Chapter 193: Date (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 193: Date (1)
After deciding on a destination and leaving the house, Seira and I parted ways, and I was finally left alone with Yubin.
We had gone to the hospital together last week, but it was hard to call that "quality time." Today was supposed to be our first real chance to be alone in a while, but Seira’s sudden appearance had left an awkward tension hanging between us.
Regardless, I wanted to spend time with just her. Rather than heading straight to where we would be staying tonight, I suggested we walk around for a bit. We strolled through the middle of a busy district, the air between us still a bit stiff.
“Should we stop by a cafe?”
Thinking it would be better to sit down and talk rather than wander aimlessly, I pointed toward a nearby cafe. Yubin followed my finger, thought for a moment, and then nodded.
“Yeah. Let’s do that.”
With that short reply, we entered the cafe, ordered our drinks, and took a seat. Classical music played softly in the background. Yubin took a sip of her coffee and turned her crimson gaze toward me.
“Don’t you think you owe me a detailed explanation?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“First your team leader, and now the 4th Team Leader knows about your situation. What are the chances she’ll keep it a secret?”
The number of people who knew about my circumstances was growing, which wasn't good no matter how I looked at it. Although my relationship with Seira had been awkward for a long time, I quickly concluded that she wasn't the type to go around gossiping.
“She probably won’t tell anyone else. Well, she might talk to Luche… I mean, my team leader, but that’s about it.”
“Just who is she, anyway?”
Whenever I’d mentioned Seira to Yubin before, I’d simply referred to her as a superior at work. That had been fine until now; since Seira and I didn't have a special relationship, there was no need for further explanation.
But now Yubin and Seira had actually met. Even though I’d known Seira for a long time, I still didn't fully understand her thoughts, but I definitely needed to explain her to Yubin now that they’d crossed paths.
“She’s a friend I’ve known since I was a kid.”
“From the planet you used to live on?”
“Yeah. Since I was eight? Or maybe nine? It’s been a long time.”
We had known each other for so long and been through so much that I couldn't remember exactly how old I was when we first met.
Still, it was true that she was what people called a "childhood friend." Even if the exact dates were fuzzy, I still remembered playing in the neighborhood with her when we were little.
“The way she treats you seems… unusual.”
Yubin narrowed her eyes, looking right through me as if she suspected Seira and I had something going on. I shook my head without a moment's hesitation.
“We’ve known each other forever, but there’s never been a 'vibe' between us. Like I told you when we first started dating, you’re my first girlfriend.”
“Really? Okay then.”
Whether she truly believed me or was just satisfied with the answer, a smile spread across Yubin’s slightly flushed face.
“You were really caught off guard, weren't you? Running into Seira like that.”
“Of course I was. I never imagined she’d actually attack me.”
“Seira didn't know the situation. Besides, it’s only been a month since the incident with Team Guerrilla.”
Honestly, I think I was the most shocked one there. I’d gone home expecting to be alone with Yubin, only to find the place in shambles and the two of them practically at each other's throats.
It was a scene so surreal that even if I saw it again, I’d think I was dreaming. Even now, looking back, I found myself questioning if what I saw was actually real.
“Anyway, that woman ruined everything. I was so excited to finally spend some time together at home.”
“Haha…”
I had been looking forward to being alone with Yubin just as much. Lately, I’d been spending so much time with two or more of my girlfriends at once that I rarely had a moment to breathe.
It wasn't that I was complaining, but being with multiple people at once naturally meant there were more things to be mindful of. It wasn't exactly relaxing.
“I’ll handle the rest of the cleanup, so don’t worry too much about it, Yubin. Why don’t we just enjoy our date for now?”
“Okay.”
At the mention of a date, Yubin’s expression, which had been sour as she sipped her coffee, brightened instantly. Seeing her smile made me smile too.
“Still, I can’t help but worry. My head is already spinning with the other members, and now another person is involved.”
“Seira won’t have any reason to get involved with the others. It’ll be fine.”
“……Alright, if you say so.”
Her response seemed a bit delayed for some reason. Since she said she understood, I figured it would be best to talk to Seira about our situation when Yubin wasn't around to worry about it.
When we finished our coffee and stepped outside, I noticed Christmas decorations everywhere.
“It’s still a month away, but they’re already getting ready.”
“Christmas is a big event, after all.”
