27 – You Seeped into the Blanket Hem (3)
Knock, knock, knock, knock.
Droplets of water fell from my head. A chilling sensation spread over my body, and the incident that had been rolling smoothly began to freeze. Why haven’t I realized such a simple fact until now? I wrapped my skin, tingling with self-blame, with only regret for my own negligence.
Wait. Do I really not have any clothes to wear? The clothes outside are not only too dirty to wear, worse than wet, but there’s no way there are clothes for me in Yuna’s room. Borrowing men’s clothes from another noble would be too suspicious.
Then how long do I have to endure being naked in this situation?
The moment I thought of that, a voice echoed in my mind. Even in this situation, the voice was so cold and monotone.
[Yuna has donated 10,000 won.]
[Yuna has sent a message along with the donation.]
[Oh.]
“No, oh, what the…!”
I shouted in surprise and shrank back. Wait, this donor. Are they watching me right now? In the meantime, with a clinking sound, money fell and flowed down the drain along with the water. However, I didn’t even think about picking it up; I just covered my body with my hands. It felt like an unseen gaze was licking every inch of my body.
“Wow… unbelievable.”
No money, no home, and now, not even clothes. It felt like I was left alone in the world, stripped of all consciousness, like a fetus. And in the midst of it all, the only person beside me was an unidentified voyeur patient. Truly surreal.
However, there was at least one person who could be relied upon in such a situation, which was fortunate. And that person was undoubtedly smarter than me, so they would surely find an escape route. No, they had to. With this thought in mind, I quickly washed myself and approached the door. Then, raising my voice, I gave substance to my hope.
“Hey, Yuna.”
“…”
“Yuna?”
“…”
But there was no response. Could it be that my voice didn’t reach her? I considered waiting a little longer, but unfortunately, my peace of mind was evaporating rapidly. After some hesitation, I called her as politely as possible.
“Yuna! Did you leave your underwear here?”
“What? Hey!!!”
Thunk.
Soon, with an urgent noise, the sound of hurried footsteps came rushing in. Before the excited Yuna could come inside, I firmly gripped the doorknob and shouted.
“Just kidding! I just needed to call you!”
“What? Is that really a lie?”
“Well, it is! So calm down and listen to me!”
“Oh… that scared me, really. I came running without even showering because of you.”
Without even showering, she said…
…
So right now, she’s only wrapped in a towel.
For a brief moment, my naughty imagination was stimulated, but I quickly regained my composure and leaned my head against the door. And in a subdued voice, I said:
“You know, Yuna, I’ve discovered a pretty big problem.”
“What is it? Is it such a big deal that you’re acting all dramatic?”
“Yeah. It’s not like I have any other clothes to change into if I wash the ones I’m wearing right now.”
“Oh, really? Was that the case? Well, I could just lend you my clothes…”
“Do you have men’s clothes?”
“…Yeah.”
The briskly flowing voice came to a halt, crashing against the wall of logic. Yuna, who had been silent for a while, finally opened her mouth and raised her voice.
“But… you must have clothes to wear. A shirt should be fine, right?”
“But what if the size doesn’t fit?”
“…I’ll go look for some and bring them. Just wait a moment.”
Before I could catch her, Yuna quickly rushed towards something. The sound of her bare feet touching the floor echoed, reminiscent of the sight of her bare white feet I had seen in the classroom before. Maybe it was due to the heat of the bathroom. Somehow, it felt like my body temperature was rising a bit.
“Hey, Ellen. Did you bring the clothes at least? So, come out later and try them on.”
“Oh… yeah. Thanks.”
The steam of indecent imagination scattered into the mist at Yuna’s returned voice. I hastily combed my hair and quickly dried my body. Then, carefully grabbing the doorknob, I asked.
“Yuna. Can I go out?”
“Yeah. It’s okay. I’ll be outside.”
“Yeah. Then…”
Click.
As I slowly opened the door, neatly laid-out clothes came into view on one side. A white shirt and comfortable shorts were neatly placed, next to them were clearly visible traces of Yuna’s energetic water play. Trying to ignore those traces, I picked up the clothes.
“Hmm…”
…
Rustle. Rustle.
“…”
“Ellen?”
“Yeah.”
“How is it? Does it fit well?”
