Chapter 13: Good Day
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 13: Good Day
The atmosphere in the karaoke room turned hostile in an instant.
I hadn't originally intended to be this aggressive, but Ahn Hyun-ho was lurking behind me, waiting for a chance to jump in, and the other guys were whispering amongst themselves.
And more than anything, Senior Han-gang, standing right in front of me, was rubbing me the wrong way.
“…….”
Han-gang, holding my phone, fell into a dilemma. The moment he actually checked it, there would be no turning back.
If he crossed that line and looked further, he’d have to see this through to the bitter end.
Han-gang met my eyes.
His smile had long since vanished. He stared at me with an expressionless face, as if trying to read my mind—trying to discern if I was just bluffing or if I truly had nothing to hide.
“Open it,” I urged.
At my prompting, Han-gang finally let out a small sigh. He tapped my shoulder and forced a laugh.
“Hey, I’m just kidding. A joke. Let’s not ruin the mood while we’re out having fun.”
So, he chose to back down.
I knew he would. Han-gang had too much to lose if he pushed this to the limit here.
Besides, he wouldn't want to be humiliated in front of Seo Ye-rin.
“Yeah, Woo-jin. Why are you dropping F-bombs at a senior?”
“Haha! Seriously, Senior, are you Sherlock or something? How did you even catch that? Your observation skills are insane.”
The other students behind him started reacting like a TV studio audience.
It was a moment where the previous tension felt like it could be brushed off as a minor misunderstanding.
I shifted my gaze slightly to the side.
Choi I-seo was tugging on my sleeve, signaling me to hold back and endure it. Seo Ye-rin had her head bowed low, her face hidden from view.
However, I saw her shoulders trembling ever so slightly.
Why?
For some reason, I hated seeing that.
I didn't have any particular feelings for Seo Ye-rin.
But I did have some feelings for Anonymous 69—the person who caused chaos, spammed the boards, and spread lewd photos.
One could dismiss her as just another attention seeker.
But everyone has a story.
Right now, I felt a strange sense of empathy for why a woman loved by everyone, like Seo Ye-rin, had become Anonymous 69—why she felt driven to that point.
Thud.
I brushed Han-gang’s hand off my shoulder and spoke.
“I get that you’re trying to hit on a pretty girl, but don’t cause trouble for others while you’re at it.”
“……Woo-jin, you’re crossing the line.”
Han-gang’s expression hardened again. I was dragging him back into the ring after he’d tried to laugh it off and step away.
“Is she your girlfriend? Are you two dating? No? Then why the jealousy? To be blunt, even if I did call her out separately, what’s it to you?”
“Our Woo-jin must have some special feelings for Ye-rin, huh? You’re working really hard.”
“Don’t change the subject, you piece of shit, unless you want your mouth wired shut.”
“…….”
“Special feelings, my ass. I’ve barely spoken to her. I’m doing this because you’re pathetic. It’s disgusting watching you wag your tail like a dog just to get laid by a junior.”
“Ha, you don’t know the relationship we have—”
“I don’t. And I don’t care.”
Sigh.
I took a deep breath. A sudden urge for a cigarette hit me, even though I was a non-smoker.
“Using your status as a senior to drag a junior around and do whatever you want. You said there’s a third round after this? You were planning to take her to a motel once she got wasted, weren't you?”
I searched for words that would represent her feelings without causing her further harm.
“You’re pathetic.”
I picked the foulest insult to throw at Han-gang.
“You’re an embarrassment to men, you bastard.”
Shove!
I pushed past Han-gang and walked out of the karaoke room.
The atmosphere left behind wouldn't be great.
Now that I was gone, they’d naturally start badmouthing me.
Rumors might spread, and people in the department might start whispering.
But what did I care?
‘Whatever. I don’t have friends anyway.’
Rumors only matter if you have people around you.
As a loner, I was invincible.
…….
……….
………….
Dammit.
*
“Hah.”
In the karaoke room Kim Woo-jin had just vacated, the sound of his voice had apparently carried through the microphone. Whispers about a fight broke out in the neighboring rooms.
“Unbelievable. Look at him spewing his own delusions.”
“Hyung, should I go grab that guy?”
“Senior Han-gang, don't let it get to you. He’s a loner; he doesn't know how to read the room.”
The students tried to comfort Han-gang.
But he couldn't bring himself to smile.
Why?
‘Damn, this feels like shit.’
Because it stung.
To be honest, Woo-jin had hit the nail right on the head.
He knew that while Seo Ye-rin was kind to everyone, she was somewhat timid around men.
That was why he kept inviting her out like this—to build momentum, get her to drink, and then naturally take her to a motel once she was drunk.
He thought today was the perfect opportunity since she’d mentioned being tired from exercising. He figured the alcohol would hit her fast and she’d pass out.
“…….”
The image of Kim Woo-jin’s eyes piercing through him was still vivid in his mind.
A freshman junior had exposed the desire hidden beneath his fake smiles and excessive kindness with brutal clarity.
Shame.
It had been a very long time since Han-gang had felt such intense shame.
“Haha, honestly, my head’s spinning a bit.”
Unable to muster his usual smooth smile, he looked awkwardly at Seo Ye-rin.
She was staring blankly at the door Kim Woo-jin had exited through, which also made him feel strangely annoyed.
“Ye-rin, you know he misunderstood, right? I just wanted us to be close as senior and junior.”
“Ah, yes…….”
