Finishing a meal with a heavy heart, Sihyun returned to the dorm feeling unsettled. He'd resolved not to treat Seowoo like a mere paper doll anymore. It felt like she still had him wrapped around her finger, and ignoring her a second time would probably leave him feeling down for a whole week. As he showered and lay down, their conversation replayed in his mind. Reflecting calmly, he could somewhat gauge her feelings.
She'd been someone who lived under constant attention from others, and for some reason, she'd shown interest in someone else for the first time. That person didn't seem to care, which bruised his pride. His indifference scratched Sihyun once, twice, and then exploded during their recent conversation.
Trying to make sense of it all, Sihyun frowned. "Why do you even care? I want to know the reason."
The question lingered. It seemed like he'd only heard suggestions to figure it out on his own.
Was that just her being flippant back then?
The thought made him sit up. Asking again would likely sour Seowoo's mood. Eventually, it seemed he'd have to sort this out alone. Being a new class didn't seem to be the reason she showed interest from the start. From then on, she persistently tagged along, constantly hovering, fussing over him, asking for compliments in a rather absurd manner. It felt like she was fixated on him.
Thinking this far, Sihyun chuckled dryly.
It was absurd.
Unless the genre of the novel I've merged with changes, this story makes no sense. Hanging out with someone so good at things had started to get on his nerves. It felt like he was even catching an attitude. Sighing, he buried his face in the blanket.
"Am I favoring Haru too much?"
"Is that what you call a question?"
"Totally favoring him~"
"Ugh…"
Both Hamin's and Haewoon's voices followed, then a brief pause before an embarrassed voice chimed in. Even without looking, Sihyun could imagine Haru's expression. Casually glancing up, Haewoon tapped the bed with his foot and spoke.
"You said you came after kneeling to Haru, wasn't it the first time you saw Sihyun at the entrance ceremony?"
"Right."
"But why favor him?"
"……."
Because I picked him up.
Since I took charge and put him next to me, don't I bear some responsibility? Sihyun swallowed such a response to Haewoon's words and pulled the blanket halfway under the bed.
"Just because."
"Just because?"
"I like him better than you guys."
"Whoa, burn!"
Haewoon exaggeratedly clasped his chest at Sihyun's words. Seeing that, the look in Sihyun's eyes seemed to say, "Maybe I don't dislike you," and he sighed.
"You're so mean! Right, Haru?"
"Hmm?"
Haru sounded flustered. Besides the occasional squabble, he was outrageously childish. Sihyun, considering if there was a seven-year-old kindergarten kid inside him, lay back on the bed.
"So, is everyone doing well with their dances?"
"Shut it."
"Ah."
"……."
Three people were affected by Haewoon's comment. Without probing into the unusual response, Haewoon remained silent. Perhaps he sensed an eerie vibe from Hamin that he didn't want to question.
Dance.
Sihyun had completely forgotten about it amid his conversation with Seowoo. Sighing deeply, he eyed Haewoon with thinly veiled suspicion. If the cause originated from him, unless he was utterly unlucky, it was a lie.
Should I ask Haru later to assassinate someone for me?
Uttering this in jest, he shook his head. Somehow, he felt like Haru would ponder over it and agree to do it.
Playing with the fate of the Four Heavenly Kings….
Sighing, Sihyun buried his face in the blanket. It seemed like his parenting was heading towards disaster.
***
"Yay!"
Pia, having enjoyed her meal mana again today, happily cooed. Sihyun, gently touching her chubby face, then her round belly, sank his gaze. From today onwards, it was all about Haru's dancing. In other words, sticking with Seowoo all day and dancing that darned dance.
"Ugh."
A reluctant sigh escaped him. Since preparing for the talent show, Sihyun had started every day with a sigh, without fail.
I don't want to go out.
He didn't know what antics the crazy-looking Seowoo from yesterday might pull today. Checking the time, school hours were coming to an end. Sihyun reluctantly got up from his seat.
"...I'll be back."
"Yay!"
Pia saw off Sihyun, lacking energy.
"Are you late today?"
As he stepped out, Hamin's teasing voice reached him. Normally, it took Pia about 5 minutes to finish her meal, but today it had taken 10, leaving no room for excuses.
"You should've gone ahead."
"How could I leave without you?"
Remember the day of the interview?
As Haewoon arrogantly spoke, ignoring Sihyun's gaze, he asked if Pia had finished her meal well. Proudly displaying his fingers, faint marks were visible.
"She ate quite heartily! By the way, when will others be able to eat mana?"
