Me and the Tigress Volume 3 Chapter 4 part4

When I returned to full conscious awareness, I was sitting in my room, the sun already setting. I could remember Rangii's worried expression. I also remembered ignoring her and heading straight for my room. During that time, Narae completely ignored me. But I didn't feel anything from that. That was how large an impact Narae's words had had on my psyche.

I decided to delve on her words once again.

I like both Narae and Rangii. I've known Narae for over ten years, and I've liked her for the past eight of them. There's no way I couldn't have fallen for such a caring, attractive, attentive girl like her, someone who stuck through times, both good and bad, with me. And that's how my unrequited love came about. I like Narae.

It hasn't even been one month since I met Rangii. But even within such a short time, I've completely fallen for her. I like her. Every single one of her actions is adorable. But because she's still a child, I swore to wait. I swore to wait until the day Rangii became an adult—actually, at the very least until she was the same age as me. But I can't deny the fact that I do like her. I like Rangii.

I like them both. Not just one, both. This isn't me refusing to make a hard decision: this is my true, heartfelt judgement. I like them both. Right now, I can't possible decide which one of them I like more. But…but…!

I knew I would have to make a decision eventually, and Narae simply pushed forward the time frame. I had to confront the question I dreaded, the question I pretended didn't exist.

I don't know. I just don't know. How am I supposed to choose?! No, but first, Narae! Doesn't this mean that you actually like me too? There's no other reason for you to be so angry about this! Why didn't you try and express that even a little?! All you'd ever do is hit me or tease me!! Couldn't you have tried being a little bit more affectionate or given me some other hint?!

Dear readers, you are witnessing a piece of human garbage blaming the girl he likes for his own blindness.

God freaking dammit!

“What has you so distressed, Young Master?”

I looked up, and sitting in the darkness was Saehee.

“Leave me alone.”

I don't even have the energy to talk. Just go away.

“It appears as though you are worrying about something. About your childhood friend and a certain young girl.”

My blood pressure began to rise. Stop bothering me.

“Since you're already fully aware, could you just leave me alone?”

“As much as I wish to do so, I am afraid this is necessary.”

“Why?! You're going to insult me even now?”

I raised my voice. That was a serious mistake.

“I have finished editing the video.”

But rather than capitalize on my error, Saehee maintained her look of utter disaffection as she said something I didn't understand.

“So what?”

“Please come watch it.”

“Do you really think I want to?”

Saehee looked me straight in the eye and spoke.

“In the video is the key to the Young Master's dilemma.”

I stood up without saying another word.

Director: Saehee, Assitant Director: Saehee, Filming: Saehee, Editor: Saehee, Screenplay by Saehee. The video opened with Saehee's name all over the opening credits. Saehee had me sit between Narae, who intentionally ignored me, and Rangii, who looked at me worriedly, and once I did as she wanted, Saehee closed the door and lowered the curtains. The room became a sauna the moment she did that. I was likely to be steamed to death before I could discover whatever key Saehee was talking about, so I was about to say something when the room suddenly became cooler.

“Hey.”

“Whatever is the problem, Young Master who claims that I was born with the entirety of the world's problems on my shoulders?”

I never, even once, said anything of the sort.

“Did you just turn on the air conditioner?”

“I would hardly dare to install a machine that contributes so deleteriously to global warming in the Young Master's house without the Young Master's permission.”

I wasn't in the mood to correct Saehee and say that this was my grandpa's house.

“Did you use magic?”

“I used magic.”

Then whatever.

“I shall start.”

The video started as Saehee said that. The screen prominently displayed Rangii in a showy pose and the logo Me and the Tigress appeared. Normally, Rangii would've reacted in amazement at the spectacle, but with Narae and me so unhappy, she didn't say even a word.

But that lasted for only a moment.

[My name is Kang Sunghoon. I may be speaking like some big-shot, but the truth is that I'm an utterly unimpressive high schooler.]

“Hwah?!”

She gasped. A gasp of honest surprise.

“Cough, cough.”

Wait, just what is going on? Why am I suddenly giving a voiceover? In the video, I looked around me and looked longingly—I know it's weird, but that's the best description—at Rangii as she slept. …This is weird. Have I ever done something like that? Even as I racked my brain in an effort to remember, my voice continued to come out of the TV.

[I'm a genuine lolicon pervert who loves Rangii even in her child form. Ah … I want to lick Rangii's thighs.]

Suddenly, the oppressive air that dominated the room disappeared.

“S-Sunghoon? Is-is that true?”

“You little…!!”

“What the hell was that?!”

“You all lack even basic theater etiquette, I see.”

Saehee paused the video. Rangii's face was bright red as she stood up on the sofa, her legs splayed around mine, and hiked up her already tiny shorts, effectively paralyzing my higher cognitive functions.

