Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Interlude (3)
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"Drive safely. See you next week."
"Rest up over the weekend. The moment you get to work on Monday... Ow!"
"Another headache?"
"It keeps happening every now and then..."
Yoo Soo-jung flashed a lewd grin, forming a circle with her thumb and index finger on one hand while poking her other index finger in and out of it in a crude sex joke—then rubbed her head, probably hit with another headache.
"That's what you get for saying naughty things."
"Why is sex naughty!"
"It's not sex that's naughty—it's doing that kind of stuff right out in the open."
"It turns you on, though."
"Can't deny that."
I nodded emphatically, unable to argue with that, when suddenly something tapped the back of my head. Yoo Soo-jung hadn't noticed, too busy putting on her shoes. What the hell was it? Ghost in the house? I'd have to run a full scan later. Undead didn't show up last time, though. Maybe push some mana through.
"I'm off. See you next week."
"Good luck with the Hunter Association meeting tomorrow."
"Ugh, why do those bastards call on the weekend and make such a fuss."
"...Didn't your dad call you in too?"
"Even if it's Dad, come on. Calling people in to work on the weekend."
"Anyway, drive safe."
"See you next week!"
-BAM.
She drove here separately anyway, so she'd get home fine. I saw Yoo Soo-jung off and turned around—only to nearly jump out of my skin when Seo Ji-hyun popped up behind me.
"Jeez, you scared me!"
"Heehee. Guild Master-nim left?"
"Yeah. Were you out here?"
"I overheard and figured she was about to go, so I hid behind that wall over there."
The short hallway from the entryway let her tuck behind the corner wall. I hadn't sensed a thing. Was she practicing stealth in her spare time at home?
"More importantly, Oppa."
"Yeah?"
"Why don't you ever do that stuff when you're with me?"
"Do what?"
"What you showed her on the rooftop earlier."
"Oh..."
She meant the spark lights. It'd just been a spur-of-the-moment thing, roughly made. And when we spent weekends together, we'd come down around dinnertime, eat, then lounge on the couch watching TV.
"You saw?"
"I was curious, so I peeked. Sorry for not listening and coming out."
"Nah, it's fine as long as you didn't get caught. Hey, wanna see it now?"
"I don't want it if it feels like you're just placating me."
"You mad?"
"No."
Anyone could see she was pouting. The way her lips stuck out just a bit, how she avoided my eyes—it was too cute. Fine, I had plans anyway. And to pull off a surprise, I had to play it cool first, so I brushed her off.
"Can we talk about it a little later? I haven't showered yet."
"...Fine."
"Wanna join me?"
"No thanks!"
See? What was that about not being mad. She stormed off to the living room in a huff. I swallowed a laugh and called after her.
"Spread out the blankets for me. It's the weekend—let's sleep together."
No reply, but I knew she'd do it. Humming quietly to myself so she wouldn't hear, I pictured her reaction to the surprise later and headed to the bathroom for a shower.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ So jealous. With me, she only does stuff if I order her to.
I didn't want to admit it, but that earlier vibe was straight out of a couple's playbook.
A dark spot overlooking the night sea, lit only by faint fluorescent light spilling from the door—surrounded by those countless embers giving off an orange, dreamlike glow. I really didn't want to admit it, but from the sidelines, they looked like lovers sitting together. That's why when Yoo Soo-jung went to sit, I just stared blankly and missed the chance to pull out her chair. Honestly, both Lee Seo-woo and Yoo Soo-jung had killer looks anyway.
It was enough to make jealousy give way to reluctant acceptance for a moment. And ugly envy that had me grinding my teeth without realizing.
Those two were that close without even needing hypnosis. What about me?
I knew Lee Seo-woo and Yoo Soo-jung had spent way more time together than me—several times over. And how special their bond was to each other. Inside the guild, they denied it, but people joked they might as well be married. I'd seen them looking out for each other plenty in my past life.
But that's not the real Lee Seo-woo. So he's just acting.
