Arena

Chapter 139 – After Returning (Part 2)

“Would you please spar with me for a bit?”

“Sounds good.”

We lightly started sparring with bare hands.

She doesn’t have her double swords but her original specialty was Muay Thai.

As soon as we stood facing each other she came at me throwing front kicks with no restraints.

A fast offense with no preparatory movements

But suddenly, the leg that was stretched out towards my trunk appeared as a hazy image.

It surprised me and I dodged backwards a step.

“I will continue.”

Cha Ji-hye ran forward and boldly approached with a one two combination.

The same thing happened this time as well.

The punches heading towards my face…I saw them ahead of time as a hazy image.

Using that hazy image, I easily dodged.

‘This is the effect of mastering the dynamic visual acuity!’

That hazy image is showing me where her attack will go before it happens.

“Don’t pay attention to my defense, just attack as fast as you can please. I’ll just keep dodging.”

“Will do.”

Cha Ji-hye got way up close and relentlessly started attacking with kicks and punches.

Despite the close distance which made it hard to evade, I dodged all her attacks.

Following her one two jabs with a sharp middle kick combo, I easily evaded.

She slowly began to use advanced skills. She threw a feint with her fists but then struck with her elbow. But it didn’t work on me.

As all the attacks were blocked, Cha Ji-hye stopped attacking.

“Do you see all my attacks?”

“Yes.”

“It is a strange feeling.”

“What is?”

“I remember sparring like this not too long ago.”

“Ah……”

When I was a newbie just past my second turn, I had sparred with Cha Ji-hye.

Back then she relentlessly countered my every move and then beat me to a pulp.

“To me that was 16 years ago.”

“It is four years for me too.”

The discrepancy of time.

Yet recalling this memory together.

Now I’ve grown enough to dodge all her attacks.

In reality, it had only been a year but to us it has become something of a memory.

“Let’s go one more time.”

When the strange atmosphere settled in, Cha Ji-hye opened her mouth. Only then did I too snap out of the reverie.

“Ah, yes.”

Cha Ji-hye attempted to attack again. Fast and short without pause, the rapid fire punching continued without end.

With varied directions, a tsunami of punches were aimed at my face.

But through the dynamic visual acuity mastery, everything looked slow and I could see where the punch would be headed.

Like answering questions while looking at the answer key, I moved my head left and right and dodged all the punches.

But then that second, Cha Ji-hye’s left jab with a low kick hit me in the shin.

Puk!

I flinched.

Thanks to the energy of nature flowing in my body the pain was somewhat subdued but I couldn’t help but be surprised.

“You’ve become too focused on only what you see that you’ve become vulnerable to the attacks beyond your scope of vision.”

“Ah, I see.”

Technique wise, we both had reflex mastery so I was no worse than Cha Ji-hye.

But I realized that mentally I was careless and suffered the consequences.

My mentality can’t be covered just but skills skills alone.

This was probably the biggest difference between basic examinee and a martial artist examinee like Lee Chang-wee.

“Could we try again one more time please.”

“Of course.”

Cha Ji-hye started attacking again. This time, I carefully dodged even the attacks coming from beyond my peripheral vision.

But then, at some point, Cha Ji-hye drew my attention with a right hook while rushing towards me.

Just like that she came right into me and lifted me off the ground.

As for me I tried not to be lifted and tried to lower my center of gravity in defense but her oddly powerful strength lifted me up anyway.

‘……?!’

Just like that Cha Ji-hye flung me back to the ground.

I was surprised at how strong she is.

She wasn’t even wearing the synthetic muscle suit, but I was properly thrown even while trying to shift my center of gravity. She forcefully lifted and threw me down!

Cha Ji-hye got on top of me and punched.

Pat!

I turned my head and dodged and with two arms I hugged her.

I had never really learned Jiu Jitsu or wrestling but due to the reflex skill in my body, I instinctively defend myself with this action.

While tangled up and flopping about on the floor, I suddenly asked.

“Did you raise your physical strength buff?

“Yes, to superior level 1.”

Wha……

Superior level 1 vs intermediate level 5. That’s why she was able to destroy me using pure strength.

But her grappling wasn’t as proficient as her Muay Thai.

I quickly shrimped out and grabbed her by the hips from behind.

Holding her tight, we spun in half a circle and I flipped Cha Ji-hye. From a top and bottom position I started punching.

Of course, my punch stopped right before hitting her face.

“Your weakness is grappling.”

“You should keep that in mind. Try to remember to keep your distance while fighting.”

“I suppose I should.”

When the conversation stopped, that strange atmosphere began to flow again.

Now we were in very close to each other, lying right next to each other.

Her scent was effervescing.

That provocative smell I smelled when she took off her synthetic muscle suit.

“….”

“….”

A strong face with defined features. Her short haircut matched well with her pretty face.

Big eyes capable of diverse emotion, they strengthened the stiffness of her expressionless face.

Seeing her this up close, Cha Ji-hye was extremely beautiful.

Cha Ji-hye’s two large eyes quietly examined me.

She, in her special businesslike tone, did not ask me to move.

