#39. Lady of the House
#39. Lady of the House
Now that I'd figured out Na-eun's patterns to some extent, I decided not to fall so easily for her little traps.
But seriously, she's talking about starting her own soccer team, so why's she acting all shy about it?
Na-eun's expression looked like she was holding back laughter, and I was just floored.
"Anyway, quit messing around. I need to finish this Architectural Model from now on, so if there are no ingredients, just leave it. We'll eat after Design Class is done."
Na-eun opened the fridge door one more time and rummaged around before letting out a deep sigh.
"Exactly... I was gonna make something, but like this, it won't even be enough for Oppa to eat his fill."
"You thought you'd eat here at my place?"
Of course, even if I'd formally invited her over for whatever reason, I definitely would've just ordered delivery.
"Got it. Then from next time, I'll prepare ahead so this doesn't happen again."
"...Next time?"
Next time, huh. Professor.
You mean you're gonna come over drunk again and act out my novel characters?
"Why? You don't like it?"
Na-eun shot me a sultry side-eye.
Whether I liked or hated Na-eun's surprise visit...
Hmm... Sure, my lower half would perk right up and welcome her with open arms, but honestly, I was kinda... iffy...
I thought a girlfriend visiting her boyfriend's room was supposed to be an obviously fun and exciting event, but our relationship felt a bit...
Sigh...
Is it wrong to pursue architecture in the Department of Architecture?
Fuck.
What the hell am I even thinking.
Trying to explain our relationship out loud felt like the most ridiculous thing ever.
I could come up with a bunch of versions for it.
[RE: College Life Starting from Rape.]
[Her Obsession with Rape Guy on Award-Winning Levels.]
[The Girl I Raped Keeps Following Me Around.]
Kya. Next work's all written, Minho.
Time to move from imagination-based fantasy to nonfiction.
Leveling up as an author.
When I didn't answer Na-eun's words with my subtle expression, she came right up to me.
"Oppa said he liked it too."
Her slender fingertip trailed over my pants.
Na-eun-ah... But that line is usually what the guy says to the girl in erotic novels... Heh heh.
"Hey! Don't touch it!"
I snapped at Na-eun's way of handling my dick like some cute stray cat she'd met on the street.
"Why? Feels like it's gonna burst?"
Giggling at me, I gave her a serious look.
"I don't have time to play with you. I gotta do Design Class stuff. More importantly, don't you have Design Class today too? Is it okay for you to be messing around here?"
Me having Design Class meant she did too, but Na-eun seemed totally chill about it.
That shouldn't even be possible...
The morning of Design Class day was always hell.
We knew we'd get the whip, but we still had to churn out garbage.
We knew what we'd hear when we brought this in, but we had no choice.
Couldn't go empty-handed.
And the one silver lining was that the guy next to me wasn't much different.
In a studio of 12 to 15 people, if two got praise, it was a bumper crop.
The rest...
Heartbreaking, but we'd gotten used to it by this year. Fourth year.
The year where we'd all toughened up too much to cry at home cursing the professor-nim.
"Uh... Well..."
Na-eun's pupils suddenly lost focus and started spinning when Design Class came up.
"You didn't do it?"
"...Yeah."
Still wearing just underwear and an apron, she gave an awkward smile.
"Hey. Then instead of hanging out here, you should've gone home right after waking up to prep. Why are you doing this here?"
"...It's my heart's desire."
Na-eun plopped down on the bed with a sassy look since she didn't like what I said.
"And if it's gonna be like Oppa's, might as well not make it at all."
Hey. That's assault.
Design assault.
"...I thought it wasn't bad."
Last night, I'd been clapping and thinking, 'This might actually be okay this time?' while making it, but Na-eun's reaction suddenly deflated me.
If architecture design and novel writing have one thing in common, it's that you end up super sensitive to other people's reactions.
Most architecture design isn't the architect self-actualizing on their own dime—it's taking commissions from clients and building what they want.
