Sohyeon Bares Her Chest Right in Front of Me
"Mom. Just get us tteokbokki, fried stuff, and fish cakes for now."
At my words, Mom broke into a shy little smile.
"Okay. Got it."
"Why are you smiling like that?"
"Because this is the first time my daughter's ever brought a boy over."
"It doesn't mean anything. I just owe him, so I'm paying him back."
"I'm sure."
"I told you not to get the wrong idea. Seriously."
Mom just kept smiling.
"I'm not getting the wrong idea. You brought him because he's a good person, right?"
"……You already are getting the wrong idea."
Well, it was true that Jaehan oppa was a good person.
Come to think of it, this really was the first time I'd ever brought a guy to Mom's snack shop.
I carried the basic side dishes back over.
"Want a beer?"
"You sell alcohol here too?"
"It's where the best margins are."
"Bet you get some real characters, huh?"
"Yeah. I can't exactly say it never happens."
"So how do you handle them?"
"I just quietly call the cops. Not worth the headache of dealing with them. And honestly, the really bad ones aren't that common. Everyone around here is young."
"These days the young assholes are even more aggressive and exhausting, though."
"At worst they get drunk and ask for my number or my Instagram. If I shut them down hard and say I have a boyfriend, they all just leave on their own."
"Still, it worries me."
"……."
He was worried about me, wasn't he?
"Sohyeon. Food's up."
"Coming, Mom."
Today one of Mom's friends had come in to help out in my place, and she was working her ass off. Thanks to her, I could use serving as an excuse to hang out for a bit like this.
I took the food and brought it over to oppa.
"Whoa. Looks amazing."
"I'll grab the beer."
I pulled bottled beers from the fridge and poured each of us a glass.
"You drink?"
"Only once in a while, with Mom."
"This place has a real vibe. The booze is gonna taste great."
"Cheers."
"Thanks. For inviting me."
"Please. I'm the one who owes you."
Clink—
We tapped glasses and each took a drink.
Drinking with a guy was a first for me too.
Oppa picked up a piece of fried food.
Crunch—
"Delicious. No wonder you've got so many customers."
"Everything at our place is good. The noodles especially—those are the best."
"Then I've definitely got to try them."
I picked up some tteokbokki.
Mom's tteokbokki was delicious no matter when I ate it.
"Huh?"
Oppa pulled out a tissue and reached toward me.
That hand kept getting closer.
My body locked up for a second.
"Ah, sorry. You've got a little something by your mouth."
"You were going to wipe it for me?"
"Yeah. Almost slipped into big-brother mode there."
So that was it.
"Your little sister must be pretty young."
"Yeah. She's in high school now."
"Quite an age gap."
"That's why. Didn't mean anything by it."
"It's fine. You don't have to apologize."
I answered like it was no big deal, but a question lingered.
Why had my body frozen up like that just now?
When I saw that hand coming toward me, I could have easily turned my head or brushed it away.
Did I… kind of want him to?
After a few weeks working the PC bang together, I'd formed a clear impression of Jaehan oppa: he was a genuinely diligent guy with serious patience. And on top of that, he was basically warmhearted and kind.
Totally different from the other guys who smash keyboards and scream slurs at people.
Working at a PC bang meant you saw every kind of human specimen imaginable, and you heard every kind of cursing. Compared to those lowlifes, the Jaehan oppa sitting right in front of me was clearly better.
And because I'd ended up in his debt, I'd even done some pretty blatant, intimate things in front of him.
……Thinking about it is making me a little embarrassed.
My dry face felt like it was heating up just a touch. I pretended nothing was wrong and brought the rest of my beer to my lips.
No joke—the food was genuinely delicious.
Her mom's got serious skills.
She was beautiful, and she could cook on top of it.
But what about her dad? The way the two of them drank beer together made me wonder if he wasn't around.
Don't ask.
It was the kind of thing that could open an old wound. If we got close enough, I'd hear about it someday.
Sundae, tteokbokki, fried snacks, fish cakes—by the time I'd worked through all of it, I was already full. Pairing it with beer would do that.
"Full already? The noodles haven't even come out yet."
"Then should we switch to soju?"
"Sure. I'll grab some."
Sohyeon hopped up right away and brought back a bottle of soju.
I couldn't help the way the corner of my mouth lifted. Spending time like this was just too much fun.
The noodles arrived with the soju.
"Try it. It's actually insane."
Slurp—
I grabbed a big mouthful with my chopsticks.
"Whoa! Okay, that really is insane."
"Right? People come back just for that as a hangover finisher and order more drinks."
"Funny you say that—my friend already told me he wants to keep coming here."
"Really? Bring him next time. I'll throw in some freebies."
"I'll pass. If that bastard finds out you and I know each other, he'll completely lose it."
"Why?"
"Eh, reasons."
Sohyeon cracked the soju cap and poured a stream into my glass.
"Here."
"Oh. Thanks."
I took the bottle and filled her glass in return.
With a bright little clink of glass on glass, we knocked back the soju. The hot broth really did make the bitter soju go down sweet.
"Ahh. This broth is the real deal."
"That good?"
"Yeah. No empty compliments—this is S-tier among every bowl of janchi-guksu I've ever had."
The corner of Sohyeon's mouth twitched, just barely. It was the face of someone trying hard not to look pleased.
"Eat it with the geotjeori. That makes it even better."
As she said it, she casually piled some of the fresh kimchi onto my bowl.
