwardly, I raised my hands just as I did when I hugged my sister.
*Rustle!*
Rather than just leaning, I hugged Han Cheon-seong more tightly.
“H-Hey!? Glacia?”
I could hear the panic in his voice, but since I was already doing it, I couldn't stop. I felt I had to get a proper result.
I wanted to properly understand why friends embraced each other.
“...Something’s strange.”
But still confused, I ended up voicing my thoughts aloud.
“Why are you suddenly... doing this?”
“There's no big reason. I've just seen friends hug like this in various situations. When they're really happy or sad, or even for no reason at all... Now that I'm hugging you myself, it seems very different from what I thought.”
I felt a little embarrassed even as I said it.
I knew that hugging between friends was an expression of affection.
But even so...
‘Do friends just casually do things that feel this strange?’
Even now, the feeling was just odd.
Rather than the vague sense of happiness I felt when hugging my sister, I was a little flustered. Now that I was hugging him, I realized there was a side to it that was different from just watching.
“...How should I put it? You're very firm.”
It was true.
Han Cheon-seong’s body had a slender appearance, and even though he wielded a heavy spear, he didn't seem to build muscle like other close-combat cadets.
“F-Firm?”
“I'm just saying your body is firm.”
With those words, I slowly lifted my head from his chest.
Whenever I lifted my head from her embrace, my sister would always be looking down at me with a bright smile.
Even that was different now.
“……”
As I met his gaze, so different from my sister’s, Han Cheon-seong looked different than before, so close I could feel his breath.
“...!”
His dark eyes darted around the moment our gazes met, his cheeks were flushed red, and his lips kept hesitating...
“Han Cheon-seong. Is my action that surprising?”
“Of course... it's surprising. Anyone would be surprised if you suddenly acted like this.”
He couldn't meet my eyes as he answered. I could understand that a little.
‘True.’
If Han Cheon-seong had done the same thing to me, wouldn't I have been surprised too?
But as I thought that, something seemed off.
“Han Cheon-seong. That's why I told you first. That I would do something friends do, and you clearly agreed with me.”
When I thought about it, my actions hadn't been that sudden.
I had said what I was going to do beforehand, and Han Cheon-seong had clearly told me, ‘You can do it.’
“……”
Still silent, Han Cheon-seong finally met my eyes.
He blinked blankly, his eyes taking me in, reacting as if he'd heard something completely unexpected.
‘Isn't this something friends do?’
I found myself reconsidering. Hugging between friends was something I'd seen quite often.
It was a sign of affection. I thought of it as a way to express fondness and physical contact because they were close.
But to Han Cheon-seong, it seemed to be an astonishingly big deal. As I thought about it, I started to feel awkward about the situation too.
“Since you seem so flustered... then... I'll stop here.”
I slowly relaxed my arms from around Han Cheon-seong.
As I unwrapped my arms from his waist and pulled away... I could faintly feel it.
Han Cheon-seong’s body had been tense ever since I leaned against him.
...As that thought made me self-conscious, I pulled away.
“Phew...”
Only then did I see Han Cheon-seong let out a deep sigh.
“...You shouldn't sigh in front of people.”
“Right. Sorry...”
His voice sounded completely drained as he looked at me, but a small smile escaped my lips as I observed him.
As I thought, Han Cheon-seong didn't reject me.
Even when I did something only a friend could do, he just accepted it. Though he was flustered and unnatural, he didn't show any signs of refusing or pushing me away.
“I guess we really are friends.”
And so, I could say it again.
It was a very different feeling from the hug with a friend I had imagined, but I could still clearly feel that Han Cheon-seong and I were indeed friends.
“Glacia. Are we... really... friends?”
When Han Cheon-seong replied with a strange expression, I answered as if it were obvious.
“Yes. Because we're friends, we can act like that, right?”
***
*Tap.*
With the sound of footsteps, her distinctive blue hair gradually receded from my view.
The night had deepened, and as I parted ways with Glacia, my emotions were still in turmoil.
*Stop.*
Glacia, who had been walking away, suddenly stopped and turned toward me.
*Rustle.* Just like last time, she turned and waved her hand. As I blankly waved back at her... my lips hesitated once more.
I really felt like I was going crazy.
After doing that to me, Glacia was treating me as usual, and I had no idea how I was supposed to take it.
Really.
‘Friends...’
The memory of Glacia suddenly hugging me, and even the moment she tightened her grip, embracing me more strongly, was all vividly replaying in my mind.
It felt as if traces of her still lingered on my body.
I had no idea how flustered I had been in that moment.
It was the most surprised I'd been since falling into this world.
Glacia, who had been waving at me, headed toward the dormitory with a small smile. As I slowly lowered my waving hand, another sigh escaped me.
“Are we really friends...?”
A hollow laugh escaped me as I muttered.
When did my concept of a friend change so drastically? I was truly grateful when Glacia first called me her friend, but...
Now, it felt completely different.
Because I was her 'first friend,' she had hugged me and leaned against my chest. Funnily enough, I was feeling relieved that I was Glacia's 'first.'
‘If it had been someone else...’
Wouldn't they have tried to take advantage of Glacia? In an instant, countless unpleasant thoughts flooded my mind.
Innocence certainly had its pros and cons. And the innocence I saw in Glacia had a peculiar aspect that made it insufficient to simply call it pure.
I found myself shaking my head.
“I'll have to do better from now on.”
Even now, a strange heat seemed to linger throughout my body.
The feeling of a soft female form. Naturally, my own body had heated up in response.
Moreover, Glacia had a fine figure, so the softness I felt when she hugged me was...
“...”
I bit my lip hard, cutting the thought short.
Shaking my head, I steeled my resolve.
“Right, we're... friends.”
I didn't want to be the only one feeling something different for her.
So, I had to stop these thoughts right here.
*Thud.*
My heart continued to waver even as I started walking back to my own dormitory.
…
*Click.*
Closing the door behind me, I entered my room and slowly began to take off my cadet uniform.
*Swish.*
As I hung the uniform on a hanger, I felt like another day had somehow come to an end.
I didn't know how the day had passed, but looking back, so many things had happened.
Waking up in the infirmary with Millia and Adelia, training to find clues about my skill, the various conversations in Kalli's office, and finally, my meeting with Glacia...
My days felt like they weren't just 24 hours long.
It felt like at least 48 hours had passed. The foundation for that was clearly my relationships with various people, which made it difficult for me to control things as I wished.
“I can't say this is a bad thing.”
Still, I sometimes wondered if this was okay.
Getting close to many people was a good thing. However, since everyone I associated with was exceptionally charming, I was now clearly aware of the worry that I might get swept away by a momentary emotion.
Afraid that I might give my heart to someone...
‘If only I could control my heart.’
Then I could maintain a good relationship with everyone. My own wavering self just seemed ridiculous.
I slowly shook my head and picked up a clean white towel.
*Click.*
As I entered the shower and turned the magic stone,
*Sshaaaaaa—*
I let the warm stream of water wash over me, trying to rinse away my various distracting thoughts.
I needed to think about tomorrow now.
I had to meet Karite and properly check her condition.
“Still... it should be fine.”
If I could just talk to her like I did on Thursday, I would be happy.
If she became even a little more emotionally stable, I could just focus on my own task.
...Finding a clue for my skill was one thing, but Karite's emotional stability was paramount. That was a necessary prerequisite.
“I have to make Karite feel even a little less negative.”