97. Rough but Gentle
It was quiet. So quiet that it was hard to believe this was the academy right after exams. No wonder Dogeon had recommended this place.
However, if I listened closely, I could hear sounds more eerie and gloomy than the wails of the dead coming from all directions.
"The hypothesis... was wrong. I thought I had it this time..."
"Mana calibration results... mismatch. Aieee? Why? The conditions should have been the same! Abat? Ababat?"
The hopes, efforts, and time of the senior students crumbled with a sound softer than the rustling of leaves.
...Well, not my problem. The only thing I needed to worry about was staying quiet. There had been a sign at the entrance asking for silence.
Whether it was for the sake of those seniors or for the plants inside, I had no idea.
"Dogeon, doesn’t it feel a bit too quiet here...?"
I wanted a place with just the right amount of solitude, not this absolute silence.
"Really? I think it’s just right. It’s quiet, there’s a breeze. Isn’t it nice? I like it."
How could I say no when he looked so blissfully content? He seemed so at peace that I couldn’t bring myself to suggest going somewhere else.
"...Well. If you like it, then okay."
Dogeon might have found it peaceful, but to me, it felt more like a garden filled with despair. Every word from the seniors seemed to resonate with an intense sense of hopelessness.
Though none of their words were directed at me, just listening to them made me uncomfortable. I leaned closer to Dogeon.
He seemed a bit startled by my sudden closeness but quickly adapted and even took it a step further.
"...Is this okay?"
He smoothly wrapped his arm around my waist.
"Hih...?!"
The sudden warmth against my side caught me off guard. I didn’t dislike it, but it felt... ticklish.
"...Y-Yeah. Just... don’t move too much. It’s... ticklish."
Even just his hand being there made it hard to keep my lips from curling up. Laughing in this somber place seemed like a dangerous move.
...I wasn’t smiling because I liked it. My chest felt a bit fluttery, but that was probably because my body felt ticklish, and my mind was just following along.
"Aha... So your stomach is sensitive. Then... how about here?"
His hand shifted down to my hip.
...Well, it wasn’t ticklish. If he had asked whether I felt nothing, I would have definitely said no.
I looked at Dogeon, wondering if he had finally lost his mind, but he was just smiling at me with a playful glint in his eyes.
This guy... He was doing this on purpose, wasn’t he?
"You...!"
I tried to protest, but Dogeon just brought his finger to his lips, signaling for silence.
"You’ve been teasing me all this time. I’m not the type who just takes it lying down."
Had he really been holding that grudge this whole time? I thought he had let it go like a man... No, wait. He had always reacted immediately, hadn’t he?
I had a lot to argue about, but since I had brought this on myself and couldn’t make a scene, I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut.
Just you wait until we get out of here. I wasn’t going to let this slide. But before I could solidify my resolve, Dogeon began to throw my own past words back at me.
"Hoyeon, do you remember what you said before? That if I wanted to pet you, I just had to ask. Hoyeon, can I ‘pet’ you now?"
It seemed like he had chosen the botanical garden specifically to get back at me.
This wasn’t the time to worry about such details, but a man shouldn’t go back on his word. Though, technically, I was a girl right now, so maybe I could run away?
But it was something I had said as a friend. After a long internal struggle, I finally managed to respond.
"...Just you wait...!"
"I'll take my punishment willingly, Princess." Dogeon whispered as he slowly moved his hand.
"...Hngh."
I tried to focus on the anguished faces of the seniors, hoping it would help me pull myself together. Unfortunately, my body wasn’t cooperating.
What had once not felt ticklish at all now did. His touch was surprisingly skillful, making it impossible to ignore or dismiss.
For some reason, my stomach felt tight. Why on earth was he doing this now?
"Is something wrong, Princess? Are you feeling unwell?"
Unlike Dogeon’s barely audible voice, my breathing was growing louder.
I considered asking to go somewhere else, but that felt too humiliating. It would be like admitting defeat.
