Chapter 60
Chapter 60
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Threesome?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"R-Ren? No... weren't you taking a shower?"
"I've already been out for a bit. I finished washing up and was sitting on the bed, but you still hadn't come back... I got worried and came out front, and that's when I spotted your face peeking over the top of the wall."
Being built like a tank is a curse.
I cupped my forehead with one hand, and Ren sidled up beside me, gently taking my hand in hers. There was a hint of unease in her touch.
"Ren, about what you just heard—"
Before I could get the words out, she softly touched my face, making me meet her eyes.
"Did you know, Sanghyeon...?"
She heard everything.
This is awkward as hell.
I gave her an embarrassed smile, and she nodded. It wasn't like she was upset or anything—she was giving me the go-ahead to explain. Unlike those childish girls who act all "I'm not mad!" on the surface but blow up if you actually talk about it, Ren wasn't petty like that, so I laid it all out honestly.
"I had a pretty good idea. When I confessed to you, Saki was crying. It was obvious back then."
"...I felt it too."
So Ren had picked up on Saki liking me as well.
Makes sense. They're best friends who spend way more time together than I do with either of them. No way she wouldn't notice.
"I feel bad for Saki. And feeling bad for her makes me feel this crushing self-loathing too..."
"Why would you feel that way?"
"How could I not? My closest friend... she ends up liking the same guy as me, and I just pretended not to notice. I should've been upfront about it, talked it out, and put it to rest cleanly, no matter what. That's what real friends would've done... But I couldn't."
She's so upright.
The same way I saw Ren as this pure, honest girl, she saw Saki the exact same way.
"I know better than anyone how upright of a friend Saki is."
Yeah, she is.
That whole thing earlier about practicing sex and treating her like a fleshlight? It was pathetic and twisted as a love confession, but I'll chalk it up to a mistake. A girl who doesn't even know what love is, desperately trying to feel something like it.
I nodded in agreement, and then Ren dropped a bombshell.
"So... if we're talking about a threesome, wouldn't Saki be better than some stranger whose face I don't even know?"
"Wh-what? For real?"
As a guy—and one with some NTR hang-ups at that—I couldn't wrap my head around her giving such easy permission. Is female friendship just on another level?
"Yeah. Actually, ever since that day Saki cried, the thought's been vaguely floating around in my head. What if Saki and I both dated you, Sanghyeon...?"
Racking my brain, a hypothesis about biological insecurities between men and women popped up.
A man can never be 100% sure if his wife's kid is his until it's born—and even then, suggesting a paternity test gets you treated like trash.
From a guy's perspective, who has to pass on his genes, that's the worst-case scenario: losing breeding opportunities and raising another dude's spawn. That's why any situation where another man is involved with his woman triggers an absolute, primal revulsion in a guy.
But women are different.
Even if her man has other women, she knows 100% that the kid in her belly is his—as long as she's not sleeping around. No teleporting sperm is gonna implant itself. So, as long as she can raise the child of her love together with him, and he takes responsibility, women are way more tolerant of polyamory than men.
"Sanghyeon. Let's go find her. I have a rough idea where Saki might've gone by now."
"...You sure you're okay with this?"
"Tch. This is all your fault for leaving your scent everywhere."
I scratched the back of my head awkwardly, and she wrapped both her hands around mine.
"I can't say I'm not anxious. Or that I'm not jealous. But I don't want our relationships—me and Saki's, you and Saki's, all three of us—to fall apart like this. Sure, I'm disappointed we didn't finish what we started... but tonight's not the only night, right? So let's go find Saki first. Okay?"
She stroked my hand gently, like she was soothing a kid afraid I'd get mad at her for not having sex.
The epitome of a wise wife and loving mother.
"But next time, you have to do everything I ask."
I shot her a lecherous grin, and she nodded tensely, wondering just what kind of play I might demand.
"A-as long as it's not too extreme... I'll try."
She was so adorable I had to pull her into a tight hug.
"Eek..."
"I love you. So damn much."
She shuddered!
All I could see was Ren's ear burning red as she buried her face in my shoulder.
"...Me too."
I took Ren's hand, and we set off to find Saki.
"Let's split up here for now."
"Okay. I'll check outside the building, so you look inside, Ren."
We were at the academy annex. When someone's heart is heavy, they tend to retreat to familiar places, so I figured she might be here where the theater club room was.
Ren headed straight inside. She'd probably start with the club room, then check the girls' bathroom, rooftop, and such.
I'll head to the auditorium.
