Chapter 118: Omen
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 118: Omen
"Yawn."
I slowly open my eyes with a yawn.
It’s already 4:40 PM.
I’d finished work at 4:00, but since Seo Ye-rin doesn't get off until 5:00, I’d been resting in a massage chair in the staff lounge.
I should probably get going.
I arrive in front of Dae-Han-Dang in five minutes. After waiting for a short while, Seo Ye-rin comes running toward me in her street clothes, her steps light and quick.
"You're here!"
"You told me to come."
She’s the one who asked, so why the surprise?
"Do you have a place in mind?"
I thought she just wanted to hang out, so I wondered if she had a plan. She checks the time on her phone, grabs my hand, and starts running.
"Hurry! The bus is coming!"
"The bus?"
I thought she was just saying that, but it seems she really does have a destination in mind.
We’re out in the mountains, so there shouldn't be much to do. Last time I went to a PC Bang in town with my roommates, it felt like I’d stepped back twenty years in time.
However, the bus we board isn't headed for town; it’s a Gold One shuttle that circulates within the hotel grounds.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see."
"I don't have any money."
"Don't worry, it doesn't cost anything."
Ye-rin hums as we ride. Before long, we get off the bus, and the place we arrive at is...
"...A water park?"
* * *
I stare blankly at my surroundings, feeling as if I’ve had a blackout after drinking.
The water park is crowded with people and flashily decorated. Since it’s December, it’s still cold outside, but the indoor water park is bustling with visitors.
I’d heard that Gold One employees get free admission to the ski resort and the water park.
Honestly, though, I never expected to actually come here.
"Heh, what is this..."
We had to pay to rent the swimwear. Unfortunately, it seems that wasn't included in the free admission.
Since I don't like showing off my body to others, I chose a black rash guard and trunks. It’s my first time wearing one, but it feels much better than just wearing swim trunks.
They close at 9:00 PM, so we’ll only get to play for about three hours, but that’s actually plenty.
I'm glad tomorrow is a day off.
Ye-rin probably suggested this because she’s off tomorrow too, right?
"..."
The tight-fitting rash guard feels uncomfortable, like a physical manifestation of the self-reproach I harbor.
Just as my big brother said.
In the end, maybe I never truly loved Oh Yun-ji properly.
I say this because I don't feel any significant resistance to coming out and playing with Seo Ye-rin like this. If I still had lingering feelings for Yun-ji, I wouldn't have come on a one-on-one date with another woman.
But...
My mind is a mess of dizzying thoughts.
"Woo-jin!"
A voice calls out to me, full of excitement. The moment I see Seo Ye-rin wearing a black rash guard from the same brand as mine, I feel my worries melting away.
If I had to name Seo Ye-rin's strengths...
I could only confidently name one.
She’s beautiful.
That’s it.
But the important thing was...
That beauty was excessive.
To the point where everything else seemed trivial.
"Wow..."
Yeah, I know that if I let out an exclamation or stare too hard, she’ll get cocky. Even so, she possesses a charm that forces your eyes to follow her.
Beautiful people are everywhere. Charming people are easy to find. But people who are both beautiful and charming are rare. Most people like that are only found on TV.
She had a point when she asked earlier if her chest had gotten bigger. Even in the tight rash guard, her figure is clearly emphasized.
"How do I look with my hair braided?"
I wondered why she took so long; it turns out she’d braided her hair on purpose. I wondered how she did it herself, but she said one of the staff members helped her.
"You look pretty."
I couldn't say anything else. Her refreshing smile was almost violent, forcefully demanding a single reaction from me.
No, she made it so I had no other choice.
"Heehee!"
Liking my response, Ye-rin quickly links her arm with mine. Then, she immediately points toward the water slide.
"There isn't much time left for that one! Let's go, quick!"
"How do you know that?"
"Seo-ah was bragging about coming here with her boyfriend last week. I heard it then."
"Are those two fighting or doing well?"
"Don't even get me started. This time, her boyfriend..."
As we talk naturally, I try my best to ignore the sensation of Ye-rin's chest against my arm.
It’s only after we get in line for the water slide that I remember I was just thinking about my brother and Yun-ji.
This is actually a bit scary.
Is this what they call a femme fatale?
A woman so charming she’s fatal.
I think that describes Seo Ye-rin perfectly. The fact that she herself seems to act without much thought makes it even more dangerous.
"This is for two people."
"Yeah, looks like it."
Ye-rin says, pointing at the slide. Looking at the instructions nearby, the large tube is divided into front and back seats.
"I want to sit in the front!"
"Suit yourself."
It’s the same whether you sit in the front or the back, isn't it?
I get onto the tube, feeling the envious and jealous stares of the water slide attendant. I have to sit in the back with my legs spread, and the awkward part is that the person in front sits right between my legs.
"Wow! This is going to be fun!"
