Chương 3: ③

The Girls_________________________

No one seems to care much about what Sohee says. She's like a mom at the dinner table, and these girls are the rebellious daughters. And me? I'm the awkward new stepfather trying to find my place.

I get the feeling these Negative Girls hate men—or maybe just the idea of anyone intruding on their time, forcing them to study in this sterile, personality-less room. Honestly, I can relate.

Sohee rubs her forehead with a sigh, trying to keep her composure. "Look, like it or not, it's mandatory for you four to introduce yourselves to every new tutor. We're wasting Sunbae's time."

Nah, just go ahead. I need a moment to process what just happened in the last ten minutes.

"Sunbae?" Shizuka chimes in, a devilish grin spreading across her face. "Are you two closer than we think?"

Sohee's face flushes, and she glances at me, searching for a reaction, but I give her none. She glares at Shizuka. "I meant your new tutor."

Shizuka licks her bottom lip, and I take back my earlier thought—she's less a mischievous student and more like a seductive succubus. "Oh. Buuuut, I'd like to call him my Sunbae too." She says it like she's in a movie.

Sohee twitches, clearly uncomfortable. "But that's—" And before she can finish, Shizuka jumps in.

"If you let me, then maybe I'll consider talking."

Sohee rubs her wrist, glancing at my jaw like she's considering something. Is she hinting at something again? Don't. I might misinterpret your look again and think you're asking me to touch you.

She gives up with a sigh. "Alright, fine. Just—"

"Then I'll start," Shizuka giggles, cutting her off. She stretches her arms, causing her short sleeve to slide down, revealing a clean armpit. She winks at me playfully. "So, Sunbae, do you like what you see in a maybe-student?"

That's... not exactly how one should introduce themselves.

"It's fine," I say, suppressing a laugh. Honestly, girls' armpits are on my top ten list of things to admire.

The succubus laughs, her smile all too smug, and it sends a strange thrill through me. Maybe it's this body reacting, a remnant of some past life where I wasn't immune to such things.

"Hngg?" She notices my gaze. "So like I'm your type or something, Sunbae?"

"He's not," Sohee mumbles, looking away.

Shizuka either ignores her or doesn't hear. "Well, people tend to like things they barely know. So, Sunbae, what's your fetish?"

Before I can answer, Sohee sighs, "Shizuka..."

I'm starting to think Shizuka is more interested in getting under Sohee's skin than in teasing me. Sohee's clearly the only one who wanted me here—for whatever reason—and that's exactly what Shizuka is poking at.

Shizuka turns back to me, a hint of disappointment in her eyes. "You're the boring tutor, and I'm your cute, ignorant student. Does that excite you?"

"I..."

She leans in, whispering suggestively, "What's your fetish?"

Mouth.

I was about to say it but Sohee, on the other hand, isn't having any of it. "Shizuka, keep it relevant—"

"Anyway, Sunbae," Shizuka cuts her off again, "if you make it through the recognition session, which I doubt, can you please treat Shizuka well? You will, won't you?" She gives me a look that's all too inviting. "If you do, Shizuka might give you a pleasureable reward."

God, those playful lips couldn't be more tempting.

If only she's not playing around...

"What kind of reward, exactly? And how should I treat you?"

Sohee nudges me, clearly not liking my question, but it has to be asked.

Shizuka puts a finger on her lips, feigning innocence. "Isn't it obvious, Sunbae? A good reward, one any guy like you would imagine."

Yep, definitely a sex reference.

She shifts in her seat, adding, "As for how, you can start by reducing my workload—especially in math. I'm not a fan. My skills are so average I can barely count my fingers, let alone those stupid letters pretending to be numbers."

She spreads her fingers like she's showing me how serious she is.

Sohee rolls her eyes, "You're not even average."

Shizuka just smiles in return, her playfulness fading as she turns back to her laptop, signaling the end of her introduction.

That's it?

She just dropped her act so sudden.

"What are you working on?"

She doesn't look up. "A prose."

"What kind?"

"Idon."

"What's Idon?"

"Idonwannatell."

Okay, that was a joke, I guess. She's clearly not in the mood to share.

I let it drop. Creative introduction, though.

Sohee thanks Shizuka for her cooperation, though it goes unanswered, and she turns to the next person.

Mei's shoulders jump as Sohee faces her. Sweat rolls down the side of her face, her brown hair sticking to her forehead. She's still avoiding eye contact with me.

Her voice trembles, "H-Hello, um, my n-name is Mei."

I can feel her eyes trying to meet mine, but something stops her.

She continues, "L-Luis."

Mei Luis. As I look at her, a strange desire builds up in me. Have you ever wanted to hug a skittish rabbit? That's what I want to do right now.

Sohee smiles sympathetically. "Mei, it's okay. I know this is hard for you." She turns to me. "A name is enough, right, Sunbae?"

I shrug, "Of course—"

"I-I can tell more," Mei insists, her voice still shaky but determined.

Then, for the first time, her emerald eyes meet mine. If someone gouged those out and sold them as jewels, no one would know they were eyes.

She exhales, "I h-hope I'm not bothering you as a s-stude—"

I don't catch the rest, but she finishes and quickly looks away, seeming more comfortable not having my attention.

Is that it?

