Chapter 57 : Caught in the Act of Suspected Infidelity

There are days like that.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it…!”

Days when I wonder when I even fell asleep.

A creeping unease the moment I open my eyes.

The chirping of birds, that distinct morning sound.

I realized my situation in the cruelest way possible.

“Ugh…!”

My body twists uncontrollably.

Dried sweat made my whole skin sticky.

And below… it was too pitiful to even describe.

Seems like… I must’ve passed out after masturbating.

“Ugh…! Just kill me. What the hell, aaah…!”

I rolled sideways on the bed.

Of course, the small bed meant I hit the edge quickly.

“No. I have to go to the academy first…”

I stretched my legs and got up.

Just wash up, shake it off, and walk to the academy like usual.

No one else knows what I did anyway.

That I masturbated while thinking of Yena.

Or that I went too hard and passed out…

“How am I supposed to face Yena now? Ugh.”

If I go like this, just seeing her face will drown me in guilt.

I slumped back onto the bed.

Then, Yena’s image floated before me.

“Huh… She’d probably love this, actually…”

If she found out, she’d grin and tease me endlessly.

So I’d never tell her.

Just as I finished rationalizing and was about to head to the bathroom—

Ding.

A notification chimed from my phone on the bed.

[ I’m outside your place ]

Of course, it was Yena.

My battery was nearly dead from being on all night.

Why does everything have to go so horribly wrong?

Another message followed right after.

[ Open the door ]

Since we parted without much talk yesterday, she came to pick me up like usual.

“…I haven’t even washed yet.”

She was already waiting at the door.

Sending her away first would be the smart move.

But I couldn’t think of a single excuse.

I lifted my arm and sniffed.

“Damn… I reek…”

Yena’s sharp—she’d notice immediately.

I opened all the windows in the house.

The chilly morning air hit my bare skin.

I wrapped myself in the bedsheet and shuffled to the front door.

Click.

Through the slightly opened door, I saw her face.

She hadn’t noticed anything weird yet.

I spoke before she could say anything.

“H-Hey, Yena… Can we go separately today? I smell… haha.”

“Huh? Oh. Nah, it’s fine. Open up.”

“Eek! Don’t push! Wait!”

I thought I could talk her out of it, but Yena stubbornly tried to force her way in.

How is she this strong in the morning?

As I struggled to hold the door, she spoke.

“You’ve done this before. It’s fine.”

“N-No, this is different! Seriously, don’t…!”

Yena leaned into the door, urging me to give up.

I was being pushed back inch by inch.

If she shoved hard, the door would’ve flown open.

She must’ve been holding back to avoid hurting me…

“Really, it’s okay. Do I look like someone who’d care?”

“Ugh… Fine. Just promise me one thing.”

“What?”

“…Once you’re inside, don’t say a word for five minutes.”

I admitted defeat.

I added a small condition, but I didn’t expect much.

Just a tiny buffer before I died of embarrassment.

“Got it. I won’t say anything.”

“Ugh… Fine, come in.”

I couldn’t leave her outside forever.

So I let the tiger in.

Yena glanced around suspiciously.

Sniff, sniff.

Then she picked something up.

A towel tucked in the corner of the bed.

‘That’s…! The one I used yesterday!’

I rushed to snatch it back.

“D-Don’t smell it! Give it here!”

But she rolled it up and held it high above her head.

The height difference kept it just out of reach.

A few centimeters—agonizingly close.

“Eek?!”

Yena pulled me into a hug with her free arm.

In my struggle, the sheet slipped halfway down.

Her eyes filled with realization.

And pure amusement.

“…G-Give it back.”

“Okay.”

She lowered the towel to eye level.

I grabbed it the second I could.

Then she seized my wrist.

“Ugh… Let go, please…”

I prayed she wouldn’t notice.

“So this is why you’ve been ignoring me.”

“Eek…!”

“You were busy with this?”

Her arched eyebrows told me everything.

She knew.

I shut my eyes and flung the towel away.

