Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: 4. Yojora Doesn't Give Up (2)
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"...Senior."
I hesitated for a moment before saying it.
Yojora was grinning right in front of me, but who knew what sticky thoughts lurked beneath that smile.
For now, it seemed like the healing-type Transcendent was regretting letting me go and had come back to tempt me once more.
The problem was what came next.
What reaction would Yojora have if I refused?
Would she just down a few more shots of soju and leave?
Or would she 'force' something on me?
Showing outright negativity in this situation wouldn't lead to anything good.
At the very least, my tone needed to be compliant.
"Pfft... Why would I be your senior, Woo-jin...?"
"I told you yesterday on the phone that I'd live a proper life."
Yojora tilted her head as if to say so what? and drew closer.
I naturally took a few steps back, but it was just slow retreating.
Before long, the familiar smell of alcohol hit my nose again.
"A proper life...? You mean, like... working a job?"
"...Yes."
"Mm. Well, you do have the skills to be taken anywhere... The government... or maybe the Hero Association..."
Yojora swayed her body pleasantly, folding her fingers one by one.
How could I persuade this drunkard? Was logical conversation even possible with her?
As I racked my brain...
"Ah, whatever..."
"..."
She suddenly hugged me tight and rubbed her face against mine, leaving me stunned for a moment.
Was she really insane?
"Senior, why all of a sudden...?"
"Why? The honey trap. Honey trap..."
With that, Yojora lifted her head slightly to look up at me and smiled.
Objectively,
truly objectively, ignoring her drunken antics, personality, and all that miscellaneous stuff, and looking only at her appearance.
Yojora was the type you'd want to have.
If she were a Hero, I definitely would've done a background check on her.
Her navy blue hair resembled a night sky densely packed with stars.
And contrasting that, her sweet reddish eyes were enough to draw any man's gaze, whether back when I was a Villain or now as a health teacher.
She didn't exercise at all and drank every day,
and even though her face was pressing against my collarbone like this,
her figure was unnecessarily perfect—the softness touching me here and there was one reason.
But because of all that 'miscellaneous stuff' I'd just dismissed, I had no desire to get close to Yojora.
This woman.
Her tastes in bed were the complete opposite of mine.
...That's why I'd ignored her call a few days before my death.
A woman who always drank at bars suddenly inviting me to drink at her place.
Just a little thought made the obvious reason clear.
It wasn't that she wanted to get eaten by me—she'd called me over to eat me.
"It won't work. Like I told you before, you're not my type, Senior."
"No way. No way. If you wait, it'll work...? All men like boobs.... Just wait a bit longer..."
Yojora tightened her arms around me, determined to seduce me somehow, and began rubbing her chest against me more blatantly.
The soft flesh hidden behind her underwear pressed firmly against my skin, deforming prettily.
"If you joined our 'company,' Woo-jin, I could let you feel an even more vivid sensation..."
"No need."
"Don't lie.... A kid who hasn't even been out of uniform for a year couldn't possibly hate women's breasts..."
"Sigh..."
It was just that—nothing as direct as grabbing my dick—so nothing embarrassing would happen, but...
More than that, the constant alcohol smell hitting my nose was extremely unpleasant.
PTSD, maybe?
It reminded me of having to serve drinks to Yojora every damn day.
Mediating when drunk Yojora picked pointless fights with people around us.
Keeping up with the drinks she kept pouring into my glass without refusing.
Dragging her—once she was completely wasted—to the company or home or wherever was closest.
Handling her the next day when she whined for me to replace the phone she'd smashed.
And so on.
The shitty memories of being stuck with that crazy bitch filled my head one by one.
"...Sniff. Something smells like a woman..."
"..."
"Heh. Nah, couldn't be.... Woo-jin is reserved for sis..."
With that, Yojora rubbed her face against my chest once more, then grabbed my wrist and headed to the entrance.
I gave up resisting from the start.
She could easily drag me if she used her ability.
"Here. Password."
"Senior. Let's stop."
