Chapter 59

<Episode 60> D-2: S-Seriously, This is Her True Power?

-Darkness was now preferable to light.

The door to the room creaked open ever so slightly.

It’s the Class President.

The Class President quietly peered inside.

There’s not a single trace of light.

Nothing but pitch blackness.

For some reason, even the air feels heavy.

“Yo, Young-hee.”

Into the darkness, the Class President called out her name.

A space thought to be empty began to stir.

A rustling sound emerged and the blanket shifted.

Soon, a young girl slowly lifted her head.

“Oh, hey Class Prez. Heh heh…”

Exhausted eyes.

A smile that’s dried up.

A fragile demeanor that looks like it’ll break at the slightest touch.

And yet, there she is—Young-hee, weakly smiling.

“…Did you eat anything? You haven’t touched anything since you came back, right?”

“No appetite.”

At that, the Class President let out a deep sigh.

Ever since the exam ended—more specifically, since the fight with Chul-soo—it’s been like this.

She’s nowhere near normal.

You might as well say she’s completely broken.

Thankfully, the Academy gave her a week off, considering the tough test she endured.

“You’re gonna collapse if you keep this up.”

“Mm… Maybe that’d be better.”

“You really…”

Just how long does she plan to stay like this?

Of course, I get that her emotional wounds are deep, but there’s a limit to everything.

This isn’t something that should make her feel like she’s about to collapse.

“Should I call Chul-soo?”

Shaking her head violently left and right.

Young-hee replies, “I don’t have the face to meet him.”

Since that day, Young-hee has carried an immense sense of guilt toward Chul-soo.

Some might think it’s unavoidable.

Though we don’t know why exactly, it’s true that Young-hee crossed a line.

Still, the only one who can resolve this situation is Chul-soo.

Both of them have deeply hurt each other emotionally.

Chul-soo must be suffering just as much—if not more.

With another sigh, the Class President pulls Young-hee up.

“…No way. Come on. I’m forcing you to eat something.”

“But I don’t wanna…”

“Shut up. And I’m not listening to you either.”

Without much resistance—or rather, unable to resist—Young-hee follows along.

Her body and mind are utterly drained; there’s no strength left in her.

She’s in a truly precarious state.

‘This will all work out eventually between Chul-soo and Young-hee…’

The bond between Chul-soo and Young-hee runs deep.

The Class President believes it won’t crumble from just a few words.

The real issue is whether their bodies can hold up before they fall apart.

‘Chul-soo’s pretty strong, so he’ll be fine. First, Young-hee needs to eat something.’

If her body recovers and she clears her thoughts, reconciliation will come naturally.

At least, that’s what the Class President thought at the time…

—

“Hmm~ So why are we here again?”

“I wanted to hang out with you.”

“Hmm~”

Originally, Yu-jin had booked a restaurant for a post-exam celebration with his friends.

Whether to celebrate good grades or simply rejoice in the end of exams!

But alas, the fight between Chul-soo and Young-hee ruined those plans.

Now that things went south, Yu-jin decided to spend time with Rime instead.

“…What? Are you using me as a replacement for your girlfriends? That’s annoying.”

“Aww, don’t be like that.”

Though she said that, Rime didn’t seem annoyed at all.

In fact, she looked kind of excited.

Truthfully, the survival trials over the past few days were frustrating for her.

First, she was stuck around people all day.

Not only did she have to deal with irritating classmates,

but she barely got any time alone with Yu-jin!

The most interaction they had was sneaking chats during night watch.

And then there’s *that* fox-faced Young-hee.

Sure, Rime gets why she’s mad at her boyfriend.

But why does she cling to Yu-jin?!

Sticking by his side and flirting like crazy!

Rime almost lost it when she licked her lips like she had something on them.

If Rime weren’t friends with Yu-jin, she probably would’ve killed her on the spot.

‘Hmm, does she know I’m doing this to cheer her up?’

While being used as a replacement still irks her,

she has to admit Yu-jin—dense as he is—is trying.

Besides, this is technically their first date.

No way she’d ruin it over something petty.

“Hmph! Hmph! Okay, I get that, but…”

“Yeah! It’ll be super fun! This is my first time coming somewhere like this with a friend!”

“Yeah, that sounds great and all… I like it too.” Rime paused mid-sentence, raising an eyebrow.

“Why are we in the bathroom?”

Rime asked the fundamental question.

They’re currently in the bathroom of a department store.

Specifically, they’re in one of the men’s stalls.

The sight of a tall guy standing next to a tiny girl could easily draw suspicion.

If a cop saw them, they’d probably rush over, only to bow deeply once they realize this is Lord Hwagcheon.

“…Well, unless you’re into this kind of play, I don’t care.”

“That’s ridiculous. No way.”

Yu-jin pulled out an envelope.

Inside was an unopened set of clothes.

