Why Is Everyone in This Dating Sim Trying to Kill Me?!

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: Swimsuit Festival (1)

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"Oh, it's been a while since we last met…?"

Shin Se-hee bowed her head, her face flustered by the sudden visitor.

'…Why is this person here?'

Shin Se-hee lifted her head and narrowed her eyes.

Short black hair, an expressionless face.

A woman with a cold impression.

She knew her, of course.

Baek Seol-hee.

When she first entered Velvet Hunter Academy,

Baek Seol-hee had been the training instructor in charge of her, Kang Do-hee, and Jin Yu-ha during the basic training period.

One could say they had a connection of sorts.

However, even then, she had maintained a professional demeanor with everyone except Jin Yu-ha,

and now, after that period, she was an academy instructor who overtly favored only Jin Yu-ha.

Shin Se-hee also knew that Jin Yu-ha had a somewhat close relationship with her.

Just a few days ago, she had taken Im Ga-eul, Sophia, and Jin Yu-ha—leaving Shin Se-hee out entirely—to carry out an operation.

'But, beyond that, there's no information. All I know is that she's Jin Yu-ha's sword instructor. What exactly is her identity?'

No matter how much Shin Se-hee tried to dig into her using her intelligence network, she couldn't uncover anything about this mysterious individual.

'Anyway, why is she here? Is she perhaps here to pick up Jin Yu-ha again?'

If so, Shin Se-hee absolutely had to participate this time.

An operation by Utopia happening without her knowledge, the overall operations manager and operator—that was something that absolutely could not happen again.

While Shin Se-hee was racking her brain.

Baek Seol-hee simply stared intently at Shin Se-hee.

'Ah, right.'

"Ah, hello. I was a bit flustered, so my greeting was late. It's been a while—"

"Why are you here?"

Shin Se-hee had put on a polite front and offered a welcoming greeting, but Baek Seol-hee cut her off and spoke.

"…Ah, that is."

Just as she was about to answer hesitantly.

"Flower patch!"

From behind, Kang Do-hee approached with a frown.

"I told you not to trespass on my training equipment area… Your garden flowers are growing roots into my training ground—Hm? What is it?"

Kang Do-hee was speaking to Shin Se-hee about her business when she belatedly spotted Baek Seol-hee and wore a puzzled expression.

"…You."

As Kang Do-hee appeared, the temperature of Baek Seol-hee's gaze dropped another degree.

Heave—pant! Heave!

"So-Sophia Junior!!! You, there, stop right there!!!!"

"Pl-please stop chasing me!! I don't have channel authority!!!"

"But you did make it, didn't you!!!!"

Behind them, Im Ga-eul was chasing Sophia.

"Those two…"

Baek Seol-hee's eyebrow twitched.

Just then, Sophia's head snapped around and turned towards Baek Seol-hee.

Then, with wide eyes, she rushed at her.

"In-Instructor!!! Please give me back what you took!!! I haven't even copied the original video yet!!! How can you just take it!!!"

"Sophia Junior! Where are you running—oh, um? Instructor Baek Seol-hee?"

"…"

And finally.

Thud. Thud.

Yu-ri was walking beside them, holding her head.

"Phew… Mom nags so much. No, I told her we're not like that… Huh? Everyone, what are you all doing gathered here?"

Jin Yu-ha's house, which Chairwoman Lina had told them about.

Chairwoman Lina had said this place was a gift to him in return for his performance in the recent mid-term evaluation.

But upon arriving, the entire Utopia party, excluding Jin Yu-ha, had appeared.

How was she supposed to take this?

"…Why are you all here?"

"Ah, we're living together right now?"

Sophia replied with an innocent voice.

"Living… together?"

Her already chilling gaze seemed to drop below freezing in an instant.

'That idiot!'

Shin Se-hee shot a glance at Sophia.

With keen intuition,

she instinctively knew that the current situation would lead to a very undesirable outcome.

She quickly opened her mouth to change the subject.

