NOTAKING
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Chapter 39
🕑 Added 2025-02-24 10:39:48 +0000 UTCTravis and So-Yeon slipped out of the school premises and made their way to her car, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows on the pavement. The inside of her car smelled faintly of vanilla and leather, and as she started the engine, a soft hum of music filled the space. The drive was smooth, the city passing by in a blur of neon signs and fading daylight.
Before long, they arrived at a local bar—clearly a familiar haunt for So-Yeon. It wasn’t overly crowded, just the right mix of rowdy and relaxed. The warm lighting and lingering scent of alcohol and smoke gave it a slightly worn-in feel, the kind of place people came to drown stress or celebrate the little things.
As soon as they walked in, the bartender and a couple of patrons greeted her with casual familiarity. A menu was handed to her without her even asking, and she gave a small nod of thanks before leading Travis toward the back. She took a seat with her back against the wall, while Travis leaned comfortably beside her. The angle gave her a clear view of the entire bar, but it also let her keep a subtle, unreadable expression.
She sighed, flipping open the menu before sliding another one toward him.
“Man, I’m getting drunk tonight,” she declared, her tone carrying the kind of exhaustion that only long, frustrating days could bring. Then, almost as an afterthought, she added, “But not too drunk that I can’t wake up tomorrow. Still gotta get my paycheck before I leave.”
Travis glanced up from the menu, brow slightly raised. “So you’re still working, even with everything going on?”
“Pretty much,” she said, eyes scanning the drink list. “But don’t worry, I’ll probably skip a few classes here and there.” A playful smirk tugged at her lips as she looked at him. “If you’re not busy, you and I can hang out… privately. If you get what I’m saying.”
She punctuated it with a wink, teasing, testing.
Travis froze for a second, processing her words before his face twisted in mild confusion.
So-Yeon burst into laughter. “Oh my god, you should’ve seen your face.” She shook her head, still chuckling. “Relax, I’m not fucking my student. I won’t be like that dumb whore who somehow still has her job.”
Travis blinked at the sudden shift in conversation, watching as she leaned back with a knowing smirk.
“It’s probably because she fucked the chairman,” she continued, twirling a strand of her hair between her fingers. “Haven’t confirmed it, but wouldn’t be surprised. Plus, she’s loaded. Must have a lot of connections or whatever.”
Travis let her words sink in, studying the way she spoke so freely, uninhibited, despite not having had a single drink yet.
‘She hasn’t even started drinking, but she’s already rambling,’ he mused, watching the slight glint in her eye. ‘I like that though. I’m not the one controlling everything. It kinda tells me how interested she is in me.’
A quick mental check brought up the numbers:
Love: 5
Interest: 30
Lust: 2
‘Oh, that’s new. I haven’t even done much. But the protagonist got the same reaction. If I remember right, he fucked her in the very first chapter.’
His fingers tapped lightly against the menu, a small smirk forming as he thought, ‘I should have the same odds… if I play my cards right.’
The two ordered food, their table quickly filling with plates of sizzling meats, fragrant rice, and an assortment of side dishes. The rich aroma of grilled beef mixed with the faint tang of alcohol in the air as they ate. Travis took a sip of his drink, the cold liquid sliding down his throat, but no warmth bloomed in his chest, no light-headedness clouded his mind. He could drink endlessly and still feel nothing.
That wasn’t normal.
He knew deep down he wasn’t like other people. He wasn’t even sure if he was human at all. The thought didn’t disturb him as much as it should—it was more of a lingering curiosity, an itch he had yet to scratch.
Whenever he was in the sun, his body seemed to surge with vitality. He could be on the verge of exhaustion, but the second sunlight touched his skin, it was like a battery being slammed into a charger. His strength returned instantly, his mind cleared, his body reset. It wasn’t just refreshing—it was unnatural.
'Kryptonian?' he had once considered. But he didn’t have heat vision, couldn’t fly, and there was no sudden urge to lift a car over his head. That theory was dead on arrival.
Still, there had to be a way to test his limits.
'I should test it out. What better way than to plunge to my death from the tallest building in the city?'
It was a reckless idea, one that made the corners of his lips twitch in amusement, but a part of him wasn’t joking.
Meanwhile, So-Yeon was clearly enjoying his company. She laughed at even his dumbest jokes, her giggles light and genuine, and that was before she’d gotten tipsy. As the alcohol settled in, she became even more giddy, swaying slightly as she reached for another drink, her smile lingering on her lips a little longer. Her eyes sparkled under the dim lights of the bar, and the way she leaned toward him, her fingers brushing his arm whenever she spoke, made it clear she was comfortable—maybe too comfortable.
