How Long Has It Been Since I Last Did It?
The bed felt a little softer than usual.
The way the mattress cradled my body.
The blanket was soft and cozy, like one you’d find in a hotel, and I didn't want to open my eyes.
I pulled the blanket all the way over my head, wanting to sleep more.
'So sleepy….'
There was a scent inside the blanket that I hadn't smelled before.
Or rather, not that it was new, but a scent I hadn't smelled in a long time.
What was it?
The scent of a man.
I woke up in an instant.
I threw off the blanket I had pulled over my head.
Bright light flooded in, making it hard to open my eyes. It was sunlight.
An unfamiliar ceiling.
'…This is Siu's place.'
Why am I lying in Siu's bed?
It’s Siu’s house, so where is Siu, and why am I the one sleeping here?
A hangover hit me belatedly.
I pressed my temples as a throbbing headache pulsed from deep inside my head.
“Ugh…….”
I have absolutely no memory of yesterday.
To think I lost my memory after just a can and a half of beer.
The efficiency with which alcohol affects my body has become way too high.
Should I be happy or sad that I get drunk even after drinking just a little?
I tried my best to recall last night.
I remember sending Sia off, but I have no memory of anything after that.
Now that I look, I’m still wearing the same clothes.
As someone who would never, ever get into bed wearing clothes I wore outside, I felt incredibly sorry toward Siu.
“…….”
Is he being considerate because I look like a girl?
If it were the old me, he would have just left me be and tossed a blanket on top of me.
No, he might not have even given me a blanket.
When I went out to the living room, Siu was sleeping under a thin blanket that looked like it was for summer.
I checked the time—11:00 AM. It was quite late.
Seeing how clean the house was, it seemed like Siu had cleaned up by himself before falling asleep.
I went to the bathroom because I needed to pee, and Siu was still sleeping when I came back.
He was even snoring now.
I couldn't keep letting the homeowner sleep on the floor like this.
“Siu, Siu.”
I knelt beside Siu, who was lying on the floor, and shook his shoulder.
I was sleeping, but someone kept annoyingly shaking my body.
The feeling of being forcibly woken up from a deep sleep wasn't very pleasant.
I couldn't take it anymore and opened my eyes. My vision was blurry, so I couldn't see well.
Before my focus could sharpen, a face was thrust right in front of me at a very close distance.
A girl—no, Eunhae was right in front of my eyes.
“Whoa!”
I reflexively pulled my body back.
“S-scared me….”
Eunhae was just as startled as I was and pulled her hand away.
“…Right.”
Right. Eunhae was still at my place. I just let her sleep at my place yesterday.
I could feel my heart beating fast.
“What do you mean ‘right’…?”
On the other hand, Eunhae’s voice sounded perfectly normal.
She didn't seem to know anything about yesterday.
Yesterday, both of us implicitly avoided bringing up that incident, but this felt different from that.
It seemed like she didn't even know such a fact existed at all.
If it were Eunhae, who is terrible at acting, she would have already been avoiding my eyes, but those two eyes staring straight at me right now were the proof.
“If you want to sleep more, you can sleep in the bed. I’m up….”
“Oh, oh. Okay.”
Siu gathered the blanket and sat up.
“Eunhae.”
“Yeah?”
“Do you remember yesterday?”
A brief silence flowed.
“……No.”
Eunhae slowly pointed at herself with her finger. She gave an awkward smile.
“……Did I do something?”
It seems Eunhae really did have a blackout.
Yeah, it was better that she forgot.
I’m the only one who needs to know that such a thing happened.
“No, it’s nothing like that…. You, don’t drink alcohol anymore.”
Eunhae laughed sheepishly.
“…Yeah. I’ll do that.”
I tidied up the blanket.
Eunhae turned toward the bathroom, then looked back at me.
“But, Siu.”
“What.”
“Can I borrow a toothbrush?”
“…A toothbrush?”
“My mouth feels gross, so I want to brush my teeth….”
Eunhae still looked like she hadn't fully woken up; her eyes were half-closed, and her hair was messy.
Perhaps she had pulled it out unconsciously while sleeping, but the knit sweater she had tucked into her pants was already hanging out.
But why is she suddenly asking for a toothbrush?
“Go home and brush it.”
“But it feels gross if I don’t brush it now….”
Yeah, it’s just a toothbrush. It’s not like it’s a big loss.
“O-okay. The toothbrush is over there. Take it and use it.”
She walked with a pitter-patter toward where I pointed.
The sound of bare skin sticking to and peeling off the floor was light. It was like a small animal walking.
I thought she’d take a new toothbrush and go straight to the bathroom, but Eunhae turned around once more.
“Oh, and Siu.”
“What now.”
“Thank you.”
Eunhae slipped into the bathroom, and the door closed.
Is she thanking me for lending her a toothbrush?
Is she thanking me for letting her sleep over?
Is she thanking me for not touching her?
…What does she mean by ‘thank you’?
I brushed my teeth while looking in the mirror.
I could have bought a disposable toothbrush at a convenience store, but I was too lazy to go out.
Brush, brush.
Seeing Siu’s reaction, it was clear that something definitely happened yesterday.
The way he avoided my eyes, for one.
And the fact that he specifically told me not to drink alcohol.
Did I do something? Did Siu do something?
I don't know, but Siu’s reaction was subtle.
