Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Hashtag (5)
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I faced Han Chae-ah.
Her eyes brimmed with tears.
A face on the verge of bursting into sobs.
Completely different from before.
She was clearly aroused, but fear overshadowed it.
An expression that wanted no part of venturing deeper into unknown territory.
Pushing further here would only provoke backlash.
Though my heart yearned to take it all the way.
But I wasn't ruthless enough to ignore that look and charge ahead.
'Sorry.'
I first apologized to my raging hard-on below.
Really counting on today.
If I'd just slammed into her pussy right then, she could've shed her virginity.
Could've had that first time.
Sorry.
For having such a soft-hearted owner.
Han Chae-ah's desperate gaze.
The hashtag still steeped in fear.
Held me back.
Tears welling, I took a step back.
"Nothing here."
"...Pardon?"
"Sorry. I suspected you since the teaspoon vanished. Turns out the customer didn't take it."
Words wrapping up the roleplay.
Hearing that, Han Chae-ah blinked.
Regret and relief.
Two emotions intertwined.
Biting her lower lip, she asked me.
"I-Is it over here?"
"No teaspoon turned up, no need to force more investigation."
"... ."
Now that I was really stopping, her pupils quivered with regret.
"I-It’s done then... ."
Her voice trembled too.
That voice mustn't reignite things.
Once resolved to end it, see it through.
Half-hearted waffling and backtracking would only sow doubt.
This was to plant the truth: it wasn't just for my pleasure.
To show that if she truly hated it, I wouldn't force the issue.
Regret must linger for the next round to thrill.
"Please get dressed."
Still deep in employee mode, I replied politely.
Han Chae-ah's gaze on me was intricate.
As if brimming with tangled thoughts.
I felt just as genuine regret as she did.
'To pass up a chance like this.'
Led things this far sans quest.
Purely on one hashtag.
Each time I prodded the desire it hinted at, Han Chae-ah reacted raw and honest.
Pouring out her cravings unfiltered.
As if I had her mind mapped out.
Just how freakishly potent is this app?
'Stopping here should cap the quest's escalation.'
Can't claim quest anxiety played no role in this call.
She turned, slipping back into her clothes.
The cafe air, thick with heat, hadn't cooled.
Han Chae-ah's face, gazing at me, still flushed with that fresh fervor.
"......"
Fear lingered, but so did the ache.
This meant next time...
I quit speculating.
No good hyping unspent futures.
She and I exchanged not a word.
Not till we'd tidied up and stepped out of the cafe.
We simply savored our private heat and echoes.
"Um, S-sunbae..."
Cafe door shut behind us, Han Chae-ah spoke up.
Far politer than her usual.
"What just happened... c-can you keep it secret?"
Eyes locked on her desperate plea.
Did she peg me for some gossiping sleaze who'd blab about women?
Worry trumped that, no doubt.
Such scandals hit women harder.
"No clue what you mean."
"......"
Getting it, she dipped her head.
"Thank you."
Thanks for zipping it despite groping and molesting her tits.
Words anyone'd call bizarre, but we let it lie.
"Let's head out now."
"W-where to?"
"Home. Can't ditch you solo after this late. I'll walk you."
I slung on the bag from morning.
"Least with me around, no creeps'll bug you."
"To me, you're the creepiest guy, Sunbae."
"Can't argue."
No denial.
School drama to fresh breast-grab: all me.
"Another dude, and you'd be in deep shit for real."
"You know that sounds twisted, right?"
"What part?"
"Department-wide, hell, whole campus—no one else handles me like you."
Brightening up a tad?
Her voice packed more punch than before.
"Hate it?"
No denial to my prod.
"Couldn't answer quick 'cause I d-don't hate it? No! I really do hate it..."
"Then why wait?"
"Eek..."
"Knew what I'd pull. Waited anyway, yeah?"
"......"
Speechless.
True story.
She knew my moves best.
Waited anyway.
Craving my touch.
"Not words from a girl who came on my hand."
"I-I didn't cum! W-who said your h-hand did that?!"
"Didn't?"
"...Yes!"
"Soaked for someone who didn't."
"Eek!"
Mouth clamped.
Knew she'd lose any war of words now.
Hence.
Han Chae-ah hushed quick.
"Which way? Place close?"
"T-this way."
"Lead on. Walking—no ride."
"No expectations."
Such pretty barbs.
Pure and sweet to others, tsundere only with me.
My deeds aside, nice words first would've got nice back.
'Maybe?'
I matched her stride, walking side by side.
Saturday night streets rowdier than expected.
Passersby snuck peeks at Han Chae-ah.
Lust blooming in their stares, scheming pickups.
Without me, lame lines galore.
