Mixed-Blood in a Gender Role Reversed World - Chapter 63

 Chapter 63 :

If I had to name one advantage of the body I’ve possessed, it would be its exceptional hearing.  

I could faintly hear whispers from people far away.  

But because of that, I often found myself in awkward situations.

“Exactly. He was rough even when we kissed.”

Like right now.  

The conversation I overheard from a distance came to a halt. Listening to the rumbling engine of the car, I pressed my temples hard.

“…And you’re saying there’s nothing between you two?”

“Well…”

From a distance, it sounded like a beast growling sia’s voice and Mina’s face, which had been beaming with a victor’s smile, suddenly softened.

I tilted my head, sensing something odd.  

One of them I could understand, but the other? Not so much.

“Hmm. I think I get it.”

“…Why?”

“Because everything you said was a lie. I’ll apologize for teasing you first. You got mad and said whatever came to mind, didn’t you?”

“Oh! It was a joke? Thank goodness.”

“…Yeah. But what’s your answer?”

“Take care on your way home!”

Just as Mina, who had been leaning into the driver’s seat window, tried to slip away, she froze as if something grabbed her.

“So, did you kiss or not?”

“…Why do you care, unnie?”

I couldn’t listen anymore.

“Why do you have so much to talk about?”

I immediately approached, grabbed Mina, and asked.

“Oh… sorry. I’ll wrap it up soon, so can you wait just a bit?”

“No. You don’t look well right now. I think you need to go home soon. Plus, didn’t you say we still have things to talk about?”

“…Really?”

Seeing Mina’s face light up in an instant, I leaned against the driver’s window just as she had. Sia, who had been squinting moments ago, relaxed her expression and tucked her hair behind her ear.

“You’re heading home now too, right, Team Leader?”

“Hmm… I should. But I’m feeling a bit off. I think I might have hurt my arm during sparring earlier…”

“Really?”

Come to think of it, I did kick too hard trying to break through Sia’s guard. And I hit her in a few other places too.

(…Did I hit her wrong?)

I know too well the awful feeling of being injured.  

Overwhelmed by sudden guilt, worry, and the fear of losing a great sparring partner, I grabbed Sia’s arm.

“Does it hurt if I press here?”

Using my makeshift diagnostic skills honed over years as an athlete, I pressed on her arm and shoulder while asking.

“Uh, huh?”

“…Sehwa, you can stop. Unnie always brags about how tough her body is. Didn’t she say she was fine even after getting hit with a steel pipe? Am I right, unnie?”

Mina let out a short, exasperated breath and flashed a sly smile.

“There’s no such person in the world. If that were true, I’d…”

“Ugh, okay. I think you can stop now.”

“…Are you really okay, Team Leader? Shouldn’t you go to the hospital…?”

“…Of course I’m fine. It was just a joke. If a woman got hurt that easily, she wouldn’t be a woman, right? See you tomorrow then. Oh, and Mina, you better show up too. I’ll give you a proper show tomorrow. If you want to grow fast, you need to watch closely. Right, Sehwa? We… know that well, don’t we?”

Sia peeked out the window, her sparkling eyes looking at me as if pleading for agreement.  

She really is like a cat. A pretty cat.  

Unable to stop myself from smiling, I nodded.

Satisfied, Sia drove off without hesitation.

As the car’s glowing lights faded, darkness enveloped the surroundings.

And between the two of us left behind, an awkward silence hung in the air, making me miss the rumbling engine.

Mina was the first to break the silence.

“…Can you give me a cigarette?”

“No. Oh, I’ll pay you back for the one you gave me last time.”

“Why… You smoke too. Why is it okay for you but not for me?”

I scanned Mina sharply.

Her school uniform skirt, so short it barely hung over her thighs, had long been replaced by tight leggings. On top, she wore a loose T-shirt tucked into her uniform.

Seeing that softened my heart a bit.

“I just want to talk… I won’t say this again.”

Reflecting on it, her voice, which had been sharp while talking with Sia earlier, now wavered weakly.  

Convinced by the desperation in her fragile voice, I led Mina to the wall.

It was the same wall where, not long ago, my aunt had frantically searched for something with Pecha and Yuri.

There, I finally handed Mina a cigarette.  

I knew I shouldn’t, but it felt like the right thing to do at that moment.

Soon, Mina gently put the cigarette to her lips and looked at me. Her big eyes blinking at me were kind of cute.

“What? You just asked for a cigarette.”

I said, putting a cigarette in my own mouth. After lighting it, I quickly pocketed the lighter.  

