Apocalypse’s Teacher

Chapter 83

Helen was deep in thought.

'Seokho, you keep avoiding me.'

It was none other than concerns about Seokho.

Ever since that day when he almost caused trouble while drunk until now.

For the two weeks since that incident, Seokho's strange behavior had been so blatant that even Helen, who usually wasn't perceptive, noticed it.

Why.

For what reason is he keeping his distance from me?

'...Do I smell?'

Was it because of a smell?

As Helen entertained such thoughts, she shook her head.

'No. I wash well.'

Although the apocalypse had made water scarce, making frequent washing difficult, she still took great care to clean herself thoroughly whenever she could and maintained her hygiene.

'Then....'

Could it be her face? Is that what he doesn't like?

Could it be that Seokho has no interest in foreigners?

Pondering further, Helen shook her head again.

'No way. I'm beautiful.'

She couldn't help but have confidence.

Even during the normal days before the apocalypse, and even now in the ruined world due to this inexplicable virus, she had received plenty of attention from admirers.

Although she hadn't pursued any romantic relationships out of lack of interest, she was certain that she was attractive.

While groaning and continuing her worries, Helen decided to look at the situation from a different perspective.

'...It started from that day.'

Specifically, from the morning after they drank and woke up in the same bed.

After much deliberation, Helen came to that conclusion.

'...My body?'

On that day, she had woken up naked.

Seokho had been startled when he saw her naked.

This could mean that the reason Seokho was avoiding her was because he didn't like her body.

Helen lowered her head with a frown.

If she had to go to such lengths and harbor such doubts, there was only one reason.

'...It's not there.'

Even though her face was pretty enough not to lose to anyone, her body wasn't something she could boast about.

When she looked down, there was supposed to be something blocking her view, but there wasn't any such thing for Helen.

Helen placed her hand on her chest.

Squish-.

What she felt beneath her undergarments was no volume to speak of, just a flat surface that could only be called a chest.

Helen's face turned bright red.

'Why!'

Why isn't it there!

Even if she put her hand there, there should be something to feel, but why was it that the only sensation was the sharp slope of a cliff?

Helen pressed her lips together firmly.

Her body began to tremble.

While continuing her thoughts, she started to believe that Seokho was avoiding her because of her chest, and this led to her reaction.

'Seokho! I am a good person!'

How could someone judge a person just by the size of their chest!

How could someone value a chest over a person's character!

She felt anger welling up.

Consumed by this uncontrollable anger, Helen even resolved to stop liking him altogether.

But matters of the heart aren't so easily controlled by mere determination.

The moment Helen thought of Seokho's face, her heart sank with a thud, and she made a tearful expression.

At that moment, the door clicked open, and Gihyun entered Helen's room.

"Helen, it's time to eat...."

Gihyun, who had come to call her for dinner, couldn't finish his words.

Not for any other reason.

"...What are you doing?"

What he saw upon entering the room was Helen, her hand on her chest, looking teary-eyed.

What the hell was she doing?

Such thoughts crossed his mind.

Helen looked at Gihyun.

Then, her gaze slowly shifted downward to Gihyun's chest.

'...It's big.'

Though he was wearing thick clothes, she could tell that it was larger than hers.

Despair appeared on Helen's face.

"...I lost."

"What?"

Helen, a 28-year-old biology doctor, was trembling in despair after being defeated in size by Gihyun, a 16-year-old girl.

*

"Hey, can you peel this for me?"

Seokho handed a boiled egg to Helen.

Helen, with a sullen face, glared at Seokho and snatched the egg from him.

"...What."

Seokho narrowed his eyes.

Helen quickly turned her head away to avoid his gaze.

'Seokho is a pervert!'

The perverted Seokho judges people by their chest.

That's why he isn't interested in her.

Even though it was a baseless assumption that didn't hold up to logic, Helen, who was absorbed in her own reasoning, just sulkily interacted with Seokho.

...This was how late-blooming feelings could ruin a person.

Crunch-!

Without realizing it, she squeezed the egg too hard, crushing it.

At that moment, Hyesung let out a shrill scream and scolded her.

"Helen! That's Hyesung's!"

