The Weight of Hidden Desires

"What have you been doing to be covered in so much sweat?"

"Well, the second-year sparring session was pretty intense today."

"Intense? Ah, now that you mention it, a lot of injured people have been coming in earlier."

"It happens sometimes. Roughly once a month? It’s just easier to evaluate them if we have them duke it out with similar types to establish rankings."

"Wait, Noona..."

As Seo Woojin’s voice trailed off—complaining about her getting on the bed while drenched in sweat—a dull thud echoed through the infirmary. It was none other than the older sister, who had entered late and flopped onto the bed. She sprawled out with such ease, as if she were lounging on the bed in her own bedroom.

...*Sigh*. Lee Hayoon. Your gym clothes have hiked up, and your belly button is completely exposed. And what are you doing, wearing gym shorts like that? If you lie there and pull your knees up in that outfit, your inner thighs are going to be on full display... you idiot.

It wouldn't matter if you were at home, but this is outside. Just by me glancing over, I can see all the way up to your thighs, and if you keep moving like that, what if... no, no. I suppose it wouldn't really matter if they were seen. After all, you and Seo Woojin have already had sex when I wasn't around. You even engage in that ridiculous roleplay where you, the older one, call him "Oppa."

"Hieu... I feel like I can finally breathe now..."

"You're getting dirt and sweat everywhere. Get down, quickly."

"Why? You said there’s someone else to do the laundry, right? Besides, I didn't even sweat that much."

"Yeah, yeah. I get it, so switch seats with Jiyoon."

"Huh? Weren't you in the middle of treatment?"

"I just finished. It didn't take long."

I averted my gaze, pretending to be nonchalant, and locked eyes with Lee Hayoon, who had turned on her side and was resting her cheek on her hand. Honestly, I was worried she might start getting suspicious already, but seeing her usual, innocent expression, it seemed she hadn't seen anything strange when she walked in. Well, given the layout of the infirmary, I had to sit with my back to the door, so it was only natural she wouldn't see anything. Even if she had caught a glimpse of our hands touching, it wouldn't be natural for her to jump to weird conclusions. After all, don't you have to use your hands to treat someone?

Of course, that was something I had only just realized myself.

"...Get out. Let me sit."

"There's space at the end of the bed. Just wait a second. I need to put on my sneakers."

"Move, quickly."

"Ugh, geez... I'm telling you to just sit... and besides, if the treatment is done, you should just leave, right?"

"...There isn't much time left until lunch."

"...Ah, skipping class? Sigh... Ow, why are you hitting me!"

Perhaps it was the sweat from the sparring, but her calves felt strangely sticky. I slapped them repeatedly, and my sister, grumbling, crushed the heels of her sneakers as she put them on and sat down in front of Seo Woojin in my place. I then took the spot where she had been lying. Thankfully, the situation ended without any major crisis. Now, all I had to do was kill time pretending to skip class and then head out. I let out a sigh of relief in my heart, watching my sister, who was oblivious to my inner turmoil, giggling as she faced Seo Woojin.

"..."

Then, a thought suddenly crossed my mind. She really is quite pretty, isn't she? My sister.

"Where are you hurt?"

"My baby finger."

"Ah, your pinky."

"I pushed myself a little because I thought I could win the strength contest this time... but I couldn't control it right away."

"What kind of training makes you hurt that, instead of your wrists or shoulders?"

"I don't know!"

"..."

"I, I really don't know..."

Her long, black ponytail, so different from my own short, white hair, is beautiful. Unlike me, who has a sharp, unfriendly look even in the mirror, her eyes are always bright and cheerful, like a puppy from the countryside. The moderately fleshy thighs visible beneath her gym shorts are far prettier than mine, which were once "used" for *sumata*.

"So, did you win, Noona?"

"..."

"Ah, if you had won, your opponent would be lying in front of me right now."

"...I, I can win next time."

The emotion that began to crawl out from the thought of her being "pretty." I roughly know what that emotion is. I don't know how to control it, but I know its name. And so, taking advantage of the two of them chatting happily, I quietly laid my body down on the bed.

"..."

If I do this, won't the traces she just left behind be covered by me? That was the truly gloomy thought that led me to do it.

The sudden three-way confrontation ended more easily than expected. As for Lee Jiyoon, she became quiet the moment she heard her sister's voice. The innocent Lee Hayoon, knowing nothing, continued to talk to me without noticing such a trivial change. Then, a few injured students visited the infirmary, and we all scattered. Nothing else interesting happened after that.

