Chapter 130: Academy Heroine's Right Diagonal Back Seat
Chapter 130
A fairly spacious house with two rooms—this was where Yoon Si-woo lived.
When he first chose this house, he was still too young to understand the ways of the world, and he thought that the bigger the house, the better. So, he picked this large house that looked impressive at first glance.
However, it didn’t take long for him to realize that living alone in a house with so much space and so many rooms was more of a drawback than anything else, and he had often regretted his choice. But now...
"…Hmm, looks like we’ll need to buy a few pieces of furniture."
"Oh, uh, yeah, I guess. That room’s just been used as storage, so there’s nothing in it."
Thanks to living in such a large house, he could now offer a room to Scarlet. For the first time, Yoon Si-woo felt like praising his past self for making that choice.
However, since he had never anticipated someone else living with him, there was a problem—there wasn’t even an extra blanket for her to use tonight.
"…Uh, I can sleep on the sofa tonight, so why don’t you take my bed?"
"You’re the homeowner, so that’s not right. Don’t worry, all I need is a pillow and a blanket. We can pick up whatever’s needed when we go shopping later."
Surprised by Scarlet’s casual mention of sleeping on the floor with just a pillow and a blanket, Yoon Si-woo quickly responded.
"Are you really going to sleep on the floor? It’s not just for a day or two; you should at least sleep in a bed. If it’s about the cost, I can chip in a bit…"
"It’s not really about the money… but yeah, maybe having a bed would be better. Okay, I’ll take a look at what we need and pick it up later."
Nodding, Scarlet started preparing to head out to buy what they needed.
Yoon Si-woo was about to stay behind and see her off, but then Lucy’s voice chimed in with advice.
[...Sigh, what are you doing? This is a rare chance to spend time alone together. You should go with her.]
Blushing, Yoon Si-woo hurriedly put on sunglasses and pulled his hat down low before slipping on his shoes to follow Scarlet.
Scarlet looked at him curiously and asked, "…What’s up? You’re coming with me? Wouldn’t it be better to rest at home since you’re on vacation?"
"Uh, I’d just be bored at home alone… And you’ve probably got a lot to buy, so an extra pair of hands might help, right?"
"If you’re willing to come along, I won’t say no… Thanks."
Scarlet smiled slightly, thanking him, and Yoon Si-woo silently muttered his thanks to Lucy.
-...Thank you.
[You’re welcome.]
*
Yoon Si-woo was well aware that his face was fairly well-known to the public.
After the broadcast of his knighthood ceremony, he had walked around the city without a care and was swarmed with autograph and photo requests. Since then, he had started wearing a hat and sunglasses to hide his face, which seemed to work as far fewer people recognized him.
The downside, though, was that covering his face made people mistakenly think he was much older than he was.
"Are you newlyweds, by any chance? If so, you should definitely share a bed. Should I recommend the queen-size bed over there for your wife?"
"N-no, it’s nothing like that, so please, keep it down…"
Worried that Scarlet, who was browsing beds a little distance away, might overhear, Yoon Si-woo quickly tried to correct the slightly cheeky furniture store clerk.
If Scarlet realized that people were mistaking them for newlyweds and started avoiding him, it would defeat the whole purpose of coming out together.
But he understood why people might think they were newlyweds. After all, a young man and woman shopping for furniture together in the middle of the day could easily be seen that way.
And while his face was hidden, Scarlet, dressed casually, exuded a mature aura that made it hard to think of her as a student.
"Is this bed available for installment payments? Oh, it is? In that case, I’ll pay in full instead. Yes, I’d like it delivered to this address. Today? Great, thank you."
Yoon Si-woo, who had lived alone for a long time, was impressed by how effortlessly Scarlet handled buying the furniture, making him wonder if she had a lot of experience living independently.
As he absentmindedly watched Scarlet purchase the bed, an older man—possibly the store manager—sidled up to him and whispered.
"Oh, already planning to sleep in separate rooms, are you? Privacy is important, but if you start like this, your marital harmony might suffer... Should I suggest switching to a queen-size bed?"
"Please, just go away…"
"Oh, could it be that you’re facing, um, challenges in your… intimate life? Oh dear, I’ve been through that too… but at such a young age… I’m so sorry! I’ve been so inconsiderate. I’ll make sure we waive the delivery fee for you. Hang in there! You can do it!"
The store clerk, seemingly under a huge misunderstanding, left with a sympathetic look and a deep bow, leaving Yoon Si-woo sighing heavily.
Scarlet, having finished shopping, approached him.
"What’s up? Something happened?"
"…No, nothing at all. Did you get everything?"
"Yeah, the furniture will be delivered, and we’ve bought the essentials, so we can head back now. Let’s stop by the grocery store on the way."
"…Okay."
Watching Scarlet speak so naturally made Yoon Si-woo’s face flush.