"There's a reason we're living together in one place, so please don't misunderstand. But, Instructor, what brings you here…?"

"Where is Jin Yu-ha?"

"He's in his room. He's using the top floor."

"…Understood. For now, everyone, carry on with your own business."

Crumple.

The ticket in Baek Seol-hee's hand crumpled.

And with a calm demeanor, Baek Seol-hee walked towards the residence.

Only after her figure had completely disappeared did the Utopia party members let out a deep sigh.

The pressure she had exuded for a moment was enough to make them break out in a cold sweat.

Amidst this, Shin Se-hee alone curled her lips into a smile.

'That ticket the woman was holding just now. Wasn't it a VIP ticket for the Haeundae Festival? For tomorrow, too.'

Hmm—

She probably came to deliver it to Jin Yu-ha.

'If that's the case, then by using this, I can first…'

Just as Shin Se-hee was racking her brain and devising a plan.

"Um, wasn't that thing the Instructor was holding just now a Haeundae Festival ticket? It looked similar to one I received before?"

However, Shin Se-hee's plan was ruined before it even began.

By Sophia, of all people.

'—That idiotic girl!'

Shin Se-hee snapped her head around to look at Sophia.

And looking into Sophia's innocent, sparkling golden eyes,

Shin Se-hee let out a hollow laugh.

'…You did that on purpose, didn't you?'

Sophia's words just now were all intentional.

Yes, Sophia had joined as a healer, but she was a newcomer who hadn't been there long.

Because of that, her voice carried little weight.

Seeing Shin Se-hee trying to get ahead alone, she decided to make sure everyone knew!

And for her to maintain such an innocent expression while doing so meant she was no ordinary schemer.

'Ha, this is… interesting…?'

Shin Se-hee smiled broadly as if she'd finally met her match.

And upon hearing that their next schedule involved the beach, the party members' minds also began to churn with complicated thoughts.

'Hmm, is that so…? Mutt and the sea… Hmph, it's trivial, but it could be entertaining.'

'Huh? The beach? I only have swimsuits from when I was a kid, I can't wear those. How much do swimsuits cost these days…?'

'The beach! That's right! Even though I lost the video this time, at a place like that…! I could film all sorts of things of Jin Yu-ha-nim!'

'Haeundae!? If it's there… a chance to change my ruined image?'

* * *

Whoosh—

Baek Seol-hee used the spatial transfer device in the first-floor lobby to head to the top floor.

It was a house she was somewhat familiar with, as Chairwoman Lina had lived there for a short time previously.

Knock, knock, knock—

Baek Seol-hee emerged from the spatial transfer device and knocked on Jin Yu-ha's door.

"Ju-just a moment, I'm drying my hair right now. The door's open, so come on in!"

Jin Yu-ha's voice could be heard from inside.

'Does he leave the door open? Careless.'

Although the door between the spatial transfer device and the room was thin, it was the last line of defense. It contained a security system that most people couldn't open.

And yet, he left it open.

Baek Seol-hee's brow furrowed deeply.

Creak—

Baek Seol-hee opened the door and entered Jin Yu-ha's room.

A simple and organized home.

It was excessively stark for a man's home, but it was a familiar sight to Baek Seol-hee, who lived a similar life.

"Master!"

Jin Yu-ha came out of the bathroom, towel-drying his wet hair.

He seemed to have just showered.

Grinding—

A sharp sound escaped from between Baek Seol-hee's teeth.

'…He has too little caution.'

Baek Seol-hee was in a very foul mood right now.

Even if they were a party who entrusted their lives to each other, living in the same house?

All of Utopia's party members were women.

Jin Yu-ha was the only man.

Of course, women were stronger than men, so such an extremely skewed gender ratio was understandable.

But to tell someone to come in as if it were natural, without even confirming who was outside, and not even locking the door.

Was it right to let her disciple live such a loose lifestyle?

It seemed a lecture was in order.

"What brings you here?"

