Chapter 189
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 189
Si-woo’s cock had hardened, overreacting to Se-hee Noona’s casual touch.
After calming his member down in the bathroom, Si-woo stepped back out.
When he returned to the table, he saw that the seating arrangement had changed.
The man named Kim Jun had moved and was now sitting right next to Se-hee Noona, engaged in conversation. Even though Kim Jun was sitting close enough for their bodies to touch, Se-hee Noona didn't seem to mind at all.
So-ra Noona was now sitting in the spot where Kim Jun had originally been.
She was talking with her partner, a guy named Park Seong-guk, but she gave Si-woo a bright smile the moment he returned to his seat.
Si-woo gave So-ra Noona an awkward smile, sat back down in his original spot, and took a sip of his drink through the straw.
"Is it good? Can I try some? I’m curious what the caramel macchiato tastes like here."
Seeing Si-woo drink, So-ra Noona struck up a conversation.
"Oh? Uh, sure."
Si-woo held out his drink to her.
So-ra Noona casually took the straw Si-woo had just been using into her mouth and began to drink.
No matter how he looked at it, her behavior seemed like she was hitting on him.
Si-woo glanced at So-ra Noona’s partner.
The guy named Park Seong-guk, who had a buzz cut, didn't seem to care much about her behavior.
An inexplicable sense of loneliness welled up inside Si-woo.
He put the straw So-ra Noona’s lips had just touched back into his mouth.
It felt as if the warmth and sensation of her lips were still damply lingering there.
* * *
A group of people entered the cafe entrance.
They were familiar faces to Si-woo.
Shin-bi Noona, Se-mi Noona, and Cheol-jin were walking into the cafe.
"Shin-bi, Se-mi! You're here?"
So-ra Noona raised her hand and greeted them.
"Yeah, we're here. Oh, Si-woo and Se-hee were already here? Did you wait long?"
After a brief reply to So-ra Noona, Shin-bi Noona asked Si-woo and Se-hee Noona with a look of delight.
"We haven't been here that long either," Se-hee Noona replied, looking toward Shin-bi Noona.
Shin-bi Noona was wearing a white stripe T-shirt with thin blue horizontal lines and a denim skirt that came up above her knees.
Paired with white sneakers, she exuded a very fresh atmosphere.
Standing next to her, Se-mi Noona wore a V-neck, apricot-colored oversized T-shirt.
She matched it with a plain black miniskirt and black sneakers, revealing her snow-white thighs and calves in a slightly provocative way.
"Cheol-jin came with you guys too? Did you all meet up in front of the place?"
Sae-rom Noona acknowledged Cheol-jin, who followed them in.
"Ah~ well, something like that... hehe."
Cheol-jin said, raising his hand in a light greeting with a grin.
Cheol-jin was wearing a clean black shirt, black slacks, and gray canvas sneakers.
His hair was slicked back in a pomade style, looking like he’d applied a ton of product.
It seemed the Noonas were already acquainted with Cheol-jin.
"Shin-bi and Se-mi, sit over here. Cheol-jin, you sit there next to Si-woo."
Sae-rom Noona was directing everyone where to sit, just as she had when Si-woo arrived.
"What do you want to drink? Jun Oppa said he’d pay for everything later, so just order whatever you want."
So-ra Noona spoke up after Sae-rom Noona.
It seemed like So-ra Noona and Sae-rom Noona were the ones leading this gathering.
And Kim Jun’s presence was also heavily felt.
On the surface, it looked like a typical blind date or a group meeting.
However, Si-woo felt a strangely off-kilter atmosphere.
"It's fine! I'll pay for mine separately! It's not like it costs that much!"
Cheol-jin spoke as he took Shin-bi Noona and Se-mi Noona’s drink orders and headed toward the counter.
Sitting next to Se-hee Noona, Jun Hyung heard this and gave a shrug with an embarrassed smile.
* * *
Cheol-jin brought the drinks on a tray, placed them in front of Shin-bi Noona and Se-mi Noona, and sat down next to Si-woo.
"Anything happen while I was gone?"
He spoke to Si-woo playfully, as he usually did, while taking his seat.
"What do you mean 'anything happen'! Nothing happens whether you're here or not, so don't worry about it!"
Si-woo retorted, continuing the playful banter they usually shared at the academy.
"Well, you never know! Puhaha!"
Cheol-jin laughed, adding another line to their usual comedic routine.
