Chapter 281: Coming Back
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 281: Coming Back
"Phew."
Late at night.
The wind was biting.
Today was the day I finally left my family home and returned to the dormitory.
My mom, my second sister-in-law, and Jin-ah had all begged me not to go, but I left anyway. My leg was fully healed, so there was no reason to stay there any longer.
Why is Jin-ah still staying there, though?
I could still see Choi Jin-ah’s face as she pouted, asking me to stay and play. She’d grumbled about who would play games and eat snacks with her in the evenings if I left.
She really should head home soon.
Going through puberty in her twenties... her parents must be having a rough time.
Screech.
Senior Ju-hee, who had driven me to the front of the dorms, glanced at me.
She offered to help me with my bags, but I quickly hopped out of the car and grabbed them from the trunk myself.
"Thank you for your hard work! Please, get home safely!"
"You get settled in too, Young Master."
"Yes, ma'am! Thank you!"
Returning to the university made me realize the weight of her presence all over again. She gave me a strange look as I shouted my response like a soldier acknowledging an order, then drove away.
Since it was late, she was probably heading straight home to clock out.
"Tsk. Why do I have more luggage coming back than I did going out?"
They had packed so much for me that I now had two full suitcases. They were stuffed with luxury clothes, with everyone telling me I should dress well now that my face was famous.
I wonder how much I could get if I sold these.
If I just sold them all, I probably wouldn't have to worry about money until graduation. I figured I’d take them for now and sell the ones I knew I wouldn't wear.
"Congrats on your discharge!"
A welcome voice called out from behind me.
I whipped my head around to see Seo Ye-rin, Yoo Ah-rin, and Choi I-seo standing there.
"Guys!"
I had told them I was leaving the house today and would probably arrive at the dorms by evening. Had they been waiting for me?
A wave of emotion washed over me.
I reached out with both arms to give them a hug, but Yoo Ah-rin held up a hand to stop me.
"Don't even think about it. Right, Romeo?"
"...Romeo? What are you talking about?"
As I blinked in confusion, Choi I-seo explained for her.
"It's because of the story about you and Yun-ji. If you start acting all lovey-dovey with us here and word gets out, things will get weird again."
"..."
I expected as much, but it was still a massive pain in the ass.
"Uh, guys. It’s not like I was trying to get back together with Yun-ji—"
"We know. You were just trying to help her."
"We heard the whole story! Wow! How can people be that evil?!"
Yoo Ah-rin reassured me while Seo Ye-rin fumed on my behalf.
Right. What was I even worried about? These weren't the kind of women who wouldn't understand something like that.
"Let's head inside for now. It's winter break, so the dorm security guards leave early in the evening."
"Really?"
I didn't know that.
Choi I-seo took the lead, grabbing one of my suitcases to wheel it along. Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin flanked me, immediately starting to chatter away.
"Woo-jina, we prepared a surprise gift for your discharge!"
"Hm? A surprise gift?"
Doesn't telling me about it ruin the surprise?
"Ugh, it's just a discharge present. It's to help you get your head on straight."
"Aha. More importantly, have we decided where we're going for the trip? Looking at the schedule, it seems like we need to leave this week."
Winter break was slowly coming to an end. The time to actually go was right around the corner.
"Oh, I talked to your brother about that."
Brother-in-law? Wait, did she use the term for a husband's older brother?
"My big hyung?"
"Yeah! He said if it's too hard to decide, we should just go to Hawaii! Usually, when people think of travel, Hawaii is the romantic ideal!"
How old-fashioned.
Well, it was a solid choice. It was a major tourist spot, so the facilities would be great. As long as you had the money, that is.
"True. Prices are high there. We should go while someone else is footing the bill."
"But it's your brother's money?"
He's my brother, so he's basically 'someone else,' isn't he?
"Hmm, I wonder what the weather is like in Hawaii this time of year?"
I tried to change the subject, and the two who had already looked it up chimed in immediately.
"They say it's super hot right now!"
"It's the dry season. They said it only rains maybe once or twice a month. Isn't that lucky?"
"What a shame."
I was hoping for a total downpour.
Yoo Ah-rin stared at me flatly when she heard my disappointment.
"Why is that a shame?"
"Uh? Well... because if it rains, it's... nice?"
"What's nice about rain when you're on vacation? You can't go outside; you're just stuck in the hotel."
"..."
I kept my mouth shut because I felt like I’d get hit if I answered, but the answer popped out from the other side anyway.
"Correct! Because if it rains and you can't go out, the only thing left to do in the hotel is have sex!"
"Ahem! Cough!"
Classic Seo Ye-rin. She hit the nail right on the head.
