Episode 51. Giving Up Isn’t Just for Counting Cabbages (3)

Juyul was slightly bothered by Sodam’s uncharacteristically passive demeanor, but he figured it was because she had been dragged to an unwanted location.

Seeing her silently follow behind him with her lips tightly sealed didn’t sit well with him either. From the moment she got in the car to the way she carried herself, it was clear that Sodam believed Juyul had brought her to his house solely for Guiding. But surprisingly, Juyul firmly believed that Guiding should take place in designated locations—it was the best choice for both of them.

‘Otherwise, we really could end up tangled together anywhere…’

Even with that belief, he had made up his mind to bring her home the moment he saw the state of her house. A person without debt and with money should at least show some willingness to change. If she continued living in such conditions without any intent to improve, it would inevitably become a problem down the line.

So, he had simply brought her here to set a minimum—or perhaps a maximum—standard.

Juyul had every intention of feeding her properly, letting her rest, and sending her back. Of course, if Sodam went all out trying to seduce him, then that might be a different story—but since that was impossible, such a scenario was purely in the realm of imagination.

As he placed his card key over the door lock, the mechanism clicked open with a light chime. He stepped inside and took off his shoes right away, but Sodam, hearing the door automatically lock behind her, tensed up as if bracing for the inevitable.

Noticing this, Juyul retrieved a pair of slippers from the shoe rack, then gently but firmly grasped her chin.

“Maeng Sodam, Guide.”

“…Huh? Y-Yes?”

“I’ll say it again. Whatever it is you’re expecting, it’s not going to happen today. So don’t be so scared.”

Only then did Sodam blink, realizing that Juyul was teasing her again. Her frustration boiled over—how unfair! How could he say that when every time they met in the Guiding Room, he pressed his lips and body against hers? How was she supposed to stay calm after all that?

Juyul, unconcerned with her puffed-out lower lip, led her to the kitchen. He sat her down neatly at the dining table before casually pulling out a pot. She rubbed her eyes, certain she was imagining things, but no—the sight before her didn’t change.

A short while later, the kitchen was filled with the savory scent of porridge. When she asked why porridge of all things, his only response was that her body was too weak.

With no argument to counter that, Sodam had no choice but to sit quietly and wait for the meal to be served.

Even as she stared at the steaming porridge served in an unmistakably high-end bowl, Sodam couldn’t shake the feeling that she was missing something. She shut her eyes tight and took a bite, bracing herself with the thought, If it’s poisoned, at least it’ll be quick. But the taste—far better than she expected—shocked her.

“…This is so unfair.”

“What?”

“You’re handsome, an SSS-class, tall, and apparently great in bed. Why are you also good at cooking? It’s so annoying…”

She grumbled in a sulky voice, diligently scooping up more porridge. Juyul had been about to say something, but her words drained the energy out of him.

Sodam emptied the bowl in record time, staring at the now-empty dish with a sense of guilt.

Juyul… maybe you’re a better guy than I thought. Yeah, there’s no way my main character is just some sex-crazed lunatic. I believed in you… like, 1 gram of faith.

Unlike her own home, which grew colder as winter approached, his house was warm—so warm it could’ve been mistaken for summer. The heat relaxed her tense body, and the porridge melted away whatever remained of her resistance.

She leaned back, savoring the satisfaction for only a moment before she noticed Juyul reaching for her empty bowl. Panicking, she quickly leaned forward, shielding it with her body.

“…If you really want the bowl, just say so. I’ll buy you a new one.”

“Huh? What the hell are you talking about? I was just trying to be decent and say I’d do the dishes.”

“Oh, don’t bother. The housekeeper will handle it tomorrow. Tea or coffee?”

“Uh… can I just get cold water?”

“Tea it is.”

Every time she tried to voice an opinion, he shut it down immediately. Strangely, though, it didn’t feel bad. In fact, it gave her a brief, ridiculous realization—So this is why people wish for marriage or a lot of money. If this was what it felt like to be spoiled, she understood why people craved it.

She’d only been here for a short while, and she was already growing indulgent. If she had accepted his offer to live together, she might have discovered just how far she could fall into bad habits. Trying to snap herself out of it, she pinched her cheeks—only to look up and find Juyul setting down a cup in front of her, giving her a look of mild exasperation.

