Brace Yourself
"Haa..." What the hell did you do to me before leaving...
Even after Yoo Seol-ah returned to her room, my head was still swimming with filthy thoughts. It wasn't just simple excitement from what happened earlier—keeping my cool was impossible. It felt like someone had hooked me up to an IV drip and was forcibly pumping lust straight into my veins. And more than just wanting to relieve it, most of the urge was this overwhelming desire to sexually torment Yoo Seol-ah somehow.
With my mind like that, my erection showed no signs of going down. Not even after over an hour.
--------.
I definitely heard her place her hand on my chest earlier and chant some compound spell. She cast some magic on me for sure, but it wasn't the familiar mana I'd felt from her all this time we'd been together. It was something foreign— if I had to put a color to it, a thick, vivid pink mana.
This magic addict must've cooked up some weird spell on her own using succubus power again... The problem is, even when I draw up my killing intent to shake the mana out of my body, it's spread so messily that I can't fully purge it.
It's way past bedtime now, but sleep's the last thing on my mind. All that keeps popping up are fantasies about Yoo Seol-ah. Looks like my only option is to ask her to undo it herself.
In the end, I had no choice but to open our private chat.
I sent the message, trying to shake off the creepy feeling of coming across like some clingy ex-boyfriend, but the little "1" next to it didn't budge.
She puts me in this state and crashes out herself? In someone else's house, no less? And after insisting she wouldn't pull any magic stunts, she forces it anyway? Fine. Brace yourself.
***
"Yawn..." It felt like the best, sweetest sleep I'd had in ages.
The bed and blankets were some expensive brand—super soft and cozy—and since Lee Seo-yeon said to crank the AC as much as I wanted, I didn't hold back and left it blasting all night. Burrowing into thick covers with the cool air? Perfect recipe for honey sleep.
Of course, it wasn't just that.
"Haa..." Thinking back to last night made heat rush straight to my face.
The second I got back to my room, I used magic for an ultra-fast wash and dry on my panties and dolphin pants, slipped them back on, closed my eyes... and now it's morning. Haven't slept this well in forever. The past three days, my insides kept heating up, making sleep impossible. Self-relief wasn't enough to shake that itchy feeling in my lower abdomen, but a light climax from kissing Baek Sion this morning cleared it all up perfectly. Let me sleep like a baby.
The kiss. Yeah, just the kiss. The other contact? An accident. Blame the booze for making me do it, but we didn't go all the way, so the guilt should be... minimal? Maybe a little less?
"...Crazy bitch. Minimal my ass."
Minimal? Bullshit. Even if Lee Seo-yeon joked about the soundproofing, doing that as a guest in someone else's house? Yoo Seol-ah, you absolute lunatic... Should've paced the drinks.
But... Baek Sion got me worked up so many times yesterday. Can't pin it all on me, right? Like 70-30. Or 60-40 at worst. He definitely turned me on too, but kept pushing me away, so I snapped and tested that experimental seduction spell still in development...
"Gasp."
...Did I forget to undo the spell?
I drank way too much to remember clearly, but it wasn't my usual mana, plus the booze haze—I must've messed up the mana control like never before. And I bolted out in a panic from that cat freakout.
Checking the time, I turned on my phone. Around 10:20 AM. The club group chat was buzzing—everyone must be up—and one notification caught my eye below it.
[You asleep? Reply quick if you're not.]
Not just "you asleep?" but "reply quick"? He must be messaging because of the spell...?
Pushing down major anxiety, I saw Lee Seo-yeon's message about brunch downstairs if I was up. I slowly dragged myself out of bed.
Following cheerful voices down the stairs, there were Lee Seo-yeon and Doyun oppa already eating.
"Morning."
"Seol-ah, sleep well? Brunch is Lee Seo-yeon limited-edition special ham-cheese toast."
"Hey both. Why limited-edition...?"
"Made the sauce myself, and it's almost gone now."
The buttery aroma from the toasted bread slices hit hard. I grabbed one right after sitting next to Lee Seo-yeon. The special wrapping to keep hands clean showed her touch. And the taste? Perfection.
