Chapter 425: Thug
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 425: Thug
Lately, Seo Ye-rin has been angry.
It’s not because it’s exam season. The exams are actually almost over.
“…….”
The reason is the man and woman sitting in front of her.
With her cheeks puffed out, Seo Ye-rin glared intensely at the two people across from her.
Despite her burning gaze, the two were lost in their own world, laughing and chatting away.
“Doesn’t this look delicious? Apparently, it’s a year-end limited item at the breakfast buffet. I’m definitely going to try it.”
“But what is it made of? It looks really unique.”
“That’s what I’m looking forward to. Reviews from people who’ve tried it say it’s strange but delicious. Isn’t that intriguing?”
“Hmm, it does look like something rare.”
Kim Woo-jin nodded.
Yoo Ah-rin smiled brightly as she swiped through photos on her phone. Their conversation about the trip continued.
“Ah-rin has the face of a female in heat.”
As Seo Ye-rin muttered this with a pout, Choi I-seo, sitting next to her, looked at her with an embarrassed expression.
“What do you mean, ‘face of a female’?”
“Want me to show you?”
“…….”
Seo Ye-rin turned on her phone on the desk and went into her gallery.
What she showed was a photo of Choi I-seo’s face while she was asleep on Kim Woo-jin’s lap.
“This is the face of a female.”
“Wh-when did you take that?!”
Startled, Choi I-seo tried to delete it in a hurry, but Seo Ye-rin put a finger to her lips, signaling her to be quiet.
“I-seo, people are watching.”
“No… I mean, when on earth did you…”
“You’ve been so tired from studying lately, I-seo, so there were actually plenty of chances to take photos.”
The photo showed Choi I-seo sleeping peacefully, having let go of all her guards.
“Ugh.”
Seeing herself sleeping so comfortably and defenselessly was embarrassing even to her.
“Sigh.”
Feeling awkward about a side of herself she hadn't known, Choi I-seo pretended to rest her chin on her hand to hide her face, but her gaze naturally drifted toward the man in front of her.
Kim Woo-jin was completely absorbed in the travel conversation with Yoo Ah-rin.
“Just don’t go there and think about nothing but perverted stuff.”
“I’m Kim Woo-jin, you know.”
“So what if you’re Kim Woo-jin?”
The atmosphere between the two, laughing and giggling, was peaceful, but it did make the others feel a bit left out.
“…….”
In fact, Seo Ye-rin was puffing her cheeks again, staring at the two with her fists clenched tight.
Her trembling fists and wide eyes were full of jealousy and a desire to somehow ruin their harmonious peace.
“Guys, we need to study.”
Choi I-seo finally spoke up with a sigh.
Even though the exam period was almost over, they each still had one or two exams left.
“Right! We’re college students!”
Seo Ye-rin immediately chimed in, glad for the opening.
“Mm, yeah, we should.”
Kim Woo-jin also tried to focus back on his studies at their words.
He had grumbled about why he had to study before going to the military, and honestly, he still felt that way to some extent.
But anyway, wouldn't the exams be completely over in a day or two?
He intended to put in some effort for the final stretch. After all, he was going on a trip with Yoo Ah-rin as soon as the exams ended.
“Tch.”
Yoo Ah-rin picked up her pen again, looking slightly disappointed. She was feeling rather relaxed, saying she thought she did quite well on this exam thanks to Choi I-seo’s help.
Not even a few minutes had passed since they started focusing on their studies.
Yoo Ah-rin slyly slid her phone next to Kim Woo-jin’s major textbook.
On the screen was a suggestive cosplay photo.
“This?”
Yoo Ah-rin asked with a smirk.
Kim Woo-jin’s resolve to focus on studying crumbled instantly. He bit his lip and swallowed hard.
“You…”
He wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. Under the desk, Yoo Ah-rin smiled as she stroked Kim Woo-jin’s calf with the tip of her foot.
“Me, what?”
“Can… can you handle it…?”
Kim Woo-jin asked, looking at Yoo Ah-rin as tension built in his lower body. Yoo Ah-rin leaned slightly toward him and whispered.
“I don’t know.”
While Kim Woo-jin was worried his pants might rip, the eyes of Seo Ye-rin and Choi I-seo sitting across from them grew colder and colder.
* * *
“She’s totally in heat!”
On the way to the lecture hall.
Seo Ye-rin shouted toward Choi I-seo.
Choi I-seo was impressed, never thinking the day would come when Seo Ye-rin would say such a thing about someone else.
“Hmm.”
But this time, she had no choice but to agree with Ye-rin’s opinion.
The current Yoo Ah-rin was acting like a runaway locomotive.
“What is that?! Is it ‘Awakened Ah-rin’ or something? You know in games, when an existing character’s illustration changes and they become super strong? Is it something like that?!”
“…I don’t know much about games, Ye-rin.”
Choi I-seo replied, feeling embarrassed.
Seo Ye-rin thought her analogy was perfect and felt it was a pity I-seo didn't understand.
“Haa, what is this?! It wasn't this bad during your turn, I-seo!”
“…….”
At Seo Ye-rin’s words, Choi I-seo was forced to look back at her own feelings that she had been trying to ignore.
The trip they had decided to take one by one.
Choi I-seo was the one who started it off at the glamping site.
There had been some commotion, but they had confirmed each other’s feelings, and she had reassured Kim Woo-jin not to worry as he left for the military.
“…….”
But seeing Yoo Ah-rin acting like that made her feel like her own time had been a bit weak in comparison.
They had certainly confirmed their hearts and felt a deep connection, but still.
“Gaaaaah! It’s so annoying!”
