More Boring Than Expected
Late evening, inside The Queens' dorm. Im Haeun grumbled as she fastened the choker around her neck and threw on a summer coat.
It was because of a message from Lee Sejin, who hadn't contacted her in a while.
She had no idea why the guy who usually picked her up was telling her to come alone this time, but if he was calling her to that park, she could guess what it was about.
Even so, she'd properly dressed in a tank top and shorts under the coat. 'That bastard's just gonna strip me anyway.'
With that thought, she grabbed a bag to stuff her clothes into.
'Anything else to bring...? Nah, that bastard's probably got it ready.'
Fully prepared, Im Haeun stepped out of her room. Her face was sour since that asshole Lee Sejin had summoned her for some "training," but her steps toward the door were inexplicably quick.
Like she was looking forward to it or something.
Unaware of her own eager stride, she quietly opened the door and headed out.
'Where's unnie, anyway?'
It would've been perfect if Shin Soye was asleep so she could sneak out unnoticed, but Soye wasn't in the dorm right now. If Soye came back while she was gone, she'd wonder where Haeun had disappeared to.
'Hope she doesn't get back till I'm home... Ugh, guess I need an excuse ready. I'll make that bastard think one up for me.'
lost in such thoughts, Im Haeun hailed a taxi. But soon enough, she'd realize she wouldn't need any excuse at all.
Late evening, in a dim corner of the parking lot by the park. I parked where it wouldn't draw eyes, got out, and headed to the park entrance—our meeting spot.
Glancing at the time, there were still ten minutes till 10 PM. Now I just had to wait for Im Haeun.
"...She's quick."
As I pocketed my phone, I spotted someone approaching from afar. The out-of-place coat for the weather and her purposeful stride gave her away as Im Haeun, even if I couldn't see her face clearly.
She marched right up to me and stopped.
"......."
Im Haeun glared at me, her face full of anger.
"Why'd you make me come out on my own today?"
"Huh? What's the problem?"
"You always come pick me up. Even if you can't get right to the dorm entrance, you wait nearby."
She crossed her arms, picking at me bit by bit.
"If you're gonna make me do stuff like this at night, you gotta minimize the exposure. That's the only way I can feel even a little safe."
"......."
Im Haeun started nagging like she was my girlfriend or something. Was she that bummed I didn't pick her up?
Still, picking today to act like this? Bad timing.
"What? You listening? When someone's complaining, you gotta actually hear them out."
"I am listening. But..."
"But what? Spit it out clearly if you've got something to say."
Her eyes sharpened as she said it. I averted my gaze, looking behind her.
"Don't dodge my eyes."
"Haeun, you're nagging like my girlfriend."
"Ew, girlfriend? What kinda nonsense is that, unnie?! Why would I ever be with a jerk like—unnie!?"
Im Haeun freaked out and whipped around. There stood Soye, smiling.
Or rather, correcting myself—a smile that wasn't quite a smile.
"Yeah, Sejin's girlfriend is me, right?"
"Wh-wha—g-girlfriend? You two?!"
"Why so shocked? You already knew me and Sejin were a thing."
"N-no, I mean, h-how would I—wait, yeah, I knew! Right?"
"You said you saw everything we did. Even blackmailed us with it."
Soye kept smiling, but Im Haeun's face drained of color in seconds.
"Th-that was, I didn't mean—"
"It's fine~ I don't mind you watching~ Especially since it's our little Haeun."
"Uh-uhh..."
"More importantly, aren't you curious why I'm here?"
"Wh-what? Oh, yeah. Y-yeah. What brings you here..."
Im Haeun stuttered like a broken machine, unable to control her body, as Soye cheerfully showed her what she was holding.
"Doesn't this answer that~?"
What Soye held was a dog leash.
The moment Im Haeun saw it, her eyes snapped to me, demanding an explanation.
As if I had one to give. I just grinned.
"Y-you, youuu...!"
"Haeun~?"
Soye called her in her usual kind, gentle voice and clipped the leash onto Im Haeun's choker.
"Good girl, our Haeun?"
Soye beamed. At that smile, Im Haeun began to tremble slowly.