.
.
.
Auditorium backstage.
Moonlight filtered through the tall skylight, casting long shadows from the curtains across the floor.
"Hic..."
I couldn't see her, but that scent from earlier—Saki's—was definitely lingering in this space. What was it exactly? It reminded me of running around the countryside as a kid. The neutral, refreshing notes of an aqua-based perfume. A faint mix of pleasant grassy earth and sweet flowers. Clear and pure.
...I've never even paid attention to what Saki smelled like before.
Focusing a bit, I pinned it down right away.
Freesia.
It was freesia. Blended with white musk shampoo, creating a fresh, innocent aroma. So very Saki.
Ren would hurry over soon.
Sniffle.
Tuning into sounds, I caught the nose-blowing.
She's here, alright.
Calling out might make her bolt like before, so I crept quietly toward the backstage area.
"Sniff... sob..."
There she was, huddled on the portable stairs leading up to the stage, knees hugged tight to her chest, face buried between them as she whimpered.
I approached carefully, knelt down to her eye level, and called softly.
"Saki."
"Eek!?"
Her head snapped up.
"Wh-why, why, why are you here? You... you're with Ren right now... you have important stuff to do!"
"How could I just leave you like that? Aren't you important?"
"Wha... what...?"
A momentary blank look, like she couldn't process it.
"Huh...? Wait... so I am important...? To you...?"
Her voice trembled with fear, guilt, and excitement all at once. A faint hope that maybe—just maybe—I'd say she was more important than Ren. Mixed with self-loathing for even wanting her best friend's boyfriend to say that.
I could feel every bit of her emotion.
"You're important."
Her eyes widened at my words, mouth opening to say something.
That instant—
Bang!
"Saki! Sanghyeon!"
Ren.
Saki's face froze.
"...You two... came together."
Her voice cracked softly.
Ren had rushed straight here as I'd messaged.
"Saki, let's talk."
Now fully aware of what she'd just hoped for, she couldn't meet Ren's eyes and bowed her head.
"Sorry. I'm so sorry, Ren. Hic, sob... I'm really sorry... for butting in like this... just causing trouble."
Her fingertips idly scraped at the protruding edge of the metal stairs. Limp, like she was grasping at something.
"What did Saki do wrong?"
Ren knelt beside me, matching our height, and firmly took Saki's dusty hand.
Saki flinched but didn't pull away.
"...I did wrong. I... followed you two around all day on your date."
"That's nothing—"
"And!"
At this point, with everything out in the open, Saki spilled what she'd just secretly hoped for.
"...I was jealous. And I wanted it too... I wanted Yuu to look at me. Even half as much as he looks at you... No, even just a little... I caught myself wishing he'd look at me, even for a moment... Heh... I'm the worst, right? Having these gross feelings for my friend's boyfriend."
"..."
The air grew heavy.
Ren was taking a moment to compose herself, sorting out her words calmly.
Saki staggered to her feet and bowed deeply to Ren.
"Sorry! Sorry for butting in, someone like me. Sorry for becoming your friend... I can't even cheer you on, just turning into a nuisance...!"
Saki's back heaved and fell. Her shoulders shook repeatedly. Sorrow for an impossible love. Heartache. And the terror of losing both her best friend and her crush at once consumed her.
Then Ren gently cupped Saki's cheeks, wiping away her tears with her thumbs.
"Saki, you didn't butt into us—you were always right there by our side. From the very start, Saki was always with us. And if it weren't for you, Sanghyeon and I never would've gotten together. So saying you're a nuisance between us? That's nonsense."
Ren smiled softly, comforting her.
"B-but...! You really like Yuu! H-how could you...?"
"Yeah, of course I do. I really, really like Sanghyeon... Ahem, like him! But that doesn't mean I want things to fall apart with you. I hate that. I'm kinda greedy, you know. Choosing between my friend and my boyfriend? No way!"
Ren's voice burned hotter than ever. Even Saki, who'd spent more time with her than I had, looked stunned—maybe it was the first time hearing Ren like this—and lifted her head.
The two girls locked eyes.
What were they thinking?
What kind of wordless conversation do best friends have when they've both fallen for the same guy?
Ren took a deep breath, closed her eyes briefly, then opened them and glanced back and forth between Saki and me.
Finally, her lips parted.
"Let's go together."
"Huh?"
"You, me, and Sanghyeon... the three of us, together."
"Where?"
Saki looked confused as she asked, and Ren answered immediately.
"Hotel."
"...Huh?"