68 - I Spent the Night with the Youngest Daughter of the Martial Arts Leader

I Spent a Night with the Martial Arts Leader's Youngest Daughter. Chapter 68 > North Rabbit - Web Novel Archive "I'm not sure what you're implying with such words." "Well, who knows? What do you think?" Her eyes, usually filled with mischief, were different now. Even though she was facing him directly, he couldn't read the thoughts hidden in those eyes. "It's not right, having multiple wives. It's asking for trouble." "Really?" "Yes." "Can I ask you one thing?" "And what is that?" "When you say no, is it because you don't want to?" "......" "Or is it because you mustn't?" Both Hwang Bo Se Yul and I were already feeling the effects of the alcohol. She looked up at me with narrowed eyes. Her face smiling broadly. And then, what did I say in response? * It was a familiar ceiling. His head ached. Even though he wasn't moving, it felt like someone was grabbing him and shaking him. Jegal Young's entire body was wracked with a hangover. 'How much did I drink last night...?' Lee Se Woong kept refilling her glass. "Senior, you can drink slowly." That line was how it all started. It was a comment he made without much thought. But when combined with Hwang Bo Se Yul's teasing, she couldn't resist and kept drinking. That's all he remembered clearly. The problem began afterward. 'This must be a dream...' After a night of drinking, what could be the most frightening? Not remembering anything at all? Remembering every single misstep in vivid detail? Neither. The correct answer is when you 'remember vaguely.' When you have a hazy recollection of acting foolishly in a drunken stupor. And there are gaps in memory for the decisive moments—that's the worst. If you remember nothing? You can apologize, blaming memory loss. If you remember everything? You can plan exactly how to apologize, from the beginning, step by step. 'How did I end up like this...?' In Jegal Young's case, it was neither. She vaguely remembered causing a scene while drunk. But the specifics—the exact words or the level of what she said—were elusive. She wouldn't be able to confirm it until she met the two of them. That was driving her insane. 'At least I managed to find my way home.' If she had woken up at Hwang Bo Se Yul's house or somewhere unthinkable, she wouldn't have been able to cope. 'I hope I didn't say anything weird...' What she feared most was that. The secret she'd quietly kept hidden in her heart. She had restrained her growing feelings for Lee Se Woong with reason. Alcohol, however, can make people mistake recklessness for courage. If she had expressed even a hint of that to him, Jegal Young hoped desperately that some shred of reason had stopped her from doing so. 'No use brooding over it.' The task was clear. Jegal Young drew upon her internal energy to dispel the drunkenness. Despite the lingering weight, she prepared for work. Avoiding it wouldn't change anything. To face the consequences of the previous night, she left her room. * Maintaining composure was crucial. She didn't know yet. Perhaps she just drank a bit too much and rambled. Considering how both Hwang Bo Se Yul and Lee Se Woong usually teased her, it might have ended there. Jegal Young still held onto a glimmer of hope. "Oh, you're up early, junior!" "Senior..." Hwang Bo Se Yul greeted her cheerfully the moment she saw her. Nothing might have happened after all? If only the fears were unfounded. “Did you get home safely last night?” “Huh? Don't you remember the end?” “Well, it had been a while since I drank, so I got pretty drunk…” “That can happen! After all, you were so out of it that you passed out completely. I had to carry you home!” "It was you who took me home?" “Yes, you were fast asleep, didn't even realize who was carrying you. Make sure to be careful the next time you drink!” So that's what happened. It wasn't my homing instinct, but the senior who brought me home. This is embarrassing at my age. "Sorry, I must have been a mess." "It's alright. It's standard for team members to take care of the leader. This is nothing!" "Even so." "But then, you probably don’t remember that either, right?" That? Why choose such ambiguous words? As Hwang Bo Se Yul trailed off, Jegal Young felt a surge of anxiety. "What are you talking about...?" "You must have been quite drunk. It was quite the passionate confession. I would have needed a drink for that courage too!" Confession? Did I hear that wrong? A word that should not have been part of this conversation just popped out. "Confession?" "Yes! I thought you'd remember at least that." "What did I confess...? Did I just spill everything I did wrong?" “No, do you have something you did wrong with me?” “Ah, no! It’s just that I can’t recall what I said.” "Wow, you really don’t remember. You were shouting with such fervor." She had no idea. Or perhaps the atmosphere Hwang Bo Se Yul described gave her a slight inkling. She just hoped it wasn't true, rejecting reality. “But it was surprising! I thought you were a by-the-book person. Who would have thought you'd harbor feelings for the junior.” “!” “Even my heart was racing. ‘Lee Se Woong, is it wrong for me to like you?’