…Ah, the more people keep calling us newlyweds, the more strange thoughts I’m getting.
He shook his head vigorously, trying to erase the mental image of himself and Scarlet holding hands on a queen-size bed.
It felt like his mind had been invaded by bad thoughts.
The mere act of entertaining such fantasies felt like a betrayal of the trust Scarlet had placed in him.
He resolved to push such thoughts aside, but that resolution was quickly tested by an unexpected turn of events.
"…Huh? You’re going to cook?"
"I told you earlier—I’ll handle the cooking, laundry, and cleaning. Just wait a bit, and I’ll whip something up. Do you have an apron?"
"…It should be in the drawer under the sink."
After finishing their shopping, stopping by the grocery store, and returning home, Yoon Si-woo and Scarlet worked together to assemble the furniture that had been delivered. Once they finished, Scarlet offered to cook them a meal.
It had been a long time since Yoon Si-woo had the luxury of eating a meal cooked by someone else in his own home. Feeling a bit sentimental, he sat at the dining table, watching Scarlet in the kitchen as she tied on an apron and started cooking.
As she familiarized herself with the unfamiliar kitchen, she opened various drawers until she found a rubber band. She used it to gather her hair into a ponytail.
It was the first time he’d seen her with her hair tied back. The sight of her with her hair up, wearing an apron, and the glimpse of her pale nape peeking out from behind her ponytail captivated him. He stared, lost in thought, until he suddenly realized what he was doing and quickly looked away, embarrassed by where his gaze had lingered.
He told himself he needed to be careful, as watching her cook was proving to be a dangerous distraction. Before he knew it, Scarlet finished cooking and brought the meal to the table.
"…What’s this?"
"Stir-fried bean sprouts. It’s my favorite dish. Have you ever tried it?"
"…No, it’s my first time."
"Really? I’m not sure if it’ll suit your taste."
Yoon Si-woo hesitated, nodding slowly. The dish didn’t look particularly appetizing at first glance, with the limp bean sprouts giving it a somewhat lackluster appearance.
Still, he resolved to eat it and say it was delicious unless it was truly inedible. With that resolve, he took a large bite of the stir-fried bean sprouts.
"…This is good."
Surprised by the unexpectedly good taste, he murmured, his eyes widening.
Scarlet nodded in agreement, as if it was only natural.
"Right? It’s hard for this dish not to taste good. Plus, it’s cheap and filling. You can’t beat that."
Nodding to show he agreed, Yoon Si-woo continued eating the stir-fried bean sprouts.
As he ate, Scarlet watched him with her eyes curved into crescent moons, murmuring softly in a wistful voice.
"…So this is what it feels like to see someone enjoy a meal you’ve cooked. It’s a hassle, but it’s also really rewarding."
Although he didn’t fully understand what she meant, Yoon Si-woo knew the least he could do was enjoy the meal she had made for him. He made sure to finish every last bite of the stir-fried bean sprouts.
After the meal, Yoon Si-woo insisted on doing the dishes, feeling a strange warmth in his chest. The pile of dishes, larger than usual, was a reminder that he wasn’t living alone anymore.
When he went to brush his teeth, he noticed two toothbrushes in the holder. These little things made him realize how much his home had changed now that Scarlet was living with him. The house that had always felt cold and too big now felt warm and cozy.
Was this what it felt like to live with family?
He shook his head at the thought. No, they weren’t family; they were just roommates. Just roommates.
He kept reminding himself that he shouldn’t entertain any strange thoughts.
After spending the afternoon talking with her and sharing dinner, it was finally time to go to bed.
Taking a cold shower, he kept repeating to himself that the pleasant scent filling the house was from the diffusers, not from Scarlet. He assured himself that he could maintain his self-control.
With that mindset, he finished his shower and tried to calm his restless mind by meditating in the living room. However, all his efforts proved futile when Scarlet walked by after her own shower.
"Good night, Yoon Si-woo."
She wished him good night as she passed through the living room on her way to her room.
The sight of her, cheeks slightly flushed from the shower, with the same shampoo scent as his, left him realizing that all his efforts to calm down were in vain.
…There was no way to erase the image of that girl, with her damp hair and sweet scent, from his mind through normal means.
"…I’m going to lose it."
With a sigh, Yoon Si-woo mumbled to himself before retreating to his room, where he made a request to Lucy.
-…Push me so hard I can’t even think about anything weird.
[Don’t worry. I’ll train you until those thoughts are out of your head.]
Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, Lucy was more than capable of fulfilling his request.
Yoon Si-woo was utterly exhausted by the time morning came.
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i would write a review but i did that already…
ReplyDeleteno worries :)
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ReplyDeleteNew chapter, so happy
ReplyDeleteI ship it
ReplyDeleteBean sprouts moment
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