I Wished for Non-Face-to-Face Lectures

Wasn’t there a saying that even if caught by a tiger, you can survive if you keep your wits about you?

Swallowing the saliva that had pooled in my mouth, I first calmly began to assess the situation.

My mother, who had opened the door and entered while I was in a desperate struggle with Jaehyuk.

Judging by that dazed expression, it was clear that he and I were presenting an unfavorable sight.

No, correction.

It was something more than that.

A woman in pajamas sitting on top of a man in pajamas…

How this would look to a third party’s eyes, I didn’t need to be told to understand.

If I showed signs of panic here, she would truly think it was that kind of scene.

After hiding my flustered emotions, I slowly opened my mouth with the most natural smile I could manage.

…Of course, things didn’t go exactly according to plan.

“M-M-Mother? H-how did you get in? I-I never gave you the password?”

“The front door was open, so I was worried and tried opening it. Don’t you two properly lock the door?”

“Ah, that… Jaehyuk was in the middle of taking out the trash! Haha, right?”

“Could you get off me first and then talk? We’re not exactly presenting a pleasant sight right now.”

“R-really? Then…”

Though I was tired and exhausted, perhaps due to the tense atmosphere, my body moved well as intended.

After getting off Jaehyuk’s body, I welcomed my mother as if nothing had happened.

“You came e-earlier than I expected? Did you have any trouble on your way here?”

“I had no trouble on my way here. Though something did happen as soon as I arrived.”

“…”

“Explain it in a way that makes sense. What was that embarrassing scene just now, and why are you two living together?”

“Well, haah…”

After letting out a long sigh, I began calmly explaining what had happened.

From the day my apartment disappeared due to a dragon transformer when I returned from my family home, to the fact that I now worked at the place where Jaehyuk worked.

Adding that there had been none of the unseemly incidents that she was thinking of, my mother folded her arms and snorted.

“Then how do you explain what just happened? It looks like nothing but your tail being caught because it was too long.”

“…It was an incident created by numerous coincidences. I really had no choice! He was threatening to spill bead ice cream on the floor, was I supposed to just sit and watch?”

“Hey, hey! Your explanation is too flimsy! That was just meant to make you stop saying weird things…!”

Though he protested as if wronged, Jaehyuk was subdued by a single statement from my mother.

“So you threaten others by targeting their weaknesses? Don’t raise your voice, you didn’t do anything right.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am.”

“Jiwoo, you’re just the same. How annoyed must Jaehyuk have been to go that far?”

“…I’m sorry.”

The apartment became quiet instantly after we were each scolded once fairly.

My mother looked around briefly, then spoke in a somewhat softened voice.

“Still, I’m relieved it wasn’t what I thought. It seems like you two are getting along well without any major incidents.”

“O-of course we’re getting along without incidents! We’re friends after all!”

Thinking it was an opportunity to change the atmosphere, I carefully responded, but my mother shook her head and encouraged Jaehyuk.

“…Now that I see it, Jaehyuk must be having a hard time, right?”

“No comment.”

The guy cleared his throat and avoided eye contact.

Just as I was tilting my head wondering what they were talking about, my mother’s face suddenly contorted as she looked around the apartment.

“By the way, what is this mess in your room?”

Soon, thunderous nagging descended upon us.

…We had cleaned pretty diligently though.

It’s unfair.

After finishing another round of cleaning according to my mother’s august commands, evening had already arrived.

Feeling my energy returning, I stretched, and my stomach grumbled.

Perhaps because I had been wandering around the house without rest during the day, I felt a more severe sense of emptiness than usual.

As I was contemplating the dinner menu for a moment, my mother took out a homemade sandwich from her bag.

“Eat this. I was originally going to add onions too, but I heard you can’t eat vegetables with strong scents? So I only put lettuce in.”

“Thank you, Mom.”

“Jaehyuk, aren’t you eating?”

“I just want to rest for a moment. Actually, upon hearing that you were coming, this guy and I have been hurriedly preparing since morning without sleep.”

“I was wondering why the house was a bit clean. Hoho, don’t worry. I’ll put in a good word with Yeonhee.”

“…Thank you, ma’am.”