Jin Yu-ha looked at her with wide, rounded eyes.

"I know you are already an adult man."

"…Pardon?"

"You're old enough to be responsible for your own life, and perhaps I have no right to interfere."

"Wh-what are you talking about! For Master to interfere… Please tell me if there's anything you don't like."

Jin Yu-ha, speaking like that, truly seemed to have no self-awareness.

'Right, that wasn't his intention. This child wouldn't be like that. He's just so focused on the sword that he doesn't know basic common sense.'

Thinking back, she remembered learning common sense about the world quite late in her own life.

Baek Seol-hee gazed at Jin Yu-ha for a moment, then nodded.

"…Ahem, yes, since you say so, I understand. First, are you living with your party members?"

Jin Yu-ha nodded.

"Ah, yes…"

"Why?"

"W-well, it's just, the, the money. This building costs a lot to maintain…"

Jin Yu-ha scratched his cheek, looking embarrassed.

Baek Seol-hee's eye twitched.

'If he had only sold the sword skill kits I gave him, he could have covered several months of maintenance….'

This foolish disciple says he has no money because he bought those.

Jin Yu-ha seemed to have interpreted her expression, and he smiled broadly as he replied.

"Well, I'm doing fine though. You don't have to worry. Living with all the party members like this, we can do joint training. It's quite lively and nice."

"But aren't you being too careless?"

"Careless?"

Ah, right.

She had spoken too much like a lecture without realizing it.

But the words were already out. Baek Seol-hee decided to continue speaking to the end.

"…I mean, living with the door unlocked like this. Even if this place is safe, there are demons who hide their identities and get in. This room's security system is quite formidable when the door is closed."

"Oh, come on, I just left it open because Master was coming."

"…You knew I was coming?"

"Yes, normally your aura is faint and hard to sense, but I guess I've gotten used to it now, so I knew right away. That's why I left it open. I always keep it locked normally, so you don't have to worry."

"…Hm."

Honestly, by this point, her mood had softened a bit.

She was pleased that her disciple had become familiar enough to sense her aura,

and he said he had left the door open, a door that would normally never open, in anticipation.

What else could this be but an expression of trust!

"Hmm, I wish Master could live here with us too…"

"Me?"

"If that's not possible, maybe just visit sometimes to oversee our training… Ah, no! Please forget what I just said!"

Jin Yu-ha spoke as if he felt too sorry to ask such a thing of her after blurting it out.

His appearance was both cute and pitiable, and Baek Seol-hee let out a small laugh.

"…Due to my duties, it's impossible for me to live in one place. Dangerous individuals might cling to me if I did."

"That's true…"

"However, occasional visits might be possible."

At that, Jin Yu-ha smiled brightly, as if a light had been switched on.

When her disciple welcomed her like this, there was no way she could feel bad.

However, she had other thoughts as well.

'Jin Yu-ha seems to have made that choice for maintenance costs and party-wide joint training. But I can't trust the others.'

Baek Seol-hee's eyes darkened as she recalled the younglings who had looked at her with such wariness a moment ago.

'Hmm. I should come visit occasionally to see if those kids are up to anything suspicious.'

"Um, but did you come just to tell me that?"

"Ah, take this."

Baek Seol-hee held out the ticket she had received from Lina to Jin Yu-ha.

Jin Yu-ha looked surprised.

"Oh, th-this… Why does Instructor have this…?"

"Chairwoman said to deliver it. If you're interested, go. You still lack common sense. Seeing ordinary people in places like that will be helpful."

"Ah, yes. Oh, then are you going too, Instructor?"

Baek Seol-hee shook her head.

"…No, I have work, so I can't join this time."

Baek Seol-hee clicked her tongue, recalling Chairwoman Lina's face when she had said she couldn't go to Japan earlier.

* * *

And the next day.

The Utopia party arrived at the beach.

"Hehe, it's really nice to be at the beach after so long. How about you, Jin Yu-ha?"

Shin Se-hee asked with a radiant smile.