Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: 17. An Endless Saturday (End) / 18. A Short Saturday - 1
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Even though steaming-hot dishes that looked so delicious they could fill you up just by gazing at them were being placed on the dining table one by one...
The atmosphere surrounding the food was frozen cold, wrapped in a suffocatingly heavy silence.
No, to be precise, it was only flowing between me and Uncle.
Unable to believe the fact that had just come out of Han Seo-ah's mouth, Uncle slowly picked up and set down his chopsticks repeatedly.
I had no choice but to quietly shut my mouth and lower my head, feeling like a thief who had suddenly stolen away his dearly raised daughter overnight.
—Well, I do plan to steal her away.
But I couldn't say something like, "I didn't know we'd be sharing the same room and bed either—."
If I told Uncle, who already looked like his HP had hit zero and crumbled, that it was all his daughter's scheme, an angel ring might appear over his head.
Meanwhile, the real culprit behind all this was casually playing with my hand on her lap, as if this situation was no big deal.
...So soft.
Hmm.
From below, the bare skin of Han Seo-ah's thigh, and from above, her hand.
The squishy softness and smoothness transmitted at the same time made all my earlier worries vanish in an instant.
Room or bed or whatever.
As long as both she and I were okay with it, wasn't that fine?
As I stretched out my arm further to let Han Seo-ah play comfortably with my relaxed mind, a glistening galbi jjim—steamed ribs so mouthwatering it could fill your belly just by looking—suddenly appeared in the center of the table.
I unwittingly gulped, and that's when I saw Seo-ah's mom sitting down and smacking the shoulder of Uncle, who was still in a daze beside her.
"Honey, enough already. Let's eat. Jun-woo, sorry about that. You must have been shocked."
"No, no, it's understandable to worry. That said, Auntie...!"
The moment I called her "Auntie," a sharp pain stabbed my side.
Wondering what it was, I looked over to see Han Seo-ah, her cheeks puffed out and eyes slightly narrowed in dissatisfaction, pinching my waist.
'Why?'
I mouthed the question, and her pursed lips parted as she began to say something.
'M'
'O'
'M...?'
Mom? Oh lord.
This was way too high difficulty.
Shaking my head to signal this was impossible, her pursed lips opened again, and her cheeks, which had slimmed down, started puffing up once more.
A pufferfish, huh.
I nearly burst out laughing at the sight, but if I did, her already slightly protruding lower lip might stick out even more.
I took a deep breath.
"Mom... and Dad... are you okay with Seo-ah and me sharing a room?"
"Oh my, Jun-woo, say it again?"
Seo-ah's mom beamed happily at how nice it sounded.
And Dad..., who had just snapped out of it, glared at me murderously as if he'd misheard something unbelievable.
Then Han Seo-ah smiled proudly, placed a piece of galbi jjim on my rice, and gestured for me to eat it quick.
In this dizzying situation that made my eyes spin, I felt like I was losing my mind.
"Jun-woo."
"Yes, Mom."
"Oh, it sounds so good even the second time, this kid."
Something on the verge of becoming an oni appeared next to Mom, but I pretended not to see.
"We don't think it's a big deal for Seo-ah and you to share a room."
"'We'? I don't th—"
"Quiet, dear."
Dad wilted immediately at Mom's single word, and it hurt my heart a little.
"Whether you booked one room or two, one bed or two, none of that matters."
"What matters is what feelings you two have and how you act on them."
"We arranged the rooms this way not to give you permission for that sort of thing, but so you could spend good times together and make happy memories."
Got it? With that, she finished speaking.
Our eyes met as she gazed at me with a gentle smile, and my heart twinged.
The important thing isn't the place, but us.
—But the moment I heard about the single bed, all I could think was dirty thoughts...!
"...Yes. Thank you. I'll take good care of Seo-ah."
"Good~ Take lots of pictures and send some to us too."
"Ah, I definitely will."
"Thanks, my son~"
"Why is Jun-woo our son...!"
"I said stop, dear...!"
Slap slap—
Watching Seo-ah's mom smack Dad's cheeks with her palm, I thought, She's got him wrapped around her finger...
I was flustered at suddenly being called "our son" and didn't know what to do, when Han Seo-ah sidled up and whispered secretively in my ear.
"Just like Mom said. Let's have a good time, Jun-woo?"
