novelraw Chapter 264 : Chapter 264
Chapter 264 : Chapter 264
Chapter 264: Rest (2)
Belatedly regaining her senses, Se-ah gasped, her mouth wide open.
Who could have expected to run into students—students who knew her face—at a secluded Korean spa far from the Academy?
Especially in this situation.
"No way!"
She quickly waved her hands, belatedly denying the situation.
However, Ho-cheol was lying on his back on the floor, and Se-ah was sitting astride his stomach.
It was a scene that clearly reeked of something suspicious to anyone.
Of course, since they were in a public place, there wouldn't be anything more going on, but still, suspicious was suspicious.
"Strong denial soon becomes... strong affirmation."
Da-yeon, muttering this, took out her phone from her pocket and pressed the camera button.
Chalk—
The sound of the shutter clearly captured the two of them.
"Evidence photo. Secured."
These two didn't believe Ho-cheol and So-hee when they said they weren't dating; they didn't think Se-ah was a simple monitor even after seeing her stick to him like that.
They were looking for an opportunity to slip in, but to witness an affair so brazenly!
"Well, first of all..."
Only then did Ho-cheol lightly push Se-ah off his stomach and sit up.
"Let's talk somewhere quiet."
No matter how deserted the Korean spa was on a weekday afternoon, we hadn't reserved the whole place.
People's attention was already focused here.
There was no guarantee that no one here would recognize our faces.
If that happened, we would all be in trouble.
Ho-cheol glanced around for a moment and found a quiet, deserted place.
Ho-cheol pointed to a corner of the Korean spa.
"Shall we go there?"
The Super-High Temperature Kiln Sauna Room had its jaws wide open.
***
There were countless unique rooms in the Korean spa.
Among them, the hottest, the Charcoal Kiln, radiated a heat so intense that merely inhaling a breath felt like everything inside would be cooked.
In fact, even Ho-cheol found the heat of this sauna quite overwhelming in his current condition.
What was so good about this that people paid money to enter?
Thanks to this, there was not a single other person inside the kiln.
A silence flowed among the four of them seated in a circle in the center.
However, despite the serious atmosphere, all four were wearing sheep-head towels on their heads.
If you come to a Korean spa, you have to wear the sheep head!
—Ye-jin, who had shouted this, had forcefully made and placed them on the heads of the other three, not just her own.
Anyway, Ho-cheol had nothing much to say, so he merely sweated quietly, leaving the explanation to Se-ah's lot.
"So. That's what happened!"
Se-ah diligently explained the whole story.
Simply causing a misunderstanding in that situation was not the problem.
Losing trust with her students as a professor was a fatal issue.
She explained not only the scandalous pose from a moment ago but also the series of events that had occurred since yesterday, not omitting the circumstances that led to the two of them being alone here.
Of course, she explained the situation without revealing detailed information about the monster.
"Is that really true?"
Da-yeon turned her head to Ho-cheol, her eyes clearly skeptical.
"Well, yes?"
Ho-cheol nodded.
"I contacted everyone, too."
I had caused trouble several times by being out of contact, and I had somewhat regretted it.
That's why I immediately contacted everyone as soon as I came out of the Gate this time.
I told them that I had finished everything and would be taking a few more hours to handle the remaining cleanup before returning.
Of course, the only people I contacted were So-hee and Ji-an, as there was no one else to receive it.
While they were relieved that Ho-cheol had returned safely after a full day, they were forced to bombard me with question marks at my declaration that I would be home in a few more hours.
Texts urging me to return quickly kept piling up, but since Ho-cheol had left his phone tucked away in the locker room with his clothes, I had no reason to look at it anymore.
Having received Ho-cheol's confirmation, Se-ah finally regained her composure.
"Exactly. That's what I said!"
"Hmm. I see."
Only then did Da-yeon withdraw her suspicious gaze.
"But why are you two suddenly here?"
Ho-cheol asked what he had been curious about.
