Chapter 130: Hot Night
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 130: Hot Night
Seeing Choi I-seo so unexpectedly made me happier and more excited than I’d anticipated. And she was beautiful.
Was it just because it had been a while?
Her hair had grown out a bit, and that small change gave her a more sophisticated, refined aura than before.
"How did you get here?"
I wished there was a place we could go inside to talk, but since the surrounding area was all mountains, we just started walking along the road.
"Hmm, I took the bus?" she answered playfully with a small smile.
Seeing her breath puff out in white clouds made the corners of my mouth twitch upward involuntarily.
"No, I mean, how did you know I was here?"
"Senior Ju-hee told me. I told her I wanted to surprise you since we had plans, and asked if she knew where you were."
"Ah, I see."
I figured talking to Seo Ye-rin or Yoo Ah-rin would have been much easier for her, but Choi I-seo didn't offer a detailed explanation, and I didn't press her.
We had met, after all. What did the details matter?
"When is the concert?"
"In two days."
"…It’s a relief that’s my day off. What were you going to do if it wasn't?"
It seemed unlike I-seo to just show up so recklessly without a plan. She glanced at me and gave a bright smile.
"Then I would’ve just seen you and left."
"…."
I found myself momentarily speechless. Her soft smile, as if seeing me was truly enough, was filled with a deep consideration for my feelings.
"What have you been up to lately?"
"Oh, um… I’ll tell you later."
"Huh?"
I’d heard she had things to do over winter break. Yun-ji had even contacted me last time asking for help.
Is it related to Yun-ji?
Since it was Choi I-seo, I trusted she had a reason for being secretive and didn't pry further.
"What about you? Is working here difficult?"
"Man, don't even get me started. You won't believe what happened this time…"
I laughed and began to explain everything that had happened at Gold One. Since this place was a magnet for bizarre incidents, the stories were endless. I-seo laughed along occasionally, keeping the atmosphere pleasant.
Before we knew it, we had arrived at the Building C Hotel.
"You’re using this as your lodging?"
I nodded with a grin at I-seo’s surprised question.
"Yeah. They said there wasn't enough staff housing, so they gave me a room here. I’ve been living comfortably thanks to that."
"Wow."
"Did you book a place to stay? It’s peak season, so it must be hard to find a room."
"Oh, there’s a motel nearby, so I grabbed a room there. Like you said, Gold One is pretty expensive."
"Hmm."
It wasn't necessarily a bad place, but I couldn't help but worry. This town was crawling with thugs and gangsters. It was the kind of place where people picked fights for no reason, and I was concerned for her.
I couldn't exactly tell her to stay in my room, though…
"Ah!"
Then I remembered Yoo Ah-rin’s card key. My sister-in-law had left a room for us, so I figured I could just give that to I-seo.
"Come here. There’s a spare room."
I led I-seo, who looked a bit sad as if she were about to leave, into the hotel.
"A spare room?"
I ignored her confused question and pulled her along by the wrist. There was a rule against men entering the girls' rooms, but surely it was fine just to stop by and talk for a second.
We arrived quickly and found Yoo Ah-rin.
"No."
Ah-rin pouted at me with her arms crossed. Seeing her in comfortable loungewear was a fresh look, but I didn't have time to appreciate it.
"That room was given to me. To use with you."
When Ah-rin pointed at me and made that declaration, I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
"…."
However, Choi I-seo, standing behind me, replied without any change in expression.
"Right, don't push it. I already have a place booked, so I can just stay there."
Wait?
This wasn't like the usual Choi I-seo. Normally, she would have made a sharp comeback, but seeing her let it slide so calmly felt strange.
One might call it being gentle or mature, but to me, it felt more like she was holding something back. And in a somewhat distorted way.
Regardless, Ah-rin remained firm.
"I can't give up the room. Instead… stay in our room. I’ll tell my roommates, so it’ll be fine. You’re only staying for two days anyway."
It was an unexpected counter-proposal. It was only possible because her roommates were all close friends, but I looked back at I-seo, worried she might feel uncomfortable.
"Sure, let’s do that."
Surprisingly, I-seo walked past me and into the room, saying it worked out for the best. I stared blankly at the two of them, who were suddenly living together.
"Well, Woo-jin. I’ll contact you later."
"Uh, yeah. Tell me if Ah-rin bullies you."
"Whatever," Ah-rin snapped.
I-seo went inside. Before Ah-rin could close the door, I asked the question that had been bothering me.
