Chapter 493: Memories of That Day(1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 493: Memories of That Day(1)
I needed to get a handle on the situation.
It was overwhelming just trying to keep up with whatever the hell had happened. Every time I tried to remember, my head throbbed as if my brain were physically rejecting the memories.
First, I needed to clear my head.
After a quick wash, I stepped out to find Senior Ju-hee awake, sitting on the bed with a dazed expression.
The one silver lining was that Senior Ju-hee had been the one to look after me.
‘I have no idea how she even found me, though.’
At this point, I wondered if she was more of a stalker than a bodyguard, but I kept that thought to myself. If I said it out loud, I’d probably get beaten to a pulp.
“Senior, do you know what happened yesterday?”
“Huh?”
She shook her head a few times as if trying to snap out of her grogginess, then suddenly bolted upright.
“I—I’m going to wash up first.”
“Huh? All of a sudden?”
I thought it was a bit random, but seeing her face turn bright red, I realized why immediately.
“Aha, are you embarrassed because you’re bare-faced right after waking up? Come on, Senior, you’re still pret—”
I couldn't finish the sentence.
As she brushed past me, she shoved me right back onto the bed.
The bed smelled like Senior Ju-hee. I lingered there for a moment, taking it in, before sitting back up. I wanted to piece together as much of the situation as possible before she came out.
‘Yesterday, we had the first round of drinks at the Gamjatang place...’
I remember being in a great mood then.
Instead of being Kim Woo-jin the father and husband, I felt like I had become Kim Woo-jin the college student again, so I had gone a bit overboard with the drinking.
We had gathered to help Pyo Jin-ho with his love troubles, but I think we got so caught up in drinking that we ended up neglecting him.
Anyway, we spent some time like that, and eventually, we got around to his problem.
Among the "Idiots," Pyo Jin-ho was the only one attending Chungsim University instead of Gahyeon University.
From what I recall, he said he went to his department office to apply for his return to school and saw an incredibly beautiful woman there. He wanted things to go well with her.
“What was it again? Did he say he managed to get her number?”
For Pyo Jin-ho, that was a pretty impressive feat.
He’d realized she had some level of interest in him, so they’d been texting and calling.
“Ah, why can’t I remember the rest?”
I remember leaving the Gamjatang place and going somewhere else. But for the life of me, I couldn't remember where that "somewhere else" was.
Click.
Just then, Senior Ju-hee stepped out.
Wearing a hotel robe and drying her damp hair, she walked over to me.
“Woo-jin, the others were really worried yesterday.”
“But how did you find me? I don't even remember where I was.”
“There’s an app installed. For location tracking.”
“…….”
I decided not to ask who installed it. It was better to just accept it and move on. That was a piece of life wisdom I’d gained from dating six women at once.
“Ahem. So, where was I yesterday?”
“You were abandoned.”
“Excuse me?”
When I asked back in shock, she let out a sigh.
“You know that walking trail that connects to the mountain path nearby? You were dumped there.”
“…….”
What on earth did that mean?
I was clearly drinking, hanging out with the guys, and listening to their problems.
It was hard to believe I was suddenly abandoned on a mountain path, but since it was coming from the person who brought me here, I had no choice but to believe it.
“You were in real danger, you know? If you’d slept there any longer, you would’ve woken up with a crooked face. I don't care how warm it is lately—”
“Wait, wait a second, Senior. Do you know anything else?”
“No, I don't. I have no idea why you were sleeping there or why you were abandoned. I was checking in on you periodically, but then you suddenly stopped responding, so I tracked your location and came to get you.”
“Hmm……”
“Well, it’s a relief, in a way.”
She muttered awkwardly. When I looked at her with a questioning gaze, wondering why it was a "relief" that I was found passed out on a trail, she shrugged and showed me her phone.
It was flooded with messages from the others asking if she’d found me.
“If you’d been found in a hotel or a karaoke bar, do you think the girls would’ve let it slide?”
“……That’s true.”
The fact that I was found on a walking trail was the only reason I was still in one piece.
“Call the others for now. I explained things to them, but they’re still worried.”
“I should.”
Watching her back as she went back to drying her hair, I picked up my phone and called the girls one by one.
Since Senior Ju-hee had already paved the way with her explanation, they weren't angry; instead, they were worried about my health. Though, Choi I-seo’s sharp remark about how a future father shouldn't be sleeping on the streets stung quite a bit.
Anyway.
I finished the calls and sat there lost in thought, staring at Senior Ju-hee as she changed clothes to head out.
“……W-What is it?”
Senior Ju-hee, caught in her white panties, hurriedly pulled on her jeans in embarrassment.
I had been staring blankly without realizing it.
“Ahem, sorry. I just found myself watching.”
“Let’s go get some hangover soup. I saw a place nearby.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
I stood up immediately. My steps felt light at the prospect of finally settling my stomach.
Once we entered the restaurant and ordered, I started digging through my phone again.
