Chapter 69: After-party(2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 69: After-party(2)
“Hey... Woo-jin.”
Jeong Chan-woo called out to me from behind.
Just hearing my name in that deep, resonant voice made me feel like a supporting extra in a noir film.
The lead, of course, was Jeong Chan-woo.
I’d probably be the guy who walks in, gets shot, and dies.
“What?”
“Is it really okay for me to go?”
We had arrived right in front of the pork belly restaurant where the after-party was being held, but Chan-woo was still hesitating.
He was worried that it might be inappropriate for a Architectural Engineering major like himself to crash our department’s party.
Normally, he’d be right.
In fact, if the roles were reversed, I wouldn’t have gone even if someone paid me.
It would be a total lack of social awareness—showing up to a party funded by the booth’s profits just to get a free meal.
But.
“I’ve been wondering about this for a while,” I said, crossing my arms and looking at him honestly. “Do you and Seo Ye-rin just not realize how useful your faces are, or are you both just pretending not to know?”
“...”
I could already see the faces of the people who would be grateful the moment Jeong Chan-woo walked in. Specifically, the female students.
Besides, Chan-woo had stopped by our booth several times during the festival, so he’d already made quite an impression.
“Let’s just go in. If they say no, I’ll take the blame. We already decided this when I asked you to cover my shift at the PC Bang.”
If they really didn't want him there, I could just leave with him and grab a bite elsewhere.
As we stepped inside, I saw that our department had taken over most of the tables in the restaurant.
“You’re with the Gahyeon University English Department, right? Please, sit anywhere you like!”
The owner, who was busy carrying side dishes, greeted us with a bright, beaming smile.
Initially, I planned to drop Chan-woo off at Yoo Ah-rin’s table, but unfortunately, it was already packed.
That was because of her friend, Seo Ye-rin.
With the two of them at the same table, it was only natural that people would swarm there.
It was a bit of a shame, but seeing Yoo Ah-rin’s expression twist into a look of pure annoyance the moment she spotted me was satisfying enough.
I picked a random empty spot and sat down.
It looked like everyone had already split into their own groups, cracking open bottles of soju, chatting, or playing drinking games.
For now, Chan-woo and I sat down and ordered two servings of pork belly.
“...”
Chan-woo glanced around the room.
He occasionally locked eyes with girls from our department, but after gauging the general atmosphere, he leaned in and asked cautiously.
“Woo-jin... by any chance...”
“Do I not have any friends?”
“Ahem.”
“I don’t.”
If I did, would I be sitting here grilling meat with just you? I gave him a dry response and started laying the meat on the grill.
Just then, Choi I-seo, who had noticed my arrival a bit late, came rushing over. As the Class Rep, she had been sitting at a table with the Vice Rep Ahn Hyun-ho, the secretary, and the accountant.
“You’re late.”
She complained while giving my shoulder a playful smack, then naturally slid into the seat next to me.
Ignoring her original group entirely, she reached out and took the tongs from my hand.
“What are you doing?”
She started grilling the meat in my place.
“I’ve already eaten my fill, so don’t worry about the grilling and just eat.”
“...”
What was this?
This strange, fuzzy feeling.
Maybe it was because she had mentioned the word 'domestic support' yesterday, but I found myself strangely conscious of her actions.
“I-I’m okay not eating,” Chan-woo said, still seemingly wary of my classmates.
Seeing him act so serious was both funny and a little pitiful, but the way he kept stealing glances toward Yoo Ah-rin made it clear where he really wanted to be.
“It’s fine. Just eat. Woo-jin did the work of three people at the pub, so having one extra person join us isn't an issue at all,” I-seo said.
“I knew it.”
I really had done more labor than necessary. I felt like facepalming and downing a shot of soju at the harsh reality of my exploitation, but...
“I’m saying you did a good job.”
I-seo flipped the meat and poured me a glass of Coke. It was a bit random that it was Coke instead of alcohol, but...
“Drinking too much several days in a row is bad for your health.”
“...What’s with you lately?”
Why did I feel like a husband whose health was being managed? Despite my skeptical look, she handled my gaze smoothly, cutting the cooked meat and sliding the pieces toward me.
“Eat up. You’re not planning on staying long anyway, right?”
“Well, yeah.”
I’d come to show my face and grab a meal, but I planned to slip out early. I wasn't even considering a second round.
“Have some lettuce wraps too. Don't you want garlic? Should I grill some for you?”
“...Yeah, grill some. With the kimchi too.”
“Sure, sure. It’s not good to eat only meat.”
I-seo started grilling various things with a wide, amused grin. To be honest, her attentiveness was a bit overwhelming, but I figured there was no reason to refuse someone offering to grill meat for me.
This was the kind of thing any close friend would do, right?
Is it, though?
Sometimes, even if you know the truth, you have to have the grace to pretend you don't.
“You two look good together.”
Jeong Chan-woo, sitting across from us, chimed in. I wasn't sure if it was the heat from the grill, but my face suddenly felt hot. I-seo rested her chin on her hand, hiding her mouth, but she didn't look upset.
“E-Excuse me!”
Just then, a female student approached our table with a glass in hand. It was Hyun-ah, the girl who had shared the responsibility of the stir-fried pork with me at the pub.
Our kitchen assistant seemed to be quite drunk already, her face flushed as she made a request to Chan-woo.
