Chapter 29 – Seyoung’s Day (1)

【’Blessing of the Colorful Tree’ manifests, absorbing some abilities of ‘The World Tree of Healing’.】
【Natural recovery rate surges. You become able to use the World Tree of Healing’s power, ‘Healing’.】

As the saying goes, after hardship comes relief; the hidden ability of the Blessing of the Colorful Tree seemed to have the power to steal the abilities of trees.

Seeing that made my anger dissipate a bit. Being assaulted by a tree—how absurd it seems even now.

“So, honestly, I still can’t comprehend why that tree did such a thing to you… Siheon. And as for Seyoung-“
“You want me to keep it a secret?”

I let out a sigh. The anxious expression on the star’s face turned pensive. I had no intention of causing a fuss about being violated, but I feigned anger.

“Please, just stay with me a while.”
“Jin, I’m really sorry. Should I do a grand bow?”

Suddenly, the star bowed her head and placed her hand on the ground. She seemed genuinely prepared to lift her leg.
I relaxed my expression and smiled.

“No, it’s fine. I’ve got this, so that’s enough.”

With that, I gently shook the elixir held in my hand.
Having received an ample amount of the elixir, healing ability, and physical touch, I decided to let this matter pass with ease.

“I’m relieved~ Are you no longer upset?”
“How could I be angry with you, Star? It’s the tree that’s at fault.”
“Thank you!”

The star, beaming with a bright smile, embraced me.
Her large breasts pressed against me, causing my soiled body to melt away and become clean.

How many seconds had passed?
A cold voice came from behind.

“What are you two doing?”
“Gasp!”

Hearing the voice, the startled star turned her creaking neck to look at the speaker.

“…Se-Young?”
“Se-Young is nonsense. What are you doing to my child right now?”

“A hug with a cute comrade after a battle – it hurts so much! Ouch! Don’t yank my cheeks, you madwoman!”
“What, madwoman? You’re the madwoman! Hey, and Lee Si-heon, shouldn’t you have contacted me when you woke up?”

Se-young, who had been pulling on Byul’s hair, glared at me. Byul, struggling in Se-young’s embrace, let out a sob.

After a skirmish had taken place, Se-young sighed and asked Byul.

“Hey, crazy star, were you the type to cling to men?”
“I hugged him because he was good-looking.”
“Good-looking?”

Se-young glanced at my mask for a moment.

“Is it him?”
“Yeah.”

Byul, who was rubbing her bright red, swollen cheeks with both hands, nodded her head. Se-young spoke with a truly astonished tone.

“Your taste is damn unique, isn’t it? What makes him good-looking?”
“Huh? No way, our Si-heon is handsome.”
“Our Si-heon? Are you asking for trouble? And honestly, his looks are a disaster.”

Se-Young, who naturally incorporated a sensual vibe, tapped her lovely face with her hand as if to invite me to look.

“Being handsome and pretty is my face.”
“Seriously, don’t mess with me, sir.”
“Shut up and empathize.”
“…Ah, yes.”

I thought I should be genuinely kind to her since the last time I was scared, but seeing her face again makes me want to swear. And I wondered when Byul saw my face. Perhaps she saw it while I was unconscious with my mask off.

“Anyway, get in the car quickly. I drove for five hours because of you, you jerk.”
“Yep.”

Since she came from far away to meet me, I didn’t say anything more.

“Goodbye~! Let’s discuss rewards and certificates over the phone later!”
“Yes, understood.”

Byul waved us off until she was no longer visible from the car window, and Se-Young, glaring at her like a cat, started the car.

The luxury foreign car sped down the road after comfortably leaving the parking lot.

– Rattle, rattle.

“Hey.”
“Yes?”
“How are you feeling?”

I casually responded to the words that were tossed at me.

“It was actually quite nice, watching TV and using the laptop. If I could, I’d like to be hospitalized one more time.”
“Hmm, really? How’s the magic circuit? Oh, could you pass me some water?”
“It’s in perfect condition. Here you go.”

As I opened the cap of the bottled water and handed it to her, Se-Young surveyed the surrounding roads and took a sip. A droplet of water escaped from the corner of her mouth and trickled down to her collarbone. Se-Young glanced down at the droplet, then slyly looked at me with a mischievous gaze.

