I’m Not Doing This With A Friend Chapter 100

 

Despite the unfamiliarity of the drink, I gulped it down without stopping.  It was my fourth glass already.

 

“Whew…”

 

Grimacing at the lingering bitterness, I took it in stride. It was time for the next round.

 

“Leen, it’s not good to drink too much.”

 

Kun, who I hadn’t realized was at the party, stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

 

I waved a hand and said, “Don’t stop me. I’m just getting to know the bitter flavors of life.”

 

“You can learn those things slowly.”

 

Kun snatched the empty glass from my hand with a deft motion.

 

“I’m perfectly fine.”

 

“Then you’re drunk.”

 

“No. I think I’m pretty strong.”

 

When I reached out to take the glass from Kun’s hand, he lifted his hand dismissively.

 

“You don’t know that.”

 

Looking at him squinting, I realized I couldn’t possibly take it back and pulled away.

 

Besides, he was right, I’d had too much to drink in a short time.

 

“Kun. Where have you been all this time, anyway?”

 

“A while… I was just getting some air to cool off.”

 

“Is it hot?”

 

“Uh, no. That wasn’t the reason.”

 

Glancing up, Kun’s earlobes reddened. I quickly changed the subject, realizing I’d asked the wrong question.

 

“Don’t you do something along with recruiting?”

 

The chairman of the party had been actively recruiting students to join the company after graduation.

 

Since we weren’t in the academy, there were no restrictions on revealing our identities.

 

“Only if Leen is willing to be recruited, but…”

 

Kun tilted his head slowly, and said, “No matter how much we offer, you won’t come to Abascanthus, will you?”

 

“No. I like the Lagras Empire, where my family is.”

 

It would be comforting to know that though I would never meet them, they lived in the same land.

 

Suddenly, Kun’s expression twisted, tinged with guilt.

 

“I apologize, Leen.”

 

“What do you mean, apologize all of a sudden?”

 

“I’m a cowardly person. An ugly, dirty…”

 

It was a hard thing to admit. If someone as upright as Kun was ugly, the world could be called hell.

 

“I tried to suppress my jealousy, but it didn’t work. I don’t want to see Carson and Leen get married.”

 

No wonder, of course, as I thought. 

 

‘I wouldn’t wish Carson happiness if he told me he was marrying someone, either.’

 

But what I didn’t understand about Kun’s remark was…

 

“Why are we even discussing marriage here?”

 

The question was, why would Kun bring up marriage when I didn’t?

 

In response to my question, he was busy saying the wrong thing.

 

“Even though I know Leen wouldn’t turn him away, and even though I know you want him. I, I just couldn’t…”

 

I tried to grasp the meaning, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t figure out what Kun was saying.

 

What was he saying I wanted?

 

Marriage to Carson?

 

Kun looked distressed, as if he didn’t know what to do.

 

“Kun.”

 

“…Yes, Leen.”

 

My face was reflected in Kun’s violet eyes.

 

“Are you crying?”

 

He parted his mouth slightly. He seemed surprised that tears had fallen from his eyes.

 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t exactly present myself well. Let me get my emotions under control for a moment.”

 

He hastily wiped the tears from his eyes and turned away, adding.

 

“Just don’t drink too much because I’m gone. I’m sure your head will hurt like hell the next day.”

 

He leaves the party. I stared after him as he walks away, and before I know it, Jane stands beside me.

 

She’d gone to see Hans, worried about him, even though he deserved it.

 

“What kind of conversation did you have that made him look like that? Did Kun confess to you and then slap him?”

 

“…I don’t know. I don’t know what Kun and I talked about.”

 

Jane stares at me, then returns with two glasses half full of wine. She hands me one.

 

‘I know Kun asked me not to drink too much, but…’

 

Well, I’m not the age where I have to ask anyone’s permission to drink, so I guess it’s okay.

 

Quickly, I made a decision and took the glass she offered.

 

I was about to take a sip when I suddenly wondered and asked, “Jane, what is life?”

 

“Life is…”

 

Jane swirled the wine around in her glass, looking pensive.

 

She gazed off into the distance, her eyes moist as rain, and answered wistfully.

 

“Eggs.”

 

Pfft—!

 

“Poohaha!”

 

I try to hold it together, but I burst out laughing, holding my stomach. I managed to calm down only after a fit of laughter.

 

“Oh, I’m so proud of myself for laughing at a hard-boiled egg.”

 

After I finished laughing, I felt like I shouldn’t have. I was sure I wouldn’t have given a snicker if someone else had said it.

 

She doesn’t joke around much, so it was hard to hold it in when she said something like that.

 

“Now you’re laughing.”

 

Jane smirked and poked me in the cheek with her index finger.

 

“Don’t be so upset, Leen. It’s not the last time.”

 

“What do you mean, not the last?”

 

“I mean, we have vacation… and then we have to go back to school for a week or so before graduation.”

 

“No, I feel like it’s today or never. I’m just going to give up.”

 

“Leen…”

 

“That’s just as well.”

 

Leen downed the rest of the wine in her glass in one gulp.

 

‘The wine made my mouth bitter.’

 

“Because I was willing to do it, even though I knew my selfishness would hurt Caon.”

 

Jane gazed at me, unsure of what to say. Her lips curled into a smile.

