Chapter 64
"We've got stuff to do together." "Then two spicy level 3s, and from the couple set, shrimp tempura curry and beef curry. Oh, and make the ade green grape, please."
"Yes, please wait just a moment."
In the end, just as Yoo Seol-ah suggested, we went with the couple set, and Lee Seo-yeon stepped up to order like it was her job from the start. It suited her personality perfectly—she'd totally take charge of something like that. The server confirmed the order one more time, and now we were just waiting.
Suddenly, Yoo Seol-ah draped her arms over the table and slumped forward. Worried she might be feeling sick somewhere, I asked, but thankfully, it wasn't that.
"You okay? Feeling off?"
"Nah, just hungry. I didn't eat anything this morning... Kinda short on sleep, so I crashed late."
...Yeah, Yoo Seol-ah being hungry was a major crisis. I felt like an idiot for thinking she was second-guessing the couple set. Who'd pass up karaage and ade for 1,500 won off? No one in our group didn't know Yoo Seol-ah loved food way more than her size suggested.
As expected, her longtime friend Park Harin chimed in.
"What? The great Yoo Seol-ah skipping meals?"
"Hey, seriously Park Harin... I skip sometimes when I'm rushed...!"
Honestly, her off day today might've just been hunger—though there were other factors too. She'd left early to meet up ahead of time. But if that was the case, it also meant she'd toughed out the hunger just to see me first.
"I'm drained..."
Now she wasn't just slumped; she was practically melting into a puddle. With us all being so close, she was showing a side she'd never let outsiders see.
"What, one skipped breakfast and you're this wiped...?"
"I am..."
This time Lee Seo-yeon said it with utter disbelief, but the fond looks from the rest of us—including me—proved Yoo Seol-ah was just born to be adorable.
"So what major are you, Seo-yeon?"
"Food and Nutrition. Korea U doesn't have Culinary Arts, so this was the closest for actual cooking."
"...Jealous. You're good at it. I'm PE."
I'd figured as much—same ping-pong club as Yoo Seol-ah, tall and athletic vibe. Physical Education it was. Probably aiming for gym teacher? Lately I'd been thinking about health ed too, so if that's her goal, I could pick her brain later.
Come to think of it, Yoo Seol-ah rarely talked about her department. We'd shared tons over the past five days, but beyond mentioning the freshman welcome party being fun, nothing. Sure, no other department events yet besides that, but she'd have made friends, right?
"Yoo Seol-ah, who'd you hang with in your class?"
She's shy but hates being alone, so probably not solo. We shared classes, but I wanted her enjoying campus life even when apart.
"Me? At the welcome party, just mingled with the girls from my section."
Her answer was so matter-of-fact—like, why ask?—that Park Harin led us all in the same reaction.
"Whoa, Yoo Seol-ah..."
Alcohol helped, and once she got talking, she chatted up strangers fine. Still, it felt impressive. She huffed, protesting.
"Why treat me like a kid? Lately I even send stuff back if the order's wrong!"
...That's just basic. "Lately" implied she couldn't before. She was basically begging to be babied. Sensing the weirdness, she explained.
"No, like... Wrong order means hassle for the staff, waste for me and the food, so I just ate it before..."
"Got it. No more babying."
Lee Seo-yeon's tone dripped pity-fueled mercy, and Yoo Seol-ah gave up. I'd once wondered how someone so stunning could be that timid, but now it was just... her.
Moments later, our food arrived, and whatever sulk she'd had vanished as her eyes sparkled, spoon in hand.
"Let's eat."
She widened her eyes at the taste, so I tried my curry. Verdict: Yoo Seol-ah was a food genius. I'd eaten breakfast, so my spoon moved steadily, but my gaze stayed mostly on her blissed-out face.
"Good?"
Halfway through her bowl, still munching happily, she paused before answering.
"Wanna try?"
She scooped some curry and beef onto her spoon. The other two hadn't clocked it yet, but no way she was feeding me, right? Then she froze, awkwardly redirecting to her own mouth.
After swallowing slowly, cheeks pink, she whispered just for me.
"...Eat it yourself...!"
Her fumbling solo act was oddly comforting. Welcome back, Yoo Seol-ah. Hunger must've dulled her usual spark. With today's excitement, this breather felt like a relief.
With University English at 1 PM, we headed back to campus after eating.
"What're you all up to after classes?"
"Thinking of chilling. MT got pushed to next week?"
Usually first or second Friday post-semester start, but with orientation on Friday, yeah. Yoo Seol-ah pondered Park Harin's question, then sneakily nudged my side.
"I've got plans with him."
"...Date?"
"No? Just some work."
...Work? We'd wrapped that yesterday—wallet was fat now. But I wasn't dumb enough to call her out.
"...But if you're working and flirting, isn't that a date?"
Lee Seo-yeon nailed it. Anything just us two—even real work—qualified as a date.
"What flirting...? I don't even do that much..."
Belly full, her tsundere mode stabilized. "Don't even" became "don't much"—subconscious slip amid the denial.
"If you say so...?"
"Ugh, seriously, Baek Sion, it's work. Let's go."
Dodging their blatant skepticism, she bolted. Class was imminent anyway, so we filed into the lecture hall. First in, we grabbed back-row seats side by side.
Around 12:50, students trickled in—including familiar faces: Kim Junwoo and Kim Gayeong. Didn't know they shared this class. Hanging together meant welcome party sparks lingered. Similar vibes; they'd mesh well.
"......"
Kim Junwoo didn't chat—didn't know my crew—but shot me a look passing by: explain later. Fair; from his view, me with mystery girls, cozy-chatting the silver longhair? Curiosity bait.
One minute to 1, a young-looking prof arrived.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kang Jin-uk, handling University English—Advanced level."
His upbeat intro kicked off the lecture.
"First, good news you'll like. Day one, so no lesson content today. No homework either."
Thunderous applause dwarfed his intro cheers. First classes hit different—especially with a young prof.
"And you all are good at English, right?"
Laughter rippled. Prerequisite: certified test score for Advanced English. Basics covered.
"Just self-intros, and we're done."
Not my fave, but applause-worthy.
"But plain name-and-major is boring, forgettable. Right?"
...So much for smooth sailing. Bland intros doomed.
"No songs—that bugs some—so today's twist:"
Lying Self-Introduction
"...Dude actually ends it right there."
"Yeah."
Prep three facts—one mandatory lie. Obvious liars redo next time, so deliberation dragged. Twist: no revealing the lie. Curious? Ask 'em yourself. He wrapped up, even preferring "Teacher" over "Professor" for approachability. Open-minded guy.
Yoo Seol-ah's lie: natural silver from rare disease. Her acting stunned me—even I bought it briefly. Desperate to avoid redo, she maxed nonexistent skills. Post-class, girls asked—believers. Truth out, they gushed dye job perfection, begged salon recs.
Watching: Yoo Seol-ah crushes when she commits. Now outside, though, exhaustion showed.
"...Crowds drain me..."
"Good job."
Her kindness meant no cutting chats short. Lee Seo-yeon and Park Harin split for schedules. Trailing her shuffle led to the bus stop. Where to now? Her five-days-ago words lingered, but daytime felt off.
"Where we headed?"
"...Home first. Still wiped. Nap time."
Sex aside, work backlog had her beat. Alone, she was brutally honest. Was I mistaking her for pure succubus lust?
Recalling earlier, I teased.
"'Plans with me'—what work?"
Her voice trembled faintly.
"Nap now, wake at night... then the stuff. With you."
No misunderstanding. Tired was tired; pent-up was real.