Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Beastkin Academy: The Only Human Gets Obsessed Over
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Luggage loading was finally over.
The students from the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd years each boarded the buses matching their enrollment year.
"Yah-hoo! The TA has to ride here~"
Gyeon Nari TA arrived right on schedule for departure and hopped onto the 23rd-year bus.
Vrooom—
The engine-roaring bus pulled away from the school gates, heading straight for the MT destination: Acorn Village.
And as for me...
"S-Sorry, Ji-hyeok... I d-didn't think it th-through."
"It's fine. No need to apologize."
"B-Beastkin are naturally s-stronger than humans, but I said s-something unnecessary and h-hurt your feelings..."
"I wasn't hurt, so seriously, no need to apologize."
"B-But Ji-hyeok... you're c-crying...?"
"Sniffle-hic!"
This man, Joo Ji-hyeok.
Yesterday he cried downward, but today he's crying upward.
The reason was simple. He'd felt the gap in strength.
"Me, struggling to lift a booze crate when beastkin hoist them like nothing! How much are the sunbaenim laughing at me right now!!"
"Y-You did bend it pretty good b-before offering to help..."
"The Joo Ji-hyeok from the failed-drift IF worldline is so pitiful, that's why the tears!!"
The parallel universe Joo Ji-hyeok has probably become the humans' laughingstock by now!
Aah! Sorry, other me!
Because I made the wrong choice, you're suffering this humiliation!
If you can't take it, bite your tongue and die! I permit your death!!!
I was thrashing around, sharing the shame with my IF-world counterpart, when a shadow fell over me and Eum-a.
Who?! Who's mocking my fragile heart!
"Carsick?"
No, it's not!
This voice! Mo Myo-mi!
Eum-a and I turned to look at Mo Myo-mi simultaneously. Amid the rocking bus, she balanced solely on her tail, holding out motion sickness pills and a black pouch.
'Wh-What, this thorny rose is offering?'
Churu, cat-exclusive canned treats, and now motion sickness meds and a black pouch?
'She's finally giving something actually useful to humans!'
What monumental progress! But I can't take it! My sniffling isn't from carsickness—it's because I don't need it!!
Besides, my eyes weren't on what was in Mo Myo-mi's hand, but on what was around her wrist.
"Whoa, isn't that an X-Nell?"
What kind of college student wears a ShaX bracelet? Look at that shine! It's screaming "not fake" with that insane gleam!!
Damn! Mo Myo-mi, who just seemed like a breed-specific thorny rose, now looks like a rich kid's thorny rose!!!
"Not taking it?"
"I-I'll take the bracelet."
"What?"
The moment my inner thoughts slipped out by mistake!
"Th-Thank you, Myo-mi-ya!"
"......"
Eum-a snatched the motion sickness pills and black pouch in my stead. Mo Myo-mi then returned to her seat like she had no more business here.
Without even grabbing a handrail! Just tail and core strength, all regal!
'That endurance on a moving bus!'
What the hell are beastkin made of!!
I was trembling, suddenly feeling a wall between me and Mo Myo-mi.
"J-Ji-hyeok."
Eum-a, clutching the motion sickness pills and black pouch, called out to me.
"Why?"
"I-It's fine! I'll get it for you!"
"Get what?"
"L-Luxury gift!"
Eh?
"S-So you don't have to be jealous!"
Did it look like that? Sure, I freaked out seeing the brand on Mo Myo-mi's bracelet, but that doesn't mean I want one?!
Misreading my reaction, Eum-a just pressed her two index fingers together.
Sorry for the misunderstanding... but Eum-a offering to spend big bucks on me for my sake is so cute!!
"Eum-a. This oppa doesn't need luxury haaaaands!"
"Huh? R-Really?"
"Of cooooourse! Obviously!"
Luxury? Does that feed me or put me to sleep? It might boost self-esteem a bit, but that's temporary, temporary!
But?
Love?
'Lasts a lifetime!'
So I only need one thing!
"This oppa only needs Eum-a!"
"H-Huh...?!"
"So no need to buy luxury!!"
"Y-Yeah! G-Got it!"
If you're gonna spend, get some sexy lingerie and wear it! At least forgive me later if I buy you lingerie instead of luxury!!!!!
I wanted to shout that, but with so many ears around, I held back.
And besides!
Screeech!
Gyeon Nari TA stood up as the bus came to a stop!
She stuck out her tongue with a "He~" and wagged her tail furiously.
"Kids~ Let's get off~"
We'd finally arrived!
At the MT spot, Acorn Village!
After getting off the bus, I saw the other years' seniors had already hopped off nimbly.
'Acorn Village is run by Kim Daram-i sunbae's aunt, right?'
Was that bloodline buff embezzlement plan real? Up ahead, Kim Daram-i sunbae was hugging a middle-aged human woman who looked like Kim Daram-i thirty years from now.
The boss lady cum aunt she mentioned? They look so alike!
"Auntie~ I'm heeeere~"
"Aigoo. Our little poop puppy's here?"
"Not poop puppy, I'm a squirreeeel~!"
What a heartwarming family.
Acorn Village was a glamping site nestled in the mountains away from the city.