"Come onnn.... I even brought booze..."
"No need to try. My heart's already gone."
"That's why I came—to bring back that wandering heart."
"...And your big plan was the honey trap?"
"Mm."
"..."
Headache.
Bickering like this would just end in victory for the alcoholic.
She'd spout whatever, and I'd have no choice but to follow along.
What to do?
As irritation slowly built up...
An idea flashed by.
How about taking her to some bar and drinking until she passes out?
It seemed pretty plausible.
If I soaked her disguise in alcohol, she'd collapse on the table and squirm in deep sleep on her own.
Of course, she'd come every day, draining my wallet for drinks, or I'd have to move and lose a chunk of cash, but if I thought of it as the cost of a mad dog bite...
"Senior."
"Mm?"
"Since you came all this way in person, I'll at least hear what you have to say."
"You will...?"
"How about a bar instead of my place?"
"...A bar?"
"Yeah. Cleaning up after drinking at home is a hassle for me."
"Hmm.... But I brought booze... Would it go to waste...?"
Yojora squeezed her eyes shut, pondering.
"...Whatever. I can order expensive snacks..."
Fortunately, she turned away from my place without much attachment.
My sigh of relief was short-lived; with my wrist still gripped tight, I was helplessly dragged along behind her.
Was it because of the time?
The bar Yojora led us to was already packed to the brim.
"That kid I mentioned last time? She..."
"Excuse me, order please. I pressed the button, but no one's coming."
"Ugh, damn, this guy's just hogging all the snacks."
"This bastard's already wasted."
We wove through the noisy crowd and sat at a table guided by the server.
It was nicely tucked in a corner, perfect for secretive talk.
...Well, if it were really that serious, we'd have gone to a place with private rooms, but anyway.
"So..., what..."
Yojora ordered several snacks to her taste without even asking me.
Her eyes already glazed over like she was drunk, she began her story amid the noise.
"What do I have to do to work with sis...? Tell sis anything you need~."
"I've been telling you: I have no interest in working there."
"We pay a ton...? Later, if Namho bro bites off a fat wallet, that promised amount might get an extra zero...?"
"Not interested. I just need to earn enough to get by."
"Hmmm..."
"That's why I said I'd live properly."
I got a job as a health committee member at the academy because I want to fuck Heroes.
Teacher seemed a bit off at my age, so health committee member it is.
I couldn't say that, so I bullshitted vaguely.
Come to think of it, the puffed snacks here were pretty good.
I crunched a couple of the complimentary puffs, and Yojora continued.
"So, how do you plan to live then...?"
"Huh?"
"You said you'd live properly.... Wholesomely and steadily. What job are you thinking...?"
"..."
Was she trying to lure me by saying it'd be easier to stick with her side no matter what I did?
I didn't get the intent behind the question, but my answer was set.
Academy health teacher.
That meant siding with Heroes instead of Villains, which might sour the mood.
Sidekick to famous Heroes, where healing-type Transcendents flock the most.
Same issue.
No need to poke at Yojora's nerves unnecessarily.
In the end, only one option left.
With a poker face, I took the 1000cc beer mug from the server and said,
"I was thinking volunteer work."
"Volun—what...? Volunteer...?"
"Yes. Domestic or overseas."
Yojora held the beer mug with both hands, staring at me like I was the world's biggest idiot.
...Being looked at like that by a dumbass whose head was full of booze was more irritating than I expected.
"Ditching cozy work with me for volunteer stuff...?"
"It gives a sense of accomplishment. Feels rewarding. Nice, right?"
"No.... You've got a truckload of patients willing to shower you with thousands, millions for your healing..."
I know.
I'd clawed that money from their pockets to afford my studio; no way I'd forget.
Still, playing dumb.
Pretending I truly wanted to work for a beautiful world.
I spouted hypocritical bullshit.
"Money's just material. I'd rather see terminally ill patients smiling brightly..."
"Crazy bastard..."