“The pants fit well.”
“…What about the shirt?”
“I almost tore it just now…”
Of course, I could wear it if I wanted to. But I was afraid that the shoulder part wouldn’t hold up and tear, even though I didn’t have broad shoulders. It was just that Yuna’s body was too small compared to mine. After contemplating for a moment, I put on the shirt haphazardly and leaned against the doorframe, resting my back.
“Well, there’s nothing we can do about it. Thanks, Yuna, for lending me your clothes.”
“No, it’s okay. I also did something wrong.”
…
“But Yuna, it’s a bit awkward to ask in this situation. It’s quite difficult for me to go out like this, you know? So…”
“Ah…you want to sleep? Yeah, it’s okay. We can’t help it now that it turned out like this.”
“Thank you. I owe you one.”
There were many things that happened, but at least I won’t have any trouble on the street.
“Hey, by the way, Ellen.”
“Yeah?”
In that moment when I was feeling a bit comforted, Yuna cautiously spoke up. And then she brought up another problem that I hadn’t thought of.
“But, actually, there isn’t a suitable place to sleep. Is it okay?”
“Well…can’t we sleep in the living room?”
“Words may say it’s a living room, but in reality, it’s almost like a corridor. And as I mentioned, there’s no spare blanket there, so it would be too cold to sleep. You didn’t even properly dress.”
“Well, what about the dressing room?”
“That place is a mess for you to sleep in. It’s narrow too. It’s a room so cramped that even stretching my legs is a challenge.”
“Then just sleep here.”
“No, I feel really sorry for that…”
Fatigue and hesitation dripped from Yuna’s voice. After contemplating for a while, she cautiously spoke up.
“Um, then, would you like to sleep in my room? I’d rather sleep in the dressing room.”
“Oh, no, there’s no need for that. If that happens, I’ll feel too sorry this time.”
“It’s okay. Instead, I can bring things like blankets.”
“I’d rather just sleep on the floor in my room. It should be warm there.”
“That… that won’t do. That’s…”
“Why? It seems better that way. Am I going to do something weird? Don’t worry. How would I dare to disturb the daughter of a duke…”
“Oh… no, it’s not that! It’s just that… you’re not properly dressed on top.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“…Wouldn’t it be embarrassing if I saw that?”
Eventually, that’s the problem again. Sleeping in a different room doesn’t fit the environment, but sleeping in the same room means being too exposed.
It’s complicated…
As I was contemplating, one thought suddenly crossed my mind. It wasn’t a particularly good idea, but at the moment, it was the only thing that came to mind.
“Hey, Yuna. In the end, even if we sleep in the same room, as long as you don’t see it, isn’t it fine?”
“Well, that’s true. Do you have a better idea?”
“Yeah, I think it’ll be fine.”
As I showed confidence, Yuna fell silent. It seemed like past memories were coming back to her. After a while of silence, she cautiously responded.
“I’m still uneasy…”
From Noble mtl dot com
Finally, the night, the destiny that seemed never-ending, arrived. With a sigh, we lay our bodies on the hard wooden floor, releasing the fatigue of the day and being embraced by the darkness that scattered from the arms of the sky. I wondered if the scent of forsythia would spread if I were to grab those black specks of dust in my hand. Dreaming of the approaching spring, I took a deep breath.
“Sigh…”
Creak…
As if responding to my voice, a squeaking sound echoed from the other side of the sky. It was probably just the sound of clouds dispersing. I brushed it off, but once again, someone’s breathing mixed with the noise. Indeed, someone was living on the other side of the sky. With childish delusion, I reached out my hand towards the sky.
And then, I knocked on the bottom of the bed that lay before me.
“Yuna, is something wrong?”
“Ah!…Don’t talk to me like that!”
Startled by my surprise greeting, Yuna shouted. I deliberately knocked a few more times because I found it amusing.
“Hey, Yuna. Are you up there?”
“I told you not to do that! It feels really weird.”
“Why? Just think of it as a two-story bed.”
“It’s not a two-story bed!”
I see. It’s not that different in the end. Yuna is lying on the top bed, and I’m lying beneath it. The principle is not much different from a two-story bed.
Of course, I’m just lying beneath Yuna’s bed.
