Chapter 315: Return to Home Country
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 315: Return to Home Country
"Sob!"
Inside the plane.
Just like when we left, we were sitting in first class on the way back.
Since there weren't many seats, we practically occupied the entire section, which was probably why the sound of crying echoed so clearly.
"Waaaaah!"
Seo Ye-rin finally burst into full-blown tears.
The passing flight attendants, looking flustered, asked if she was in pain and offered her tissues, but Seo Ye-rin only shook her head, insisting it was nothing.
"Ye-rin, stop crying... The staff are going to get the wrong idea."
"B-but—!"
Even with Choi I-seo’s warning, Seo Ye-rin couldn't hold it back.
We all knew exactly why she was crying, so we wanted to just let it slide, but seeing her make such a fuss made me feel a sense of skepticism. Was it really something to be this sorrowful about?
"Everyone did it except me!"
Right. That was the sole reason for Seo Ye-rin’s deep sorrow.
This trip to Hawaii.
It wasn't until they were on the return flight that she realized she was the only one who hadn't had sex with me.
Of course, it wasn't just because she missed out.
It was because of the utterly bizarre logic that if the other girls happened to get pregnant during this trip, she would be so overwhelmed by the unfairness of it all that she wouldn't be able to sleep.
Senior Ju-hee, who had been sitting in her seat, approached Seo Ye-rin.
I thought she was going to give her a stern scolding as a senior for making a scene on the plane, but...
"Ye-rin."
She took Ye-rin's hand firmly.
"Don't worry. There won't be any accidents."
She comforted her with total sincerity.
Wait, is that just what she wants to believe?
If an "accident" happened here, the Senior's lie to my Big Hyung would be exposed.
"But still! Our Woo-jini’s male hormones are insanely high! What if I end up falling the furthest behind because of a slip-up?!"
"Ahem. It... it won't happen that easily. So calm down."
"I'm so, so frustrated I can't sleep!"
"Want me to make you sleep?"
Yoo Ah-rin chimed in, suddenly lifting her head. Between the noise and the growing embarrassment, she clenched her fist, looking ready to take control of the situation.
"I'll sleep on my own, you dummy! Once this trip is over, Woo-jini is going to stay with me!"
"Sure, whatever. Good grief, this girl has turned into a total brat."
Seo Ye-rin finally settled down.
As everyone returned to their seats, I turned my head to look out the window.
"Hmm."
The runway filled my vision.
The plane began to move slowly.
Watching the scenery blur past, I gently closed my eyes.
It was a good trip.
When I returned to my daily life, I knew for certain that this time had served as a recharge, giving me the strength to work hard again.
The plane took off.
Exhausted from yesterday's hangover, I was about to lie back and sleep when...
"Woo-jin?"
"Yes?"
Choi Jin-ah approached, glancing warily at the others. From her hesitant expression, I could tell that whatever she was about to say wasn't going to be good.
"At the airport... my father says he's coming to pick us up."
A moment of silence.
Choi Jin-ah stared at me, her eyes asking what we should do.
Ah, I forgot.
Come to think of it, I had completely forgotten what I said to Choi Jin-ah’s father.
Did I tell him not to disturb us because we were having sex?
Even thinking about it now gives me the chills.
What makes this even more dangerous is that I can't even use the excuse that I was doing it with someone else.
After all, he considers me Choi Jin-ah’s fiancé.
The moment I say, "I mixed up the phones while I was with another woman," I'll be crossing a point of no return.
So, the only thing to say here was...
"Wow, what a great father he is."
"..."
"Then I guess you'll be going separately from us. Haha! It can't be helped. I enjoyed the trip."
"Woo-jin?"
"You haven't unpacked your things at our main house yet, right? I'll tell them to send it to you via courier."
"Wait a minute, Woo-jin?"
"No, actually. I should just have them deliver it in person. Couriers take too long. If I give the word, it'll be there in a day—"
"He said you have to come too, Woo-jin!"
"..."
"..."
Silence stretched between us.
After a brief moment of communicating through eye contact...
"Actually, since there might be personal items involved, maybe it's not a good idea for our people to handle your things, Jin-ah?"
"Don't pretend you didn't hear me! You're the one who created this situation!"
What on earth am I supposed to do?
* * *
"What is this?"
As soon as we arrived at the airport, without even a moment to adjust to the time difference, I was dragged into a car.
Since my family's people didn't show up and only Choi Jin-ah’s side was there, I ended up being hauled all the way here.
"I didn't even get to say a proper goodbye to the girls."
Because of the sudden departure, I couldn't even say goodbye at the airport.
We’d see each other again soon once the semester started, but the way the trip ended felt unsettled.
The only silver lining was that Senior Ju-hee had followed along.
Even though she must have been uncomfortable with work popping up just when she thought it was over, she didn't let it show on her face.
"I'm sorry you have to work when you should be heading home."
"No, it's fine. If anything, after playing around in Hawaii, it finally feels like I'm back at work."
Senior Ju-hee, dressed in her bodyguard suit, was scanning the surroundings.
She seemed to be memorizing the route and checking our location.
The competence I hadn't really noticed in Hawaii began to stand out now that we were in this situation.
