Chapter 96: PC Bang
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 96: PC Bang
Seo Ye-rin was smiling at me, seemingly still unaware that she’d said something she shouldn't have. She looked genuinely happy to see me.
“It tastes like Woo-jin!”
I could handle her saying weird things like I had a specific taste.
“Oh? Ah-rin!”
“I messaged you, you brat. Why didn't you pick up?”
It wasn't even a big deal when two of Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin’s high school friends returned from the restroom.
“Blegh.”
The real problem was Seo Ye-rin sticking her tongue out as if waiting for my touch.
I wanted to tell her I had no idea why she was doing that, but honestly, my conscience pricked me too much to say anything.
Yoo Ah-rin slowly removed her hands from Seo Ye-rin’s eyes. As her vision finally cleared, Seo Ye-rin gave me a bright smile, then—
“Ah.”
Seeing Yoo Ah-rin and the other friends had arrived, she forced an awkward smile.
“Hi. Thanks for coming today.”
She greeted them like a billionaire inviting guests to a mansion. The only silver lining was that the friends who arrived late hadn't heard her absurd remark just now.
Ignoring Yoo Ah-rin’s piercing glare, I quietly backed away.
It seemed Seo Ye-rin had invited all her friends; I felt like I’d intruded on a gathering where I didn't belong.
“Ah-rin, you didn't reply, so I thought you weren't coming.”
“Look at sweet Ah-rin, acting all indifferent but showing up anyway.”
They were definitely Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin’s friends. They immediately started chattering up a storm.
“Who is this?”
“No way, Ah-rin. Did you get a boyfriend?”
Naturally.
Seeing me standing awkwardly between Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin, the two newcomers grew suspicious. They immediately started trying to link me with Yoo Ah-rin, but—
“He’s not her boyfriend!”
Unexpectedly, the answer came from Seo Ye-rin.
“...Why are you the one answering?”
“Exactly.”
Faced with the focused stares of her two friends, Seo Ye-rin brushed it off with an awkward laugh and gestured for me to sit next to her.
“Th-this is Woo-jin. He’s a friend from our department. I guess he was hanging out with Ah-rin before they came here.”
“Hello, I’m Kim Woo-jin.”
When I bowed my head in greeting, the two of them smiled and greeted me politely in return.
Somehow, I ended up sitting next to Seo Ye-rin, and Yoo Ah-rin sat right on my other side.
It was a bizarre situation: Seo Ye-rin on my right, Yoo Ah-rin on my left.
I thought the two friends would sit further down by Yoo Ah-rin, but they sat directly behind us. All they had to do was swivel their chairs to see exactly what we were doing.
“By the way, why are you here?” I asked Seo Ye-rin, ignoring Yoo Ah-rin, who was still glaring at me.
She scratched the back of her head and laughed awkwardly.
“I... I got in trouble and ran away.”
“...”
“I stayed out all night yesterday, so my mom chewed me out. I told her I’m a college student and I’ll do whatever I want, then I bolted.”
Is this really okay?
I was about to ask if she wouldn't be in even deeper trouble when she eventually went home, but the answer came from the friends behind us.
“That’s why we’re here. Her parents know where she is.”
“We’ve known her mother since high school, so we told her we were coming to hang out with her.”
Aha.
So Miss Seo Ye-rin was enjoying a "rebellion" while still firmly within the palm of her parents' hands.
I wondered what the point was, but apparently, this was a major act of defiance for her.
“I-I... it was my dream to pull an all-nighter at a PC Bang.”
“What a modest dream.”
Clicking my tongue, I installed the editing software on the PC and prepared to resume my assignment.
However, the two friends behind us weren't using their computers; they had swiveled their chairs and were interrogating Seo Ye-rin.
“But seriously, where did you sleep last night?”
“Yeah. Does Seo Ye-rin even have a place to stay out at?”
“I-I told you, I stayed at a friend’s place! Someone from my department.”