...What a shame. If I had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my way, I would have tried to hold Lee Jiyoon's hand behind Lee Hayoon's back, or something like that. Of course, I wouldn't gain anything from it, but Lee Jiyoon would love that kind of thing. She's a hopeless pervert who gets turned on by her sister's boyfriend. Perhaps just holding hands behind Lee Hayoon's back would be enough for her to use during masturbation.

"I wonder if there will be ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠another chance..."

I want to build a relationship with Han Su-a step by step, so I'd like to show her Lee Jiyoon being devoured by Lee Hayoon's boyfriend as soon as possible. While I was preparing to leave work, regretting the events of the afternoon, the phone I had left next to my laptop began to buzz.

The number of people who would contact me was limited, so it wasn't hard to guess who it was. The principal who liked me to an abnormal degree, Yozora who was being subjected to a form of neglect play (though not by choice), or Lee Hayoon, who was always in contact. Or perhaps Lee Jiyoon, who wanted to have an affair after what happened today.

...Or, [Han Su-a].

Han Su-a, who started avoiding me the moment we had sex. Seeing her name after such a long time made the corners of my mouth lift slightly. It feels like just yesterday she asked if we could speak informally since we were the same age... but counting on my fingers, I realize a significant amount of time has passed since then.

If Han Su-a had been just a little more proactive, we might have been intimate throughout that entire period. If that had happened, by now I could have made her cosplay as some famous anime character and ravished her, or perhaps started training her with a collar. It's a shame that time was wasted.

"Just because." What could that possibly mean? I thought about it carefully as I slung my cross-bag over my shoulder. It doesn't make sense for her to reach out first and then say "just because." Given the circumstances, the conclusion is likely similar to "I want to have sex with you again," but it's a difficult thing to ask outright. Han Su-a has been avoiding me for over a week since we had sex, so how am I supposed to bring that up?

She's no longer a predatory animal like a lion, but a mere herbivore, so she should act accordingly. She should shrink back and say, "I'm not a dangerous person," or build intimacy by feeding the herbivore its favorite food, or play with her until she's exhausted using animal toys bought online. Something like that.

So, I pondered a suitable response and eventually stuffed a sentence that only a kind teacher would send into the message box.

But what came back was a very ambiguous question. An ambiguous question that could range from a positive situation to the worst-case scenario. But honestly, seeing how much Han Su-a felt it back then, I don't think the worst-case scenario will happen...

I sat on the infirmary bed for a moment, let out a light sigh, and moved my fingers.

I felt relieved that it was nothing, but then I tilted my head, thinking that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sex talk is technically serious.

I conveyed, indirectly, that I could invest this much for her.

Blankly. Literally blankly, I stared down at my phone.

"Good... *huff*! Good work... Senior..."

"Yes."

"Ugh... damn it... this is seriously brutal..."

"..."

...Idiot.

Baek Seoyeon, who had replied briefly to Yoo Siwoo, who was sprawled on the ground, sighed as she brushed back her pale blue hair. Why does this person follow me on my walks when his stamina isn't even that good? In the first place, there's no need for a summoning type, which is no different from a magic type, to go out of his way to exercise. He could just hide behind his summons and play emperor. Couldn't he just disappear so he doesn't get in the way, instead of trying to keep up with the pace of a mutant-type transcendent's walk?

...The sound of him gasping for air was so vulgar that I wanted to strangle him with both hands. If it weren't for the dashcams and CCTV, I really would have.

"Senior, Senior... could you help me up...? I really don't even have the strength to speak..."

"Use the strength you're using to talk to get up yourself."

"No, we need to have at least minimal communication...!"

"I have no intention of communicating."

"You're the student council president, aren't you...! *Huff*... Then are you just going to leave me like this?"

"Yes."

"Wow, I'm seriously going to impeach you soon, Senior...!"

"Be my guest."

"Senior! Senior...!"

Baek Seoyeon, who had been fiddling with her ponytail, tied her hair back up with a loose disposable rubber band and ran along the riverside with the people enjoying their night strolls. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠After a while, on her way home after finishing a walk long enough to relieve her stress, she spotted a familiar face.

"......?"

Seo Woojin. He, who had been catching her eye frequently lately, was walking down the night street alone.