A Pleasant Weekend with Lee Yu-ri (2)
It took Lee Yu-ri less than five minutes to calm down after she started sobbing her heart out. We sat side by side on the bench in front of the apartment where I had been sitting just moments earlier. Yuri rubbed at her bloodshot, swollen eyes while sniffling loudly.
"Sniff..."
"You done crying?"
"Sniff... Hic... Pfft, this is so embarrassing... What a complete mess I've made of myself..."
Yuri tried to laugh it off and pretend it was no big deal, but her voice remained hoarse and her shoulders kept trembling.
"If I ask what happened, will you tell me?"
"Haah... After you've already seen me like this, there's no point hiding anything. Yesterday during lunch, you left me alone with Gong Yeong-bae, right?"
The way she referred to him had changed. She used to call him 'Yeong-bae' with real affection. Now it was the stiff, formal 'Gong Yeong-bae.'
"Yeah, I did."
"After you left... this is what happened."
Yuri told me everything that had taken place the day before. In the middle of it she remembered the abusive things Gong Yeong-bae had said to her and fresh tears spilled down her cheeks as her emotions surged again. I didn't interrupt or try to fix anything. I simply waited in silence until she had calmed down enough to finish the whole story.
"...And that's what happened."
"So the part about you being sick was a lie too."
"...Yeah. I'm sorry. You even bought me medicine and porridge."
"It's fine. It's not like it was that much."
In truth it had been more than ten percent of every won I owned, a feeling like having my flesh carved out, but I kept that to myself.
"Want me to beat the shit out of that bastard first thing Monday morning?"
"Don't. How far are you trying to drag me down?"
Yuri stared blankly ahead with dead eyes. I had expected some friction between them, but I never imagined she would end up this hurt. Just how low could Gong Yeong-bae possibly sink? When I'd only read the original Love in School, I'd thought he was just your typical dense harem-comedy protagonist, the poor victim whose heroines got stolen by the delinquent Han Seong-jin. After learning the truth about him, I realized there was a whole new floor beneath rock bottom. They say even the bottom has a basement. Maybe the author had based the character on Gong Yeong-bae.
"Thanks for listening to my whining. I'll head back inside now."
"Wait."
I caught her arm as she tried to stand.
"Aren't you angry?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, sure, given all the crap I've done, it's only natural that people treat me that way. But what about you? Why should you get lumped in with me and treated like that without getting angry?"
"It's fine... I've already decided to end things. Getting angry now won't change anything. I'm tired enough as it is."
"Isn't that exactly the problem?"
"What do you mean?"
Yuri blinked eyes still marked with dried tear tracks. Even without makeup, right after crying, she was heartbreakingly beautiful.
"Why should you have to be tired? Is it a crime that our houses are in the same direction? Or did you volunteer to help me clean the classroom because you like me? The teacher assigned it, didn't she? When have you ever chased after me because you wanted me? You've never even flirted with me, so why should you have to be treated that way?"
"......"
"A guy who was supposedly your childhood friend insulted you like that. Why should you be the one getting hurt and exhausted? Don't you think it's unfair?"
"Well, yeah, but..."
"I'm not saying you should hit him. But don't you at least want to make that bastard eat his words?"
"I don't really understand what you're trying to say."
"I'm saying stop suffering like this and show him you're having a great time, like his words meant nothing. Prove that everything he said was wrong."
"How?"
"How? What do you mean, how? I don't get why our student council president, who ranks first in the whole school, is slower at this stuff than a blockhead like me."
"Ugh...!"
Yuri's face flushed crimson. Before she could snap back at me, I kept pushing.
"You're not actually sick, right? Then take this upstairs, get ready, and come back out by twelve-thirty. We're going on a date."
"What?!"
"Okay, the date part was a joke. But sitting at home with your mind in pieces isn't going to help. You need to do something else to take your mind off it. I'll be waiting, so come out when you're ready."
"Wait, hold on! You can't just force—"
"Go on, get inside. I don't accept arguments from people whose mental state is shattered. If you want to argue, do it after you've pulled yourself together. I'll be right here."
"Wha—? For real?! O-okay! I got it!"
Pushed back into the apartment by my hand, Lee Yu-ri stared at the porridge container and fever medicine inside the plastic bag and let out a small laugh. Just a little while ago she'd been lying in bed half out of her mind, staring blankly at the ceiling because of what happened yesterday. Yet now her heart felt strangely calm. Was it because she'd cried her eyes out? Or because this was the first time she'd received such sincere comfort? Or maybe...
