Finally! Hye-ji Makes Her Move
Hye-ji's actions were swift. The eyes that had been watching us through the hole vanished, and immediately after, heavy thuds slammed against the wall.
"...We're fucked."
As if to prove Jung Ayeon's words true, after several loud crashes, the hotel wall crumbled in an instant. Dust billowed up as the barrier collapsed. Once the cloud settled, Hye-ji and Elsia stood revealed.
Both of Hye-ji's hands were equipped with pile bunkers. She must have used them to smash through the wall. Meanwhile, the now-visible Elsia snapped her fingers the moment she spotted Jung Ayeon.
"L-let me go!!!"
Jung Ayeon tried to resist, but she was far too late. Elsia's thorny vines were quicker. They wrapped around Jung Ayeon's ankles and hoisted her into the air. In the end, Jung Ayeon ended up hanging upside down in nothing but her underwear.
"Fuck!!! I was so close to finishing!!!"
"Hang upside down like the bat you are!"
Seeing Jung Ayeon completely restrained, Elsia wore a satisfied expression. That was when it happened.
Stun Gun
"Nyuuubet—!!!"
Elsia collapsed after taking the stun gun hit. Hye-ji held the weapon like a pistol and blew on the electrode tips with a cool whoosh.
"You should've watched your back."
Even so, Elsia hadn't lost consciousness. The proof was that the thorny vines still binding Jung Ayeon hadn't loosened at all. Soon after, Hye-ji's eyes flashed as she turned her gaze toward me.
"The wrapping's already been torn open nicely."
Just like Jung Ayeon had done earlier, Hye-ji slowly climbed on top of me. Her eyes, swirling with murky emotion, pierced right through me.
"Don't worry, Shinwoo."
Had she noticed I was scared? Hye-ji spoke to me in a surprisingly gentle tone.
"I'm not going to devour you. Just stay quiet for a little while."
"Hye-ji?"
When I rattled the handcuffs and tried to resist, Hye-ji roughly grabbed them.
"I need to check your back."
"Fuck! Wait a second!"
Hye-ji skillfully began stripping my clothes with one hand. I shouted desperately to stop her.
"I don't plan on dating anyone right now!"
"......What?"
Hye-ji's face began to die. The same went for Elsia and Jung Ayeon. All three glared at me with icy eyes and spat out their own lines.
"Is it because I don't have tits?"
"Husband! Why? Mine are the biggest here!"
"Young master?... Was this one merely an amusement for you?"
Then Hye-ji muttered darkly while looking at the other two.
"If I get rid of them, I'll have the biggest chest, right?"
"Hye-ji, even then, wouldn't mine still be bigger?"
"I'm talking among the women, you fucking idiot!!!"
Gas Lightning
Hye-ji's lightning struck me once again. I gasped desperately for air and explained to everyone.
"Remember when I told you all about the future I saw before Caersi regressed?"
Everyone's expressions turned serious as they focused on my words. I smiled bitterly while looking at them.
"Even though you were all overwhelmingly stronger than me, every single one of you died by my hand."
The scene replayed in my mind, tormenting me. I steeled myself and asked them carefully.
"What if that future happened because you were my lovers and you accepted death willingly?"
The mood grew heavily somber. But I had to say this clearly right now.
"I never want to kill any of you with my own hands."
It was the truth. I didn't want a single person here to die. Especially not by my hand.
"So until I can avoid that future, I don't think I can date anyone."
All their gazes sharpened. Those razor-edged looks felt like they were slicing me apart bit by bit. But there was nothing I could do. I believed not dating anyone was the best choice I could make right now. That way, if the worst situation arose and they had to kill me, it might be relatively easier than if we had been lovers.
That's what I thought.
Meanwhile, they stared directly at me in complete silence. Even though saying it had been incredibly painful, I had no intention of backing down right now.
"I'm sorry."
I thought that sincere apology would be enough. However, their atmosphere was quite different. I couldn't pinpoint it exactly, but if I had to say, they seemed angry.
"Don't talk shit."
"...Hye-ji?"
Hye-ji grabbed a fistful of my hair. Looking straight into my eyes, she spoke with absolute conviction.
"That kind of fucking garbage future? I'll crush it myself, so stop thinking like an idiot."
Meanwhile, Elsia, who had fully recovered at some point, slowly approached me. Then she tightly hugged my arm.
"It's a future that hasn't even happened yet."
"Elsia."
"Worrying about something like that isn't like you at all, husband."
Elsia smiled brightly.
"Even if it does come, I believe you'll change it into a different future."
"......"
"Because you changed my future like that too."
Finally, Jung Ayeon was somehow behind me now. In that short time, she had put her uniform back on properly.
"This one is dull and doesn't understand well."
"Jung Ayeon."
"However."
Jung Ayeon gently embraced me from behind. Then she whispered quietly into my ear.
"This one will always believe in you. You can do it."
"......"
"So do not worry. This one will always be by your side."
I felt truly sorry for making them go through such emotional hardship. And I was grateful. For the way they believed in me. I looked at them and smiled softly.
At that moment, Hye-ji brought her face close to mine and declared firmly.
"So don't you dare spout that bullshit about not being able to date anyone ever again!"
"......"
I couldn't answer. That was because I was still hesitating. When I didn't respond, Hye-ji shook my hair once and shouted loudly.
"From today on, you're my fucking boyfriend!!! Got it?"
