#48. Pure Love
#48. Pure Love
...I'm fucked.
A chill running down my spine.
"Huh? Na-eun's here?"
We spotted the same person but had completely different reactions.
Si-eun waved her in happily, like she was thrilled.
Logically, Si-eun's reaction seemed a bit more normal, but deep down, I wanted to drag her away.
Ah... please...
Soon enough, Na-eun slipped out of our sight and entered the cafe entrance.
"Oh. You guys are still prepping for the Team Project?"
"Yeah. Turns out we needed way more research material than I thought."
Na-eun didn't even glance my way as she kept chatting with Si-eun.
"You guys ate, right?"
"Yeah! Minho oppa took me to Hajin's Rice House!"
"Ah~ Oppa took you~ to the rice house~"
Na-eun's mouth was definitely smiling, but her eyes were chillingly cold.
"Yeah! It was so good! You like it too, right? Na-eun-ah?"
"Of course~ I looove their spicy chicken too!"
It might've sounded like normal girls' talk on the surface, but my insides were starting to burn up.
...Si-eun-ah.
I'm sorry.
Please just stick to talking about the presentation...
"Really? Then let's go together next time!"
"Sure!"
Hearing their promise—which felt like they'd never actually go together—I pretended to fiddle with something else and stared at my phone.
"...Minho oppa."
"Yeah... no. Why."
Ah. Fuck. Lee Min-ho, you didn't do anything wrong, so why are you acting so pathetic?
You're innocent.
It's not like you fucked Si-eun or anything; you just ate a meal. Do you really need to be this scared?
Han Na-eun. Who the hell are you to make me like this.
"We agreed you'd look over my design later. Just wondering when you'll be done."
...Huh?
When did I?
Did I make that promise?
I looked up at the bewildered Na-eun, and she kindly mouthed the answer I was supposed to give.
[Listen. To. Me.]
...Yes.
"Ah. This... uh... how long will it take? Si-eun-ah."
"Hmm~ If we wrap up quick, about an hour? Should be done within that."
...Can't I just say it'll take a night and two days?
"Then come there after you're done, oppa! Unni, I'll head out first!"
"Yeah! Na-eun-ah! Text me~"
Na-eun squeezed my shoulder hard once with one hand before leaving the cafe.
Hoo...
I let out a deep sigh as I watched Na-eun's retreating back.
...Am I getting dragged off somewhere again?
"Oppa. Let's finish up now!"
Oblivious Si-eun dove back into work.
"Yeah... we should..."
The research material coming out way too easily felt insanely resentful.
When I want it to go fast, it never does, so why's it flowing so perfectly right now?
Wiiiiing.
My phone buzzed.
[Han Na-eun]
I opened the message with a tense heart.
[Come to my place after that's done.]
[Why.]
[Don't you wanna see a Novel World Han Gyeo-ul author Lee Min-ho teacher placard up at school tomorrow? Then listen up.]
...Fuck.
"You okay?"
Si-eun asked worriedly, noticing my face drain of color.
"Ah. It's nothing."
"Oppa. You look like you're on your way to die right now."
Pretty close.
But I'm not dying or anything.
"Nah... it's not that bad. Let's wrap up. This should be enough to send to Hwi-min, right?"
"Yeah, looks like it. I'll tidy this up, so hurry and go. You don't look good."
...Do I really look that bad?
"Yeah. I'll head out first then. Sorry, Si-eun-ah."
"Sure. See you next week."
Leaving the cafe, I trudged weakly to the bus stop.
Na-eun...
She seems pissed...
Remembering what she said to me that morning, I could see why.
Sure, it wasn't exactly a proper confession in many ways, but the gist was that she liked me.
But for me—the guy who heard that—to go eat alone with another girl the very same day... hmm...
Still, I wasn't totally in the wrong either.
It was purely for the project, and Na-eun even knew about it.
If we're assuming what she said to me was a confession, then it'd only be right for me to respond in kind...
Do I like Na-eun... or...?
I couldn't say it out loud anywhere, but I was actually a huge fan of Pure Love stories.
