Chapter 112: It's Your Fault
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 112: It's Your Fault
“Ugh.”
In Western-style course meals, toasted bread is served as a standard. Naturally, that meant providing various types of jam tubes, but the stock was kept on a high shelf.
Dammit.
Yoo Ah-rin strained, reaching for the jam. The stock they’d brought down earlier had run out, and she was trying to grab the next bag, but it was just out of reach.
“I said no!”
“Please! Please-please-please-please!”
While she was struggling, Lee Seo-ah from the Film Department and Kim Woo-jin were busy bickering among themselves, completely ignoring her.
Lee Seo-ah was practically glued to Kim Woo-jin’s side, holding up her phone and pleading as if her life depended on it.
“I told you, my boyfriend posted a photo with some girl on his SNS! And he’s being so shameless about it!”
“So? That happens. It’s not a big deal.”
“Not a big deal? Not a big deal?! Are you kidding me? He’s out playing with other girls while he’s supposed to be missing me!”
“Sigh.”
Come to think of it, Seo-ah had made a huge fuss about that at the dorms last night. Ah-rin had even ended up drinking beer with her just to keep her company, even though she hadn't really wanted to.
“So what? You’re going to do the same thing? You want to take a photo with me to make him jealous? That’s so petty.”
Look at her go.
Yoo Ah-rin let out a hollow laugh at her friend’s antics. No matter how spiteful the boyfriend was being, trying to get back at him in the exact same way seemed a bit one-dimensional.
“Oh, come on! Please? Just one! Just oooone photo!”
“I know a guy who’s actually really handsome. I’ll set you up with him. Take a photo with him instead.”
He was clearly trying to use Chan-woo as a shield.
Unfortunately for him, Seo-ah knew Chan-woo too. They were high school classmates.
“No, not Chan-woo.”
Seo-ah rejected the idea immediately.
“Why not?”
“He’s too handsome. My boyfriend would actually get pissed.”
“You son of a—!”
“Hehehe! Oh, please! Woo-jinaaa!”
Now Seo-ah was literally hanging onto him, begging. With a playful smirk on her face, she looked quite pretty—she wasn't a Film major for nothing.
Good grief.
Ignoring their flirting, Yoo Ah-rin tried to reach for the jam again.
Suddenly, Kim Woo-jin, who had been trying to escape Seo-ah, moved toward her. He reached up, pulled the bag of jam down for her, and continued grumbling at Seo-ah.
“I said no. What if your boyfriend comes after me? I can’t fight, you know.”
“Hmph! I’ll explain everything. Please?”
“Whatever. I’m going up to the guest rooms.”
Kim Woo-jin pushed his cart away as if he were fleeing.
“....”
Yoo Ah-rin stared blankly at the bag of jam he had left behind. Snapping out of it, she forced herself to focus back on work.
*
“Like this?”
“No, like this.”
“Huh, that’s cool.”
Generally, Room Service gets quiet once the lunch rush passes. At most, a couple of late lunch orders might trickle in.
During this lull, Kim Woo-jin was drawing everyone's attention with a peculiar set of steps.
From Lee Seo-ah and Han Bom to the assistant managers, everyone had gathered in a small circle to watch his footwork as if he were performing a circus act.
“See? Like this, and like this. So the guests can be happy the moment they see me.”
Is he still pushing that joke?
“Whoa, that’s actually impressive.”
“Did you practice that?”
“That’s unexpected.”
In truth, he hadn't formally learned it. He’d just spent the previous night at the dorms watching Neutube and practicing with his roommates. Since they only had their phones and nowhere to go, it was only natural for the guys to start doing weird things in their room.
“I was just bored at the dorms, so I ended up doing this.”
Yoo Ah-rin watched from a step away, wondering why he’d suddenly gotten into dancing, then checked her watch. It was time to pick up the laundered napkins. She quietly left the group and pushed her cart toward the laundry room.
Why the sudden dancing?
He’d often mentioned doing home training at his place, but an interest in dancing felt out of left field. She’d heard that men start acting bizarre when they gather in groups, but wasn't this a bit too much?
Kim Woo-jin and dancing didn't suit each other at all.
Regardless, she arrived at the laundry room and began moving the napkins onto her cart.
Before she knew it, Kim Woo-jin had appeared on the other side, helping her load the napkins.
“Why’d you come alone?”
“What... when did you get here?”
“I saw you leaving by yourself, so I followed. We went through a lot of napkins this time, so the load must be heavy.”
“I can handle it alone.”
“Yes, I’m sure you can.”
“....”
He was definitely acting colder than he did back at school. He’d been especially like this ever since he saw her talking to Choi I-seo on the phone. And yet, he was still looking out for her in these strange ways.
It made her feel good and bad at the same time.
Ah-rin hated this ambiguity.
But she didn't reject his kindness.
“Hey, how was my footwork? I practiced pretty hard. I’m the best in our room. I think I might have a talent for this.”
The thought of him practicing while staring at a phone with Jeong Chan-woo was almost funny, but Ah-rin kept her expression neutral as she replied.
“Why the sudden interest in dancing?”
“Hm? Because you showed me that windmill.”
“....”
Ah-rin stopped moving the napkins and slowly raised her head.
Unaware of her gaze, Kim Woo-jin continued loading the cart.
“That windmill was so cool that I wanted to try it myself, so I’m learning. Honestly, isn't it like every man’s dream?”
“...That’s a really trivial reason.”
“I guess so, right?”
Once the cart was full, Kim Woo-jin took the lead and started pushing it. Ah-rin followed behind him, feeling a bit awkward.
