Episode 6. Not Friends!
Episode 6. Not Friends!
"There are quite a few people here."
"Yeah......"
The girls' bathroom Seyeon and I entered was somewhat crowded. Several people were doing various things. Some were staring wide-eyed at the mirror while fixing their makeup, others were giggling and chatting away.
No one was alone; everyone was in groups. It's only the first day after the entrance ceremony, yet everyone's already this close.
'Is this how all girls are?'
Having lived alone for so long, I couldn't quite understand it.
'If I had come here alone...'
I might not have been able to enter, overwhelmed by the social energy radiating from these popular kids like it could punch through walls, and just held in my urge to pee.
Girls at this age are so lively and outgoing, after all.
That energy isn't something you can handle with just any level of mental fortitude.
"Yubin-ah, why are you spacing out like that?"
"Ah, no. It's nothing."
As I stood there dumbly, looking around like a kid at an amusement park for the first time, Seyeon said with a laugh.
Sunlight streamed in through the small window high on the wall, making the bathroom bright. I could see moisture here and there glistening and reflecting the light. Even the tiles on the floor seemed to shine brilliantly today, as if they'd been scrubbed extra hard.
"A stall's free."
Just then, a girl with short hair swiftly came out of the middle stall and left the bathroom with another girl who was washing her hands.
"Let's go in."
"Go in?"
Seizing my hand, Seyeon quickly pulled me inside.
Swish— *Tap.*
She *clicked* the lock shut on the lightly closed door.
Her movements were so swift I didn't even have time to think of a response.
'Huh...?'
What's this?
It's a well-known fact that girls go to the bathroom together, I know that.
But going into the same stall?
'What do you do in there together...?'
My heart started pounding for no reason.
The inside of the incredibly narrow stall was filled with a white light. Everything was visible clearly, as if I'd stepped inside a transparent glass.
"Yubin-ah."
"Uh, yeah...?"
Seoyeon still hadn't let go of my hand. Not only that, but she was now reaching out with her other hand to hold both of mine.
*Squeeak—*
"Uh, haah......"
"......"
Seoyeon gripped my hands tightly, almost as if she were wringing them. A feeling of pressure, like being bound, started from my hands and seemed to tightly rope up my entire body, even my mind.
Yet, Seyeon said nothing. Only I let out weak moans, desperately trying to avert my gaze.
But Seyeon wasn't like that. From the moment we entered, she had been staring at me persistently, as if pitiful or pleading.
'Why is she suddenly acting like this...?'
Is she under some kind of hypnosis?
Why is she creating this weird atmosphere out of nowhere...!
'Is this what girls do when they go into the bathroom together...?!'
"Seyeon-ah, what are you— Ugh?!"
I couldn't finish my sentence.
Seyeon pulled me into a tight hug.
A sensation incomparable to just holding hands rushed over my entire body with a *thud*.
Thump, thump......
Was this heavy, *dung, dung* beating my heartbeat, or was it Seyeon's?
Probably both.
Seyeon and I have a slight height difference. Seyeon seems a few centimeters taller, so if I rest my head slightly while being hugged by her, my face buries into her shoulder and collarbone.
"Hoo, haa......"
"......"
Seyeon gently pushed the back of my head, making me come deeper into her embrace.
Then, a stimulating fragrance overflowed.
First, a refreshing shampoo scent. I'm not sure exactly what fragrance it is, but it definitely seems like an incredibly high-end shampoo.
And a faintly rising powder scent. Since Seyeon wears light makeup, the smell couldn't help but be subtle.
Yet, it was distinctly noticeable. The foundation, cream, and other cosmetics I don't know about on Seyeon's pretty face blended into one, creating a fragrant warmth that heated my heart.
Finally, Seyeon's own scent rose the strongest. It was different in texture from the other fragrances. It was her unique scent, from her clean, soft skin.
Every time I buried my face in her shoulder and inhaled that sweet fragrance, I felt my head go fuzzy and my lower abdomen grow hot. It felt like my insides were being filled with Seyeon.
'Is this scent because she's a succubus hybrid...?'
"Yubin-ah......"
"Why, why do you keep calling me...?"
Seyeon's voice grew more drawn-out and thick. Almost like sleep-talking.
Blinking her slightly dazed red eyes, she stared intently at me.
While I was confused, wondering why she was acting like this, I also felt something gradually blooming in a corner of my mind, making me unable to stop her.
