Chapter 108: Ah, How Can I Resist Cheon Yu-hak’s Birthday Party! (9)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 108: Ah, How Can I Resist Cheon Yu-hak’s Birthday Party! (9)
With a few exceptions, demons are fundamentally classified as humanoids.
While high-ranking demons are capable of communication, they often look down on humans. Conversely, low-ranking demons are frequently unable to control their own primal instincts.
Among them, succubi, by their very nature, are often the most incapable of suppressing their desires.
“Hmm, Kang So-hyun isn’t as much of a model student as I thought. Seeing as you’re out of the dormitory at this hour, I might have to slap you with some demerit points.”
“I don’t think it’s my fault I got caught up in an incident.”
“No, I’d say it’s partly Kang So-hyun’s fault for wandering around at this time. If you don’t want the demerits, how about becoming a teaching assistant? I’ll even set you up on a blind date. Interested?”
“I’ll just take the demerits.”
“Haha, you’re still as damn cheeky as ever. Fine, if not a TA, then at least be our Cathy’s partner for the party. You can manage that much, right?”
“Professor A-ram. We’re at a crime scene, so please stop. You’re making the cadets uncomfortable.”
“Wow, you won’t even call me ‘Unnie’ in front of the kids? Cathy, do you have any idea how damn hurt I am right now? We’re not even at the Academy.”
“…Please stop teasing me.”
Lilac, you bastard. I can understand bringing Professor Cathy, but why did you have to bring Professor Park A-ram of all people?
Shortly after I sent Lee Yu-na back, Lilac had returned with Professor Cathy and Professor Park A-ram.
“I was originally only going to bring Professor Cathy, but she said it would be better to have a hero well-versed in Magic Studies for something like this.”
As if sensing my thoughts, Lilac scratched his cheek and offered an excuse.
“Haha, I can hear everything. Saying things like that to a professor just because of a little joke… I guess neither of you is afraid of your grades. Want an F?”
Nope, not scared.
In the original story and in reality, her threats about grades were almost always jokes. How many professors would actually ruin a cadet’s grades just because they were in a bad mood?
“…Does it look like I’m joking?”
Wait, you are joking, right?
“Anyway, it might have looked like I was playing around, but I’ve finished the general assessment. It went faster thanks to the information Kang So-hyun organized beforehand. You handled it well before the demonic energy could dissipate. Want a candy as a reward?”
I caught the candy she tossed.
Today was green grape flavor.
Professor Cathy searched her bag as if suddenly realizing something, but all she pulled out was a pouch of balloon flower and pear juice. She glanced at me for a moment, then seemingly decided that was inappropriate and tucked the juice back into her bag.
“Well, to be honest, there wasn’t much to find. It was just two low-ranking succubi who couldn’t maintain their physical forms and were reverse-summoned because their mana supply was cut off.”
She popped a hard candy into her own mouth and continued her explanation.
“However, this alone tells us that it wasn’t just two succubi causing trouble on a whim. There’s a bigger mastermind behind this. And that mastermind is someone who can easily handle the loss of mana and demonic energy that vanishes during a reverse-summoning.”
The expressions of Professor Cathy, who had been sulking, and Professor A-ram, who had been smiling playfully, darkened almost simultaneously.
“I’d like to think it’s just the usual petty demonic mischief, but if not, this could be a bit of a headache.”
“If we notify the authorities and issue an alert…”
“Haha, we’d probably just get chewed the hell out for ‘inciting anxiety.’ Those old farts hate nothing more than trying to prevent an accident before it happens. Ah, let’s pretend our two heroes-in-training didn’t hear that, okay? Want a candy?”
Realizing she was about to start cursing out the higher-ups of the Association or the government, the professor quickly changed the subject.
I knew it already, but it seems the Association is a mess in its own right.
* * *
When I woke up in the morning, something cool and pleasant was touching my forehead.
“Are you okay…?”
Who was it? Hmm, I think I’m fine.
I was a bit tired from the scuffle with Lilac yesterday, but it wasn’t like we were actually trying to kill each other.
“Yeah, I think I’m okay.”
“…Hmm, do you have a fever? I can’t tell. Are you really okay?”
I slowly opened my eyes, and a beautiful face came into view.
Ah, it was Ha-ni.
“You were moaning a bit in your sleep. You’re sure you’re okay?”
Now that she mentioned it, my back felt a bit damp, as if I’d broken out in a cold sweat.
Did I have a nightmare? Well, since I couldn’t remember it, it probably wasn’t anything serious.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I must have had a nightmare.”
“I see. That’s a relief.”
When Ha-ni’s hand stopped stroking my hair, I felt a strange sense of lingering regret.
Was it because it was strangely touching that she, who usually detested contact with men, was nursing me so naturally? Or perhaps I was just craving someone’s warmth.