Her cute puffed-cheek look from moments ago had vanished without a trace.
From a distance where her breath tickled my skin, she exuded a sticky atmosphere.
Even as she teased playfully, her gaze full of affection tempted me, and I gulped before nodding unconsciously.
And with today, I became certain.
That Han Seo-ah's heart and mine were headed in the same direction.
All that's left... is confirmation.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Seo-ah, the key is something fresh and different."
Ji-ah gave me serious advice with a earnest expression.
Sip—
I just quietly sipped my iced tea and listened.
"You've known each other for 13 years already. You might even feel like family by now. So at times like this, show a fresh, different side to just... bam!"
Ji-ah clenched her fist emphatically to stress the importance of novelty.
Hmm... not sure.
I felt like we were already showing different sides.
Lately, the way Jun-woo and I acted was basically like lovers— we just hadn't confessed yet. Anyone watching would think we were dating.
"For example?"
Still, since Ji-ah had a boyfriend, her perspective might differ, so I asked for an example. Her eyes sparkled as if she'd been waiting.
"You two... live next door, right?"
"Yeah, that's right?"
Sip—
I answered casually while taking another sip,
"Then tomorrow, instead of meeting up and going together, say you'll meet at the date spot."
Her words sparked a realization in my head.
"...That's good."
"Right? It'll work for sure. If you meet in front of your houses like always, it's just compliments on how pretty you look and done. But imagine Jun-woo waiting alone at the date spot, all nervous about when you'll show up."
Kuh— so tasty, she seemed to praise herself, and I found myself nodding too.
Jun-woo tensely waiting, wondering when I'll arrive...
What do I do.
Just imagining it made me want to run over and hug him—he was that cute.
"What should I say tomorrow to go separately?"
"Just say you have to stop somewhere or whatever."
"But I don't like lying to Jun-woo..."
I voiced my concern, and Ji-ah wagged her finger as if I was clueless.
"Seo-ah, this isn't a lie."
"Then what is it?"
"A secret. You're just making a little secret for Jun-woo's sake."
I was genuinely impressed, my lips parting naturally.
Girls with boyfriends really think differently. I looked at Ji-ah with eyes full of wonder.
She proudly placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest.
"That's all I'll tell you. For the rest, Jun-woo likes your usual self anyway."
I nodded, agreeing that actions based on her advice might feel meaningless.
"But instead..."
Sorry to Ji-ah, but she grinned slyly—almost pervertedly—and showed me her phone screen.
Peeking in, I saw...
"...Is this even covering anything?"
Isn't it just naked? The swimsuit on screen had basically lost all function as clothing—it was that revealing.
My face flushed in embarrassment, but Ji-ah shook her head as if I was the ignorant one.
"Seo-ah, didn't you say this swimsuit is just for showing Jun-woo?"
"Y-yeah, that's right...?"
"Then it has to be at least this much."
I'd mentally prepared to some extent, but not for this level, so I hesitated. Then a thought struck me.
"Ji-ah, have you shown your boyfriend a swimsuit like this?"
I asked innocently, curious about her boyfriend's reaction,
"Seo-ah... I don't have the figure to pull off something like that like you do..."
She looked like she wanted to cry, calling herself a bad seed, and I regretted asking.
"Sorry..."
I thought she wasn't that bad, but saying so wouldn't help.
I couldn't deny my figure was better than average.
After that, we chatted about romance advice and girl talk before parting. The moment I got home, I rummaged through my closet.
"This with that..."
I agonized in front of the closet for ages over tomorrow's outfit and matching makeup.
We were still childhood friends, but it was a special day full of the thrill of our first date.
I couldn't take it lightly.
Standing before the mirror, trying different clothes and poses—this or that?—I finally decided. Time had flown by.
My room looked like a warzone from all the digging, and I sighed.
So tiring—
After barely cleaning up, exhausted, I flopped onto the bed and pulled out my phone.
Jun-woo at the top of my contacts.
Just seeing those two letters brought a smile to my lips.
I texted him that I had something tomorrow and we'd meet at the spot, then closed my eyes.
I wanted to show Jun-woo my most beautiful side tomorrow.
Feeling anticipation and excitement grow at the thought of whether he'd like how I look,
I tossed and turned sleeplessly into the deep night before finally drifting off.