NOVEL NEXT Chapter 211
“So, even if I punish you, you won’t have anything to say about it, right?”
“…….”
There was no answer to my words. Well, they probably had no words left to say since none of us kept any promises anyway.
…Actually, they did keep one promise: they said they would put me to sleep on the bed.
It’s just that everything after that went down the drain.
Thinking back to when I was sleeping on Sohee’s bed, it seems like they were planning to leave me there and go sleep on their own beds… But in the end, none of them could resist their impulses. It’s honestly a miracle that not one of them fell off that small bed.
Well, considering how tightly they were clinging to each other, if someone had fallen off, that would have been a miracle of its own.
…….
On top of that, the whole time I was asleep, this Sara who followed me around in my dreams and embraced me… couldn’t say a single word.
Did she finally feel just how angry I was?
Nah, I guess, whatever.
I can’t deny that I like these girls. I mean, considering that I’m a company employee who got confessed to by high school girls while passing by, I can’t be blamed for feeling a little smug about it.
But still.
Can’t you at least listen to me when I ask you not to?
“From today for a week, physical contact with me is strictly forbidden.”
As soon as I said that, the three of them, who had been looking down, suddenly lifted their heads.
They all looked like they had a lot to say, but the moment our eyes met, they quickly averted their gaze.
“…….”
They looked a little pitiful.
As I mentioned, these girls were quintessential cute girls. Each one beautiful enough to be considered a heroine in a visual novel. Even Ha Neul, who is more of a protagonist than a heroine, is designed to be pretty just like the other female characters in such games. The original images might have been drawn in MS Paint, but still.
Looking at the various men and women getting tangled up in this story, it must be a rule that they all start off as adorable girls.
Anyway, when such pretty girls look up at me with sparkling eyes, it reminds me of that one cartoon where a big green monster wears glowing shoes. It makes it hard for me to say anything bad due to guilt.
“…….”
No, wait.
I had to make it clear this time. It’s good for my mental health and their future as well. At least if I put down the line ‘minor’, we’d have time until they graduate.
“If you break my words…”
Break my words?
Ha Neul, Sohee, and Sua in front of me seemed to be asking that question with their eyes. Seeing those slightly scared looks made my words choke in my throat.
What if they did break it?
What punishments could I give these girls?
‘Would I hate them from now on?’ That’s something I know would be impossible as well. I still haven’t developed romantic feelings for them yet. If I were to compare my feelings with theirs, there would definitely be a weight difference.
But still, I like these girls.
After all, they’re my friends.
There’s one who mustered the courage to talk to me despite knowing what would happen if she got close; another who talked to me just to become friends no matter what ‘Sara’ is about; and one who had an intense first encounter but slowly became friends after some bickering.
And the weight of that friendship cannot be easily discarded. I like these girls. I like being with them, with the Sara too.
That’s why I can’t hate them.
“…….”
After much contemplation, I reached out one hand pointing towards the door and said,
“……And the next step is, the room is off-limits for one week.”
Thud!
It wasn’t a sound that truly echoed, but to my eyes, it looked like a huge invisible rock had dropped on their heads. Ha Neul shuddered as if she really hated the thought of it.
…But thinking back, when was the last time Ha Neul went home?
Sua mentioned having many days when her parents weren’t home, and Sohee is basically a staff member here who even got permission from her dad.
I guess there wouldn’t be any problem staying here?
“Uh, um…”
As I pondered over these thoughts while staring intently at Ha Neul, it seemed like she felt the need to say something. Ha Neul briefly appeared to search for words and suddenly raised one hand up.
“I-I’m in favor!”
This time, the attention turned towards Ha Neul. I, who had been looking directly at her, and even Sohee and Sua sitting next to me, stared at Ha Neul with our mouths agape.
Our expressions pretty much screamed, “How can you agree to that!”
“…….”
So, I turned to look at Sohee and Sua in turn.
“Uh, um…”
“Ugh…”
Both of them hesitated for a moment but eventually raised one hand in agreement, just like Ha Neul.