. Kyaa~” “I, couldn’t have.” “You even said you wouldn't let go until he answered, I was sweating profusely.” "Nooooo!" Jegal Young, you foolish girl. You've finally done it. Ever since you started to feel drawn to the guy your close friend liked, you should have known. What am I supposed to do now? When faced with the prospect of just ignoring each other, Jegal Young felt her head reel. She tried desperately to find a solution. But even with her keen mind, she painfully realized some things were impossible to resolve. This affair had crossed an irreversible line. "What’s this? You seem more lively than I expected, Senior." "Oh, Good morning, Se Woong." "Yes... But why all the commotion so early?" "Young here doesn't remember much from last night. So I was kindly filling her in!" "Oh, right. Last night. Understandable, given how much was drunk." "It was quite the night, indeed." Lee Se Woong had appeared. Jegal Young lacked the courage to look at him directly. What kind of expression did he have on his face now? There was something about Lee Se Woong's tone that felt like mockery to her. "I thought we were quite close, but I didn’t realize you resented me that much, Senior." "Excuse me?" "Young! I think Se Woong means you were upset he didn't understand your feelings." "What are you even talking about? I'm just saying how you were lamenting and holding onto him." "Oh, Young! Don't say it like that now!" Lee Se Woong's words about being hated. Hwang Bo Se Yul's frantic attempt to cover his mouth. Her eyes avoiding his gaze peculiarly. Putting together all these facts, Jegal Young reached a conclusion. "Where are you going, Senior?" "Oh, just thought I left something at home that I needed for work!" "Hold on. Don't we have a conversation to finish?" "A conversation? About what?" "We need to have a serious talk!" "Ack!" Hwang Bo Se Yul attempted to flee using her swift martial arts techniques. Jegal Young quickly formed a hand seal. "Wait! Young! Don't set up a barrier!" "Come over here, won't you?" "Se Woong, help me!" "I’m not entirely sure, but it seems Senior’s at fault here." It was time for retribution. * As expected. She'd anticipated it while carrying the unconscious Jegal Young home, plotting how to tease her the next day. It was undoubtedly some trivial lie meant to provoke by Hwang Bo Se Yul. "Aww, Young, that’s harsh…" "You deserve it, Senior!" With a pitiful tone, Hwang Bo Se Yul lamented her situation. She was bound to the ground by Jegal Young's spell, rolling in the dust. Jegal Young's interrogation(?) left her dusty, but there was no sympathy. She deserved to pay for her mischievous words. "But what did Hwang Bo Se Yul say to deserve being tied up?" "It's nothing!" "I merely spoke the truth..." "Senior, just be quiet!" Her voice feigned innocence, but Hwang Bo Se Yul’s eyes still sparkled with mischief. Those eyes—still unreadable. "Sorry." "Hm? What for?" "Getting drunk when I should be setting an example. It’s shameful." "Oh, anyone can get like that when they drink. Why apologize so formally? We're not strangers." "But..." Jegal Young spoke, deflated as if she were a criminal. Rather than cause a scene, she’d fallen asleep before making a fool of herself. “Well, it was a bit shocking when you demanded, 'Do you think I'm easygoing? Huh?' like that.” "Ugh..." "I just never realized how much I admired you, Senior. You didn’t have to bring up age, though." "That wasn't my intention." "Oh, do you think this might also seem like I'm mocking you? If so, I apologize. I just wonder if I might have upset you." "Ugh..." A serious reply would have only embarrassed Jegal Young. Better to let it slide with some light teasing. "Alright, say this one more time, and I'll let it go. Say, ‘Why are you doing this~’." "Just kill me already..." "Oh, we haven't even started yet?" Actually, it was quite fun to see. Such a stern Jegal Young, acting so submissively—it wasn't something you'd see every day. Of course… "Okay, I’m at fault!" "Senior?" "In that case, I’ll just deal with all of you…" "Your eyes look dangerous?" “If I eliminate all the witnesses, that's assassination, right? This is unavoidable." “Wait!” Jegal Young's eyes almost flipped from the fun, but it helped break the awkwardness a little. * "A business trip?" "Yes. A task directly assigned by the Sect Leader." "Coming from a long vacation and right into a mission. I suppose that makes sense." After much back and forth, Jegal Young finally calmed down. Only then did we hear about the mission we were to take on. "The Sect Leader originally wanted to assign something simple. But this..." “Could it be?” “Yes. Rumors involve the Demonic Cult, so they thought it best to send us, given our prior experience with them.” The Demonic Cult. How intriguing.