Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Pajama Tease and Workout Resolve
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"Gah..."
Stretching out my sore body with all my might, I checked the time and saw it was already 11 p.m.
I guess I did study for a good long while.
With plans to go out with Han Seo-ah the day after tomorrow on Saturday, I had to cram in as much as possible today and tomorrow.
This is good enough. With that thought, I slammed shut the workbook I didn't even want to look at anymore.
Han Seo-ah had wanted to come hang out in my room again today, but when I said studying would make it tough, she pouted sadly yet accepted it right away.
I felt both grateful and a bit regretful.
Why the regret, though?
...Maybe I just wanted to see her whining.
This is bad. I pulled out my phone and texted Han Seo-ah.
"Hey, I'm done studying now. Gonna rest a bit and crash." (tired puppy lying down emoticon)
The second I sent it, the little "1" vanished instantly.
She's still up, huh? As I thought that, my phone rang.
It was a video call from Han Seo-ah.
Curious what she wanted this late, I picked up.
"Whoa, damn...!"
"Jun-woo!"
Her bright, cheerful smile greeted me from the screen.
The problem was the large expanse of bare skin visible alongside her.
I instinctively saved it to memory... No, shocked by the sudden eye candy, I slapped my hand over the screen and yelled.
"Hey, hey! Your pajamas are way too..."
"Huh? Me?"
There was a soft rustling sound for a moment, then her voice called me again, signaling she was done. I moved my hand away.
And there it was again—that same bare skin.
"Hey, it's still the same...!"
Thank you very much.
"Pfft, Jun-woo. Aren't you overreacting?"
Even with my hand back over the phone, I could picture her grinning mischievously.
"How could I not? Hurry up and... cover it."
"Cover what?"
She asked teasingly, her voice dripping with amusement, fully aware. For a second, I considered whipping my hand away and playing it cool like a man.
That's not manly—that's just wanting to see more...
Shut up, brain-me. It is manly.
"Ahaha, okay, Jun-woo. I'll stop teasing. Hang on."
I stayed silent, and she sounded thoroughly satisfied.
The rustling of her adjusting her pajamas came through the speaker, stirring my imagination with the scene I'd just glimpsed.
Throb.
Ah.
Her lower half wouldn't even be visible anyway, so without thinking, I subtly lifted the phone higher to cover it.
Better safe than sorry.
Yeah, exactly.
"Jun-woo, all good now. Look this way."
Her coaxing, playful voice urged me on. I moved my hand, and disappointingly, there she was—properly dressed in her pajamas.
"Phew..."
I let out a sigh that was 90% regret, 10% relief.
"Hee, sorry. Guess they slipped down while I was lying in bed."
"...Didn't look lazy to me."
The screen I'd seen clearly—
"Jun-woo, I thought you covered it quick, but you saw everything, huh?"
"......"
Her eyes gleamed like a predator spotting prey, as if she'd caught me red-handed.
"...Just a glimpse. A quick one."
"Heh, really?"
"......Maybe a little longer than a glimpse?"
Breaking into a cold sweat, I confessed. Laughter exploded from her end, filling the room with pure joy.
"Ah, Jun-woo. Aren't you just too cute?"
Her eyes were tearing up from laughing; she wiped under them with a finger.
"...Shut up."
Realizing I'd been had, I grumbled and flopped back onto my bed.
Lying on my side to face the phone screen, I saw her—mirroring my position, gazing at me with soft eyes.
She's pretty.
"Feels like we're lying in the same bed, right?"
"...Yeah."
I could've stayed like this for hours, even days.
Han Seo-ah on the screen was dazzlingly bright.
"Nice."
The honest murmur slipped out unbidden.
"Yeah, for me too."
You beamed back, as if agreeing.
Just watching you through the screen felt this good—what if you were actually lying beside me right now?
Your warm body heat, soft skin, sweet voice.
If all that was right there next to me, I couldn't even imagine how much happier I'd be.
"Wish midterms were over quick."
"...Yeah."
That night, in the quiet room,
we started sharing our daily routines in low voices and kept the call going for hours.
Sleep crept up, our eyes growing heavy, voices slowing,
but neither of us hung up.
Soon, we drifted into deep sleep, only soft breathing audible.
Yet in the darkness, the phone screens glowed, illuminating each other's faces.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Yawn..."