Before I started dating, I didn't go out much and didn't care about such things, so I never paid attention to how early the Christmas season started.
Even though I’d lived in Korea for ten years, Christmas preparations had always been outside my field of interest.
“I hope we can spend it together this time. We haven't really celebrated any anniversaries yet.”
“True. We didn't even do anything for our 100th day.”
Neither Yubin nor I were the type to make a big deal out of anniversaries. Since this was my first relationship, I thought it might be nice to celebrate them, but the idea always felt a bit embarrassing.
I was worried Yubin might care even if I felt awkward, but it turned out she preferred spending time together normally rather than making a big production out of special days.
Still, Christmas was a major holiday that marked the end of the year, and after everything that had happened, it felt like something we should celebrate.
“Who are you going to be with on Christmas?”
I couldn't answer Yubin’s question immediately. I held her hand and stared into space with a complicated expression.
I wasn't the type of person who could lie and say, “Of course I’ll spend it with you, Yubin,” in a moment like this. Yubin didn't seem to be expecting much, but she was staring at me intently, waiting for an answer.
“Could I… think about it for a little bit?”
“You’re probably the only guy in the world who would tell his girlfriend he needs to think about it because he has other girlfriends.”
“I’m sorry.”
There was nothing else I could say. Fortunately, even though Yubin was against the harem, she understood my current situation well enough that things didn't take a turn for the worse.
I was truly grateful for her understanding. It was a situation that most girlfriends would find unacceptable, but she had accepted my actions as a cultural difference.
In reality, I should probably be the one understanding Earth’s culture and being more considerate of them. But perhaps because I had traveled to too many planets and encountered too many cultures, I couldn't fully immerse myself in the ways of just one world.
“If you make today fun, I’ll forgive you.”
“I will do my absolute best to escort you.”
Since my girlfriends were trying so hard to understand me, the least I could do was cherish each one of them and give them my all.
Our eyes met as we walked hand in hand, and we both burst into laughter at the same time. Perhaps because it was our first date in a while, the chaos that had unfolded in my house just an hour ago felt like a distant memory.
“By the way, is it okay for you to be walking around outside?”
I was the one who had been injured in the terror incident, but it had served as a catalyst for the faces of the Superhumans who were at the scene to be broadcast nationwide again.
“It’s fine. I’m not a celebrity. People at school might whisper, but nobody recognizes me when I’m just walking around.”
“That’s a relief.”
“At the convenience store, I have to be careful because people actually look at the clerk, but I don’t want to have to be on guard every second I’m outside.”
“Has anyone recognized you so far?”
“No. I was careful at first because of that, but after a month, people’s interest died down. Now I just go about my business.”
Even if people were interested in the incident itself, most of that attention was focused on Team Guerrilla, the instigators. Team Hunter Killer had just happened to be at the scene, so they received relatively less scrutiny.
I knew that much, but I’d still worried that people might mistake Team Hunter Killer for co-conspirators. It seemed people weren't as observant as I’d feared.
She might have been saying that just so I wouldn't worry, but seeing how nonchalant Yubin was, I could tell she was being sincere—no one was actually recognizing her.
“So people only recognize you a little bit at school?”
“Yeah. They recognize me, but they aren't nearly as interested as they used to be. Besides, I never really cared about what the other kids thought of me anyway, so I just let them be.”
It seemed the situation at school wasn't as bad as I’d worried, either.
I realized once again that people generally aren't that interested in the lives of others. It also seemed the public was well aware that Team Hunter Killer hadn't conspired with Team Guerrilla.
“How has school been lately?”
I didn't have a clear picture of Yubin’s daily life recently, so I asked how school had been during the month I was away. Yubin’s brow furrowed.
“Too many assignments.”
“Ah…”
“I don’t know why they want us to write so many reports.”
“If it’s a report related to your major, tell me. I’ll help you.”
“Forget it. We barely have enough time for dates like this when we’re together. Why would I want to do homework?”
“We can make time.”
Thanks to the meeting between my girlfriends, I was able to use my time more flexibly.
It would be hard to help Yubin with her assignments at my place right now, but if I hurried the move and got into the new house, I could create more time to spend with her.
“Are you sure it’s okay?”
“I wouldn't have brought it up if it wasn't.”
“I guess that’s true.”
I gave her a light smile as she asked tentatively, and she was immediately convinced. I wouldn't have mentioned it if it were a problem, and there was no reason for it to be a problem in the first place.