When I first proposed this idea, Yuna naturally screamed and refused. But there was no other option in my mind. If we have to sleep in the same room, and if it’s embarrassing for her to see me in a half-naked state, then I have no choice but to sleep under the bed. That way, there would be no reason for her to see me. Plus, the space under the bed, though small, was surprisingly cozy.
But now it seemed that Yuna was regretting it. Well, it’s only natural to feel strange if you think there’s someone else under the bed. Even though she must be tired from a day like a war, Yuna continued to talk.
“Hey, do you think this was really the best idea? Even though I cleaned, and it’s not that cramped?”
“Yeah. When I saw it last time, the space below seemed wider than I thought. Upon entering, it’s quite comfortable, and surprisingly warm. Is it because the heat comes down from above?”
“What? Don’t touch! What are you doing right now?”
“No, I’m not touching you. Just patting the bed.”
“Still, don’t do it!”
As I swept the bottom of the bed, Yuna hit that part with a small thud. The bed shook a bit along with a faint vibration.
“Okay, I won’t do it. By the way, are you sure it’s okay? I can sleep here.”
“Well… Yeah, it’s fine. Tomorrow is a holiday anyway. And sleeping outside in this weather, you’ll freeze to death.”
“Thanks, Yuna. For letting me stay.”
“Well, it’s nothing… It’s obvious, isn’t it?”
“Why? Because we’re friends?”
“…Turn off the light.”
Yuna avoided unnecessary conversation and extinguished the lamp on the table. Then, with a creaking sound, she stretched out on the bed. It seemed like some kind of signal not to say anything unnecessary. I grinned, laid down, and looked up at the ceiling.
“Alright. Goodnight, Yuna.”
“Yeah. You too.”
After exchanging quick greetings, we both fell into our respective silences. Somehow, it felt a bit regrettable to fall asleep like this, and the silence felt awkward. Nevertheless, I closed my eyes and slowly relaxed my tense body.
But even so, it wasn’t easy to fall asleep.
…
Creak. Creak.
Squeak…
…
Above my head, there was the occasional sound of Yuna shifting her body. Trying not to be conscious of it, I kept imagining the figure on the bed. Brown hair scattered on the pillow. A small hand gripping the edge of the slightly wrinkled blanket. And the glimpse of pale skin through the gap in her pajamas. Just thinking about Yuna lying defenseless on the bed made me feel strangely ticklish all over my body.
Anyway, tonight seems like a sleepless night.
“Hey, Yuna.”
“Yeah?”
When I called Yuna, feeling somewhat awkward, a clear response came back. It seems like she’s also having a sleepless night.
“What happened to my clothes? I didn’t see them earlier.”
“Oh, that. People who do laundry every evening come by. I left them there with my clothes.”
“Is it okay to leave them together with mine? Won’t it seem strange?”
“It’s fine. They’re used to dealing with heavy talkers. They won’t make a fuss about that.”
“I see…”
I closed my mouth again. I didn’t have anything more to say.
…
But the awkward lingering silence tempted us once again to break the silence. As if urging not to leave me alone. It seemed like an appeal not to let me feel lonely on this night. This time, Yuna was the one to break the silence first.
“Ellen.”
“Yeah?”
“What time do you usually wake up? I’m not forcing you to wake up at a specific time, just curious.”
“Well… since tomorrow is a holiday, I probably won’t wake up until around nine.”
“Oh, okay. I got it.”
…
And once again, silence. Somehow, this time, there was an obsession inside me that we needed to break this stillness. Why do I feel this way? Without knowing the reason, I opened my mouth again.
“Yuna.”
“Yeah?”
“Do I bother you a lot at school?”
“Yeah…?”
I threw the question without thinking and immediately shut my mouth in regret. But it was already too late.
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh, nothing. Lately, I felt like I might be taking too much of your time. So, I asked.”
“Ah, that’s what it is.”
It wasn’t an easy question to answer, and Yuna fell silent. Even though it was a short silence, I anxiously waited for her response.
“It’s okay.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. And honestly, sometimes… it’s fun too.”
Maybe it was the mood. There was a hint of laughter in her last answer. I sighed in relief only now. The tension that had built up in me seemed to ease a bit.
“Hey, Ellen.”
“Yeah?”
