I’m Not Doing This With A Friend - Chapter 23

Carson blushed slightly and swallowed his saliva. I could clearly see the Adam’s apple on his neckline going up and down.

 

“What-, what are you going to do?”

 

I wiggled my eyebrows.

 

“Don’t think strangely about it. Because I asked you to teleport us to the club room. This is the girl’s dormitory, and it’ll be a disaster if you get caught on your way out, you’ll be in trouble.”

 

If you get caught, it only proves the rumor.

 

The club room was the only place that Carson and I could be together without caring about anyone else.

 

Carson looked down at the hem of his shirt I was holding and suddenly his face distorted as if it was painful.

 

“Hey, Leen’s small hands are so cute…”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous. Was it difficult for the two of us to move together?”

 

My question put a slightly troubled light on his distorted face.

 

“It’s not like that.”

 

“Then?”

 

I tilted my head as if something was wrong and looked at Carson.

 

He blinked his eyes and took a deep breath as if he had decided about something.

 

“Leen, you asked me to teleport first.”

 

Carson, who uttered an unfamiliar word, suddenly hugged me tightly.

 

My face was naturally buried in his chest, and my vision was obscured.

 

For a moment of my bewilderment I burst into laughter as I heard the sound of his madly beating heart.

 

It seems that physical contact was required to teleport two people.

 

I don’t know if we need this kind of body contact this much.

 

After all, it was already the second time that I smelled his mesmerizing body scent so close.

 

I instinctively dug into his arms, wanting to smell his scent more deeply.

 

“What are you guys doing…?”

 

Suddenly, we heard Fjord’s voice. It was a very annoying voice. I was startled and pushed Carson’s chest away.

 

‘I’m sure Fjord witnessed this scene.’

 

Of all things, Fjord didn’t expect to witness such a scene between them.

 

Besides, even though it was an instinctive act, to hug him tightly. I didn’t know I had this much self-control.

 

“The te-teleport requires physical contact. I didn’t know we would arrive so quickly. Haha!”

 

In a hurry while looking at Fjord, I made excuses, but he still only stared at me and Carson with suspicious eyes.

 

“…I’m begging you, go out and continue what you’re doing. Are you in a relationship? As you can see, I’m studying.”

 

“That! it’s not like that.”

 

I moderately denied what Fjord said, neither strong nor weakly. It was because I was worried that strong denial would be perceived as positive confirmation.

 

As if nothing had happened, I asked, pulling out a book across from him.

 

“But why are you studying so badly, Fjord?”

 

“…you realize it’s already the exam period, don’t you?”

 

“I’m just saying that it’s like a kid who didn’t study until yesterday suddenly opens a book.”

 

Like that. They say it’s time to do something you’ve never done before.

 

I’ll be there soon.

 

“When you die, the chessboard you brought to the club room will be mine.”

 

“I don’t know why the story of my sudden death comes out, but if it’s okay after 60 years, take it.”

 

“Thank you. If you get tired of playing with it, I’ll put the chess pieces next to your grave one by one.”

 

“You’re kidding, aren’t you?”

 

“Well.”

 

Fjord complained but he couldn’t say anything directly to me, but I spoke as if I were sincere in my jokes, saying like I was avenging favors to my enemy.

 

Then Fjord looks somewhere with hazy eyes as if he found something. I also naturally turned my head to follow his gaze.

 

There, Carson, who had turned to stone, stood far away.

 

I knew it would be embarrassing, but I didn’t think he would turn to stone like that. Even when he hugged me first.

 

Seeing that the teleport went well, I think he had the energy to do that again.

 

Maybe it’s because I dig myself in your arms.

 

“Hey, Carson. Wake up.”

 

Fjord rose from his seat and clapped his hands in front of Carson’s eyes.

 

After he was freed from turning to a stone, he barely turned his head towards Fjord in a stiff movement.

 

Carson whispered something in a low voice that could only be heard by Fjord.

 

Then, without looking back, he moves out of the club room with a mechanical movement.

 

As soon as the door closed, I asked Fjord.

 

“What did he say, Fjord?”

 

“I don’t know. He said he’s going to take a cold shower, so in the meantime, Leen, he told me not to pretend to be close to you.”

 

Fjord told the words that Carson had said to me without any loyalty. Then he stares at the door with an expression like people are going crazy.

 

“A shower? Why was he taking a shower all of a sudden?”

 

“Well. If I had known that, I wouldn’t have made a face like this…”

 

While talking, he slowly closed his mouth as if he had realized something.

 

Then hurriedly opened his mouth with a puzzled expression.

 

“He must have sweated a lot because he was so nervous when he hugged you. He must have felt uncomfortable because you’re such a neat person.”

 

Is that so?

 

I shrugged my shoulders and thought. Next time, I should hand out some of the antiperspirant I made myself.

 

 

 * * *

 

In the club room, only the sound of turning pages and scribbling something with a quill pen could be heard.

 

How long has it been? Fjord opened his mouth with his eyes fixed on the book at the sudden thought that occurred to mind.

 

“Leen.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Come to think of it, it’s a bit unfair. I tend to study hard even if it seems like I’m having a lot of fun in the club room.”

 

 

“Who said that?”

 

“…you said I was studying in a way that didn’t suit me before.”