"Ah!"

Startled, Helen looked at Hyesung.

Hyesung, with a devastated expression, stared at the crushed remains of the egg in her hand.

"Oh... Oh...."

Trembling, Hyesung reached down to pick up the shattered pieces of the egg on the floor.

Then, shaking and hiccupping, she eventually burst into loud sobs.

"Uwaaah! My egg!"

"Hye, Hyesung! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"

"My egg-!!!"

Realizing her mistake too late, Helen tried to fix the situation, but it was too late.

Sweet and innocent Hyesung became the most terrifying person in the world when it came to food, especially when her portion was taken.

"Uwaaah-!!!"

Hyesung's wails didn't stop.

Moments like this inevitably led to what came next.

Smack-!

"Ouch!"

"What are you doing to a kid!"

It was Seokho's sharp flick to the forehead, delivered on behalf of Hyesung, whom he absolutely adored.

*

Helen rubbed her still throbbing crown, pouting her lips.

Meanwhile, she looked at Seokho, who was feeding pound cake into Hyesung's mouth.

'This is driving me nuts...!'

Someone stays awake all night with a pounding heart over those thoughts, yet he either avoids her entirely or only approaches to scold her.

If scolding improved their relationship, she wouldn't say a word.

Look at that, as soon as he flicked her forehead, he completely stopped paying attention to her!

Helen glared fiercely at Seokho.

Feeling her gaze, Seokho flinched before letting out a heavy sigh and standing up.

Whispering something to Hyesung, he started walking toward Helen.

Flinch-.

Helen's body stiffened.

Her heart began to race wildly.

Her mind went blank as Seokho suddenly approached.

While she was still out of sorts, Seokho, now right in front of her, spoke.

"...Ajumma."

"Y-Yes!"

Oh no, she bit her tongue.

Helen shut her eyes tightly and trembled in embarrassment.

Her head drooped low.

Seokho sat beside Helen.

Then, he let out a sound.

"That... Um."

Scratching his cheek, Seokho hesitated before speaking.

Honestly, he had a vague idea why Helen was glaring at him like that.

Since he avoided her except when necessary, and all he ever did was nag her, she probably got upset over it.

Though it was just awkward and uncomfortable for him, Seokho understood.

That this was far from mature behavior.

"I'm... sorry."

Seokho's face turned red.

He let out a "grr" sound, and his expression began to scrunch up oddly.

Helen raised her head and looked at Seokho at those words.

"I must've misheard?"

"I said I'm sorry. Thinking about it, I've done nothing but nag you all the time."

Thud.

Helen's shoulders twitched.

For some inexplicable reason, Helen felt thrilled just knowing Seokho was talking to her.

Her lips twitched naturally.

The clenched fists resting on her knees began to tremble slightly.

Her mouth opened unconsciously.

Just as she was about to respond energetically, Helen flinched and shut her mouth.

'No, I can't!'

If she forgave him right away, Seokho might think she was an easy woman, a fear that belatedly surfaced.

Helen didn't know much about romance.

This was the first time she had feelings for a man.

That's why she didn't know.

That in moments like this, one should respond casually, mix in a joke, and continue the conversation!

And that doing so would naturally increase their moments of interaction!

A tense atmosphere began to form between the two.

Helen turned away from Seokho as if unwilling to let this slide easily, while Seokho, looking at her, thought, 'She's really mad!'

The longer Helen stayed silent, the heavier Seokho's guilt grew.

When it reached an unbearable level, Seokho slowly stood up.

"You're really mad, huh? I'll leave you alone to gather your thoughts...?"

At this rate, things were bound to end in failure.

Only then did Helen think, 'This isn't right, is it?'

Helen's head snapped up.

Seeing Seokho already a step away, having risen from his chair, Helen panicked and reached out her hand.

Tug-!

Helen grabbed Seokho's wrist.

"I-I'm not mad!"

Thud!

In her haste to stand, Helen lost her balance and fell.

The stance she had taken to grab Seokho naturally changed to one where she clung to his leg due to her movement.

Seokho was flustered.

Because in his mind, there was no protocol for dealing with a woman clinging to his pant leg.