"Soup too. Cream of mushroom."
"You make this too?"
"Nah, store-bought from E-Mart. Want me to grab some?"
"For real? Hell yeah."
The peaceful brunch vibe shattered the moment footsteps echoed from the stairs. Baek Sion, shuffling down slowly.
"Sleep okay? Whoa, those dark circles are brutal."
"Morning. Rough night?"
"...Just a bit sleepless. I'm fine, no biggie."
Brushing off our concern, Baek Sion sat across from me. He picked up a toast but didn't bite—just stared me down. Or was it a glare?
With so much guilt gnawing at me, I had to avert my eyes.
"Why couldn't you sleep? New place jitters?"
"...Kinda, yeah."
Lee Seo-yeon's sharp question nearly stopped my heart, but thankfully Baek Sion wasn't the type to blurt, "She jumped me at midnight." Though that answer was a total lie. He'd camped rough plenty in Astasia, and just three days ago he slept like a rock at my place.
His laser-focused gaze pinned me the whole meal. I stared at the table like I was in the stocks until it ended.
Super awkward brunch—probably just for me—over, we headed to the gaming room for course registration. Us three freshmen side-by-side at PCs, Doyun oppa watching from behind. Lee Seo-yeon spun her chair for help.
"Sunbae, registration tips?"
"First year, doesn't matter much if you're casual."
"C'mon, you gotta have pro tips as a senior."
"Don't cram everything into one day chasing empty slots? Exam week sucks with four tests daily."
"Oppa had empties first year?"
"Every semester's Monday empties for me. Love 'em. Everyone chases Friday, so Mondays are chill."
Lee Seo-yeon juggled the site and app, then dropped a file in the group chat.
"Picked based on reviews too? If you guys are cool, match electives for Monday empties."
The file had lectures, profs, and ratings summarized. Thank god she's my friend... I wanted max electives with her anyway—more than with department mates. Korea U first-year core electives overlap a lot: two languages, programming, three more cores, plus one elective—six together.
"Elective? Bike Science? Supposedly easy."
"P/F or S/U, anything goes."
P/F and S/U were pass/fail, no letter grades—super lax, I'd heard.
I'd scoped some out; wanted sports.
"Let's do PE then."
"Seol-ah turning total gym girl...?"
"What you wanna do?"
First words from Baek Sion since I woke. I played it cool.
"Something new for all? Tennis?"
"Tennis? I might actually be decent... I'm in."
"Me too."
"Cool, beginner tennis it is."
"Wait till noon."
Oh, gotta tell Park Harin. Childhood friend, same uni—we'd planned to sync electives if possible. She's chill; no biggie if not.
Smooth sailing through registration. I stubbornly refused Lee Seo-yeon's ride offer and headed home. Same bus as Baek Sion, of course.
...What to say? Mana's gone now, so spell must've worn off... He's by the window, silent.
We didn't exchange a word until my stop near home.
"...See ya."
"......"
I broke the heavy awkwardness with a greeting, but Baek Sion just followed without a word.
"...Walking me home?"
"Yeah."
Finally a reply—not angry. What? Just escorting? Maybe he wasn't that bothered?
At the building, I greeted again and opened the first-floor door.
"Bye...?"
But he didn't leave—followed me inside.
Dread started creeping in. "...N-not going home?"
"Nope."
"......"
His casual reply made me feel weird. Alarm bells screamed we'd regret if I let him in. But with luggage... no choice.
My hand trembled slightly pressing the elevator button. He stuck by me all the way up to the seventh floor.
I dragged out the door code as long as possible—five seconds max. Taking his offer to hold the door, I stepped both feet into the entryway, shoes off—
"Eek!?"
In a flash, I was slammed against the wall, pinned immobile. Baek Sion loomed over me blankly, elbow braced by my head.
I get why wall slams are everywhere in girls' comics. The height difference made the pressure insane.
...Thought it'd cleared up earlier, but against my will, that chilling tingle reignited in my lower abdomen.