I put the water bottle away and reached for a tissue, thinking she wanted me to wipe it off.

“Suck it.”

An unexpected request burst forth.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m driving.”
“Hehehe. If you’re not feeling well, get some rest – your driving skills are incredible anyway.”

It was good news for me, who had been suffering from stress disorder after a traumatic experience, but it wasn’t polite to sleep while someone else was driving. I had no intention of resting.

I settled comfortably into my seat and pulled out three tickets from the bag that Byul had given me.

▶ Wishing for Closeness (B)
[Category: Consumables]
– A coupon that grants the gift the recipient desires most. Effective immediately upon tearing.

This was the reward for overcoming the recent trial. Considering the chaos I went through to save my friend, I couldn’t decide if the reward was good or bad.

What’s the most desired gift? I discreetly turned my head to look at Lee Se-Young. She had been an incredibly helpful ally, so she seemed like the perfect person to receive a gift. With conviction, I tore the coupon.

– Jjiik, flash!

A brilliant white light poured from the bag, and soon a sizable object appeared in my hand.

[Tree Lady 033 Ultra-Thin Condoms, 30-Pack]

What is this?

“…You animal.”

I flinched. Startled, I turned my head to see Se-Young glaring at me, her face pale and rigid as she registered the pink box in my hand.

His expression was one of contempt.

“Did you really have such thoughts amidst all this?”
“…I want to explain, to clarify things.”
“Forget it! You lowly bastard. You’ll probably drag me to some dark corner, silence me, and screw me like a dog.”

This is the gift you desire!

I felt the words rising to my throat, but instead of spewing the truth, I bit them back and swallowed. Imagining Se-Young’s flustered face after hearing the truth, I didn’t know what to do. She might have slapped me, her face flushed with embarrassment. Si-heon would become Si-heon nevertheless.

Sometimes, it’s better to tell a lie.

I feigned being hurt as much as possible, silently resting my chin and gazing out the window. Se-Young, with an excited tone, continued to attack me.

“Really, how do you plan to survive without me?”
“I can live just fine without her. I’ve spent 20 years without a woman.”
“It certainly shows.”
“…”

I let out a short sigh.

I found myself at a loss for words, reminded of my present state and who I was just a few weeks ago.

“Hey, why do you look so down? You’ve changed a lot since you got injured; you used to curse and complain all the time.”
“Do you want me to curse?”
“…No? It’s not bad as it is right now.”

She stretched her words and scratched her cheek with her finger. Then, as if pondering something for a while, she spoke to me, bringing up a subject she had been considering for a long time.

“Hey, so what’s your relationship with Azalea?”

At that, I couldn’t help but show a surprised expression.

“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”
“It’s nothing major; I just noticed she’s been searching for you quite diligently. She asks about you every time I visit the hospital, wondering when you’ll come.”
“Uh… I’m not sure? I can’t quite grasp it.”

Had I ever done anything to win Azalea’s favor? Upon reflection, my actions seemed nothing short of half-madness.

From half-stalker antics akin to chocolate terrorism to a declaration of friendship reminiscent of a pathetic companion. If I were Azalea, I might have slapped the man’s face out of sheer frustration.

‘The only thing worth scoring points for is taking revenge on Lee Seong-han.’

Is this an attempt to express gratitude?
Regardless, since Azalea considers me a friend, I am still alive.
I’ll have to buy some fancy chocolate filled with heartfelt emotions on my way.

“What relationship isn’t there?”
“If you ask what kind of relationship we have, all I can say is that we’re friends. But why are you so persistent in your questioning? Are you jealous or something?”
“No, it’s just… Don’t mess with the academy students. Wouldn’t it be odd if you died doing the same thing you did to me?”

That thought had been etched in my heart for quite some time.
Originally, my personality wasn’t like this. However, ever since I became involved with that ringleader and lascivious fiend, I would get angry at the slightest provocation, and my gaze would be drawn to women’s bodies.

For example, when on the subway, I am seized by the urge to reach for the buttocks of the woman beside me. It was agonizing to resist that impulse. My mental fortitude was tested just by suppressing this simple desire.

‘I have to remedy this somehow.’