Seyeon gulped, *gulp*, for a moment, and gently pulled the back of my head. Consequently, my chin lifted, and I was looking up at Seyeon.
Pulling someone's hair.
No matter how you think about it, it's a rough and violent act, but Seyeon's movements didn't feel like that at all.
Seyeon inherently possessed the ability to perform even rough actions gently and affectionately.
When Seyeon pulled my hair, how strong was that pull?
Surely, it was strong enough not to let the hair slip from her hand, but not too strong.
Adjusting the position and strength of each moving muscle as if sewing delicately, so that I would never feel any pain.
As if having made some decision, Seyeon closed her eyes.
I kept my eyes open.
Seyeon hugged me even tighter. Our chests pressed closer together over our uniforms, becoming so close I could almost hear the blood rushing through our veins.
"Se, Seyeon-ah? You, you......"
"......"
The distance between us narrowed. Seyeon's face filled my pupils. I could distinctly feel the hot breath coming from each of us.
Seyeon's lips drew closer. The heat approached right in front of me. Not knowing what to do, I just tightly closed my eyes.
'A k, kiss......'
It wouldn't take even a second.
Until Seyeon's lips touched.
Yeah, Seyeon's lips......
Lips......
Lips......
"Lips!"
"Huh?"
I shot up from my seat.
"......"
Blinking my eyes, I looked around.
There weren't many students in the classroom.
But all of them were looking at me.
'......?'
I just blushed for no reason and sat back down.
"Pfft, Yu, Yubin-ah. Why did you suddenly...!"
Seyeon tapped my forearm with her palm while giggling, *kukuk*.
Still not fully conscious, I just sat there blankly.
After a brief boot-up time, I asked Seyeon.
"Seyeon-ah, what period is it now...?"
"Lunchtime. About 15 minutes left."
'What.'
For a moment, I pondered deeply.
And reached a conclusion.
'I was just dreaming.'
I definitely remember attending the 4th period class a bit.
So then... I fell asleep between 4th period and lunch and just woke up now?
Was everything from Seyeon asking me to go to the bathroom just a dream?
Anyway... what was that embarrassing dream about?
'A dream about Seyeon pulling me into a hug and trying to kiss me in a cramped space...?'
I looked at Seyeon sitting right next to me.
Her innocent face, tilting her head with a smile.
'To have such a strange dream about such a good kid.'
A tremendous sense of guilt washed over me.
Even if it's because I was a guy, I essentially made Seyeon into some strange girl who bites, sucks, and hugs other girls......
"Did you have some dream? You woke up talking in your sleep, Yubin-ie."
"No! It's just, nothing......"
Flustered by Seyeon's sudden question, I hastily evaded.
Let's change the subject first.
"But, if there's only 15 minutes of lunch left... we probably can't go eat now, right?"
"Probably not."
Seyeon answered indifferently.
Then, an ominous question arose in my heart.
'Seyeon is my partner, so did she see me fast asleep and just go eat school meals alone without waking me...?'
Huh?
Is that... normal?
If it were me, I would have woken her up and gone together.
'Hmm......'
For some reason, a chilly feeling wouldn't leave my mind.
Could it be... some new form of bullying?
Pretending to be nice to an outcast like me, while subtly excluding me like this—
"When 4th period ended, you were sleeping so soundly I just didn't wake you. Sorry."
"Ah, uh-huh......"
"Are you hungry?"
"I, It's fine."
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I just said it was okay.
Hearing my answer, Seyeon smiled meaningfully and said.
"I bought this, don't you want it?"
*Thud, tap.*
Something dropped onto the desk with a *tap tap*.
'What is it?'
I squinted my eyes to check.
It was a long éclair, a cream bread, a custard, and a paper carton of chocolate milk.
'Uh, uh...?'
Huh?
"......"
For a moment, I closed my eyes and sighed, *hoo*.
In Seyeon is not just a simple friend.
She is a 『God』.
And I dared to doubt a god.
Moreover, this makes it seem like I used an angelic kid like Seyeon as a bread shuttle.
'The guilt is no joke......'
"But with about 15 minutes, you can probably finish it all, right?"
Seyeon said with a smile.
It's not 'you can probably finish it all, right?'
I *must* finish it all here.
Because that is repentance......
Repeating my thanks about nineteen times, I chewed and swallowed the bread voraciously. Having starved for over a day, it literally felt like inhaling it.
The bread and milk disappeared entirely within five minutes.