Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Be My Boyfriend Just for Today
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I've lost 7kg.
Truth be told, it's because lately I have no desire or hope left to keep living.
Life without Ha-young was just this empty.
-Wheeeeeng...
Still, I start my routine today.
I tidy up the bed wrecked from Master's sex with Hui-yeon.
I strip off the bedsheets and toss them straight into the laundry drum, then vacuum up the pubic hairs scattered across the floor. I wipe away the love juices and semen splattered everywhere.
"Hoo..."
That finishes cleaning the room.
Now I just need to throw the bedsheets into the washing machine—
"......"
But my body freezes solid.
It's because of Hui-yeon's icy expression as she stares at me from the doorway.
"...Hui-yeon."
She doesn't respond even when I call her name.
She's glaring at me with a face as cold as a block of ice.
After staring for a long while, the words she finally spits out are chilling.
"Tomorrow, right? You know."
Tomorrow.
The day Hui-yeon fully surrenders to Master.
If I accept Hui-yeon, if I connect with her, she might be able to hold onto her sanity and live on.
But I stay silent.
"You really don't love me at all, do you?"
But just like her conclusion, mine is the same.
I don't love Hui-yeon.
You can't force something that isn't there.
"Is it really okay if I just go to Master like this? What about your life?"
I just lower my head.
No matter what I say, it'll just sound like an excuse.
"...Then, Seong-min."
But for a moment, her voice softens like spring has arrived.
I look at her.
Tears are streaming from her eyes.
Even so, she's smiling.
"Then, for the last time, will you grant me one request?"
Her expression looks like she's resigned to everything.
For an instant, my heart aches terribly.
As I take her following words to heart, I feel a tearing pain.
"Be my boyfriend just for today."
It's been so long since I felt emotions like this.
The clear sunlight and cool breeze.
The everyday noises of people laughing and chatting.
And me, walking hand-in-hand with someone amid it all.
Me and her.
"Hey, let's go there after so long. Remember that spot?"
The place Hui-yeon's finger points to.
Our usual seat at the 'Bonnie & Cloud' café.
The place where we always pulled all-nighters for assignments.
"Heh. Yeah, it's been ages there too. I always ended up pulling all-nighters because of you."
Hui-yeon's cheeks puff out at my teasing words.
She pokes my side and says,
"You handled the research, so that's fine! Making the PPT is so hard! Help out a little!"
"That's why you don't leave it to luck~. It was your idea to do rock-paper-scissors."
"You're such a jerk."
"Kukukuk. Then get revenge this time. Coffee on you, deal?"
"...Deal."
On our date through the city, we slip right back into the old days in an instant.
Or maybe we're desperately acting out the memories that might be our last.
"What game?"
Anyway, we've always decided everything—assignments, late-night snacks, errands, cleanup—by rock-paper-scissors.
We pick one of our favorites: 'Press the Crocodile Teeth.'
The rule is simple: press one of the 20 crocodile teeth, and if you hit the dud, you lose.
-Tok~ tadak~ tudak~ tak tak~♪
The BGM from the crocodile teeth app.
Just hearing it always makes my legs shake.
A chill runs down my spine, and I swallow dryly.
-Tak!
I nimbly press a tooth.
This one's already the 17th.
Luckily, I pass safely again.
Only 3 teeth left.
"Uwaaaak!"
The odds shrink to 1/3 in a flash.
Hui-yeon lets out a scream and grits her teeth.
She swallows dryly, takes a deep breath as if she's chosen her tooth.
"Huaaaat!!"
She presses it with a weird shout.
Please dud!
-Pop.
But luckily, the tooth sinks in safely.
Normally she'd lose around now.
She's stubborn this time.
"Hoo..."
Now it's 1/2.
My turn again.
But before pressing, I smirk at Hui-yeon.
Her shoulders twitch.
"Hey. Coffee plus cake, deal?"
"C-Cake too?"
"Yeah. Cake too."
"...Deal. Bring it on."
I turn back to the teeth.
50/50 odds.
Upper or lower?
'...!'
I press with all my hopes.
Pop-! It folds in cleanly.
I cheer triumphantly.
"Puhahaha! Kehihihit!"
One left.
No need to press; the winner's clear.
Me.
"Hui-yeon. What're you doing? Press it."
I shove my face close to the trembling Hui-yeon with a playful grin.
Then I tease her ear: 'What, not pressing?', 'Your turn?', 'Maybe it won't dud?'
"Agh! Seriously!"
Her face flushes red as she stomps toward the café.
Meanwhile, I press the last one.
The goofy fail BGM plays.
"Ah. Oops. It duded."
Hui-yeon whips around.
She's glaring with axe eyes.
"Ah! Hurry up!"
"Coming~"
She turns back and heads into the café.
I watch her lively figure with a wry smile.
We used to hang out as three all the time.
"Hoo..."
But I shake off the thoughts quickly.
Didn't I promise to devote today to Hui-yeon?
I follow her into the café.
Before long, the city dyes red.
Twilight falls, signaling the day's end.
Hui-yeon and I sit on a bench, looking at our sticker photos and chatting.
"Pffft. What's this? The Photoshop's way overdone."
Hui-yeon giggles, pointing at my face.
I gaze at her.