“…What’s this?”

“You always wear such revealing outfits, so I picked something for you to try.”

Rime’s current outfit consists of a white shirt, black thigh-high stockings, and nothing else.

Technically, her base form is slime, but her appearance is undeniably that of a cute girl.

Even though her personality leans toward teasing and seduction,

her natural allure is already dangerous.

Walking around like this would be problematic for many reasons.

“I’ve gotten used to it, but walking around outside like this would get us reported as perverts.”

“Well, technically, this is all according to your preferences, so it’s kinda unfair to criticize me now.”

“Ah, whatever! Just don’t walk around dressed like that!”

Rime opened the envelope Yu-jin handed her.

Inside was a black skirt.

“What? Just a skirt?”

“We can shop for the rest together. …Do you prefer pants?”

“…No, this is fine.”

After all, these are clothes Yu-jin picked out for her.

She couldn’t help but feel genuinely happy.

Especially since this is the first gift she’s received from him.

“I’ll try it on.”

“Wait… Why are you taking off your stockings?!”

Yu-jin quickly covered his face.

On the other hand, Rime tilted her head innocently.

“To put this on, I need to take these off. Humans only wear one layer of clothing, right?”

“Normally, people wear skirts over their stockings!”

“Huh, is that so? Such a hassle.”

Grumbling, Rime started putting the skirt on.

In the process, her legs lifted high enough to reveal dangerously tempting glimpses, causing Yu-jin to quickly turn away.

“Hmm, clothes really are inconvenient.”

Yu-jin cautiously peeked.

The moment he saw her, he involuntarily gasped.

“Ah…”

The Rime standing before him was literally the embodiment of a manga heroine.

Don’t get him wrong—Rime is always cute.

But with the addition of the skirt, something felt different.

Like a change in aura.

She looks like a celebrity straight out of a magazine.

“Just putting on a skirt makes this much of a difference, huh.”

This isn’t to say Rime wasn’t attractive before.

But perhaps because her usual revealing look became normalized,

this new, modest style feels refreshingly charming and even more captivating.

There’s a pure quality to it that contrasts with her usual self.

“…What? Staring so hard.”

“No, it really suits you.”

“Wha, r-really?”

Caught off guard by the sudden compliment, Rime blushed furiously and ducked her head.

Yu-jin may lack social awareness,

but he has this knack for delivering unexpected compliments.

Especially since his sincerity shines through, making it doubly impactful.

“…”

“…”

An awkward pink atmosphere settled between them.

After standing there for a moment, they both snapped out of it simultaneously.

“Ah! W-well, let’s go then. We have lots to do!”

“Y-yeah!”

They nodded in unison.

Then Rime suddenly tilted her head.

“Anyway, how are we getting out of here? People will notice if they see me in the men’s restroom.”

“Ah.”

Yu-jin let out a dumbfounded sound.

He hadn’t thought that far ahead.

If they timed it right during a quiet moment, it might work,

but unfortunately, this is a high-end department store.

There’s no such thing as a quiet moment here.

Footsteps echo continuously.

After pondering for a bit, Yu-jin suggested:

“How about you go back inside me like before?”

“……What about the skirt?”

“Huh? Aren’t you going in with it?”

Rime usually wears clothes—albeit just a shirt and stockings.

Plus, she has a white hat on her head, which people often overlook.

They somehow manage to stay intact when she merges with Yu-jin.

But Rime sighed deeply at his suggestion.

“These aren’t actual clothes—they’re part of my body mimicking clothing.”

“Wait… so they’re not real clothes?”

“Strictly speaking, they’re ‘parts of my body shaped like clothes.'”

“Part of your body?”

“It’s like using your hair to cover your head, human-style.”

“Do you mind not turning everyone into potential big-heads? It’s a serious issue for some people.”

Regardless, Yu-jin whistled in amazement.

Rime is slime, so her shape-shifting abilities aren’t surprising,

but he never imagined her clothes worked this way.

Her ability to mimic objects continues to impress him.

“Hold on. So technically, you’re not wearing clothes at all?”

“Never had any to begin with.”

“So you’ve basically been naked this whole time?”

“If we’re being technical.”

“…Now I feel embarrassed.”

“More than me?! I should be the one feeling embarrassed!”

Seriously, the thought that a beautiful girl has been practically naked in front of him this whole time—

for a pure-hearted guy like Yu-jin, it’s as shocking as watching his first porn.

Rime shook her head and continued.

“Anyway, the important thing is figuring out how to leave without being noticed.”

Yu-jin frowned.

Hearing her say that made him even less willing to show Rime to others right now.

“Guess you’ll have to go back inside me.”

“What about the skirt?”

“…Let’s take it off first! Then I’ll head to the women’s restroom!”

Kicked in the shins.

Ultimately, they agreed to head to the fitting room instead.

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