Promise with Yee Eun-chae
"I understand. Arian needs to travel through the portal to your place first, so we have to leave early." Even as I said it, the clock read only six in the morning—plenty of time remained. Thanks to the sixtyfold time dilation in the virtual space, I had already recovered from the lack of sleep. By sacrificing rest, Seo Moon-min-hye, Arian Liberin, and I had spent the entire night reviewing yesterday’s experiences.
"Okay, Oppa. I’ll understand… but look at me for a moment." Seo Moon-min-hye rose from her seat and gave me a seductive smile. With a gaze that was both alluring and sensual, she lifted the hem of her skirt right in front of me, revealing that she wore nothing underneath.
"Always remember that your woman and first love, Seo Moon-min-hye, is waiting for you at home." "Of course. I’ll remember every word from my first love and wife-to-be."
"Good! It’s a promise~" I stepped forward and pulled her into my arms. No matter how many times I held her, her soft body felt wonderful. I gazed at her beautiful face from up close. Just as she said, Seo Moon-min-hye was the only woman I could truly call my first love in this world. I slowly pressed my lips to hers. "Mmm…"
After sharing that deep, emotional kiss with Seo Moon-min-hye, I sent Arian Liberin off from her house and stepped out of my own residence, maintaining the public pretense. People would believe Arian had stayed at Seo Moon-min-hye’s place, and since I had come from my own home, no one would suspect we were living together. Even if rumors started, they would remain nothing more than baseless speculation.
Yee Eun-chae had been in an excellent mood since morning. After returning to her dorm last night, she had focused on fully internalizing the experiences gained through meditation. Thanks to that, she had achieved significant progress today and even broken through a wall, growing another step stronger. If she could completely make yesterday’s gains her own, her power would surpass Seo Moon-hyun’s.
‘But I won’t get careless. Seo Moon-hyun’s skills are extraordinary. Even if I’ve grown stronger, I can’t assume he’s standing still.’ Still, she wasn’t alone. Seo Moon-jin, her precious friend who helped her grow stronger, was there, along with Arian Liberin and Yoo Eun-chae. Though she still felt some distance because Seo Moon-min-hye was her friend’s younger sister, she hoped to grow closer to her as well.
‘Ugh!’ Yet whenever she thought of Seo Moon-jin, the memory of his hands kneading her hips resurfaced, making her cheeks burn. She knew the massage had been purely for training purposes, and she could feel the results in her vastly improved mana control. Even so, the sensation of his hands on her hips and thighs kept coming back. It had been embarrassing… but not unpleasant.
‘Ugh… this is troublesome.’ The recollection made her heart race for no reason. She had also sensed that he was subtly aware of her as a woman, which made her constantly conscious of the fact that her closest friend was of the opposite sex.
Buzz— Just then, her smartphone vibrated. She checked the message.
"So Moon-jin is coming…" Thump— Yee Eun-chae felt a flutter of nervousness at the thought of sharing breakfast with him.
‘Arian is coming too.’ Eating breakfast together with both Seo Moon-jin and Arian Liberin was exactly what she wanted. Yet the strange feeling that surfaced whenever she thought of Seo Moon-jin kept bothering her. It wasn’t dislike or rejection. It would be wrong to feel that way about her friend suggesting they eat together, and she truly didn’t feel that way. It was simply that the memory of his touch lingered far too vividly.
"Eun-chae, Moon-jin and Arian want to have breakfast together starting today." "Ah! Hyun-ah, I got the same message." Yoo Eun-chae, her roommate sitting on the neighboring bed, had apparently received the identical texts. Of course—Seo Moon-jin and Arian Liberin wouldn’t have messaged only her.
"Um, Hyun-ah… there’s something I want to ask." "Sure, what is it?" Yoo Eun-chae smiled gently. Though shy and reserved with others, she was comfortable around Yee Eun-chae.
"It’s a little embarrassing… but I trust you, so I’ll tell you." Yee Eun-chae decided to be honest about the problem that kept weighing on her mind. She believed her friend would keep it secret and offer advice. She could have asked Seo Moon-jin directly, but for some reason her heart raced at the mere thought, so she needed more time to prepare.
"Okay, I promise I won’t tell anyone." Nodding at Yoo Eun-chae’s reassurance, Yee Eun-chae voiced the issue that continued to trouble her. "Actually… whenever I think about Moon-jin’s massage from yesterday’s first training session, it keeps bothering me."
"Uh, huh? Th-that so?" Yoo Eun-chae’s expression visibly wavered. "Hyun-ah? Are you all right?" Yee Eun-chae asked worriedly. Yoo Eun-chae forced an awkward laugh. "A-ahaha… I-I’m fine. It’s just… I was thinking the same thing as you."
"Huh? Hyun-ah, you mean you keep remembering Moon-jin’s massage too?" "Y-yeah. It was the first time I’d been touched by a man like that… and besides, the results after the massage were so good that it’s hard to just forget."
Indeed, every time she circulated her mana, the dramatically improved sensation was impossible to ignore. The memory surfaced automatically whenever she used her power. "I… I see." Learning that Yoo Eun-chae shared the same concern, Yee Eun-chae felt the atmosphere grow awkward.
"T-time will take care of it. We’ll… get over it once enough time passes. Ahaha…" "Y-yeah, probably. Um… Hyun-ah, let’s get ready. I’ll shower first." "Okay, got it."
Yee Eun-chae went into the bathroom first, stripped, and tried to clear her thoughts under the warm water. ‘Moon-jin…’ Yet no matter how hard she tried, thoughts of Seo Moon-jin refused to leave her mind.
Although I had departed separately from Arian Liberin, meeting up midway felt natural. "Moon-jin!" While heading to the academy, Arian Liberin came running toward me, her brilliant golden hair fluttering in the wind as she wore her academy uniform. She naturally fell into step beside me. "Good morning, Arian." "Yes, good morning, Moon-jin." We smiled at each other. It really was a good morning for several reasons.
Just as the main gate of the National Hero Academy came into view, I spotted her. ‘Lee Se-na.’ With long beige hair and gentle light-brown eyes, she possessed a pure, soft impression that contrasted sharply with a figure whose curves were every bit as overwhelming as Yee Eun-chae’s. Lee Se-na was walking toward me.
"Ah, Seo Moon-jin." Upon spotting me, she hurried over, carrying a box in her hands. "What’s that?" "I… baked cookies again as thanks for saving me. I hope you’ll accept them." She offered the box politely. I gave her a gentle smile. "Thanks. I’ll enjoy them." "…Yes." "You waited here just to give them to me?" "Yes, that’s right." Lee Se-na nodded with a small smile. She had clearly waited alone without informing Seo Moon-hyun. If he had known, he would never have allowed her to give me another gift.
"Se-na!" Before that thought even finished, Seo Moon-hyun’s voice rang out. Using his mana-awakener strength, he rushed to Lee Se-na’s side in an instant. "Se-na, why are you here?" As he spoke, he glared at me with eyes filled with such intense wariness that it bordered on outright hostility. [What the hell did that bastard do to Se-na?] The enmity and rage in his heart were immense. To an outsider, it might have seemed as though I—not Seo Moon-hyun—had been the one expelled from the Seo family and forced to endure every hardship. The reason for his hostility was obvious. ‘He sees me as the one obstacle that must be eliminated from his otherwise perfect, triumphant life.’