Chapter 249
"We can see each other soon, right?"
"...Unnie..."
Yoo Seol-ah's eyes began to waver like ripples on water. She didn't look like she was about to burst into tears, but she couldn't hide her deep regret.
"Do we really have to part like this?"
"...We have no choice."
It felt like watching a dramatic scene from a TV show, the tender exchange between the two women. With their stunning looks, anyone might mistake it for a film set.
But that was as far as Ro-ha unnie played along with Yoo Seol-ah's antics. Yoo Seol-ah could be subtly timid but turned playful once close, and for Ro-ha unnie—with her cool personality—to go this far in the skit meant she really liked her.
"Don't you two have school tomorrow? No classes today, right?"
"...Oh, yeah. It's our free period day."
Pulled back to reality from our youth drama, Yoo Seol-ah's face darkened a bit as she remembered school tomorrow. She skimmed by with minimal studying compared to high school, but midterms were right around the corner. With her competitive streak, she wouldn't skip prep entirely.
"...But when will we see each other again...?"
Still, parting seemed to hit her hard; even with her flight looming, her feet wouldn't budge. I loved rowdy hangs with friends too, so the regret was mutual.
"Well... we can see each other soon enough. Summer break's coming up?"
"Summer break is still over a month away... Can't I just live here?"
Yoo Seol-ah was in full elementary-school-reunion-with-extended-family mode. She adored Ro-ha unnie, especially since they bonded over illustrations, melting her heart completely.
"Then you won't graduate on time?"
Lee Seo-yeon chimed in with a smirk from the side, and Yoo Seol-ah froze for a second before snapping back.
"...I have to graduate right away."
"Really? I hear fewer people are doing the straight-shot graduation these days."
Both Yoo Seol-ah and I had jumped straight into college without a gap year—pretty rare now, when a year's leave was standard. It was just a casual remark, but she shot me a glare.
"...I'm graduating on time."
"Got something lined up?"
We both had secure futures ahead, but at 23, we were still young. Her resolve seemed ironclad, so I asked why—but her face flushed bright red.
"...N-no? Just... more time to draw if I graduate sooner..."
She could've just said it was for drawing. Why the fluster?
"Baek Sion's sharp on everything else but clueless here... Mmph!"
"Shut up for real, Lee Seo-yeon...!?"
Yoo Seol-ah clamped her hand over Lee Seo-yeon's mouth in a panic. She wouldn't let go until surrender, so it must be something she couldn't say in front of everyone.
...But how did Lee Seo-yeon catch on before me? Our club's top intuition really was on another level—especially for others' love lives.
"...Ah."
A little thinking, and I recalled what tied to graduation. Yoo Seol-ah read it on my face, blushing harder as she tickled Lee Seo-yeon mercilessly.
She'd planned kids right on schedule. So impulsive usually, yet this meticulous.
At least no one else got it but Lee Seo-yeon—small mercy.
"Guess it's time to head out."
"Unnie, you have to keep in touch...?"
"Of course. We messaged nonstop before Japan."
"Or Yuna unnie could set up a portal for back-and-forth..."
"Seol-ah, even I struggle with long-distance portals..."
Yoo Seol-ah deflated with a cartoonish whine but finally resigned. After a noisy send-off, departure time crept up. Feet dragged, but missing the flight wasn't an option, so we moved.
Ro-ha unnie and Tsuki hyung waved us off lightly. Once boarded, we did our own things till takeoff. Yoo Seol-ah napped, making full use of business class perks. After three wild days, she earned it.
Watching her drift off quick made me think frequent trips would suit us.
"Yoo Seol-ah, we're almost there."
Baek Sion's voice from beside me woke me, followed by the landing announcement.
...Slept like a rock.
"You sleep anywhere on a plane."
"...Feels like you could flip cartwheels and she'd stay out. You too."
With our mid-air combat experience, turbulence was nothing. No motion sickness either.
Baek Sion stared at my face, then reached over with tissue in hand.
"Uh, wha..."
One conclusion from him wiping my mouth corner.
"...Did I drool in my sleep?"
"Thought it was our bedroom for a sec."
He chuckled softly.
...Embarrassing. My cheeks heated—not just from drooling. "Our bedroom" hit home after sharing beds so long, but his casual wipe made my heart race most.
"Baggage is out crazy fast."
"Business class perks."
I'd never flown it before, but priority handling was real. Tsundere-chan cleared customs smooth too. No issues.
"You sleep okay, Seol-ah?"
"Yeah. Reclines to 180 degrees—nice."
No one else did it much, but post-Astasia, I cared less about stares. Lee Seo-yeon grabbed her stuff from the back and vanished, reappearing all smiles at me.
"...Wait, what?"
Am I hallucinating...? Why were Aisaka and Ro-ha unnie next to Lee Seo-yeon?
Illusion magic?
"...What the hell?"
"Surprise~ You hated parting so much, so I summoned them."
"Even a saintess can't summon people."
Too absurd; I turned to Ro-ha unnie. That cool-yet-cute face was real.
Last, Baek Sion—no reaction. I pieced it together.
"...Everyone knew but me?"
"Yup. Lee Seo-yeon said keep it from you."
"Hey, Baek Sion, don't pin it on me! We all agreed tacitly. Right...?"
Humiliation crashed in—that feeling when you pour your goodbye heart out, only to walk the same path after. But Lee Seo-yeon lived to tease, so I targeted Ro-ha unnie instead.
"...Unnie, didn't we say summer break?"
"I said 'soon,' though."
She did...!
"This is too soon... Not even three hours...!"
"Seeing each other quick is good."
Ro-ha unnie stayed chill.
...Even my ally Ro-ha unnie was sandbagging me now.
"...Why'd you come?"
"Staying in Korea awhile."
"......"
Me clueless? They were dead serious about the prank.
"...Where you staying?"
"Seo-yeon set it up."
Lee Seo-yeon's place... Felt familiar.
"...You gotta pick up Shabu anyway, right?"
"Yeah... So?"
"Then swing by for a quick hello. Like we talked last time."
Parents would've grilled on the house hunt, outing Lee Seo-yeon's status. They'd insisted on thanks and inviting her over.
...Teasing aside, perfect timing.
"Should guide you two, but mind tagging along?"
"...Nah. Mom and Dad love the bustle anyway."
Unlike me, they chatted lively with strangers. Yuna unnie and Do-yoon oppa skipped for schedules, but the five of us reached home. Dad eyed us curiously.
"Oh, you're the one who got our girl the place?"
"Yes! Lee Seo-yeon."
"Son-in-law too... And these two?"
We'd warned of extras, but Dad wasn't average.
"No way—our grandkids? Growing fast!"
"Daaad!... Stop with the weird stuff...!"
Pre-Japan baby hints, now this nonsense. Mom echoed on arrival.
"Oh my, not honeymoon but kids already..."
"Please..."
I wanted a hole to crawl into. Ro-ha unnie smiled softly.
"...Seol-ah's the same at home?"
Felt like the world conspired to tease me.