"Sigh. If that's the goal, you might as well just go to a local hotel. Why fly all the way to Hawaii for that?"
Chatting away, we finally arrived at my room in the dorm. Choi I-seo opened the door and stepped inside, and I followed. It felt like I-seo was becoming very accustomed to entering my room.
"By the way, what's the surprise gift?"
I looked around the room, but I didn't see anything that looked like a present. I was wondering if it was hidden somewhere when—
Click.
The bathroom door opened, and a woman with red hair stepped out.
"I looked everywhere for you because I couldn't reach you, Woo-jin."
It was Oh Yun-ji.
"…!"
My eyes nearly popped out of my head as I looked at the others. They were already avoiding my gaze, blocking the front door so I couldn't escape.
"Traitors! You traitors! How could you do this to me?!"
I had been working so hard to avoid her! I wasn't planning on contacting her for a while because I thought she might actually kill me!
I backed away in panic, but Yun-ji didn't stop.
"Wow. If you knew the heart I put into writing that letter, you wouldn't have been able to pull a stunt like that!"
"Wait! I—I had a reason! Anyway, it all worked out in the end, didn't it?"
"Do you have any idea what kind of calls I'm getting now?! I'm getting offers for dating shows! People are asking if I want to write a book! What is this?!"
"..."
"Broadcasters are asking if I can just appear as a guest once! They say the kids in the chat rooms are only looking for me!"
"Ahem. Well, that... that sounds good."
"Sounds good? Sounds good?! SOUNDS GOOOOOD?!"
Yun-ji rolled up her sleeves and stomped toward me.
The world needed to see this side of her. Everyone thought she was just a pure, tragic victim living for love. They had no idea she had the temperament of a feisty Amazon.
"Everywhere I go, people do nothing but cheer for me! Strangers look at me with such pity! You know I hate that more than anything!"
Even if she lived a miserable life, she refused to be pitied by others. That was the kind of woman Yun-ji was.
"Hold still, Kim Woo-jin."
Yun-ji raised a menacing fist. I closed my eyes tightly, a faint smile on my lips.
"Just kill me."
As I declared my readiness for a glorious end, a violent kiss crashed into me instead.
Mwah.
The moment our tongues intertwined, my eyes flew open. Oh Yun-ji leaned into me, continuing the kiss with practiced ease.
"What! Wait a minute!"
"Hey! Hey! She's using tongue! Stop her!"
Apparently, this surprise kiss hadn't been cleared with the other girls. Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin immediately pounced, prying Oh Yun-ji off me. Choi I-seo just stood there with her arms crossed, letting out a deep sigh as she watched the chaos.
"Uh? Uhhh?"
My legs gave out, and I slumped to the floor. Oh Yun-ji licked her lips and smirked.
"Is it because it's been a while? That tasted delicious."
"He's mine!"
Seo Ye-rin immediately lunged at me, pinning me to the floor and taking over the kiss. She sucked so hard my lips went numb, my tongue stung, and our teeth even clattered together.
"Ah, damn it! Why did you have to provoke her?!"
Yoo Ah-rin started arguing with Oh Yun-ji, and the situation spiraled into further madness.
"Sigh. Everyone, calm down. Let's head out for now. Woo-jin just got back; he's tired."
Choi I-seo stepped in to take control of the situation.
But I'm not tired.
I thought since the three of you were waiting, today was finally the day we’d all do it together.
I’ve been holding back so much at the family home that I feel like my dick is going to explode.
I looked at Choi I-seo with that exact sentiment in my eyes, but—
"Right? You're tired, aren't you?"
"...Yes."
I guess I should just wash up and go to bed.
*
In the end, none of them stayed in Kim Woo-jin’s room. As the four women stepped outside, Oh Yun-ji stood tall and declared:
"I'm not giving up."
Three pairs of eyes pierced into her. Naturally, Yoo Ah-rin was the first to react.
"Don't give me that bullshit! It's already so crowded I'm about to die of frustration. If another bitch joins in, I'm seriously going to lose it."
"Is there really that much difference between three and four?"
"Shut up! Is that even a question? Hey! Choi I-seo! You're the one who brought this bitch here! Do something about her! Or you get lost instead!"
"Woo-jin will probably reject her anyway."
Choi I-seo replied indifferently. She had already expected Oh Yun-ji to react this way.
"I agree. Woo-jinny thinks with his dick, but he's not just a dick."
Even Seo Ye-rin agreed with I-seo. They were certain Kim Woo-jin wouldn't accept her.
"I even have proof. When she kissed him just now, he didn't get hard. But he did when he was with me."
"..."
Oh Yun-ji stared at Seo Ye-rin with a blank expression. Her eyes asked if Ye-rin had always been this way, but no one answered.