“It’s almost time to collect the carts from Building B, so we should hurry.”
It was time to retrieve the carts guests had left outside their doors after finishing their meals.
“I got scolded by the assistant managers last time because I forgot.”
Ah-rin bit her lip as she watched him talk about getting in trouble so nonchalantly. He kept talking, his steps light and airy.
“I mean, making a mistake once is understandable, right?”
“....”
“But doing it twice is a bit much. If I do it twice, you can call me a fool.”
“....”
Ah-rin stared at the back of his head as he sought her agreement. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.
“Hey.”
She blurted out the words.
“Do you like me?”
“...Have you finally lost your mind?”
He turned back, asking what she was talking about so out of the blue. Ah-rin glared at him, then suddenly snatched the handle of the cart away with a huff.
“If not, then go away. I’ll do this myself.”
“....”
“You said you had to go to Building B.”
“Oh, right.”
Looking bewildered, Kim Woo-jin started toward Building B but stopped and looked back.
“Is something bothering you?”
“Why?”
“Lately... you haven't been acting like yourself.”
He hesitated as if he had more to say, but eventually gave up and walked away.
“Sigh.”
Unable to give him an answer, Ah-rin just let out a deep sigh at his retreating figure and pushed the cart toward the office.
Time passed, and it was finally time to clock out. Everyone headed from the basement to the first floor to catch the bus.
“Whoa, it’s snowing!”
“You’re right.”
“I didn't know because we were stuck in the basement.”
Seeing the accumulated snow, Lee Seo-ah and Han Bom began taking photos with bright smiles. Ah-rin was half-forced into joining them.
“Woo-jin! You come here too!”
“Take a picture of us!”
Seo-ah and Han Bom called out to him. Kim Woo-jin, claiming he was an amazing photographer, was about to join them when—
Vrrr!
“Ah, sorry. I need to take this.”
His phone rang, and he stepped away to answer it.
Han Bom watched him go and asked with a smirk.
“Hey, is that his girlfriend?”
“He said he doesn't have one. Maybe a girl he’s seeing? Look at how his face just softened.”
“That rascal, he’s a decent catch after all.”
“Is it the person who was at his house that time?”
“....”
The two of them gossiped about how Kim Woo-jin’s aura had changed instantly. They were immediately fired up by the topic of romance.
Between them, Yoo Ah-rin remained silent, her lips pressed into a thin line.
She was angry.
Angry that he was smiling like that.
Angry that a single phone call could bring out a smile he never showed her.
And hearing people talk about how it was obviously a girl he liked made her feel smaller and smaller.
‘You haven't been acting like yourself.’
It was almost funny. She wanted to snap back and ask what "acting like herself" even meant, as if this were some teen drama.
But Ah-rin knew the truth. If she were her usual self, she wouldn't be agonizing over this for even a second.
Why?
Because of what?
Seo Ye-rin and Choi I-seo.
She knew her two friends already liked Kim Woo-jin. Among women, declaring you like a guy was basically a signal for others to back off.
Breaking that rule would make her the "bad guy."
‘Making a mistake once is understandable, right?’
Suddenly, the words Kim Woo-jin had said earlier flashed through her mind. Those trivial words he’d muttered.
‘But doing it twice is a bit much. If I do it twice, you can call me a fool.’
The suffocating feeling in her chest began to clear.
Once is fine.
But twice is not.
She couldn't go on living as a fool forever.
“Phew. I really can’t stand being stupid.”
“Ah-rin?”
“Where are you going?”
Ignoring her friends calling from behind, Ah-rin strode forward, her boots crunching through the snow.
“No, I just finished.”
Kim Woo-jin was smiling as he talked on the phone behind the bus stop. His voice was soft and gentle—it was obviously Choi I-seo.
“Hey!”
Ah-rin shouted at him. She immediately reached out and clamped one hand over Kim Woo-jin’s head.
“Gah?!”
Her hand was too small to cover his whole head, so it only wrapped around his forehead and eyes, but that was enough.
“Ah, that hurts!”
Kim Woo-jin flailed in pain under the strength of her grip.
Ah-rin snatched the phone right out of his hand.
“Hello?”
— Yoo Ah-rin?
She heard Choi I-seo’s startled voice for the first time in a while. Now that she’d actually done it, a strange sense of relief washed over her, and a bright, refreshing smile spread across her face.
“We weren't exactly best friends from the start, right? So you won't feel too betrayed.”
— ...What are you talking about?
“What do you think? It’s a declaration of war.”
“I—I can’t seeeee!”
Ah-rin chuckled as she watched Kim Woo-jin flailing about blindly.
“I’m claiming this idiot for myself.”
— ....
“You and Ye-rin can go find someone else.”
— Wait, hold on—!
Click.
Ah-rin hung up immediately.
With a look of pure catharsis, she let go of Kim Woo-jin and held out his phone.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
As Kim Woo-jin stared blankly at his phone, she gave him a wide grin.
“I like you.”
She raised a fist.
“So don't talk to Choi I-seo in front of me. I’ll snap your phone in half next time.”
“...Are you crazy?”
When Kim Woo-jin asked with a look of utter incomprehension, Ah-rin crossed her arms and countered.
“Why? Is it that strange?”
“No, I mean, obviously! Why are you suddenly acting like this?”
“Then, you jerk...”
Tighten.
Ah-rin squeezed her own arms as if she would never let go, blaming him with the most radiant expression she’d ever worn.
“You shouldn't have been so nice to me.”