Gasp!
Or maybe it was because she'd seen Han Seong-jin's face? The moment that thought flashed through her mind, Yuri's cheeks burned and she shook her head violently.
What on earth am I thinking? No way. That can't be it!
Still shaking her head, she set the bag containing the medicine and porridge on the dining table and dashed into the bathroom, stripping off her clothes. After a quick shower she lingered in front of the mirror, applying lotion, curling her lashes, then borrowing her older sister's cosmetics and perfume from the shelf.
"What the—where are you going? You've been lying around like a corpse all day yesterday and now suddenly you're full of energy... Wait, what?!"
Her older sister, Lee Yu-min, had approached her younger sister who was suddenly doing makeup, only to spot her own cosmetics and perfume. She let out a sharp yelp.
"Hey, you little thief! Those are mine! Who said you could use them without asking?!"
"Unnie, you steal my snacks and ice cream every single day! Just be quiet for once!"
"Look at this shameless brat! Stealing someone else's stuff and acting all high and mighty?!"
"Shut up and just do my hair. I don't have time. I need to leave by twelve-thirty."
"Wait, is this a date? Is this the same girl who was moping around like the world ended yesterday? Who are you going with? That Gong Yeong-bae kid?"
The moment the name left her lips, Yuri whipped her head around with a glare that looked ready to devour her. Lee Yu-min flinched at the intensity and pulled her hand away from her sister's hair.
"Whoa, look at those eyes. Why are you staring at me like that?"
"It's not him. And don't ever mention that guy again."
Hm? Did they fight? Is she going on a date with another guy to get revenge? Pfft, how cute.
Lee Yu-min nodded in understanding and began brushing her younger sister's hair while she did her makeup. All the while, Yuri kept muttering to herself.
This is absolutely not because I'm happy! He bought me porridge and medicine first thing on a weekend morning when I said I was sick, so I'm just showing the appropriate level of gratitude in return. That's all!
Yuri came back out to the apartment bench where I was waiting right before twelve-thirty. She wore a white blouse with a black ribbon and a long black skirt, carrying a small black bag over one shoulder. It was a simple black-and-white outfit, but her incredible figure made her look like a celebrity. Her explosive curves threatened to burst through the black-ribbon blouse, and the contrast between that seductive body and the elegant clothing drew every eye.
She had applied BB cream and foundation, and the way her under-eyes sparkled told me she'd done a lot more than that. She was already stunning without any makeup at all. Once she actually put effort in, the phrase "nation-toppling beauty" didn't feel like an exaggeration.
Fuck. I'm losing my mind.
I had planned to take things slow and steady with Yuri, with Choi Su-yeon, and even with Jeong Eun-ji whom I hadn't really started pursuing yet. I wanted to win them over gradually while keeping my self-control. But the moment I saw her standing in front of me, all thoughts of patience went out the window. I wanted nothing more than to grab those massive breasts with both hands, kiss her, and do far more than that, even if it meant losing everything. Is this why men ruin their lives?
"Um... Do I look weird? This is the first time I've dressed up like this..."
Hold it together. You have to endure! Don't give in to instinct! The East Sea and Mount Baekdu...
If I touched her now, everything would turn to bubbles. Using superhuman patience, I somehow reined in the desire that had risen like a steel rod and barely managed to answer. I poured every ounce of sincerity into my words.
"Hey... You look fucking gorgeous. Don't ever come to the academy dressed like that. You'll make every guy lose his mind."
"You're saying weird things again! But... it looks good on me, right?"
"Yeah. Almost too good."
"Hehe..."
Yuri gave a small, shy smile at my praise.
"So, where are we going?"
"Well... somewhere you've never tried before?"
"Like what?"
"Honestly, aside from studying, isn't it pretty much everything?"
In the original Love in School, there was never any description of Yuri doing anything except studying or student council work. At most she occasionally watched dramas or webtoons. In that case, I should let her experience all the things she'd never tried.
"As you can see, I have a lot of experience in the playing-around department."
"That doesn't sound like a good thing."
"Exactly. So today, just trust me and follow along."
Normally this would be the part where the guy takes the girl's hand and leads her away, but I didn't do that. Yuri probably still had a lot of wariness toward me. Instead, I walked right beside her, staying just a little closer than usual. Even though I was practically at a lover's distance, she only glanced up at me once without saying anything. I matched my steps to hers and we walked together.