Although I reaped the benefits of my laid-back nature, I intended to rid myself of this temperament eventually.

-Rattle.

The car’s body shook as it went over a speed bump. Snapping out of my reverie, I scanned the surroundings through the car window.

Colorful neon signs filled the view. Se-Young had parked the car at the entrance to an alley lined with a variety of shops, ranging from karaoke bars to pubs.

“What are you going to buy?”
“Um, I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?”

Se-Young pulled a dark can from the back of the car and shot me a mischievous glance. Something felt off. Since being hit by a tree, I had become acutely sensitive to women’s gazes. As if to prove a point, Se-Young held out the front of the can for me to see.

It was beer.

“Alcohol? Why all of a sudden?”

*Chik.*

“…Why are you doing that?”

*Clack clack.*

Thud! Se-Young, setting down the beer can, flashed a mischievous smile.

“I can’t drive anymore.”

It felt as though madness might take hold.

Se-Young, casually unbuttoning her shirt to brazenly expose her lingerie strap, switched off the car’s ignition and sidled up to me with a sly glance. Her hand brushing against my thigh invoked memories of our last encounter.

Yet, it felt good.

“They called me a beast.”
“Because I am a beast too.”

Se-Young pursed her lips, offering no reply. Her smooth, soft, pale pink lips intertwined with mine, gently teasing them open. As we shared each other’s saliva, our tongues crudely entwined.

*Chuup, chump… Mmm.*

I hugged Se-Young’s body tightly and pulled away from her lips.

“Paha—yeah, yes.”

With eyes wide open and filled with longing, Se-Young wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her lips against it.

Come to think of it, wasn’t there a time when she lost a bet in Dalian and decided to spend the night there? Now that I recall, we also made a promise to watch a movie together.

Might as well do it now while I have time. I used force to free Se-Young from her restraints, unbuckled the seatbelt, and opened the car door.

-Clunk-

“Give me a little more.”

Se-Young stepped out of the car with a disappointed expression, her face revealing her selfish desires.

A late-night movie—perfect timing.

“Hey, let’s go quickly.”

I escorted Se-Young, who had been tugging on my arm toward the motel, and headed in that direction.

“…Where are we going?”
“I’m hungry. Let’s eat and watch a movie. What do you think?”

Se-Young seemed to have grasped the gist of my words, as she glanced back and forth between the motel and the shopping district before approaching me with quick steps.

“Well… we have plenty of time.”

Yes, we have plenty of time.

But I can’t predict when I might commit a surprising act, following the whimsical commands of the World Tree. I want to enjoy this time as much as possible. Se-Young’s appearance leaves nothing to be desired.

Holding Se-Young’s hand, we entered the movie theater and approached the smiling clerk at the counter.

The movie looks intriguing enough. Since there were no films from my old world, I have no idea what makes a film enjoyable.

“Two couple seats, please.”
“……”

Naturally, I chose a pair of seats, and also purchased popcorn and soda. As Se-Young wanted, we held hands tightly and sat down. She soon murmured beside me.

“Hey, you mentioned this last time too – did you really want to see a movie with me that badly?”
“I did.”
“……”

I replied, intending to humor her. No response came. When I turned my head, Se-Young’s face was as red as a ripe apple.

“Cr-crazy person.”
“How long will you keep saying that?”

“Ugh, seriously… If we’re on a date, why not take off the mask?”

Se-Young, determined to be assertive, reached for my mask.

“You’re right.”
“Huh? You’re really taking it off? You hate doing that, don’t you?”
“I don’t exactly hate it, but I have a reason for wearing it.”

In the past, it was to conceal my hideous appearance, but now it was to receive a bonus for mana manipulation. The efficiency difference between wearing the mask and not wearing it was extreme, so I had to wear it to enhance my skills.

However, it wasn’t necessary to wear it while on a date, so I reached for the mask.

“Are you really taking it off?”
“Would I fake taking it off?”

I removed my mask, revealing my bare face.

*Gasp.*

Just then, the lights in the movie theater dimmed, and the commercials began.

Her eyes, gazing at me, were larger and rounder than any I had ever seen before.

“…Ugh.”

Se-Young’s gasping breath could be heard.

The film began.