After bowing his head, Jaehyuk yawned so widely his mouth might tear and then leaned on the bed for a moment.

As I was munching on the sandwich and taking in his appearance, my mother spoke to me with a worried face.

“Are you eating well? How’s school life?”

“Yes, things have become much more relaxed since remote classes changed to recorded lectures, and as for food… well, I’m gradually getting used to my body, so it’s fine.”

“If you have any difficulties, contact me anytime, I’ll come help right away.”

“I will, Mother.”

Zzz.

Snoring was heard amidst our heartwarming conversation.

He must have been very tired, as he was sleeping with drool flowing. Seeing this, my mother covered him with a blanket and smiled gently.

“Jaehyuk must be going through a lot because of you.”

“…I have received a lot of help. Honestly, I feel somewhat burdened because I don’t know how to repay him.”

Though I’m pretending to be nonchalant on the outside, honestly, I felt uncomfortable because I had given back so little compared to what I had received.

He provided his apartment, helped with research on vampires whenever he had time, assisted with annoying assignments, and even helped me get a job.

In contrast, what I had done for him was so little it wouldn’t even amount to a drop of blood on a bird’s foot, right?

“I just do some simple cleaning, and besides that, I’m just chattering beside him like a parasite.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

It’s not that I haven’t thought about what might help him, but no matter how much I thought about it, there was hardly anything I could help with.

At most, maybe helping lift heavy objects? Even that is impossible during the day, so it’s practically nonexistent.

What an ungrateful and corrupt species, unable to repay even a kindness.

As I hung my head with a gloomy expression, my mother patted my back and comforted me.

“Hoho, if you stay together, someday there will come a time to repay him.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Yes, as you live, crises that are hard to handle alone invariably come. If you wait for that moment and help him…”

“And help him?”

“…It’s nothing. There aren’t many kind friends like him, so always maintain a good relationship with Jaehyuk. Understand?”

“Yes, Mother.”

As I nodded and replied, a small groan was suddenly heard.

Looking back, Jaehyuk’s face was contorted, probably because his position was very uncomfortable. Seeing this, I immediately got up and moved him onto the bed.

“Mmm…”

With a more comfortable face after lying on the bed, he went back to sleep.

Even when I poked his cheek repeatedly, there was no response, so I covered him with a blanket and burst into laughter.

“He must be very tired. He’s sleeping like nothing in the world matters.”

“He did look tired. Didn’t you see him nodding off even while being scolded earlier?”

“He did that?”

“Anyway, your lack of awareness and insensitivity hasn’t changed whether before or after your transformation?”

“But after coming back from the military, at least my ability to read the atmosphere…”

“From what I see, there’s not much difference before or after.”

Merciless factual violence.

Feeling a pain in my chest, I averted my gaze, and my mother quietly stood up.

“Are you leaving already? Stay a little longer.”

“Your mother isn’t someone inconsiderate enough to make noise beside a sleeping person. And if I’m any later, your father will sulk saying I didn’t make him dinner.”

“Ah, then it can’t be helped.”

A father who hasn’t had dinner is a bit scary, after all.

With a regretful expression, I followed her to the entrance, and my mother whispered in a small voice.

“Ah, before I go, may I ask one more thing?”

“Go ahead.”

“How long do you two plan to live together? You’re not going to do it forever, right?”

“Come on, what do you mean forever? It’s just a joke, I’ll go back to our family home as soon as this semester ends.”

Once the semester ends, there’s no reason for me to stay here anymore.

Unless special guidelines come down, and unless new job possibilities are presented.

Because there’s nothing I can gain by continuing to attend school.

If nothing special happens, cohabitation will end with this semester.

Showing a bright smile to indicate she shouldn’t worry, my mother breathed a sigh of relief and then took something out of her bag and handed it to me.

Packaging that looked like vitamin candy, but a bit larger.

As I stared at the object placed in my hand with a stupid expression, my mother whispered in a low voice with a determined expression.

“Make sure to use protection, understand?”

“…”

After saying this, my mother left the apartment as if escaping.

As soon as she left, I threw the condom I was holding straight into the trash can.

“Now even my family is trying to assassinate me.”

Mother.

They say dying in one’s sleep is a good death, but death by suffocation is a bad one.