The First Masturbation
Roughly an hour until lunch. Having been dragged around for ages, I finally returned to the infirmary, placed an empty paper cup on the desk, and let my body collapse onto an empty bed. It was just a sparring match, so there were no life-threatening injuries, but perhaps because the volume of work was high, I felt a bit exhausted. Especially since my power itself demands fatigue as a price. I’d thought about remembering the names of any decent-looking girls, but... unfortunately, there wasn't a single one worth noting. Sigh, damn it. If I were going to talk to girls like that and then fuck them, I’d rather just fuck Yozora... No. Forget it. Why am I having such idiotic thoughts about Yozora, let alone Seol Dabin, whom I’m currently considering making a move on? I must be losing my mind from exhaustion.
Anyway, since it’s come to this, it’d be best to get some shut-eye here during lunch. It’s far better to rest here than to endure annoying conversations among the older teachers. It’s not easy to follow the typical conversation topics of people in their 40s and 50s, and the menu selection... I wasn't a fan of that either. As for the hunger that might come later, I can just stop by a convenience store and buy a triangle gimbap or something.
Having finished my deliberation, I rose from the bed before any other students could see me and sat in a chair, cracking my neck—pop, crack. Just then, a light knocking sound echoed.
Knock, knock, knock.
224 "Come in."
A formal greeting heard from beyond the door. But that’s not what’s important. The volume of the sound leaking out is far more critical. Standing in front of the infirmary door, I suppressed my pounding heart and chewed over the sound from inside. It felt like it was uttered at a slightly higher volume than a normal conversation, yet it leaked out so faintly that one would have to strain their ears right at the door to catch it... For now, it passes. It seems my memory that the soundproofing is decent wasn't wrong.
The next thing to check is the foot traffic around here and the frequency of students visiting the infirmary. ...But. Since it’s currently class time, and the infirmary is tucked away in a corner on the first floor of the main building, there wasn't a single student wandering around. This also passes. However, I can't confirm the frequency of visits just by peeking around outside. There’s no way to know more accurately than by asking the person who stays here all day.
After checking the surroundings one last time, I carefully opened the infirmary door and stepped inside.
"...Ah, um."
"..."
Is it because I already saw him once this morning? Or does he just dislike the fact that I’m here? Seo Woojin, who had been covering his mouth and yawning, started to look visibly troubled the moment he saw me. ...I don't have good feelings toward him either, for that matter. It’s a huge hassle because I have to persuade him to meet Yozora again. It’s hard to feel at ease just because we hold each other's weaknesses, especially since the damage on my end is greater, and what woman in the world looks kindly upon a man who dates multiple women at once? ...Well, I have seen some ridiculous sights before, so it’s not like I can definitively say he’s absolutely terrible, but still.
"You've come again?"
"...Am I not allowed to come again?"
"Um... I didn't mean it like that."
"..."
Was my response too sharp because of those feelings? Seo Woojin scratched his cheek awkwardly with a forced smile. After averting my gaze from him and looking around the infirmary a moment later, I was relieved to see the scene was quite quiet. ...Well, I suppose I haven't seen the infirmary packed very often. Even when there wasn't a healing-type transcendental like Seo Woojin, at most, one or two people would be lying on the beds groaning. When was it ever crowded and bustling...? Maybe five times? Around that? Anyway, this means at least the minimum requirements are met. Whether I can really say strange things to Seo Woojin, I’ll have to verify a bit more.
Glancing back to make sure the door was properly closed, I let my body sink into the chair placed in front of him.
"..."
...But. Even if I get a guarantee that the number of visiting students is zero, how am I supposed to bring it up? Excuse me, but would it be okay if I masturbated here for a moment...? ...Are you insane...? Then should I just tell Seo Woojin to excuse me and step out for a bit? Adding that 10 minutes... no, 5 minutes would be enough? If Seo Woojin asks why he needs to step outside, what then? I can't just say "because." Revealing honestly that it’s for masturbation, that I’m having something like a heat cycle... that would still be embarrassing. Is there a reason Seo Woojin would reasonably accept and step out for a while...?
"..."
There isn't. Do I really have to masturbate in the same space as that man? Is there really no way to get him to leave, even for a moment? I bit my lower lip as I continued to ponder, then released it with a faint sigh. ...I’ll try to be pushy just in case, and if that doesn't work... I’ll have to ask for his understanding, I decided with an embarrassing resolve.
Certainly. It’s suspicious.
"...Hey, I have a question for you..., ...um."
"A question?"
I just assumed she came by because she was sick somewhere. Or that she was playing hooky because she didn't want to work. But to dismiss it that simply, there were several strange things about Baek Seoyeon, who had come to find me again. Her suspicious behavior is one cause for doubt, but if I were to point out what’s immediately noticeable... it’s that state she’s in right before my eyes.
