The room settled into the hushed click-click of the ceiling fan, little drafts sliding across a battlefield of wrinkled sheets. Three bodies lay knotted in the middle, still radiating leftover heat.
Kang Min-jae woke first. Everything ached in that you're-still-alive-congratulations way. His dantian fizzed like a shorted fuse.
[SYSTEM NOTE – 05:43 A.M.]
Stormbound Fool status: Expired
Total duration: 24 h 03 m 14 s
Residual effect: 0 % physical, 100 % embarrassment.
He blew out the longest sigh of his second life. "Thank every ancestor."
On his right, Eun Hae's arm pinned him by the waist; on his left, Hye-Ra dozed with a lazy smile, one bare leg strewn across his shin. Min-jae inched sideways—Eun Hae's arm tightened like a cuff. Hye-Ra murmured "Mine," and buried her face in his shoulder. Escape: denied.
[SYSTEM STATUS]
Spiritual core: 9 %
Physical stamina: 11 %
Advice: Move slowly. Very slowly.
The corridor gong chimed six. Lecture in an hour.
Eun Hae's eyes snapped open, sharp already. "You're not skipping class."
"I can't feel my legs."
"They'll remember." She sat up—scratch-lined shoulders, cool authority.
Hye-Ra yawned. "If you limp, tell them it's a heroic sprain." She traced a circle on his chest. "Your heroic sprain."
Min-jae pushed a hand through his hair. "Can we discuss my heroism after caffeine?"
A towel smacked his face—Eun Hae's doing. "Shower. Qi-compress. You smell like wine and victory laps."
Hye-Ra leaned over, voice low. "I dibs the leftover victory."
Steam hissed behind the bathroom door; lukewarm water stung places he hadn't known could bruise.
[SYSTEM DIAGNOSTIC]
Affection — Seo Yura 91 % | Eun Hae 91 % | Hye-Ra 84 %
New Passive: Dual-Yin Breathing (Lv 1)
► Very slow stamina return while in contact with two Yin sources.
► Side-effect: mild, random arousal.
Comment: "Schedule future threesomes for weekends, please."
Min-jae let the water run over his face. "Weekends. Got it."
Uniform on, hair still damp, he shuffled back to the living room. Hye-Ra lounged on the couch, robe knotted just enough.
"Alive," she observed. "Nine out of ten performance."
"Only nine?"
"The bed squeaks. Fix that and we'll retest."
Eun Hae emerged already dressed in academy black—senior disciple discipline in every step. She straightened Min-jae's collar without asking. "Move. Thirty-five minutes."
Hye-Ra twirled a strand of hair. "He can move and flirt. Multitasking is healthy."
"Class first," Eun Hae replied. "Flirting later."
Min-jae lifted a finger. "Coffee first?"
They both answered "Maybe" at the same time.
Dawn painted the courtyard pink-gold as they crossed the tiles—Eun Hae on one side, Hye-Ra on the other, each claiming half of his wobbling dignity. Ten metres from the tower entrance the air shifted, silk-light yet undeniable. Min-jae paused.
Second-storey window. Dark red curtains. A motionless silhouette.
[SYSTEM ALERT]
Unidentified Yin Signature – Red-Thread Sovereign
Density: beyond recorded maximum
Interest: 2 % and growing.
Min-jae swallowed. "Not… again."
Eun Hae followed his gaze, eyes narrowing. "Whoever it is, ignore her for now."
Hye-Ra hooked his arm. "Ignore, yes. But she'd better know the line starts behind us."
Min-jae let himself be steered forward. The tower doorway loomed—coffee, class, maybe a quiet death. He whispered to the System, "One normal day, please."
[SYSTEM]
Request denied.
Consolation: the cafeteria has fresh steamed buns.
He sighed and counted the steps to caffeine—exactly twelve—and hoped none of them involved public boners—Again.