When he said he'd just hooked up with Yoo Soo-jung, I figured he had to at least pretend to keep up their usual relationship to avoid suspicion. But after seeing them today... somehow it didn't feel like acting. That close to real?
"Right, gotta lay out the blankets first."
I grabbed blankets from Lee Seo-woo's room—the master bedroom—and spread them in the living room, mulling it over again.
I even sucked him off to make him feel good. Maybe the problem was not letting him perceive it. Showing off in front of Yoo Soo-jung to vent my mood was probably a mistake.
Should've just bashed that bitch's head in more to feel better.
Regretted not hitting her at least three more times. And holding back my strength. If I'd slammed her head forward hard enough, even Lee Seo-woo might've gotten suspicious. Then I'd have to wipe his memory, creating more discrepancies and planting seeds of doubt.
Or when Yoo Soo-jung did that finger sex joke at the shoe rack and he agreed like "yeah, fair," and he seemed a little hard... Do guys really prefer sluttier girls?
But I do slutty stuff for him too...
Maybe the whole premise of starting with hypnosis was wrong. He kept putting up subtle walls, so I'd hypnotize first to close the gap and do naughty things. But now that we're living together, I've ingrained the idea that handjobs are totally normal.
My head hurt from the tangled thoughts, so I flopped face-down on the blankets.
Maybe start by ramping up skinship. Get used to our bodies touching, and the emotional distance will shrink while we do all sorts of naughty stuff. Lost in happy fantasies of constantly sticking close, I heard Lee Seo-woo emerge from the shower.
"Blankets all set?"
Excitement bubbled up, but wait—I was supposed to be pouting. I shoved my face back into the blankets and ignored him.
"Thanks. Alright, time to get ready for bed."
Ugh, jerk. He knows I'm mad. Won't even try to cheer me up.
I stayed face-down until he turned off the living room lights and came over.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ She's so cute. I definitely saw her head twitch when I called earlier.
"Oof."
I turned off the living room lights and sat cross-legged on the blankets. Seo Ji-hyun turned her head completely away from me.
"Still pouting?"
"......"
"Come here."
"...No."
"Hurry up. My arms hurt."
I spread my arms wide while sitting. After calling twice, she finally scooted over, climbed on top, and buried her face in my chest. I deliberately wrapped my arms around her, trapping her head so she couldn't turn away.
Flames turn yellow at surface temperatures, right? Unlike those orange embers earlier, these needed a yellower tint. I wrapped mana around a small flame and cranked up the heat. To make it darker and safer, I layered more mana—now it was the shape I wanted.
All this effort for just one? Gonna take longer than I thought.
"Wanna head up to the rooftop tomorrow too?"
"...Do what you want."
Two.
"Stay till night this time. Bring everything we need."
"...Fine."
Three.
"Grab some meat and booze, make a bonfire."
Four.
"How about pretending we're at a campfire?"
"...Sounds good."
"Or full-on camp there? Bring bedding."
"I'd have to do the laundry."
"Together. You think I'd make a mess and leave you to clean?"
"Nice."
As our chat went on, her pouty tone softened back to normal. Prep was nearly done anyway—the room wasn't dark anymore.
"Then Saturday night on the rooftop, Sunday we check the weather, do laundry, and hang it up?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Wait, actually—drying it my way would be faster than sunlight."
"True."
This time she giggled, her body shaking on top of me. Perfect. This setup should do it.
"Ji-hyun. Feeling better now?"
"Yeah."
"Then wanna see this?"
"Huh?"
I finally released her from my hug and turned her around.
"Wha...?"
Glowing orbs lit up the dark living room. I'd dimmed them and tuned the colors to look like fireflies, and it paid off—they were gorgeous. Like stars in a clear country night sky.
"Wow..."
"Pretty, right?"
She couldn't close her mouth, words failing her. I felt proud. Hell, even I'd be touched.
"It's a gift. Just for you."
"...Thanks, Oppa."
And so, we lay there holding hands, staring at the ceiling in silence until we drifted off.