Watching Seo Ye-rin pile on excuse after excuse to explain herself was nothing short of pitiful.
I decided to mind my own business and focus on editing, but suddenly, Yoo Ah-rin pulled her chair right up against mine.
Her hand slid onto my thigh and gave it a sharp pinch.
“Guh!”
My back straightened involuntarily as I glared at her, but she stared back with total confidence.
“What? Why?” I whispered, making sure the two behind us couldn't hear.
Yoo Ah-rin looked at me with an expression of pure disbelief.
“So, do you have a 'taste' too?”
“...”
“Orange? Strawberry? Something like that?”
“How should I know?”
“Then how does Ye-rin know?”
Because she tasted it...
No, rather than tasting it, she licked...
“You know what happened between me and Seo Ye-rin. Why are you prying so much?”
Because of that video someone had secretly filmed, Yoo Ah-rin and Choi I-seo already knew I had slept with Seo Ye-rin once.
It was a memory that was naturally fading into history; did she really have to drag it back out?
“My point is, what exactly did you do for her to remember the taste?”
She kept squeezing my leg like she was holding a hostage. I let out a sigh and the words just spilled out.
“Sigh, it’s nothing. It’s just... her parents were on the first floor, so we had to keep it quiet... No, why am I even explaining this to you?”
“Ugh.”
I hadn't finished the sentence, but Yoo Ah-rin shuddered as if she could guess the rest. She glanced at my fingers with a look of disgust, so I crossed my arms.
“You put that thick thing in Ye-rin’s mouth and stirred it around?”
“You crazy bitch. Knock it off.”
“Did I say anything wrong?”
She was far too accurate.
But she was going to get smacked if she kept it up.
I felt uncomfortable with her eyes constantly drifting toward my fingers, so I made a gesture like I was going to poke her eyes out. Yoo Ah-rin jumped in surprise and covered her mouth with both hands.
“It won't fit in mine.”
“No, I was going to poke your eye... Forget it. Let’s just stop talking.”
I decided to just focus on editing and ignored her. Beside me, Yoo Ah-rin opened her mouth and mimicked putting her own finger in it as if testing something, but I pretended not to see.
“No, seriously, Ye-rin has been weird lately!”
“Right? I feel it too. She feels... more mature? You’re seeing a guy, aren't you? Right?”
“N-no! I’m not!”
“You’re not? Then what is it?”
“You’re not dating, but... there’s a guy you’ve caught feelings for? Something like that?”
“...”
“Look at this! Look at her shutting her mouth!”
“Ah-rin! Is there a guy she’s close with? You’re in the same department!”
“Keep it down in the PC Bang, you wenches,” Yoo Ah-rin said.
Despite her words, she quietly joined the conversation. The four of them huddled together, chatting away as if they were in a cafe.
If we hadn't been in a corner seat, they would have been a huge nuisance to the people walking by.
“Ye-rin’s just maturing, that’s all.”
“Mature? Seo Ye-rin, no way!”
“Is your connection finally complete?! Congratulations!”
“Pfft—cough!”
The blunt, explicit phrasing made me choke on my own breath. Even though I tried to pretend I wasn't listening, how could I ignore it when they were right there?
“Ah, sorry. This is just how we joke around.”
“Ahem... By any chance, it’s not you, is it? Ye-rin’s first man.”
“No, it’s not me.”
When I said that, Seo Ye-rin’s eyes flared with anger as she glared at me, but I quickly put on my headset.
“I’m so jealous that Ah-rin has Chan-woo.”
“I know, right? If it were me, I’d have stripped Chan-woo bare by now...!”
With the conversation finally shifting to Chan-woo, I immersed myself in editing once again.
Sometimes, a distraction actually helps you focus. Having been forced to concentrate on my work, I managed to make significant progress.
“Ngh!”
About two hours had passed.
I’d been more focused than I realized; when I checked the time, it was nearly 1:00 AM.
I should grab an energy drink.