After falling asleep on the call with Han Seo-ah without realizing it, I arrived at school still yawning nonstop.
When I woke up that morning, I'd checked my phone hoping to see her sleeping face, but disappointingly, the battery had died.
Sleep time was shorter than usual, but the quality felt top-notch, so it evened out. As I slumped over my desk for a quick nap,
my pocket buzzed.
Who could it be? I checked— a text from Han Seo-ah.
"Jun-woo, I can't walk home with you today. Sorry ㅠㅠㅠ" (crying bunny emoticon)
I looked up toward her seat, but she wasn't there—probably at the vending machine or something.
-Where you going?
-Yeah! Quick stop with Ji-ah.
Ji-ah...? Wondering who that was, another buzz came right away, as if she'd anticipated.
-My seatmate. She's got a boyfriend, so I'm borrowing her for some help.
Ah, so that's Ji-ah.
But help with what?
-What... kind of help?
-Secret♡
What the.
What is it.
Yesterday's saved scene flashed in my mind, spawning a flood of fleshy imaginations that nearly gave me a nosebleed.
No... right?
Just trip prep... right?
Anyway, better prepare just in case—
As alarms blared in my head declaring an emergency, two guys sauntered over toward me.
"Whatcha doing, Lee Jun-woo?"
"Phew, seeing your ugly mugs calms me down. Thanks."
"What the hell—why do we piss you off just by showing up?"
The wild fantasies from moments ago vanished like a miracle upon facing Kim Seung-hyun and Park Jae-hwan's combo.
"So, decided where we're going?"
"Yeah, thinking West Sea?"
"Whoa, the beach?"
Their ugly eyes widened in disbelief at my words.
"...Why?"
"Lee Jun-woo, you sure about this?"
"Sure about what?"
I asked what he meant, and Kim Seung-hyun slung an arm around me like come here.
"Kinda awkward saying this to your face, but... Han Seo-ah's got a killer figure, right?"
"Killer? Dude, it's top-tier."
"Hey! Think I don't know? Can't say it in front of you or you'll flip. You psycho."
"...."
Couldn't argue—it made sense. I nodded.
"But you..."
"What you got besides height?"
"Got some princely abs or what?"
"Him? Yeah right."
As Kim Seung-hyun and Park Jae-hwan took turns smacking me, it hit me.
I'm screwed.
Cold sweat dripping, I checked my calendar—two weeks till the trip.
"Guys... can you get abs in two weeks?"
"Abs look like they take two weeks?"
"What, your ancestors gonna make 'em for you?"
Fact-bombed into silence, they patted my shoulders pityingly.
"Get why you picked the beach, but didn't think about how you'd look, huh, clueless one."
"Such is fate..."
I wanted to kill the snickering duo, but body first. I frantically searched methods on my phone.
"Hey, don't stress too much. You ain't got no gut or fat—good proportions. Just wear a rash guard."
"Shut up. Gotta go shirtless up top no matter what."
Han Seo-ah in a swimsuit, me in a rash guard?
Just imagining her thinking Jun-woo's insecure about his body... (slight exaggeration) felt like the world collapsing.
"Psycho, it's exam week—what workout?"
"Exams and body. Gotta do both."
To not be embarrassed in front of Han Seo-ah.
That was motivation stronger than anything.
"Hup...!"
"Seventeen...! Lee Jun-woo, three more!"
After roughly listing exercises, I was doing push-ups while those two watched and laughed from the back of the classroom. The back door slid open with a rattle.
"Jun-woo, whatcha doing?"
"Hnnngh...!"
Can't talk now...!
Reading my mind, Kim Seung-hyun answered for me.
"Oh, hey Han Seo-ah. Helping Jun-woo with his sudden workout."
"Sudden?"
"Dunno~ Says it's 'cause of someone?"
"You bastard...!"
Kim Seung-hyun, you son of a—!
I jolted up in shock, breaking form and looking over.
"For real?"
There she was—hand over her mouth in surprise, eyes full of affection as she gazed at me.
Then she grinned brightly, tilting her head playfully.
"Jun-woo, can I look forward to it?"
Only one answer for that.
"...Look forward to it."
"Yay!"
As if knowing my effort was for her, she beamed happily and headed back to her seat.
Watching her back, new strength surged through me.
"Jealous, you lucky bastard Lee Jun-woo."
"Shut up."