“Can I ask you something too?”
“What is it?”
“Why did you hold my hand back then?”
Was it my question that unlocked the emotional lock? This time, Yuna threw a deep question at me. Looking back, it wasn’t that long ago, but for some reason, it felt like a distant memory. After a brief hesitation, I opened up honestly.
“We talked about it before, but I just wanted to become friends. That’s all.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“But why did you want to become friends? Usually, people like me… people like a prickly noble lady don’t think about becoming friends. So why?”
“Well…”
The second question was more challenging than the first. Indeed. Why was that? Was it because you felt that you had changed from usual? Did you think that you had become a different person than before?
“…I just wanted to be friends with a cute and pretty girl. Isn’t that enough?”
I couldn’t come up with a quick response, as usual. However, Yuna, unsatisfied, pondered over my words.
“Just because I’m cute and pretty.”
“Yeah.”
“I see…”
Normally, I would have blushed and yelled in embarrassment, but perhaps due to the late hour, such a reaction did not come. Instead, Yuna, for a while, contemplated my words as if not satisfied. Why was that? I thought it was a simple compliment. Unable to understand the English language, I strained my ears even for small noises. Then, unexpectedly, a different reaction came.
“Thank you.”
“Huh?”
“For talking to me back then, thank you. Thanks to you, these days…”
…
The last words were muffled under the blanket. Instead, along with the sound of shifting bodies, a corner of the blanket slipped down a bit. The quilt scrap protruding from under the comfortable bed glowed remarkably vivid. I absentmindedly grabbed it.
Perhaps, even if her form wasn’t visible, Yuna’s hand must be on the other side of this blanket.
Thinking like that, it was undoubtedly a misconception, but I felt a warm something flowing to my fingertips.
…
After having an oddly awkward conversation, the ensuing silence felt even more uncomfortable. Yuna, repeatedly tucking her body under the bedcovers, suddenly threw a trivial question.
“Ah, by the way. Ellen. Do you happen to snore?”
“I’m not sure. What about you?”
“Me? Well…”
Sniff.
Yuna, who had been contemplating, suddenly gasped and took a sharp breath. Then, in a desperate voice, she said:
“You… you should go to sleep first, Ellen. Got it? Or maybe plug your ears… um…!”
“Huh? Why? Are you worried I might snore? It’s okay. I don’t mind.”
“It’s me who minds! So just go to sleep already! Understand?”
Why is she like this? Snoring might actually be kind of cute. It’s like a little puppy growling while sleeping. When that thought crossed my mind, mischievousness kicked in once again.
“Well then, I guess I’ll go to bed late tonight. I should hear how a noble lady snores.”
“What? No way! Go to sleep quickly! We have to leave early tomorrow!”
“Don’t worry. I’ll just listen to you snore and fall asleep.”
“Seriously, ugh!”
The corner of the blanket under the bed began to shake rapidly. It seemed like someone was grabbing and shaking the blanket from underneath. When I grabbed the end, I could feel someone pulling on it from the other side. I playfully teased Yuna while engaging in this mysterious tug-of-war.
“Ah… I should pretend to sleep. That way, Yuna will let her guard down and fall asleep.”
“Heyyyyy…”
“hahahaha…”
“Ellen, please, can’t you just go to sleep?”
“I will. I’ll make sure you’re asleep.”
“Oh, Ellen…”
Slightly choking, she called out my name, and it somehow sounded like she was being playful. With her disheveled appearance etched deep in my memory, I closed my eyes. Suddenly, without reason, a yawn escaped me, and drowsiness washed over me.
“hahahaham…”
“Did you just yawn? Are you sleepy? Hm?”
“No. I’m not going to sleep yet.”
“Ah… Ellen!”
“hahahaha…”
…
“Ellen? Are you sleeping?”
“Hm? Ah…no…not yet…”
“Sleep quickly! Hurry!”
…
“Ellen? Are you sleeping?”
“…”
From Noble mtl dot com
…
“Ellen?”
At the edge of consciousness, I heard her voice again. I wanted to respond, but my body was too heavy, making it impossible. In the end, I gave up, and as I let go of the last thread of tension, my consciousness slowly started to fade away. In the faintly scattering time, a pleasant sound, like the scraping of the floor, echoed.