The atmosphere became incredibly uncomfortable.
No, should I say it became comfortable?
…It was comfortable, but uncomfortable. That would be the right way to put it.
Well, that made sense since there were girls clinging to me on both sides right now.
No, yeah.
It was all because of my request.
So… to make people think something happened between us.
Honestly, I thought, do we really need to be sticking together like this even in a café with no students in sight?
And to be honest, I also thought it would be nice if they at least let go of one hand.
It was mentally exhausting to eat all the food solely with my mouth.
Though physically, it was comfortable.
Yeah, physically, it was comfortable.
Because I didn’t need to move.
“Um, I think I’ve eaten enough now.”
I said that as I looked at the fork Shin So-hee was holding in front of me.
It was already my third piece of tiramisu that she had brought to my mouth.
Even if they were cut into small squares, eating too much would be a problem when it came time for dinner.
Ye Sara’s stomach was still too small.
“Hmph. Really?”
Shin So-hee pulled the fork back slightly as she spoke.
“So, you’re saying you don’t want to eat what I’m giving you anymore?”
“Uh, no…”
That’s not it!
It’s just that my stomach physically can’t handle it!
Eating too much makes me feel bloated!
“Or what?”
Shin So-hee stared at me.
Her face was expressionless.
Even when sitting or standing, Shin So-hee, who was definitely taller than me, just silently looked down at me.
Since she usually showed a variety of expressions, seeing her stare blankly was a little scary.
Uh, it feels like past trauma is about to resurface.
“N-no.”
“Right?”
Shin So-hee immediately smiled and brought the fork to my mouth again.
A little chocolate powder from the tiramisu stuck to my lips.
In the end, I had no choice but to open my mouth and eat the piece.
Right after, Shin So-hee took another piece of tiramisu and popped it into her own mouth, chewing contentedly.
“……”
Lee Soo-ah, who was sitting next to me, took out a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped the powder from my lips.
…Am I being treated like a baby right now?
I really have no idea what’s going on.
“Uh, hey, guys. So, the thing I asked you to do was…”
I wanted to say, ‘to do this in front of others’, but the words didn’t come out.
“When you eat too many sweets, doesn’t your mouth get too sugary? Here, drink some coffee while you eat.”
A straw was suddenly pushed into my open mouth.
Yoo Ha-neul had brought the coffee cup to my lips.
“……”
In the end, I had no choice but to sip from the straw.
It had a slight fruity aroma.
Do high-quality coffee beans have this kind of scent?
*
After sitting in the café for quite a while, we finally stepped outside.
For all the time we spent sitting there, there hadn’t been much conversation.
No, it felt like there hadn’t been any conversation at all.
My head was so flooded with blood that I barely remembered anything.
If I had lived my previous life as someone who got along well with girls, or at the very least, if I had been a real woman, I could have stayed calm in that situation.
But unfortunately, in my previous life, I had been a guy who had never even dated, a complete loner.
…It seems even being in the body of a universally acknowledged beauty doesn’t change that much.
“Oh, right. I just remembered something.”
After walking in silence for a while, Shin So-hee clapped her hands in front of a convenience store.
Startled by the sound, a few passersby looked over.
And when they saw me with Ha-neul and Lee Soo-ah sticking to my sides, they whispered amongst themselves.
…No, this wasn’t exactly the effect I was going for.
I felt like I was being made out to be a bad guy even though I hadn’t done anything wrong.
A world where same-sex relationships are completely accepted might be a more exhausting place to live in than I thought.
“I’m going to stop by the convenience store for a bit. That’s okay, right?”
Fortunately, Shin So-hee didn’t seem to be in the same oddly angry mood as she had been in the café.
I wasn’t sure what had made her so mad there, but at least she didn’t seem upset now.
I nodded.
“Wait here for a bit, you three. I’ll be quick.”
Shin So-hee quickly dashed into the convenience store.
True to her word, she was back out in no time.
“Sorry, I just had to buy something real quick.”
I shrugged at her comment, but then I became acutely aware of the two people still clinging to my arms.
“……”
I could probably walk on my own by now…
But, somehow, I had a feeling they wouldn’t let go even if I said something, so I decided to just give up.
*
If today had been like last week, I would’ve suggested to the three of them that we grab dinner and then head home together.
But today was just too exhausting to stay out any longer.
The road to becoming a center of attention was long and tough, and especially, if you picked the wrong target for that attention, you’d end up suffering greatly.
Since I haven’t exercised in my past life, I had now physically experienced what happens when you draw attention in front of athletic people.
I swore to never do that again.