Prospects eyed me, spooked, bailed.
"Sunbae..."
"Yeah."
"One question."
"Ask."
"Why not go all the way?"
"Huh?"
Sudden, I eyed Han Chae-ah.
Question in her gaze.
Cafe heat clung; eyes oddly viscous.
"In the cafe... your look screamed full throttle. Hand even slipped in..."
Voice creeping, but spilling it all—pure Han Chae-ah.
"W-why halt midway? Y-you're not the type..."
What am I to you.
Easy answer.
"You didn't want to. Stopped."
"Me? I didn't want it?"
"Yeah. Looked legit scared."
"T-then before? Sudden boob grab, panty color quiz..."
"That?"
"Yeah."
"Didn't act like you hated it."
"W-what?! So embarrassed..."
"Hated it then?"
"Huh?"
"Me doing that—hated?"
True hate? Not strolling with me.
I'd be locked up; Choi Ye-won visiting, calling me dumbass.
"Nah."
Nailed it; she flinched.
"S-so earlier—you saying I really hated it?"
"Yeah. Seemed so."
"......"
Stared steady.
"You know me better than me."
"Experience gap."
Quiet stretch.
"Sunbae."
"Yeah?"
"S-so, loads of experience? T-that side..."
Blushing query; I feigned thought, stalled.
"No comment."
"No such thing."
"Keeping mum. Funnier."
"Eek!"
But Han Chae-ah dropped it.
Silent stroll resumed on night path.
Her eyes hit my bag.
"What's that?"
"Oh, morning clothes. Rank smell. Wore for logistics gig."
"Logistics PT? Two jobs daily?"
"Workout? Stamina surplus."
"Nuts..."
Incredulous stare.
"Rough stuff. Beat, could drop."
"Tired? Home straight?"
"Nope."
"Huh?"
"No sending you solo late-night. Can't stomach weirdo hitting on you."
"W-why you care?"
"What sunbae lets hoobae suffer hates?"
Tacked on real motive, sly smile.
"Waited late on my account—gotta escort home."
"Ah..."
Waited for me; no solo send-off.
Guilt demands no.
Soon, her hood.
Closer to mine than figured.
Yeonsung student digs? All akin.
Mine cheaper lease though.
Two blocks? Wild gap.
Big.
Quiet spot too, off bustle.
"Here?"
"Yeah. Thanks. Not all weirdo. Killer coffee, kinda thoughtful..."
"Your take on me."
"Clueless kamikaze perv."
Gent like me scarce.
"Anyway, inside. No weirdo snags."
Turning home post-drop, she hailed.
"Jinwoo sunbae."
"Yeah?"
"N-no contact. Stargram?"
"Stargram?"
Nod.
"Phone skipped for Stargram first?"
Freshies did too.
Numbers swapped post-bond.
"Dunno your ID."
"......"
My ID.
Loner tag: zero follows, zero followers.
Ah, tweak.
Followers: -1. True loner.
Sexgram follows on Choi Ye-won, Han Chae-ah? No Stargram sync.
Record holds: follows 0, followers -1.
"......"
Followers up now? No diff.
Sexgram would've synced if.
"Dusty ID, but here."
"Sunbae..."
Peering my Stargram, pity flooded her eyes.
"Why that pity stare?"
"Ate with Ye-won sunbae, right? Her follower? Zero why?"
Others see zero still.
"No Stargram chats."
"Fine. Friendless no dealbreaker."
This chick?
Followed my account.
Han_cha follow alert popped.
My name joined her empty follows.
"Ping before next cafe."
"Follow for that?"
"Yeah. Group work ahead—share lines."
"Phone suffice?"
"Backup net."
"Done. In you go."
"Safe trip."
Stood watch till building swallowed her.
"My turn to crash."
"How'd he know?"
Home, Han Chae-ah replayed Kim Jinwoo's reply.
To her why-stop query.
—You didn't want it. So I stopped.
Prior hates voiced, no halt.
This time? Different.
Quit right at the brink.
Knew aroused guy's mid-quit agony—even sans guy XP.
Kim Jinwoo did though.
'Cause she hated it.
No prior stops? Nailed her true non-hate then.
Secret wish even.
Norm-defying slips.
Yeah.
Good girl always.
'Knows me better.'
Eerie.
Mind-reader?
"Fated match or what?"
No other fit.
"Sunbae as fate? Kinda fun."
That one'd drag her anywhere.
Eyed phone, missed-call packed.
Mom♥ (24)
—Home safe?
—Why no reply this late? —Mom said: no late nights. —College rules matter. Mom trusted you—what now?
—Call NOW.
Ah.
Suffocating.
Chest weighed like anchors.