Chapter 190: Ga-eul’s Perfect Date Plan!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 190: Ga-eul’s Perfect Date Plan!
Well, after that, we built sandcastles, splashed around while swimming, and did a few other things, but honestly, neither the professor nor I were in a normal state of mind.
…I mean, after that happened, who could just go back to laughing and chatting right away?
Ah, damn it. I tried not to think about it, but the image of Professor Cathy’s bare white back as she lay there kept flickering in my mind.
You madman.
You absolute lunatic. You’re supposed to go into a dungeon with the kids tomorrow; what on earth were you trying to do?
The sensation of her skin still felt so vivid on my fingertips that it was driving me crazy.
“I’m glad.”
“Pardon!?”
Professor Cathy, who had suggested we sit down and rest one last time, was looking at me with a smirk.
“So you’re embarrassed too, So-hyun? I was worried that I was the only one feeling shy, the only one for whom this was a first. It sounds a bit funny, but seeing you just as embarrassed makes me think…”
Her hand reached out tentatively and touched my cheek.
“…that I’ll remain in your memories. That if something similar happens in the future, you’ll think of me. That’s what I was thinking.”
She chuckled to herself as if her own words were ridiculous before continuing.
“I sound like a bit of a pervert, don’t I?”
With those words, the professor took a step closer to me.
Was she going to stroke my hair again, or perhaps kiss my forehead?
It sounds a bit silly, but since she did it so often, I had actually grown quite accustomed to that kind of skinship.
However, she took a step further—encroaching past the distance I had grown used to.
Her frame, which had seemed so much larger than mine at first but now felt similar in height, pulled me into an embrace. Her warmth seeped into me.
A hug.
A hug, huh?
How long had it been since I’d had one of those?
For a fleeting moment, a nauseating sense of unease—no, a sense of anxiety—washed over me, making me want to bolt.
The warmth of another person, something that should be natural to anyone, was a cursedly foreign thing to me.
It was something so precious and heart-wrenching that just feeling it through my fingertips made my heart race.
Because the memories of every warmth I had ever touched flickering out and turning cold were still so vivid.
Because my memories were filled with countless lives I had extinguished with my own hands.
Despite craving that warmth more than anyone, I wanted to run away, terrified that I might steal this warmth too.
“It’s okay.”
Something soft touched my forehead. As I felt her lips press against my skin, the tension slowly bled out of my body, and I was able to meet the eyes of the woman looking at me.
“Everything will be okay. I won’t run away.”
Liar.
No, it’s not a lie.
Everyone who said that until now has disappeared.
No, this time will be different. That’s why I’m repeating this madness.
After holding me like that for a long while, she checked my flustered face and let go, as if realizing she shouldn’t trouble me further.
“Well, it’s time for your next appointment. Still, after this, you’ll be thinking about me all day, won’t you, So-hyun?”
This was trouble.
The trouble was that I felt like I was becoming addicted to that playful smile and this lukewarm warmth.
Seriously. I can’t even deny it. I think I really will be thinking about her all day.
* * *
As always, Kim Ga-eul was confident.
Though she felt a lingering anxiety about being second rather than last, she had succeeded in crafting a perfect date plan. Through thorough preliminary research, she had mapped out everything nearby, identified which events happened at what times, and even investigated peak hours to minimize any time loss.
He doesn’t like places that are too crowded, so we’ll go somewhere quiet to watch the waves and the scenery. We’ll enjoy a quick swim, have a little ‘accidental’ mishap to create a bittersweet atmosphere, and then join the others for lunch…! It’s a flawless plan.
“Oh.”
Or so she thought, until she saw his face as he walked toward her with the professor, looking completely melted and blushing.
“So-hyun, walk straight.”
“Ah, yes. Yes, ma’am.”
What is this? What’s with this atmosphere? What happened? And why does the professor smell so strongly of flowers…?
Wait, it’s not over, is it? It’s not like she’s already cleared the route and gained some kind of invincible shield, right? There’s still room for a second place, right?
“Ga-eul.”
“Yes!?”