The words were fierce. Yet her face was bright red in a way that didn't match them at all. But pathetically, I was still hesitating.
"Hye-ji, even so, I'm not ready to date any—"
BANG!
Hye-ji's bullet didn't hesitate. At some point she had manifested a pistol in her hand. The shot grazed right past my ear. I felt Jung Ayeon, who was behind me, flinch violently at the sudden attack.
Hye-ji gripped my hair tightly and spoke in a sinister voice.
"Choice belongs only to the strong, darling."
"......I'll be in your care."
I threw my hesitation away. I was scared of what might happen if I refused here, so I answered obediently. That caused Elsia and Jung Ayeon to immediately protest.
"That's not fair! Cutting in line?!"
"Where do you get off going ahead of this one?"
"Shut your fucking mouths, you bitches."
Hye-ji glared at Elsia and Jung Ayeon with fierce eyes. Then she immediately rushed into my arms and hugged me tightly.
"I was the one who liked him first!!!!!!"
At those words, Elsia looked ashamed while Jung Ayeon subtly averted her gaze. Hye-ji continued to lash out at the two of them.
"After I worked so hard fighting and saving you! And now you're trying to steal Shinwoo?!"
"......"
"......"
The two stayed silent, as if they had been hit where it hurt, simply listening to Hye-ji. She wasn't wrong. If Hye-ji hadn't helped, it would've been difficult to save Elsia and Jung Ayeon.
"Want to know what's even more fucked up?"
At some point, Elsia and Jung Ayeon had sat down in proper seiza positions. Hye-ji sighed while looking at their lowered heads.
"The fact that I can't kick you out because I know how hard it must've been for you. That's what's really fucked up."
"...Unnie."
"...Miss."
The two looked at Hye-ji with eyes full of both apology and gratitude. If Hye-ji had truly harbored malicious intentions, neither Elsia nor Jung Ayeon would have survived easily. But Hye-ji hadn't done that. Even though she wanted to monopolize me, she had chosen a different path instead. It was truly admirable. It couldn't have been an easy decision.
And I felt sorry. She must have suffered so much emotionally. I hugged Hye-ji, who was in my arms, a little tighter. She made a slightly satisfied face before opening her eyes wide and speaking to Elsia and Jung Ayeon with determination.
"You two. Will you give up on Shinwoo even now?"
Elsia and Jung Ayeon exchanged glances. After a silent agreement, they spoke to Hye-ji at the same time.
"Unnie. I'm sorry. But I can't give up either. Especially not this time."
"I feel sorry toward you, miss, but this one has no intention of giving up either."
"......Fucking bitches. I knew it."
Hye-ji muttered a small curse, and Elsia and Jung Ayeon responded with bitter smiles. However, Hye-ji no longer tried to push them away.
I looked at Hye-ji and asked carefully.
"Hye-ji, are you okay?"
"Of course I'm not okay."
Hye-ji let out a big sigh. Then she muttered in a slightly gloomy voice.
"I absolutely didn't want to yield, but there's no choice, fuck."
A harem doesn't just form because a man wants it. It only becomes possible when there's understanding and agreement among the female members. In the end, the women have to yield to each other.
"It's my fault for falling for him first."
A smile mixed with relief and regret appeared on Hye-ji's face. It probably hadn't been easy for her to yield at all. She was an incredibly understanding girlfriend—far more than I deserved.
Still resentful, Hye-ji began lightly punching my chest with her small fists. I decided to let her vent a little and was about to quietly take the hits, but—
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
".....Hye-ji? This really fucking hurts."
"You deserve to get hit more!"
It hurt like hell. Her fists were landing with pinpoint accuracy on my solar plexus in the most infuriating way. My breathing suddenly started getting blocked. It was a crisis. Just when I thought I was about to lose consciousness, Hye-ji's fists finally stopped. I took a huge breath, once again realizing how precious oxygen was.
[You survived.]
'I almost died.'
Meanwhile, Hye-ji seemed to have made up her mind about something as she suddenly began speaking with determination.
"Still, there's something I need to make clear."
"What is it?"
Right after, Hye-ji yanked my hair hard and kissed me. The sudden action nearly made me lose my mind. No. It was already halfway gone. Hye-ji looked at my dazed self and grinned.
".......Huh?"
"The first one is mine."
Then she immediately turned her gaze toward Elsia and Jung Ayeon. Her eyes seemed filled with the determination that she would never yield on this one thing.
"Any complaints?"
Once again, Elsia and Jung Ayeon exchanged silent glances. Then they answered Hye-ji.
"Then I'll take the next one!"
"This one doesn't mind whenever."
"Yeah, you fucking bitches."
Hye-ji cursed, but her tone was surprisingly lenient. It seemed like there was no longer any ill will.
Soon after, Hye-ji asked me how the first kiss felt.
"Shinwoo, so how was it?"
Her face was extremely flushed right now. It looked like it would explode if touched even slightly.
"You mean our first kiss?"
"......Yeah."
"I'll be honest."
Hye-ji couldn't overcome her embarrassment and whipped her head away. She only snuck glances at me. I smiled with a slightly awkward expression and said,
"My teeth hurt."
"......Honestly, mine hurt a bit too."
When we suddenly kissed, my teeth had clashed with hers. At the same time, my lip had split slightly and a bit of blood was flowing. Our first kiss. Unlike the ones described in other novels, it came with a bit of pain and the metallic taste of blood.