Chapter 366: Responsibility
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 366: Responsibility
Min Ju-hee and Choi Jin-ah headed back to their bike.
There was no need to linger at the filming set, and Seo Ye-rin looked far too busy for them to even say goodbye.
“….”
“….”
The silence hanging between them spoke volumes.
Just before quietly pulling on her helmet, Choi Jin-ah finally spoke up, unable to contain her frustration.
“Why do I feel like I lost?”
“….”
“Don’t you feel it too, Unni? I have this strange feeling that I’ve been defeated, and it’s honestly kind of annoying.”
“Why would you feel like you lost?”
“Don’t you? It’s not like we came here to pick a fight, but I feel like I just stood there and suffered a crushing defeat.”
“You didn’t, so just get on.”
Choi Jin-ah climbed onto the bike.
Min Ju-hee sat down as well, getting into position.
To be honest.
Min Ju-hee was feeling the exact same way, but she didn't want to voice it.
Doing so would feel like she was truly admitting it.
‘He’s mine.’
The image of Seo Ye-rin kissing Kim Woo-jin on the cheek flashed through her mind again.
“Sigh.”
She let out a heavy sigh, hidden behind her helmet, and prepared to leave.
Vroom! Vroom! Vroom!
Her phone began to vibrate.
Min Ju-hee let go of the handlebars and answered the call.
“Yeah, Yun-ji.”
— Senior, where are you right now?
“Us? We’re near Inje.”
— …Inje, Gangwon-do?
“Yeah, we came to see an acquaintance of Jin-ah’s.”
— Ah, then that might be a bit difficult.
“Why all of a sudden?”
It was rare for Oh Yun-ji to call like this, so Ju-hee wondered what was going on.
— It’s Friday night. I’m gathering people because I want to grab some drinks.
“Who’ve you got so far?”
— I-seo, for starters. And Bae Ji-hye—you know Popo from the Department of Architectural Engineering, right?
“I know her.”
— Yeah, I’m calling her too. I asked Ah-rin, but I’m not sure about her. Ye-rin said she’s filming.
“….”
— Woo-jin isn’t picking up. Is he sleeping?
Knowing the truth, Min Ju-hee hesitated for a moment before finally asking back.
“Where are you guys eating?”
It felt like a good day to have a drink.
— You’re coming? Then I’ll send you the location on Tok.
Click.
Not long after she hung up, the location for the gathering arrived. It looked like a restaurant specializing in premium cuts of meat; it seemed like it would be quite expensive.
“Jin-ah, should we have a cheating day today?”
“Huh? So suddenly?”
“Yun-ji’s asking if we want to go for drinks.”
“Soju! I’m in!”
Choi Jin-ah was particularly fond of soju. Since she had Min Ju-hee’s permission to drink, there was no reason to refuse.
* * *
“You guys got here fast.”
When they stepped into the restaurant, Oh Yun-ji, Choi I-seo, and Bae Ji-hye were already seated around a table.
The interior was quite high-end, making Min Ju-hee feel a bit burdened, but Choi Jin-ah walked in as if she were used to such places.
Seeing this, it was clear she really was the daughter of a chaebol family.
There were already a few empty bottles on the table, but no one seemed particularly drunk yet.
Just a bit tipsy?
“This is a pretty unique combination of people, isn't it?”
“Hello.”
Min Ju-hee and Choi Jin-ah took their seats.
As they ordered more meat and shared drinks, the atmosphere grew livelier.
“Yun-ji called us.”
“The boss was under a lot of stress today.”
At Choi I-seo and Bae Ji-hye’s words, the two newcomers turned their gaze toward Oh Yun-ji.
Yun-ji took a gulp of her drink and huffed in annoyance.
“I mean, I’m not a broadcaster! I’m just the boss! Why do they keep telling me to come on air?!”
Lately, Oh Yun-ji had been dubbed "Yun-god."
This was all because Kim Woo-jin had crafted her persona into something like a tragic heroine.
Of course, her exceptional looks played a part as well.
“It’s fine if they’re just asking me to appear. But why do they have to harass my employees when I don’t? They spam the chat, they send weird threats…”
“It is a bit much,” Bae Ji-hye said, scratching her cheek.
As the only actual broadcaster among them, she was a practical victim of the situation.
“Well, it’s not like there’s much we can do. Like you said, it’ll be forgotten once time passes.”
Choi I-seo, who was busy grilling meat with the tongs, offered some consolation. She was right.
Trends in internet broadcasting tended to pass by in the blink of an eye.
The drinking session continued.
It became a place for people who were meeting for the first time to get closer. Since they all attended the same university, their topics of conversation were similar and relatable.
“….”
Despite the growing atmosphere, at some point, Choi I-seo fell silent, her eyes glued to her phone.
“What is it? Did you get a message?”
When Oh Yun-ji asked, Choi I-seo made a subtle expression and tilted her head.
“No, it’s just that it’s about time he contacted me, but he hasn’t.”
Everyone there knew exactly who "he" was.
Because of that, Min Ju-hee and Choi Jin-ah both flinched and glanced at each other.
“He contacts you at this hour? It’s already midnight.”
At Bae Ji-hye’s question, Choi I-seo and Oh Yun-ji shook their heads simultaneously.
“He’s definitely still awake at this time.”
“He usually checks in before going to sleep. Especially if he knows I’m out drinking, he’ll definitely call just in case.”
“Oh.”
Since the two people who knew Kim Woo-jin best said so, it sounded quite convincing.
