#71 - This Time, I'll Whip Up Some Hangover Ramen
After waking up from sleep, the first words out of Na-eun's mouth were exactly as I'd expected.
"...I'm really sorry."
There was a reason Na-eun's voice had turned so polite and demure.
Yesterday, I'd tried to take her home while she was drunk, but she ended up puking everywhere, so we checked into a motel to take care of her.
If she'd just thrown up on my clothes, I would've taken her straight home, but when a girl pukes all over herself like that, you have to look after her. Imagine walking down the street covered in your own vomit—everyone would point and stare.
From Na-eun's perspective, I'd cleaned her up and even washed her clothes, so of course she had to thank me.
I gave a light warning to Na-eun, who looked all downcast.
"Like I said at dawn earlier, no more drinking outside. Got it?"
"Yesss...."
Na-eun pouted her lips a bit but nodded obediently.
She's a good girl, but she has this tendency to do random, reckless things every now and then.
To gently scold her—laced with a bit of affection—I pinched her cheek lightly.
"Ow...!"
"Does it hurt?"
"Yesss...."
"I had a rough night."
"I'm sorry...."
Na-eun kept glancing at me nervously, giving off total golden retriever vibes—like she'd done something wrong and was waiting for forgiveness.
Man, the more I look at her, the more adorably ditzy she seems.
"But it's Saturday, so we're good, right?"
"...Yeah, that's a relief."
If it were a weekday, we'd have had to pull off the comedy of going straight from the motel to school.
"You hungry?"
"Yeah...."
She definitely was. She'd gotten up at dawn and done that, plus she'd drunk more booze than snacks, so her stomach was probably bloated with alcohol.
"...Anything you wanna eat?"
"Gukbap... sounds good...."
"Classic Korean."
"Ehehe...."
I patted Na-eun's awkwardly smiling head and got up from the bed.
"There probably aren't many hangover soup spots around here anyway."
"Really...?"
I stroked Na-eun's cheek as her face fell again, then made her an offer I figured would perk her up.
"So, how about I make breakfast?"
"Huh...?"
"I'll boil some hangover ramen for you."
Her eyes lit up at that.
"That cool?"
"Yes!"
Na-eun nodded vigorously, and I stroked her head while grabbing my phone to text my sister.
She wasn't asking why I'd stayed out—just straight-up questioning why I was texting her first thing—which pretty much confirms she's family.
Mission accomplished on the morning bean sprout check, so the least I could do was make her some too.
Meanwhile, Na-eun kept apologizing nonstop as she got dressed.
"Oppa... I'm really sorry...."
"It's fine."
"We wasted money on the motel... and laundry too...."
I gently cupped her super apologetic cheek and rubbed it, deciding to impart a bit of worldly wisdom.
"Na-eun-ah, listen up."
"Y-Yeah...?"
"I'll be a massive pain in your ass someday. So take good care of me then. Got it?"
She nodded lightly at that.
Good, she seemed convinced.
I took her hand and headed to the elevator.
We rode down to the first floor, then hopped on the subway and a bus, arriving home in about an hour.
In the meantime, Na-eun was suffering from her hangover.
"Ughhh...."
"Head hurt?"
"Yeah... Now I get why you were so dizzy last year...."
Oh yeah, that happened.
After Suhyun Kang dumped me, I'd gotten blackout drunk crying my eyes out and passed out on Seung-min's floor at his house.
Na-eun had boiled me some ramen to nurse me back, and that's how we started getting close again.
...She'd already dealt with my nonsense once before.
"Thanks, Na-eun-ah."
"For what?"
"You've already put up with my crap once."
Na-eun smiled faintly and nodded.
"Huh, you're right."
But she seemed a little dissatisfied, hugging my arm as she countered.
"You never bothered anyone else even when drunk, though. Not like me."
True, when you put it that way.
I nodded slightly, and Na-eun giggled before saying,
"So, Oppa. Go ahead and be a pain as many times as you want from now on. I'll handle everything."
I stroked her impossibly sweet head and shook my head.
"I'll try not to be a bother at all, so don't worry."
Listening to her bright, tinkling laugh, Na-eun and I headed home together.
"We're home."
"Hi, unnie...!"
"Hey, Na-eun. Long time no see."
My sister waved at us, and as I stepped inside, I asked her,
"Where are Mom and Dad?"
"Dad's golfing with friends. Mom's out too."
"No love for their son, huh."
"Who'd have any for you?"
"Nope. Straight to ramen duty."
"Okay. Na-eun-ah, come to my room. Let's hang out."
"Ah... Sure...!"
I immediately warned my sister as she led Na-eun away.
"Don't bully Na-eun."
"As if."
She grumbled back, but I trusted her. She wouldn't say anything weird to Na-eun.
She only picks on me, after all.
So, time to focus on boiling that ramen.
Garlic and green onions first, then noodles and powder with bean sprouts and rice cake slices.
That'll make for some killer hangover tteok-ramen.
Perfect morning ramen incoming.
Seonwoo oppa went off to boil the ramen first, and I followed Seong unnie into her room.
Her room screamed total pro—super professional vibe. From what I knew, she freelanced doing design work, and it seemed seriously impressive.
Unnie sat in her computer chair and gestured for me to sit on the bed.
"Na-eun-ah, it's been ages."
"Yeah... Have you been well?"
"Of course. You?"
"I've been good too...."
"Yeah, dating my little bro and all."
Unnie nodded, then looked at me and asked,
"You know how he broke up with his ex, right?"
"...Yeah, I know."
Of course I did.
I knew about that girl who'd betrayed him while he was in the army, suffering.
No matter how lonely she got, how could she cheat on her boyfriend like that? Especially someone as kind as Seonwoo oppa.
Just thinking about her made me mad, and that's when Seong unnie spoke up.
"I never liked her from the start. She was sneaky."
"I see...."
"Yeah, a nine-tailed fox bitch."
Unnie talked like she'd seen her before, getting angry as she went on.
"I don't think you'd ever do that... but if you did, I wouldn't forgive you. My brother's the sweetest guy I've ever met, even if I tease him nonstop."
"...I'd never."
She smiled faintly at my words, nodded, and continued.
"...Okay, that came out harsh, but I trust you."
"Why...?"
"You've liked I Seonwoo since you were a kid."
My face heated up instantly.
"Wha...? Th-that's..."
"Pretty sure all the girls knew. Even if there weren't many around him."
So there were some.
"Na-eun-ah."
"Yes, unnie."
"Take good care of my brother, okay?"
Her voice carried that big-sister love for her younger brother.
No one could say no to that.
"Yes."
"...And since you're younger, feel free to baby him a ton. I'll allow that much."
"Ahaha...."
Just like that, she switched back to her playful self, eyeing me as she teased.
"Your figure's killer, though. So jealous."
"N-nooo...!? Not really..."
"Totally~ Makes me super envious~"
I was flustered and embarrassed, not knowing where to put myself, when a saving voice called out.
"Ramen's ready~ Come on out, you two~"
I bolted outside, and Seong unnie followed.
By the way, the ramen Seonwoo oppa made was insanely good.
Tteok-ramen, super spicy and refreshing—I wanted to learn how to make it myself.
How was he good at cooking too?
Seonwoo oppa was just too perfect.