“Ughhhh!!!”
Back in her cramped room, Clara flopped onto her bed, hugging her pillow and rolling around.
She kicked her pale legs, thumping the bed repeatedly. She couldn’t help it otherwise.
*”Then… pet me…”*
The desire slipped out unconsciously, and Rohan’s approving touch followed.
These two things swirled through the girl’s body, generating heat like crazy.
‘I let him touch my head… I must be crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy.’
The girl was confused by her own actions. And she was so embarrassed she thought her mind might break.
“Huuuu…”
Clara lifted her head from the pillow, pressing the back of her hand to her flushed cheeks to cool them down. They were like fireballs.
Even though she’d calmed down a bit compared to when he was petting her, it was still this bad. What kind of face had she been making back then?
‘Me?’
Suddenly, really suddenly, her mind was a mess.
More than the work she’d be doing with Rohan, it was about her own state.
‘Do I just want praise from him? Or…?’
Even a girl who’s just starting to live a normal life can guess at her feelings.
Having enjoyed subcultures, she’s well-versed in the dynamics between men and women.
But the emotion that forms the foundation of it all—‘love’—is something every character experiences differently, with varying triggers.
‘No way. It’s only been a little while since I met him… It’s just a good impression, like he’s a nice person… right?’
That thought becomes a refuge for Clara, who can’t take the next step.
She’s seen too many times what happens when a confession is rejected and how relationships fall apart.
Isn’t that just terrifying?
Of course, she’s only seen it in games and anime, not real life.
“…”
That’s why the girl is scared and afraid to put a definitive label on these feelings.
Even if she doesn’t confess, the moment she names and nails down her current emotions, she doesn’t know how things might change.
**Buzz──!**
The long-awaited vibration of her smartphone.
The girl, lost in thought, shot her hand out like lightning.
[ Rohan Oppa: The instructor came to the Security Bureau, hehe. Did you get home safely? ]
“!”
The instructor—that red-haired beauty!
Just the thought of her brings terror. If she were standing in front of her, Clara wouldn’t even be able to speak. She gulped.
‘Wh-what do I do? With my current skills, I can’t win against her…’
For some reason, the girl’s consciousness concludes in that direction.
“…”
In an instant, the heat cooled. The girl calmly got up from the bed.
She felt like she needed to take a shower with ice-cold water right away.
And Clara herself didn’t know why, but…
Right now, training felt way, way more urgent than gaming.
*****
“Wow!”
So this is what the highest-class residential facilities in the academy city look like.
Following Juyun, Rohan walked through the luxurious entrance, letting out a transparent gasp of admiration.
Seeing this, Juyun smiled silently, entered the passcode, and opened the door.
I grabbed the handle, but…
A fleeting thought made me stop in my tracks.
‘Did I put away all the underwear on the drying rack…?’
I always make sure to keep up with housework and chores, but you never know.
On top of that, I remembered I left the lights on in my rush to leave.
“Rohan.”
“Yes!”
“Sorry. Can you wait for a moment?”
“Of course.”
Rohan, an unexpected guest, understood Juyun.
While waiting, Rohan sent a text to Clara.
How long did he wait for Juyun to return home?
*Ding-dong!*
The door swung open, revealing Juyun’s face.
Instead of a formal outfit, she was wearing comfortable casual clothes—a rare sight in Abyss City.
“I’m sorry for making you wait, especially when you’re not feeling well. Come in.”
“Not at all! Excuse me!”
Juyun’s home had a warm, cozy atmosphere.
The temperature was so comfortable that leaning back might just make you fall asleep.
“Make yourself at home. Rest is the best medicine right now.”
“Yes! I’m amazed at how spacious it is. I’ve never seen a house like this before.”
“It’s just more space to manage. The actual usable area isn’t that much.”
As Juyun said, even the hallway leading to the living room was long and wide.
Yet, everything was impeccably clean.
‘This must reflect the Instructor’s personality.’
Not a speck of dust in sight. Meticulous.
The living room was equally well-maintained, like a model home.
A digital clock on the glass window caught his eye.
[00:04:32 Sunday]
Seeing the time, Rohan naturally spoke up.
“Ah, the day’s already over.”
“Indeed. It’s already Sunday.”
Rohan thought to himself. So much had happened in just one day.
He met Noah, studied together, worked part-time at the bookstore, where Noah and Clara became acquainted, then stopped by the dormitory with Clara, and even took down an organization.
Finally, arriving at Juyun’s place, it was already Sunday. Looking back, Saturday was a masterpiece among masterpieces.
‘Nice. I like it.’
Unlike his past life, Rohan found joy in his lively daily routine.
He felt like he could keep going strong.
“It’s late, so you should get some rest. I’ll give you some toiletries. Wash up quickly and head to the bedroom.”
Listening to Juyun’s advice to avoid getting his wounds wet, Rohan fell into thought for a moment.
Then, glancing around, he noticed the closed doors and asked, just in case.
“Um, Instructor Juyun! I have a question.”
“Go ahead.”
“Are there multiple bedrooms in this house?”
Juyun looked puzzled.