"I've already contacted the Vice Chairman's side. He told me to follow along for now and said he'd call to check in, so nothing major should happen."
"That's a relief."
From what I heard from Choi Jin-ah, her father was quite conservative and overbearing.
So, even if I tried to think positively about why he called for me, I doubted it was for a good reason.
Did she say he collapsed?
One thing that bothered me was that he supposedly collapsed for a moment after hearing the news about us.
The hospital tests said there were no major issues, but it meant he was shocked enough to collapse despite being in good health.
It's strange.
He treats his own daughter as a mere tool for the company, yet he was shocked by this?
It felt like a contradiction.
"By the way, Woo-jin... I mean, Young Master."
The Senior leaned toward me, covering her mouth with her hand.
She was trying to prevent the driver in the front from overhearing.
"Young Master? Are we back to that title again? You were speaking just fine a moment ago."
"I'm on the clock."
"You could just speak comfortably."
"I am currently being paid."
But "Young Master" is really a bit much.
"Calling you 'Young Master' reminds me of that time. Just call me whatever's comfortable."
"That time?"
Seeing her look genuinely confused, I calmly recalled the moment.
"What was it again? 'Young Master, p-please, a little more gently—'"
Grip!
"Agh!"
The Senior gripped my thigh hard, glaring at me with sharp eyes and a terrifying smile.
"Don't make me use force."
"Y-yes, ma'am!"
"Honestly..."
Her face flushed as she fanned herself with her hand.
After grumbling at me not to let the conversation drift, she whispered again.
"Why did he come to pick you and Jin-ah up like this? You just got back from a trip; he could have given it some time."
"Ah, about that."
I gave her a brief explanation of what happened with Choi Jin-ah.
Since she already knew about our relationship, it wasn't particularly awkward.
"..."
The Senior glared at me with narrowed eyes.
Her expression clearly said, What kind of piece of work is this guy?
"Ahem, looks like we're almost there."
Seeing the car ahead carrying Choi Jin-ah and her father come to a stop, I spoke up. Senior Ju-hee let out a deep sigh and shook her head.
"What a piece of work."
She finally said it out loud.
Anyway.
The place we arrived at was Choi Jin-ah’s family home, which appeared to be on a similar scale to our own main house.
* * *
"Is it really okay to just let him go like that?"
As Choi I-seo asked while staring blankly at the empty space where Kim Woo-jin had been dragged away, Yoo Ah-rin let out a sigh.
"What else were we supposed to do? Jin-ah said beforehand that they’d probably have to go together."
"Still..."
As the "fiancée," Choi I-seo felt uneasy about letting him go with her.
However, since there was nothing she could do, she just sighed and waited for the bus back.
Oh Yun-ji was already stretching with her sunglasses on, and Seo Ye-rin was frantically tapping away on her phone.
Is she playing a game or something?
While feeling a bit of loneliness and boredom now that Kim Woo-jin was gone, the bus finally arrived, and they all boarded.
Choi I-seo naturally tried to sit next to Oh Yun-ji, but surprisingly, Oh Yun-ji chose the seat next to Yoo Ah-rin.
"What? Why are you sitting next to me?"
"I have something to talk to you about."
Choi I-seo felt strangely uneasy seeing Oh Yun-ji’s smirk.
She intentionally sat in the seat behind them to eavesdrop on their conversation.
"Something to talk about? Like what?"
"Do you have any separate plans to meet Woo-jin later?"
"Hmm? No? Not really. Maybe when we're registering for classes?"
"Aha, I see."
"Why are you asking?"
"Well, I heard you're an expert."
"Expert? Expert in what?"
Oh Yun-ji whispered into Yoo Ah-rin’s ear. Not wanting to miss a word, Choi I-seo pressed her ear closer.
"Threesomes. I'll join you."
"Are you crazy?! I'm already annoyed enough because of that! What do you mean, 'threesome'!"
"But I heard you really love that stuff?"
To be honest, it wasn't a lie.
After all, Yoo Ah-rin had done more threesomes than anyone else here and had never missed out.
Precisely because of that, Yoo Ah-rin shouted even more angrily.
"Who?! Did that bastard Kim Woo-jin say that?!"
"No, Ye-rin did."
"That girl Seo Ye-rin!"
Yoo Ah-rin jumped up and glared at Seo Ye-rin, who was sitting next to Choi I-seo.
But Seo Ye-rin had been focused solely on her phone this whole time.
"What are you doing?"
When Yoo Ah-rin asked, bewildered by her obsessive behavior, Seo Ye-rin finally exploded in irritation.
"Ugh, seriously! Ah-rin! Block this person for me!"
"Huh?"
The phone Seo Ye-rin held out showed the Gahyeon University Bamboo Forest board, a sight they hadn't seen in a while.
The comments on the post Seo Ye-rin had uploaded as soon as they landed were enough to make anyone frown.
"What a loser."
"Ugh, that feels better!"
As Bamboo Forest Moderator No. 1, Yoo Ah-rin immediately gave Anonymous 222 a three-day ban, and it seemed the situation was settled.
However...
A few minutes later, another anonymous user began repeating the exact same thing.