“In cases like this, there’s a high probability he’s doing something else.”
Following Oh Yun-ji’s advice, Choi I-seo narrowed her eyes and tried calling someone.
She didn't call Kim Woo-jin; she called Yoo Ah-rin.
— Phew. What?
“What are you doing?”
— What do you think? I’m at the Taekwondo dojang. We’re busy practicing our choreography for the performance shoot the day after tomorrow.
That was why she couldn't make it to the drinks tonight.
“Kim Woo-jin isn't there, is he?”
— Kim Woo-jin? What, I thought he was with you. You’re out drinking; there’s no way he’d miss that.
“….”
— ….
Silence fell between the two of them.
They were likely thinking the same thing.
— What about Seo Ye-rin?
“She’s filming.”
— Then it’s not her. This bastard… he didn't go off to meet some other girl again, did he?
“Yun-ji and Senior Ju-hee are here too.”
— That, uh, who was it? The violin girl?
“Jin-ah is here as well.”
— …What the. Popo?
“Ji-hye is here too.”
— Uh, holy shit, what is actually going on?
The two of them were starting to get confused. Kim Woo-jin’s social circle was surprisingly narrow.
Since almost everyone he knew was right here, it was utterly baffling.
— The guys he hangs out with are here too. They’re helping us out.
Pyo Jin-ho originally attended the dojang, and Jeong Chan-woo was Yoo Ah-rin’s childhood friend.
Thanks to that, the other idiots were also stuck doing chores at the Taekwondo dojang.
“Should I… go check the dormitory?”
— I have a break coming up. Want to go together?
“Let’s do that.”
Click.
The call ended.
Oh Yun-ji, who had been listening in, reached for her coat.
“I’m coming too.”
“Why are you coming?”
“We’re going to catch Woo-jin. I know quite a bit about how Kim Woo-jin operates.”
“I’m his girlfriend, you know.”
“I was his girlfriend too.”
While an ominous conversation was being exchanged between the two.
Choi Jin-ah glanced at Min Ju-hee and mouthed a question.
‘W-what should we do?’
‘….’
Seo Ye-rin and Kim Woo-jin.
It felt a bit wrong to expose their private time, which was essentially their own business.
But since misunderstandings were piling up on this side…
“Sigh, girls.”
Min Ju-hee, who had just seen Seo Ye-rin at the filming set, finally spilled the truth.
* * *
— Huh? He’s with Seo Ye-rin? I thought you said she was filming.
“I think Kim Woo-jin went there as a surprise. He’s probably trying to make it up to her because she was upset about what happened with us last time.”
— What’s there to be upset about? She’s the one who introduced us as just friends to her company people.
“Anyway, that’s why, so don’t worry about it and just practice hard.”
— Right, thanks.
Click.
After hanging up, Choi I-seo’s expression looked much more relaxed.
Oh Yun-ji asked her tentatively.
“Is it really okay not to call Kim Woo-jin?”
“Even if I call now, he won’t be able to pick up anyway. He’ll see the missed call and call me back on his own.”
“….”
“….”
Watching Choi I-seo drink her alcohol so refreshingly, the rest of the group couldn't shake a strange feeling.
‘In the end, isn't he just playing around with another woman?’
‘What is this? Are the three of them connected by a hive mind or something?’
‘It’s because these people are like this that Woo-jin…’
Everyone there knew all about Kim Woo-jin’s antics.
However, seeing how easily they accepted it made them wonder if that was exactly why his behavior was becoming even more extreme.
It felt a bit like staring into the abyss.
“Fine, as long as you’re feeling better. Let’s have a toast.”
Oh Yun-ji downed another drink, and the gathering stretched on.
The conversation was provocative at times, secretive at others, and occasionally just plain stupid.
No matter the topic, the alcohol never stopped flowing, and as the empty bottles piled up…
“He needs to take responsibility!”
Oh Yun-ji slammed her fist on the table and shouted.
“He bit and sucked and did whatever he wanted with me! And now he’s just done with me?!”
Popo was already passed out drunk, and Choi Jin-ah was incessantly sipping her soju as if it were delicious.
The only ones left to respond to Oh Yun-ji were Choi I-seo and Min Ju-hee.
“Am I wrong?! Am I?! Morally speaking, I mean. If a person goes that far, they should take responsibility! Who am I supposed to marry now?!”
“How far is ‘that far’?”
“That is no comment!”
She was definitely drunk.
But then again, no one there was sober.
“What are you talking about in front of his current girlfriend?”
“I was his girlfriend too! Why don't you go talk to Chairman Kim? He’s so strict, you’ll probably lose your nerve.”
“The Chairman told me to get married.”
When I-seo said this with a proud smile, recalling a previous conversation, Oh Yun-ji immediately flipped her the middle finger.
“To hell with Chairman Kim.”
“What a way to talk about your father-in-law.”
“May my father-in-law live a long and healthy life.”
“Why is he your father-in-law?”
“Ah, I don’t know! He toyed with me and took me, so he needs to take responsibility, that Kimuji!”
“Senior Ju-hee, please stop her!”
I-seo tried to restrain the rampaging Oh Yun-ji, but her strength alone wasn't enough, so she asked Min Ju-hee for help.
Min Ju-hee, who had just downed a glass poured by Choi Jin-ah, exhaled a puff of alcoholic breath and said:
“I agree with Yun-ji.”
“…Huh?”
“A man… if he’s going to make a m-mess of a woman like that—he needs to take responsibility!”