 

“…Would you like another drink?”

 

“That sounds good.”

 

🍃

 

Alone with his emotions, Kun headed back to the party.

 

“I’ve been gone too long…”

 

It was long past time for Leen to return to her dorm. In fact, it seemed like more than half the party had left.

 

Kun sighed heavily and ruffled his hair roughly as he made his way to the party.

 

‘I felt guilty.’

 

For my godfather, and to Leen.

 

My mother had asked me not to tell Leen about it. I told myself I was only trying to honor her word, but I knew it.

 

Kun just didn’t want to see Leen rise to nobility and make things work with Carson.

 

“…I never thought I would be so blinded by jealousy.”

 

Eventually arriving at the party, Kun looked around at the devastation.

 

Some people were still gulping down their drinks while others were still drunk, and some people were out of their minds.

 

Someone vomiting on one side of the party. There were people sprawled out on the floor, fast asleep, noisy or not.

 

‘Where’s Leen?’

 

As I focused on finding her, it didn’t take long to spot her.

 

Leen was sleeping soundly on top of a couple of chairs next to each other.

 

Thankfully, the Leli-Club had taken care of her, as there was a mountain of robes and shawls piled on top of her.

 

Seeing Leen sleeping soundly, Kun forgot his gloom and allowed a small smile to tug at the corners of his mouth.

 

“Leen, excuse me.”

 

Kun gently picked Leen up and lifted her to her feet.

 

“If you know you’re being rude, get lost.”

 

Kun slowly lifted his gaze from Leen.

 

Carson. It was him again.

 

“If you would please step out, I need to take Leen back to her dormitory.”

 

“So…”

 

Carson’s eyes lit up. He looked like he wanted to tear Kun to shreds right then and there.

 

“Why would you do that?” Kun snapped back.

 

“You can’t even look at Leen’s face, so how are you supposed to bring her to safety?”

 

“Have you already forgotten that I’m a wizard?”

 

“What are you going to do if you make eye contact with Leen halfway through the teleportation?”

 

Carson smirked, and retorted, “Look what I did while we were stuck in that stupid common room.”

 

Carson rolled up his sleeve to show his arm. His arm was covered in all sorts of magic circles. Kun frowned at the rather bizarre sight.

 

“What kind of magic did you engrave on it?”

 

“Any control magic I can get my hands on.”

 

Hah, a snicker escaped Kun’s mouth.

 

“You’re getting a terrible deal.”

 

Carson’s lips twitched upward in amusement at the sight of Kun.

 

“It’s gotten pretty rough while you’ve been away.”

 

Carson suddenly squeezed Kun’s shoulder.

 

“Don’t hang around Leen, loser, and get lost like the sore loser you are.”

 

Kun stared at him unblinkingly, then shoved Carson away as if offended.

 

“Why am I a loser?”

 

“Because…”

 

Carson didn’t finish his sentence, instead picking up Leen, who had fallen asleep naturally.

 

All the while, he was still smiling.

 

Kun couldn’t help but watch like a dumbfounded mute. His lips, and indeed his entire body, were stiff and unmoving.

 

Holding Leen in his arms, Carson looked up at Kun, his eyes bright with amusement.

 

“Because Leen likes me.”

 

His voice was full of conviction. With those words, Carson turned and walked out of the party.

 

🍃

 

Carson had a small problem.

 

‘I know I have to take Leen back to her dormitory, but…’

 

She was so lovely in my arms, I didn’t want to let her go. There was a strong desire in my heart to stop time.

 

I wonder if she realized how much time I was stalling. Leen squirmed slightly in his arms.

 

“Mmm…”

 

Carson squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. His voice was hoarse and low when it came out.

 

“Leen. It’s a little hard for me when you move like that.”

 

As if she heard him, Leen opened her eyes in a daze.

 

“…Is, it you Caon?”

 

Normally, she would have insisted on walking on her own feet and asked to be put down.

 

But the way she was being held so obediently, it seemed like she was completely drunk.

 

“Yep. It’s me, Leen. I’ll take you back to your dorm in a minute. Just wait.”

 

Leen buried her face in Carson’s arms, whimpering instead of whining.

 

“No… I’ve booked an inn nearby, I’ll sleep there…”

 

The party venue was not far from the Academy, and many students like Leen had made reservations at nearby inns.

 

Some of them decided to stay the night, while others went home early.

 

“Where?”

 

“…oo Inn, room 301.”

 

Carson let out a small laugh. It was cute that she could still remember the name of the inn and the exact room.

 

The inn she had booked wasn’t too bad. If it was anything less, I’d sneak her somewhere else.

 

‘She has good taste.’

 

Carson scooped her up into his arms and cast a teleport.

 

Arriving at the inn in a flash, he got a key from the front desk and entered the room.

 

Upon entering, his eyes were immediately drawn to the lumpy bed in the room.

 

It was large enough that he could throw himself on it and not have to worry about falling off.

 

Carson carefully laid Leen down on the bed. Then he gently withdrew his hand that had been supporting her…

 

Leen, who seemed to have fallen asleep, suddenly grabbed Carson’s hand.

 

“Don’t go.”

 

Carson’s eyes widened at the weak words and her expression.

 

Leen was staring at him, her face longing for something.