So understanding how your design looks in others' eyes and maximizing their requirements within the given conditions is crucial.
Novelists. Regular ones might differ a bit, but web novel authors obviously have to watch reader reactions too.
You write hoping lots of people enjoy it.
It's not just my stubborn vision.
Luckily, [I Imprisoned Her] hit big because my tastes matched the popular readers'.
Taking inner damage from Na-eun's words, I asked her once more.
"...Is it really that bad?"
If it's bad in Na-eun's eyes, in the professor's, it's just recycled trash...
Na-eun picked up my Architectural Model, turned it every which way, and started giving feedback.
"Oppa. What if you add a bit more mass here?"
"Why?"
"If you block it off like this, doesn't it feel too heavy? Cut out here like this, and extend this part a bit."
...Wanna hear it once?
Honestly, if she'd critiqued my novel, I'd foam at the mouth and say 'What do you know?' but me, Lee Min-ho.
Guy with the worst design sense.
Since it was Na-eun, pro at making pretty things and drawing, I decided to try her advice.
"Okay. I'll give it a shot."
Eh. Even if I get chewed out for the changed version, I wasn't gonna blame Na-eun.
Already used to paying to get scolded.
"Oppa. And please, can't you do something about your knife work?"
...Ugh.
"It's a Study Model, so it's fine."
"Even for a Study Model, come on. You made it like some kid's plaything."
Damn, she hits right in the bones.
It hurts... Hurts so much...
The main event hasn't even started back at school, and the epilogue's already stinging bad.
"Let's do better this time. But you're really not going to class?"
"Yeah. I'm taking a self-imposed break today."
...Cool as hell.
Well, I didn't think Na-eun's behavior was irresponsible pleasure-seeking.
She's already a successful illustrator.
She could quit school tomorrow and still make a living just fine.
"Then go home."
"Why do you keep trying to kick me out?"
Na-eun seemed sulky since I kept suggesting she go home.
But is this something to get pissed about?
Why's she trying to camp out at my place with no reason?
"...No way."
Na-eun clapped her hand over her mouth.
"Did I just get eat and dumped?!"
...I wanna focus on the model, but I couldn't at all.
"Hey! You barged in and got eaten, so what eat and dump?!"
"...Anyway, you ate me, Oppa."
"Don't know, don't talk to me."
"My virginity got raped away, eaten again, and dumped..."
Na-eun pretending to cry.
I was trying hard to ignore her.
"Wahh... Now I'll never get married."
"What guy would take me... A girl eat and dumped by a rape guy..."
"Sigh... I wanted to have pretty babies and live happily..."
I gritted my teeth to ignore, but the content was too much!
Finally exploding, I slammed the desk.
"Stop! Han Na-eun! Stop it!"
"...Take responsibility."
She looked up at me with a grin, like she hadn't been sniffling at all.
"Fine, so be quiet until I go to school! Please!"
"Promise? Got it. Then after class, you take me to the mart, right? Right?"
"Yeah. Yeah. Got it."
The mart? What the hell's the mart?!
Luckily, having gotten my promise, Na-eun lay on the bed just staring at her phone, no more teasing or talking.
And after some time, I finally finished the revised Architectural Model and checked the time.
12:48.
Perfect timing.
Today, this'll get me through.
"Ooh~ See? Fix it where I said, and it's way better."
As I stood up, Na-eun scurried over and praised my work.
"Yeah, really. Thanks, Na-eun-ah."
"Aww, no biggie~ Go get 'em, Oppa!"
...Huh?
Her words gave me a weird sense of dissonance.
Come back safe...?
Then what about you...?
"You're not going?"
"Nope."
"Why?"
"We're going to the mart later."
"That's that, but why aren't you going? Even the homeowner's not home."
Na-eun tilted her head like I was the weird one.
"Because the Hostess is home?"
...Oh my god.