 

At the sound of a very depressed voice, Leen then raised her head and looked at him.

 

Fjord also suddenly took his eyes off the book and looked at her.

 

“I’m a hard worker, unlike Carson. Especially in swordsmanship, I’m working hard not to fall behind, especially since it’s my major.”

 

“That’s a bit surprising. I thought you were a swordsmanship genius like Carson.”

 

When Leen raised one eyebrow to express her feelings honestly, Fjord chuckled.

 

“Thank you for thinking of me like that monster. Well, it’s still not as bad as you think.”

 

“In terms of ranking?”

 

“Have you never been out of five fingers?”

 

Leen stared at Fjord with a dumbfounded expression.

 

The number of people majoring in swordsmanship was overwhelmingly large in the academy.

 

In other words, if you’ve never been out of the five fingers, you’re not at the level to say you’re not talented.

 

After a while, when she picked up a child who had left the house, she opened her mouth and started being sarcastic.

 

“You’re bragging about yourself as if you’re not. Could you teach me how to deal with it too? Caon would pay the tuition for you with the rod of love.”

 

“I didn’t mean to brag about it.”, Fjord tried to refute.

 

“Yes, I suppose so.”

 

Leen frowned as she listened to Fjord, and fixed her gaze on the book again.

 

  

She then dropped her pen, which she had placed next to her, on the floor, as if she had moved her arm incorrectly.

 

Seeing the pen rolling in the distance, Leen felt extremely annoyed.

 

‘No need to go that far.’

 

It was just when she was making up her mind that she would study without a pen. Fjord stood up and placed her pen around in front of her.

 

Leen had a rather cryptic expression on her face, and she looked at the pen in front of her.

 

Fjord tilted his head at her reaction.

 

“What’s wrong? Did you break something?”

 

“No. It’s new, but I was thinking that maybe it’s just luck that I met good people like you and Caon in this club by chance.”

 

“Pft-haha! what’s that?”

 

Fjord laughed as if he had heard something really funny for the first time in a while, then suddenly stopped laughing.

 

His expression became weird.

 

“Wait a minute, Leen. By the way, don’t tell me you really think Carson was really a good boy, do you?”

 

“What’s wrong with Caon? Although he looks rough and sensitive, he’s kind by nature.”

 

???

 

Fjord’s face was filled with question marks. He gave a look of dismay as if he had heard something he shouldn’t have heard.

 

“Does that kind of thing come out even when you see what Carson does to me?”

 

“Well, wasn’t it because you two are friends?”

 

Fjord’s face turned white.

 

‘Oh My God. I think you’re really misunderstanding something?’

 

I knew Carson was being coy in front of Leen.

 

However, I never imagined that Leen would not doubt Carson’s true personality even after hearing the rumors.

 

‘Carson, what am I going to do with this son of a bastard?’

 

While Fjord worries about the future of his friend, Leen has lost focus on her studies and she was struggling with herself.

 

‘Oh, I don’t want to study. If it’s an encyclopedia of herbs, I could read it even hundreds of times…’

 

Her gaze was directed to the comfortable sofa and cozy blanket. Obviously things were still, but it seemed like they were seducing her.

 

After much thought, Leen decided to sleep for just half an hour and got up from her seat and headed to the sofa.

 

Leen, who has just picked up her blanket, lies down on the sofa.

 

“Fjord. Wake me up in 30minutes.”

 

“What? You didn’t look sleepy at all, but you’re going to sleep?

 

“Yes, thank you. I’ll trust you. Oh, for your information, it’s okay to wake me up late, but I might get a little angry if you wake me up early.”

 

“…Leen, are you really going to sleep?”

 

Fjord put his hand in front of her in an absurd way and waved his hand a few times. There must be signs, but there was no movement.

 

He let out a laugh.

 

“You’re a good actress.”

 

He glanced at Leen with his eyes closed.

 

‘I had a feeling from the first time I saw her, but she certainly had a pretty face. She has pure white skin and has concave features.’

 

The more I got to know her, the more attractive she became.

 

Although she looks blunt, she was more playful than anyone else, and she has a soft corner.

 

It was also understandable that the heart destroyer, Carson, was acting like a screw was missing when he stood in front of her.

 

I thought it would be only a matter of time before I would like Leen if we stayed together, not just Carson.

 

I just hope my feelings for Leen don’t develop into anything else.

 

Meanwhile, Leen, who closed her eyes to sleep, suddenly thought of Carson.

 

‘By the way, Caon was taking a half bath instead of a shower. Why wasn’t he still here?’

 

‘…It’s been quite some time, so I think he’ll be here soon. Now, when he sees me sleeping, won’t he think I’ve been playing the whole time?’

 

Leen thought it would be unfair.

 

She decided to put her sleep on hold until Carson arrived, and raised her upper body.

 

“Hey, what’s up all of a sudden?”

 

Despite the surprised voice, Leen stood up and headed for her desk.

 

Fjord looked at her with strange eyes as she sat down in her chair.

 

“You said you were going to sleep.”

 

“Because of you, you woke me up, so take responsibility.”

 

“What?”

 

‘Have you noticed that I’ve been staring at your face all this time?’,

Fjord’s face flushed with embarrassment.