Chapter 166: Miss Seo???
The clicking sound of the clock resonated in the room, marking the passage of time, while the soft, cold winds blowing outside slipped through the slightly ajar windows, adding a crisp chill to the air.
Yui had quickly dressed her after the earlier awkward incident, and now I found myself seated at the dining table, facing Seo.
She sat across from me, her eyes fixed on the breakfast Yui had prepared, her fingers lightly gripping the edge of the plate as if anchoring herself.
Although only a few minutes had passed since we sat down, the tension in the air was palpable.
The nervousness and embarrassment from the incident still lingered between us, like an unspoken weight neither of us knew how to address.
My stomach growled quietly, reminding me of my hunger, but it felt wrong—rude even—to just start eating with Seo still so visibly shaken.
I’d already apologized, taking full responsibility for what happened, assuring her that it was entirely my fault.
It felt like the right thing to do, the moral thing, but my words didn’t seem to reach her.
Seo remained silent, her eyes refusing to meet mine, her gaze locked onto the untouched food before her.
Her usual confidence was nowhere to be seen; instead, she looked small, almost fragile, as if the slightest movement might shatter the delicate balance of the moment.
Seo was never particularly skilled in social interactions.
I was a bit worried that she might be oblivious to the implications of what had just happened, but seeing her like this, I realized she was far more aware than I’d given her credit for.
The situation had clearly affected her, and while I was relieved she had some self-awareness, it made the silence between us even more difficult to bear.
“…..”
“…..”
It would’ve been easier if Yui had stayed, at least to break the ice or steer the conversation in a less awkward direction, but that maid of mine had made a quick exit, clearly not wanting to be part of this uncomfortable situation.
For some, what had happened might not have been a big deal, something to brush off and laugh about later.
But for Seo, it was different.
This was a girl with significant social anxieties, someone who probably didn’t even know where to begin in situations like this, nor did she seem to want to start a conversation at all.
Yet, if I let this silence drag on, we’d be stuck in this awkward limbo indefinitely, neither of us knowing how to move forward.
I could see it in the way she kept her eyes downcast, her hands fidgeting nervously in her lap.
She was trying to make herself small, trying to disappear from the moment, but I knew that wouldn’t help either of us.
“Seo…” I began, my voice soft but determined to cut through the tension.
“…..” She didn’t respond, but her shoulders tensed slightly, a sign that she was listening.
“I know I’ve already said this, but I’m really sorry… What happened back there was truly an accident. I swear to you, it won’t happen again—”
“I-It’s fine… It was my fault to begin with… T-that’s why let’s just forget about it, o-ok?” she replied, her voice trembling as she slowly lifted her gaze to meet mine.
The vulnerability in her eyes was clear, and I could see she was struggling to keep her composure.
Seeing her like this, trying so hard to push past her discomfort, a small smile crept onto my lips before I even realized it.
“Okay…” I agreed gently, nodding to show her that I understood.
There was no need to dwell on it any longer, no need to make her feel worse than she already did.
Though the tension didn’t exactly fade, now that Seo was a little more open to conversation, we were at least getting somewhere.
It was clear that continuing to dwell on the awkwardness would get us nowhere, so I decided to shift the topic.
“So, why exactly did you come here, Seo?”
This was the boys’ dorms, after all.
I knew she had Stealth skills, but if she got caught even once in a guy’s room, her social life at the academy would be practically over.
The students here were particularly adept at spreading rumors, and who knows what kind of scandal could blow up just from seeing her in my room.
Not to mention the potential punishments—her status as the top-ranked student in the knight department might not save her from the school’s strict enforcement of this particular rule.
“…I just wanted to see you…” she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.
Damn it… why are you so cute?
“Um… is that so? I’m grateful for the thought, but… you could’ve met me some other way, right?”
“I’m on probation…”
‘Ah, that’s right, I’d almost forgotten.’
“And also… I wanted to apologize for what happened last time as well…” she added, her gaze dropping to the floor as she fidgeted with her hands.
“That day, I got ahead of myself and ended up making the situation troublesome for you… I deeply regret it,” Seo said, her voice soft but sincere as she met my gaze.
