-"The professor said… It seems like you've been thinking about death for a while."
-"I'm sorry to bring this up, but I thought it was necessary for you to know."
There's a lot on my mind that I had been keeping inside.
-"Ever since being at the academy, you were planning to fight the Flower, assuming you'd die."
But why?
I knew Lee Seyeong has been unconditionally in love with me to an odd extent.
And tried to return all the affection received.
-"Even suggesting to meet other women. It was because you needed someone by your side when you die."
Someone who has lived alone without anyone by their side from the beginning.
-"Really, you only knew about yourself."
Capable but unpredictable.
Everyone had their thoughts and seemingly solid plans.
But it turned out to be poison, not a cure.
"…Why all of a sudden?"
Seyeong's face stiffened.
The business-like attitude felt like dealing with someone in a professional meeting.
"Why did you do it?"
Lee Seyeong probably started harboring such feelings when she changed jobs.
Die for me? How could she throw away her life after just meeting me? Impossible.
There were many parts I didn't understand, but this part had to be understood clearly and sensibly. After all, there's no one among the people around me who had led an ordinary life.
"…I don't understand what you are saying. Hey, you are being weird."
"Don't pretend."
My voice cracked as I put strength into my throat.
Seyeong's face hardened at the raised voice.
"It was strange from the moment you said you were changing jobs. I kind of knew, but I didn't realize it was such a big deal."
"…Who did you hear it from?"
"Well, I saw it, kind of."
A word fell from Seyeong's mouth that was as good as an agreement.
Then, I finally relaxed my voice and shrugged my shoulders.
Her complexion turned pale.
"Teacher."
"Yes."
"Why all of a sudden?"
"Hey… if you listen to what I say, it's like, am I going to die or something? It's just gathering information, gathering information… It just got a bit rough."
To die.
Because it was about dying.
Would I be doing this if the outcome was good?
Whatever she did, I'd welcome it with open arms.
If it got resolved without death, I was willing to treat her as the lady of the house for life.
Oh my, my wife was the best.
But that's not it.
"…Shiheon?"
Her complexion turned white as if she noticed my hardened expression.
I said nothing.
Just gazed at her intently.
"Hey, I'm just… There are too many targeting you. Changing jobs was just that… just."
Her sentences hurriedly follow. Her breath becomes rougher.
"…I know there's a risk. But that's how work is, isn't it? You did the same. Right? You know?"
Silence lingered.
Seyeong, unable to stay still, couldn't keep her hands in one place.
Fidgeting, opening and closing.
She kept looking at me and then cautiously asked.
"…Are you mad?"
"Come sit beside me."
As I spoke sternly, Seyeong left behind her previous prickliness and silently got up to sit beside me.
Sweat trickled down Seyeong's cheeks.
I wrapped my arms around her shoulders.
"…"
The best way to resolve conflict was through conversation. Pride often led to solitary struggles that resulted in loss.
"Teacher."
"Why."
"We do like each other, right?"
"…So why are you suddenly acting like this? Hey, don't be cringey."
"Just tell me."
"I do, like you."
It's a word we had subtly avoided until now. It was my first realization when Lee Seyeong died.
The invisible line between us. The distance she had unconsciously maintained. The first step was to break down that barrier.
"What do you think will happen if I die?"
"Why bring that up now… It'd be tough."
"Why would you do this knowing that?"
I tapped her head gently.
A habit formed from often doing it to the younger Cheondo. Could it upset her? A quick glance revealed a faint blush on Seyeong's cheeks.
'Just keep going.'
Holding her close, I felt her hair through my fingers, surrounded by a soft grassy scent.
"You're much more important than Flower. Please, don't think like that. Just don't."
"See, I'm not dying."
"I know everything, that's why I say this. If you die, I die too."
"Hey! You really…"
I didn't expect this moment's conversation to change the future.
Lee Seyeong was stubborn, rarely bending her will. However, it left some room for possibility.
In just a few short minutes of conversation.
"Adding women so it wouldn't matter if you died… What kind of nonsensical B-movie plot do you think this is? You know they hardly ever do that, right?"
"…Did you hear that from Jin Dallae?"
I had heard it. But at this point, Jin Dallae hadn't said it yet.
It's inevitable to suspect… Let Dallae take the fall.
"It's nice to be loved by you, but sometimes it's too much."
"When did I ever say I love you? Don't be delusional…"
"So, you don't love me?"
"Eh."
Seyeong frowned as if burdened.
"Why are you like this all of a sudden? It's been days… You turn into an old man."
Uh… old man?
I was shocked. I also didn't want to be saying cheesy lines.
If we just spoke plainly and understood each other without hiding, wouldn't that be better? Hiding just led to these situations.
Did I have to say I dreamt of her dying every time I slept?
Or that I sweated cold sweats while vomiting every night?
Neither were believable. In the end, I had to hold onto her.
"Ah, I love you! Happy now? Is your heart at ease now?"
"Ha ha ha."
Seyeong half exploded in irritation after persistent questioning. It was her first love confession, her face turning as red as a strawberry.
