Correcting the Villainess of the Academy - Chapter 129

Chapter 129

Fall (6)

***

Yeon Minha peeked through her fingers, her eyes wide open.

She thought she had already been familiar with that sensation.

She had linked arms with him under the pretense of escorting him at the Jeokhwa family’s estate. She had buried her face in his chest and even rested her head on his broad shoulders.

But who knew that merely removing a single layer of clothing would make it feel so overwhelmingly stimulating?

Baek Seoyeon, the student club, all those trivial things had long been erased from her mind.

“…”

Yeon Minha quickly fanned herself, trying to cool her flushed and overheated face.

Sure, that sensation was indecent and provocative, but it wasn’t exactly unpleasant.

‘Think of it as a preview… just practicing…’

She lowered her hands, her face adopting a more serious expression.

“…Phew.”

After taking a couple of deep breaths, she casually opened the door again, as if nothing had happened.

Lee Hyun was already sitting on the floor of the living room, having put his jacket back on.

Yeon Minha couldn’t help but sigh inwardly at the sight.

“…I’m sorry. I didn’t expect you to come back this early,” Lee Hyun apologized, his voice filled with awkwardness and embarrassment.

Yeon Minha waved it off nonchalantly.

“It startled me a little, but it’s fine. Why don’t you just finish what you were doing? You don’t need to mind me.”

“I can’t train well when someone’s watching.”

“R-really…?”

Yeon Minha shot him a sideways glance, feeling a bit sulky.

She stood there for a moment, lost in thought, before grabbing a dry towel from the corner and kneeling down in front of him.

“What… are you doing?”

“Take it off.”

“Pardon?”

Lee Hyun asked in confusion, but Yeon Minha didn’t even blink as she urged him again.

“I said take off your jacket. You’re drenched in sweat. You can’t just throw your jacket over that—you’ll make everything smell.”

“…Ah.”

He hesitated briefly but seemed to understand her reasoning, though he still looked reluctant to expose his body again.

His bashfulness was oddly endearing, even if it was a bit ridiculous.

“Let me do it. I’ll take care of it.”

“I told you before, your hands are too rough and clumsy for delicate tasks like this. Just let me help you for once. I’m doing you a favor.”

“Even so…”

Yeon Minha pretended to be annoyed and pressed him again.

“What do you take me for? It’s not like I’m going to faint just because I see a man’s bare skin. I’d much rather avoid the dormitory reeking of sweat, so hurry up.”

Faced with her persistent demands, Lee Hyun finally began to remove his jacket. He had already taken off his school shirt earlier, leaving him in just a short-sleeved undershirt.

And soon, his muscular body—solid and chiseled like a stone—was revealed once more, the very sight that had sent Yeon Minha’s heart racing earlier.

His physique wasn’t overly bulky, nor was it too slim. It was just right.

Thanks to the workout he had just finished, his muscles were even more defined than usual, glistening with a light sheen of sweat.

‘…Ugh.’

Yeon Minha gulped slightly as she felt that sticky warmth radiating from him.

She pretended to wipe his sweat with the towel but soon found her pale, glossy fingers lightly tracing his exposed skin.

Each time she felt the firmness of his muscles, a strong, primal urge surged within her, and she had to use all her willpower to keep it hidden.

“Senior.”

“H-huh? What? You startled me…”

Lost in her own world, Yeon Minha snapped back to reality when he called out to her.

“Do you think I’m some kind of animal? You’re petting me like one.”

“I-I wasn’t petting you…!”

Flustered and guilty, Yeon Minha raised her voice.

But in the end, she couldn’t resist her growing curiosity.

“Hmph… I just thought it felt strange…”

She composed herself and cautiously asked in a more casual tone.

“Are men always this… hard?”

“I wouldn’t know. I haven’t touched other men’s bodies before. But I assume we’re all pretty similar.”

“I-I see… how interesting…”

Yeon Minha’s fingers fidgeted, still lingering as if she had more to say.

She glanced at Lee Hyun from the corner of her eye and hesitantly spoke again.

“…Aren’t you curious…?”

“About what?”

“Well… it seems unfair… that it’s only me…”

Her pale, delicate fingers were now playfully fiddling with the top button of her shirt. If he demanded it, Yeon Minha would have no choice but to comply. After all, that was her destiny.

However, Lee Hyun simply tilted his head in confusion, stood up, and extended his hand to her, completely disinterested.

“I’m not sure what you mean. Now, give me the towel. I’ll take care of the rest.”

“…Forget it.”

Yeon Minha shot him a cold glare before storming into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

***

After just one attempt, I gave up on training at the dormitory. I didn’t want to face another embarrassing encounter with Yeon Minha.

But using the public training room wasn’t an option either.

Unlike during class, where professors and teaching assistants kept things under control, the training rooms were a free-for-all. The constant chatter and interruptions made it impossible to focus, and I ended up fleeing the place in frustration.