After a brief moment, she understood and gave a faint smile.
“Only one. You’re the first guest I’ve ever had in this house.”
“Oh… I’m honored!”
“Heh, you’re more nervous than I expected.”
Juyun said it jokingly, but it was no lie that Rohan was her first guest.
The residence provided by the Academy Dean in the academy city had never seen a male guest, let alone any guests at all.
Moreover, the houses in the Tri-Kingdom weren’t much different.
Juyun’s home in her homeland was where her parents lived together. Friends occasionally visited, but they were all women.
This was the first time in her life that Juyun had brought a man who wasn’t family into her home.
“There’s only one bed, but don’t worry. The Instructor won’t be sleeping well tonight.”
“What if—”
As Rohan tried to bring up the expected remark, Juyun cut him off.
Her tone carried an undeniable force, leaving no room for argument.
“I’m not staying awake just because of Rohan’s issue, so don’t worry about it.”
“…”
“I’m just curious about the rest of the book I’ve been reading. Missing one night of sleep won’t kill me.”
There might be an urgent call from the Security Officers about field investigations or remnants.
Those were calls Juyun, as the protector, would have to handle anyway.
“Go wash up first. This should be enough. There’s pretty much everything you need inside.”
Juyun opened a shelf and handed him a toothbrush.
Since he couldn’t shower today, this would suffice.
Rohan quickly finished washing his face and brushing his teeth.
Meanwhile, Juyun sipped on the coffee she had brewed and delivered some unfortunate news.
“Unfortunately, none of the Instructor’s clothes seem to fit you. The sizes just don’t match.”
“It’s fine. What I’m wearing now is comfortable enough.”
In terms of strength, there was no comparison, but in appearance, Rohan’s build and height were noticeably larger than Juyun’s.
It was inevitable that there’d be no clothes for him to wear.
“The open door over there leads to the bedroom. Go get some sleep.”
“No, I’ll sleep on the sofa!”
“Hmm, are you disobeying the Instructor? The more time passes, the more Rohan seems like a troublemaker.”
“…I’ll take the bedroom, then.”
Sensing that arguing was futile, Rohan quickly bowed his head.
Juyun followed him into the bedroom, insisting on watching him tuck himself in.
“Not too cold, is it? I can turn up the temperature.”
“It’s perfect. The temperature is so amazing, I feel like I’ll fall asleep as soon as I close my eyes.”
“…”
How does he manage to chatter so much?
Juyun couldn’t help but laugh, amused by his antics.
As Rohan lay down, marveling at the luxurious feel of the expensive pillow, he called out to Juyun, who was about to leave the room.
“Instructor.”
“Hmm?”
“About going to the training room after waking up…”
Before Rohan could finish, Juyun’s eyes sharpened.
Her piercing gaze felt as hot as a burning flame.
“I won’t allow it. Are you begging to be under the Instructor’s supervision until you’re fully healed?”
“No! I was just going to say… I should rest.”
He had expected this, but he couldn’t help feeling disappointed at the thought of not seeing Ichinose’s face, which was like the start of his day.
It was truly a shame.
“But I’ll still go to my part-time job.”
“Ask for permission. As the Security Officer said, the bounty and…”
“The reward won’t be small.”
Juyun, who usually can’t hold back, is different now.
After getting a promise to take a break from part-time work with just a few words, Juyun unfolded her arms and reached for the light switch.
“Instructor.”
“Do you have more to say?”
“It’s the most important thing.”
“…What is it?”
Juyun seemed satisfied as she tilted her ear.
Rohan, who lifted his head from the pillow, smiled and got to the point.
“Thank you so much today. If I meet you in my dreams, I’ll thank you again.”
“…”
With those words, he plopped his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes.
Juyun let out a hollow laugh, turned off the light, and left.
…
…
3 a.m.
Juyun was sitting in the living room, leisurely reading a book.
Beside her, her phone was placed so she could receive a call at any time.
Flip. Flip.
How many pages had she turned?
“─ If you go there, the road…”
Rohan’s voice drifted from the bedroom.
Juyun’s sharp hearing caught it immediately, and she got up and headed to the bedroom.
Muffling her footsteps.
As Juyun stepped into the bedroom, she saw Rohan groaning on the bed.
“Kill… ugh…”
Was he having a nightmare?
Even with his eyes closed, the pained look on his face revealed his emotions.
“If I just get through this path… I can live…”
The words he muttered in his sleep were all the same.
It was the struggle to survive.
“…”
Was he reliving his time in the south?
Juyun felt an indescribable emotion at Rohan’s unfamiliar appearance.
‘He never showed this side at the Academy.’
She had only ever seen him polite and always trying to smile.
Perhaps those were just masks to hide the aftermath of his trauma.
Juyun took a step closer to the bed.
Carefully, she reached out her hand.
“It’s okay. Don’t worry.”
“Ugh…”
Juyun soothed Rohan with gentle words, careful not to wake him, and wiped away his cold sweat with her warm hand.
His face looked a little more at ease.
Juyun smiled with the utmost kindness and sat down on the edge of the bed.
She waited for Rohan to calm down.
…
…
