#21. Han Gyeowol
#21. Han Gyeowol
Since Si-eun was still someone I didn't know that well, I couldn't exactly curse her out right to her face.
"Don't say weird shit and sit down. Class is starting."
If it had really just been the two of us, I would've smacked her ass nice and hard one more time.
"Na... Na-eun-ah. You really want me to switch seats?"
"Yeah. Move over, mosol, Unni."
Si-eun snickered as she made room for Na-eun at her words.
"Hey... don't say it like that~ I'm a mosol too."
Na-eun shot Si-eun a wary glare for a split second.
"Unni. Isn't that joke going a bit too far?"
"Huh? This isn't a joke to me?"
"You're just teasing me 'cause you think I'm young. Right?"
But when it came to Si-eun calling herself a mosol, I actually agreed with Na-eun's take.
Whether it was Na-eun or Si-eun, was being a mosol funny?
Did you think mosols were just a punchline?
I thought mosols weren't a topic for pretty-faced folks like you to joke around with lightly.
Sadness. Lamentation. Sorrow.
The suffocating pressure that tightens more with every passing year.
The stacking critical hits every holiday season.
I decided to stop there before my stomach started hurting and let out a deep sigh.
"I hear that a lot... but I've really never dated anyone..."
Si-eun answered Na-eun's question with a bitter expression.
"You must've gotten confessed to a ton, right?"
"Yeah, but... our tastes just never matched up."
"Really? What kind of tastes?"
But their girl talk ended there.
The sound of the Professor-nim tapping the mic echoed through the room.
"Ah. Ah. Wake up the kids sleeping in the back."
The Professor-nim spent the rest of the time explaining how we should prepare our Presentation going forward.
Class was boring as shit, but damn did he have a ton of expectations...
"Alright. That's the explanation, so now for the remaining time, discuss with your group members and bring me a plan."
Even after the Professor-nim finished speaking, none of our group members opened their mouths.
"Ahem... ahem!"
Hwi-min cleared his throat awkwardly and finally broke the silence.
"Should we start by divvying up roles at least?"
In Team Projects, nothing wasted time more than doing everything together.
"One for presenting. Two for organizing materials. One for making the Presentation. How about that."
Standard setup. Perfect.
"Sounds good."
"Me too."
Na-eun and Si-eun answered in perfect unison, like twins.
"Then, anyone got a part they want? Speak up."
Hey. Lee Hwi-min. Why aren't you asking for my opinion.
I didn't have any objections, but it pissed me off feeling treated like I was invisible.
"I'll do the Presentation."
Na-eun jumped in first.
Well... makes sense... she's an Illustrator...
She seemed like the most skilled at making or editing images out of anyone.
"I'll do the research."
"Okay. Then Si-eun on research. Na-eun on Presentation. I'll present. Hey. Minho, you do research with Si-eun."
...Feels like my opinion got zero consideration here.
But whatever. Research was the same old taste I'd been chowing down on forever, so I wasn't too worried.
Fourth year of college life.
Eighth semester accumulated— what was there to fear about research?
"Yeah. Let's do that."
"And one more thing..."
Hwi-min pulled an A4 binder from his bag and grinned.
"I got this Presentation material from Tae-ho hyung hyung from last year's production year? They said it got an A+."
We were a group that had just formed not long ago, but in that moment, we were all of one mind.
"Ah~ we're done for. Let's just worry about lunch today."
Na-eun spoke in a voice full of relief.
"Hey hey. We still gotta do some work. You can't just submit it as-is."
"But we've got two weeks left, so we can cram it all at the end."
"I'm in favor."
If there was a cheat key like this, no reason to sweat it.
Every college student knew the scam that was Jokbo.
This was like a spirit pill from a wuxia novel or an aphrodisiac from an Erotic Novel.
"We can't copy it exactly, so let's keep the theme similar and decide what to add right now."
And so we held a meeting on how to repackage Hwi-min's Presentation.
"Alright~ That's class for today, everyone. Good work."
It ended 10 minutes earlier than scheduled, and I couldn't hide my joy.
This was the little certainties of daily life.
I was just planning to head home and flop into bed like that.
"Oppa Minho."
Looks like Na-eun was planning to ruin my happy time again today.
"What."
"Don't you have something to say to me?"
You fucking bitch?
Didn't seem like she wanted to hear this.
"Nope."
"Really nothing?"
I was planning to shake her off quick and bounce without getting stuck today.
No way was I getting dragged back into that demon cave to get brainwashed with bullshit like 'Na-eun is a virgin!'
"Yeah. I'm heading out first."
I grabbed my bag, stood up, and tried to brush past her...
"Excuse me. Han Gyeo-ul-ssi."
A flood of question marks pinged in my head.
"What did you just say."
"Say it again?"
