Oppa, Who's This Bitch?
“Oppa, who the hell is this bitch?”
“Olivia unnie, you like Seong-muk oppa, right?”
“……!?”
Noah had shown up out of nowhere and dropped a bombshell.
Olivia jumped in shock, her face completely unguarded. She quickly glanced around before dragging Noah to a secluded spot.
“What's your angle? Showing up like this all of a sudden...”
Olivia's voice was laced with wariness.
After the awkward three-way meeting following the Geumgang High game, Noah had warmed up and smoothed things over, but that didn't erase the rival awareness entirely.
But Noah acted like none of that mattered, flashing a bright smile.
“I just want to help you out...!”
“Help me? With what?”
“Getting you and Seong-muk oppa together.”
“………!?!”
Olivia's face flushed hot.
Her reaction suggested she hadn't even dreamed of hearing something like this.
“Wh-what do you...!!”
“Haven't you ever thought about it, unnie? That with the right spark, you two could boom—close the gap just like that.”
“………….”
Olivia swallowed hard at Noah's words.
Lately, her feelings for Seong-muk had been deepening by the day, but outside of delivering meals and class time, they barely crossed paths.
A spark...
Noah was on the baseball team, so she naturally spent tons of time near him. Doyeon could make excuses with baseball analysis anytime.
In terms of creating opportunities, Olivia suddenly felt like she was in the worst position—a sharp pang of crisis hitting her mind.
But at the same time, a question lingered.
Noah had been seen as a rival before.
Why was she helping now?
That needed clearing up.
“...Why are you helping me? Weren't we rivals?”
“It's simple. You like Seong-muk oppa, and I think he likes you too.”
“Seong-muk...!?”
“You two like each other but keep missing by a step. I just want to see you get together. That's it—no other reason!”
“………!”
Olivia blinked in surprise.
A flood of thoughts rushed through her.
This girl... she's actually sweet!
Olivia saw Noah in a new light.
It felt like a love cupid had descended to lend a hand.
Of course, Noah claimed there were no other motives, but she had a hidden agenda she wasn't sharing.
If someone like Olivia unnie sticks by oppa's side, no mediocre flies will buzz around...!
Noah was fine sharing Seong-muk with certain women, but she wasn't about to let just anyone cling on.
She planned to curate his harem: only a select elite few she could approve.
With Olivia unnie and Doyeon unnie holding down the fort until I turn adult...
She intended to cross the line with Seong-muk the moment she came of age. A solid plan, in her mind.
But then, something unexpected happened.
“………!”
Noah, who had grabbed Seong-muk's phone to set up his SNS account, froze at the sight.
A photo of Seong-muk with a smiling blue-haired beauty, looking cozy together.
She's gorgeous...
And that figure...!
She had the aura of an icy beauty who wouldn't bleed if pricked, yet there she was, beaming happier than anyone next to Seong-muk.
As two women who harbored feelings for him, they couldn't ignore it. A whirlwind of hypotheses flashed through their minds in seconds.
Ex-girlfriend? No, maybe a secret girlfriend...
Oppa said he had a wild phase once—could she be a FWB!?
But guesses weren't enough.
After running through every possibility, they confronted Seong-muk directly.
“Seong-muk, who's this girl?”
“Oppa, this needs some explaining.”
Of course, Seong-muk couldn't answer.
He had no detailed knowledge of who Geum Seong-muk had met before possession.
But studying the photo closely, Seong-muk pieced it together.
Seo Ye-bin...?!
The smiles had thrown him off at first, but he was certain now.
Blue straight hair, this level of beauty and curves. No doubt—it's her.
Seo Ye-bin.
Granddaughter of the Yujin Holdings conglomerate chairman.
Among the original game's players, far more harbored grudges against her than fondness.
...She was always positioned to obstruct the player at every turn.
With her stunning looks, she could've been a conquerable heroine to obsess over, but unfortunately, she was unapproachable.
Seo Ye-bin had taken over Yujin Press, a media subsidiary of Yujin Holdings, at a young age. She relentlessly unleashed scandals targeting the player.
Any time a heroine scandal broke, you could bet it came from Yujin Press.
But I never imagined she'd been lovers with Geum Seong-muk...
They were both from Bujeon High, after all.
The photo was damning evidence on its own, but Seong-muk had also found a ring while rummaging through his current studio apartment.
Engraved on it: YB♥ initials and a heart.
Hold up—that bike in the photo with Seo Ye-bin? Isn't that the one parked in front of the apartment?
Its flashy design made it unmistakable.
It blocked half the first-floor hallway to the stairs, earning Seong-muk's curses every pass—turns out it was his all along.
Now the puzzle clicked into place for Seong-muk.
Maybe that's why Seo Ye-bin was an iron wall to every other guy... because of Geum Seong-muk.
For now, the relationship was clear. Seong-muk laid it out straight for them.
“Ex-girlfriend. We dated briefly in Busan, then broke up.”
“………!”
They flinched.
But having braced somewhat, they didn't freak out.
“Ex-girlfriend... I see.”
“Uh, about your ex—.”
“Sorry, not great memories.”
“Ah...”
Noah started to probe, but Seong-muk shut it down with a reluctant vibe.
...I want to tell them, but I got nothing solid.
Seong-muk resolved to dig more on Seo Ye-bin later. That day's threesome date ended, planting a strange sense of urgency in the two women.
################
“Whew, slept well.”
Yesterday's meetup with them had gone decently, all thanks to Noah's heavy lifting.
Right, Olivia unnie had that popup at the department store recently. Tell me about it...!!
Seo Ye-bin's photo had tanked the mood, but Noah pivoted topics masterfully, and I backed her up. Olivia, initially frosty, gradually thawed.
She hadn't hid her irritation at the photo. I knew why she overreacted like that.
...She straight-up said she likes me, even if I don't know why.
Olivia hadn't confessed directly, but her status window spoiled it while eating her bento.
I'd learned her feelings unintentionally but hadn't acted on them.
We each have places to return to.
Me to reality, her to England.
Hometowns waiting.
Couldn't surrender to a fleeting blaze—too deep, and it might destroy us both.
Anyway, I got out of bed.
Thought about heading to Munhyeok High field as usual, but remembered Coach Ma's training ban.
“Tch, what the hell do I even do?”
The thought hit me.
I'd been running solely on baseball.
Without it, nothing to do. No one to meet, either—or so I thought, until a name flashed.
“Ah...!”
The second it surfaced, I dialed.
“H-hello...?”
Her voice trembled as she picked up.
I cut straight to it.
“Doyeon noona, you free today? Wanna grab food?”
The one I'd thought of was none other than Do Doyeon. I owed her big time, and she'd hinted at getting closer post-hot springs. Time to make it happen.
“…………!!”
I heard her catch her breath over the line. She hesitated, then replied.
“Yeah, I'd like that, but...”
“But?”
“I'm in the middle of something right now. If it's okay, come here?”
“Hm?”
Something Doyeon noona was doing.
Probably baseball-related. Since I'd planned to seek her out anyway, I agreed easily.
“Sure, where are you?”
“Well...”
“...Yeah?”
The place she named was utterly unexpected.