"Thanks."
Then she just stared at me.
"Go on, eat."
"You're not having any?"
"Watching you enjoy it is filling me up."
"Uh? Okay."
That deadpan delivery—that was pure Sohyeon charm right there.
I twirled some noodles around the kimchi she'd given me and put them in my mouth. They went together ridiculously well.
"How is it?"
"Insane. For real."
Only then did Sohyeon take a bite of noodles herself, smiling faintly.
The cool, aloof vibe she usually wore at the PC bang was nowhere to be found.
The distinctive warm air of a late-night snack shop. Food that was absurdly good. And pretty, haughty Sohyeon sitting across from me, fidgeting with her soju glass.
Whether it was the alcohol kicking in or this strange atmosphere, something soft and warm bloomed in a corner of my chest.
"If I show up later and there's no seats, can I borrow a spot here?"
"Hmm."
"So that's a no."
"I didn't say no."
"So yes?"
"Only if you buy a lot."
"Obviously!"
"That good, huh?"
"Feels like I just got my own secret hideout."
"What are you talking about. It's my hideout."
"Then we'll share it."
Sohyeon smiled more prettily than she had all night.
"If you let me know ahead of time, I'll eat with you."
"That sounds amazing too."
"When it's busy, though, I won't be able to."
"Of course. On those nights I'll help out sometimes."
Laughing and talking while we ate, the buzz completely wore off.
Two in the morning. Closing time.
From the stir outside, it sounded like the last customers were filtering out. A quick glance around showed tables that needed clearing stacked everywhere.
Sohyeon stood up.
"Just wait a second."
In the end she went to help with the work.
I should go too.
Hanging around any longer would just be a nuisance.
While Sohyeon carried dishes into the kitchen, I spoke to her mother at the counter.
"That was delicious. Thank you, ma'am."
"I hope it was to your taste."
"It was so good I decided to become a regular starting today."
"That's kind of you."
"Could you ring me up for this?"
"Wasn't Sohyeon supposed to treat you tonight?"
"It's my first time here, so I'd like to pay. Please take it."
Her mother smiled gently.
"So that's why Sohyeon brought you."
"Pardon?"
No explanation followed.
"Alright, I'll let you pay today—but next time you eat for free."
"I'll take you up on that."
"I'll stuff you until you burst."
Unlike Sohyeon, her mother had a warm, gentle presence.
I finished paying and took my card back. Then I returned to my seat and sat there like nothing had happened.
I was pouring out the last of the soju when Sohyeon came back.
"You finished it?"
"Yeah. I should get going too."
"You can stay a little longer."
"Nah. Your mom needs to rest."
"……."
"What?"
"I still want to drink a bit more, and you're saying you're leaving."
"……."
"Are you really going?"
She said it so casually—but how was I supposed to turn my back on that face?
"Alright. Stay and have another drink. I'm heading home first."
"Is that okay?"
"Of course. Sohyeon will handle the rest."
"Okay, Mom."
Sohyeon's mother looked ready to head home. In the end Sohyeon saw her out and came back inside.
But her expression was off.
"Oppa."
She was glaring at me like I'd done something wrong.
"Why did you pay?"
"Oh, that? I just wanted to buy my own meal since it was my first time."
"I said I was paying off my debt today."
"I'll eat on your dime next time. I just wanted to feel better about it."
"Tch."
Sohyeon sat down in the chair. Then she poured soju into my glass.
"This just means I'm going into debt again."
"I told you it's fine."
"Whatever. So what's it gonna be? Today? Or save it up for later?"
"……What's what?"
"……."
For a second, Sohyeon's expression got even weirder.
"You always do that, oppa. Act like you don't know when you clearly do."
"So what exactly is—"
Wait a second!
No way—!?
The atmosphere had flipped all at once. The air went heavy. And those truncated, loaded lines.
It lined up perfectly with the exact same energy Sohyeon had given off the first time she showed me her bra—and the time she'd shown me somewhere even more private as payment on her debt.
No warning. No helpful explanation. Just the sudden sensation that the rules of the world had twisted sideways.
Common sense alteration?
What kind of insane new common sense had been plastered over reality this time?
"If you don't feel like it, we can just save it up for later."
"N-no. I'll do it now."
I had no idea what "it" was, but I committed on the spot.
"……Then do it now."
My gut had been right. This was definitely a common sense alteration in effect.
Asking won't get me an answer.
So just like always, I'd have to read the room and figure it out myself. Either way, a massive opportunity had just landed in my lap.
I don't even know yet if the common sense that's been overlaid this time is a dirty one or not.
I watched to see what Sohyeon would do.
"Then I'll just handle it myself."
Whatever it was, it was different from collecting interest at the PC bang. Back then she'd asked me what I wanted to see. This time, it seemed like Sohyeon was going to do it on her own.
I got nervous for no good reason.
What the hell. What even is this week.
Click. Click.
Sohyeon stood up abruptly from her seat, came around beside me, dragged a chair right up close, and sat down.
"……Huh?"
Just as my heart started hammering at the sudden closeness—
Whoosh—
Without a single shred of hesitation, Sohyeon grabbed the hem of her black blouse with both hands and yanked it straight up.
Hah—!
The second the fabric rose, a black bra slammed straight into my field of vision.
Her chest was so full that even the short bounce of peeling the blouse upward made her breasts heave heavily, like her nipples might spill free any second.
So it's you again this time.
A wave of pure emotion crashed over me.