Kim Ga-eul was surprised once again. Professor Cathy was someone who maintained strict boundaries; she rarely called any cadet by their first name, except for So-hyun.
“Why so surprised? I was just thinking that since we’re on vacation and not at the Academy, I’d like us to get closer. Oh, is it uncomfortable for you?”
“No! Not at all!?”
“Good. To be honest, we weren’t on the best of terms during the first semester. But since things turned out like this, I felt we should clear the air.”
“Clear what…?”
“We’re both in similar positions. I want to cherish the people So-hyun cherishes, so I won’t hate you if I can help it. In fact, I’ll try my best to like you.”
Somehow, those words sounded friendly, and Ga-eul’s tension eased.
“But please keep one thing in mind.”
“Yes?”
“If you ever hurt So-hyun, I might not be able to forgive you. Do you understand?”
Ga-eul wondered what kind of face she was making.
Did she look pathetic, like she usually did when she felt she couldn’t win? Was she making a tearful face, ready to cling to So-hyun?
No. Surprisingly, a near-expressionless mask had settled over her features.
For the first time, she felt like she couldn’t just back down and lose.
This was a clear declaration of war—a statement from someone who viewed him as her own.
“By what right do you say that, Professor? Whether it’s me or you, haven’t we both hurt him?”
Wait, was that too much? Why did that come out of my mouth? Should I bang my head on the ground right now?
No. Her competitive spirit, which had been nearly dead, was screaming that she couldn’t bow her head here.
Whether she was second or third didn’t matter—she just wanted to be by his side. But even she knew that if she gave in now, it was over.
“…Interesting.”
“I agree. It is interesting.”
She had never intended to ‘win,’ but that didn’t mean she wanted to lose.
And so.
She stepped forward and grabbed So-hyun’s hand.
Even though he smelled like the professor, just as the professor smelled like him, it was fine.
“I’m going to have a great time too…!”
* * *
Even watching the strange psychological warfare between the professor and Ga-eul, I honestly didn’t think much of it.
Or rather, I couldn’t.
Professor Cathy’s warmth was still so deeply embedded in me that my brain wasn’t functioning properly.
This isn’t good.
Ga-eul is right here next to me, yet I’m thinking about Professor Cathy. There’s a limit to how unfaithful one can be.
…Wait. Come to think of it, the moment I agreed to go on multiple dates with different girls in a single day, wasn’t I already a total piece of trash?
Ga-eul, who was leading me by the hand, looked back at me with a proud expression.
“Hmph. So-hyun, you don’t seem focused on me yet, but once you see the date plan I’ve put together, you won’t be able to look at anyone else.”
Wow, she’s cute.
…I wasn’t just “a bit” of a piece of trash. I was a total scumbag.
“First, I found a secret spot where we can quietly watch the waves!”
…Huh?
“Where did you find that information?”
“The internet!”
Ah, boy. Regrettably, I could already see the future that would unfold in a few minutes, but I decided to play along and told her I was looking forward to it.
I couldn’t exactly pour cold water on her when she’d prepared so hard.
After walking for a few minutes, the place Ga-eul led me to was, naturally, packed with people.
In fact, it felt even more crowded than the regular beach.
And to make matters worse, they were all couples.
“Huh? What? This shouldn’t be happening…!?”
Ga-eul. The moment a ‘secret spot’ is mentioned on the internet, it’s no longer a secret.
In fact, the real hidden gems are usually monopolized by the very people who post those decoys.
Wow, I think I hear more kissing sounds than the sound of the waves.
It was actually a somewhat unpleasant sight, but personally, I was quite satisfied.
Not with the scenery, but because a blushing Ga-eul was adorable.
She really draws my attention in the most unexpected ways.
Honestly, if she had tried to seduce me in some out-of-character way, I would have inevitably compared her to Professor Cathy. But failing in such a characteristically ‘Ga-eul’ way was exactly what made her her.
“I-It’s not over yet! I still have plenty of plans left. It’s fine!”
“Oh, should I be excited? Can I really get my hopes up? I’m going to expect so much that I might cry if I’m disappointed, okay?”