In the end, the only option left was the old training room in Section A—where the ever-annoying Jin Yeseo was waiting.

And then she started tormenting me in even more creative ways.

When I tried to come early to avoid her, she somehow showed up even earlier than usual. On days when I deliberately came later, she would sit in the corner, silently watching my every move like a lurking shadow.

At least she stayed still like a bonsai tree if I didn’t speak to her, which was a small mercy… but that didn’t change the fundamental discomfort that came from her creepy observation.

When I finally couldn’t take it anymore and left, only then would she rise and resume her self-destructive training.

From what I saw, she wasn’t trying to analyze or steal my techniques. After all, Predictive Sight was a unique magic that involved the internal application of particle-based spells. Simply watching my external movements wouldn’t teach her much.

Besides, my training consisted of repetitive drills, basic movements practiced over and over.

Since I wasn’t fighting someone like the commander but merely automated dummies, there was a limit to how much I could push myself.

And to be fair, Jin Yeseo wasn’t really watching me as a whole. Her gaze seemed to focus on something smaller, a part of me.

It was the blade in my hand. Not some high-end custom-made weapon, just a cheap practice sword.

Despite her hollow, vacant expression, I could clearly see the longing, the lack, and the admiration in her gaze for that blade.

And every time I fought her, I sensed her bold and reckless nature—unusual for a magic user from the Expulsion System.

Her body was also noticeably more well-trained than that of most Expulsion System mages.

It wasn’t hard to deduce the source of her feelings.

But her twisted obsession with training and strength… that I still couldn’t fully understand.

For days, I racked my brain over this uncomfortable arrangement with Jin Yeseo. There were still nearly ten days left until the private training room in Section B would be fully repaired.

And then, one day, I encountered a somewhat familiar girl in the hallway at Cradle.

***

“Oh, hello!”

The girl with the navy-blue hair opened her eyes wide in surprise when she saw me. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and greeted me with a light smile.

She was one of the group members who had accompanied me on the mission in the South. She was also the one who had tossed me a single candy as a token of gratitude during the Festival of the Falling Star after I’d saved her life.

“Let’s see… Haewon, right?”

“That’s right. You remembered this time.”

She smiled in amusement, gently touching her lips with her hand.

“Thanks for the candy. It was delicious.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just picked it up during a trip to the capital. Are you heading to class?”

“Yeah. I have Magic Combat Studies.”

“Ugh… that’s tough. I’m heading to Beast Physiology. We have a pop quiz today, but I didn’t study at all…”

Haewon continued to chat about minor things.

We weren’t on bad terms, but we weren’t close enough to have long, meaningful conversations either. After exchanging a few brief words, we started walking in our respective directions again.

“Good luck with your class. See you later—”

Suddenly, a random memory of something Haewon had said when she gave me that candy popped into my head.

‘So, you’re dueling Yeseo next? I’ll be cheering for you. Yeseo’s my friend, but I owe you my life, so…’

‘If you ever need my help, just ask. I’ll do whatever I can.’

“Wait a minute. I need to ask you something.”

“Huh? What is it?”

I quickly stopped Haewon just as she was about to turn the corner.

It wasn’t a big deal, but maybe I could get a clue from her to deal with this awkward situation.

“You mentioned before that you’re friends with Jin Yeseo. How close are you exactly?”

“…What? That’s a weird question.”

Although Haewon seemed puzzled, she answered honestly.

“We’re just regular friends. We talk about our problems, have tea together occasionally, that kind of thing. Lately, Yeseo’s been too busy, so we haven’t met up much… but why are you asking?”

“…Because I need that help you mentioned.”

***

After the bell signaling the end of all academic activities rang.

“a183-b section… Found it.”

Instead of heading to the training room in Section A, I made my way to the pagoda behind the garden, where I had agreed to meet Haewon. It was such an isolated spot that there wasn’t a soul in sight.

The sun was halfway set beyond the western sea, past the walls surrounding Cradle. A cool breeze blew through, causing the reeds to sway like waves.

I sat quietly, waiting, and soon enough, the sound of footsteps rustling through the grass reached my ears.

“You’re early.”

Haewon waved when she saw me, her smile widening.

“I just got here. Why meet here, though? Couldn’t we have just met in front of the main building?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because there’s someone who absolutely hates it when you talk to other girls.”

Haewon playfully glanced around, pretending to search for someone.

“If we got caught, I might be a dead woman.”

“What? Who’s that?”

“It’s better if you don’t know. This is a matter between us girls.”

Haewon shook her head, clearly not intending to tell me. My curiosity flared for a moment, but I had more pressing matters to attend to.

“Fine. Let’s get to the point—”

“Wait. Can I ask you something first?”

“What is it?”

Haewon suddenly cut me off, her tone becoming serious.

“Do you… like Yeseo?”

End of Chapter