There was a souvenir shop featuring acorns, a restaurant featuring acorns, an acorn-themed walking trail... heck, is there even an acorn fortress??
What glamping site is this obsessed with acorns???
"Th-The scenery is p-pretty, Ji-hyeok."
"Yeah. Air's nice too."
Still, surrounded by mountains on all sides, just looking around soothed the eyes.
The air so fresh, it felt like joy on the inhale, peace on the exhale!!
Sniff! Ha! Sniff! Ha!
"Hee-hee."
"Why're you laughing?"
Did my earnest breathing amuse her? Eum-a suddenly burst into laughter and looked at me.
With her pretty smile, lips glossy from red tint, she said,
"J-Just... Coming to a place like this with Ji-hyeok makes me ha-happy."
"Heh-heh. Me too."
"E-Even though it's MT, coming with Ji-hyeok makes it fun!"
"Yeah? Then next time, just the two of us."
"R-Really?"
"When have I ever said anything empty?"
She's the kind who treasures little things, looks out for me, gets all excited—my girlfriend's a total cutie! How could I make a travel promise insincerely?
"Summer break end, hit the beach?"
"H-Huh! B-Beach! Love it!"
Summer means beach, obviously!
She liked the idea—her eyes sparkled like jewels.
Heh-heh! This cutie!
Oh, almost forgot to mention this.
"......?"
I leaned in and whispered into Eum-a's rabbit ear.
"We'll have storm sex too."
"J-Ji-hyeok, seriously!"
Whoosh! Eum-a's face lit up like fire as she smacked me rapid-fire.
Ke-ke-ke. Think baby rabbit smacks hurt me? Hurt? They huuuurt... Ow... OW!!!!!!!!!!!
Th-This... I...!
Gonna scream like a little girl!!!
Jujiyaaaaaaaaa!!!
"Ji-hyeok!"
"!!!"
Right before the scream!
Baek Sang-a sunbae called me from across the way, and at the same time, Succubus Queen Choi Eum-a's violence halted.
Survived another day!!
"Come get this!"
"Yep! Eum-a, stay here! Ji-hyeok's going!"
"Yeah! W-Waiting!"
Dragging my almost-broken-from-Eum-a-punch arm, I ran to Baek Sang-a sunbae.
She immediately held out her hand to me. In it was a key.
"21st and 22nd years are moving luggage. Once done, grill meat, feed the kids, free time, then recreation."
"Ah! So what do I do?"
"That lodging right in front, see the door at the very end?"
"Yep!"
I looked at the lodging Baek Sang-a sunbae pointed to.
'Looks like some local specialty building.'
The massive acorn-shaped structure was divided into a multipurpose room and three wings inside.
"That's where 23rd years stay. Ji-hyeok department head, take the kids there and prep for grilling meat. Got it?"
"Yep! I can do it!"
"Good! So reliable, Ji-hyeok department head!"
"......Reliable? Me?"
The sunbaenim are carrying booze crates like pros right now...
"You saying my effort's admirable in a roundabout way...?"
"You're overthinking. Shut up and go!"
"Yes ma'am."
I pocketed the key and returned to Eum-a's side.
She slipped right into my arms like she'd been waiting!
Looking up with those crinkled eyes, so cute and adorable, she asked with sparkling eyes.
"Wh-What'd sunbae say?"
"Go to the lodging and prep to stuff our faces with meat. Grill right after luggage."
"M-Meat!"
Her tail went whoosh-whoosh at "meat."
"Eum-a knows meat too, huh."
"Yeah! Obviously!"
Rabbit beastkin yelling "obviously." Precious.
'Well, yeah.'
One prejudice shattered at Beastkin University: no matter the beastkin—carni, herbivore, omni mix—their diet doesn't matter except for personal prefs.
We've scarfed down how many ramen bowls already!
Anyway!
"Guys! Let's head in and prep for meat!"
I hollered, aggroing with lodging + meat.
Perfect effect!
"Yo, meat!"
"Let's go!"
"Stomach's fucking starving, for real."
"Drooling already~"
Classmates swarming behind me!
'Feels just like that.'
Like a gang of delinquents heading to a brawl!
'Aah! This is power! This is authority!'
With so many beastkin friends backing me, nothing scares me in this world!
Kekekekek!
"......"
"Why stare like that?"
"J-Ji-hyeok's thinking something weird again..."
"Hey now. Stop the slander. Keep it up, and even Black Ji-hyeok-jjang's girl gets no mercy."
"Y-You're admitting it, don't say weird stuff!"
Our Succubus Queen Choi Eum-a. Her intuition's sharpening to terrifying levels day by day.
At the lodging door, I slotted the key in.
'Insertion.'
Click!
(Note: that's the door unlocking, not a button.)
"Ooh."
Unlocking the door revealed the interior.
Worried 'cause the outside was acorn-shaped, but inside it was a normal cabin vibe.
And right behind me, peering around: Eum-a.
Her already big round eyes went even bigger and rounder.
Mouth agape, bunny front teeth fully visible, she marveled.
"Whoooaa...! L-Like a bunny burrow...!"
Her reaction's making me crave bossam for real!!