“I was just… curious how soft my cheeks were.”

“Sure you were.”

“I mean it… Anyway, thank you… for everything.”

The moment she caught a whiff of the tea, she knew it was expensive. Just breathing it in made her conscience ache. Recently, she’d already had enough guilt on her plate, but now, indulging in a luxurious tea gifted to Juyul out of gratitude from people he’d saved? It felt like adding another scar to her already battered sense of morality.

Trying to suppress her unease, Sodam threw her gaze far away, thinking quickly. She’d eaten so much that it felt wrong to just sit here without offering anything in return.

Her eyes landed on the teacup, and a thought struck her. This is it. Awkwardly, she spoke up.

“Uh, ahem. Baek Juyul… you seem to live quite… delicately. Do you like tea?”

“I usually go for coffee, so not really. These are all gifts.”

“Oh… I see. But do you even have connections with people who’d give you gifts? Ah.”

Her honest thought slipped out before she could stop it, and she immediately felt a wave of regret. Unable to take it back, she pretended to focus solely on drinking her tea.

Juyul, unfazed, simply answered as if he had heard the question countless times before.

“Most of them are from people I don’t even know. They send them to the Association every time I go on a subjugation mission.”

“So… they’re gifts from the people you saved. …Is it really okay for me to drink this?”

“I throw most of them away anyway. I don’t really think I saved anyone, so it just feels burdensome.”

He said it without much thought, but Sodam felt as if she had glimpsed something deeper in him.

Twenty-two years old. If he had lived a normal life, he’d be drowning in university assignments and trivial worries. On the surface, the life of an SSS-class Esper seemed bright and full of hope, but in reality… wasn’t it far too harsh a path for someone who had lost both parents at such a young age?

The bitter taste in her mouth—was it from the tea? Or something else?

By the time she had finished the drink, quite a bit of time had passed. The soft clink of her cup being set down broke the quiet stillness between them.

“Uh… so…”

“You sleep in the bed. I have things to do.”

“What? No, that’s a bit…”

“If the owner says it’s fine, isn’t it rude to keep refusing? Don’t you think?”

“…Well, that’s true.”

Unlike Sodam, who had become noticeably more cautious, Juyul remained as indifferent as ever. Half-pushed into the bedroom, she now fully realized there was no way out of this situation. With a heavy sigh, she resolved to be as little of a burden as possible and quickly finished her shower.

She squeezed as much water as she could from her damp hair, but the real problem lay elsewhere—the pajamas he had left for her. Of course, if Juyul had pajamas that fit her perfectly, that would have been concerning in its own way. However, the unique experience of her pants slipping down with every step made it clear that just one step was enough of that nonsense.

Holding onto her waistband awkwardly, she shuffled out into the living room, where she found Juyul sitting on the sofa, reading through a thick stack of documents. He even had glasses on—something she had never seen, not even in illustrations. She didn’t want to disturb him, but this was an emergency.

“Uh, Esper Baek Juyul.”

“What is it?”

“These pajama pants keep sliding down. Do you have something like a drawstring or an elastic band?”

“…Ah.”

Juyul, who had been steadily reading, immediately looked up at her. Sodam, standing there clutching the oversized waistband like a fool, let out a nervous laugh. His expression hardened.

Assuming he was annoyed at how much trouble she was causing, she hastily added, “If you just tell me where to find something, I can get it myself. Hahaha…”

“…Sorry, but I don’t think I have anything like that. I don’t stay home often.”

“Oh… Well, in that case, it can’t be helped. Sorry for bothering you!”

She quickly bowed her head and retreated, closing the door behind her as quietly as possible. For good measure, she even locked it—not that it would make any difference if he really wanted to come in.

“…No, no. He’s not that kind of guy. Right?”

At the very least, the pants wouldn’t be much of a problem while she slept. In the morning, she would just have to wear her washed underwear, even if it felt a bit uncomfortable.

Despite being in a far more comfortable place than usual, she couldn’t shake the feeling of unease.

“Let’s just sleep. Maybe I’ll think of a solution in the morning.”

The moment she collapsed onto the plush bed, the warmth of the blanket enveloped her completely. Perhaps it was because she had drained so much mental energy today, but she quickly sank into sleep, the softness of the bed pulling her under almost instantly.