“Wait, that’s a bit much…!”
Pfft. No, I can’t laugh. I mustn’t…!
However, Ga-eul continued to be Ga-eul, and thanks to her recurring ‘Ga-eul-ness,’ accidents and mishaps followed us everywhere we went.
The shop selling lucky charms had gone out of business a year ago; the walking trail was a mess because it hadn’t been maintained; and the diving service now required a license because the danger level had recently increased.
It’s almost impressive for someone to have this much bad luck.
“I don’t believe this… the world is out to get me. Yeah, I must be dreaming… What is this? We barely have any time left. This can’t be reality. It’s so unfair… I should have just stayed on the beach and played in the sand…!”
She seemed to be in shock.
“Hey, Ga-eul.”
“Heeing.”
“Stop crying and follow me for a second.”
“Where are we going!? We don’t have much time left! Let’s just go build sandcastles…!”
“It won’t take long, so just come with me.”
I had a strange urge to watch her mope until the very end, but honestly, that would just be bullying.
The date should end with a smile.
Fortunately, our destination wasn’t far, so we arrived quickly.
“What? It’s just a rocky cliff.”
Ah, right. This was a place originally discovered and developed by The Twelve, wasn’t it?
At this point in time, it would be blocked off and invisible.
“What is this? A rocky cliff with no one around… and no shade? You, you don’t mean…!”
No, it’s not that.
“Hey now, stop having naughty thoughts and just take my hand.”
“Your hand?”
“Actually, never mind. Just come here. You have to stay as close to me as possible, okay? Right, standing there is fine.”
“What are you trying to do…?”
“Grow, Ruyi.”
“…Huh?”
Smashing through the cliff would be too noisy, so I figured it was better to just go over it! But if we climbed over normally, we’d run out of time.
“Uwaaaaaaaaagh!?”
From Ga-eul’s perspective, having the ground suddenly shoot upward must have been quite a shock, as she let out a truly thunderous scream.
“What do you think you’re do—ing?”
Using Ruyi to vault over the rocky cliff in one go, a small, deserted sandy beach appeared before us.
It was a tiny beach discovered by the people in the middle of a resort project as they were clearing the cliff. They had planned to turn this into another date course to sell.
“Woah…”
The great thing about this place, besides the scenery, was that since everything except the front was surrounded by cliffs, the sound didn’t escape, making everything very audible.
She wanted to hear the waves, so I had to let her hear them.
“Hmm, maybe because it hasn’t been developed yet? There are a lot of seashells, so be careful where you step.”
Despite my warning, Ga-eul didn’t act cautiously at all. Instead, she excitedly began picking up shells.
She found a large conch-like shell and held it to her ear.
“I hear the shwaaa sound!”
“Of course you do.”
“Hehe, what the? I was about to cry because of all the bad luck! This place is amazing.”
“It better be. No one in the world knows about this place yet except for you and me.”
“Just the two of us?”
“Yeah. You like it?”
It was just plain cute how easily her expression changed over the smallest things.
“Well, if we clear the ground a bit, we can sit down. Or should we go back and jump in the water now?”
“Hmph, stop acting like a clueless loser and just sit. Let’s just sit and watch the ocean until our time is up.”
She wasn’t like this at first.
In the 1st Timeline, she was a life I hadn’t even spared a thought for. In this one, she was the proof of a different life—one I had finally managed to save.
That was all she was supposed to be.
But because she showed me her honest self, even while being stubborn, I suppose that’s why I’ve come to care for her this much.
I really shouldn’t be judging the Hero, Woo Jae-hee.
This is a terrible possessiveness, a petty emotion.
It’s selfish of me, but I don’t want to let you guys go.
And to think, I had intended to let go before things got to this point.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because you’re cute.”
“…Eh!?”
“Pffft…”
And so, I spent the rest of the time lightly teasing Ga-eul.
It was about time to join the others for lunch.
“Ah, seriously! Stop laughing!”
You know, Ga-eul. I don’t think it’s my fault that your reactions are so good.
So.
You know it’s useless to beg me to let you escape now, right?