Was this like that joke about bodybuilders getting aggressive if you smell too nice at the gym?
Well, it wasn’t that extreme, but still.
Moreover, it seemed that Ha-neul and Lee Soo-ah were determined to help me with my plan as long as we were together, sticking right by my side without any sign of letting go.
Thanks to them, I hadn’t even used my hands to eat, either at the café or during our meals.
Desserts, drinks—everything.
…While it was luxurious in a way I’d never imagined, it still felt odd.
Maybe it’s because, in my previous life, I wasn’t a minor, but now I felt a psychological burden from being so physically close to minors.
No, it was more likely that Ha-neul, Lee Soo-ah, and even Shin So-hee hadn’t said much, which made the atmosphere strangely uncomfortable.
How did things end up like this?
Because of that, I just wanted to hurry back home and rest.
Until I saw the mansion in the distance.
…Hmm, honestly, I really didn’t want to go back there.
At least with these three, I felt like we were on equal footing, but that mansion was filled with people who were worse than strangers to me.
Unlike school, where I wanted to attract some attention, I had no desire to do so with the servants in that house.
Although, the food there was good… but that’s a different story.
Well… whether I wanted to go or not, it was almost time to part ways.
“……”
Sensing this, the three of them didn’t say anything.
With the mood like this, even if we went inside to eat, it would just be awkward.
…Did I do something wrong?
While I was lost in thought, we arrived in front of the mansion.
The gates were already open, as if they had been waiting to swallow me whole.
And standing by the gate was a guard in a black suit.
I had gotten used to this sight after more than two months, but to outsiders, this mansion would have been incredibly intimidating.
Maybe that was why the original Ye Sara never went outside the mansion.
Like how I had been able to leave last weekend, the original Ye Sara probably also had the authority to leave the mansion…
But having grown up seeing those people standing guard by the door since childhood, it must have been scary just getting close to them.
Ha-neul and Lee Soo-ah quietly detached themselves from my sides.
I let out a small breath and turned around.
“Well, I had fun today. See you tomorrow.”
At my words, Ha-neul smiled brightly.
Lee Soo-ah nodded a little shyly, and Shin So-hee shrugged her shoulders with a sullen expression.
I smiled slightly at the three of them and turned to walk toward the mansion.
…But then, I heard someone’s footsteps following me.
“…?”
When I turned around, I saw Shin So-hee boldly following me into the mansion.
“Uh…”
Before I could say anything, a guard suddenly blocked her path.
As a result, Shin So-hee, who had been confidently walking inside, was now standing with her path blocked.
One step.
In the space between the huge iron gates that divided the mansion and the outside world, Shin So-hee had taken exactly one step inside.
Even though the guard, who was over a head taller than her, was blocking her way, Shin So-hee nonchalantly stepped the rest of the way in.
Tap.
She planted her foot on the ground as if making a declaration.
“This is private property. Outsiders are not permitted to enter.”
Even at the guard’s low, stern voice, Shin So-hee merely raised an eyebrow.
“Whose private property is this?”
She asked.
“…This is the property of Lady Ye Sara—”
“Oh, so it’s hers? Then I just need to ask her, right?”
With that, Shin So-hee leaned her head slightly to the side.
As a result, her face peeked out from beside the guard’s arm.
Her slightly faded blonde hair hung down as gravity pulled it.
Seeing her bright, playful expression, I found myself momentarily thinking that Shin So-hee was kind of cute.
“Well? Can I come in?”
“…The lady is currently resting—”
“Oh, come on.”
As the guard tried to step closer, Shin So-hee made a sound as if to stop him.
“If you push me or lay a hand on me, I’ll scream my head off. You know how many people pass by this area, right? And I’ve already eaten here before, so what’s the big deal now?”
I almost laughed out loud at that.
“Well then, shall we have dinner?”
Teasing the guard, I asked.
Shin So-hee shrugged and stepped out from behind him.
Her full figure, which had been hidden behind the guard, was now on display.
She was still wearing her uniform shirt with about three buttons undone and a short skirt that showed off quite a bit of thigh.
She looked like a delinquent straight out of a drawing.
Honestly, she looked so much like a stereotypical delinquent that it felt almost unrealistic.
“Of course, we’re having dinner.”
And like a true delinquent, Shin So-hee replied confidently.
Her refreshingly direct response instantly lifted the gloomy mood I had been feeling just moments ago—
“I’m staying over tonight.”
—Only for it to vanish again, dragging my sanity with it.
“…What?”
“I said, I’m staying over.”
With a grin, Shin So-hee looked at my now frozen face.
“Why, don’t friends do that sometimes?”