"No. Vel. World."
The workplace that absolutely shouldn't be known slipped from her lips.
"Did you get the gift okay?"
Gift...?
No way...
Did Han Na-eun know I was the Han Gyeo-ul author from that photo...?
"Your face says you got it just fine."
Na-eun giggled, covering her mouth.
"Novel World?"
Si-eun, still lingering in the lecture hall, asked Na-eun what that was in a curious tone.
"Ahh~ It's just a thing."
Na-eun brushed off Si-eun's question vaguely and beckoned me with a grin.
"I wanna eat~ su~shi~ today, Oppa~"
Her voice dripping with nasal aegyo.
If some clueless guy heard Na-eun's cuteness, he'd serve up omakase instead of regular sushi, but I could only tremble in rage.
...How the hell did she find out?
Did she read my novel?
Even if she read the novel, I didn't think there was much to pinpoint me as the Han Gyeo-ul author.
The most suspicious part, the Han Na-eun episode, I'd completely rewritten from scratch.
How the fuck did she catch on...
And why of all things, Han Na-eun!
I was already stuffed with weaknesses she had on me.
One word from her and social suicide was on the table— now even this got exposed, so I might as well start scouting grave plots...
Heh heh... 26 years old. Too short to end it all.
Ahh... seriously...
"Yeah~ sure~ our Na-eun wants~ sushi~"
"Yeah~ I wanna eat~ toro~"
"Yeah~ that notoriously expensive~ toro~"
My mouth was smiling through the convo, but inside I was sobbing.
"Let's go quick, Oppa. Unni! I'm heading out first!"
"Yeah. Sure. See you later, Na-eun-ah. Oppa, you go on in."
Leaving Si-eun behind, we slipped out of the lecture hall and headed to the bus stop.
"The weather's so nice~ right~"
"Yeah~ perfect day to die~"
Between fall and winter.
A cool breeze, neither cold nor warm, brushed over my head.
"But... we really eating sushi?"
"If Oppa really doesn't wanna treat, no choice. Ah~ heading home to Han Gyeo-"
Han Gyeo-ul. Han Gyeo-ul.
Don't fucking say that damn Han Gyeo-ul in real life!
Unable to hold back the nausea, I clamped her mouth shut with my right hand.
Startled by my action, she blinked her big round eyes.
"I'll buy it. Just buy it, right~"
"You'd like me a lot more if you'd been this obedient from the start."
Ah. Seriously, if I hadn't shoved my dick in your mouth at the motel, I'd be screaming that you're an Erotic Illustration master here and we'd be fighting to the death.
"I reserved a place near my house. How 'bout it, Oppa. Excited?"
...She came fully intending to bleed me dry.
I let out an incredulous chuckle.
At this rate, I'd end up as Na-eun's ATM for sure?
A novelist who writes Erotic Novels diligently, only to hand the earnings over to an Erotic Illustration artist...
...That might actually have demand as an Erotic Novel?
Pretty good material?
Even as those thoughts crossed my mind, I realized I was a broken human.
My brain's been pickled in Erotic Novels, Minho.
You've already been devoured by the concept.
I boarded the bus toward Na-eun's place and stared blankly out the window.
So Na-eun... knows I wrote a novel with her name in it too, huh.
Self-loathing.
An absurd wave of self-loathing started swallowing me whole.
No clue what brutal words Na-eun would whip me with from now on.
"Let's go."
At Na-eun's words, I listlessly stood and followed her into the Japanese restaurant.
The vibe screamed high-class at first glance.
"Did you make a reservation?"
"Yes."
"Name?"
"Han Gyeo-ul!"
Cough cough.
This crazy bitch for real.
The female employee looked at me worriedly.
"Are you okay, sir?"
"Ah. Yes. I'm fine."
"Then I'll show Han Gyeo-ul customer to Room 1."
What the hell kind of expensive shit is she planning to order that she booked a room.
Slide.
The employee introduced the menu and told us to ring the bell when ready.
"Oppa. This one!"
The menu she pointed to was the lunch toro special set.
150,000 won per person.
Equivalent to 30 dorm meals.
"Mm. Whatever our Na-eun wants to eat is fine."
I was gritting my teeth so hard my pronunciation sucked.
"Aw~ Oppa, if you eat it too, you'll definitely feel better?"
Ding dong.
The bell brought the employee back; she took our order and left.
Han Na-eun took a sip of cool green tea and looked at me like she was dying of amusement.
"Oppa."
"What."
"Did you dodge a bullet with my photo or something?"
Ha. So you wanna tease me that bad, huh.
"Yeah. I jerked off like crazy to your tit pics till my dick was gonna burst. Why."
I meant it as 'stop teasing,' but Han Na-eun's face looked weird.
"Oppa..."
...Why the fuck you got that touched expression?