What had first connected Yubin and me was her major textbook sitting in the corner of the convenience store. It might seem like a small thing, but since we had become close through me helping her study, I had no aversion to it at all.
In fact, I wanted to teach her more if I could.
“I’ll move as quickly as possible. Once I’m settled, I’ll help you with all sorts of things.”
“Okay.”
Yubin and I squeezed each other's hands against the cold winter wind.
As we walked, wondering where to go next, a cosmetics store caught my eye.
“Are you still using that sunscreen I bought you in the summer?”
“It’s winter now, though?”
“It’s better to wear it in the winter too, so make sure you use it.”
“I’ll put it on every time I go out.”
I stared intently at Yubin’s face as we shared our trivial conversation. Feeling my gaze, Yubin, who had been looking at the cosmetics store, turned her head and tilted it curiously.
“What?”
“Nothing, I just noticed you don't seem to wear much makeup.”
“I just do the basics. It’s a hassle to do more, and I don’t really know how anyway.”
“Since you were so concerned about me, I thought you were really into makeup.”
“Sunscreen isn't makeup.”
“I see.”
Since I’d never put anything but lotion on my face, I’d thought applying sunscreen was part of a makeup routine, but to Yubin, it seemed to be the same as me applying lotion. I’d better make sure to apply it every day, or I might get a lecture.
“Want to take a look inside?”
Yubin’s feet seemed glued to the spot in front of the store. Since we hadn't decided on a specific plan, I asked if she wanted to go in and look around, and she nodded immediately.
And so, I entered the cosmetics store with Yubin. The last time we’d gone to one together, I’d only picked out sunscreen for myself, so I hadn't looked at anything else. Now that I was seeing the full array of women’s cosmetics, I had no idea what was what.
“What’s this?”
“That’s eyeliner.”
“And this?”
“Eyeshadow.”
“Are they different?”
Since we were here, I figured I might as well learn. I have several girlfriends, after all, so I thought it would be a good idea to store at least some basic information in my head for the future.
The more the varieties increased, the more I felt a sense of mystery toward women—and a newfound respect for Yura, who did a full face of makeup every day.
“Oppa, which one do you think is better?”
Yubin held up two lipsticks for me to see. One was a red lipstick, and the other was a red lipstick.
“Huh?”
I didn't understand the point of the question.
“Which of these two do you think would suit me better?”
“Uh…”
I couldn't distinguish between the colors of the two lipsticks at all. Thinking I couldn't tell because they weren't applied, Yubin drew a line of each on the back of her hand.
But whether they were in the tubes or on her hand, I couldn't see any difference in color.
“Well… I mean…”
Thinking it would be better to give a definitive answer, I leaned in to look closely at the back of Yubin’s hand, but looking closer didn't help.
“If you can’t tell, you can just say so.”
Yubin spoke with a smile, clearly finding my struggle amusing.
“Yeah. I have no idea.”
I didn't think a proper answer was going to come to me no matter how much more time I took, so I gave a blunt admission. Yubin burst into a fit of laughter.
“Ahaha! You should have just said so from the start!”
She seemed to find it hilarious that I’d been staring so intensely, looking like I was trying to pick the better one when, in reality, I was just completely lost.
“You asked, so I thought I should give you a proper answer.”
“It’s not like I was asking something that important.”
After a good laugh, Yubin wiped a tear from her eye, put the lipsticks back, and wiped the marks off her hand.
“I didn't expect a guy who can handle having multiple girlfriends to be stumped by a choice between two lipsticks.”
“It’s because I overthink things.”
“Sure, sure. Now, pucker up.”
After cleaning her hand, she suddenly told me to pucker my lips. I obeyed automatically, like a machine following a command, and Yubin applied something to my lips.
“Now rub them together like this.”
She demonstrated by rubbing her upper and lower lips together, and I followed suit.
“Good. It looks pretty.”
Wondering what she’d put on me, I looked in a mirror. My lips were stained a soft, subtle red.
“Isn't this too red?”
“You can’t even tell unless you look closely.”
It felt strange to have tint on my lips for the first time in my life, but if Yubin liked it, I guess it was fine.
“I’m done looking. Shall we go somewhere else?”
We hadn't been inside for long, but Yubin seemed to have seen enough. She took my hand, and we stepped out of the cosmetics store together.