“S-so that's why you were in such a bad mood. It's embarrassing, but y-you can lick me.”

Narae clasped her hands around my throat, cutting me off from air.

“Y-y-y-you!! Wh-what's wrong with you?!”

Saehee, the sole person untouched by this chaos, spoke so that her words were clear even with my consciousness fading.

“Ah, as I mentioned before, I provided the entirety of the narration through the use of vocal mimicry, so please do not misunderstand.”

I forgot. Only now did I remember Saehee telling me that yesterday. Only then did Narae release my neck and toss her head to the side. I barely survived. Cough, cough. Hey, say things like that sooner. Narae, who just barely went below the threshold of murderer and instead was simply guilty of attempted murder, shouted at Saehee.

“What's wrong with the video?!”

“Ungnyeo must be shown at least this much to be convinced, no?”

“But that was a complete lie!”

“A mere stretch of the truth is not a problem.”

I wanted to say something, but I was too preoccupied trying to get my breath back. Instead, I conked Rangii on the forehead, grabbed her by the waist, sat her down on my lap, before finally moving her to sit by my side.

“Ow! Why'd you hit me?”

I ignored Rangii's protest. If she really didn't know why I hit her, then she needed to reflect on her actions.

“Now then, I shall unpause the video.”

The video resumed. The narration continued its antagonistic spiel against me. The video showed scenes that weren't filmed before, and we heard me drooling over Rangii, saying that I want to suck on her belly, bury myself in her butt, play with her feet, etc. But in the middle of that criminal monologue, I had a realization. By playing back to me a shortened version of the events that had transpired these past two days, the video gave me new clarity on a number of issues that I had hoped would stay hidden. How I looked at Rangii. I was always chasing after Rangii and looking at her—enough to make me blush while watching. If Rangii wasn't there, I would look for her and only continue what I was doing earlier after I had found her. My actions could be called similar to a parent looking after his child, but … they could just as easily be the actions of a man caring for his as of yet young lover. The same was true for Rangii. The video occasionally shifted to focus on Rangii, but whenever it did, she was always looking for me. If I wasn't there, Rangii would become worried and abandon whatever she was doing. Then she'd cling to me, only relaxing after she felt the calming rubbing of my hand. Only now did I realize the intensity Rangii's gaze held for me. There was, of course, another main character in the video. Narae, my childhood friend and the other girl I was in love with. Whenever Rangii and Narae were with me, I always kept an eye on my precious childhood friend. I always watched her, payed attention to her, so that I wouldn't miss even a single thing Narae did or a thought she had. Fully aware of this, Narae would look pompously at me and tease me, but then she would make a smile hidden from my view. She was happy. As if she was happy just to be with me. As if talking with me made her overjoyed.

Even after the video ended and the curtains opened, I stayed seated. At least some of the intention of the video was to make fun of me, but even the most inconsequential scenes had a massive impact on me. I had no idea I liked Narae and Rangii so much. This is an incredibly selfish thing to say, but I don't think I can pick between the two fo them. My feelings for both Narae and Rangii are too big. In that case….

At that moment I found the key Saehee was talking about. I realized why Saehee insisted I read her book so many times. Why she went to such extremes to keep Narae, Rangii, and me together. I realized the answer I should have chosen long ago.

My answer shocked me to my very core. After all, no human in his right mind would come up with it. The truth was that it was dead simple. The answer was clear this whole time. It was just so beyond the realm of common sense that I refused to choose it. Even now I had reservations. But … I'm sure that this is the correct decision. Why, you ask? Because at least this means I won't be lying to Narae! As long as I accept responsibility for everything that happens afterwards, this decision is sound.

“Sunghoon.”

Narae said my name in a voice colder than I had ever heard before. I turned my head to look at Narae. Narae looked as if she had just received news that the world were about to end.

“Follow me outside.”

Narae stood up without waiting for my reply.

“Huh? Narae, what's wrong?”

Narae placed her hand on Rangii's head, letting her know that everything was okay, and I stood up as well.

“I'll be back soon.”

“Then I'm going, too,” Rangii said.

No, I couldn't let Rangii follow us. This was something Narae and I had to resolve. I looked meaningfully at Saehee. Saehee's lips quirked upwards before placing her hands on Rangii's shoulders and spoke politely.

“Master. I believe that it would be best not to follow the Young Master.”

I wish she would show me even a hundredth of the politeness she just did.

“Why not?”

“It is well established that the lady of the estate is not to impose on the relations between her husband and his concubine.”

“…Hmm. Okay. I don't really get it, but I'll do as you say.”

Rangii sat sullenly back down. I wanted to thank Saehee, but there were too many things wrong with what she said for me to be able to say anything.

I mean, Narae isn't even my concubine.

Chapter end