Chapter 73: Jogging
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 73: Jogging
The level of tension was right up there with the time I skipped academy as a kid and got a call from my mom.
— Choi I-seo -
Seeing Choi I-seo’s name on the screen made my entire body tense up, bringing back memories of those days.
Should I pick up?
I hesitated for a moment, but the persistent vibration of the phone eventually forced my finger to the screen. I swiped to answer.
“Hello?”
I answered cautiously, my voice laced with wariness. From the other end...
— What’s up? Why did it take you so long to answer?
I-seo’s voice sounded no different than usual. The moment I heard it, the tension left my body, and a sense of calm washed over me.
The video itself had been taken down almost immediately at our request, and I had deleted the repost on the Bamboo Forest right away.
In reality, only people like Yoo Ah-rin, who practically live on the Bamboo Forest, would have had a chance to see it.
As for 'Anonymous 287'—the account registered under I-seo’s student ID—I had blocked it last time, thinking it belonged to Ahn Hyun-ho.
And since I-seo didn't use social media, there was naturally no way for her to have seen the original post.
Come to think of it, I don't even need to be this scared.
Even though things were a bit vague between us, it wasn't like she was my girlfriend.
But why do I feel so guilty?
I questioned why I felt so uncomfortable around I-seo just because I’d spent the night with Seo Ye-rin, but for now, I played it cool and responded.
“I’m at Senior Han-gang’s place with Senior Ju-hee right now. For a group project.”
— Hmm, that’s a unique combination.
It certainly was.
“Senior Han-gang might actually end up dumped in the Han River today. With Senior Ju-hee as the prime suspect.”
— ……What exactly is going on over there?
I took a slight step back.
Han-gang’s screams were so vivid and sharp that one might mistake them for the sounds of a torture chamber.
Watching Senior Ju-hee beat him with such absolute sincerity, I vowed never to mess with her again.
I don't know what kind of temporary insanity possessed me to brief her on his location.
“Anyway, things are a bit hectic here. Why did you call?”
— Oh, you said you guys were filming a movie. I was wondering when you’d start.
“Umm, some variables popped up, so I’ll have to ask the seniors. I’ll check and get back to you once things wrap up here.”
— Okay…… Are you going to exercise today?
Since I’d been into home training lately, I answered with a confident grin.
“Let’s do it. I feel like my body’s gotten better lately. More toned, you know?”
— Right. See you then.
Click.
I-seo’s reaction was indifferent. I felt my heart, which had been racing for no reason, finally settle. It felt like I’d just crossed a massive hurdle.
“Aack! Agghhh! Save meeee! Somebody help!”
“I should go join in on the beating.”
That man was the enemy of both genders.
I was about to seriously ask Senior Ju-hee if we should just proceed with a castration when...
Vrrr!
— Yoo Ah-rin -
Another call.
I let out a long sigh and answered.
“Yeah, what?”
— You want to die? Why are you ignoring my calls and texts?
“I had my reasons. What is it?”
My bold tone seemed to irritate Yoo Ah-rin even more, as she grumbled and shouted back.
— What is it? Are you seriously asking me that?!
“Ah…… is this about the video from earlier?”
— Wow, impressive. You act like it’s nothing. Does it feel good to have everyone knowing you’re good at sex?
“That was practice for an assignment.”
— What?
This was the excuse I’d come up with. I’d told both Seo Ye-rin and the person who leaked it to explain it this way.
If we filmed a video of us actually practicing later and sent it over, they’d probably post an apology and the new video on their own.
“I told you, it was practice. Seo Ye-rin and Senior Han-gang are the leads in the movie we’re filming this time. We were practicing for that.”
— Did you forget I helped you write the script? There’s no scene like that.
“Ha, are you on our team now? Excuse me, but this was additional content we decided on amongst ourselves, okay?”
Since when did outsiders get a say?
If we say that’s what it was, then that’s what it was.
— You said you had to write the script in English.
“We can practice the acting in Korean, though.”
— Sigh, you better use that same excuse with I-seo, you jerk.
Wait.
Why was she bringing up I-seo all of a sudden?
“I-seo doesn't know. The original post and the repost were already deleted.”
— …….
“I just got off the phone with her, too. I have nothing to be ashamed of or hide, but just in case, don't you dare tell I-seo.”
A brief silence followed.
Then, Yoo Ah-rin clicked her tongue and replied.
— You loser.
“What, you idiot?”
— I-seo saw it with me.
…….
………….
“Fuck.”
* * *
“You’re here?”
The view of the trail at sunset was something I saw every day, but today it felt strangely poignant.
Perhaps it was because of the girl with deep blue hair waiting for me, warming up in her athletic gear.
“Yeah, I’m here.”
I gave a small wave, and I-seo responded with a faint smirk.
“I don’t know how hard you’ve been doing your home training, but let’s see what you’ve got.”
With that, I-seo gave the signal to run, and I immediately started jogging beside her.
Suddenly, I felt like saluting Han-gang’s future, as he’d soon be running laps every morning after roll call.
“Whew, whew.”
I-seo ran with steady breaths.
She looked no different than usual.
I matched my pace to hers—neither slow nor fast, just a steady rhythm.
We didn't talk.
To begin with, I didn't have enough breath to spare for conversation while exercising.
We just kept running like that until we reached our usual stopping point, but...
“Let’s go a bit further.”
I-seo didn't stop there; she kept going, and I followed.
My stamina really has improved.
The only reason I used to stop here was simple: I couldn't go any further.
It was a finish line dictated by my physical limits. But today, I crossed it with ease.