They were usually too busy with Hero training to spare this much time.
Did they have time to lounge around in a Korean spa like this?
Ye-jin, who was fanning away her sweat, answered the question.
"Ah, we're on a break. Sword Demon gave us four days off starting two days ago. Everyone at the agency is resting, too."
"Unexpected."
They could rest yesterday and today for sure.
After all, Sword Demon had joined the Gate operation at my request.
However, considering Sword Demon usual personality, I thought he would return to Hero duties immediately upon returning.
Was there some other reason?
Of course, Ho-cheol didn't think deeply about it, as we weren't close enough for that.
It was just a thought of, 'It's nice for the kids to have a few days off.'
"In that case."
Da-yeon put her index finger up to her cheek.
She tilted her head and asked.
"Are you saying that the two of you, putting aside being lovers or anything like that, have absolutely no possibility of developing into that kind of relationship?"
"Th-that's right!"
Se-ah hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded vigorously in agreement.
"That's a relief."
She straightened her head, bending her index finger.
She smiled meaningfully.
"Because that's one less competitor."
"Huh?"
Se-ah let out a foolish sound, and everyone's gaze turned to Da-yeon.
Despite the attention, Da-yeon calmly continued speaking.
"That's because I'm aiming for the professor too."
In fact, Da-yeon had revealed her feelings and inner thoughts to Ho-cheol several times.
However, Ho-cheol had continuously delayed giving an answer, citing her status as a student even if she was an adult.
Then announcing it so brazenly wouldn't be a problem, would it?
"I-I see."
Se-ah replied awkwardly.
Why was she telling me this?
She was briefly puzzled at first, but she quickly found the answer.
That declaration was a kind of restraint.
It was a warning not to touch him because she had laid claim to him.
Of course, she had said she had no feelings for Ho-cheol, but that was merely to escape the immediate situation.
More than anything, Ho-cheol was the first friend she had ever made.
And Se-ah naturally didn't like that stance.
Wasn't she herself merely a latecomer?
The attempt to check her felt quite funny.
Se-ah smiled faintly.
"If you feel that way, shouldn't you not be looking at me right now? You'd be falling far behind even if you were running straight ahead."
It was a venomous remark that was metaphorical yet direct.
Perhaps because she was hit on the part that worried her the most, a spark flew in Da-yeon's eyes.
Was it the steam?
Even with the sheep-head towels, the shapes of a wolf and a fox seemed to flicker behind the two of them.
Ye-jin leaned sideways toward Ho-cheol and whispered so only he could hear, due to the stinging atmosphere flowing between the two.
"Wow. I'm literally suffocating."
"I know."
The inside of the kiln was already boiling, but the area where those two were seemed even hotter.
A sharp question and an even sharper reply were exchanged.
As the heated debate over their pride continued for a long time, Ho-cheol stood up first.
"Ugh, it's too hot for me to stay. I'm going out first."
"Then me too."
Ye-jin also jumped up and followed Ho-cheol.
The remaining Se-ah and Da-yeon also clearly looked like they wanted to leave, but.
"Professor, you go first."
"Ah, no. I'm not tired at all yet. Da-yeon students should go out. You look tired."
"I'm only now getting a single drop of sweat."
Again, the two silently flipped the hourglass next to them.
Ho-cheol and Ye-jin, who came out of the kiln, wiped away the flowing sweat.
Returning to their original spot, Ye-jin's eyes gleamed at the ample amount of food and drinks remaining.
She pointed to the rice drink that was half-full.
"Professor. I can drink this, right?"
"I was drinking that. You should just buy a new one..."
"Oh come on, what a waste of money. Why buy that when it's so expensive!"
Then, before Ho-cheol could fully give his permission, she snatched the Rice drink and put the straw in her mouth.
She added while sucking the Rice drink.
"Saving is the key to living well."
"...Sigh."