Seo Ye-rin fumed, clenching both fists.
Glancing at her, Choi I-seo fell into deep thought again.
‘It’s not even Ye-rin’s turn yet.’
If Yoo Ah-rin was going this far, how much of a fuss would that bulldozer-like girl make when it was her turn?
It was good to be the first one at the start, but now that things had turned out like this, Choi I-seo was starting to regret being the one to kick things off.
“I-seo! I think we should come up with a plan.”
“Huh?”
A plan?
She wondered if there was even a plan to be made, but Seo Ye-rin’s eyes were already sparkling with a clever scheme.
Even before hearing what it was, her expression made it clear it probably wasn't anything good.
However.
‘If we interfere here…’
Wouldn't Yoo Ah-rin try to interfere with Seo Ye-rin’s turn next?
She could just naturally join in on that action.
‘Ha, Choi I-seo.’
She didn't know when she had become so cunning, but it was all Kim Woo-jin’s fault.
Yes, passing the blame like that, Choi I-seo steadied her complicated heart and asked.
“What is it?”
* * *
“Mmm, smell that.”
At Choi Jin-ah’s house.
Being alone for the first time in a while, I savored the aroma of coffee from the machine in Choi Jin-ah’s room.
Humming as I drank, I rummaged through Choi Jin-ah’s bookshelf and found an elementary school album, so I started looking through it.
“Oh, Kim Woo-jin was freaking cute back then.”
I took photos, praising myself. I planned to send them to the others later.
I saw Bong-geun was there too, and Choi Jin-ah stood out as well.
There was even a photo of me and Choi Jin-ah walking hand-in-hand as toddlers, which made me let out a hollow laugh.
‘We really were close.’
I don't even remember it well.
It seems we really were close enough for me to call her "Dear Jjin-a."
‘We had this at my house too.’
I remembered catching a glimpse of it in my father’s study. There was a bookshelf there where albums and such were gathered.
I was humming and finishing my coffee while looking at the old photos.
Ding-dong!
The doorbell rang.
“…Is this a communal space or something?”
Someone visits every single day.
It’s not that I hate it, but it’s a bit of a shame that I don't have any personal time.
Did Choi Jin-ah and Oh Yun-ji come by?
Usually, those two visit most often.
Or maybe Senior Ju-hee came by for some night exercise.
Or perhaps Yoo Ah-rin, who’s been off the leash lately because of the trip, came to play.
Ding-dong!
“Yes, I’m coming.”
When I opened the front door, there were two people standing there wearing sunglasses in the middle of the night.
“…What are you two doing?”
I could understand Seo Ye-rin and Choi I-seo coming over. But I asked in bewilderment why they were wearing sunglasses, and Seo Ye-rin immediately launched a body slam at me.
“Entry, entry!”
I caught the charging Seo Ye-rin in a tight hug.
“Oh my!”
When her charge was cleanly blocked, Seo Ye-rin flailed in surprise. While holding her with my strength, I looked at Choi I-seo and asked.
“What’s going on?”
“Sigh, let’s just go inside first.”
Well, hanging out inside is something we do all the time, so I didn't mind.
I just wondered why on earth they came wearing sunglasses.
I hoisted Seo Ye-rin up onto my shoulder and went inside.
“Wooooo!”
Seo Ye-rin, having fun, laughed while striking a Superman pose, and her side-boob pressed against my cheek.
Once inside, I set Seo Ye-rin down on the sofa, and she hopped up and shouted.
“Woo-jin, do it again! Do what you just did again!”
“Are you a kid? Why are you here?”
When I asked with a laugh, Seo Ye-rin realized she’d forgotten and hurriedly adjusted her sunglasses.
Then, clenching her fists, she spoke.
“Spit it out! Where are you and Ah-rin planning to go on your trip?!”
“You came all this way just to ask that?”
As I laughed in disbelief, Seo Ye-rin nodded.
“We’re going to follow you secretly! Ah-rin will be so happy if we give her a surprise, right?!”
“One of us—either you or I—might end up buried there. Or maybe both of us.”
The moment those two followed, it was obvious how angry Yoo Ah-rin would be.
“Did you really come just to ask that?”
When I asked Choi I-seo, who was following after tidying the shoes, she turned her head away in embarrassment.
“Hoo, but what to do about this?”
Surprisingly, Yoo Ah-rin was one step ahead of them this time.
“Ah-rin told me I absolutely must not tell anyone, even if they ask.”
She had pleaded so earnestly that she only let me go after I promised several times.
Knowing how much Yoo Ah-rin was looking forward to this trip, I was in a position where I absolutely couldn't say anything.
“Sorry, but I-seo already went on a trip. And Ye-rin, you’re going to go too.”
As I explained calmly with a smile, Seo Ye-rin punched my back and screamed.
“Noooo! I’m going toooo!”
“Haha! Punch all you want! It doesn't hurt a bit!”
“Hmph! Hmph!”
As I laughed and took Seo Ye-rin’s punches, Choi I-seo started rummaging for something.
A palm-sized stick.
While taking it out, her sunglasses almost fell off, so she adjusted them again.
Clack!
She flicked the stick, and a telescopic baton extended.
“…Eh?”
As I looked at the telescopic baton in Choi I-seo’s hand in bewilderment, she approached me, looking shy.
“W-well, since you told us to do whatever we want—”
“Wait a minute! I didn't know you were that serious?! Are you… are you guys thugs?!”
As I shouted in panic, Seo Ye-rin pointed at her sunglasses and laughed.
“We’re thugs!”
The sunglasses represented their absolute sincerity.