Time passed, the golden hues of sunset fading into the deep blues of the evening sky. The city outside the bar’s window was now bathed in neon lights, the streets buzzing with people moving like streams of color. Travis glanced at his phone. It was getting late.
“Hey, it’s getting late. Let’s go,” he said, pushing back his chair and standing up.
“Yeah, it really is, huh? Can’t wait to go back home and masturbate,” she said with a lazy grin before bursting into laughter.
Travis blinked, his lips twitching in amusement.
“I’m kidding,” she giggled, then leaned in slightly. “You’ll be helping me with that.”
He chuckled, shaking his head as he pulled out his wallet and paid the bill. “Come on, let’s go.”
So-Yeon grinned and took his hand as they walked out of the bar together. The night air was cool against his skin, a refreshing contrast to the warmth inside the restaurant. The streets were still lively, the hum of conversations and distant car horns filling the atmosphere as they made their way to her car.
Travis slid into the driver’s seat, turning the engine on as So-Yeon handed him her GPS. She let out a relaxed sigh, reclining in her seat and closing her eyes, enjoying the silence of the ride.
Minutes passed, the city lights casting shifting patterns over the car’s interior as they wove through traffic. When they finally arrived at her apartment complex, Travis pulled into the parking lot and shut off the engine.
“Wow, nice place,” he said as he stepped out, glancing up at the sleek, modern building. “Rooms must be big as hell for one person.”
“They really are,” So-Yeon replied as she stretched, the movement making her jacket slip off one shoulder. “But what can I do? I get lonely sometimes, but I’m used to it, I guess.”
They walked toward the entrance, their footsteps echoing in the quiet hallway.
“Have you tried getting a roommate?” Travis asked.
“Nah, I’m too old for that,” she laughed softly. “And too old to get married, apparently. I’ve tried, but people these days don’t want commitment. It’s always just dating, never anything more. So… I kind of gave up.”
They reached her apartment door. Travis stopped just before it, hands in his pockets.
“Well, I’ve done my job. You should res—”
Before he could finish, So-Yeon grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside. The door shut with a quiet click behind them.
His eyes instinctively flicked to his Emotion Meter, and his brows raised slightly at the rapid increase in numbers.
Love: 9
Interest: 90
Lust: 100
‘What the fuck. Do I have protagonist air?’ he thought, staring at the screen in disbelief.
So-Yeon took a step closer, her fingers still wrapped around his wrist. Her eyes, slightly hazy from the alcohol, locked onto his with a smirk that was both playful and daring.
“Now,” she murmured, her voice dropping a pitch, “where were we?”
"I'm kidding," So-Yeon said with a teasing grin. She leaned slightly toward him, tilting her head. "Come on, the night’s still young, don’t you think? Let’s have another drink or two before you leave."
She reached up and slowly removed her glasses, revealing striking, almond-shaped eyes that seemed to shimmer under the soft lighting of the apartment. Without the frames, her beauty was even more pronounced—her delicate features unmasked, her gaze sharp yet inviting. There was something undeniably mesmerizing about her, a quiet confidence in the way she moved.
Travis barely had time to respond before she turned away, walking past him with an effortless sway in her step, maintaining eye contact until the last second. The scent of her perfume lingered in the air—a soft, floral fragrance mixed with the faintest trace of alcohol. She disappeared into the bathroom, the door clicking shut behind her.
Travis let out a quiet sigh, running a hand through his hair as he stepped further into her apartment. It was a nice place—modern, spacious, and neatly arranged. The walls were a soft, neutral shade, complementing the warm lighting that gave the entire space a cozy yet sophisticated feel. A few decorative pieces adorned the shelves—small sculptures, framed pictures, and books stacked neatly.
He made his way to the plush-looking couch and sank into it, pulling out his phone. The leather cushions felt smooth beneath his fingertips, and the low hum of the city beyond the window filled the quiet room.
‘Damn, I forgot to order furniture for my new place.’ He frowned slightly, scrolling through an online store. ‘Might as well do that now.’
His fingers moved swiftly across the screen as he selected a few essentials—sofa, bed frame, dining table. He added them to his cart without much thought, his mind partially distracted by So-Yeon’s lingering presence.
The distant sound of running water reached his ears, the soft echo of the shower turning on. He glanced toward the bathroom door, his eyes narrowing slightly in thought.
Something about tonight felt different.
TO BE CONTINUED 
