Chapter 58
"...I just wanted to hear your voice... 'No solo sessions from now on. Save it up until we meet again...' "
There weren't any explicit words, but just seeing Yoo Seol-ah's flushed expression told me exactly what she meant. The soft feel of her breasts against my waist and the sultry hint in her voice still lingered, sending blood rushing straight to my lower half in an instant.
It was pretty infuriating that she'd told me to hold back and then left me like this, but if I didn't hold back, I'd probably burst. Realistically, with five whole days until March 2nd, she wouldn't notice if I snuck in a quick one midway through—or so most people would think. But Yoo Seol-ah wasn't your average human. With about 30% succubus in her, she might just sense it somehow. It was a little scary to consider. Thinking back to yesterday, that 30% might as well be 100%—she was a full succubus at this point...
We'd done it twice just yesterday, and she hadn't said a word about it. But now she was telling me to save it all up? How much did she plan on doing? I was starting to feel like I needed to stock up on stamina-boosting foods. Sure, she could use magic, but my body had to hold up.
On the walk home, I did a quick search, and nuts kept popping up as great for virility. I immediately decided to order a mixed nuts pack.
Since classes hadn't started yet, there was no need to study. I figured I'd pile on some freelance work I'd been doing on the side. Focusing on something always kept the dirty thoughts at bay, no question. I booted up my computer and updated my personal page's schedule.
The gigs were music mixing—steady side cash from a hobby. I'd realized something from years of consistent composing: every element of a track matters, but just as crucial is the mixing process that makes all the sounds blend harmoniously. My dad, a well-known sound director, had taught me plenty from a young age, so even back then, my mixing skills were good enough to keep me fed.
As a student living off allowance, extra cash needs pop up sometimes. It's tough for minors to land regular part-time jobs, so I set up a personal page for mixing commissions. A few years in, I'm pretty well-known in amateur mixing circles now. Nothing compared to a famous illustrator like Yoo Seol-ah, of course. Music—especially mixing—is a niche world, unlike the accessible world of illustration.
It wasn't long before a commission request came in. My cost-performance and quality get rave reviews, but I'd paused bookings recently, so this was probably someone who'd been waiting. Over 95% of my commissions are personal cover song mixes—basically, "make my singing sound good." I tweak off-beat rhythms, fix pitches, add effects to match the song's vibe. Mixing prioritizes harmony with the track and goes through tons of steps. Exaggerating a bit, I could make even a tone-deaf, rhythm-challenged singer sound pro-level.
To save up for trips around with Yoo Seol-ah, I decided to take on as much as possible over the next four days. I fired up the program, checked the client's requests, and dove in.
Skipping dinner to hyper-focus paid off—I was already on my second job. Mixing isn't pure creation; it's closer to grind work with somewhat set answers. Pouring in time and concentration builds fatigue fast, so I decided to lie on the bed for a quick break.
To stay focused during work, I silence alarms and tuck my phone away. Grabbing the one by my bedside, I saw Yoo Seol-ah's messages from about 15 minutes ago.
Honestly, picturing Yoo Seol-ah, I'd expected stiff, formal texting, but she uses emojis a ton and shows her cute side online. It surprised me at first. She said she was busy too—must've carved out some time. We hadn't been apart long, but her wanting to call already brought a smile to my face.
—Taking a quick break now
—Call away
She must've had her phone in hand; the "read" mark vanished instantly. Seconds later, the call came through.
"Hello..."
"Yeah. Just taking a quick break."
"Not interrupting, right...?"
"Nah. I was planning to rest anyway."
"Okay... Your voice sounds kinda echoey? I hear faint splashing too."
She had a bathtub at her place, so maybe she was bathing?
"You bathing by any chance?"
"...You can hear that much?"
"Yeah, the echo gives it away."
"I bathe almost every day... There's a stand behind the tub. Didn't you see it last time?"
Honestly, a little jealous. I love baths too, but my place just has a tiny shower stall.
"That mixing thing you mentioned? You doing that?"
"Yeah. Figured I'd knock some out since I've got time."
"Don't overdo it..."
Hard to pinpoint, but she gets sweeter when we're not face-to-face. Probably tsundere-shy in person.
"So why'd you call?"
I regretted it the second it left my mouth. Not implying anything—just curious if there was a reason.
"...Can't I just call?"
"......No, of course you can."
I could perfectly picture her pouting. Then came her slightly trembling voice from the phone.
"...I just wanted to hear your voice..."
"......"
Her affection had spiked since yesterday, and now with the phone-call buff? My heart couldn't take it. Focusing silently on her sounds, a loud splash suddenly erupted.
What the...? It was voice-only, but I could vividly imagine her beet-red face dunking underwater. Even on a call, she couldn't handle the embarrassment.
About 10 seconds later, she surfaced, breathing a bit heavy.
"Dunking during bath time?"
"...Don't tease me, Baek Sion..."
Hearing she called just to hear my voice? Way better than any other reason. We split around 3 PM, so about seven hours apart? We'd been glued together nonstop before, so yeah, I missed her too.
"Wanna video call too...?"
"Then do it."
She panicked instantly.
"...R-right now? ...Oh, wait—bathing. Duh, impossible."
Too deep in work mode earlier; basic facts escaped me.
"No, sorry. Bad call."
And honestly, video now would be suicide with the five-day holdout. Seeing her naked body? No way.
"...Well, I could do it."
"Huh?"
"Hang up a sec—I'll call back on video. Pick up..."
Bathing and...? Before I could respond, the call ended. Then video rang through.
Couldn't ignore it. Cornered, I hit accept—but eyes squeezed shut, phone aimed at my face.
"......"
"...Pfft."
Her stifled laugh burst from the phone. That was a genuine "that's hilarious" giggle.
"...You can open your eyes."
"Voice still echoes. You're bathing."
It didn't sound seductive, so trusting her, I peeked. Warm water had pinked her face, and thick white bubbles blanketed everything below her neck. Bubbles for the win—safety net.
She spoke, laughter lingering.
"Did you really need to squeeze 'em shut like that?"
She knew damn well why—her rule.
"...You told me to hold out five days."
"......"
Her face flushed deeper—was it the bath or something else boiling up? Looked like she genuinely just missed my face, no ulterior motives. Did she have no clue about her own destructive power? Her unconscious temptations were lethal. No wonder they say natural airheads are the scariest.