The Empty Bus

The bus was empty. It didn't even look like a bus, really—the interior was closer to a subway car.

"Uh... I think I got on the wrong..."

"No. This is the right one."

Airen shoved me by the back and sat me down in a rear seat. Then she dropped into the spot beside me and spritzed perfume on her own wrist.

"Aah, that's the stuff. Feels like we chartered the whole thing, huh?"

"Huh...? Yeah... I guess it does..."

Her way of talking had shifted, somehow. Was I imagining it?

Maybe I was... My head had been going fuzzy for a while now. Was I just getting sleepy?

"Anyway, how long have you been a Warrior of Light?"

"About half a year."

She'd started speaking casually, so I answered the same way. The instant she heard that, the bright little smile on her face went cold.

"Oh? Then that makes me your senior."

Warriors of Light don't have enlistment classes like the military. The most anyone does is call the ones who were active before them first-generation, or seniors. But Airen's eyes were demanding a chain of command, clear as day.

I found myself pressing my knees together, sitting up ramrod straight, and looking away.

"Hmm. Your name was Shin Ha-eun, was it?"

"...Yes."

Airen leaned in close and took hold of my shoulder. A pleasant scent brushed the tip of my nose, and my head went a little foggier. She whispered against my ear.

"How many times a day do you masturbate?"

"What...?"

My brain caught up with the question a beat too late. That was over the line.

"H-hey. What do you think you're—ahh♥...!"

I'd been about to snap at her, indignation rising hot in my throat—then a sharp, tingling pain in my nipple cut me off cold.

"Oh? Getting mouthy already? No sense of rank at all?"

"Nngh...♥"

She was wrong. Even between two women, this was way over the line. But buried in that scent and those eyes, I couldn't get a single word of protest out.

"I-I'm sorry."

"I'll let it slide this once. Got it?"

"Yes... I'll be careful."

I said it pathetically, eyes lowered. As if she still found me insolent, Airen pinched my nipple, stretched it out, then let it snap back.

"Aungh♥...!"

My breast bounced with the elasticity, making the nipple sting even worse. Tears pricked at my eyes from the sheer unfairness of it. Airen asked again.

"So. How many times a day do you touch yourself."

"...I-I don't do it every..."

"Tsk."

Airen scolded me sharply and reached for my nipple again. She squeezed her thumb and forefinger together in a pinching gesture, and a terror cold enough to freeze my spine came flooding in. I caved and told the truth.

"Th-three times, maybe..."

"Wooow. Three times a day? What a filthy little slut."

"Uugh...♥"

My shoulders jerked at the unfiltered abuse. To hear something like that from someone I'd only just met. Had I really done something that wrong? I'd only been doing it because my body had been running hot for no reason lately—just so I could get to sleep. Grief welled up, and tears gathered in my eyes.

"Oh my. I wasn't trying to make you cry. Sorry? I just can't help teasing idiots when I see them. Bad habit of mine."

That wasn't an apology. She'd just called me an idiot.

I hurriedly wiped the tears rolling down my cheeks, terrified she'd find another excuse to pinch my nipples. Fortunately, Airen didn't scold me any further. Instead, she put a hand on my head and stroked my hair the way you'd pet a dog.

"Aww, aww. Did somebody cry? A whole grown woman, dripping tears over a teeny little thing like that?"

"Euuugh...♥"

The tears I'd been barely holding back came pouring out. It was like my tear ducts had broken; I couldn't stop. Humiliation lashed through my whole body and left my back damp with sweat. Before I could even collect myself, Airen's next order came.

"Hey. Hold on. Spread your legs."

"......?"

I cracked my legs apart a little at her words. Between my pale thighs, the crotch of my black dolphin shorts started to come into view—and I snapped my knees shut again.

"......"

I snuck a glance at Airen's face. Those blue eyes of hers were going ice-cold. I couldn't meet her gaze. I started stammering.

"U-um. That's, I mean..."

"Spread them. Now."

Just ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠two words. Those two words made my body flinch—and then, as if her command outranked my own will, my knees slid weakly apart. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Thighs that had been locked together, taut and pressed flush, fell open, and the crotch of my dolphin shorts slowly came into view.

"Heeh, now what's this?"

"A-ahh... w-wait..."

Before I could stop her, Airen planted her hands on my knees and yanked me toward her. My thighs spread wide. Cool air hit the damp fabric, and a shiver of pleasure flooded in.

"Hmm? I had a feeling. Well, well."

Airen stood up, talking to me like I was a child. She planted herself in front of me, looking down, a smirk curling at the corner of her mouth.

My face burned at the mockery in her voice. When I couldn't get a word out, Airen reached toward me.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Hm? Answer me. Why's it like this down here?"

