Chapter 423: Hideout
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 423: Hideout
The cold wind, riding on the neon signs of nearby bars and karaoke rooms, slaps my cheeks.
This winter, I am witnessing the pinnacle of pure, devoted love.
"Woo-jin."
Looking up at the empty night sky, where even the moon—let alone the stars—is hidden by the surrounding buildings, the Uncle calls out to me.
"Do you have a cigarette?"
"Do you smoke, sir?"
"I quit, but I'm really craving one today."
I sniffle and look around.
"Senior Ju-hee might have some. Or should I go to the convenience store and buy a pack?"
"…No, never mind. I won't smoke."
"Good idea. Smoking is bad for your health."
His heart is already aching; it would be even more sorrowful if his body started aching too.
"You did your best, Uncle. Regardless of the outcome, you saved Chan-woo."
"Right. You're right."
"They say if you truly love someone, you have to know when to step back, right? You were damn cool until the very end, sir."
When I pat him on the back and offer a smile, the Uncle wipes his nose and sniffs.
"You're a kind boy."
…Did I make a mistake?
If he tries to confess to me too, I’m confident I can punch him right in the solar plexus and bolt.
"Well, I should be going now. If I stay here any longer, strange rumors will start to spread."
"Yes, sir. You worked hard."
The Uncle walks away, his broad back looking quite heroic.
As I turn around, three people emerge from the karaoke bar.
Ahn Hyun-ho, Jeong Chan-woo, and Senior Ju-hee.
They all have strange expressions on their faces, as if they overheard my conversation with the Uncle.
Ahn Hyun-ho is the first to speak.
"Jeong Chan-woo, you heartless bastard."
"Me?!"
"The Uncle came all this way to save you with such passion, and you stab him in the back like this? If it were me, I would've offered him my ass at least once."
Look at this crazy bastard talking nonsense just because it’s not his problem.
"No matter how you look at it, that's just wrong! I like girls!"
Jeong Chan-woo screams that he’d rather date a female Yakuza than the bald Uncle.
At any rate, our strange yet hilarious street exploration has come to an end.
"Hey, wasn't it kind of touching, though? We came all this way to help you."
When I ask Chan-woo while shrugging, he nods, looking a bit embarrassed.
"That's… true. I didn't expect you guys to help like this. Seriously, thank you."
Chan-woo seems genuinely moved, answering with a slight sniffle.
"Let's grab a meal once exams are over. My treat."
"Sure, that's enough for me."
"Why are you crying when you're a guy who was just making out with a girl?"
While the bald Uncle's love ended in failure, the friendship between the men is growing stronger.
"Um, Woo-jin?"
Senior Ju-hee taps me on the back and speaks cautiously.
"I heard Ah-rin is here?"
"Ah."
* * *
It was true.
Yoo Ah-rin was really here.
"…."
And she was near the entrance of the street, surrounded by a group of male touts.
"The guys here are top-tier, you know?"
"They're handsome and have great manners. The after-service is guaranteed, and downstairs… you know what I mean?"
What the hell are these bastards saying with those greasy smiles?
Heat rushes to my head in an instant, and I’m about to charge in when Yoo Ah-rin screams first.
"You pieces of shit! I told you I have a boyfriend! Get lost! And my guy is way better than you pretty-boy losers—!"
"Ah-rin!"
She was about to say more, so I hurriedly rush over to stop her.
I thought she would calm down once I arrived, even though she looked ready to beat the guys in front of her with her clenched fists.
"You bastard!"
"Gah!"
Instead, the fist I thought was aimed at them lands squarely on me.
Crouching down, I look up at Yoo Ah-rin. Her burning eyes are filled with clear rage.
"Huh?"
"Ahem."
The touts stand there blankly, unable to grasp the situation.
I shout at them while being pummeled by Ah-rin.
"Get lost, you idiots! I'm the one getting hit instead of you!"
Well, I wasn't exactly getting hit instead of them; I was just getting hit. Regardless, the touts eventually flee, intimidated by Yoo Ah-rin's ferocious aura.
It wasn't so much that they were scared, but rather they seemed to think it was bad news to get involved with us.
"A-Ah-rin! Wait! I'll explain everything!"
"Ugh! Ugggh!"
Yoo Ah-rin glares at me, huffing and puffing. She keeps her fists clenched for a moment before slowly lowering them and asking.
"Start talking."
"So, the thing is..."
I was about to explain when the rest of the group catches up from behind.
"Ah-rin!"
Jeong Chan-woo runs toward Yoo Ah-rin, looking like he’s about to cry. I guess he’s happy to see her, considering they’re childhood friends.
Thanks to Jeong Chan-woo, Yoo Ah-rin's attention shifts toward him.
"Hey, are you okay? Dammit, I told you last time, didn't I? Be careful about the girls you date."
"No… I'm actually the victim this time. I was dragged there against my will because of the seniors."
"So what? Why does a college student go to a karaoke bar in the first place? It's not like you're desperate for girls."
Yoo Ah-rin huffs as she lectures Jeong Chan-woo. Thank goodness. This way, the flow naturally shifts toward Jeong Chan-woo taking the heat.
"I told you back then, too, didn't I? Stop being swayed by other people's opinions and speak your mind. Why can't you do that yet?"
"No, it's just—"
"Seriously, the problem is everyone spoils you. Why do people worship a guy like this just because he's handsome?"