"Usually at this time, students... how many come by?"
"Let’s see. I haven't counted, but... it doesn't feel like many come by."
"Then one? Two?"
"Yeah. Usually around that? I’m sure many students just use the nearest infirmary for minor scratches."
After answering her question, I carefully observed Baek Seoyeon’s appearance. Her blue-white hair, which had been calm and settled when I saw her in the morning, was slightly disheveled now. I don't mean overall, but just one side of her hair looked as if it had been pressed and rubbed against something. If one were to press their hair against a pillow for three minutes and then get up, I imagine it would look similar to that. I’ve never grown my hair that long, so it’s just a guess, though.
That’s not the only strange thing. I slowly lowered my gaze from her hair and looked at the area around her neck, making sure Baek Seoyeon wouldn't notice. Specifically, at the pitch-black tie she was wearing.
"One or two... if it’s that much... um..."
"..."
Baek Seoyeon herself probably can't see the end of the tie because it’s hidden by her chest, but the color of the pitch-black part near her neck and the pitch-black part at the very tip are different. To know the reason for sure, I’d have to touch it, but based on what I can see with the naked eye...
The tip is quite wet. It’s not soaked as if she had dipped it in water and pulled it out, but how should I put it? If you were to chew on it and spit it out, wouldn't it look exactly like that? It looked irregular enough to make me think the same thing. Thinking about it normally, there’s no reason for a regular person to be biting the tip of their tie. In other words, it means Baek Seoyeon had a reason to do so.
...Whether what’s stained on that tip is saliva or just water, I haven't confirmed it for sure yet. But thanks to this, I’m a bit more awake. It’s a pity, but it’s awkward to ask directly, so I changed the subject slightly. It was to buy time to think while observing her.
"Would you like one of these? It’s just cheap candy, but you look tired."
"...Candy?"
"Yeah. I bought them because I wanted to get closer to the students. Though the effect seems minimal."
"..."
When I reached into the drawer behind me, took out a small candy, and placed it on the desk, Baek Seoyeon’s gaze drifted toward it. I heard she’s a mutant-type like Han Su-a or Yozora. Perhaps that’s why Baek Seoyeon reacts strangely like a puppy or a kitten. As she reached out and unwrapped the candy, popping it into her mouth and rolling it around, I compared her to the Baek Seoyeon from this morning, focusing on the areas that felt strangely off.
For some reason, her cheeks and ears seemed slightly flushed. Even though I had already confirmed in the morning that there was nothing wrong with her body. Other than that, the only thing immediately visible is that her school uniform is more wrinkled than in the morning. Especially around her shoulders and below. To put it bluntly, there are faint wrinkles plastered all over her shoulders, armpits, and the area where her breasts bulge out. Honestly, if you look at these pieces of evidence, you’d reach the conclusion that 'Baek Seoyeon came to the infirmary after touching her own breasts over her uniform while biting her tie.' It wasn't even funny, so I quickly erased it from my mind.
"Anyway, did you come to ask about that? How many students come by at this time?"
In the end, I don't really know why she looks like that. I popped a candy into my own mouth as well, swallowing the sweet orange flavor, and threw the question at her. She probably isn't actually curious about how many students visit right now. Rather, she likely had the hidden intention of wanting to talk about a secret when there were no students around. I can't think of anything specific, but if I had to give an example, maybe a scouting offer... she probably wanted to talk about something like that.
Baek Seoyeon, who had flinched her shoulders, looked at me hesitantly and let out a deep sigh. To be honest, it felt like looking at a kitten abandoned in a box.
"...Of course not."
"Then what for?"
"...B-before I say it, there’s one thing I want to be sure of."
"...?"
While I was chewing and swallowing the partially melted candy, Baek Seoyeon took out her phone, typed something into a KakaoTalk message to herself, and held it out to me.
- It’s a bit awkward to talk if you’ve secretly installed something like a recorder in the infirmary.
- Could you step outside for a moment?
- I’ll talk to you once I’ve checked everything myself.
It was filled with strange words that I couldn't quite understand even while reading them.
"Why would I install something like a recorder? Especially in the infirmary."
"...Ah, that, uh, y-you never know... right...?"
"If it were for the purpose you’re thinking of, I would have installed it in the student council room or something."
"..."
"...No. If you’re that suspicious, go ahead and look for it. I’ll just lock the door and wait on the bed, just in case."
"Y-yes, yes?"
"Why?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...J-just wait a moment..."
When I acted confidently because she had such a strange misunderstanding, Baek Seoyeon answered in a voice that was quieter than usual and rose from her seat. I allowed her to search the infirmary to her heart's content, and I carefully locked the door before any other students could see.