Chapter 24
"What are you talking about? Why would we date?"
Yoo Seol-ah tosses a line at me as I lie sprawled on the bed. "Why'd you get so weak all of a sudden?"
It's because of you that I'm wiped out... My blood boils hearing the culprit say that. And she's hardly one to talk about being weak.
I turn my head from my prone position to look at Yoo Seol-ah sitting at the vanity. "I don't wanna hear that from you, seriously."
"...Hey, I'm not that weak, okay?"
If we're splitting hairs, she's actually got above-average physical stats for a girl. Decent athleticism too. But she always shows off how lazy she is, and in our party terms, yeah, she's the weakest by far.
And... "Looked pretty damn weak to me today."
After my words land, she tilts her head slightly. About two seconds later, realization hits, and her neck starts flushing red. She blushes easily anyway, but with that porcelain skin, it shows up big time.
"Don't say crazy shit! ...What the hell are you even talking about in broad daylight...? You total perv?"
I was aiming at both last night and her shower soap struggle, but her brain seems to have a 19+ filter on—went straight for the first one. Takes her no time to get it, though. No matter how I think about it, she's way more possessed by lewd demons than I am.
"You've been weirding out solo since earlier. I was just saying I've never seen anyone struggle that hard soaping up in the shower..."
"...I know it's not that! You always dodge like this and treat me like an idiot?"
Here it comes.
"Yeah. Didn't think you could cum that fast in real life, for real."
The second I finish, she grits her teeth and unleashes a barrage of back-smacks that feel more like massages. Not satisfied, she grabs a nearby pillow and smothers my head with it.
Even with my vision blocked, I can feel her huffing away. At this point, I'm genuinely curious. Where'd that bold Yoo Seol-ah from the start go?
"...How the hell do you act like that at night...?"
"That wasn't me, so forget it! ...It was a side effect, seriously..."
Karote never mentioned personality swaps from mana absorption side effects. Just ramped-up libido—not suddenly growing a sex hang-up she'd never had before.
I shove the pillow aside, and our eyes meet. Yoo Seol-ah spins away quick, flicking on the hairdryer. She's only towel-dried so far; I figured she'd get to blow-drying eventually. Probably also to drown me out.
She's already mortified without me piling on, so maybe time to ease up.
The hairdryer's whir fills the room.
"...How long you been growing your hair out?"
Her long silver locks, still damp, give off a fresh vibe. Sunlight streaming through the big window adds a holy glow. Must take forever to grow it this long. Even my sister, with way shorter hair, took ages.
Luckily, the topic shift works—she replies in her normal voice, like nothing happened, dialing down the heat.
"Forever. Long hair's a pain to manage, but I've never cut it short, so I'm used to it now."
Makes sense—washing takes ages, drying even longer.
"But it's way easier these days. I can finesse mana to comb it without a brush, no tangles ever."
She combs with mana? Makes sense if you think about it—finer than any brush, bendable at will...
"You got a mana addiction or what?"
"...No, it's just comfier than a brush. You can do it too. Try it— you'll toss all your combs."
It's mana manifestation, not straight magic, so yeah, I can. I test a mini comb shape in my palm.
"Try it on me. Focus a bit, and it'll untangle everything."
She pats the bed and scoots her chair closer. I get up.
Standing, the height gap hits hard. Normally, her head tops out at my shoulder, but sitting, she's way lower. Tiny sitting height means killer legs—explains her proportions even in the late 150s cm.
"Go easy, not too hard."
I run my hand lightly over her hair. To anyone else, it'd look like petting, but with precise mana control, no snags despite the dampness. No wonder she's called a grand mage—genius-level daily hacks like this.
"Fuu... You're good. No skin damage risk either—love it."
It's addictive, feeling her silky texture so vividly.
Suddenly, she hands me the dryer. Huh?
"Dry it for me?"
"Middle parts are the worst... Just hold the air on 'em."
Fair—ends you can grip, but mids are awkward.
"------, ------."
She chants a spell, waving her left hand at a distance from her head. Probably warm wind from a magic circle in her palm. What would a normie think? Hair drying fast with no tools, just hand waves.