“I, I lost a drinking game... could you pour me a drink?”
“Give me a break.”
I muttered, dumbfounded by the scene, and Hyun-ah immediately shot me a sharp glare.
“Shut up, Kim Woo-jin.”
“If it’s a penalty, I’ll pour it for you.”
“I don’t take drinks from the Sex Parrot.”
“Didn’t you see the Bamboo Forest post saying that was all nonsense?”
How long was she going to bring that up? Regardless, Jeong Chan-woo awkwardly poured her a drink while caught between us.
Seeing his discomfort, I nudged Hyun-ah.
“You’re at the same table as Yoo Ah-rin, right?”
“What now?”
“Chan-woo and Yoo Ah-rin were friends in high school. Take him over there so they can hang out. We’re about to have a serious conversation here.”
I knew I was being blatant and pushy, but what could I do? That was my character.
Chan-woo seemed to see this as his golden opportunity and stood up abruptly. It seemed that after being rejected once, he had flipped a switch and decided to be proactive.
“Shall we go?”
“Oh my.”
Hyun-ah led Chan-woo away immediately.
She gave me a thumbs-up over her shoulder, clearly thrilled to be bringing Chan-woo back to their table.
“You’re getting along well with everyone now, aren't you?”
I-seo, who had finished grilling a variety of things and piled them in front of me, was smiling warmly.
It felt ticklish and embarrassing, so I pretended not to notice and focused on my food.
“Here, eat this too.”
She had even made a wrap for me.
“Hey, come on...”
I appreciated the gesture, but we weren't dating, and doing this at an after-party felt a bit much.
People were stealing glances at us every now and then.
“...”
But I-seo didn't say a word; she just held the wrap out. The sheer pressure of her silent stare was enough to break me.
“Ah.”
As I opened my mouth slightly, her lips curled into a smile, and she popped the wrap inside.
Ugh, why did she make it so big?
“Is it good?”
“Ith-all-the-thame.”
“Hmm? What was that?”
I meant all wraps taste the same.
I was struggling to chew when someone else sat down next to me.
Both I-seo and I looked over at the same time. At first, I thought Chan-woo had come back.
“Woo-jin, you’re here.”
But sitting there was a beaming Seo Ye-rin.
“Mmph?”
What?
Honestly.
To be perfectly honest, I felt a bit awkward around Seo Ye-rin. Even though she had said we should just move on like it was no big deal...
The fact remained that we had slept together.
No matter who the woman was, that's a situation that's bound to be awkward and weigh on your mind.
She came over here herself?
I hadn't expected to talk to her today.
As 'Anonymous 69,' she would spill anything and everything, but in reality, she usually couldn't say a word.
I thought it would take a long time for a girl who practically died of embarrassment just saying the word 'sex' to talk to the guy she’d actually done it with.
I had planned to avoid her intentionally for a while, thinking natural conversation would be impossible.
“Look at how full your cheeks are.”
But as I watched Seo Ye-rin poke my cheek—the one currently stuffed with the wrap I-seo had made—I realized things were heading in a completely different direction than I’d anticipated.
“Mmph!”
When I tried to push her hand away, she just giggled.
“You’re cute.”
“Mmm-ph!”
“Hehe, why are you so cute?”
What was this?
Why did I feel like I could see a tail wagging behind her?
Was this really the same Seo Ye-rin I knew, the one who used to practically implode from shyness?
Even if she’d had a few drinks, this reaction was definitely out of character.
“Ugh, Choi I-seo. That wrap was so huge I thought my jaw was going to unhinge.”
I finally managed to swallow and spoke jokingly. I-seo stared at me with an unreadable expression.
Feeling awkward, I tried to go back to eating, only to realize the meat was burning.
“Hey! The meat’s burning!”
I shouted in surprise, but I-seo slowly set the tongs down and gave me a chilly response.
“Grill it yourself then.”
“...”
Did I do something wrong?
Before I could even ask, Seo Ye-rin reached out and snatched up the tongs.
“Then I guess I’ll have to grill it.”
In that instant, the faint scent of her shampoo wafted into my nose.
She’d been eating meat, so how did she still smell so good?
Seo Ye-rin started grilling in I-seo’s place. I-seo sat beside me, chin in hand, watching me intently.
“Hey!”
But I didn't have time to worry about I-seo.
“You are absolutely terrible at grilling meat!”
“Oh?”
Watching Seo Ye-rin’s clumsy attempt as she charred the meat black, I snapped at her and snatched the tongs back.
“Gosh, you’re so used to everyone doing everything for you that you don't even know how to grill meat. Do you even know how to boil water for ramyeon?”
“...”
“Look, there’s a technique to this. There’s a reason people adjust the heat for steaks to get them rare or medium, you know?”
“It’s just pork belly...”
“Is pork belly not meat? What can you even do besides look pretty? You should be grateful to your parents.”
Seeing Seo Ye-rin pout, a satisfied smile spread across my face.
This was the Seo Ye-rin I knew.
Don't try to get cocky with me.
All those times I practiced grilling meat to impress my ex-girlfriend were finally paying off here.
What a shitty feeling.
Our table had settled into a brief lull when...
“Ooh, it’s so warm in here.”
Senior Min Ju-hee, still carrying the chill of the night air, arrived and took the seat where Chan-woo had been.