Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Hangover Echoes
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Han Aebom wanted to sleep. More precisely, she wanted to escape into slumber from the hangover that was tormenting her like crazy.
Her wish would come true, then fail, repeating over and over.
Whether she passed out or drifted off briefly, she woke up right away.
'My head hurts. Stomach feels awful. The world's spinning.'
It was the worst. The absolute worst.
And yet, despite it all, Han Aebom thought the day would leave her with more good memories than bad. Even through the pain, the events of the day flashed vividly in her mind.
Everyone toasting together, partying noisily in the karaoke room, getting hangover relief meds from Kim Hyunwoo... and throwing up.
'Forget the last part. Just forget it.'
To erase that embarrassing fact, she had to fall asleep no matter what.
'Hup.'
She'd barely closed and opened her eyes again.
Her pillow was damp, her head throbbing. Han Aebom confirmed it was soaked with her drool. It was still dribbling out.
She stuffed the handkerchief back in her mouth. Her head felt like it might split open, so why was her mind so sharp?
One second felt like an hour. Time crawled by unnaturally slowly.
Then, she noticed a strange sound near her ear.
"Squelch. Squelch."
A sticky sound. Like skin rubbing against skin?
"Haah. Haht. Hnng."
A woman's moans. In this room, besides herself, there was only one other woman. So it had to be Oh Hana.
Even with her headache, Han Aebom smiled faintly.
'This girl acted all fine too, but she's suffering from the hangover just like me.'
She felt oddly relieved, satisfied, even a bit pleased that she wasn't suffering alone...
"...Oppa. Hn. Feels good."
The faint smile on Han Aebom's lips vanished in an instant. Her upturned mouth corners snapped right back.
For a brief moment, her mind reeled in confusion unlike any hangover she'd ever known.
She held her breath tight.
The sounds grew clearer in her ears.
"Ah. Ah. Ahng. Hn. Good... Ah."
Drool.
Han Aebom felt her pillow grow damp once more.
Morning had come before she knew it.
"Aebom-ssi, how's your body feeling?"
Han Aebom flashed a bright smile at Kim Hyunwoo's question.
"I slept so well, it feels a bit better now."
Time flew by remarkably fast. So much so that she wondered if someone had melted the clock.
It should be warming up by now, but winter must still be hanging on.
"Kwaaa. This is insane. For real."
I punched at the air, then felt a smack on the back of my head. Rubbing it, I turned to see the Store Manager getting ready to leave.
"You're the insane one, punk. Why're you punching thin air all of a sudden? Got someone you wanna hit?"
"......"
"Dude, you're a guy too, but punching around at 29? Not in this day and age. Don't even think about getting compensation if you get sued—just run from that crap. I still get chills thinking about those high schoolers who almost shook me down the other day..."
"It's not that. But high schoolers tried to shake you down?"
The Store Manager suddenly went quiet.
"Shut up. Have a good shift."
He waved dismissively and bolted out.
"Store Manager! Be careful! Don't get shaken down by high schoolers again!"
"Shut it, you brat!"
After he left, I threw a few more punches at the air. It had been quite a while since that celebratory dinner with Oh Hana and Han Aebom, but...
The memories from that day were etched too vividly in my mind.
"Crazy bastard."
Yeah. That was all that came to mind.
I must've been pretty drunk at the karaoke place too. What was with that sloppy, insane dance? Clapping and stepping around, Oh Hana burst into laughter, and even Han Aebom was giggling.
Thinking it was fun, I hammed it up even more.
"Urk!"
Even now, just recalling it made me want to kick under the blankets in shame. Why did I do that? I must've lost my mind. But if there's one memory that sticks out the most...
Was it having sex with Oh Hana under the covers while Han Aebom slept right next to us?
Oh Hana, you absolute maniac?
"I'm in no position to talk. I went along with it in the end."
No, but.
If Oh Hana comes at you naked after a shower in that situation, is there any guy in the world who could refuse? Right?
"...Who the hell am I even talking to right now?"
Maybe I should call a friend? Nah, I flipped my phone over. Who would I even call in this state?
[Basics of Programming]
I opened to page 71 of the dusty book.
Then, a system message popped up before my eyes.
Improve the relationship between Oh Hana and Han Aebom, who live with you in the one-room.
📍 Progress:0/1
🎁 Reward: 1,000,000 won, Stamina +1, Erogenous Zone Detection Skill
What the hell.
Come to think of it, I was floored when that quest I thought was definitely failed was still there intact the next morning.
'Even drunk, I was sure we'd gotten close at karaoke.'
Was I wrong?
If so, that's scary in its own way. Were they smiling on the outside but not really feeling it inside?
"Headache. Was it all just for show?"
Maybe they weren't enjoying it but pretended to be.
I shook off the rude thought. Doubting like that was the worst thing. Han Aebom had definitely had fun that day.
She just hadn't warmed up to Oh Hana. But her happiness was real.
The quest just hadn't cleared.
"...Money. I really blew it."