“Ptooey.”
After I finished brushing, I left the toothbrush there.
It’s not a disposable one, so it’s a waste to throw it away. I can just use it again if I have a reason to come to Siu’s house later.
When I came out of the bathroom, I thought Siu would be sleeping in the room, but he was awake.
“Not sleeping more?”
“I’m already wide awake. It’s already lunchtime, so why would I sleep more?”
“Then shall we eat lunch and then I’ll go? I don’t have anything to do at home anyway….”
“You just brushed your teeth, and now you want to eat?”
“I brushed because it felt gross, so it doesn't matter, right? It’s not like I’m eating tangerines…. I’ll just eat lunch and go right away.”
“You’re just trying to save money on lunch, aren't you.”
“…No, I’m not.”
Actually, that was half right and half wrong.
It’s my day off anyway, and it’s the same that I have nothing to do if I go home.
What’s the point of going early?
It’s lunchtime, so I might as well eat while I’m at it.
“Fine. It’s a hassle, so I’ll just boil some ramen.”
“Wait…! Let me cook the ramen.”
“Why.”
“You cooked yesterday. I’ll make the only dish I know how to make. Ramen…!”
“Do you even call ramen cooking?”
“To me, ramen is cooking…. Where’s the water?”
“Just take it from there.”
What Siu pointed at was the faucet on the sink.
“You boil ramen with that…?”
“What about it?”
“No, isn't that a bit…? I always use bottled water to boil ramen….”
“Why would you use bottled water to boil ramen? Just take the water with this.”
“O-okay. You rest while I cook the ramen….”
I sent Siu away and turned on the faucet.
Whoosh—
I’m psychologically reluctant to use tap water.
But I have no choice; I have to boil it just like the homeowner said.
…How much water should I use when boiling two packs of ramen?
But it’s a bit weird to boil them separately one by one.
I guess I should just use twice the amount I usually put in.
The pot grew heavy as it filled with water. When it looked roughly like a lot, I turned off the faucet.
When I tried to lift it with one hand, my wrist hurt, so I gripped it tightly with both hands.
I put the pot on the induction stove and dropped in the soup base and noodles. The water boiled quickly, and the smell of ramen wafted through the air.
“Is it done?”
Siu asked, perhaps because the smell had reached him.
Then he strode over and peered into the pot.
“Hey….”
Siu’s voice was a bit low. What is it?
I didn't even break any bowls or anything.
“It’s the Han River in here…….”
“W-well, it was just right when I used one bottle of water, but I think it’s because I tried to match it with tap water. It would have been perfect if we just used two bottles of water for two people…!”
“It’s a waste to throw it away, so I’m going to eat it anyway.”
“And the water, I just measured it by eye. I’m actually good at boiling ramen usually….”
“I said I’m eating it.”
“Yeah….”
Siu was the one who transferred the ramen from the pot.
When I ate the ramen, it was bland, just like Siu said, because it was like the Han River.
Even though it was my first time cooking for two people.
Siu ate the ramen in silence.
“You don’t have to eat it if it doesn't taste good….”
“I said it’s more of a hassle to deal with food waste.”
Eunhae ate the ramen and went back cleanly.
She said she’d do the dishes herself, but her hands were so slow that I just finished them off.
I barely stopped her when she wanted to take a shower, too.
“It makes no sense to go outside without washing your hair…!”
Since she couldn't remember what happened yesterday, she was the same Eunhae as usual.
I thought it would be fine if only I remembered.
But acting like she didn't know anything was driving me crazy.
If it were really someone else, not me….
I’ll tell her properly when she’s in her right mind later.
Once Eunhae left, the house finally became quiet.
I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth.
And I saw it.
The wet toothbrush.
If you used it, you should have taken it with you.
What is the meaning of leaving it here?
I don't know if she left it here on purpose or if she just left it naturally like she usually does.
I was about to take the toothbrush and throw it away.
…I decided to just leave it.
Now I can rest for three whole days in a row.
Siu said he could hang out with me for at least one day. But that day wasn't today.
I took a shower and lay down on the bed. Even after a lot of time passed, my body felt languid.
Maybe it’s because I showered with hotter water than usual.
No, the aftermath of the alcohol was significant. My head still felt a bit foggy, too.
As expected, it’s probably better not to drink alcohol.
Although the feeling of my body floating on alcohol was nice.
It was bitter, too.
“Hmm….”
I rolled around on the bed.
What on earth happened when I blacked out?
It felt unsettling because it seemed like I was the only one who couldn't remember.
I tried to rack my brain as much as possible, but nothing came to mind at all.
'If Siu is pretending not to know, then I should pretend not to know too, right…?'
I reached that conclusion and closed my eyes in bed.
But sleep didn't come easily.
I grabbed the smartphone lying next to me.
The screen brightness was too high, so I squinted a little.
'What time is it now….'
[10:21 PM]
It’s ambiguous.
“…….”
I kicked the blanket with my foot for no reason.
Whoosh, cold air passed through the empty space.
My body feels a bit floaty today.
…How long has it been since I last did it?
Is it almost two months now?
I was just going to sleep.
I sat up, lifting only my upper body from the bed. And I hesitated for a moment.
Just a little.
I’ll just touch it a little and finish.
It’s not like I’m never going to touch it for the rest of my life.