The head I was stroking felt warm like a heat pack.
"Really, ah… Lee Shiheon, you bastard."
It's been a while since I heard such swearing.
I was reminded of the times we first met and walked together at the academy, calling each other names.
Our relationship began with a transaction over a Tree Circle Pill.
But as time passed, our relationship naturally developed. Now, she's trying to die in my place… People are truly unfathomable.
After all, wasn't it human nature to risk your life to save someone you had just met, even if it meant getting hit by a car? It's incomprehensible with logic.
Looking into Seyeong's eyes beside me, her bewildered look seemed so precious.
Then I'd remember the pale face of the dead body.
Squinting from a headache, Seyeong tightly closed her eyes and puckered her lips.
"…"
I hadn't planned on kissing her. But seeing her lips pouted like a duck's, I felt if I didn't respond, I'd be scolded, so I moved my face closer.
"Mmm…"
Her soft upper lip. I enveloped it in one bite, wrapping my arms around her shoulders.
Seyeong, holding me, squeezed my back tightly.
With a flick of my tongue, I licked her lips, which opened up to intertwine with mine.
Seyeong's tongue felt rough yet smooth, like a cat's. A mature woman's scent wafted through, reminiscent of tea leaves held in the mouth.
As saliva entered, I tilted my head.
"…Hah, suck."
Inside the lit hotel room, a man and a woman embraced, leaving a bottle of alcohol aside.
Mixed with the scent of alcohol, moans burst out.
"Huh… Ahh… Ah."
The kiss continued. Without any bodily touch, my body, which hadn't relieved sexual tension for over three months, heated up.
I pushed my tongue with all my might, enough to reach her uvula.
Seyeong's dazed eyes momentarily looked up then down. Her rough breathing tickled. Her hands gripping my clothes seemed almost pitiable.
I pulled back my lips and retracted my tongue.
"Hek…heak."
Gasping like a dog, Seyeong seemed somewhat dissatisfied as she weakly pulled me by the waist.
As if she couldn't live without me. As though she had forgotten the previous day's accusations of being a rapist.
There was something I needed to say.
"So, are you still going to keep that strange plan?"
"…"
Moisture was felt on the thighs we crossed. Tapping lightly on the top, her lower body twitched.
The wetness on her stockings.
"…"
Seyeong kept her mouth shut until the end.
Her eyes filled with determination, almost deserving of applause.
-Swish swish.
"Hmm… Uh."
If only she wasn't unconsciously twisting her waist. She seemed completely unaware of this involuntary action.
"Answer."
"…You're mean. Really… Ignoring won't solve anything. You're all I have."
"Why am I all you have?"
"I don't know… Really."
Politicians and chaebols, those surrounded by sly folks in their daily lives, even those rigorously trained elites, had emotions.
I knew, and so did Lee Seyeong.
The rougher the environment, the more you gave your heart and soul to the one you opened up to. Many politicians exploited this vulnerability for scandals.
Sometimes, the foolish actions of politicians caught in the news stemmed from these situations.
Lee Seyeong, viewed as a tool by her family and a self-made case, must have been mentally exhausted.
"Right. I like you, so I concocted a plan. Are you offended? If you were… then you shouldn't have raped me."
"It would have ended up this way later if not at that time, right?"
"…That's an exaggeration."
"Is it?"
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Just scratching a bit would make them burst. I gently soothed Seyeong.
"Anyway, it's useless if you die. Just stay by my side. That's all that's needed."
"I've already committed."
"We can change that starting now."
"Really… such a bad person."
Saying it with a shameless face.
"What's your answer?"
Seyeong bowed her head, a defeated voice emerged.
"I understand."
Perhaps one of the futures that needed to be prevented the most… not quite resolved, but did we come close to its vicinity?
It feels like one of the hundreds of thousands of futures Tree Strainje showed me had been seen.
"…But Jin Dallae, that bastard, sold me out? She wasn't supposed to tell you then, really."
Seyeong buried herself in my embrace, muttering venomously.
…Sorry, Dallae.
You saved our teacher.
Seyeong, who was trembling in my arms, lifted her head.
"So."
"Yes?"
Sharp eyes turned towards me.
"Is this where we end?"
Our bodies, heated to the max.
I laughed awkwardly.
"Ha ha…"
Though I desperately wanted to lie down and rest… there was an equal desire for more. Seyeong, forgetting her embarrassment, ripped off my shirt, grasping at my body.
"Ah!"
It was a touch I hadn't felt in a long time.
A whole night passed by.
Sleep was unnecessary, and it seemed the vigor of the Tree Spirit King was stronger than before; my sapling stood upright all day.
Lee Seyeong sleeping in my arms.
I covered her with a blanket and scratched her tousled hair.
The plans for the training camp were long destroyed.
It seems like spending time meeting people I was supposed to meet would be the way.
"Yaaaawn."
After quite the eventful time. Tissues littered across the hotel floor.
Rubbing my eyes, I lowered my gaze.
[ (Hello) The 'World Tree of Purity' greets you cheerfully. ]
"…?"
Overnight, the original lady of the house had returned.