You might call bullshit on a guy who writes harem imprisonment Erotic Novels, but I had my own romantic ideals about love.
Flirting cutely with a sweet girlfriend, whispering sweet nothings like "sweet dreams"...
But imagining that kind of romance with Na-eun? It just didn't click.
With Na-eun, who'd proudly brag about giving my dick CPR...?
It felt totally off from the Pure Love plots I'd read.
True Pure Love starts with a chance meeting, mutual attraction building slowly into lovers, marriage—the classic path.
That gradual relationship development is the real flavor of Pure Love.
But... ours...
Our first one-on-one? She sucked my dick.
Our first time? Rape.
I bent her sobbing self over and pounded her like a dog.
Could we really have a normal romance after that...?
If anything, the time I just spent with Si-eun felt more like real dating.
Working on a project together, grabbing a meal, sipping coffee.
Chatting about hobbies, cracking dumb jokes.
Hmm...
On the bus, I seriously pondered the direction of my relationship with Na-eun.
And the conclusion I reached.
Yeah.
Like Na-eun said, I had to take responsibility for her.
No matter how batshit crazy she was, she was the girl who took my first.
And if she had feelings for me and wanted to take it further, backing out now wouldn't be right.
Yeah. I could just tighten the loose screws in Na-eun's head myself.
Isn't filling each other's shortcomings the virtue of lovers?
Who am I?
Novel World's Training genius author.
Sure, in my novels, I'm a one-trick pony turning Heroines into sluts, but... personality mod? I could do that if I set my mind to it.
With those thoughts, I arrived at Na-eun's Officetel, which felt like a dungeon.
Ding-dong.
I rang the doorbell and waited for her.
"Come in."
Na-eun opened the front door.
White t-shirt. Black dolphin pants.
Clearly comfy home clothes.
But Na-eun's expression wasn't welcoming me at all.
"Sit there."
I leaned back on the plush sofa and swallowed hard.
"Why do you think I called you here, oppa?"
...Here it comes.
"Because I ate with Si-eun?"
"Not bad for a mosol fucker."
...Hey. Yeah, I'm a mosol, but I'm not a retard.
Does Na-eun think mosol means people with amoeba-level intelligence?
"I told you today. That I like you so much."
"You did."
Still within my expected range.
"Oh. Good answer? But someone who knows that does this? You messing with me right now?"
Na-eun glared at me with venomous eyes, even angrier at my response.
"You get a confession from me and then go hehehing like an idiot in front of another girl?"
"...I wasn't."
"Then the presentation must've been that hilarious?"
Na-eun kept coming at me without giving me a chance to speak.
"No. I came here 'cause I've got something to say to you too, so listen up. Han Na-eun."
"...Say it."
"Na-eun-ah."
I shot up from my seat and grabbed both her shoulders with my hands.
"Wha... what. Suddenly."
She stammered, flustered by my action.
Hoo...
In a deeply serious voice, I conveyed my feelings to her.
"You. I'll take proper responsibility."
For a split second, an unmistakable glow of joy flashed across Na-eun's face.
"R... really?"
Sensing my sincerity, she asked back in a trembling voice.
"Yeah. Really."
Suddenly, Na-eun bowed her head low.
"...Be my girlfriend. Na-eun-ah."
"Oppa..."
Na-eun looked up at me with her face flushed red.
"Let's have the kind of romance straight out of a Pure Love story."
That was the moment.
Na-eun's expression froze cold.
"...A Pure Love story?"
"Yeah. Pure Love."
Does she not know what Pure Love means?
Well, if she doesn't read web novels, maybe...
"Pure... breed... babies...?"
Na-eun tilted her head.
Hoo...
Guess I'd better explain...
As expected of this deviant bitch.
I shook my head at Na-eun's interpretation, which reverse-engineered the original meaning.
"Th... then, don't tell me...!"
Na-eun's face filled with horror.
...What depraved bullshit is she about to spew now? I wondered—then her answer shattered my sanity.
"Pure meat... anal...?"
...Fuck. Can I even date this girl?
Seeing Na-eun slyly bring her hands to her ass, I felt dizzy.
That's not it, you crazy bitch.