‘At least her reaction is okay.’
Seo Ye-rin seemed dazed, unable to process the sudden turn of events.
He wondered if he could push a bit further, but…
‘Sigh.’
He kept remembering Kim Woo-jin’s eyes.
Whenever he looked at Seo Ye-rin, the voice of the guy who had forcibly exposed his private shame to everyone echoed like a ghost.
“Sorry, guys. I think I’m gonna head out first.”
Brushing off the other students' attempts to stop him, Han-gang walked out.
“The mood is totally ruined.”
“All because of that one guy, Kim Woo-jin.”
“Seriously, it’s ridiculous.”
The mood for singing was gone. As the group began to disband, everyone added their own insult toward Kim Woo-jin.
“Is it really Woo-jin’s fault?”
Choi I-seo stood with her arms crossed, looking displeased.
“I mean, sure, Woo-jin was a bit harsh. But from where I was sitting, it looked like the senior was forcing himself on Ye-rin. And wasn't it the senior who tried to frame Woo-jin as a weirdo first?”
“I-seo, why are you being like this?”
“Our I-seo must be drunk!”
The other girls rushed to quiet her down, but she didn't budge.
“I haven't even had a drink, so how could I be drunk? I’m not wrong. I’m not saying Woo-jin did everything right, but I don’t think Senior Han-gang is exactly a victim here either.”
“Hey, Choi I-seo.”
Ahn Hyun-ho glared at her for trying to be objective.
Kim Woo-jin’s words hadn't just been directed at Han-gang.
While speaking, Woo-jin had occasionally shifted his gaze toward Ahn Hyun-ho as well.
As if he were talking to him, too.
“Are you really dating that guy? Why are you covering for him? He cursed at a senior and ruined the whole night.”
“Whew.”
Choi I-seo exhaled and tightened her crossed arms.
She hadn't been able to do it in high school.
That mistake still haunted her.
So, she would act differently in college.
“I’m just looking at the situation calmly. I’m judging the person, not just following the crowd.”
Answering Ahn Hyun-ho calmly, Choi I-seo brushed off her other friends and took Seo Ye-rin’s hand.
Seo Ye-rin, who was still worrying about how to handle the situation, had no choice but to follow Choi I-seo out of the room.
*
“…….”
After leaving the karaoke room and being walked home by Choi I-seo, Seo Ye-rin collapsed onto her bed.
So much had happened today.
She needed to wash up.
But she didn't want to.
She just wanted to lie there, fall asleep quickly, and let this complicated day end.
It had started out as such a good day.
She’d understood the lectures perfectly, learned some exercises from her PT Trainer, earned the nickname 'Sex Master' on the Bamboo Forest, and had a fun conversation with the Administrator.
Ah, it really was a good day.
Until everything was ruined at the very end.
The memory of Han-gang and Kim Woo-jin fighting was still vivid.
She didn't mind it on the internet, but seeing people sneer and curse at each other in reality was something she didn't want to see.
Her head throbbed.
What had she done wrong?
As she was lost in thought…
Vrrr!
Her phone vibrated.
Was it Senior Han-gang? Or I-seo?
Maybe someone else from the department?
She didn't know.
She didn't want to check, but the light of the phone, shining brightly in the dark room, eventually drew her hand to it.
It was a message from the most unexpected person.
“Huh?”
Seo Ye-rin let out a small gasp and immediately started typing a reply.
There was no reason for him to contact her directly.
He’d already said he’d forgive her for today’s post.
For some reason, his tone today was incredibly soft. Perhaps that was why, at some point, she started replying as the human Seo Ye-rin rather than Anonymous 69.
-
Why was he being like this?
Why was he sending a message like this, and via 1:1 chat?
Yet, Seo Ye-rin found herself becoming deeply absorbed in the conversation with the Administrator.
In the dark room, the conversation on her phone—the only source of light—felt like a ray of hope in the gloom of her day.
“Hwah?!”
Seo Ye-rin momentarily dropped her phone. It landed right on her face with a thwack, making her nose sting, but she hurriedly checked the screen again.
I guess we can become friends.
Why did that one sentence resonate so deeply in her heart?
He wasn't looking at Seo Ye-rin’s appearance, her specs, or her personality.
Even though he was just a presence hidden behind the mask of anonymity…
The fact that it felt more sincere because of that was a truly mysterious experience.
It was a truly touching moment.
It felt like he was trying to comfort her, but at some point, she realized she was the one being comforted.
With that, the conversation ended. She wanted to say goodnight back, but for some reason, it was difficult.
Her eyes grew moist and her vision blurred, making it hard to see the keyboard.
“Ah.”
After wiping her eyes, Seo Ye-rin calmly closed them.
The end of a day that had turned sour now felt good again, and at the same time, she remembered something she’d forgotten.
‘I should apologize.’
An apology to Kim Woo-jin, who had been subjected to strange misunderstandings because of her.
‘And I should thank him, too.’
Even if he was just venting his own emotions, she wanted to thank him.
She wanted to do it right now, while she was feeling this way.
— Go ahead and check. See if I even have Seo Ye-rin’s number or her Tok.
She remembered what Kim Woo-jin had said.
That’s right.
She didn't have Kim Woo-jin’s number, nor did they have a private chat room.
She considered going into the group chat right now to add him as a friend, but she stopped herself.
‘Tomorrow.’
Yes, she’d go tomorrow.
‘And ask for his number.’
She’d do just that.