Chapter 229: Teamwork
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 229: Teamwork
“Why does it feel like finals season is back already?”
It felt like midterms had only just ended.
Yet, for some reason, final exams were already staring me in the face.
“What the hell? Where did my time go?”
As I wallowed in sorrow, huddled under my blanket, Seo Ye-rin—who was leaning against the side of the bed—hummed while scrolling through her phone.
“Woo-jin, look at this.”
She held out her phone toward me.
It was an SNS post about her appearance in the trailer for the casino movie we filmed recently.
“Everyone’s asking who I am. Some people are even saying they want to date me.”
“...Why are you even here?”
It was the weekend, and I had just woken up. Why was she in my room?
But Ye-rin didn't seem to hear me. She just kept talking with a bright smile.
“You’re so lucky, Woo-jin. Your girlfriend is a woman everyone else is jealous of.”
“I mean, sure, that’s great... but why are you here?”
“Oh, stop it. The agency is already freaking out because of all the casting offers coming in. They’re making such a fuss, saying they’ve never seen anything like this for someone who hasn't even debuted yet.”
“Right, so you have no intention of answering me.”
Since I was already awake, I figured I should wash up.
I tossed the blanket over the still-chattering Ye-rin, burying her under it, and headed for the bathroom.
The bicycle parked by the entrance of the room had felt awkward at first, but now I was used to it.
Creeak.
When I opened the bathroom door and stepped inside, Yoo Ah-rin was in the middle of changing her clothes.
“Ah, shit! Knock before you come in!”
I was promptly kicked out.
‘What is going on?’
I was certain I had fallen asleep alone in my dorm room last night. Why were these girls here?
I turned my head to ask Ye-rin again, but the moment I saw her rolling around on my bed wrapped in my blanket, I decided to just give up.
Clack.
Yoo Ah-rin stepped out of the bathroom wearing pajama pants.
It looked like she had just arrived and changed into something comfortable.
“You’re finally up?”
“Why are you guys... Sigh, never mind.”
I just gave up.
While I was taking a shower inside, I heard a commotion outside.
I wondered what was happening, but then the bathroom door swung open, and Seo Ye-rin poked her head in.
“Woo-jin! I-seo bought hamburgers. Come out and eat.”
“I’m showering!”
“So? It’s not like there’s anything I haven't seen.”
She stared intently at my lower half before leaving. I couldn't help but think she was really something else.
After a quick wash, I stepped out to find the three of them sitting in a circle on the floor, eating burgers.
“Ah, damn it.”
“Oh yeah! I won!”
As I walked out drying my hair with a towel, Yoo Ah-rin grumbled and handed a chicken nugget to Seo Ye-rin.
I sat down and asked what they had won, and Choi I-seo, who was sitting next to them, explained.
“They placed a bet on whether you’d come out naked or dressed.”
“I mean, I totally thought he’d come out naked. Why are you wearing clothes?”
As Yoo Ah-rin pounded the floor in frustration, Seo Ye-rin quickly popped the nugget into her mouth and explained.
“Woo-jin has a bit of a girly side, so he cares about the mood. He doesn't just strip randomly; he likes it when someone strips him or when things start while he's taking his clothes off.”
“...”
She wasn't wrong.
But it was a little chilling how well she had me figured out.
I thought eating burgers first thing in the morning might be a bit much, but since they had bought McMorning sets, I managed to get it down.
“Ah, shit.”
I grumbled unconsciously while taking a bite, and Choi I-seo glanced at me.
“What? Is it not good?”
“I shouldn't have jerked off yesterday for nothing.”
Whack!
I got smacked on the back of the head, so I decided to shut up and just eat my burger.
“Hey, but there’s no smell in here.”
“Do you use Deodorant?”
“Yeah, I-seo bought it for me last time she came over because she said it smelled.”
The look of pure disgust on Choi I-seo’s face when she told me I smelled like a man was still a lingering trauma for me.
“...I really hate that I’m getting used to these kinds of conversations.”
Choi I-seo let out a deep sigh while grumbling. Anyway, I figured there was a reason the three of them had come to see me.
“We decided to do our group project together this time, remember?”
“Why are we doing it on the weekend, though?”
I tried to protest, but it seemed the three of them had already reached an agreement.
My mind was already restless because finals were approaching; why did I have to study on the weekend too?
“It’s better to just spend one day on the weekend and get it all over with together.”
Well, at least it would be comfortable since I was with familiar faces.
There was only one lecture the four of us were taking together.
It was a major requirement: ‘Understanding of Eastern and Western Classics.’
“We have to choose one Eastern and one Western classic from the list the professor uploaded, analyze the differences and similarities, and then give a presentation in English.”
Choi I-seo gave a brief explanation.
Hearing that, I started to remember the explanation from the lecture.
“I checked, and most of the books on the list are classics the professor used during the lectures. We don't have to read a completely new book from scratch.”
“I’m going to choke on these fries. Let’s finish eating before we talk.”
When I cut in, Choi I-seo looked a bit embarrassed. She gave a short apology and went back to eating.
The way she acts, I bet she’s the type who’ll talk about work even while eating once she gets a job.
After finishing the burgers, we began preparing in earnest under Choi I-seo’s direction.
“At the earliest, we’ll finish by early tomorrow morning. At the latest, by tomorrow evening. Since we all know each other, let’s not divide roles separately. We’ll do everything together.”
Researching together.
Working on the PPT together.
“...What about the presentation?”
“If no one wants to do it, I’ll do it.”
At I-seo’s words, Ah-rin and I nodded. Who would actually want to present?
“Me! I’ll do it!”
...Or so I thought, but someone actually volunteered.
It was Seo Ye-rin who raised her hand, and it seemed she had put some thought into it.
