Chapter 368: Heroine Stealer [3]
Lena lowered her eyes briefly.
Then spoke again.
"I know this isn’t the right time."
I didn’t disagree.
"I know you’re injured."
True.
"I know I’m your professor."
Very true.
"And I know this situation is strange."
Extremely true.
A small laugh escaped her.
A nervous one.
"Actually, strange is probably an understatement."
That was the most reasonable thing either of us had said in the last ten minutes.
For the first time since asking the question, Lena looked away.
Just slightly.
As if finally realizing the magnitude of what she’d done.
"I wasn’t planning to say it."
"I figured."
"I really wasn’t."
"I believe you."
"I was supposed to think about it first."
"...Professor."
"I know."
Her face immediately turned red again.
The room fell quiet.
Then—
Unexpectedly—
Lena laughed.
A small laugh.
Soft.
Embarrassed.
When I looked at her, she was smiling while covering part of her face.
"I must look pathetic."
"You don’t."
"You don’t have to comfort me."
"I’m not."
That made her pause.
Slowly, her eyes met mine again.
I continued.
"You don’t look pathetic."
Because she didn’t.
Awkward?
Absolutely.
Embarrassed?
Without question.
Impulsive?
Definitely.
But pathetic?
No.
Not even close.
Lena stared at me for several long seconds.
Then her expression softened.
And somehow that expression looked far more dangerous than anything before.
Not because it was seductive.
Not because it was provocative.
But because it was sincere.
Completely sincere.
The kind of expression that only appeared when someone stopped hiding their feelings.
The question hit me like a surprise attack.
"Rin, what about you? Are you not into older women?"
"..."
My brain immediately entered emergency mode.
What kind of question was that?
More importantly—
Was there even a correct answer?
If I said no, it sounded rude.
If I said yes, it sounded dangerous.
If I avoided the question, it sounded suspicious.
This was a trap.
A perfect trap.
Unfortunately, my experience dealing with women was approximately zero.
My experience dealing with beautiful women was somehow negative.
And my experience dealing with beautiful women who had just confessed to me and were now looking at me like that...
Didn’t exist.
At all.
"Well..."
An intelligent answer failed to arrive.
I desperately searched my memories.
Orphanage.
Heroes.
Villains.
Near-death experiences.
Ancient mystical powers.
Nothing useful.
Not a single thing.
"Rin."
"...Y-yes?!"
I almost jumped.
Lena’s expression immediately softened.
Then she laughed.
A small, amused laugh.
"What are you thinking about so seriously?"
"..."
"Look at me."
The problem was that I had been trying very hard not to look at her.
Because every time I did, my thoughts became less reliable.
Still, when she said it like that—
I looked up.
And instantly regretted it.
She was close.
Far too close.
The distance between us had disappeared somewhere along the way.
Her eyes reflected my own stunned expression.
The vulnerable, fragile woman from earlier was gone.
Not completely.
But enough.
Now there was confidence hidden beneath her embarrassment.
A confidence that came from finally accepting her own feelings.
And that realization somehow made her even more dangerous.
My heart skipped.
Once.
Twice.
Then forgot what rhythm was supposed to be.
"Lena..."
The name slipped out before I could stop it.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Then curved into a smile.
A very dangerous smile.
"...You usually call me Professor."
"..."
"..."
Mistakes were made.
Many mistakes.
I was beginning to suspect I was losing this battle.
Slowly.
Inevitably.
Lena leaned forward slightly.
My survival instincts screamed.
My brain completely stopped functioning.
Wait.
Wait.
Hold on.
Was she actually—
No.
No way.
Surely not.
Should I move?
Would moving make things awkward?
Wouldn’t not moving also make things awkward?
How was this situation happening?
A thousand thoughts exploded inside my head.
None of them were useful.
Meanwhile, Lena continued closing the distance.
Steadily.
Unhurriedly.
As if she had all the time in the world.
Then—
Tap.
Something warm touched my forehead.
I froze.
The world froze.
Time froze.
My brain rebooted just long enough to realize what had happened.
A kiss.
A kiss—
On my forehead.
Lena pulled back slightly.
A faint blush colored her cheeks.
But there was a mischievous glint in her eyes now.
One I had never seen before.
Then—
Tap.
She kissed my forehead again.
Lightly.
Gently.
As though sealing a promise.
"There."
I stared at her.
She stared back.
Looking entirely too pleased with herself.
"...Professor."
"No."
"..."
"No?"
Her smile widened.
"Not right now."
This woman was impossible.
Completely impossible.
Lena gently squeezed my hand.
Then spoke with surprising confidence.
"A kiss isn’t allowed."
"..."
"So this is a reservation."
I blinked.
Several times.
"A reservation?"
"Yes."
She nodded as though it were the most reasonable thing in the world.
"A reservation."
I wasn’t convinced.
At all.
Lena looked far too proud of herself.
"Until you graduate."
"..."
"After that..."
She paused.
Her face reddened slightly.
Then she looked away.
"...We’ll discuss it again."
My brain crashed for the second time today.
Somewhere in the distance, I could practically hear Zhao Yuren laughing at my suffering.
Traitor.
Absolute traitor.
Meanwhile, Lena seemed relieved.
As though she had finally reached a compromise she could accept.
Then she glanced back at me.
A little nervous.
A little embarrassed.
Yet smiling nonetheless.
"This much skinship is okay, right?"
The question sounded innocent.
The forehead kisses were not helping that illusion.
I stared at her.
She stared back.
Waiting.
Hopeful.
For some reason, seeing that expression made it impossible to refuse.
So after several long seconds, I sighed.
"...Just this much."
Lena immediately brightened.
The reaction was so quick that I regretted my answer almost instantly.
"Really?"
"Professor."
"Lena."
"...Lena."
Her smile somehow became even brighter.
Then she leaned her head against my shoulder.
Looking completely satisfied.
As though she had won some great victory.
I looked at the ceiling.
Wondering where exactly my peaceful hospital recovery had gone wrong.
The system notification from earlier suddenly resurfaced in my mind.
Title Acquired: Heroine Stealer.
"..."
For the first time in my life, I sincerely wanted the system to stop being correct.