‘I feel like a profiler.’
I tried to trace my actions from yesterday, but there was nothing particularly strange in my texts.
‘Is calling the only way?’
I tried calling Jeong Chan-woo first since he was the easiest to talk to, but he didn't pick up. Next, I called Ahn Hyun-ho.
— ……Hello.
“Hyun-ho? Hey, what happened yesterday?”
— Ugh, what now?
Ahn Hyun-ho sounded irritated already. My head was already throbbing because I hadn't eaten yet, and he was starting with this shit.
“What the hell happened—Ah, Senior. Please don't cut the radish kimchi.”
“Hmm? Okay.”
— Oh, give me a break.
This brat.
“Seriously, what happened? Why was the group chat deleted? I have zero memory of yesterday.”
— Ha!
Ahn Hyun-ho let out a hollow, incredulous laugh.
— You don't remember? You son of a bitch?
“……Given the way you’re swearing at me, I must have messed up big time, huh?”
— You think you’re the only one who messed up? Do you know where I am right now?
“Where?”
— In front of Gyu-a’s place. I’m on my knees.
— Ahn Hyun-ho, you piece of shit! Stop talking on the phone in front of my house and get lost!
“…….”
— …….
Sniffle.
“Are you crying?”
— I’m not… crying, you asshole.
He definitely sounded like he was crying.
Anyway, if I pushed him any further, he really would burst into tears.
“Hyun-ho, I’m serious. I don't remember anything after the Gamjatang place. Just tell me.”
— I knew your film was going to cut the moment you started chugging during the first round.
“It had been so long since I’d had a drink.”
— Sigh.
It sounded like he was getting up to move elsewhere. I waited a moment, and just then, the hangover soup arrived. I dumped my rice in and tried to take a bite, but it was too hot.
— Are you eating right now?
“Hangover soup.”
— Some of us are dying inside while kneeling on the ground, and you’re…
“No, look, just tell me why. What happened? Please explain it to me. If I need to apologize, I will.”
“Ah.”
Senior Ju-hee blew on a spoonful of soup and fed it to me.
Mmm, delicious.
— Sigh. Okay, so. After the Gamjatang, do you remember going to the cafe?
“……We went to a cafe? After drinking?”
What was he talking about? If he’d said a karaoke bar or another pub, I’d understand, but a cafe?
— Pyo Jin-ho was talking to that girl he’s seeing, remember? So we all went there.
— And then a bunch of her friends showed up and started talking to us.
“Did they?”
— Yeah, they did.
I stole a glance at Senior Ju-hee. She was about to feed me another bite but paused, blinking and tilting her head curiously.
I opened my mouth and took another bite, acting as if nothing was wrong.
“And?”
— And that’s when Gyu-a called me on FaceTime.
“…….”
Why did I feel like I knew how this ended?
— I wasn't going to pick up, but that bastard Kang Han-gang suddenly grabbed my phone and showed her where we were.
“So to her, it looked like you were on a group blind date while drunk?”
“A blind date?”
I flinched at the sudden chill in Senior Ju-hee’s voice. Regardless, Ahn Hyun-ho’s rant continued.
— Exactly! You asshole! Everyone started screaming that I was cheating! Gyu-a lost it! She said she even waited for me while I was in the military, and now this? She was crying her eyes out yesterday!
“Uh……”
That was pretty bad.
“I’m sorry.”
— You bastards. See if I ever drink with you guys again.
“I’m really sorry. Seriously. I’ll go talk to Gyu-a and explain everything.”
— Ugh, seriously. This is driving me crazy.
“But is that all? I get why you’re mad at us, but why are the other guys mad?”
— I went home early to try and calm Gyu-a down, so I don't know the rest. But I did get a text from the older guys.
“What did it say?”
— That the girl confessed.
“Really?”
— To Jeong Chan-woo.
“…….”
— …….
A strange silence hung in the air. Why did I feel like I had expected this outcome?
— Isn't that why everyone’s pissed? I don't know what happened after that. Anyway, I am 100% the victim in this!
“Yeah, sounds like it.”
I was starting to feel bad for Ahn Hyun-ho.
I hung up after finishing the conversation, but there were still some blurry parts.
“Well? Do you remember anything?”
“Hmm, I think it’s starting to come back.”
Now that the soup was settling my stomach, the memories were trickling in.
‘Right, the girls who came with Pyo Jin-ho’s crush were really friendly.’
They’d practically forced their numbers on us.
Checking my call logs while eating, I saw a missed call from an unknown number from early this morning. It felt like a number I’d briefly called when we were exchanging contacts.
I hit redial.
Ring...
Ring...
Ring...
— Hello?
‘Wait, it’s her?’
Pyo Jin-ho’s former crush, and Jeong Chan-woo’s current one.
The moment I heard her voice, I recognized it and greeted her.
“Hello, this is Kim Woo-jin. About yesterday, do you rememb—”
— KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
The call cut off immediately.
“……What was that about?”