"Sigh. Do you think I don't know that?"
Oh Yun-ji knew. She knew that Kim Woo-jin helping her this time wasn't out of some lingering romantic affection. She knew that the three women already in his heart were more solid than she had imagined.
No, actually, because there are three of them...
Being here made her realize that their bond was even firmer because of the trio dynamic.
However.
"Three can become four. And couldn't I just replace one of you three?"
With a provocative smile, Yun-ji sounded the alarm on the romantic front the three had been stabilizing.
"Ugh, seriously. What is there to like about a guy who's into three different girls?"
Yoo Ah-rin asked, genuinely unable to understand. Oh Yun-ji just shrugged.
"Ask yourself."
"..."
"Sorry, but I can't give up now either. The whole country thinks I'm a woman who only loves Kim Woo-jin. Where else would I go? I’ve got a certification mark on my forehead. 'Oh Yun-ji belongs to Kim Woo-jin.'"
Yun-ji relished the cold silence that followed.
"It sucked when I was the one who had to protect him."
She hummed a tune, sounding refreshed as she threw out a final warning to the three.
"But now that it's my turn to steal him... it feels pretty great."
She decided that this role suited her much better.
*
Late at night.
Before heading home, Min Ju-hee returned the company car and stretched her body.
"Phew."
It had been another busy day. Thanks to Kim Woo-jin running around trying to save Oh Yun-ji, things had been hectic lately. Still, it wasn't the wrong thing to do, so Min Ju-hee had worked with a sense of duty.
I think being a bodyguard actually suits me.
Just as she was starting to see a clear path for her future career—
Clack. Clack.
The steady sound of dress shoes echoed through the parking lot.
Looking toward the source, she saw Vice Chairman Kim Jae-un heading to his car to leave, accompanied by his blonde secretary.
"Good evening, sir."
Min Ju-hee immediately gave a 90-degree bow.
Kim Jae-un looked at her after her clean, efficient greeting and asked, "You're Min Ju-hee, right? The Gahyeon University student working as an intern on the security team."
"Yes, that is correct."
What is this? Was he looking for me, not just leaving?
A curious Min Ju-hee raised her head to look at Kim Jae-un.
"How is the work on the security team?"
"It's good, sir. The seniors have taught me a lot. I've learned a great deal."
"I see. The reports I've received about you are full of praise."
Min Ju-hee was the type to be praised wherever she went because of her sharp personality. Still, it was a bit strange that the Vice Chairman would receive reports about a mere security intern.
Her confusion was quickly cleared up.
"And I hear you're the only person on the security team that Woo-jin is actually wary of?"
"That... is correct."
It wasn't a lie. Ever since she told a drunken Kim Woo-jin that he had 'done something' to her, he had clearly been walking on eggshells around her and following her instructions.
Seeing that, her seniors had often expressed envy, wondering how she managed to control the biggest troublemaker of the owner's family so well.
To be honest, Min Ju-hee felt a bit uneasy because it seemed like Kim Woo-jin was just uncomfortable around her.
Well, I'm the one who made it uncomfortable.
Kim Jae-un made a proposal to her.
"Woo-jin is going on an overseas trip to Hawaii this week."
"Yes, I am aware."
Thanks to that, she didn't have to guard him for a while.
"I want you to go along as security."
"Pardon? Me, sir?"
"Yes. Right now, the public's eyes are fixed on Woo-jin. It's better for him to be out of the country for a while."
Kim Jae-un’s face held a trace of worry that didn't quite fit his usual composure.
"But I'm worried that kid might cause some kind of accident."
"Ah..."
Right. He was going on a trip with three women. It wasn't hard to imagine the girls suddenly showing up pregnant.
"He's a fellow that even his family can't rein in. But I heard he's the only one who watches your reactions and listens to what you say."
"That... is true, to an extent."
"I'm asking this as a favor."
Kim Jae-un sincerely wanted Min Ju-hee's help.
"Please go with him and make sure he doesn't cause any trouble."
Min Ju-hee was just an intern. What choice does an intern have when the Vice Chairman asks for a favor?
"I understand."
That was the only possible answer.
"Good. Thank you."
Kim Jae-un started to turn away, but then he stopped abruptly and looked at Min Ju-hee again.
"Also, you have a junior named Choi I-seo, right?"
Choi I-seo?
"Yes, I do."
"Do you have her number? Give it to me."
"Pardon? I-seo's number?"
Even if it was the Vice Chairman, she needed to know the purpose before giving out someone else's number. As Min Ju-hee stared at him firmly, Kim Jae-un answered without hesitation.
"The Chairman said he wants to see her."