Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Freshman Group Chat Mayhem
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"...There?"
Grabbing my pounding heart, I asked Han Seo-ah, who was staring at her phone screen.
She turned her gaze toward me, her eyes brimming with tears, and my heart skipped a beat.
"...No way my name isn't there?"
"What do we do, Jun-woo..."
"For real?"
"Your name's not on the list..."
"..."
No way,
Unable to hide my disappointment at this unbelievable reality, I reached out, took the phone from Seo-ah, and looked at the screen.
"?"
There it was, big and bold: my name, Lee Jun-woo.
"......Seo-ah?"
"Heehee, you have to listen to the end in Korean, Junu-ya."
"...Han Seo-ah?"
"We're both on it—lucky, right?"
"Han Seo-ah, get over here."
Smack.
After all that tension... this cheeky little...!
I grabbed the waist of Seo-ah, who squealed and tried to run away laughing, forcing her onto my lap and tickling her soft sides mercilessly.
"Eek, Ju-Junu-ya, that tickles...!"
"That's the point."
"So-sorry, eek...!"
I tormented her wriggling attempts to escape for about three minutes without letting go until she went limp, twitching on my lap, all her strength drained.
...I only tickled her, that's all.
Afraid some naughty thought might pop up, I quickly opened my mouth.
"Sorry, right?"
"I'm sooo sorry..."
"You knew I was tense, who pulls pranks like that?"
"Yeahhh..."
As Seo-ah whined and turned toward me, the teary begging from moments ago was gone; she was beaming brightly.
"I saw your name and got so happy, it just slipped out..."
She hugged me as if to say look.
Her soft lips brushed lightly against mine like a bird pecking at feed, touching and pulling away.
Unable to hold back, I hugged her tight and savored her soft lips, slowly exploring inside.
"Pha... You'll forgive me, right, Junu-ya...?"
"Feels a bit short..."
"Jeez... We need to look up school stuff now, so later tonight... Got it?"
"Suddenly hate school..."
"We just got in ten minutes ago, Junu-ya."
We chuckled, poking each other, staying hugged up.
Seo-ah rested her forehead on my chest; I propped my chin on her shoulder. We each scrolled our phones through the school community and soon found the freshman group chat.
"Junu-ya, already 40 people in? Are we the late ones?"
"Blame the prankster."
"Not because someone was all pouty and I had to tease him?"
I poked Seo-ah's waist for her cheeky words; she giggled and nuzzled into my arms. The soft sensation melting through me dissolved any annoyance.
"Let's join before it's too late."
"Hold on."
"...?"
Her firm tone made me look down, and there she was, flicking through our messenger profile pics.
"Hmm..."
"What's up? This one's good."
We never deleted old profile pics when changing them, so they'd piled up to over 50.
A pic of Seo-ah kissing my cheek at the movies.
Us hugging in the snow.
Splashing water at each other at school, playing around.
Laughing while sharing a drink with two straws at a restaurant.
Just looking took me back.
Each one held precious memories with Seo-ah.
Not just updating to better pics, but building memories—that's how we did it.
Seeing over 50 now made my heart race anew. Someday, hundreds, no, definitely over a thousand happy memories.
With you.
"Looking for a pic so no girls eyeing my Junu."
"...Won't happen."
"Why not?"
"Like I said before, your boyfriend's me."
With pics only of us, any girl chasing me would have issues.
She sensed it was sincere, not just placating, and smiled satisfied.
"Still..."
"Wanna change it?"
"...Yeah. Am I too much?"
"Not at all."
Seo-ah usually bent to me, but the one time she got clingy was showing her possessiveness.
Far from annoying, honestly... I loved it. Like reward time! in my head.
If she did it daily? Might be tough, but I'd love it more often.
She apologized for bothering me, but I'd never refuse her. Just as I need her, her showing this made me feel she needed me too—satisfying, even if lowly. I fought a grin.
Her cute eyes and voice watching my reaction,
— ...Too cute.
How could something so lovable annoy me?
I'm your slave, obeying any order without a peep.
Couldn't hold back the grin.
"So, what to change it to?"
"Hmm... This one, Junu-ya?"
She pointed to a silly face-squish pic we took messing around.
"...Seo-ah."
"~♪"
She turned away whistling innocently; I laughed in disbelief.
In it, my face smooshed for her was ugly—not just ugly, ridiculously so, like Park Jae-hwan.
"Isn't this too much?"
"Heh... Kinda?"
"And you look pretty."
"'Cause you made that face..."
"Oh, so I'm ugly?"
"No, not that..."
"If guys see this and hit on you?"
"I only care about Junu..."
"Oh, interested in other girls?"
"No, Junu-ya, that's not..."
"Oh, so you think that of me..."
"No, never once..."
"If I get bullied for this profile, you're responsible?"
"Hiiing... Uh, huh? Yes! I'll take responsibility for my Junu!"
Planned to change anyway, but teased for fun; her flustered sweat was delicious.