"By the way, didn't you have plans with Seo Ye-rin?"
"None of your business!"
Ah-rin stuck her tongue out at me and slammed the door. It was a bewildering situation, but thinking that things had been settled one way or another, I headed back to my own quarters.
*
After Kim Woo-jin left.
Yoo Ah-rin, who had let Choi I-seo into the room, was surprisingly nervous. Hadn't she essentially declared she was going to steal a man who was already involved with another woman?
From her perspective, it was a meaningful moment of breaking out of her shell, but from Choi I-seo’s perspective, it was nothing more or less than an affair.
I feel a bit bad seeing her in person.
Steeling her heart for Kim Woo-jin was one thing, but facing Choi I-seo was a different matter entirely.
I-seo briefly greeted the others in the room. No one seemed to mind her presence; in fact, Lee Seo-ah even apologized to her for some reason, though it was glossed over.
"Ta-da! This is where I-seo will sleep!"
Seo Ye-rin, who was particularly close to I-seo, welcomed her warmly and even made a spot for her right next to herself. Was she just bold, or was she simply thoughtless?
Regardless of Ah-rin’s complicated feelings, the three of them ended up sleeping together. After a quick dinner and some chatting, it was suddenly 9:00 PM—time to get ready for bed to be ready for work the next day.
Come to think of it, today was a bust.
While brushing her teeth, Ah-rin remembered what she had forgotten due to the sudden guest. She had planned to have a "naughty" talk with Seo Ye-rin tonight, but that was impossible now that Choi I-seo was in the room.
Spit.
Maybe it was for the best?
Leaving behind only ambiguous emotions, Ah-rin finished brushing her teeth and entered the room. There, Seo Ye-rin and Choi I-seo were busy chatting away.
They’re incredible.
They both knew exactly what the situation was without needing to spell it out, yet they were talking as if nothing was wrong. Even more so…
"So then, Woo-jin suddenly says he can push five carts at the same time!"
They were right in the middle of a story about Kim Woo-jin.
"We all told him not to, right? But he did it anyway, and all the carts tipped over. He got in so much trouble."
Oh, that time.
It was a story from when Kim Woo-jin was showing off for Seo Ye-rin when she came to visit. I had a hell of a time helping him clean that up.
"Ah-rin! Come here!"
Seo Ye-rin patted the spot next to her, calling for Ah-rin.
She really is something.
Was she not just social, but actually stupid? Despite her internal thoughts, Ah-rin sat down beside them so as not to make things awkward. The three of them sat in a circle on the bedding, facing each other.
Seo Ye-rin was about to say something, but Choi I-seo spoke first.
"The reason I came here is to see the concert with Woo-jin."
"I heard! The U-Ai concert, right? I’m so jealous."
"How did you manage to get tickets?"
Ye-rin was envious, while Ah-rin pouted. Choi I-seo looked between the two of them and took a breath. It was clear she had something to say, and the shadow on her face suggested it wasn't anything good.
"Do you guys… like Woo-jin?"
"Can we get to the point?"
Instead of Seo Ye-rin, who had opened her mouth to answer, Yoo Ah-rin quickly waved her hand to move the subject along. She didn't want to waste time on an obvious answer, and she felt uncomfortable confessing her feelings so openly in front of Choi I-seo.
I-seo didn't seem to think it was important either and continued.
"I worked with Yun-ji over winter break."
Oh Yun-ji. There was no one here who didn't know that name. The female student who had taken a leave of absence in the first semester and whom they had barely seen. Kim Woo-jin’s ex-girlfriend.
"It seems there was… some kind of misunderstanding between Yun-ji and Woo-jin. There was a letter Yun-ji left behind, but it seems it never reached him."
"A letter?"
Ah-rin thought that certainly showed more sincerity than a text message.
"So, Yun-ji said she’s going to talk to Woo-jin and try to make things right. She said the reason she’s working with Woo-jin’s second brother right now is also because of him."
At those words, Ah-rin scratched her cheek and chimed in.
"The Vice—no, I heard from Kim Woo-jin’s oldest brother too. That Oh Yun-ji might be coming back to school. That she’s working because of Kim Woo-jin."
She spoke while recalling Vice Chairman Kim Jae-un, who had visited her during her shift the previous night.
"Huh?"
Seo Ye-rin looked back and forth between the two, feeling like she was the only one who didn't know anything. But Choi I-seo pushed on, leaving the explanations for later.
