Chapter 104: The Day Before Leaving
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 104: The Day Before Leaving
“Ahem, hmph.”
Choi I-seo let out an awkward cough, stealing a glance at her wristwatch.
She was wearing an elegant watch she didn't usually wear, paired with a navy coat and a white blouse she’d asked Min-ji to help her style. Having dressed up to the nines, she scratched her cheek, feeling a bit self-conscious.
A few men nearby showed interest in her polished appearance, but seeing her poised demeanor—clearly waiting for someone—none of them dared to approach her.
“Phew.”
Tomorrow, Kim Woo-jin would be leaving for Gold One.
I-seo had wanted to go with him, but she had things to attend to here during the break, so she couldn't join him. Since that meant they would be apart for two months, she had summoned the courage to ask him out on a date today.
To be honest, she had been embarrassed at first, but now that the moment was here, she praised herself for doing it. Even though there was still time left before their meeting, her heart was pounding with a strange, fluttering excitement.
W-well, we usually hang out together all the time.
But the fact that her heart was racing just because they were meeting somewhere other than school made her realize all over again—in a quiet, small way—just how much she truly liked Kim Woo-jin.
“Hm?”
Just then, she heard Kim Woo-jin’s voice from behind. She turned around, a bright smile ready for the person she’d been waiting for, who had arrived earlier than expected.
“...What the?”
There stood Kim Woo-jin, clad in a loosely thrown-on black tracksuit.
“O-oh?”
The important thing was that Kim Woo-jin looked just as flustered as she was. As they stood there facing each other, searching for words to explain the situation, Kim Woo-jin spoke first.
“W-weren't we meeting up to exercise?”
Oh, no.
Because she’d been too shy to be direct, she’d just told him to meet up, and he had interpreted it that way. Since I-seo was usually dedicated to her workouts and often used that as an excuse to lure him out, her past behavior had led to this misunderstanding.
She felt like she was about to burst into tears over the blunder, but she forced a smile.
“I must have explained it wrong.”
“...Wait a second. I’ll go change real quick.”
Realizing why she had actually called him, Kim Woo-jin tried to turn back the way he came to change his clothes, but I-seo shook her head and caught him.
“No, no! It’s fine! You can stay just like that!”
“I’m sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing? I-I’m the one who made the mistake! Besides, it’s not like we’re dating yet, so...”
Her voice trailed off, sounding a bit forlorn at the end. Fidgeting with her hands, I-seo seemed uncharacteristically fragile.
Watching her, Kim Woo-jin quickly came up with an excuse.
“Ah! If you don’t mind, could you come with me to buy some clothes?”
“Clothes...?”
“Yeah! I’m going to Gold One tomorrow, but I don’t really have anything to wear, so I was planning on buying some.”
At his considerate suggestion, I-seo stared at him blankly for a moment before a soft smile spread across her lips.
“You’re leaving tomorrow and you still haven't bought clothes?”
She carefully stepped up beside him and gently slipped her arm through his. In a much softer atmosphere, the two began to walk down the street.
* * *
“You look sharp.”
Watching Kim Woo-jin step out in his new clothes, I-seo gave him a genuinely satisfied smile.
She knew there were plenty of handsome guys around, like Ahn Hyun-ho, Han-gang, and Jeong Chan-woo, but she still thought Kim Woo-jin was the coolest. Even if her roommate Min-ji told her she was wearing rose-colored glasses, it didn't matter.
“Ahem, this feels awkward.”
Even though this probably wasn't his first time at a clothing store with a girl, Kim Woo-jin seemed strangely uncomfortable.
At first, she thought he was just awkward in clothing stores, but then she remembered that his ex-girlfriend—and her friend—Oh Yun-ji was very interested in fashion. A strange sense of jealousy flared up. They had probably come to places like this often to pick out clothes together.
“...”
A question suddenly bubbled up in I-seo’s mind: Is what I’m doing right?
Even if they had already broken up, the sight of herself like this with her friend’s ex-boyfriend...