“I’m on board too!”
“Me too!”
Well, alright.
I’m glad they’re listening.
“If any of you mess up in that state, I’ll just go sleep outside. After all, this place has many rooms.”
“Uh, but!”
Unable to hold it in any longer, Sohee shouted. The explosive volume of her voice made me shiver for a moment. Seeing my reaction, she cleared her throat and, in a slightly softer voice, protested.
“If one person does something wrong, the other two won’t be able to see you…”
“Well, you’ve touched on something. If y’all cross the line, there will be collective responsibility. You all better believe you won’t be seeing me for a while.”
Though we’d still sit next to each other in school and eat lunch together, that’s how I made my stance clear.
“…….”
A tense silence enveloped the room for a while.
The girls bowed their heads, each lost in their thoughts.
…They understood correctly, right?
“Ahem.”
However, I decided to add one more condition for fear that if I pressed too hard, it might twist their feelings in the wrong direction.
“If you hold up your end of the bargain, I’ll…”
Kissing was a bit too much.
What’s more, saying ‘I’ll kiss you once a day’ out loud felt too embarrassing, so I decided to stick with a different condition instead.
“……I’ll give you a hug. One for each of you.”
So, that’s how the agreement took shape.
Right, with a whip, there should also be a carrot.
The fact that they wouldn’t touch me could be interpreted as ‘not touching me’.
My stamina has definitely improved, but I still can’t beat these girls. Even if it’s Sua, who seems to have the least physical strength among the three. I know I wouldn’t be able to defend myself if they all pounced on me at once.
So, that’s why we reached a mutual agreement.
…Actually, thinking back, that’s a bit scary.
If all three of them come at me at once, I’d just be… subjected to whatever they wanted. Now that I think about it, the other two kissed me by overpowering me, so it’s clear that I wouldn’t have been able to resist no matter how it went.
“…….”
With a slightly tense expression, I stared at the three of them, and this time it was Ha Neul who nodded first.
“Okay.”
“I can compromise on this.”
Sohee followed up, and lastly, Sua added,
“I’ll do just that.”
And thus, we reached an agreement.
*
“…….”
The atmosphere feels a bit off.
Among the students at Hwayoung High School, the number of those who can genuinely like Ye Sara is minimal. Of course, most just think that way on their own, not even considering their own actions, and simply dislike her because she retaliated.
But even so, it’s not like we can isolate Ye Sara like before.
Ye Sara has publicly formed her own group within the school—gathering those who were previously ignored.
If the leader of that group wasn’t ‘Ye Sara’, everyone would have simply disregarded it. They wouldn’t have been able to accomplish anything.
But the leader of that group is Ye Sara.
In fact, with the chairwoman vacating her position due to some scandal, this situation would usually cause stock prices to plummet, but since ‘Ye Sara’ has been aggressively buying stocks under her name, the stock prices took no significant damage.
In fact, it isn’t just Ye Sara. Ever since she started moving, the board of directors at Yujin Group has been hoarding stocks as well. Consequently, the various companies under Yujin Group are following suit.
Logically thinking, it’s hard to believe that all of this came from just one high school girl’s mind.
But at the same time, the kids attending this school couldn’t possibly think otherwise.
Everything seemed to be going just as Ye Sara wanted, like it was all staged.
Isn’t it possible that the chairwoman Choi Na-kyung has fallen into this situation because of Ye Sara’s schemes?
Rumors spread and gained traction. Among the tales floating around the school, Ye Sara walked her path confidently, her expression utterly unphased.
But today, she didn’t seem to be in a particularly good mood.
What calamity is going to befall us this time? The students felt tense.
*
Why do I feel so empty?
Could it really be that I miss being around Ha Neul, Sohee, and Sua just because they’ve been away from my side for a few hours?
……
Nah, it can’t be that.
Even though it’s just about summer weather, I absentmindedly fidgeted my side, feeling a sense of hollowness.