But seeing Ye-rin enjoying herself like a child, the lewd thoughts that had briefly bubbled up quickly subsided.
I thought I shouldn't pour cold water on her pure reaction, but it was Ye-rin who killed my expectations instead.
Whoosh!
As soon as the slide starts, Ye-rin immediately lets go with one hand and reaches behind her back, her fingers wiggling.
"...?!"
The moment I feel her small, soft hand touch me exactly where it shouldn't have, I stiffen immediately without any warning.
"Heh."
I can't see her face, but I can tell she’s smiling.
To the rhythm of her breathy laughter, her fingers move irregularly and quickly, like a child playing with a new toy.
"You... you...!"
I know I shouldn't.
My voice carries a certain force, but I feel a sense of masculine helplessness as my will to resist vanishes under her touch.
And so, after a period of time that felt shorter than expected...
I saw light entering the rapidly descending slide. We had finally reached the end.
Splash!
The water slide finally ends, and we have to get out of the pool.
"That was fun!"
"..."
Seeing me standing there awkwardly, unable to get out, Seo Ye-rin covers her mouth and laughs mockingly.
"Are you turned on?"
I grit my teeth and wait for the tension to subside, but as long as the woman in front of me stays there, it doesn't seem like it’s going to go away.
"Go away."
When I grumble and wave her off, Ye-rin just snickers and quickly heads out.
I try to ignore the gaze of the lifeguard, who is wondering why I'm not leaving, and take a few deep breaths. Finally, the tension eases enough for me to get out.
Phew.
Similar situations continued to happen after that. Even when we went into the hot springs, Ye-rin's hands wouldn't stay still, and when we went into the wave pool, she would intentionally cling to me.
Since I told her she couldn't send photos anymore, I wondered if she was trying to seduce me directly with her body, but it always stopped right there.
It was stimulation, but it never went further.
It was strangely ticklish and felt like she was testing me, but I managed to endure it.
Regardless, the water park was more fun than I expected.
Walking around with Seo Ye-rin naturally drew people's attention.
But at some point, I think I even started to enjoy those stares.
"That was too short."
Coming outside, Ye-rin looked up at the now-dark sky with regret. It was understandable to feel that way after spending only three hours at a place with so much to do.
"Since we're off anyway, should we come back tomorrow?"
"There's a limit on the number of visits."
Even though it was free for employees, we couldn't come whenever we wanted. It was limited to about once a week, so if we wanted to come tomorrow, we’d have to pay our own way.
"We can just pay and come."
"It feels wrong to spend money when we came here to work part-time."
We should save every penny we can, shouldn't we?
Ye-rin didn't seem to be serious about it either, as she didn't obsess over the water park.
While waiting for the bus back to the dormitory, I realized something was off.
"Hey."
"Yeah?"
Ye-rin is reviewing the photos we took today, swiping through them one by one.
"Weren't you supposed to give me some advice today?"
"..."
Her expression doesn't change, but the finger swiping across the screen stops.
"Hey."
When I call her out as if scolding her, Ye-rin immediately clings to my arm.
"Should we go grab a beer? What do you think?"
Her attempt to brush it off with aegyo was quite sly, but in the end, I had no choice but to follow.
We planned to drink at a chicken place, but the one in the basement of Building C was closed for its regular day off.
"We can't really go back out now."
We’d just gotten back to the resort, and neither of us wanted to head out again. Besides, the timing wasn't great.
It was already 10:00 PM.
"Let's just go ba—"
I was about to suggest calling it a night, but Ye-rin made a suggestion, saying she had a good idea.
"Want to go to our room and eat?"
"No. That's not a place to have this conversation anyway."
With Yoo Ah-rin there, it wasn't a suitable topic for discussion.
"Then let's go to your room and eat!"
Ye-rin offered the alternative as if she’d been waiting for it. I wanted to say we didn't necessarily have to talk today.
But since I also wanted to resolve the lump of emotion left in my chest as soon as possible...
In the end, I headed to the dormitory with Seo Ye-rin.
Since it was still early for sleep, I intended to tell my roommates that Ye-rin would be staying for a bit.
"Huh?"
The room is dark.
Wondering what was going on, I went inside and turned on the light. I checked the room, but no one was there.
"What the..."
I wondered where everyone went, then felt a presence behind me.
"Is no one here?"
Ye-rin had followed me in.
"I told you to wait outside."
"I thought if they saw me, they'd let me in."
Ye-rin smiles, cupping her face in her hands. Certainly, the moment someone saw her face, they’d likely tell her to come right in even if they’d been annoyed.
More importantly...
Where did everyone actually go?
Just as I pull out my phone to check the dormitory group chat...
"Oh? Do you guys drink stuff like this too?"
Ye-rin picks up a bottle of alcohol that was sitting on the living room table.
"...I've never seen that before?"
The sight of the unfamiliar wine left me with a bitter feeling, like a portent of things to come.