“I’m a hot topic right now, you know. It’ll be good to give a presentation and make another impression on people while I’m at it.”
“Sure, that sounds good.”
Choi I-seo seemed satisfied with Ye-rin’s declaration and accepted it happily.
And so, our four-person group project began.
* * *
“Ugh, I don't want to do this.”
The moment I muttered that, the sharp gazes of the three girls, who had been focused on their work, shot toward me.
“...I’ll shut up and keep working.”
We had clearly started at 11:00 AM after waking up at 10:00, washing, and eating burgers.
Before I knew it, it was 6:00 PM.
The group project was about one-third finished.
The three girls, who had been so lively earlier, were now slumped over, looking like typical exhausted college students.
Empty plastic coffee cups were scattered all around us.
“I think we’ve slowed down a bit.”
Choi I-seo stretched, looking weary.
At her words, the other two either sprawled out, complaining of fatigue, or pressed their fingers against their eyes.
“Should we take a break? I think if we find our pace again, we can finish by dawn.”
Everyone agreed with I-seo and immediately flopped down. It was nice being in a dorm rather than a cafe for this reason.
I never thought I’d be attempting the achievement of finishing a group project in a single day.
But working together while saying whatever came to mind made the progress surprisingly fast.
“Woo-jin, sorry about earlier.”
Seo Ye-rin, still lying down, apologized, seemingly bothered by the brief argument we’d had over the research material.
“No, I’m sorry too.”
I couldn't even remember what we had fought about anymore. Ye-rin was probably the same.
Neither of us had been particularly in the right.
Hearing our apologies, Yoo Ah-rin let out a chuckle as she recalled the situation.
“That was hilarious. What did Kim Woo-jin say earlier? Did he say we should settle who’s right with sex?”
Ah, I remember now.
While arguing over whose data was correct, I had suggested we settle it with sex.
“I was actually shocked because you two looked like you were really about to head into the bathroom.”
Choi I-seo let out a hollow laugh, covering her eyes with her hand. At that moment, it wasn't that I was horny and wanted to have sex; I just wanted to dominate her and make her admit I was right.
“If you fight, just have sex. Then it’s all resolved.”
As Seo Ye-rin spoke with a silly grin, the other two burst out laughing.
Outside the window, the sun was still setting.
Perhaps because it was summer, seeing the sun go down so slowly made me feel strangely sentimental.
It was a relief the dorm had a system air conditioner.
If it hadn't, we would have been dripping with sweat while doing this.
“What is everyone doing this summer break?”
Choi I-seo asked, seemingly trying to lighten the mood.
I figured we’d chat for a bit, grab dinner, and then start again.
“I’m starting a shoot! It’s a supporting role, so I don't have much screen time, but the impact is huge! The agency said they’re intentionally picking roles like that out of consideration for me.”
It seemed to be a role that wouldn't take up too much time since she was a student, but would definitely get her face known.
“A survivor living alone in an apocalypse? Something like that. The concept is that my lover died, so I don't even have many lines.”
Hearing that her lover died gave me a bit of a chill for some reason.
Anyway, Ye-rin was going to be busy during the summer break.
Next was Yoo Ah-rin.
“I... don't really have any plans. At most, just my part-time job and the Taekwondo dojang? I’m thinking of going back there after a long time.”
The Taekwondo dojang?
I thought she had quit for good, but I guess she still had some lingering attachment to it.
I felt a bit intrigued.
“I think I’ll be helping Yun-ji again this time. She asked if I could come with Min-ji.”
So Choi I-seo was working with Oh Yun-ji. During the last winter break, we all went to Gold One, and she used to help Yun-ji out.
‘Come to think of it, I haven't seen her lately.’
I heard she was returning to school in the second semester. It was the first time she had been this out of touch.
Had she completely given up on her feelings?
If so, that was a relief.
But since she was the type to do everything in a grand fashion, her silence was a bit worrying.
I couldn't see them since I was lying down, but I could feel the three of them staring at me.
“I’m going on a bicycle trip.”
I had just bought a bike, after all.
“I just want to wander around aimlessly. I tried to go camping last time but couldn't.”
“That’s surprisingly wholesome.”
“I know, right...”
Even I thought it was wholesome.
“And an elementary school reunion? I got an invitation, but if you guys tell me not to go, I won't.”
I had already gone through a whole ordeal because of the violinist Choi Jin-ah.
Thinking it was right to report this to them, I spoke up. The three of them were now sitting up and staring at me intently.
“There are reunions for elementary schoolers in college?”
“Yeah, that is a bit unusual.”
“Was your elementary school one of those places where all the chaebol kids gather?”
“Well, yeah.”
There were a lot of kids from wealthy families. To be honest, it wasn't just a reunion to say it’s been a while and grab drinks.
It was more about using those thin threads of memory to get reacquainted and expand their networks.
“You know, right? There are a lot of cases where people hook up and cheat at reunions.”
As Yoo Ah-rin spoke with a grin, Choi I-seo gave an ambiguous reaction.
“That’s only a few people. It’s just that those people are so shocking that they stand out. The majority just go for normal socializing.”
“Hey, how do you know that? They could be holding hands behind people's backs, or going out for a smoke and then kissing each other.”
“I’m saying they could, not that they do.”
As the two continued to bicker, Seo Ye-rin mediated from the side.
“Just have sex!”
This crazy girl.
“Don't fight, just have sex!”
“Want me to help?”
When I made a motion to take off my pants, both of them sighed simultaneously.
“I was wrong.”
“Me too. I think I was wrong.”
I didn't know what they meant by both of them being wrong.
“What should we have for dinner?”
Was the talk about the reunion just going to fizzle out?
‘It’ll probably be easier if I just don't go.’
Vowing not to go, I started debating with the girls about what to eat for dinner.