Chapter 155
Chapter 155
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: Part 2 Episode 18
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Opening the door revealed Lee Saebyeok lying in bed, fast asleep.
She was plugging her ears and burying her face in the pillow, screaming.
Her voice was muffled by the pillow, so it was hard to hear unless you really listened.
“Aaaah…”
“You’ll suffocate yourself, Saebyeok.”
Seol Doyun straightened her out flat. Her face was flushed red, sweat pouring off her.
He placed a hand on her forehead—it was burning up.
Her mental strength must have weakened from the pain, and the nightmare piling on top of that.
Her ear-plugging position looked uncomfortable, so Seol Doyun pulled out his Bluetooth earbuds and slipped them into her ears.
“Like classical music?”
“Ugh…”
“I’ll play some classical for you.”
Surprisingly, Lee Saebyeok liked calm songs. Maybe because her surroundings were always so noisy, her tastes skewed toward the soothing side.
As the gentle piano melody played, the furrow in her brow began to smooth out.
Once her breathing steadied a bit, Seol Doyun returned to his room and grabbed several clean hand towels.
Creak, whoosh.
He turned on the faucet, running cold water. He soaked the towels and wrung them out firmly.
He placed one cold towel behind her neck and another on her forehead.
She seemed to like the coolness on her forehead—the groaning stopped.
Seol Doyun reached out and cupped her cheek with his hand. Still warm, but better than before.
He slowly stroked her hair.
Gazing at her tear-streaked, messy face, he placed a tissue over it.
The tissue absorbed the moisture, molding to the shape of her eyes, nose, and mouth.
He folded the tear- and snot-stained tissue a few times, then gently patted her face to wipe it clean.
As he moved to throw it away, Lee Saebyeok, who had been stirring, suddenly grabbed his hand.
She clutched one of his hands with both of hers, still sniffling.
She held his hand for a while, then pulled it to her chest.
Not satisfied with his arm, she groped for his waist and clung to it.
Seol Doyun looked down at Lee Saebyeok dangling from his waist like a sloth on a belt.
‘Sleep-talk trap.’
It had been ages since he’d last seen a sleep-talk trap.
He’d forgotten that her sleep-talking got rough during nightmares, enough to ensnare anyone nearby.
He thought the crying would stop soon, but the nightmare seemed to drag on longer than expected.
He knew how to handle this.
Though getting older made him less inclined to do it.
Seol Doyun reached out to the sleeping Lee Saebyeok and pulled her into a tight hug. One arm supported her small back, the other wrapped around her shoulders.
He gently patted her back.
‘Hey, you up? Pat my back for me.’
On nights she had nightmares, she’d always wake him up and hug him tight.
He’d been sensitive back then, never touching anyone before, so it had flustered him badly.
After pushing her away a few times, she never asked for hugs again—but now, he felt a pang of regret.
These memories from childhood flooded back.
While lost in thought, Lee Saebyeok burrowed deeper into his arms. Her hot body warmed him right up.
“…Calm down before I switch the classical to heavy metal.”
Still, the sniffling cries were dying down.
Sigh, sigh.
Soon the crying faded, her breathing steady and even.
Seol Doyun kept patting the still-suffering Lee Saebyeok as he pulled out his phone and opened the gate app.
Woo Jiyoon’s team gate had just closed, so she’d be back soon.
“Feels cool…”
At some point, her hand had slipped toward the sliver of exposed skin.
“…?”
Feeling a hand on his stomach suddenly, Seol Doyun raised one eyebrow.
Maybe she thought he was Woo Jiyoon—things were getting risky.
He’d forgotten she was touchy with her roommates.
Once Lee Saebyeok seemed settled, Seol Doyun gently pushed her away and stood up.
He retrieved his earbuds and wet towel, then placed the sandwich he’d bought by her head.
On the floor, he spotted the summer cooling pillow she’d been hugging tightly in her sleep.
Seol Doyun picked up the fallen cooling pillow and tucked it into her arms before leaving the room.
The spot where her hand had touched felt especially hot.
§ § §
Waking up refreshed, my head and body felt great. Sleep really does solve everything.
I’d had a weird dream at first and tossed around, but then it vanished, and I slept like a rock.
“Jiyoon, you been working out lately?”
“?”
I stared at Woo Jiyoon, who was changing after her gate raid.
She tilted her head as she bandaged a wound.
“No, but your abs felt solid when I touched your stomach earlier.”
I’d hugged Woo Jiyoon when she got back from the gate, but she felt seriously bulked up.
I’d groped for some belly fat, but there was none—super suspicious even in my sleep.
“Uh… when did you touch my stomach?”
“Didn’t you hug me while I was sleeping earlier?”
“I just got back?”
Looks like I’d mistaken hugging Woo Jiyoon in my sleep for the real thing. I got out of bed, hugged her, and felt her stomach.
“Hey, what the hell!”
“Even softer than before?”
“Argh, stop, hey!!!”
Something felt off, super nagging.
I’d definitely burrowed in and slipped my hand under her clothes. Her body had felt so cool and nice.
“You were hugging your cooling pillow tight in your sleep.”
Oh, it was the cooling pillow?
No wonder—no belly fat, and it’s cool.
I nodded quickly, yawning hugely and scratching my stomach.
Slept so well, felt amazing.
“Hey, did you change perfumes?”
“No?”
What.
A unfamiliar scent wafted from my clothes. I lifted them and sniffed—fresh forest aroma hit me.