30 minutes later, in a dark corner of the park entrance where eyes wouldn't wander. Soye spoke in a disappointed tone.
"More boring than I expected."
"......."
Im Haeun had no response to Soye's complaint. For her, this was just an embarrassing nighttime walk—what could she say to Soye calling it boring?
"I thought it'd be more fun."
"Unnie... what're you..."
"Isn't walking in an empty park kinda lame?"
Soye poked Im Haeun's cheek with a smile.
"I heard you get a lot~ of training from Sejin, so I was curious how much... but it's more lame than I thought. Sejin, you gotta do it right."
"And if I do it right... how?"
"For example~"
Soye rested her chin on her hand, thinking, then her eyes lit up.
"Right, got a good idea."
She nodded with a bright smile.
"Sejin, let's go somewhere for a bit. I'll nav it."
"Sure, got it."
At my reply, Soye jumped up and grabbed the leash. Her face was brimming with excitement.
"Haeun, I'll show you a fun place."
"F-fun...?"
"Yeah. I only found it recently... super interesting. You'll like it."
Soye's smile hadn't faded once since meeting Im Haeun.
"......."
And Im Haeun's tension hadn't eased since then either.
I'd noticed before—Haeun seemed oddly weak against Soye.
"Let's go."
At Soye's word, we piled into the car.
Ding-a-ling~
"Welcome."
The door to the adult toy shop 'ShyToys for Women' opened, and the female clerk greeted reflexively. Her eyes flicked to the customer.
'One person.'
Sunglasses, mask, and a full-body coat despite the heat. A classic newbie hiding her identity.
Given the shop's wares, plenty of customers came disguised like that. The clerk turned back to her phone with a bored expression.
"......."
Im Haeun, however, had no clue. Just stepping into a place like this alone was mortifying, so the clerk ignoring her only made her more self-conscious.
'Damn damn damn damn damn...!'
Entering the shop, Im Haeun felt like she might die of shame. At least her outfit was better than at the park—she'd dressed properly under the coat, face hidden behind mask and shades.
The clerk was a woman, and it was an adult shop, so she shouldn't feel embarrassed... but.
'Places like this are embarrassing just to enter!'
For Im Haeun, the very atmosphere was too stimulating.
'No no, ignore it. Turn off my brain. Just grab what I need and bail. Quick.'
Im Haeun scanned the shop. After looking around, she headed to the dildo section.
'...Whoa, fuck. So many. World's a big place.'
Seeing the rainbow lineup, she nearly cursed out loud. She knew what a dildo was, but this was her first time seeing them IRL—and never imagined such variety and colors.
'Buy one like Sejin's size...'
Soye's order was simple: 'A pack of condoms, and a dildo about Sejin's size.'
"......."
Im Haeun glanced at the counter. The clerk was glued to her phone, uninterested, but Im Haeun was dying inside.
'Never setting foot in a place like this again!'
After agonizing over the clerk's gaze, she snatched a dildo without a close look.
'...Th-this should do.'
Gripping it, she hurried to the counter. Overwhelmed by humiliation, her steps faltered, but she whipped herself onward.
En route, she grabbed a random pack of condoms.
"...Here."
Her voice barely a whisper as she placed the items on the counter. It was pathetically meek, unimaginable from Im Haeun.
'My face is gonna explode...!'
The idea of admitting she'd use this dildo later was absurdly shameful.
The clerk examined the items for an eternal instant, then scanned them.
Beep.
"5,000 won, 65,000 won... total 70,000 won."
Mechanically, she bagged them in black plastic. Im Haeun, drowning in shame, snatched the bag and turned to bolt.
"Excuse me."
Im Haeun froze, glaring wordlessly.
"You need to pay first."
Her face flushed crimson. Panicking, she fumbled out her card—but in her haste, it clattered onto the counter.
"Ah, s-sorry..."
The flustered Im Haeun. But the clerk, jaded from such scenes, picked it up stone-faced, processed the payment, and handed it back.
"Thank you. Have a good night."
With that, Im Haeun fled the shop at top speed.
Left alone, the clerk returned to her YouTube.
* Bonus: Illustration without sunglasses.