No matter what, I couldn’t just give a cigarette to a minor without some resistance.

“….”

Mina’s long eyelashes trembled. Her blue, moonlight-like eyes tinged with a hint of resentment.  

Just as she, seemingly upset, was about to take the cigarette out of her mouth—

“Kidding. Put it back.”

With a slight smile, I touched the tip of my lit cigarette to hers. Her cigarette caught fire, and smoke curled up.

“…!”

Mina’s eyes widened, clearly not expecting it. As I started to pull away, thinking it was done, I caught her as she stumbled.

“You okay?”

“Uh, yeah. It’s been a while since I smoked… This is really strong.”

“…That’s why you were off?”

I thought she overdid it with training. Relieved, I continued.

“Anyway, say what you wanted to say. You said we had stuff to talk about.”

Mina nodded hesitantly and spoke.

“Are you going to keep sparring with Sia-unnie?”

“Yeah.”

“Doesn’t it bother you? Being that close with a woman…”

“Not really. It’s unavoidable during training. I don’t feel any discomfort.”

In the original world, I’d be the one worried about her. When I answered calmly, Mina’s voice trembled with unease.

“Just asking… but how would you feel if a woman suddenly touched you? Wouldn’t that bother you?”

“Like what, for example?”

“…Like if someone hugged you or held your hand.”

As if reluctant to even say it, Mina fidgeted with her fingers.

“Mina, it sounds like you’re upset because I was physically close with the Team Leader, but I really don’t care. It only becomes a problem if you make it one. That’s all it is.”

“…Then what was the kiss you gave me to you?”

“…”

“I know it’s silly to make a big deal out of it. It’s just… the endless waiting is so hard… Was that just another casual action to you?”

So that’s how it sounded to her. The words I carelessly spoke based on my own perspective must have hit her differently.  

By this world’s standards, I basically admitted to being an overly carefree guy.  

She must have been hurt, liking a guy with those values.  

She probably thought I had feelings for her, but with no progress and seeing me act so casually with another woman…

“…”

Mina’s already delicate frame looked even frailer under the pale moonlight.  

Seeing her like that, I quietly gathered my thoughts. Even if I wasn’t in my right mind back then, my actions were driven by not wanting to lose her.

But I couldn’t say it was because I liked her or loved her. It was a selfish act done solely for myself. I suddenly found it funny agonizing over not wanting to be trash after already doing something like that.

I tried to force a smile but couldn’t. All that came out was a calm, low voice.

“I was scared you’d get mad and leave. That’s why I didn’t want to let you go. As you can see, I’m… kind of messed up. I’m sorry if I hurt you. If you hate me now…”

*Rustle.*

A delicate figure collapsed into my arms.  

Small but firm arms wrapped around my waist, holding me tightly as if to keep me from leaving.

“…I’m sorry… I’m sorry for pushing you. I wanted you so badly, I got greedy. I know I shouldn’t, I thought I could handle it… but seeing you drives me crazy.”

Mina only pleaded. Even a small piece of love would be enough.  

Her trembling shoulders showed she was scared.  

I hadn’t realized her feelings for me were this intense, and my mind went blank.

“Thinking of my dad when I saw you, it was all…”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. You don’t have to say more.”

As what seemed like her trauma started to spill out, I stroked her head to calm her.  

Staring briefly at the soft silver hair caught in my fingers, I spoke again.

“I won’t ask you to understand the world I came from. What’s natural to you isn’t to me. But I’m… already too steeped in it to change. So… I’m worried. That you’ll keep getting hurt because of me.”

“…It’s okay. Like you did, I’ll try my best too. I’ll wait patiently… until you open your heart.”

The shaking of her shoulders, as she clung to me, slowly calmed.

For a moment, I was relieved that it wasn’t Sasha filling me right now.  

If it had been…

“…I just want you to know this. I…”

Her voice, whispering so beautifully it was irresistible, would have driven me out of my mind.  

I would have echoed her “me too” with an empty resonance, filled only with the desire to possess her.  

Or maybe in some other way.  

Before even resolving the ticking time bombs surrounding me.

But perhaps that would have been better for Mina.

“Thank you.”

If this is the only answer I can give her.

At least for now, that’s how it was.

---

**At that moment.**

A woman sat alone, drinking beer and talking to a dog in front of her.

Her hands, carefully tearing jerky for the dog, somehow seemed fragile.

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 by Reversalmanhwa.web.id  

/ Reversalnovel.web.id