"I’m Yun-ji’s friend, so… now that I know the whole story, I’m scared to approach him."
I-seo seemed uncomfortable with the idea of competing with her friend for a man her friend used to date. Especially now that she knew they had broken up over a misunderstanding, her heart seemed even heavier. Moreover, Kim Woo-jin hadn't completely let go of his feelings for Oh Yun-ji yet.
"If they just clear up the misunderstanding, they’ll start dating again. I wanted you guys to know that beforehand."
Ah-rin finally realized that while I-seo had come to see the concert with Woo-jin, she had also come specifically to deliver this message to her and Ye-rin. Ah-rin was momentarily speechless.
"Then, going to the concert is…"
"…."
I-seo kept her mouth shut, but the answer was clear. No one in the room missed it. This was I-seo’s way of giving herself time to sort out her feelings.
Leaving Seo Ye-rin to her deep thoughts, Ah-rin gave a bright smile and spoke to I-seo with a much more relaxed face.
"Wow."
"…?"
"That’s one bitch down."
"…."
"You might be friends with Oh Yun-ji, but I barely even remember her face. I don't see any reason to back off because of her."
"I told you, Woo-jin still has feelings for Yun-ji. He even called her when he was drunk last time. I heard the recording."
"I don't know what you heard, but fine. I’m going to keep flirting with Kim Woo-jin, so you stay out of it."
"…."
Choi I-seo had been wearing a somber expression ever since she arrived. But now, a hint of color seemed to return to her gray, cloud-covered face. Even if she was scowling.
"Who cares what that idiot feels for Oh Yun-ji? I already knew what I was getting into when I jumped in."
One or two more enemies didn't matter here. Though, she was definitely going to beat the crap out of Kim Woo-jin later.
"Right, Ye-rin?"
When she asked for support from Seo Ye-rin, who was in the same boat, Ye-rin finished her contemplation and shouted with a bright smile.
"I’ll just have to get pregnant!"
"This girl has no shame!"
Ah-rin immediately threw a pillow, muffling Ye-rin’s face. Choi I-seo stared at Ye-rin with a blank expression.
"Mmph! H-help me!"
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Ah-rin hit Ye-rin a few more times with the pillow before huffing and returning to her spot.
"Ugh, only Woo-jin is allowed to be on top of me."
Ye-rin, who had been jokingly sobbing while sprawled out, suddenly sat bolt upright.
"But I only said that because I might already be."
As she spoke while stroking her stomach, both of their gazes snapped back to her.
"What?"
"You—you! You didn't use protection?"
At their questions, Ye-rin flashed a peace sign and grinned.
"What are you going to do?!"
"You know your life could get seriously messed up, right?!"
At their frantic shouts, Ye-rin stared at them blankly for a moment before letting out a hum, her smile dripping with a sense of victory.
"Aha. So I’m the only one who did it bare?"
"…."
"…."
"Oh my, I didn't know Woo-jin would be like that with you guys."
"Get her!"
As Ah-rin lunged again, even Choi I-seo, unable to hold back this time, joined in the fray.
A few minutes later.
The two only stopped when Ye-rin’s delicate screams and tears had dampened the blankets.
"A-a woman’s jealousy…"
The two of them caught their breath, looking down at Ye-rin, who had collapsed as if leaving her final will. Their eyes met, and Ah-rin asked with a smirk.
"See? You’re the same in the end."
"…."
"How can you say you’re giving up when you’re this jealous?"
It wasn't a lie. Just hearing that one thing made I-seo want to run to Kim Woo-jin right that second.
"It’s not jealousy," I-seo denied, pouting and crossing her arms. She felt like her conscience would sting if she didn't deny it.
"Oh? Not jealousy, you say?"
In response, Ah-rin pulled her pajama top to the side, revealing her collarbone. There was a faint red mark.
"Look at this. Kim Woo-jin left this mark last time."
"…!"
"He was so rough, it was hard to keep up. But he liked it, so what can you do?"
"Ooh, are we talking about naughty stuff now?"
Ye-rin, who had been down for the count, immediately sat up and began explaining her own experiences.
It was a night where Choi I-seo’s face, once dark with worry and gray tones, gradually turned a deep shade of crimson.
*
The next day.
I went to meet Choi I-seo right after work.
"Gah!"
"You! You! Have you lost your mind?!"
She was there, greeting me with a sudden punch to the face.