Before I could finish my idiotic line—even to my own ears—
Yojora set down her mug, rubbed her arms like she couldn't stand it, and muttered.
"You're joking, right...? At first, you said, 'Villains are more honest and cool than hypocritical Heroes like that,' and toured the company.... Now what? Volunteer...?"
"...I was young and dumb back then."
"Young and dumb? What does that even...?"
"..."
"...Anyway, if it's not money, I've got some too...?"
"..."
"As a healing-type Transcendent, you'd spend lots of cozy time alone with me.... Still no?"
"Yes."
"..."
Had I scratched her pride?
Or was she frustrated by me deliberately picking the dumbest responses?
Yojora's brow furrowed slightly—something I'd only seen once before, when I secretly ate Häagen-Dazs from the company fridge.
I just wished she'd think I was a total lunatic and leave.
For the house.... I could look for a new one tomorrow.
As for whether my address would be tracked, I'd deal with that later.
Maybe even get help from the academy principal.
By then, Yojora's ordered snacks started arriving one by one.
First up: squid head butter-grilled.
One of her favorites, since she loved butter-grilled stuff.
About time for a toast.
As I fiddled with my glass, recalling her habits—
"...Ahem."
"...?"
"...If you joined our company..."
"...?"
"...We could do stuff like this... secretly with sis...?"
"..."
A smooth foot began nudging my shin under the rectangular table.
From under her pitch-black dolphin pants extended a bare, snow-white foot—no stockings or socks.
The problem was: this was public,
packed with people,
and if a passing server or
the rowdy college kids at the next table looked our way,
unlike fiction where no one notices until the end, everything under the table would be exposed.
"Senior."
"Heh..."
I stiffened in panic, and only then did she grin like she'd gotten the reaction she wanted.
She gulped down her beer without a toast, her movements growing bolder bit by bit.
The foot stroking my shin tapped my knee.
Then forced its way between my knees, sliding up my thigh toward the inside slowly.
Her foot was quite cold.
Well, dressed like that in winter, it made sense.
She was always drunk enough not to feel the chill much.
Thus, Yojora's foot wriggled playfully between my thighs.
Like she was toying with me.
This'll make you squirm, right?
"..."
"How's that...? Wanna work with sis...?"
People who play pranks all have the same mindset.
They do it because they enjoy the reaction.
So, the best way to end a prank is indifference.
Utter indifference to make them awkward.
That's why I drank my beer without a toast, just like her, then quietly chewed a piece of butter-grilled squid thoroughly.
"..."
"..."
I figured she'd stop on her own if I waited.
But...
"...Hehe... If you like this, just say so..."
"..."
"Well, a kid who was in high school just three months ago couldn't hate this... Pfhehe..."
I'd forgotten Yojora was dumber than I thought.
Dumb enough to mistake my indifference for tacit consent.
"...Where should sis make it feel even better...?"
"Senior."
I finally couldn't hold back and spoke, but it was a bit late.
She'd already slipped her foot between my crotch, pressing and kneading the tip against my groin.
Press. Press.
...Harder...?
Press.
She did that seven or eight times,
then pulled back briefly,
tilted her head like it was weird, and pressed hard again.
...Was she wondering why I wasn't getting hard despite her doing this, someone on her level?
I pushed interpretation aside and checked the glances from the next table.
"...Eek...!"
"Don't."
I pinched the tip of her foot in retaliation.
There were eyes everywhere; what the hell was she doing?
"Anyway, I'm not going back."
"..."
"You listening?"
"...Huh? ...Yeah."
"Even if you offer money or keep doing weird stuff, it's the same. Give up."
"..."
Did she get it?
Yojora stared blankly at my face and nodded.
In the end, unlike the rowdy crowds around us, we quietly drank, gulp by gulp.
Yojora's face flushed red, probably drunk.
Unlike before, strangely quiet now, we exchanged occasional toasts,
as Yojora, starting to slur heavily, mixed her brought soju into the draft beer.
Gulp, gulp.