Midterms (5): Screams in the Night
"Aaack!"
The woman let out a panicked scream. I jolted in surprise and stumbled backward. But only for a moment. I quickly sized up the situation.
This was definitely Kim Ye-eun's apartment. I'd checked the entrance, so there was no way I'd gotten the wrong place. Come to think of it, she'd once mentioned having a roommate. That must be her.
"Kyaa— Mmph?!"
Assessing the situation would have to wait. I swiftly clamped my hand over her mouth and pinned her down. This old building didn't seem like it had great soundproofing. If her shrill screams kept going, someone might call the cops on us. And with Kim Ye-eun passed out cold right now, I wouldn't have anyone to vouch for me. I'd end up dragged off to the station without a word, spending the night in a holding cell packed with burly guys. No matter how much I'd resolved to try new experiences in this new life, that was a hard pass.
"Mmmph—!!"
The pinned woman thrashed wildly, desperate to break free, but her struggles were weak—probably didn't work out much. Still, lugging Kim Ye-eun here in my half-dead state had already drained me. I kept my voice low and polite as possible.
"I'm not a bad guy."
"Mm-mmph?!"
If anything, my attempt to reassure her only made her squirm harder. Whoops. Bad choice of words. My head wasn't spinning at full speed with the booze still lingering. Holding her like this was bound to cause an injury sooner or later, so I wracked my foggy brain.
"Stay still. Quiet. You won't get hurt. Just listen to me, okay? To avoid getting hurt."
"Guh-mmph……."
She squeezed her eyes shut and lolled her head to the side. Even shaking her to snap her out of it got no response—she'd passed out. Was I that scary? I didn't think I looked rough or anything. I felt bad for knocking her out unintentionally, but it was a relief all the same. The immediate crisis was averted.
For now, I'd wait until Kim Ye-eun and she came to, then explain everything face-to-face and clear the air.
"Pardon the intrusion."
The owners were both out cold on the floor outside, but the polite greeting slipped out automatically. It felt a bit ridiculous, but it eased what little guilt I had left.
"Oh."
The moment I opened the door, a pleasant fragrance hit me—not natural, but faintly artificial. Probably a diffuser or something inside. The room was generally tidy overall. A vanity, a closet, a bed. Nothing else except a small tripod in the corner. Minimalist vibe.
This has to be Kim Ye-eun's room...
Minimalism, tripod—it all pointed to her. Best to ask the owner herself, but that wasn't an option right now. I'd go with my gut.
"Ugh. You're heavy."
She looked objectively slim, but after back-to-back exhaustion, dragging her limp body was brutal.
"Mmmnya……."
Still, I managed to haul her inside and flop her onto the bed without incident. I even rolled her onto her side in recovery position, then stepped out. No touching her clothes—I didn't want any more misunderstandings.
"Huff... huff……."
Now for the unnamed woman. She'd fallen asleep peacefully in the meantime, breathing deeply with a relaxed expression. She looked heavier than Kim Ye-eun, for sure……
…….
After a brief hesitation, I decided to check her room first. Better to clear any obstacles ahead of time.
"This is……."
Opposite Kim Ye-eun's room. Inside was pure chaos. Furniture was similar—bed, vanity, closet. But the floor? Clothes and underwear scattered everywhere. The type to strip and toss them wherever upon getting home.
"Gotta clean this up, huh?"
I needed a path to the bed at least. I grabbed a nearby T-shirt and shoved the rest into a corner. Unavoidably, her underwear came into view.
These are big, huh?
Not like I'd studied them up close before. I'd had girlfriends in my past life, but they all wore sports bras. First time seeing a hook-style bra this near.
I paused mid-cleanup, lost in thought.
"……."
A presence behind me.
"So, to sum up your story: You're Ye-eun's childhood friend of over ten years. Today, you went to film at Byeolstar together, had some drinks, she got totally wasted, so you brought her home safe to make sure she didn't wander off midway. I happened to see that, tried to scream, and to avoid a false police report, you straight-up covered my mouth aggressively, threatened that I'd get hurt if I didn't listen, knocked me out, then barged into my room to ogle my... no, the clothes scattered on the floor?"
"...Mostly right, but that last part is a bit……."
"Did I get anything wrong?"
"No. Sorry for scaring you."
I didn't argue further and just bowed my head deeply. No point saying more—it wouldn't change a thing. Caught half red-handed, excuses would only stoke her anger. From my past life's social experience, best to stay humble in situations like this.
"Sigh……. I get the situation, at least."
"Thank—."
"Doesn't mean I forgive what you did."
"……."
She rubbed the spot between her eyes like her head throbbed, said she'd grab some water, and turned away.
What a mess...
A chain of absurd events. Dodged the police trip to the station by a hair, but objectively, not great. I'd forcibly knocked out Kim Ye-eun's roommate—a total stranger—then entered her room uninvited and got caught eyeing her underwear. If she called the cops now, it'd be straight to court, no questions asked.
As those thoughts spiraled, she returned, water finished. Her expression calmer—probably cooled off with the cold drink.
"I have a lot to say, honestly……. But let's talk tomorrow. After Ye-eun wakes up. All three of us together. Doubt it'll go well right now anyway."
"Ah……. Should I head out then?"
"No, it's late. Just crash in the spare room. Made it up anticipating friends visiting."
I nodded immediately. She smirked at that.
"Sleep well."
With that greeting, she headed to her room.
...Did it work out okay?
She even smiled at the end, so probably not the worst-case police scenario. Makes sense—not like she'd report her roommate's childhood friend……
She might.
Flash of my misdeeds toward her crossed my mind. No room for complacency. Too early to relax.
"Haaah……."
I collapsed onto the guest room bed. Not sure if I'd sleep well like this…… But what to say tomorrow? Mulling strategies to smooth things over, I closed my eyes quietly.
Chirp chirp.
Felt like not even a second passed. Harsh birdsong and bright light flooded my vision.
Sunday morning—should've been relaxing. Instead, I sat huddled in the living room, tense, basking in sunlight.
How do I even explain? Start from the top? Beg Kim Ye-eun for help? Or go big with an expensive meal or gift as apology? Or…….
Fresh from solid sleep, my brain churned at peak speed. Scenarios forming, vetted, discarded in real time. None usable. At this rate, iron-barrel ending awaited. Anxiety tightened around my throat.
Creeeak.
The old door groaned open.
"Oh, you're up already. Slept well, I see?"
Kim Ye-eun's unnamed roommate—the first to rise.
"Ah……. Yeah, thanks."
Couldn't admit tossing and turning. I'd seen her face post-shower—no dark circles.
"Hmm……. Mind waiting in your room a sec?"
She glanced at the bathroom—probably to freshen up.
"Sure, I'll head in."
"Rest up in there. I'll knock when breakfast's ready."
Back in the room, hair still damp, I didn't lie down—just plopped on the bed.
Brain revving for a perfect escape plan.
"Whew……."
Eventually, my head overheated. Gave up planning. When had I ever been a planner anyway? Looking back, planned stuff always went south. Once I realized my life was on the line here, all those schemes to extend it—setting criteria, acting on them—backfired. Nearly ruined things with Min-jun, life counter barely budged. Way better just cooking on cooldowns and handing it out thoughtlessly.
"Hmm……."
Normally, I'd kill time with YouTube or shorts. No appetite now. And if she walked in mid-video, it'd just get awkward. So I zoned out blankly.
Knock knock.
Time passed—who knows how much. Door opened, roommate peeked in.
"We're all set. Wanna grab breakfast? Hangover cure and all."
Kim Ye-eun's Roommate Looking Down (Image)