“Fine, take it, do whatever! I’m gonna shower… Hmph!”

In the process, the sheet slipped off completely.

Instantly, I was stark naked.

I’d never shown her this much before.

Now I worried she’d pin me down right here.

I yanked my wrist free—surprisingly easy.

Panicked, I covered myself.

“Pfft… Ah, sorry. I’ve been holding back lately… Go shower. I’ll wait.”

“‘Sorry’ doesn’t cut it… I won’t forgive you…”

Oddly, Yena didn’t pounce.

‘Wait… Since when does she have self-control?’

I should’ve been relieved.

I needed to wash up and get to school.

But for some reason, my feet refused to move.

Yena smoothed out her school uniform skirt and sat primly on the bed.

Then she raised her hand and spread her fingers wide.

“Five, four, three.”

Her fingers folded down with each count.

When only two remained, I bolted to the bathroom like a sprung rubber ball.

Yena muttered something under her breath.

“Ah… seriously, how could you…”

Unfortunately, I didn’t catch the rest.

The second day of exams.

Yena said something incredibly strange.

“Let’s go to school separately for the remaining days.”

Those words, spoken just moments ago.

Even when I asked why, she refused to explain, calling it a secret.

As I tapped my pen absently, chewing over her words, a wave of unease rose in my chest.

Was it because of that incident this morning?

“Disappointed… or something.”

Had she been disappointed seeing me—a worthless human—passed out after exhausting myself?

I glanced at her seat.

Yena had left casually after dropping that bombshell, saying she was heading to the restroom.

‘No, stop it.’

I shoved the thoughts far away.

No matter what, Yena was my girlfriend.

There had to be a reason.

If she were truly disappointed this morning, she would’ve shown it.

Instead, I could still picture her grinning, already plotting how to tease me.

“Right, what nonsense. We’ll just go separately. Yeah.”

It wasn’t like we’d never see each other again.

Just two days of separate commutes.

After settling my thoughts, I turned back to my book.

The third day of exams.

Yena was up to something.

This time, it wasn’t just my imagination.

The incident unfolded in the morning.

‘How long has it been since I walked to school alone?’

The path to the academy felt twice as long without her.

Somehow, traces of Yena had seeped into every part of my life.

As I trudged along, a familiar silhouette caught my eye.

“…Where do you buy your lace gloves?”

“Hmm… I get mine from a shop I know. You remember the size?”

“Yeah. Roughly.”

Yena was talking to someone.

The blonde girl we’d met at the movies during our first date.

Her “close sunbae,” wasn’t it?

I ducked behind a nearby telephone pole.

The distance was enough—they wouldn’t notice me.

“You’ve barely been dating a month.”

“Don’t worry, there are ways around that.”

Barely a month…

My damned brain started spinning wild delusions.

‘Cheating…? No, no way. Right?’

But they already had history.

I remembered her offhand comment:

“We might be closer than you think.”

Nayeon—that was her name.

Their conversation continued.

I pricked up my ears, catching every word.

“And… one time wouldn’t hurt, right?”

“True. Heh.”

“Though I can’t promise it’ll stop at once.”

One time wouldn’t hurt…?

Can’t promise it’ll stop…?

For a second, I swore I saw horns sprout from the blonde’s head.

This… this had to be cheating.

“That’s how it always starts… Free this week?”

“Gotta strike while the iron’s hot. Tomorrow morning?”

“Eek, so soon.”

“Hayul can’t find out.”

Suddenly, my eyes stung.

Blinking, the pain faded—but not the tears rolling down my cheeks.

The two girls waved and parted ways.

I waited until Yena was out of sight before moving.

That day,

I didn’t speak to her.

The fourth day of exams.

The material refused to stick, and my mood darkened.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

I cornered her, demanding answers.

“Where the hell did you go this morning?”

“…”

“I heard everything yesterday. Don’t even try denying it. What did you do with that—!”

“Sigh… I bought a maid dress.”

“…Huh?”

“To cash in that ‘wish coupon.’”

A… maid dress?