What is this. Kinda smells like Seol Doyun.
Suddenly, I spotted a Subway sandwich by my bed.
“Hey, did you buy this?”
“…No?”
A chill shot down my spine. Felt like a brick to the back of the head. Breaking a sweat.
‘Seol Doyun.’
Probably got caught in my sleep-talk trap when he came to drop off the Subway.
Why’d he deliver a sandwich out of nowhere, anyway.
I hope I didn’t do anything weird. My sleep-talking’s intense—kissing, hands in clothes, chaos.
I racked my sleeping brain, but nothing.
[Hey, did you come to my room?]
Sent a text and waited.
[Yeah.]
Quick reply—good.
[What’d I do?]
Legs shaking, I texted Seol Doyun. Five minutes later, a reply.
[You gotta take responsibility, got it?]
Spine chilled more. What? Did I bump lips? Or worse?
[What do you mean?]
Seol Doyun’s reply slowed.
Definitely on purpose.
[^^?]
Six minutes later, that crap.
Usually fast, slow now—annoying.
[Sorry, spill it]
[No shit, not sorry. Wait, sorry.]
[If you’re selling drugs, I’ll kill you.]
[What does it mean?]
[Hey why no reply]
Every delay spawned wild imaginings.
[LOL]
[Kidding, chill]
[Eat the sandwich. Yoo Hyun hyung was worried.]
Relief washed over me.
Don’t remember exactly what I did, but Seol Doyun hates body contact—probably dodged fine.
That thought erased all worry.
[OK lol thx for delivery]
Bit into the sandwich casually, replied.
[No prob lol]
Still nagging, but he’s cool—fine.
‘Doyun smells nice.’
Forest scent tickled my nose.
Loved the fresh vibe, sniffed deep—too pervy, stripped and tossed the clothes.
* * *
Switching schools meant new uniforms.
I shoved the old one in a corner and pulled on the new.
This uniform was special—pants under the skirt, no worries jumping around. Skirt detachable if wanted.
Whirr.
Dryer buzzing from morning.
Woo Jiyoon sat at the mirror, humming as she prettied up.
Effort paid off—subtle, fitting makeup.
Soon we were ready and headed out.
On the way, I eyed Woo Jiyoon’s face.
Jiyoon spilled stories nonstop. Her gate heroics, hot pot challenge with new friend.
“Hey, makeup matches your tattoos great.”
“No, Saebyeok. That’s not an answer to sitting with me! You weren’t listening again!”
“…Yeah. Sorry.”
“Sigh, fine. So you’ll sit with me?”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Agreed smoothly.
Chatted idly with Woo Jiyoon on the new commute.
“S-Saebyeok… long time…”
Lee Kyungseop greeted, looking half-dead.
“You turned zombie already.”
“Ooh, rank 1~”
Woo Jiyoon gritted teeth, praising Lee Kyungseop who’d climbed over her and Moon Serim lately.
Things going weird lately. Feels like someone anticipates my moves.
Had a plan to make Lee Kyungseop rank 1, but he did it himself—one example.
Less hassle—great.
“J-Jiyoon. Why so scary…?”
“No, no. Just congrats.”
Woo Jiyoon, accepting the rank flip, chatted with meekly walking Byun Woojin.
“Woojin, you congrats Kyungseop too?”
“…”
Byun Woojin nodded, then nudged me, whispering.
“…No more wandering alone.”
“Got it.”
He hooked pinky—I hooked back, promise.
Crowd grew, chatter rose. Noisy walk, then quick footsteps from behind.
“Lee Saebyeok!!!!”
Booming my name.
Crowd parted slowly. Turned—Moon Serim running.
She bear-hugged from behind, lifting me—body crushed. Wait, bones cracked?
“Sorry!!!! Overslept!!!! All good?”
“Who broke my bones.”
“Who!!!!!!”
“You, idiot. Let go.”
Moon Serim flushed, set me down.
Hand on shoulder, gave awkward sorry massage (shoulder rub for guilt).
“Where’s Yeo Huhee?”
Shook it off, scanned for likely beside Moon Serim.
“She enrolled early.”
What?
Random info—I frowned, poked Moon Serim for details.
“Asked the association head to let her in before official date.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Had stuff to do first.”
Yeo Huhee had ties to Nagil High kids, so extra work maybe.
Guessing cartel cleanup—her fear-violence awakened mimicking her, stop quick.
Hope she handles it.
Watch—if not, replan—headache already.
Hit school gate musing non-awakener Abyss life’s tough.
Spotted a Nagil student.
“Sooheli Bebungtan, nitric acid plne~”
Memorizing periodic table from notebook.
Turned—another student.
“Contaminate, to pollute, contaminate, to pollute.”
English vocab elsewhere.
This place… always this studious? Thought constant fights, gates, delinquents.
Checked gate sign—definitely ‘Nagil High School.’
Joo Ho said rough kids gathered, sneaky visit before was chaos.
Now, looks elite.
‘Nice cleanup, Yeo Huhee.’
What’s happening.
World, people moving as I plan/think.
Lucky coincidence.
Nearly smoked head with atmosphere/image prep morning.
Unprecedented luck bursting now.
‘Time to die…?’
Lifetime bad luck, things go opposite—now smooth.
Humming, entered gate.
Sat assigned seat, scanned class.
Front studious, fine—but back prepped books, previewing.
My top-of-class comeback vow shook.
‘Nah.’
Spirit crushed, lost fire.