Squelch—♥

"Nn...ah...♥"

A pale hand shoved up against my pussy. Legs spread obscenely, I lifted my head in a daze. Airen leaned in, her face full of scorn. The scent leaking from her white hair tickled my nose, and a sultry voice whispered in my ear.

"What are you, a masochist? You get wet just from being talked down to?"

"...Nn...ngh...♥"

I clenched my teeth against the crushing humiliation. She locked eyes with me—then, in a flash, shoved her hand inside my soaked hot pants.

"Ghk...♥"

A cool hand sliding into my heat-flushed sex made my back arch hard. A dizzying rush of pleasure climbed my spine, and a heated breath spilled from my lips.

"Not going to answer? Then maybe I'll just ask this mouth instead."

Whether I wanted it or not, Airen had no mercy. The fingers inside me moved roughly.

Schlick, schlick, schlick, schlick—♥!!

"Gh...♥ Gkyaaaaahn♥...!!"

Overwhelming pleasure bleached my mind white. It was so humiliating, so infuriating—and still I couldn't even think of fighting back. I just sat there with my legs spread and took it. My pussy, despite the sudden fingering, had no trouble at all wringing out pleasure in thick, greedy pulls.

Schlick, schlick, schlick, schlick♥—!!!

"Ghk...♥ Giiih...♥ ...S-stoop...♥!!"

"This lower mouth's so noisy. What a stubborn girl our little Blackie is."

"I-I'll say it...♥!! I got wet from being insulted, okay, so please stooop...♥"

She only stopped her fingers once I'd shown my submission, shaking my head hard.

"You should've done that from the start."

Then, without the slightest consideration, she yanked her fingers out. The recoil made my back arch deep, and my eyes went unfocused. I slumped against the plush seatback and tried to catch my breath.

I was sitting there drained, completely vacant, when she held something up in front of my face.

"Hoo...♥ Definitely a premium product. I might even get a compliment for this."

"Eh...?"

It was a perfume bottle filled with pink liquid. The ominously sloshing fluid met my eyes through the atomizer—and in that instant, it was sprayed full in my face.

"Ah...♥ Aaaah...♥"

"Mm♥ What a lovely face♥"

And just like that, I started to lose consciousness.

Why hadn't I fought back? I should have gotten angry. Told her to stop. Told her to quit it right now. None of it made any sense, but none of it mattered now.

My head was spinning.

I just wanted to sleep.

"She went to Area D?"

"Yep."

Seo A-ra, Warrior of Light of Area A, stared at Kang Byeol with a dull, displeased look.

"Why didn't you tell me."

"You were sleeping, unnie."

"You still should've woken me up."

Seo A-ra's head turned toward where Area D lay. Her short blue hair swayed, and her languid eyes sharpened as if calling someone's face to mind.

"Are you that worried?"

"No. Who's worried."

"Don't worry too much. Ha-eun unnie is strong. She causes trouble sometimes, sure, but I honestly can't picture her losing to anyone, anywhere."

At Kang Byeol's words, Seo A-ra half-lidded her eyes. The same-age friend she'd met half a year ago had always given off a strange vibe. She didn't put on airs like a normal girl. She was easygoing—tomboyish, if you wanted to put it a little strongly. It was true. It was hard to imagine her getting pushed around or beaten anywhere she went.

But she did lose. That's what they said.

Honestly, she still couldn't quite believe it—but there was no guarantee the female Varg officer who'd tormented Ha-eun wouldn't come after her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠again.

"Geez. Anyone watching would think you were her mom."

"Who's a mom."

Kang Byeol, who didn't know the circumstances, was teasing her. Seo A-ra furrowed her brow prettily and glared at her little sister-in-arms. Kang Byeol only giggled and offered a suggestion.

"If you're really that worried, why not just give her a call? Hearing her voice would put you at ease, wouldn't it?"

"Hmm."

Seo A-ra pulled her phone from her pocket. She stared at the screen for a moment, hesitating.

Maybe I shouldn't. It's not like I'm being clingy. ...No. Just in case.

That was the moment she was about to hit the call button. A call came in. The caller was none other than Squad Leader Baek Hwa-rin.

The squad leader was terrifying. Seo A-ra snatched up the call immediately.

After the brief call, Seo A-ra checked the updated schedule and slipped her phone back into her pocket. Rather than ringing her friend and giving her something to fret about, she'd just cleanly take care of the work that would have been on her mind. This, surely, was the way of a sophisticated woman.

"Heheh. That's right. This is how a lady handles things."

"Unnie. That's kind of scary."

"Shut it. I'm going back to bed."

"Eehh? You just woke up and you're going back to sleep?"

And with that, Seo A-ra headed home. The retreating figure of a wonderful woman who knew how to put her faith in a friend.