The sudden realization that she was being spiteful and ethically questionable—a realization she had been putting off until now—caused her fluttering emotions to settle into a somber calm.
Tap.
She lightly placed her hand on Kim Woo-jin’s chest, now covered by a brown coat. Patting it gently, I-seo gave a bittersweet smile.
“Shall we go?”
“...Sure.”
I-seo knew that Kim Woo-jin had noticed the sudden shift in her mood. But hiding these emotions was harder than she’d expected, so she could only hope that time would just carry them away.
* * *
They shopped.
They ate.
They watched a movie.
It was more fun than she had expected. If they actually started dating, wouldn't every day be like this? It was such a happy time for I-seo that she worried she might turn into a total fool.
There were moments where Kim Woo-jin’s libido and reason seemed to be at war, which was also quite memorable.
However, the lump in her chest didn't dissolve as easily as she’d hoped.
They had met in the morning, but the sky had already turned dark. She considered suggesting they go for a drink, but she was terrified that if she did, the thick jealousy and ugliness settled in her heart would be exposed.
“I’ll be going now.”
I-seo waved goodbye in front of her house. Once he left for Gold One, she wouldn't see him for two months. She wanted to say something memorable, but what actually came out was a dry, hollow farewell.
Ah, what is wrong with me today?
She shouldn't have let those thoughts get to her at the clothing store. She’d probably be able to pull herself together by tomorrow, but right now, it was a struggle.
“Yeah, get home safe. Have a good break.”
Kim Woo-jin also realized I-seo was acting strange today and sent her off with a small smile. They wouldn't see each other for two months, but on the flip side, it was only two months. It wasn't long enough for their friendship to falter or for their relationship to undergo a radical change.
But if she had to put it into words...
Stagnation.
Yes, they would stagnate.
Just as a sudden fear gripped I-seo and she stopped in her tracks, her phone rang.
Vrrr!
Realizing it was hers, she hurriedly pulled it out, only to flinch when she saw the name on the screen.
— Yun-ji —
It was a call from Yun-ji, her high school friend whom she hadn't heard from in a while.
“What’s wrong?”
When Kim Woo-jin approached, worried by how startled she looked, she reflexively hid her phone a beat too late. He had already seen the name on the screen; his expression twisted as he gestured toward the phone.
“Can you... take it?”
It was hard to read the emotion behind his cautious question. Was it anger, or was it longing?
Caught like a shrimp between two whales, I-seo could do nothing but carefully answer the call.
— I-seo? It’s been a while.
Oh Yun-ji’s voice sounded exactly the same as always. Just like back in high school. To put it nicely, she had leadership that drew people in; to put it bluntly, she was somewhat dictatorial.
“Why are you calling?”
I-seo got straight to the point. Her heart wasn't in a place where she could handle meaningless small talk. Though she might have sounded cold, Oh Yun-ji didn't seem to care and brought up her reason for calling.
— You’re on break now, right? Can you and Min-ji come help me out with something?
“...Help you?”
— Yeah, think of it as a part-time job. It won't take much of your time, and it’s nothing major.
“I’ll think about it. I’m outside right now, so I’ll have to talk to Min-ji first.”
— Sure, give it some thought. It’s nothing bad.
With that, Oh Yun-ji hung up. The fact that they only said exactly what needed to be said was typical of them, but I-seo’s worried gaze drifted toward Kim Woo-jin.
“...”
Seeing him biting his lip and clenching his fists, looking more pained than she’d imagined, she found herself pulling him into a tight hug.
“I-it’s okay! She doesn't know you’re here, so she just talked about work and hung up.”
“I know.”
Kim Woo-jin’s voice was heavy. It was the first time she’d seen him look this vulnerable, and it showed her just how much of a hold Oh Yun-ji still had on him.
“It’s just...”
A bitter breath escaped him. His voice, steeped in regret and agony, lacked any strength.
“The fact that she’s doing so well... it really sucks.”