She just stayed still, looking at me.

I got the feeling what I was being sucked into her gaze.

My mind went blank.

My face slowly approached her face.

Our lips touched.

Cha Ji-hye accepted my lips on hers. As we basked in each other, she just quietly looked at me.

Then at some point, she took her right hand and stroked my hair. That was her signal and she began kissing more passionately than I.

A long while after.

We parted lips and looked at each other.

“Shall we return home?”

I asked.

“Yes.”

Cha Ji-hye agreed.

As if our hearts had been connected we got up from our spots.

I had returned to my dorms and packed all my clothes into my bag and got a plane ticket headed for Korea.

It was a sudden decision but there were lots of first class seats, so I was easily able to reserve one.

At the news of our sudden departure Odin, on behalf of the Nordic exam group, expressed his disappointment but promised to meet up with each other before our 100 days were up.

Marie threw a fit saying she wanted to come too but I left her behind as we departed.

At the international Copenhagen airport, we boarded our flight and left Denmark.

During the entire plane ride while heading for Korea, Cha Ji-hye and I didn’t say a word.

It wasn’t an awkward silence.

As if we had made a promise to each other, we simply kept our mouths shut.

We arrived at the Incheon international airport and rode a taxi and arrived in Bucheon.

On our way on up the elevator, my heart began to thump louder.

My breath became ragged.

In case she caught on to my excitement, I didn’t look her in the eye.

But I pushed in my passcode and right when we had walked into the house, we dropped our bags in the entryway and hugged each other.

We strongly indulged in each other, our tongues tangling up. And when our lips met I picked her up.

I let her down onto the bed. While we kept kissing, one by one, we took off our clothes.

Hearing her panting breath, it turned me on.

Her emotional appearance that would never lose its calm in any type of situation.

Inside my heart there was a large hole.

The time spent in the Arena on exams.

But when back in reality, all of time felt like a lie because not a day had passed here.

And that had been repeated over and over.

The times spent that I couldn’t share with anyone.

Odin and Marie, too, were merely working together but weren’t friends that bickered and shared their thoughts with one another.

Min-jeong, who I liked so much, eventually couldn’t fill this hole. Now that I think back on it I think I had just been lonely all this time.

But right this moment.

I had the feeling of something warm filling up that wide empty hole in my chest.

Cha Ji-hye spent much longer than me in the Arena.

I put her in my empty space and she too filled hers with me.

Together, hot, tangled, in the heat of the moment. That’s what that was.

Neither sweet nor erotic, we were merely lusting for something, fulfilling our own greed with each other.

***

I had the physical strength buff intermediate level 5.

Cha Ji-hye had an impressive superior level 1.

For us to be exhausted and having to catch our breaths, how much time had passed?

“I am hungry.”

Those were the first words Cha Ji-hye has said since returning to Korea.

Out of the blue, I laughed. As if the strange atmosphere between us had been washed off and disappeared.

“Me too.”

“We have to make rice but we haven’t gone shopping so there’s nothing else to make.”

“Should we just eat out?”

“I think that’s best.”

We got out from under the covers and crawled out of bed.

Her figure, that didn’t have a single thread on it, came into my vision.

Without a single bit of fat, it was a well-trained and well-toned figure. I felt as if she was a complete beauty, as if she had been carved out.

‘I slept with a woman like this?’

I am a man like any other perhaps. I felt a sense of accomplishment when seeing her.

Cha Ji-hye, with her body bare, was still confident.

I showered in the bathroom attached to my bedroom and Cha Ji-hye washed up in the hall bathroom.

Getting dressed, I checked my phone.

Three missed calls.

There are messages too, just from Hyun-ji.

‘What now?’

I first check it.

[Hyun-ji: Oppa, still in Denmark?]

[Hyun-ji: when are you back in korea?]

[Hyun-ji: Pick up your phone!!]

Contacting me so persistently. It seemed she wanted something.

I thought of just ignoring it but I thought of the blackmail Hyun-ji was holding onto.

My family thinks I’m dating Cha Ji-hye. If Hyun-ji tattles about this to Min-jeong……!

‘She probably won’t tell but they tell each other everything.’

I feared the consequences and I called Hyun-ji.

-Oppa~!

The aegyo in Hyun-ji’s voice was disgusting.

“You’re still not sleeping?”

-What do you mean sleeping, its only 11pm. Where are you oppa? Still in Denmark?

“I’m in Korea. I just got back today.”

-Really? Are you at home now?

“I’m about to go out with Ji-hye right now. We’re hungry.”

-Good, good. Me too!

“Did you not hear what I said? I’m about to head out with Ji-hye. Cuz we’re hungry.”

-Yup yup, I’m hungry too.

“It’s just us two and you want to be squished in there?”

-There’s something important to tell you that’s why, ok?

“……”

I lost all words at Hyun-ji’s thoughtlessness.

But from behind I heard Cha Ji-hye’s voice.

“It is fine with me.”

-See, she says its ok, hehehe.

She heard, so brazen.

I sighed.

I told her I would be by to pick her up soon.