If it had been anyone else, I would have immediately scolded them for such an act, but it was difficult to speak harshly to Ye-jin.
She was a person who was financially strapped and struggled with her livelihood, even secretly working part-time jobs.
Even if she was slightly better off now, the frugality and attitude she had accumulated over a lifetime wouldn't be easy to change.
I didn't want to nitpick or nag her about it either.
Ho-cheol, who chewed and swallowed a piece of regular squid, crossed his arms again and dozed off.
Seeing him, Ye-jin approached him closely.
"How about you close your eyes for a bit? It'll probably take a few more hours for those two to come out."
"Maybe."
Ye-jin knelt down and patted her thigh.
"Pillow?"
"That's not very funny for a joke."
Ho-cheol picked up a wooden pillow and lay down, resting his head on it.
"Wake me up when those two drop their pointless pride and come out."
"Of course."
Ho-cheol instantly closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Ye-jin smiled faintly at the sight.
"Hehehe."
Let those two continue their meaningless pride battle.
In the meantime, the practical gain and image were all hers to monopolize.
She carefully reached out her hand and peeled away the hair stuck to Ho-cheol's forehead.
If possible, she hoped those two wouldn't come out all night.
And the two of them came out of the kiln more than an hour later, completely exhausted.
Did they finally realize that if an Awakened person was determined to endure, a kiln like that, or even truly boiling water, wouldn't have much effect?
How much time passed after that, while they talked appropriately and looked around the other facilities of the Korean spa?
An emergency text message arrived on Ye-jin's phone.
This was no time to be relaxing and sweating in the sauna.
"We got an emergency call, so I think we have to go now."
Da-yeon and Ye-jin bowed their backs in greeting and quickly left the Korean spa.
"Alright. Take care and work hard."
Ho-cheol, who was much better after a short nap, sent them off.
Ho-cheol shook his head as he watched their backs.
"Busy. Being a Hero isn't easy."
They had to return and run immediately if a Villain Disaster occurred nearby, let alone a holiday.
"Let's head back, too."
"Ah. Right? Yes."
Se-ah belatedly snapped to attention and replied.
Although she didn't say anything, disappointment was clearly visible on her face.
No, she was practically dying of disappointment.
This enjoyable time was the first in recent memory.
No, honestly, the first time in her life.
Enough to want to live here forever.
As she looked around the Korean spa with a wistful expression, Ho-cheol chuckled and placed his hand on her head.
"Let's come back again when we have a chance."
"...Right? You enjoyed it too, didn't you? Yes. That's what I said!"
Only then did she also smile brightly and hum a tune.
Just for five minutes.
"What the hell is this crazy mess!"
Se-ah jumped up on the spot, looking at her completely wrecked car.
Pale, she frantically opened the back seat.
"Gom-gom!"
The Korean spa had a no-doll policy and a no-Trait-use policy, so she had been forced to leave Gom-gom behind.
Did something happen to Gom-gom?
Fortunately, her doll was still sitting in the back seat exactly as she had left it.
She sighed in relief, seeing Gom-gom unharmed.
"Thank goodness. You're safe."
Meanwhile, Ho-cheol went to the trunk and tore open the twisted trunk.
Ppeudeuk— Kkii-i-ik—
"This side doesn't look safe."
"Huh?"
At Ho-cheol's muttering, Se-ah approached the trunk.
The monster's corpse that had been loaded in the trunk was gone.
"Hey, hey! What do we do about this! I told you we should have brought it inside!"
"What do we do?"
Unlike the panicked Se-ah, Ho-cheol was relaxed.
No, a satisfied smile even hung on the corners of his mouth.
"We catch the guy who stole it."
"How? Is there a way?"
"Of course. I was waiting for someone to steal it in the first place."
Spending several hours in the Korean spa was all a lure to induce this kind of situation.
He closed the trunk door and tilted his head.
"Let's go catch them now."
Let's go see what kind of crazy bastard he is.