Na-eun Retriever's Aegyo – My Heart Won't Stop Pounding After Meeting Suhyun
After meeting Suhyun Kang, my heart just keeps pounding away.
Even after I dropped Na-eun off at her place and got back home.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
My heart's trembling like crazy. It's like... I feel like the one who did something wrong.
When was the last time I felt like this? It has to have been at least a few years. Probably not since I was really little.
Why the hell did she suddenly act like she knew me?
You, who tossed me aside like a used rag, who dumped me while I was in the army because you liked some other guy—why the hell did you talk to me all of a sudden?
Do you even have any shame? Do you have a conscience at all?
I don't know. I don't know a damn thing. And I don't even want to know.
"Haaah…."
I let out a deep sigh, and someone knocked on my door.
Knock knock knock knock knock
I got up from my seat at the sound and opened the door. There stood my sister, scratching her belly like crazy.
"What're you doing?"
"…Resting?"
"Resting, my ass. You just got back from a date."
"Dates take stamina too, you know."
"More than me?"
"You just hole up in your room working."
At that, she got pissed and kicked me right in the shin.
Whack!
"Ack!"
"Order some chicken."
"Without paying?"
"Sent you allowance."
"Right away, ma'am."
Before I could sink back into my thoughts, my sister's intervention had me ordering chicken instead.
Yeah, she even sent allowance—what's one chicken worth?
Not just 10 or 20,000 won, but 50,000. Of course I'm ordering.
"Sis, what chicken should this humble servant get?"
"Get whatever you wanna eat."
"Traffic light…"
"You wanna die?"
"……Soy sauce it is."
We ordered two soy sauce chickens from our usual franchise spot.
If we only got one, Mom would hit us with her iron fist, yelling, "You two the only ones with mouths?"
I don't care if sis gets hit, but me? That'd be too pathetic.
Already in a foul mood from seeing Suhyun today, and I took a kick from Seong already. If Mom hits me too, I'll cry for real.
We ate the chicken, messed around with some games, and that was my day. The next morning, I dragged myself out of bed.
Really didn't wanna, but I had to go to school.
Hoping like hell I wouldn't run into Suhyun Kang, I tucked that wish away and got up.
But it seems God has no intention of letting me live in peace.
Not when I spotted Suhyun Kang smiling at me from afar on the way to school.
She was nowhere for the whole semester, and now she's popping up everywhere? Annoying as hell.
In the end, I decided to do something lame.
"Hey, Yi Chun-man. Lemme ask you something."
"What?"
"…Suhyun Kang—what year is she in now?"
I asked Yi Chun-man, a friend from school.
He started digging through his phone at the question.
This guy's an innie among the guys—friends with everyone, guys and girls alike. That's why I asked him.
And the answer was…
"…Sophomore, fall semester. She took a leave last semester."
…Totally out of left field.
"A girl who was in her sophomore spring when I enlisted suddenly takes a leave? Why?"
"Beats me. I'm sociable, but not that nosy about personal stuff. Except for that infamous handoff-breakup she pulled on you."
It scratched at my nerves a bit, but better a guy who says it straight like this.
"…Fair point. Thanks."
"Thanks? Buy me a drink later."
"Energy drink."
"Sweet."
Promised him an energy drink, parted ways with Yi Chun-man, and kept mulling it over.
She should've been at least junior spring, ideally senior fall by now. But sophomore fall? So she only did one semester after I enlisted and then took leave?
Why? What for?
I didn't see Suhyun much after I enlisted.
Just occasionally when I was on leave.
Thinking maybe SNS had answers, I checked it out.
That couple account Na-eun and I made back in the day.
Unblocked Suhyun there and hopped to her profile.
Right away, I saw how she'd been living.
"…Looks like you had a blast."
Suhyun on SNS had been everywhere. A flashy life, no doubt.
Scroll down, and posts just keep coming, endlessly.
In them, she went to all sorts of fun spots—shows, tasty food, parties with friends.
No guys in sight, though. Not even pics with the dude she left me for.
Probably dumped him too. Ridiculous.
Pfft—a hollow laugh tries to escape. To think I suffered over a girl like this.
Deep down, I knew. It just soured my mood.
"Haa…"
I'm not one to curse out loud, usually. Keeps my quality up, I think.
At most, playful swears with close buds.
But right now? I really wanna let one rip. For real.
"Fucking bitch, shit."
When was the last time I cursed like that, with feeling?
It hit me then—why I quit cursing, and why I started again.
"……Maybe I should've picked up smoking."
Nah, on second thought, smokes are a no-go.
Na-eun would hate it, it'd make her sad.
Two things I was proud of post-enlistment: quitting curses and never starting smokes. Almost blew both.
What a damn woman, Suhyun Kang.
Feeling filthy in every way, I headed home…
Na-eun messaged me.
Her bright, cheerful tone made me grin without thinking.
Yeah, why waste brainpower on Suhyun when I have a girl like this?
Total resource drain.
Her "I'll be waiting" got me excited inside. School ended, and I headed straight to Na-eun's.
Ding-dong~ Ding-dong~ Creak~
"Na-eun-ah, it's me… uh…?"
I couldn't help but freeze in shock.
"You're here? M-M… Master… stare…!"
Na-eun was different from usual.
She was always insanely cute, but today? Double the cuteness.
Wearing puppy ears and hitting me with full aegyo.
* * *
The day before, after Seonwoo oppa dropped me off and went home. That's when I messaged Seong unnie.
Told her what happened while we were together and asked how oppa was doing.
She said he seemed "kinda down weirdly."
I figured meeting that woman would hit him hard, but not this hard. Had no idea.
He's just too kind, too sensitive.
Anyway, I decided to do something special for him.
Ordered puppy ears from that overnight delivery site, planning to aegyo it up for oppa.
Pretty bold idea, but he'd called me cute like a puppy before.
Figured he'd love it…
"Puhuhu…"
…But doing it? Mortifying.
As I fumbled for words, oppa came closer.
"My cute retriever turned into a real retriever."
He hugged me lightly, petting my head.
His touch felt so good. Shyness? Gone. Like a real pup, I wanted more.
Grinning at his hand, I snuggled into his arms.
He hugged tighter, whispering in my ear.
"Thanks, Na-eun-ah."
Hearing that, I knew I'd never win against him.
He'd pretty much guessed why I was doing this aegyo.
Still, I love you. Always will.
So oppa, don't be too down. I'll always be by your side.