Staying at Yoon Ha-min's house was a bit awkward, but I found it comfortable enough to manage.
Living in someone else's home was always burdensome, but I felt relieved being with Ha-min since it gave me a sense of security.
If the Wall were to collapse and Mysterious Persons suddenly invaded, at least I'd have someone to protect me.
Even if he wasn't an official Hero, Ha-min was certainly capable enough, which allowed me to feel at ease.
In the morning, I briefly visited my own place, and after lunch, I returned here to study. I had considered practicing combat techniques, but the lingering effects of my leg injury made that impossible.
Still, I was trying my best to improve my written scores, hoping it might help raise my average.
Who knows? Maybe I could escape being Bottom Rank this way.
Even among hero hopefuls, there are those at the top and those at the bottom. The distance I needed to climb wasn't that high.
Considering I'd been getting zeros for my ability and interpersonal skills, improvement seemed entirely possible.
"Whew, I'm done," I said while stretching.
Though they say there's no end to studying, continuously doing so without breaks would only lead to headaches and inefficiency. It was better to rest after reaching the day's goal.
At least, that's what Ha-min had told me, and I was following his advice.
As I stretched my stiff body with a groan, Ha-min, who was studying across from me, glanced up.
"...What do you want for dinner?"
"Dinner?"
I tilted my head.
Come to think of it, since it was Sunday, I'd eaten breakfast, which I usually skipped, so I wasn't particularly hungry yet.
I put down my pen with an indifferent expression and shrugged.
"I'm not that hungry yet. Are you?"
"A little."
"Really?"
I guess this is the difference between someone who regularly eats breakfast and someone who doesn't.
"I'm not sure. I'm not starving yet."
"Do you want to shower first then?"
"Is that okay?"
"Yeah, do whatever's comfortable."
"Then I'll shower first."
I closed my books and notes, stacking them in one place. Then I rummaged through my bag for clothes and headed to the bathroom.
I remembered passing out here yesterday when I tried to shower.
And then Ha-min carrying me to bed afterward.
Showing my body to someone else was embarrassing no matter the circumstances.
I also felt bad for causing him trouble.
I waited for warm water to come out of the showerhead, then wet my body and washed my hair.
The streams of water beat against my body like rain.
I faced it, savoring the sensation as I exhaled.
There was a bathtub nearby, but as a guest, I felt uncomfortable asking to use it.
It would use a lot of water, and I'd be occupying the bathroom for much longer.
"...Hah."
Still, I felt at ease knowing the shower space was more spacious.
Unlike my cramped studio apartment with its dirty, old tiles, seeing these clean tiles made me envious.
How nice it would be if my place were like this.
After finishing my shower and getting dressed, I went out to find Ha-min watching TV in the living room.
"Oh, um... are you done?"
"Yeah. It was really nice."
I pushed my wet hair back. My hair was so long and voluminous that when wet, it felt heavy, pulling down on my head—a strangely addictive sensation.
I lowered my head at Ha-min's awkward gaze.
I wasn't naked like before, nor was I without underwear, nor had I announced that I was wearing any—I couldn't understand why he had that expression. Besides, I was properly dressed.
"Aren't you going to shower?"
I asked while drying my hair with a towel.
Ha-min jumped up.
"I should. But Kanna, shouldn't you dry your hair properly?"
"Huh?"
"There's a hair dryer in the changing room."
"Oh, really?"
I had just changed clothes and come out without checking if there was one.
I went back to the changing room and found the hair dryer to dry my hair.
The machine made a loud whirring sound as I closed my eyes, feeling the hot air.
After drying my hair completely, I finally vacated the bathroom for Ha-min.
"Sorry for taking so long."
I said with a smile, but he waved his hand dismissively.
"It's fine. Girls usually take longer, I hear."
"Oh? You seem to know a lot."
"No...! It's just something I've heard on TV and such! Your hair is long, so it makes sense, right?"
"Why was Ha-min scrambling to explain himself? I didn't understand.
It seemed like something that could have been brushed off with a simple "I guess you know" or "I guess you don't."
I walked barefoot across the floor and plopped down on the sofa.
Then I closed my eyes and tilted my head back.
The drowsiness that washed over me felt like it was crushing my body.
I smiled at the voice inside me that seemed to be urging me to sleep.
I wasn't particularly hungry, and my body was warm and steamy after the shower, so it seemed like a good time to sleep.
"...Hmm."
Ha-min stood there awkwardly for a moment, looking at my listless reaction before heading to the bathroom.
He could have changed in the changing room before entering, but suddenly he let out a scream.
"Aaaagh!"
"What...!"
Startled, I sat up straight and looked toward where Ha-min was.
He came back out, opening the door, his mouth opening and closing as if he wanted to say something to me.
Finally, he squeezed his eyes shut.
"Kanna! Please, um, take your clothes with you...!"
Ah. Right, of course.
Since there was a washing machine in the changing room at Ha-min's house, discarded clothes rarely came out from there.
I thought I could just leave them in a corner, but apparently they were noticeable enough to make Ha-min's face turn red.
I guess I'd been too comfortable as a guest in someone else's home.
"Sorry, I just left them in the corner since they'd need to be washed anyway..."
"No, no, it's fine, but just keep them with you for today, and I'll bring a laundry basket tomorrow."
Ha-min said, covering his mouth with his hand.
"...Thanks."
"No, it couldn't be helped, and, um, sorry for yelling."
"No, no. I'm the guest, so it's my fault."
I gathered up my discarded clothes and took them out of the changing room.
Ha-min stood there awkwardly before locking the door with a click.
*
As I watched Kanna enter the bathroom, a thought occurred to me.
Did I tell her she could use the bathtub? Should I have mentioned it? Should I tell her now?
I debated with myself but shook my head, afraid of causing an awkward situation.
Between Kanna's moans during her leg stretches, seeing her naked body last night, and now her asking to live together, I was already in a difficult position and didn't want to approach her unnecessarily.
Considering what she'd been through, I understood her request. If the Wall suddenly collapsed, Mysterious Persons might come looking for her again, and there was no guarantee I could reach her faster than they could, so this arrangement made sense.
I didn't want to see anyone around me get hurt or die.
So when she said she was scared to be alone, that she might develop trauma, and wanted to stay here, I readily agreed.
But I never imagined I'd have to deal with situations like this.
When Kanna came out after her shower, she was drying her damp hair with a towel. Steam rose from her body, and the remaining moisture clung to her shirt, accentuating her figure.
Moreover, she was wearing short shorts, making it difficult to know where to look.
When it was my turn to shower, I noticed her crumpled clothes and underwear on the floor next to the laundry basket, making my face flush.
"...Damn."
No matter how much I tried to maintain a sense of duty, I couldn't even overcome this simple challenge, which made me sigh.
I turned on cold water to cool my heated body, but it didn't seem to help much.
I wished Kanna would be a bit more mindful of her actions.
Yet she wasn't oblivious to the danger of Mysterious Persons.
I wondered if it was just me, or if she acted this way with everyone else too.
If it was just me, I might feel a bit pleased, but if not, it would be rather disheartening.
I continued showering with a sigh.
The sound of falling water was enough to mask my complicated feelings.