“It’s okay. What happened that day couldn’t be helped. The situation spiraled out of control due to unfortunate coincidences, and I was at fault as well, so please don’t blame yourself.”
The suddenness of everything that day made it impossible to manage, especially with emotions running high.
Seo’s behavior was odd, but it was more about her innocent curiosity—she was trying to navigate feelings she didn’t fully understand.
Rose’s reaction, on the other hand, was partly my fault, a consequence of my own indecisiveness.
And Alice… well, she was just an innocent bystander who got pulled into the chaos.
But if I had to point fingers, it would be at that damn cat, Cheshire.
If he hadn’t gaslit and manipulated everyone’s emotions, the fight between the girls might never have happened—or at least wouldn’t have blown up to the extent that it did.
His meddling turned a tense situation into an all-out clash.
“But if I hadn’t asked you for that kiss, then maybe—”
“Stop right there. I told you, it’s not your fault.”
“…..”
Seo’s lips parted as if she wanted to argue, but no words came out.
Her gaze dropped, lingering on her plate as she fidgeted with her hands.
I could tell she was still struggling with what happened, her mind running in circles, trying to make sense of it all.
Watching her like that, I couldn’t resist anymore. I picked up my fork and took a small bite of the omelet Yui had prepared.
The rich, savory taste melted in my mouth, a brief distraction from the tension hanging between us.
“Riley… just how much did you see?”
Cough…!
The delicious bite I had just taken nearly flew out of my mouth in surprise. What? I thought she didn’t want to bring that up!
“S-Seo, I thought you didn’t—”
“You saw it, didn’t you?” she interrupted, her voice rising slightly.
Saw what exactly? My mind raced as I tried to figure out what she meant.
Seo pushed her chair back and stood up, her cheeks flushed red.
Her eyes bore into mine with an intensity I had never seen before, as if I had committed the gravest sin known to mankind.
The reserved, almost apathetic Seo I was used to was nowhere to be found—this was something entirely different.
“T-this is unfair….”
“Huh?”
“Riley, let me see it too!”
Covering her chest with trembling hands, Seo began to move closer, her expression a mix of determination and embarrassment.
With each step, I could feel her mana intensifying, a tangible force rising in the air.
This was getting bad—really bad.
“Take your shirt off… let me see yours too,” she demanded, her voice a mixture of shyness and a strange resolve.
“Seo?” I stammered, utterly confused by her sudden request.
Her gaze bore into mine, her red eyes filled with a blend of uncertainty and something else, something I couldn’t quite place.
She wasn’t just embarrassed—there was a challenge in her eyes, as if she was daring me to deny her, to push her away.
But why? What was she hoping to gain from this?
The room felt smaller as she approached, the air thick with the weight of unspoken emotions.
I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, each beat echoing in my ears as her mana wrapped around us like a suffocating blanket.
This wasn’t just a simple request—it was charged with something deeper, something that neither of us fully understood.
“Seo? what are you—”
“Just let me see,” she cut me off, her voice a whisper now, her cheeks flushed but her gaze unwavering. “You saw mine… so it’s only fair.”
…..
Seo couldn’t help but recall what had happened just a few moments ago, her mind ablaze and her heart pounding fiercely within her chest.
The surge of embarrassment flooding through her was overwhelming, a whirlwind of emotions she was entirely unaccustomed to experiencing.
‘He saw me… all of me… he even saw my…’
The thought replayed endlessly in her mind, each repetition making her cheeks burn hotter.
Riley was someone incredibly precious to her—a fact she had slowly come to terms with despite the ongoing turmoil and confusion about what he truly meant to her.
At the present, Seo had begun to consider taking their relationship beyond the comfortable bounds of friendship they had known for so long.
She instinctively yearned for something deeper, something more meaningful that transcended the label of best friends.
That was why, initially, when Riley had accidentally seen her in such a vulnerable state, she hadn’t been overly concerned.
At first, it felt almost natural—until she noticed the way his deep blue eyes had widened in surprise before instinctively taking in the sight before him.
The memory of his gaze, both shocked and inadvertently focused, sent a fresh wave of heat rushing to her face.
Seo’s mind wandered back to the one book that helped nourished her relationship with Riley up to now, in their it describes that best friends were supposed to share everything with each other—even their most hidden selves.