Even as I tried to get my thoughts in order, my body was steadily heating up. Still, I thought I could control it—I didn’t think the worst would happen.
"Hyah...?!"
At least, not until Dogeon pressed firmly on the base of my tail.
***
Had I gone too far? As I watched Hoyeon let out a quiet moan, the thought briefly crossed my mind.
It seemed her soft sound had reached a few of the nearby seniors. Those who had been staring blankly at the trees like zombies turned their eyes toward us.
Their hunched postures and dead-eyed expressions gave me chills, but Hoyeon didn’t seem to notice.
The catnip had worked. Since she was feline-like, I had wondered if it might affect her—and it had worked even better than expected.
The way her expression crumbled for a brief moment told me all I needed to know.
"...D-Dogeon... not there...!"
Her voice trembled slightly as if she wanted to plead with me not to touch that spot. I couldn’t hear the rest of her words because a shiver of pleasure cut her off.
I wasn’t sure if she thought of the sensation as pleasure or as something unknown.
Did I really need to go this far? Was it necessary to rush things? Wouldn’t this just make her resist more?
And considering the watchful eyes on us, what I was doing wasn’t the smartest move.
Still, I knew best why I was acting this way.
It was because I was anxious.
Anya and Eric, who claimed they had no feelings for each other, ended up having their eyes and insides aligned. Cecilia and Ethan, who hadn't said anything yet, were already giving off a lover-like vibe.
And then there was Camilla and her friend and doormat, Exipri. Everyone was finding their own partner, and I couldn't help but wonder if Hoyeon would too.
If I hadn't met Anya and Eric during the day, I would have gone to a regular café or something.
She might not have noticed, but I could already tell that they had done it. So I was worried that Hoyeon might end up like that without me knowing.
That's why I came up with this idea: I'd rather be completely her with myself.
That was the only reason I was rushing things now.
"Hngh… Dogeon. Please… Please be gentle there… It feels strange…"
Seeing Hoyeon asking with teary eyes, I came to my senses a bit. Even if Hoyeon liked me, there would be a limit to what she could accept.
Wasn't what I was trying to do now crossing that line?
That thought made me feel like I was falling into ice water. Besides, with so many people staring at us, I had to stop.
Couples, I'm going to kill you.
I couldn't handle standing in front of people who were saying that with their eyes any longer.
"...Yes, Princess. Let's stop here. And please, stop teasing me so much. You've been going too far lately."
"Okayyy… I was wronggg…"
The gazes were becoming so hostile that it felt like they were going to dissect us if we showed any more affection, so I quickly dazed her and left the botanical garden.
And I waited for her to come to her senses. What I did just now could be considered a form of foreplay, so it would take some time.
…Saying it like this, I could quickly realize how dangerous what I did was. I openly caressed her in a public place.
I must have been crazy, Han Dogeon. It was fortunate that Hoyeon was ignorant; if she knew what she had just experienced, it wouldn't be strange if our relationship broke down immediately.
"...Haa, heuu… Uuu… Dogeon, you…! Apologize…!"
Hoyeon didn't know exactly what it was, but she knew she had been through something embarrassing, so she demanded an apology.
Of course, I should. It was practically outdoor play.
"I'm really sorry, Hoyeon. I think I went too far just now. I won't make excuses even if you're angry. I was wrong."
I sincerely apologized for my outrageous behavior.
I thought about bowing, but I didn't because I knew Hoyeon, who didn't like attracting attention, would hate it even more if I did that.
My sincere apology seemed to have worked, and she seemed to have calmed down to some extent. She took a deep breath as if to cool her head, and then she slowly opened her mouth.
"...Haa. So you do think you were wrong. Then, I'll let you make up for your sin by granting me one favor. If you don't like it, don't meet me for a week. What will you do?"
What would I do? There was no other option but the former. I was so anxious about being separated from her that I even made such a self-destructive move.
"Okay. What's your favor?"
"...So… That place you were caressing earlier… Could you, uh, caress it a little more gently…?"