Good thing I sense the mana flow and circle.
"...Anyone sees this, they'd freak."
"Got some brushes for when sis visits. Never use 'em otherwise."
Strict work-life boundaries. This hidden side just for me? Should be heart-fluttering... but I'm just relieved no one else knows.
She's only drying the front. Since I have the dryer, I'll handle the back. Mana combing speeds it up big time.
I spread my fingers through her strands, shaking gently up-down while waving the dryer at safe heat.
"Uhng..."
A dazed sound, uncharacteristic of her.
"What?"
"N-nothing. Keep going."
I'm pretty confident at this. Comes with experience.
About 30% dry...
"W... Wait, stop."
"Why?"
Was going great.
"...Why're you so good at this?"
Her voice dips low. Oh, right—forgot to mention.
Before I can answer, sharper tone: "What the...? Better than me. Unless you've dried a ton of girls' hair..."
Her serious mode drops the pitch, kinda scary unlike her embarrassed squeaks.
"Nah, for my little sis."
"...You have a sister?"
Her tone softens again.
Baek Sia has longish hair too. Mom (hairstylist) did it mostly, then Dad learned from her and passed it to me. Family secret technique—or dumped chore. Got me pro-level anyway.
"Mom works at a salon, so I'd sub in for her sometimes."
"...Ohhh. What's your sis's name?"
"Baek Sia. High school senior now."
"Pretty name... Wait—senior? Not middle school?"
She raises her voice suddenly.
"One year younger. Why?"
"...One year apart, and you dry her hair...?"
Utter disbelief in her tone. I get it, but we're tight as siblings, and I only do it for favors like errands or buying her chicken.
"Haven't much lately. Mostly when she was little."
"...Still did it recently...? Hnng..."
What's with that loaded hum? Voice pitches up—that's her "weird fantasy" tone...
Even her drying hands freeze. Writing a light novel in her head like 'My little sis is...'?
"Yoo Seol-ah, I know you're an otaku, but jealous over my actual blood sister? This is reality. Snap out of it."
"Wh-what bullshit! ...Not jealous, just curious! You think I can't tell fantasy from real life?"
Snaps back without turning, but her ears are beet red.
"And anyway, why would I even...!"
Riiiing!
Phone cuts her off. She grabs it from the bedhead, gestures shush at me.
What's up? I zip it and watch.
"Sis? Yeah, home."
Ah, big sis.
"Coming over? When...? 'Bout 30 minutes?"
Her face hardens. Mine probably too.
It's around 11 AM. Caught alone in her studio? Disaster. Especially with Jia-sunbae the ultimate siscon.
Call ends quick. She sighs lightly.
"Sis ordered food—wants to eat together. Coming soon."
30 minutes—not panic, but gotta bounce. Wanted to finish her hair, but next time.
I pack my stuff (minimal), bag up yesterday's snack wrappers and cans. Better not leave a mess.
Takes 5 minutes tops.
"See ya."
"Yeah."
No time for more; I start slipping on shoes.
Her voice from behind: "...Just so you know, wasn't jealous. We're not even like that."
Deadpan tone. But I freeze mid-shoe.
Heart's suddenly racing. I know one-night stands don't mean dating these days. Heard tons hate the morning "So, we dating?" talk.
But words spill out anyway. Back turned—too scared to face her.
"...Aren't we dating?"
Sounds pathetic, but it's huge for me.
"What are you talking about? Why would we date."
Her voice, perfectly casual—no faking it. Hits harder.
Feet glued. As I stand frozen at the door, footsteps approach. Soft warmth hugs me tight from behind—Yoo Seol-ah.
"Dummy, your heart's pounding like crazy. Knew you'd panic... So why tease you?"
"......"
"We're already married—why date?"
Got played. Just like I did to her earlier—deliberate misunderstanding.
Should've stayed chill. Falling for her pranks this hard? Yeah, I'm head over heels.
Shattering my cool with a few words...
"Get out before we get caught."
"...Going for real."
I slip out, wave before the door shuts, bolt from the building to my place.
Teased or not, relief dwarfs any annoyance—a hundredfold.