Chapter 30: A Special Day (5)
When she suddenly dragged me into the locker, I had no idea what was going on. But the moment I heard the door open, chills ran down my spine.
I hadn’t sensed anything, yet she had. Her hearing must truly be exceptional—a hallmark of her beastkin heritage.
It was likely someone connected to Stefania. No one else had any reason to come here.
If anyone else had shown up, it might have been someone from the church, but they were far from uncovering any leads without the protagonist’s intervention.
Regardless of who it was, Hoyeon clearly didn’t want anyone to see us together.
As I crouched uncomfortably in the tight space, waiting for whoever had entered to leave, I became keenly aware of something.
With all my focus on the sounds outside, I hadn’t noticed until now… but we were touching in several places.
Her chest, far softer and fuller than its appearance suggested, was pressing against me.
Her breath brushed against my neck, her limbs were unexpectedly delicate given her earlier strength, and her tail… her tail kept brushing somewhere very precarious.
The locker was so cramped that any movement might alert the person outside. I stayed utterly still, but there were some things I couldn’t control.
Please, not now. I mentally chanted the national anthem, recalled my military service, and even thought about corporate life—anything to stave off the inevitable.
Her soft abdomen pressing against me wasn’t helping. Desperately, I prayed for self-control, and miraculously, I managed to calm myself down. But the damage had already been done.
Did she notice? Was she blushing, or still as focused as ever, ears perked in serious concentration?
If there were even a sliver of light in this pitch-dark space, I might have been able to tell, but there wasn’t.
And the scent… a sweet, honey-like aroma filled the air. It was intoxicating, making it hard to think straight.
Honestly, I wanted to bury my nose in it. But of course, I couldn’t. Not when the person emitting it was her. If only she weren’t the child of those two…
Her complete lack of awareness regarding personal boundaries was something else.
She didn’t seem to understand the concept of personal space at all, let alone the dynamics between men and women. It was almost like she truly had no friends before.
Her behavior—casually initiating physical contact, treating my requests so lightly, apologizing out of the blue—was utterly baffling.
Perhaps she wasn’t even aware of her position, nor of the fact that she was a woman. She seemed so naive, so defenseless.
But I couldn’t take advantage of that. If this relationship was to mean anything, it had to come from her initiative. Any misstep on my part would be irreparable.
Still, winning her heart was only one part of the challenge. I’d have to gain the approval of her parents too. And that seemed…easier than fighting Onbyeolbi.
Maybe.
Though I was keenly aware of the danger of our current situation, a part of me selfishly wanted to stay like this just a little longer.
Thankfully, the person outside eventually left, sparing me from losing my composure entirely.
“…They’re gone?”
“…Yeah. Seems like it.”
As we stepped out of the locker, the cool air helped me think more clearly. The stifling heat in that cramped space must’ve gotten to my head.
Hoyeon, too, looked flushed. She fanned herself with her hand and had removed her jacket. Her sweat-soaked shirt clung to her body, making it semi-transparent.
Black.
Deep breaths. Calm down. I could pretend I hadn’t seen it in the dark earlier, but now? If I reacted, it was all over.
“…Sorry for dragging you into the locker without warning. I didn’t have time to explain!”
“It’s fine. You meant well.”
Honestly, if it weren’t for her, I might not have made it past this point in the story alive.
“…By the way, were you… uncomfortable?”
“…Why?”
She hesitated, as if debating whether to say it.
“Well… your leg… you kept rubbing it against my stomach. I was just wondering how uncomfortable you must’ve been to do that.”
My mind raced. Did she really think it was my leg? For a moment, I panicked, imagining she might demand servitude as penance. But no, she seemed genuinely unaware.
Was she this oblivious? It was worrying on a human level, not just a character one.
If she thought about it for even a moment, she’d realize what had been pressing against her stomach. Did she have no concept of anatomy?
Forget that—what had she been taught? Her lack of knowledge was concerning.
If someone with bad intentions came along pretending to be her friend… this continent would be doomed.
And then there was the guilt of continuing to deceive her.
She trusted me enough to call me a friend, yet I was lying to her face. A voice in my head whispered, How long will you keep deceiving her when she cares about you so much?
Maybe it was better to come clean now, even if it meant risking her anger.
If I explained myself and asked her to keep it a secret from her parents, she might agree.
She seemed willing to forgive a lot as long as it was framed as a “friendship” matter.
I made up my mind. Whatever punishment she meted out—whether it was a slap, a kick, or insults—I’d take it.
“…It wasn’t my leg. But I’m sorry about that in advance.”
“Wait… was it your arm?!”
Please, Hoyeon. Connect the dots. Don’t make me say it.
“…It wasn’t my arm either. But again, I’m truly sorry.”
She paused, thinking hard. Finally, realization dawned.
“…Oh. Uh… ahhh…”
Thank goodness. At least she knows anatomy.
I couldn’t believe I was relieved about something so basic.
“…I’m not trying to make excuses, but… it’s not something I could control, given how cramped it was.”
If I was confessing, I might as well come clean about everything. Hiding it would only make things worse later.
One thing I’d learned from my life before falling into this world was that honesty—however brutal—was better than secrets.
Hoyeon’s face was now as red as a ripe apple. She hung her head low, clearly flustered.
I’d expected a punch or slap but… nothing.
We couldn’t stay here forever. If someone from Stefania’s camp came back, we’d be in serious trouble.
“I’m really sorry. I’ll make it up to you later. But for now, we should go. Someone else might come.”
She nodded weakly, still too embarrassed to meet my eyes.
“…Yeah. You’re right… Let’s go.”
I extended my hand to help her. She glanced at it but didn’t take it, her blush deepening.
“…Not this time. Let’s just go.”
“…Alright.”
We walked back in silence, keeping a noticeable distance. It felt awkward, but I couldn’t help thinking we’d suddenly grown too distant.
That night, I looked over Stefania’s stolen plan. But without a solid grasp of magic, it was mostly gibberish. My thoughts kept drifting back to Hoyeon.
Her touch, her scent…
No. Stop.
The day’s events had awakened something I’d been suppressing since arriving at the academy.
***
Back in my room, I felt oddly relieved after promising Hoyeon not to mention the day’s events again.
Honestly, if I were a guy in her position, I wouldn’t have been able to hold back either.
But her words—friendship matters—left a strange warmth in my chest.
***
I’d never had someone to share secrets with before. Was this what friendship was like?
Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, an unfamiliar sound caught my attention.
It was rhythmic, coming from Dogeon’s room.
It sounded like… something being rubbed?
I couldn’t place it, but I couldn’t stop listening.
My body felt unusually warm. Was it the heat cycle?
The sound stopped after a few minutes, but not before Dogeon called my name.
Why?
I couldn’t make sense of it.
Maybe I’ll ask him tomorrow.
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