Her face bathed in sunset glows so pure and beautiful.
A smile forms naturally.
"Yeah. What couple looks like monsters? Heh."
At 'couple,' Hui-yeon's face stiffens slightly.
But she smiles again and nods.
"Right? Even sticker pics turned out like this."
"Yeah. Next time, let's take proper ones."
Her eyes waver at 'next time' again.
She looks up at me cautiously.
I meet the hopeful spark in her eyes with a wry smile.
She soon lowers her head.
"...Yeah. Hope we take new ones next time."
She just murmurs to herself.
I place a hand on her shoulder and speak.
"Wanna walk? The river's pretty."
The Han River surface shimmering with red twilight.
That sparkle enters Hui-yeon's eyes.
She smiles faintly and stands.
I stand too, grabbing her hovering hand.
No, I interlace our fingers properly.
She smiles at me.
"Heh. Now you feel like a boyfriend."
"I've been boyfriend mode all along? Don't you know friend-like dating?"
"...I just wanna smack the back of your head."
"Aw~ come on. Let's walk."
I swing our hands as I step forward.
She blushes shyly but matches my stride.
"By the way, Hui-yeon."
"Yeah."
"Your singing's gotten worse."
"You wanna die?"
"Kek. Kidding. It was nice hearing it after so long. Your voice."
"...Too late to fix it now."
We'd stopped by a coin karaoke.
Hui-yeon sings well.
A natural timbre, really.
We used to make a huge fuss every time she sang, asking when she'd debut.
"Anyway. Dinner? Or grab some drinks, keep it simple?"
She ponders my question.
Then snaps her fingers like something hit her.
"Restaurant! Fancy one!"
"Mm. I was craving soju."
"No, there's something I wanna do. Today... is my wish day."
"Uh... okay. What?"
"Wanna try an event. Like a proposal at a restaurant."
"Proposal? No ring."
"We'll buy one now! Necklace too!"
Hui-yeon seems a bit excited.
I chuckle and nod.
Today's all about her wishes.
"Alright. I'll book a restaurant."
I search for a nearby fancy spot and reserve it.
Then we taxi to a department store.
We're at the jewelry section now.
"Mm... This one's nice?"
"Nah, too plain. How about that?"
"Mm... Gem's too big? You into mom vibes? Want pearl ones?"
"What? That's not mom taste. It's fine."
Big gems are her style?
Nah, not that one.
I ask a staff what sells best.
They ask the purpose; I say wedding ring.
Hui-yeon's body twitches.
"Ah~ for a soon-to-be-married couple~ look here~"
We browse as guided.
Soon we pick a fitting ring and pay.
Then head straight to the restaurant.
"Prostrating for bows, prostrating for bows."
In the suite room of the fancy restaurant.
My casual mutter reaches Hui-yeon's ears, and she glares sharply.
Is it my imagination, or does her steak knife gleam?
"No choice. Time's tight, and this is the only place for a proposal over dinner."
"Yeah, fair."
I slice my steak as I reply.
We each eat a bite, sip wine.
Tannic.
"Ah-ew. Why's this so pricey."
"Told you, soju."
"Proposal over soju? Nah."
"Mm. Fair."
"....."
We resume slicing.
Then a cart approaches from afar.
I lean close to Hui-yeon and whisper,
"Hey. It's coming. That one."
"Ugh. What proposal's this serious."
"No choice. Huh? It's here."
Knock-knock. The staff politely enters the glass door.
We pretend ignorance and slice steak.
Meanwhile, they light candles, dim lights, add balloons—full proposal setup.
Private reserved room perks.
".....?"
But we endure the staff's weird looks.
They're decking out for proposal, but we're just eating steak—no reaction.
".....??"
Staff checks the door, thinking wrong room.
Finally, she sets the necklace/ring box on the table and leaves.
Whispers outside: 'What do we do, they fought?'
"Ahem."
I clear my throat, eyeing the ring box.
From friends to sudden proposal—awkward.
"Um... maybe skip it?"
Hui-yeon speaks in a trembling voice.
The awkward air's getting to her.
I stand, grab the box.
Go behind her, take out the necklace.
"Hey, hair up for a sec."
I gather her long hair.
She gets it, holds it with one hand.
Her snowy nape reveals.
-Ssswip.
I drape the necklace around her neck and clasp it.
Return to my seat, look at her.
Her cheeks are red.
"Pretty. Suits you."
Sincere.
I'd seen her only as a friend, but Hui-yeon's a beauty.
Deserves to be treated well.
"...R-Ring."
She changes subject, embarrassed.
I chuckle, grab the box again.
Approach her, kneel on one knee.
I owe her this much.
-Click.
Open the box.
Take out the ring, slide it onto her slender ring finger.
I ponder words, then speak from the heart.
"I love you."
As a friend, not a lover.
I love this Hui-yeon.
Her eyes say she knows.
Her smile looks ready to shatter.
"Mm. Finish eating? Steak was pricey."
She nods silently.
After, we slice steak, but oddly, it's tough.
Doesn't cut well, doesn't go down easy.
Because the day's ending?
"Hey, Seong-min."
She calls me.
I look.
Her eyes are a bit bloodshot.
"Wanna... go sleep?"
