Growth (3) - Episode 159: The True Meaning of Ciela's Guess
Ciela's guess boiled down to this: Seong Hyun-jin was unconsciously acting on instinct due to the rapid mental changes surging through his growth spurt.
It was the kind of upheaval called the "storm and stress" period—when sexual interest awakens and emotions swing wildly—all hitting him at once.
Seong Hyun-jin grasped the idea itself, but he shot it down. "But I'm a reincarnator, aren't I? There's no way I'd suddenly go through what pubescent kids deal with..."
"Having memories from your past life doesn't exempt you from the mental shifts that come with your body's changes," Ciela explained. "Experience and memory play a big role in those growth-phase mental changes, but hormones have an even bigger impact."
"I've heard there are even reincarnators who get confused between their past-life memories and the changes they go through while growing up."
"...Really?"
"You're not growing normally, slowly over time—you compressed it all and shot up at once. So maybe you're hitting the full force of what you should've experienced back then, all in one go. In every way."
Listening to Ciela's theory, Seong Hyun-jin felt a mix of absurdity. Not because it sounded far-fetched, but because it seemed like the only explanation that fit his situation perfectly.
With a perfectly ridiculous look on his face, he said, "So you're saying my brain is issuing commands like a puberty-struck boy's, separate from my reason... That's the gist?"
"How else do you explain what you just did? ...Or what you're doing right now."
"Huh?"
Seong Hyun-jin followed her gaze and glanced sideways. At some point, his hand had wandered onto Serena's stomach.
"......"
"......"
He quietly withdrew his hand and bowed his head. "...S-Sorry about that."
"N-No, it's fine..."
Serena replied as if she understood given the circumstances, but her face betrayed her embarrassment at his hand brushing her body so casually.
Her cheeks flushed bright red with shyness—cute and endearing enough that Seong Hyun-jin nearly reached out again on impulse. Fortunately, he barely clung to his reason and held back, asking instead, "...So what do I do? This is a hassle for Serena, and if it happens with other people too..."
"I don't think there's any special fix..."
Ciela looked at him with a touch of pity. "You'll just have to stay conscious of it and control yourself as best you can. Probably best to avoid getting too close to girls altogether. If you act like that with some random female student, you might actually get dragged off."
"......"
Imagining a future of clanging iron bars, Seong Hyun-jin shook his head vehemently—no way was that happening.
With a resolute expression, as if he'd made up his mind, he declared, "...Then there's only one solution."
"Solution?"
"If there's a risk of me touching girls all the time, I just need to create a situation where that can't happen. For a while, no women within 50 meters of me."
"......Huh?"
Ciela stared at him like he'd lost his mind, but Seong Hyun-jin pressed on, dead serious about his drastic measure.
"Senior, Serena. I'll head back to the academy first. Sorry, but could you two come separately? I might do something stupid."
"W-Wait, you're going alone...?"
As Ciela floundered for words in her surprise, Seong Hyun-jin spun on his heel, ready to act on his own judgment.
Just as he turned to leave, Serena grabbed his arm.
"I-I'm fine with it, though."
"......What?"
"It's not like it's anyone else. I don't mind you touching me."
Serena pulled his arm closer, drawing him into a tight embrace. Her full, soft breasts pressed firmly against him, even through the thick uniform jacket.
Seong Hyun-jin looked at her in surprise, and Serena tilted her head up—now truly having to crane her neck to meet his eyes—and murmured, "I'm yours anyway."
"Serena, saying that right now..."
"Does this... turn you on?"
"...!"
"J-Junior!!"
Ciela frantically wedged herself between them, prying Serena away from Seong Hyun-jin.
Serena shot her a dissatisfied glare, as if asking what the hell she was doing, but Ciela yelled back like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"W-We're in public, with everyone watching! He's already sensitive to stimuli right now—if he gets all riled up and does something weird in the street, what then? We have to avoid stimulating him as much as possible!"
"...You're right."
Serena conceded the logic and stepped back. Seong Hyun-jin watched her with what looked like regret, and catching his gaze, she turned to him and asked, "...Should we look for a room to stay the night, then?"
"Junior—!"
"I'm kidding."
Serena brushed it off as a joke, but Ciela could tell it wasn't entirely one.
She wasn't usually this bold...
Was it love changing her, or some hidden side emerging? Either way, unlike with others, Serena had zero reservations around Seong Hyun-jin. If anything, she was the one tempting him more often.
No wonder he likes her.
The thought sparked another in Ciela's mind.
Should I... tempt Junior too?
With Seong Hyun-jin already vulnerable to women, maybe he'd fall for her advances. Her eyes darted as a bold, intriguing plan took shape in her head.
If she pulled it off, even he—who only had eyes for his master and Serena—might succumb in his unstable state.
For now, she played it cool and sensible on the surface. "...Looks like we'll have to keep our distance from you for a bit, Junior. At least outside, anyway."
"...Yeah."
"Don't get too down about it. You don't have to jump straight into classes when we get back—maybe rest a little and it'll get better?"
Seong Hyun-jin nodded. Then he turned to Serena. "Serena, you said you're okay with it... but I don't want to treat my girlfriend like that without asking. Thing is, I can't control myself right now, so let's keep some distance outside."
"...Got it."
Serena paused, then added, "So it's fine if no one's watching?"
"Well, yeah, but..."
"Then I'll stay back during class. But..."
Serena glanced at Ciela, her eyes narrowing as if she knew exactly what scheme she was cooking up. A faint, mocking smile played on her lips as she continued, "When we get back to the dorm, you'll stay with me, right? Our rooms are next door."
Ciela was a bit startled inside but didn't show it. Reacting now would just confirm Serena's suspicions.
Oh, playing it like that, huh? ...Fine, whatever.
Even if Serena clung to him back at the dorm, it didn't matter. Opportunities were made, not found.
"Sure, sounds good. I'll have to skip sparring with Elena-senior and Clarice for a few days too."
Seong Hyun-jin seemed set on keeping a strict distance from women for the next few days, per her suggestion.
Watching him, Serena casually probed, "By the way, Seong Hyun-jin."
"Yeah?"
"What about her? How are you handling that?"
"Who?"
When he asked, Serena looked at him like it was obvious. "Who else? Your master, obviously."
"...Ah."
Seong Hyun-jin fell silent for a moment.
"...Wait, why are you even hesitating?"
"Yeah, why hesitate? She's a woman, and... honestly, she might be the most dangerous one for you right now! With how freely she dresses..."
Serena nodded in agreement with Ciela's point. Karin was stunningly beautiful, but her carefree personality meant she wore whatever she wanted, ignoring stares.
Overpowered by her icy charisma, people overlooked it, but think back to her entrance ceremony outfit—extremely revealing.
And that was the biggest problem for Seong Hyun-jin right now. He already adored Karin so much; it was a disaster waiting to happen.
Serena laid down the verdict firmly. "Don't see your master for a few days either."
"Eek..."
"Eek? You saying no?"
She furrowed her brow at him, as if asking if he even grasped how serious his condition was.
Seong Hyun-jin had no retort and could only hang his head. "A-Alright..."
"...Good call, Junior."
Ciela sighed in relief. If he met Karin in this state... she might not even get a chance to intervene before he pounced.
No joke—it could really happen. He'd already groped Serena on instinct; with his beloved master, it was predictable.
Seong Hyun-jin agreed outwardly, but inwardly he couldn't help lamenting.
I wanted to show Master this grown-up me ASAP.
He'd planned to flaunt his new height and build, finally winning her heart for real.
Too bad—he'd have to postpone.