Watching him get scolded, I slowly start to back away.
That’s when I lock eyes with Senior Ju-hee, who approaches me hesitantly.
"The flow seems pretty good, right?"
When I whisper softly, Senior Ju-hee looks at me with an exasperated expression.
"Are you really looking for an escape route even in a situation like this?"
"…Don't you realize what's happening? I'm about to get scolded because of you, Senior."
Didn't this happen because she suddenly planted a sticky kiss on my cheek while I was on the phone?
The Senior coughs awkwardly and retorts.
"Ahem, I just saw something dirty on your cheek and wiped it off. Besides, none of this would have happened if you hadn't let that strange woman kiss you in the first place."
"Are you really going to be like this?"
Look at her trying to escape on her own.
I stare at Senior Ju-hee in disbelief, and she avoids my gaze.
Then, as if she’s thought of a perfect excuse, she blabs out hurriedly.
"I came on my bike, so I'll be going first!"
"Senior?!"
And just like that, she flees.
With Senior Ju-hee gone, I look at the remaining people.
Yoo Ah-rin is still scolding Jeong Chan-woo.
Ahn Hyun-ho is on the phone, sounding like he’s on the verge of tears; from what I can hear, he’s getting chewed out by Lee Gyu-a.
'But did only Ah-rin come?'
When I was on the phone earlier, Seo Ye-rin was the one I was most afraid of.
"Whew, please, just live a normal life. Why is it that every good-looking guy around me is defective in some way other than their face?"
Come to think of it, she’s right.
Jeong Chan-woo and Seo Ye-rin are both stunningly attractive, but they’re both strangely lacking in some department.
"Yes, yes ma'am."
Jeong Chan-woo, having been thoroughly scolded, looks shriveled up like a man who just stepped out of a cold bath.
Then, Yoo Ah-rin suddenly turns her head and glares at me.
"You, follow me."
Yoo Ah-rin crooks her finger.
I follow her immediately.
* * *
The place we arrived at was Choi Jin-ah's house.
Seeing the lights on from the outside, it seems the others are waiting.
"Hey, we're here."
Yoo Ah-rin enters irritably.
I followed her in, but there was no response, which made me wonder.
"Mmm."
Choi I-seo is asleep on the sofa, and at the table in front of her, Oh Yun-ji is looking at a laptop with earphones in.
She notices us entering the living room, takes out her earphones, and greets us.
"Oh, you're back sooner than I thought."
"Yeah, it was already over by the time we got there."
I didn't expect Oh Yun-ji to be here too. Then where is Choi Jin-ah?
'Since Ye-rin isn't here, are they together?'
I look around and then slowly approach Oh Yun-ji. Looking at her laptop, she was monitoring an internet broadcast—it was Popo.
"What, were you watching Popo's stream?"
"Yeah. I can't watch every day, but I try to tune in whenever I have time."
"You're working hard."
"It's actually pretty fun."
As she says this, Oh Yun-ji cracks open a can of beer next to her laptop and takes a sip.
I thought she’d be angry, but she’s surprisingly calm.
"Hey, where are they!"
Yoo Ah-rin shouts irritably and heads into Choi Jin-ah's practice room.
Judging by the voices coming from inside, they seem to be hanging out in there.
I steal a glance at Oh Yun-ji.
Looking at her browser tabs, she also has the Gahyeon University Bamboo Forest open.
"Are you looking at the Bamboo Forest too?"
"Just checking it while watching Popo. I have to manage it now, after all."
Oh Yun-ji replies nonchalantly while sipping her beer.
Then, seeing my anxious face, she chuckles.
"Hey, what did you do there to make the girls so mad?"
"Huh?"
"They were fuming earlier, saying something about being NTR'd while on the phone. Especially Seo Ye-rin… I thought she was a different person."
"…."
"Tell me. Maybe I can help after I hear the story."
I glance at the sofa she’s leaning against. After confirming that Choi I-seo is definitely asleep, I begin my explanation.
"Sigh, so the thing is—"
I gave a very brief summary of today's events.
In particular, I heavily exaggerated Ahn Hyun-ho's role regarding the woman with the scorpion tattoo.
Slurp.
After hearing the story and taking another sip of beer, Oh Yun-ji smirks and replies.
"It's nothing much."
"Right…?"
"It's not like you did anything serious. And it's not like you wanted it to happen. Isn't a kiss on the cheek something everyone does?"
"Yeah, a kiss on the cheek is—"
I was about to agree when I felt something was off.
The moment I turned my head to ask what she meant, Oh Yun-ji's lips, sitting right next to me, met mine.
Chu.
Our eyes widen at the brief kiss.
"W-what was that?!"
When I look at Oh Yun-ji in shock, her face turns bright red, as if she’s flustered too.
"I-I was going to kiss your cheek to show that it's a normal thing… but…"
"That was your build-up?!"
Looking at her expression, it’s clear she was definitely upset about a strange woman kissing my cheek.
I suspect she felt the same way as Senior Ju-hee.
Press!
Suddenly, my vision is obscured by darkness.
A warm yet heavy sensation tramples my face.
I knew exactly what it was.
It was I-seo's foot, who had been sleeping on the sofa.
"I-seo, you're awake."
I greeted Choi I-seo, who was calmly stepping on my face while still lying on the sofa.