A quick glance at my credit card statement made me dizzy. It wouldn't be bad if we split it, but footing it alone? Massive.
If only I hadn't been banking on that 1 million won...
Anyway.
Have sex with Han Aebom
📍 Progress:0/1
🎁 Reward: 500,000 won, Strength +1
The quest popped up the moment I thought of it, and I let out a small sigh.
"At this point, with me already sleeping with Oh Hana, isn't this impossible? I'm not some golden sun."
I shook my head and flipped open the programming book again.
Ah, damn. Already sleepy.
[1:32 PM]
"Aebom-ssi, Aebom-ssi. You okay?"
"Yes? Ah..."
Han Aebom, lost in thought, snapped her head up at Jeong Hyejeong's call.
"You scared me. Thought you were sick."
"Ah... I'm fine. Sorry."
"No worries. It's lunchtime anyway, and everyone zones out sometimes."
Han Aebom alternated between day and night shifts. This week was days. Specifically, she was learning every detail from Jeong Hyejeong to be fully prepared.
The study cafe job was a breeze.
Checking names and times for sign-ups, occasional cleaning, restocking snacks, answering phones—that was it.
What was really troubling Han Aebom was the sounds still echoing in her ears and the vulgar imaginings they sparked.
'Are Oh Hana-ssi and Kim Hyunwoo-ssi dating?'
That was her initial thought.
But watching closely, it didn't seem like it. If they were dating, they wouldn't have let her move in. So if not dating...
"Um, Hyejeong-ssi."
"Ah, yeah."
Jeong Hyejeong, who had brought a homemade lunch and was munching on Vienna sausages cut into octopus shapes, looked up.
She covered her mouth with one hand, ears perked.
"You know, even if you're not dating..."
"Yeah."
Jeong Hyejeong savored the juicy bite, chewing contentedly.
"Never mind. It's nothing."
"...?"
What? Feels like she just trailed off mid-shit.
"Hoo."
Han Aebom sighed softly. Ironically, since that night, she'd been thinking about Kim Hyunwoo even more.
"Hyejeong-ssi, do you have someone you like?"
"Uh, well. Someone I liked? There was a guy I thought might be good to date."
"Past tense?"
"Yeah. Some ridiculous rival showed up. Ahaha."
Something thorny in her words? Or just imagination.
Han Aebom nodded slightly.
"I think I get that feeling."
Jeong Hyejeong flinched. What? Playing mind games?
Meanwhile, Han Aebom sighed again, thinking of Oh Hana.
'Do guys like that kind of woman?'
Smokes, not ladylike at all.
But she had that energizing vibe. Thinking it over, she might be a tough opponent.
'Haah. Hng. Ha-eung.'
Even to her own ears, it was insanely erotic moaning. The more she tried not to think of it, the more it flooded back. Han Aebom wiped her face lightly. Lately, her head was filled with lewd thoughts all day—it was driving her mad.
All because of Oh Hana's moans.
"But Aebom-ssi doesn't need to worry about that stuff, right?"
At Jeong Hyejeong's loaded words, Han Aebom forced a smile, then smacked her lips.
"That's why I'm worrying now."
"Huh?"
"No, nothing."
It was just pathetic whining.
After lunch, Jeong Hyejeong and Han Aebom stopped by the convenience store to restock study cafe snacks.
"Wouldn't ordering online in bulk be cheaper?"
"Yeah, big orders usually are. But eating the same snacks every time gets boring. The boss says to mix it up sometimes, so we pick what we wanna try based on mood. No place gets new products faster than a convenience store. Oh, right—this is where Hyunwoo-ssi works. You knew that?"
"Huh? Ah, yeah."
Where Hyunwoo-ssi works.
Hearing that made his warmth somehow palpable.
'Crazy. What am I even saying.'
Han Aebom shook her head.
"Not great value, huh."
"Heard he didn't open it to make money. Just a hobby."
"I see."
Anyone else, maybe not—but Han Aebom could agree a hundred times over.
Snacks, snacks, snacks...
While rummaging through the store's snacks, Han Aebom's eyes caught a product tucked in the corner.
[Share safe love with the one who loves you.]
[No-base Condom]
[Teens may purchase]
Condoms. Even teens could buy them.
She stared blankly at it. So if she used this, she could safely be with Kim Hyunwoo-ssi...
"Aebom-ssi?"
"Yes?"
"Something wrong?"
"No. Nothing."
Her cheeks burned as Han Aebom shook her head.
4 PM. Thanks to Jeong Hyejeong's consideration, she got off early. Heading home, she saw Kim Hyunwoo snoring away in sleep.
"......"
She thought to sit quietly in the corner and read, but her eyes fell on the laundry basket. Inside hung Kim Hyunwoo's underwear from after his shower post-shift, dangling precariously.
Han Aebom stared at the underwear. She flinched and looked away, but her gaze soon fixed back on it.
By the time Han Aebom was fully accustomed to the job and working solo...
Opening the fourth shelf of the communal fourth-floor storage for my commute, a random thought made me tilt my head.
My underwear—was it originally 11 pairs?