Sohee smiles. "We appreciate your courage, Mei. So, ne—"

"She's stuttering," I interrupt, keeping my voice low enough so only Sohee can hear.

She looks at me carefully. "Sunbae, that's because of you."

Is it? "She likes me?"

Sohee nudges my thigh. "We talked about this yesterday. She has androphobia."

So, she haaates me.

"How's this supposed to work?" How can a male tutor teach a girl with androphobia?

"It'll be fine," Sohee says, though her smile is weak. "As long as Sunbae doesn't invade her personal space, you can talk to her just fine… She's getting better," she adds proudly, "though she still stutters, as we can see."

"Right." So I can't even get close to that D cup? I must say, Mei's got the biggest ones here.

Sohee moves on to the next girl, the one absorbed in her console game. If Mei's the biggest, Carrie's the most aggressive.

"Carrie?" Sohee calls.

The console girl keeps playing—she's a true gamer.

Sohee sighs for the nth time and pulls her earphones off by the wires.

Carrie yells from behind her console, "What the fuck, I was—"

Sohee's voice sharpens. "You ARE in school, so put down the game before I confiscate it again—for a week this time."

Carrie grunts, lowering her console. She glares at me, her crimson eyes full of annoyance. There's a viciousness there, and a tiredness too. But damn, they're beautiful.

Maybe they're contacts, like Sohee's pink eyes or Mei's emerald ones. I don't mind. They look pretty as hell.

Under her glare, her small lips twist into a scowl. "I'm not letting you take my virginity."

Sohee flushes, her body stiffening. "Th-That's not what he wants!"

I don't?

Carrie huffs. "Then what am I supposed to say to that noobish face?"

She's not wrong. I never ranked higher than Gold in LOL. That's pretty noobish, right?

Sohee slumps beside me, rubbing her temples. "Just tell him your name and maybe a little about yourself, and then we're done."

Reluctantly, Carrie says, "CarryYourAsh."

"Real name, please," Sohee prompts.

Carrie rolls her eyes. "Carrie Alter. Love, video games. Hate, studying. So, you're unlikeable to me."

"Why the 'noobish face' comment?" I ask.

"I can tell when someone's a noob," she says confidently. "Your face tells me you can't even beat a bot in a one-v-one match."

"Some theory," I say. "What if I prove you wrong?"

Carrie frowns. "I'm never wrong."

Sohee chimes in, "Your answer sheets are mostly wrong."

Carrie's dragon-like eyes widen, her hands gesturing animatedly. "That's different! Studies are like, using your mind and stuff. Gaming is all about experience and skill, so they're not the same!"

She doesn't score any points with that argument, though.

"Are you trying to prove a point?" Sohee sighs, clearly unimpressed.

Carrie grunts, crossing her arms. "I've done everything you asked. Now, give me back my earphones!"

Sohee calmly tucks the earphones into her skirt pocket. "I'm afraid not. You're going to listen to us, not your game."

"But you promised!" Carrie snaps.

"I didn't."

"Wha—"

Yeah, Sohee didn't promise anything, and Carrie realizes it too late.

Sohee smiles, unbothered. "I have to do it this way, or you wouldn't get anything good out of this."

By lying, huh.

Carrie blows a raspberry in defiance. "Pshh, what are you two? My parents?"

Sohee's smile widens at the comment. She seems to like the idea.

"Okay, next we have Claire," Sohee says, turning to the last girl.

Claire doesn't budge from her nap, seemingly unbothered by the noise around her. Despite the chaos, she's still asleep—or at least pretending to be.

Sohee repeats, "Claire?"

A soft but sharp whisper cuts through the room. "Shut up."

Claire's eyes peek out from behind her silver hair, one dark eye glaring at the world with annoyance. The atmosphere tenses, but Sohee pushes on, unfazed. "Claire, introduce yourself to Sunbae."

A long minute passes before Claire finally responds. "Sure."

She stands up, shedding herself from the table. Whoa, she's tall! We might be the same height.

Her dark eyes lock onto mine with apathy, her dry lips barely moving. "Claire."

That's more of a command than an introduction.

"Yeah," I nod, accepting it.

She pulls a black hoodie over her head, tugging at the pockets as she heads for the door. The hoodie's thick, too thick for the weather, and there's dirt smeared on it.

Sohee stops her with a question, "Where are you going?"

"Toilet. I did enough favors by showing up, so do me one too."

She slams the door behind her with a bang.

Well, that's something.

Carrie rubs her ear, wincing. "Could she quit that? Geez. A girl shouldn't close doors like that. Talk about being a crime syndicate's daughter."

Sohee waves her hand dismissively. "Carrie… it's bad to talk behind someone's back. Besides, that's just a rumor."

Carrie's voice drops to a slow, deliberate tone. "I think not. I confirmed it with my own eyes yesterday."

The room falls silent. They're all wondering if one of their classmates really is the daughter of a crime syndicate.

I decide to break the tension. "Is she coming back?"

Before Sohee can answer, Shizuka chimes in playfully. "Oh, naive Sunbae. It was never her intention to go to the toilet. Let's just say, in her diary, 'toilet' is a figurative word. It means she's 'fucking off from school.'"

Sohee shoots Shizuka a warning look for her choice of words.

And that reminds me, I think it's time for me to go to the toilet too.