"...True."
Muttering under his breath, thinking of Pia inside, Sihyun glanced around the room.
What's with the shortage of people to feed?
From the moment Pia bit my finger and sucked my mana, she showed no interest in anyone else's mana. Even if I offered it to her, she wouldn't eat, choosing starvation instead. When I tried to give her someone else's mana, she starved all day, but the moment I offered mine, she snapped and consumed it with incredible gusto.
In the end, I had to be the one losing 20% of my mana every day.
Maybe it's because the first mana she consumed was mine.
I wish I had bitten Haewoon's hand if I had known it would be like this.
Sihyun, who regretted too late, closed the door.
Until recently, I thought Pia, now an adult, would be cute, but even back then, the thought of her consuming my mana worried me. From the start, before becoming an adult, it felt like she would never separate from me. Sihyun, feeling disheartened, only started to move slowly after hearing Haewoon's urging.
Today, his steps were unusually slow.
Damn long-awaited dance.
The familiar curse word lingered in Sihyun's mouth. Though they agreed to perform together after today, it felt more embarrassing than doing a couple's dance in front of everyone.
Sihyun, with a throbbing head, pledged while moving his steps.
Let's sync up quickly and finish fast.
If you can't avoid it, might as well enjoy it; swiftly finishing and resting became Sihyun's strategy.
And that strategy of Sihyun's, thanks to Kang Sihyun's body surprisingly complying quite well, managed to hold its ground. The day Sihyun felt moved by Kang Sihyun's body was the second time.
***
The nightmare-like practice of the couple's dance ended, and the final rehearsal of the harmony was done. Except for Yoo Seowoo joking around during the highlight part, there wasn't much of a problem. Except for feeling embarrassed himself.
It was embarrassing enough to dance in front of Class A, but thinking about dancing in front of all the first-year students was already dreadful. He thought it might be better to redo the end-of-month assessment and then go on a math trip with fewer people.
This time, there was no way to avoid it like before.
Since it was fully funded, there was no reason not to go. Although he had adopted the concept of being frail at the beginning, being registered as a healer, faking illness wouldn't cut it anymore.
The day before the math trip, as Sihyun contemplated various things, he realized he had no choice but to go and hit his head on the suitcase he was packing.
Bang!
"Si-Sihyun?"
Of course, he hit the edge. Sihyun, feeling dizzy and absentminded, held his forehead, startling Haru who turned his head towards him. He glanced with a concerned look, muttering that he was okay. Unaware of his speed, excited Haewoon had been humming a song since earlier.
"Could you be a bit quieter?"
"But aren't you excited? You've never been on an S Corporation cruise!"
"Is it that great?"
"...."
"Why again?"
"No, it's nothing. I just suddenly felt that Sihyun is someone detached from the world."
Detached from the world. Ever since mentioning not knowing about the S Corporation in March, Haewoon had often said this to me. It was an unflattering nickname, so when Haewoon got excited, he mentioned how great this math trip was. I wasn't sure about everything, but it seemed undeniably luxurious.
"Aren't you really excited?"
"Not really."
"Why?"
"Because it's a long-awaited event from day one."
Since they were supposed to have a long-awaited event during the overnight trip, it meant they had to dance in front of the entire first-year students from the first night. Sighing, Sihyun watched the scene and lowered his head.
***
"Pia, Pia..."
"She's not stopping..."
Haru sighed as Pia continued crying incessantly. Until he finished packing, she was sticking to this person and that person, acting cute, but as soon as it was time to sleep, she started crying like a ghost. It was as if she knew they were going on a math trip and had to be separated.
Already leaving her with the teacher staying at school during the math trip, Sihyun felt concerned seeing Pia crying persistently and hugged her. Pia, who usually slept on Haru's bed, seemed to be demanding something different today. Desperately clinging, she finally stopped crying when held by Sihyun, who lay down on the bed, holding her.
The crying little one slowly crawled up and settled on his stomach. Feeling a slight pressure, Sihyun sighed. Fortunately, it wasn't his habit to sleep roughly.
"Stop crying all the time."
Trying to comfort her, Sihyun awkwardly patted Pia a couple of times, and the crying ceased. Quite a character indeed. Closing his eyes after patting her a few times, Sihyun heard Haewoon say he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight due to excitement, while Sihyun mentioned he might have nightmares and not sleep well.
In the deepening darkness of dawn,
Sihyun indeed had a nightmare.
A very large belly appeared, a grim nightmare.
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