“Can you eat breakfast? Should I make porridge instead?”
“I’m not a patient, it was just a nightmare. I probably smell like sweat, so I’ll go wash up first.”
“Oh, really?”
…Why do you look a little disappointed?
When I looked at her with a questioning face, Ha-ni began to make excuses hurriedly.
“No, I mean, you don’t smell like sweat. It’s just, it’s not a ‘good’ smell, I mean, it’s not a fragrance either, uh, that’s not what I was trying to say!”
“Okay, okay. I get it. Why are you so flustered?”
“Ah, right. Anyway, you’ll feel gross because of the sweat, so go wash up. Yeah, that’s what I meant.”
“Sure. I’ll scrub myself clean with body wash, so don’t worry.”
“…Is there really a need to scrub that hard?”
What is wrong with you, Ha-ni?
I mean, I know people say I smell like flowers, but I can’t smell it myself. Is the scent really that good?
Anyway, after I finished washing, I came out to find that Ha-ni had prepared a feast, claiming she’d just made it while she was at it.
The moment I sat at the table, she reached out inquisitively.
“So-hyun, you should probably do something about your hair soon.”
“Huh?”
Right now, thanks to that person with the hair-related talent, my hair boasted a miraculous efficiency where the style was maintained just by washing and drying. However, even that couldn’t stop it from growing, and it had gotten quite long.
It was already long to begin with, but now my bangs were starting to poke my eyes. It was probably time for a trim.
“…Can’t I just tie it back like before?”
“Is doing your hair that much of a chore?”
“Well, the ‘extroverted’ atmosphere of hair salons and the waiting time is just… not for me.”
Ha-ni thought deeply for a moment, then grinned.
“Should I cut it for you?”
“…What?”
“I know how to cut hair. I used to cut all my younger siblings’ hair back in the day. It won’t stay styled forever like a professional talent’s work, but if you hate the salon, how about trying it once?”
…There was no such description in the original story.
“Hey, are you doubting me right now? I’m hurt.”
“No, why would I doubt you? It’s just that I have to go to the Academy now, so I can’t.”
“Tsk, I’ll let it slide this once. Then we’re doing it when you get back, okay? Don’t you dare run away.”
I made a bad excuse.
Well, in a way, doing hair is also a form of ‘cutting,’ so it might actually suit Ha-ni’s talent. But Ha-ni’s talent is a bit too… bloodthirsty.
Whether she knew my concerns or not, Ha-ni patted my shoulder with a pleased expression.
“Don’t worry. I’m only going to trim it a little.”
…You’re really only going to touch it a little, right?
* * *
Despite the incident yesterday, the Academy was no different from usual.
Well, since there hadn’t been an official announcement, most people probably didn’t know.
The main topics of conversation among the students were still the party hosted by the Cheonhwa Group and which of those with invitations still had an open partner slot.
“…Loser. No, wait. So-hyun.”
“Yeah?”
While I was blankly staring at the classroom, Ga-eul approached and called out to me. She stood there with a face that looked both determined and anxious.
“Listen. There’s something I want to show you. Can we meet for a bit after class?”
I remembered my prior engagement with Ha-ni and was about to refuse, but Ha-ni shook her head and pointed toward Ga-eul.
“…Well, if it’s just for a moment, sure.”
“Thanks, So-hyun.”
It used to annoy me when she called me a loser every day, but her acting like this all of a sudden is also a bit creepy.
I felt a momentary illusion that the noisy air of the classroom had settled.
* * *
Classes passed quickly.
There were minor incidents, like receiving a strange look from Professor Cathy or getting caught peeking at Lilac asking Lee Yu-na to the party during lunch, but nothing major happened.
Wait, was that minor?
Actually, thinking back on it, it was hilarious.
— Yu-naaa…!
That idiot. Why did he have to trip over his own tongue there?
It was so absurd that even Lee Yu-na let out a small chuckle.
— …Will you go to the party with me?
— What should I do? Do you know how hurt I was yesterday?
— I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. It sounds like an excuse, but I was only thinking about myself.
— While I was being rejected yesterday, So-hyun asked me to be his partner, you know?
Wait, why did she bring me into this? That was just a one-time show yesterday. I hate messy relationships, okay?
— Even so, I want to go with you. Please. Can’t you give me just one chance?
The way he bowed his head afterward without making any more excuses looked quite sincere, even to me.
— You dummy. Of course.
Now that is childhood friend pure love.
I felt a decade-old clog in my chest finally clear out.
Afterward, I teased Lilac mercilessly when he got caught peeking and turned red alongside Ha-ni.
Anyway, it was a fairly pleasant day, but I wasn’t sure if it would stay that way until the end.
The place Kim Ga-eul asked to meet was an empty classroom at the Academy—a rather suggestive location. She had been acting strange all day, and I was already feeling nervous about what might be behind that door.