I stole a glance at I-seo. Just as I was now able to keep running past the usual mark, she also looked like she was trying to push past her own limits.
My heart fluttered strangely.
“Whew, whew.”
I-seo finally stopped after we’d run for nearly thirty more minutes. Judging by the fact that she wasn't even panting that hard, it looked like she could have gone even further.
“Haaah! Haaah! Holy shit!”
I, on the other hand, collapsed onto the ground, feeling like I was about to die. I’d been feeling pretty smug about my progress a few minutes ago; I really should have just been satisfied with that.
Because we’d run for so long, it was already dark, the streetlights were on, and we’d reached the very end of the trail where few people ventured.
“This is freaking exhausting!”
I practically crawled to a nearby bench and sat down. I-seo, who had watched me, quietly sat beside me.
Despite having run the same distance, I-seo’s breathing had already returned to normal. She looked out toward the flowing stream, barely visible in the dark, and spoke.
“I’ve been thinking about a lot of things.”
I could tell from her tone that she was being very serious.
“At first, I was angry.”
“…….”
“I thought about, like, folding you in half and killing you.”
Wait, what?
Why did she say that like it was actually possible?
I felt a chill for a moment, but I kept listening.
“Then I felt disappointed.”
“…….”
“And then, I started feeling like a fool.”
I wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come. In the end, the fact that I’d slept with Seo Ye-rin remained unchanged.
“Since I’m not your girlfriend, I told myself I wouldn't interfere. But when something like this actually happens, it’s hard to just stay still.”
“…….”
“And then I wondered if I really needed to like you this much.”
Her words pierced my heart like daggers, but I had no rebuttal.
Since I was the passive one in our relationship, if I-seo had reached a conclusion, it was only natural for me to follow it.
It wasn't like I could change anything anyway.
“I even thought about just taking you to a hotel myself.”
“Ahem.”
“But... I felt like that would make me cheap.”
“…….”
“It’s my first time experiencing these things. It would be too unfair to myself to do it just because I was blinded by jealousy, like it was some kind of competition.”
“Of course.”
I agreed.
It was foolish to ruin a meaningful moment just because someone else had done it and you felt the need to catch up.
“Am I too slow?”
I-seo slowly turned her head and met my eyes.
“Everyone else is becoming an adult so quickly. It feels like things that were impossible in high school are happening in the blink of an eye.”
“…….”
“So, honestly, I was worried. I wondered if I was going the right way.”
I-seo’s hand reached out and gently stroked the back of my hand.
There was a certain affection in the gesture.
“I wanted to confirm that today. Whether it was right to go at my own pace.”
The soft smile on her lips was her own answer.
“I think it is. This is the right way for me.”
“……."
“No matter what anyone else does... in the end, you’re conscious of me.”
At those words, my mouth hung open slightly.
She wasn't wrong.
When I was with Seo Ye-rin...
The person I worried about most was I-seo.
When the video spread, when she called, and when I felt relieved that she wanted to meet...
I was always thinking about I-seo.
Before I knew it...
The moment I realized that I-seo occupied a very large space inside me, a night breeze blew past.
Carried by the wind, I-seo leaned her head gently against my shoulder.
“This is my speed.”
Slowly, but surely.
I could feel I-seo approaching me.
“Y-you smell like sweat……”
I didn't know if I actually disliked it, or if I was thinking of my ex-girlfriend, or if my emotions were just more shaken than I expected.
Whatever it was, I tried to push her away, but...
“I don’t mind your sweat smell.”
I-seo clung even tighter, even linking her arm with mine. My body went stiff.
Why does her sweat smell strangely sweet?
It was sweet, but it also strangely triggered a man’s sexual fantasies.
The soft sensation of her chest against my arm, combined with the tempting pheromones she gave off.
Even if I wanted to pull away, we were sitting on a bench; there was nowhere to run.
“I think I’ve sorted things out for now.”
Sounding refreshed, I-seo stood up. As the sensation, warmth, and scent against my arm vanished, a strange sense of lingering regret washed over me.
“Let’s go eat. At your place.”
What she mentioned with a bright smile was completely unexpected.
“……My place?”
“Yeah. I already told Min-ji I’m sleeping over at your house tonight.”
I stared blankly at I-seo before responding.
“I don’t have any condoms, though?”
“You jerk……!”
Thwack!
I-seo’s fist flew instantly. Some habits really never die.
As I curled up on the bench, I-seo shouted while pounding on my back.
“Just now! Just a second ago! I said I wasn't going to do that! I said I was going to take it slow! I just! Want to be! Together! That’s why I said it!”
“No, wait! Anyone would have misunderstood what you just said!”
This was truly unfair!
I struggled to grab both of I-seo’s wrists and stood up.
I-seo, her face flushed and huffing with indignation, glared at me.
“Honestly, right? You said it in a way that was easy to misunderstand, didn't you?”
“Whew! Whew!”
Catching her breath, I-seo pouted and replied.
“Fine. Honestly, I was a bit annoyed, so I said it that way on purpose. Because I wanted to hit you.”
“…….”
How intellectual of her.
As I slowly let go of her hands, I-seo rotated her wrists while still glaring.
“I told you, let me have at least this much jealousy.”
“I didn't agree to let you have the punching, though.”
When I said that, I-seo crossed her arms and replied.
“Let’s stop by a convenience store and buy some alcohol. You’re dead tonight.”
“…….”
“So you did it with Ye-rin, huh? You’re going to regret it big time.”
“Regret what?”
I was curious about what specifically I would regret, but I-seo just turned around and walked away.
In any case...
It looked like I-seo was sleeping over at my place tonight.