At this rate, I felt like I’d get a lot of praise when I sent the file to Senior Ju-hee tomorrow. I tried to stand up, but my chair wouldn't move.
Confused, I looked behind me and saw the four of them huddled around my chair, watching me.
Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin were leaning on the armrests, while the other two were peering over the back of the chair.
“What is it...?”
I took off my headset and asked what was going on. One of the friends pointed at Ahn Hyun-ho on the screen.
“He’s crazy handsome, isn't he?”
“...”
“What the heck? Why isn't our department representative like that?”
“Ahn Hyun-ho is that good?” Yoo Ah-rin asked dismissively, her chin resting on her hand.
The friend barked back, “Hey! That’s only because you only have eyes for Chan-woo. It’s like you’re eating steak, so you’re complaining that pork belly is mediocre.”
Ahn Hyun-ho had suddenly become pork belly.
Come to think of it, he’d messaged me earlier asking if I’d heard from Choi I-seo, but I’d ignored him.
“I mean, I know he’s decent-looking. I know he’s conventionally handsome... but personally, I don't really think he’s that great.”
“I agree with Ah-rin. He’s not all that in person.”
Seo Ye-rin, on the other side, raised her hand and nodded.
“Why are you guys suddenly rating faces?”
I told them they shouldn't do that, but they shot back immediately.
“Hyun-ho’s group does the same thing to us anyway.”
“I was on the bus the other day and heard the guys in our department ranking the girls into tiers.”
Drop dead, Ahn Hyun-ho.
You don't deserve to contact I-seo.
“All the actors in your project have incredible faces, though.”
The innocent-looking woman who had been quiet finally spoke up.
“Oh, are you a Film major?”
Ah, so she was a Film major.
Hearing that, she did have the look of a beauty—specifically, a studious beauty.
“Did you learn editing separately?”
“I’m self-taught. It’s for an assignment.”
“Wow, for being self-taught in such a short time, your editing is remarkably good.”
“Thank you.”
The compliment made the corners of my mouth twitch upward. It felt especially good to be praised for the editing skills I’d practiced so hard.
“Look at Kim Woo-jin smiling.”
“Ugh, whenever he’s in a good mood, I start feeling depressed.”
“Why are the guys in our department all like this?”
Thanks to Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin jumping in, my good mood evaporated instantly.
However, the Film major friend didn't stop there.
“Would it be possible to meet up separately sometime?”
“Pardon?”
I turned my head slightly while still seated, and she smiled as she spoke.
“I’ll make it worth your while. There are plenty of people who act in our department, but not many who know how to edit.”
Ah, so that’s what she meant.
For a second, I wondered.
“I don't think I can.”
“...”
“I’m sorry, but regardless of the compensation, I don't really want to do work that isn't my own assignment.”
The atmosphere turned a bit chilly as I drew a firm line. But I genuinely didn't want to do it.
“I-I’m sorry. I was being too sudden, wasn't I?”
“Let’s go to the restroom. I’ll scold her in there.”
“I’m sorry.”
The Film major was dragged toward the restroom while repeatedly apologizing. I turned my attention back to the order screen to get an energy drink.
Then, I felt gazes boring into me from both sides.
“What? You want me to do it because she’s your friend?”
When I asked irritably, Yoo Ah-rin stood up and suddenly started stroking my hair.
“Kid, I like how cold you can be at times like this.”
With a bright smile, she followed the others to the restroom. I watched her go, feeling dazed.
Then, Seo Ye-rin, who was on the other side, pulled on the hand I was using to hold the mouse.
Mwah.
She suddenly pressed her lips to the back of my hand.
“...?!”
Startled, my hand tensed up.
As if trying to relax my stiff hand, she licked the tips of my fingers and gave them a light nip.
It felt like a cat playing with my hand.
“He’s mine.”
She whispered it with her lips still against my hand, then stood up and headed for the restroom.
I stared blankly at Seo Ye-rin’s retreating figure, then stood up, thinking I needed to wash my damp hand.
“Ah.”
She left a mark.