“Can I come in?”
“Yeah, come in.”
The first thing I saw upon entering the empty classroom was the color red.
To be precise, it was a red dress shimmering in the sunset, and Kim Ga-eul was the one wearing it.
It was a beautiful but overly flamboyant red dress with a strangely ominous design. One might say it looked like something a villainess in a story would wear.
Though she had been acting gentler lately, the dress suited Ga-eul, who had a naturally sharp impression, surprisingly well.
“…How is it?”
Ah, right. Since she clearly wore it to show me, I had to give her my impressions.
“You look like a villainess.”
Dammit, I was so surprised the wrong words came out.
Shit. I need to stop reading so many web novels.
“I mean, you suit it so well it’s like you jumped straight out of a story. Yeah.”
“Then, So-hyun… will you go to the party with me?”
Oh, I knew she was thinking it, but this was the first time I’d heard it directly.
And for someone saying those words, her voice was incredibly dark.
“You hate the idea, don’t you?”
Before I could even answer, she laughed self-deprecatingly, as if she already knew the response.
“…Did something happen to you?”
Because her back was to the sunset, I could only now see her expression clearly. Her eyes, strangely brimming with tears, looked far too pitiful to be called a villainess.
“You know… I knew that Yu-hak and Ri-ra didn’t really like me.”
Is that so? Lately, it didn’t seem like they hated her that much. Or rather, they were trying their best not to pay her any mind.
“Actually, before I asked you, I asked Yu-hak to go to the party with me yesterday.”
…Now that was actually surprising. So her saying she still liked Cheon Yu-hak wasn’t just an act?
“But you know what? Neither Ri-ra nor Yu-hak really said anything harsh to me.”
“Really? That’s a relief.”
“…A relief?”
The atmosphere around her suddenly turned heavy.
“…What’s a relief? No, I shouldn’t be mad at you, So-hyun. I’m sorry. But… yeah, it’s not a relief. It’s definitely not a relief.”
She probably didn’t even know what she was saying right now.
“They both just looked at me like I was a nuisance. Just a nuisance. They weren’t emotional like before; it was more like, ‘How do we convince this girl?’ That kind of look.”
Ah, I think I understand what she’s thinking now.
“And then this dress arrived today. I confessed and got rejected yesterday, but this means I’m still allowed to come to the party.”
She began to choke up.
“I’m nothing to them. It’s just that since you, So-hyun, forgave me, they won’t interfere much either. That’s all it was. What is that…?”
No, that wasn’t it.
That probably wasn’t what those two meant. It was likely a response they could give only because they knew she wasn’t looking at them anymore.
“Ga-eul.”
“But after that happened, I thought of you. No, actually, that’s a lie. I thought of you from the beginning. I thought of you even before Yu-hak. Going to the party together, laughing, eating delicious food, dancing… things like that.”
“Wait, just calm down for a second.”
“But isn’t it funny? That makes me look like such a shallow woman. I liked him for years. I liked him so much. I was fine even if he didn’t remember someone like me; it was a feeling I endured just by vaguely admiring him.”
This was no good. Her emotions were too unstable to appeal to reason. It was a miracle she’d even held it together all day.
“Shouldn’t a feeling like that not cool down so quickly? If I get scared just because I heard some harsh words, and I’m shaken by a few kind words, and my heart flutters just because someone acts like a person from my memories… is that really true love?”
Ga-eul looked at me with trembling eyes.
Well, it’s a common misconception for kids this age. The idea of ‘true love.’
“You hate me too, don’t you?”
“Hate what?”
“You must have hated how the girl who bullied you at the start of the semester suddenly changed her tune and acted friendly. And now she’s saying disgusting things and wagging her tail.”
Who could ever like someone like me?
The look on Ga-eul’s face as she said that was one of total resignation.
“Sorry, did that sound like a threat? But So-hyun, you’re not entirely without responsibility here, you know?”
What should I say to this face that looked like it was about to burst into tears?
Should I say let’s go to the party together? Is that really the right answer? When I haven’t even reached a conclusion in my own heart?
…All the things I said to Lilac are coming back to haunt me.
“Who told you to be so kind to a girl like me? It makes me expect things.”
I have to admit it.
I was too thoughtless.
Even if the people around me accepted her, there were still plenty of people who hated Ga-eul. I had left things neglected just because I hadn’t heard a direct confession, even if it was obvious from her attitude.
And because I thought she lacked combat ability, I didn’t involve her in dangerous matters from the start.
Because of that distance, Ga-eul, who was in an ambiguous position, must have been under a lot of stress.
But even so, wrong is wrong.
“So, you should just clearly…”
“Butt.”
“Reject… Huh?”
“I swear, you only listen when I say something harsh.”
Hmm, I was trying to stop her, but was ‘Butt’ a bit too much? It worked well on the Pink Chihuahua, though.