Unlike him, who was still struggling—and because of that, was rejecting the interest of other women—the fact that Oh Yun-ji was moving forward and working made him feel a whirlwind of complex emotions.
“...I’m going. I had fun today.”
Gently pushing I-seo away, Kim Woo-jin slowly turned around.
The last day before leaving for the Gold One Hotel. In many ways, it was an unforgettable day for him.
* * *
Cr-crack.
“Phew.”
He had to wake up early to catch the bus to the Gold One Hotel tomorrow, but no matter how much beer he drank, sleep wouldn't come. Just as he was regretting not buying something stronger and reaching for the next can—
Knock, knock.
A knock sounded from the door.
He checked the time on his phone; it was already midnight. Wondering who could possibly be visiting at this hour, he walked toward the door.
“Who is it?”
“It’s me.”
“...Choi I-seo?”
Out of nowhere, she had returned.
When he opened the door, her cheeks were flushed red, likely from the cold outside. She was holding large paper bags in both hands, and she thrust one of them at him as she marched inside.
“Phew, it’s freezing. Were you drinking alone?”
He’d been worried because her mood had been down since they were at the clothing store, but she seemed a bit better now. I checked the paper bag and answered in a casual voice.
“I just had a lot on my mind.”
Inside were wine and a small cake. It looked like she’d bought them at a convenience store.
“What’s this? Trying to get into the Christmas spirit?”
Since the Christmas season was approaching, I asked with a smile. I-seo let out a sigh as she took off her coat.
“It’s my birthday today.”
“...?!”
“Since you’re leaving for Gold One tomorrow... well, I guess it’s today now. Anyway, since you’re leaving today, I wanted to meet up a day early.”
I had no idea. I wasn't the type to keep track of birthdays.
“I figured you’d be drinking and feeling lonely, so I just came over. I told Min-ji I was sorry for leaving the surprise party she threw for me.”
“...”
“Hurry up and sit down.”
I sat down, following I-seo, who was already making herself at home. An opener was included, so I opened the bottle cleanly without making a mistake like last time.
Last time?
When was that again?
Maybe it was the beer, or maybe my memory was just fuzzy. I sipped the wine, which had been poured into a beer mug instead of a wine glass, and watched I-seo. Seeing her smile and say the cake was delicious after taking a bite made the worries I’d been harboring feel a little lighter.
“Thanks.”
I expressed my gratitude to her sincerely.
“Hm?”
I-seo, with a fork still in her mouth, stared at me. She held out her beer mug as if she hadn't heard me, and we clinked our glasses before gulping down the wine. Even though it was convenience store wine, it was quite good—maybe it was one of the expensive ones.
“Whoa, that hits hard.”
Since I’d already been drinking beer and I’ve always been a bit weak when it comes to wine, I felt a wave of dizziness as I looked at I-seo. She was alternating between the cake and the wine with such intensity that I wondered if she’d been starving.
“Hey, are you planning on sleeping over after eating this?”
I asked, feeling tipsy. I-seo just gave a slight nod without saying a word. There had been another paper bag earlier; she’d probably brought a change of clothes and toiletries in it.
“A grown woman like you, not even afraid of men.”
I said it, but honestly, I wasn't in the mood for that today. My voice was wavering, and I could tell I was drunk. Besides, last time, I-seo had refused because there weren't any condoms.
Actually, I do have some.
I’d bought a whole box of them at the adult store last time, so I had them.
“That’s a shame. I should’ve bought some condoms.”
I muttered slyly, pretending I didn't have any. As I acted like I was giving up, swaying as if it were the exact same situation as last time—
Thud.
A small square box was placed on the table.
The moment I realized it had come from I-seo’s pocket and that it was a condom, I felt the red flush of intoxication vanish instantly. I snapped my eyes toward her.
I-seo, still with the fork in her mouth, was deliberately avoiding my gaze. But her face, crimson with embarrassment, was silently sending a signal.
Ah, right.
And only then did I remember the time I’d messed up opening the wine.
It was that day at Seo Ye-rin’s house—the very day she had done it with that guy.