#75. Parasite
#75. Parasite
The really fortunate thing was that this was a very quiet parking lot area, and the passersby were elderly faculty staff.
They didn't seem to be staring at us continuously either.
Huu...
"Hey. Na-eun-ah."
After wiping away the cold sweat, I felt like I needed to give her a stern warning.
"I'm really sorry for making that kind of joke to you too."
We were already close enough, but I took one more step toward her.
"You. Please watch your mouth."
I stretched her soft cheeks with both hands, pulling them jjuuk.
"Hey. It's only been how long since that mess, and you're saying stuff like that outside again."
Na-eun-ie scrunched up her face, probably because my touch hurt, but a guy has to say what needs to be said.
"If you keep this up, both of us won't be able to show our faces outside ever again. Got it?"
When I glared at her with a super stern face, Na-eun-ie drooped her tail like a deflated puppy.
"...Got it. Sorry."
"Yeah. I'm sorry too for... sincerely agreeing with that kind of talk from you. Hey."
If we've hurt each other's feelings with sloppy words, the proper thing is to apologize and make up.
Is it okay to do something like this...?
Now that I was actually trying, it felt a bit embarrassing.
Without a word, I spread my arms wide into a pose similar to a free hug.
Even during fights, they make up by hugging like this sometimes.
Na-eun-ie looked at me with a what-are-you-doing expression.
...This is awkward. You bitch. Come here and hug me quick.
Unable to overcome the embarrassment in the end, I just pulled her into a tight embrace.
"...What are you doing. Seriously."
"This is how it's normally done. You rascal."
"You were just saying people might see us a minute ago..."
Na-eun-ie grumbled in a small voice but soon wrapped her arms around my waist.
Her small frame fit perfectly into my arms.
Just yesterday, I was thinking she was a dog of a bitch for throwing NTR jabs.
But one cute action like this melts my heart—this must be what having a girlfriend is like.
"...How long are you planning to stay like this."
When I didn't let go, pleased with the moment, Na-eun-ie twisted her face around awkwardly.
"Even if I rethink it 100 times, it seems less embarrassing than calling me a living dildo."
I whispered softly into her ear, then gave her a final squeeze with my arms, kkwaak, before releasing her.
"...From now on, only say that stuff when we're alone. Banned outside."
Na-eun-ie stood slightly on tiptoes and tugged my ear.
"Oppa shouldn't think about flirting with other bitches either, and just faithfully serve as my personal living dildo."
Damn... what can I say...
I shouldn't feel good about lines like this.
Why do I keep wanting to laugh.
The content was kinda dumbass, but I thought Na-eun-ie was utterly adorable.
After checking that no one was around, I flashed a bright smile and gave her a fitting reply.
"Yeah! My custom onahole bitch!"
A smile bloomed across Na-eun-ie's face.
Na-eun-ie dragged me out of the lecture hall using the excuse of preparing for design together, but now it was truly time to do the actual design work.
Considering the mid-December deadline, we had about 3 weeks left, so from now on, we had to approach the work cautiously.
Most of the labor in design projects gets insanely concentrated in the last 2 weeks.
So what do you do before that?
It's endlessly agonizing over how to make it—drawing, erasing, creating, destroying, repeat.
For example, if there's a corridor, do you make it straight or bend it a bit.
Do you let people meet at specific points, or completely separate their paths.
You set those one by one, take it to the professor, and get it shredded.
That's the work up until 2 weeks before deadline.
"Hey. Na-eun-ah."
"What."
In the end, we'd decided to do design together, so we each grabbed our laptops and agreed to meet at a cafe in Na-eun-ie's neighborhood.
"Should I open this area up like this?"
"What's this."
"Shared space."
Na-eun-ie looked at my laptop screen, then pulled it toward her and hammered the shortcuts like mad.
"If the form can be free like this, raising the ceiling height a bit and carving it out like this would look pretty."
Whoa! Illustrator-nim!
When she handed the laptop back, I couldn't hold back my exclamation.
"Whoa... what is this. The vibe changed completely."
"Aigoo. Oppa. After 4 years of classes, this is the least I can do."
...Hey. What does that make me.
We paid the same tuition and went for 4 years.
"Then what about here?"
While I was at it, I showed her other parts I wa distressing over.
"Here... hmm... wanna try twisting the angle a bit?"
"Curved surfaces might feel good here too? Oppa, no thoughts on parametric forms?"