According to the guidance it brought, it was perfectly normal for close friends to be so comfortable, to see past the barriers that clothes and propriety constructed.
After all, weren’t best friends supposed to be the most trusted people in each other’s lives?
Yet, despite what those books had taught her, Seo couldn’t understand why her body had reacted so intensely the moment Riley’s eyes had fallen upon her.
Why did her heart race with embarrassment instead of comfort?
Why did every second of his gaze make her feel so flustered and exposed?
These unfamiliar sensations left her utterly confused and questioning everything she thought she knew about their relationship.
Perhaps there was more to her feelings than simple friendship.
Maybe the fluttering in her stomach and the warmth spreading across her cheeks hinted at emotions she had yet to fully comprehend.
Maybe this was the love Lina had been trying to help her understand… but Seo wasn’t sure.
All she knew was that something was gnawing at her, something that left her feeling distinctly annoyed.
“I know I’ve already said this, but I’m really sorry… What happened back there was truly an accident. I swear to you, it won’t happen again—”
“I-It’s fine… It was my fault to begin with… T-that’s why let’s just forget about it, o-ok?”
Riley’s attempt to dismiss the incident quickly, to act as if they could just move on and pretend it never happened, struck a hidden nerve deep within Seo.
His nonchalant attitude, the way he tried to brush it off as if it were nothing, only made her irritation grow.
‘Why isn’t he embarrassed…?’
An annoyance kept brewing inside her.
Seo understood that dwelling on the matter wouldn’t do any good, but every time she glanced at Riley, she couldn’t help but feel her frustration deepen.
The way he talked, the way he looked at her—it all felt too casual, too indifferent.
It was as if what he had seen didn’t matter to him at all, like it was something he could easily forget.
And Seo didn’t like that one bit.
It was unfair!
How could he be so unaffected when she was a whirlwind of emotions?
How could he look at her so calmly when her heart was racing, her thoughts tangled in confusion?
It was unfair that he could be so composed when she felt anything but.
It was unfair that he could so easily decide to forget about it when it was all she could think about.
‘Riley is just trying to be nice….’
But…
The more she thought about it, the more it irritated her.
She wanted him to feel the same embarrassment, the same confusion, the same… something that she was feeling.
This wasn’t something she could just let go of, not when it had affected her so deeply.
Seo didn’t know what exactly she wanted from Riley, but she knew one thing for certain: she didn’t want to be the only one left feeling this way.
Seo’s chest had always been a sensitive and deeply personal issue for her.
Ever since she was young, she had been more generously endowed than her peers, blessed with a body that seemed designed by the goddess to please her future partner.
All her life, she had taken great care to conceal her figure, wearing baggy robes and loose clothing to diminish the attention her curves might attract.
It was something she had grown accustomed to, a habit born from a mixture of shyness and a desire to avoid unwanted scrutiny.
But now, all of that had been undone in an instant. A young man, someone she cared about deeply, had seen her in all her unguarded, vulnerable glory.
The thought alone made her heart race, a mix of embarrassment, frustration, and something she couldn’t quite identify coursing through her.
She had never intended for anyone to see her like that, least of all Riley. But now that it had happened, an odd sense of justice sparked within her.
“Take your shirt off… let me see yours too,” she demanded, her voice shaky yet resolute.
Riley blinked, clearly taken aback. “Seo, what are you—”
“Just let me see… you saw mine… so it’s only fair.”
In her mind, it was a simple matter of equality.
As best friends, someone who had seen her in her most vulnerable state, it was her right to see him as well.
She wasn’t entirely sure why she felt so strongly about it—whether it was to ease her own embarrassment or to satisfy a curiosity that had suddenly been awakened.
But what she did know was that Riley had seen a side of her that no one else had, and now she wanted to see a side of him that was just as intimate.
The Chest was just the start and Seo knew the upper portion of a man’s body wasn’t something they needed to embarrassed of.
But the lower half was another….
Her heart pounded as she took a step closer, her eyes locked onto his.
There was no turning back now; the words had already left her mouth, and she was determined to see this through.
“S-Seo where are you looking right now?”
Recalling the secret techniques from her book…. She was prepared to use it on Riley just to see his embarrassed face.