"This is Cheol-jin. He's in the same grade as Si-woo."
So-ra Noona introduced Cheol-jin to the three men who had arrived first.
"So you're Cheol-jin? I've heard a lot about you from So-ra..."
Kim Jun Hyung spoke as if he knew about Cheol-jin, wearing a smile that carried a strange sense of dissonance.
"This is Kim Jun Oppa, a second-year! And over here are Seong-guk and Hyeok-jin, they're first-years."
This time, So-ra Noona introduced the guys who were already at the cafe to Cheol-jin.
Cheol-jin gave a slight nod in greeting.
With that, the brief introductions and exchange of names were over.
Afterward, the kind of cheerful conversation you’d expect at a blind date followed.
Occasionally, the Hyungs would go to the bathroom, returning with the smell of cigarettes clinging to their clothes.
It seemed all three of them smoked, even though they were active athletes.
The guy named Park Seong-guk, who said he did boxing, claimed to have placed third in a middle school division tournament.
He recounted stories of being disciplined for involvement in a violent incident and currently being in a period of self-reflection as if they were heroic tales.
* * *
"Now that we've seen everyone's faces and our stomachs are somewhat full... shall we go to a karaoke room to clear our throats? What do you think?"
Jun Hyung spoke up once the atmosphere had ripened.
The Noonas all agreed, and they decided to move locations.
Jun Hyung paid for all the food and drinks at the cafe.
—Except for the drinks Cheol-jin bought.
From what Si-woo overheard, Jun Hyung’s father was the CEO of an IT company famous enough that everyone would know the name.
Si-woo and the Noonas followed Jun Hyung’s lead.
The place they arrived at was a large-scale karaoke room in the downtown area.
Since it was Friday afternoon, it was quite crowded.
Hyeok-jin Hyung exchanged a few words with the woman at the counter, and they were soon led to a large room at the very end.
He later found out it was one of the businesses run by Jun Hyung’s relative.
It seemed he had specifically asked them to keep it open for today.
It was a spacious room with large screens on all sides.
It was big enough that there was still space left even with all ten of them inside.
Sofas lined the side and back walls of the large room, and a massive table filled the center space.
There was a main screen at the front, with an open area for dancing or playing around.
The entrance door was to the right of that.
Drinks, fruit, and snacks were already set up.
Among them were familiar-looking liquor bottles and beer cans.
* * *
Naturally, everyone sat with their partners, spaced out from one another.
The sofas were arranged in a wide U-shape facing the front screen. Se-hee Noona and Jun Hyung sat in the seats closest to the door.
Next to them, Sae-rom Noona and Hyeok-jin Hyung sat, keeping some distance from Se-hee Noona’s couple.
In the very back seats, facing the center screen, were Cheol-jin and Se-mi Noona.
So-ra Noona and Seong-guk Hyung sat opposite Sae-rom Noona and Hyeok-jin Hyung.
And finally, Si-woo and Shin-bi Noona sat facing the spot where Se-hee Noona and Jun Hyung were.
The distance was just enough so that the whispering between couples wouldn't be heard by the others.
* * *
After the microphones had been passed around and a few songs were sung, separate sets of alcohol and snacks were placed in front of each couple.
Since it was a shop run by Jun Hyung’s relative, it seemed they could order pretty much anything freely.
Si-woo looked around, feeling a bit giddy.
Each couple seemed preoccupied with their own conversations, not paying attention to anyone else.
Sae-rom Noona and Hyeok-jin Hyung went up to the front and sang together to a dance track.
Shin-bi Noona opened a beer and poured it into Si-woo’s cup.
As Si-woo poured a beer for Shin-bi Noona, he stole a glance at Se-hee Noona.
Their eyes met for a moment, but she seemed unconcerned, whispering something back and forth with Jun Hyung.
To Si-woo, it looked like Se-hee Noona had already become quite close with Jun Hyung.
Gulp, gulp, gulp.
The music from the karaoke machine continued to flow.
Feeling a bitter sensation for some reason, Si-woo drained the glass of beer Shin-bi Noona had poured him in one go.
Shin-bi Noona picked up a piece of fruit with a toothpick and fed it to Si-woo.
"You look pretty cool today, you know? The clothes suit you, and your perfume smells so good~"
Shin-bi Noona sat close to Si-woo as he ate the fruit she gave him, whispering into his ear.