"Giving just a level difference here like the other spot would work too."
Ah... sweet.
Why does it feel like I'm getting carried by someone in the same grade.
But there was no shame or anything.
None of my department classmates or juniors would have gotten feedback from Na-eun-ie.
Probably one-and-only.
She barely participated in department activities.
I thought she was busy driving around with her talented boyfriend, but who knew she was holed up at home drawing erotic illustrations.
"Hmm. Looks good. Doesn't mess up the concept much either."
"Phew, relief."
Na-eun-ie stretched her arms jjuuk, then sipped her latte jjoook.
"Haa... I'm not in a position to spectate and backseat your design right now."
"Why. Not going well?"
"Honestly, my problem isn't the stage you're at, Oppa."
Na-eun-ie clicked her mouse with a fed-up expression.
"Then what are you doing."
"Better to redo the concept since the prof's bitching, so I'm starting over from scratch."
...What week is it now, and you're redoing that.
Normally, the concept should be out by week one or two to proceed.
If what Na-eun-ie said was true, her situation was more urgent than mine.
"What was the concept that it's like this."
"Don't make such a serious face. It's familiar to me."
Na-eun-ie chugged her drink again and let out a deep sigh.
"Anyway, I'll somehow make the deadline. Whatever."
"No. Even so, want me to take a look?"
Na-eun-ie smirked and shook her head.
"Nah. Dummy. I'll handle it. You focus on yours, Oppa."
If she'd asked for help, I would've been totally down to put our heads together sincerely.
Do I seem unreliable.
I was always treated like an ace in the concept stage, though.
But my own nose is made of stone too.
We stopped the chit-chat and dove back into our own work.
How much time passed like that.
"Na-eun-ah."
"Yeah?"
"Not hungry?"
Na-eun-ie tore her eyes from the laptop screen and nodded vigorously.
"I'm dying."
"Let's go eat."
"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to say that."
She hurriedly stuffed her laptop back into her bag, cleaned up the drinks and trash, and as we stepped out, the night sky had long since darkened.
"Days are short these days."
"It's almost December."
"Yeah, true."
This year is ending like this too.
"Oh right. Do you know my birthday?"
"Nope? You gotta tell me."
Thinking about it, it's ridiculous.
I knew Han Na-eun's birthday from [I Imprisoned Her], but not my actual girlfriend Na-eun-ie's.
"Mine's December 21st."
"Ooh. Not long left?"
Na-eun-ie pulled out her phone and seemed to be noting it in her calendar.
"Yours?"
"Mine's April 1st."
April Fool's Day.
"Don't the kids say not to lie about birthdays or something?"
Na-eun-ie looked up at me with a disgusted face.
"Ah. Seriously, I've heard that crap since elementary school. It's childish, Oppa."
"Hey... You've heard it 100, 200 times, but this is my first."
"Anyway. But December 21st is right after end of semester?"
"Yeah."
That's why I was always in a good mood around my birthday.
If only I'd been born a week earlier.
I'd have spent every birthday looking like a wreck in the Design Room.
"So that's why your pen name is Han Gyeo-ul?"
Na-eun-ie linked arms with mine.
"That too. And I personally like winter."
"I like winter too."
"Yeah. You like me."
"Ah. Seriously, why are you acting like some old ajusshi since earlier."
Face like she'd seen a gross pic.
...Can't help it, I'm a post-army ajusshi for real. Sorry.
"Aish. I'll stop. Hey. What do you wanna eat?"
"I'm so hungry I'd devour anything?"
Chatting away like that, we just went into a samgyeopsal place we spotted on the way.
Thinking it'd make me a sensible boyfriend, I said I'd grill the meat, but not even 3 minutes later, she confiscated the tongs.
"When you lived at home, you didn't do a single chore, right Oppa."
Nod nod.
"Never even cooked rice yourself, Mom did it all."
Nod nod.
"Didn't even grill meat at MTs or anything?"
Nod nod.
"As expected, I'm probably the only one who can live with a vermin-like parasitic boyfriend."
She punched me in the solar plexus with a calm voice. Na-eun-ah.
"Hey. What's vermin to a boyfriend. Vermin."
Na-eun-ie quietly shoved a properly sized piece of samgyeopsal sook into my mouth, like shut up.
"Euu. Tasty, right?"
Nod nod.
Ah. Guess I'll just live as a vermin.
That's what I thought.