Conquering Noona
'What should I ask her to buy me?' I followed her out of the hospital, stroking my chin as I pondered what to request from Yu Seoyeon.
Suddenly, she stopped in front of her parked car and spoke up.
"Get in."
"Pardon?"
"I said get in."
With that, she pulled out her key fob and pressed a button. The doors unlocked with a beep.
"You have…… a car?"
"Yeah."
She replied in a flat tone and slid naturally into the driver's seat. I tilted my head at the sight for a moment before hopping into the passenger seat.
Wasn't she an intern?
I racked my brain, but my memory was clear—she was definitely an intern at some company.
……Did her parents buy it for her?
Sure enough, she'd grown up without ever needing to work a part-time job, wanting for nothing. It was highly likely her parents had gifted her a car. For a commoner like me…… it was straight out of a dream.
"What do you wanna eat?"
I buckled my seatbelt and asked her. Seoyeon responded with 'I've got a reservation,' then started the engine.
Her car smoothly pulled out of the parking lot and merged onto the road. I couldn't help letting out an impressed sigh at her surprisingly skilled driving. The way she meticulously checked both sides before entering traffic made her seem downright reliable.
She won't end up like Kim Yeosa, at least.
I chuckled softly and rested my chin on my hand.
"What'd they say about your shoulder?"
Seoyeon asked me then.
"Nothing much. Just a blood test today."
"Did it hurt?"
She flicked on the turn signal and waited for the left-turn light.
"Nah, didn't hurt. What about you, Seoyeon?"
At my question, her cheeks flushed pink, and she tapped the steering wheel with her index finger.
"Didn't hurt……."
"Good to hear. Still, better safe than sorry—get yourself checked out too."
"Yeah."
Her unusually compliant attitude gave me a strange feeling. How should I put it? She didn't seem like the Yu Seoyeon I knew. That woman was more of a wild beast—hot-tempered, with zero shyness.
"Ah, fuck."
Then Seoyeon muttered a quiet curse. I looked ahead and saw some asshole car cutting into our lane without even stopping for the light. If she'd been going any faster, we would've collided.
"What a psycho."
"Right?"
I immediately backed her up once I understood. She flashed a grin and glanced at me—but the moment our eyes met, her entire face turned beet red. Like a perfectly ripe apple.
"……."
We locked eyes for about three seconds before she whipped her head forward, avoiding my gaze.
What the—?
I couldn't process what I'd just seen. And the car suddenly felt a bit warmer.
……Why's she acting like this today?
Feeling awkwardly embarrassed, I turned my head to stare blankly out the window at the passersby.
About twenty minutes of awkward silence later, we pulled up to a sashimi restaurant.
"Here?"
I asked her. She nodded with a 'Yeah' and turned into the building's private lot.
Then, she naturally reached over toward my side—the passenger seat—turning her head my way. I flinched in surprise without thinking.
But her goal wasn't me; she was checking the rear to park. She glanced back and maneuvered into the spot.
"……."
My heart pounded from that sequence. Especially when she'd gripped the passenger seat to lean over—it felt for a second like she was grabbing me.
To think I'd be the one getting flustered!
This was supposed to be my move as the guy! My heart fluttered anyway. And ironically…… it didn't feel bad at all.
"Let's go."
Seoyeon killed the engine and said to me. I nodded slightly, and we both got out.
Her high heels clicked as she walked ahead, and I followed her into the restaurant.
Looks pricey.
Inside, the upscale interior hit me—chefs who looked like pros were slicing sashimi right at the tables in front of customers.
"Your name, please?"
A man in a suit approached politely as I took it all in.
"Yu Seoyeon."
She gave her name, and he responded with utmost courtesy.
"Ms. Yu Seoyeon, party of two. Private room in the back, correct? Right this way."
He confirmed quickly and led us to a separate room inside.
Once seated, I looked at Seoyeon and asked,
"What's this place?"
She blinked in slight surprise, then tapped the table with her finger.
"Can't eat sashimi? We can go somewhere else."
"N-no…… that's not it……."
Her repeated questions threw me off for a second, but I met her eyes squarely and continued.
"……Isn't this place crazy expensive?"
"Worried about the price?"
Her blunt question made me press my lips together before answering slowly.
"Can't say I'm not."
I finished, tongue-tied by the room's extravagant splendor. Seoyeon rolled her eyes thoughtfully, then slapped the table with her palm.
"Think of it as the price of my life."
"Huh?"
"I mean…… you saved me."
She stared straight at me as she said it. I let out a light sigh.
"Got it. I'll think of it that way."
Only then did color return to her face. I gave a wry smile and met her gaze.
"……Speaking of, are you done suspecting me now?"
"Eh, mostly."
"What's still bugging you?"
"……."
She hesitated slightly, tapping the table a few times, then looked me in the eye.
"……That voice."
"Pardon?"
"The mask muffled it a bit…… but it sounded similar."
"I see."
I nodded readily. But I wasn't about to fully concede. I crossed my arms, waited for the right moment, and countered.
"……But my voice……."
"Yeah, you're right. It's plain. Too plain…… doesn't stick in your memory."
Just as she said—my voice was perfectly average. No rough edges, nothing special like a ballad singer's. Just…… ordinary. That was me.
I cleared my throat and said,
"Doesn't it sound pretty good after you listen a bit?"
"It does…… kinda."
She snorted a laugh and fiddled with the chopsticks neatly laid on the table. But then, in a casual tone like it was no big deal, she muttered, 'It sounded nice when you called me noona, though…….'
Did I call her noona?
I caught every word and dredged up the memory. Ah, right before the goblins could rape her, when I'd pelted them with stones and called out to my "noona."
……Ahh.
I let out an inner sigh of admiration and smiled faintly at her.
"Should I call you noona from now on?"
"……!"
Her face flushed ripe-apple red again, and she stared at me like a startled rabbit.
"……N-noona? What?"
"Calling you Ms. Yu Seoyeon feels too stiff, doesn't it?"
I smiled warmly, and she fidgeted with her hands, whipping her head to the side.
She smacked her lips a few times before sneaking a glare at me.
"D-do whatever……."
With her permission granted, I jumped right in.
"Sure thing, noona."
Calling her noona again turned even her ears red, leaving her at a total loss. She was so damn cute, I nearly burst out laughing.