Lost control, overdid it; her teary, misty eyes and voice—
—X, done.
Quickly hugged tight, changed subject; she nodded eagerly, beaming innocently. My chest stung.
—I'm trash...
Her making me feel as bad as Kim Seung-hyun or Park Jae-hwan or worse, I patted her butt apologetically.
Seo-ah, who could pass as a succubus at night.
Now, like a puppy with a helicopter tail wagging behind, relieved and happy—no more teasing. Hit change.
...Definitely getting hate messages from the guys later, but for now, patted her happy butt, enjoying the moment.
"Thanks, Junu-yaa..."
Not mad at my mischief; thrilled I listened.
From my collarbone up her lips trailed: neck, jaw, cheek, finally lips.
I welcomed her soft journey gladly.
"This one."
—Thanks for what.
...Oh my.
"This one?"
"Ahem, group chat time?"
Ignoring the side poke, rushed in; some were greeting.
"Me first?"
"Yeah, then I'll follow right after."
💬 [Yeonko University Class of 2025 Freshman Group Chat] — Lee Jun-woo Hello~ Nice to meet you all. — Han Seo-ah Hello~ Nice to meet you too! — Seo Sae-rom Hello! Oh, you two new ones are a couple? Same profile pics! — Ha Si-woo Whoa, a couple got into Yeonko together? I just studied my ass off... — Yang Jun-hyuk I wanted to date but got forced to study ;; — Kim A-ri Me too ㅠ (sad puppy emoticon) — Yang Jun-hyuk Hey, then me? — Kim A-ri Sorry. Yang Jun-hyuk has left the chat. — Ha Si-woo ... Who's gonna pin now — Seo Sae-rom ... Wasn't he the admin? — Ha Si-woo Atmosphere says I have to say it... "What is this vibe right as we join?"
"Already chaos, Junu-ya?"
One confession, one chime in seconds—hilarious. We giggled peeking at the chat. Our couple profile got attention briefly,
but soon excitement over new faces before school united them; lively again. Of course, Yang Jun-hyuk sneaked back in.
Then, one message caught my eye.
— Class of '21 Choi Young-chul Yo~ Class of '25 babies all pretty? Not aimed at anyone specific, and the '21 tag let everyone ignore it.
— Class of '21 Choi Young-chul Our Sae-rom, got a BF? — Seo Sae-rom ...Me? — Class of '21 Choi Young-chul You duh who else lol Got a BF? — Seo Sae-rom ...No. — Class of '21 Choi Young-chul OK~ noted lol — Class of '21 Choi Young-chul A-ri ya, never dated? With that face? lol — Kim A-ri ... Crazy bastard?
Can't he see everyone's uncomfortable?
This pufferfish-faced creep hitting on girls, asking BF status, rating looks—classic returning student villain.
"That jerk, I mean that guy—what's his deal?"
"Ugh, hate him..."
Checked admin to kick; pufferfish messaged again.
— Class of '21 Choi Young-chul Han Seo-ah's the prettiest this class? Tell me if you break up? lol —This fucking bastard.
Already annoying the vibe, now mentioning Seo-ah—couldn't hold back.
— Lee Jun-woo Isn't this the "Freshmen" chat? Some foggy-eyed guy's here? lol — Class of '21 Choi Young-chul You talking about me? — Lee Jun-woo Almost said "scratch?" sunbae lol — Class of '21 Choi Young-chul Crazy freshman? Ya, '25. Nuts? — Lee Jun-woo If nuts, what? Confident? I am. Young ㅎ — Class of '21 Choi Young-chul ... Hah, psycho. Ya, OT? — Lee Jun-woo Yeah, going. — Class of '21 Choi Young-chul See you then, fucker. Class of '21 Choi Young-chul has left the chat. — Lee Jun-woo Don't wanna see you then or now lol — Lee Jun-woo Oh, already gone. Kay bye. Ha, pufferfish trash-talking me, canyon-hardened? Dream on.
After he left, chat quieted; I looked up to Seo-ah staring.
—X pufferfish.
"...Sorry."
"For what?"
"Got heated, fought a senior day one for no reason. Sorry."
"No, really. I'm not mad at all. Hated that senior too—feels good actually?"
"Really?"
"Maybe should've held back?"
"...Yeah?"
Her "feels good" lit my eyes; the follow-up deflated me. Small laugh above my head.
"But... You didn't hold back for me. Worried is all."
"Worried how?"
"That senior gets one hit from my Junu, bones break... like that?"
Her hand slipped under my shirt, stroking abs, whispering.
"...Thanks."
"For what~?"
"Everything."
Couldn't not worry about the situation.
Grateful she joked to ease me.
"Still, just in case, workout tonight too? Right, Junu-ya?"
"...Kinda doing that daily?"
No, more...♡ She pushed my shoulders back; all I could do was slide onto the bed.
I didn't know then.
That pufferfish bastard was worse than trash.