Chapter 38

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: penny

Chapter: 38

Chapter Title: Will You Go Out With Me?

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Haha. Man. Why does this feel so unreal?

"Hyunwoo-ssi?"

"Just a moment."

I held Han Aebom back with my palm for a second and frantically whipped my head around, doing my best to spot the camera lens.

This had to be it. A hidden camera prank.

Otherwise, it made no sense. I'd thought my underwear had just gone missing by mistake? But no, the twist was that Han ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Aebom had stolen it? If this were in a novel, readers would riot and demand to crack open the author's skull.

But something was off.

'Why can't I see the camera?'

This guy had hidden it really well. If I let myself look flustered and took this seriously, Oh Hana would probably burst through the front door any second now.

…That scenario actually felt more realistic.

"Is this… maybe a hidden camera prank?"

"A hidden camera…?"

A giant question mark overflowing with innocence popped up over Han Aebom's head. Honestly, that was the real shock. It was solid proof that no one in their right mind would mistake this for a prank.

So, Han Aebom had… really stolen my underwear? Why? Whyyy?

This still didn't feel real at all. It hit me as hard as the first time that quest window popped up.

"Just to be sure, Aebom-ssi."

"Yes."

"Did you steal my underwear? Or was it some kind of punishment game with Oh Hana?"

Even now, the second option felt way more plausible.

"I stole it."

Han Aebom picked the first one without a moment's hesitation. So boldly that it left me even more flustered.

No. Okay, fine, stealing was one thing. But underwear, of all things? That didn't make any sense.

"I figured it'd freak you out, Hyunwoo-ssi. Honestly, it freaked me out too when I realized what I was doing."

"Yeah. I bet."

I was so thrown that I could barely get the words out. I'd always struggled to meet her eyes for more than three seconds anyway, but now even one was impossible. My brain was such a mess that random bits from that basic programming tutorial I'd watched yesterday kept popping up.

"Please just calm down and listen."

I tried my best to act calm, even though I absolutely wasn't.

"I stole your underwear, Hyunwoo-ssi… to use it."

My poker face nearly shattered right there.

Use it? For what?

…My eyes must've said it all because her cheeks finally flushed, and she faltered for the first time. She'd seemed ready to barrel through it, but now she was stuck.

"Maybe because men's underwear looks kinda warm?"

"The… smell."

"Pardon?"

"…The sm…"

Seeing her struggle to spit out a single syllable like that was a first. Han Aebom's face and ears had turned beet red as she forced it out.

"I wanted to… smell it. That's why I stole it."

"…"

"I stole your underwear because I wanted to smell you, Hyunwoo-ssi!"

I heard you the first time. My brain just refused to process it, leaving me spaced out.

"…"

As someone who'd jerked off with their panties more than once, I felt like I should understand… but it still made no sense. My head spun in this weird limbo.

"I know it's weird! I was shocked when it happened to me too."

Han Aebom started confessing everything, one piece at a time.

"Sometimes I'd ask you for a few cigarettes while you were sleeping."

No wonder some of them felt a bit damp or crushed.

"After you left for work, I'd bury my nose in your blanket and sniff it every time."

My blanket always smelled oddly nice. I'd figured Oh Hana had sprayed some fabric freshener on it.

Han Aebom's eyes were tearing up now. She looked utterly mortified and sorry.

"Sniff… I'm so sorry. To do something like that… I'm not even human. I'm an animal."

Why did my chest suddenly ache like that? It felt like someone had stabbed my conscience with a spear. I nearly blurted out that I'd been jerking off with their underwear too.

I barely held back. If I'd said it, things would've gone in a totally different direction, no doubt.

"It's okay, Aebom-ssi."

As a man, I couldn't just leave a crying woman alone. I gently pulled her into a hug and patted her back.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't shocked. But it's not some huge deal where you're bawling and apologizing like your life's over."

Yeah. Exactly.

Honestly, I still couldn't picture Han Aebom sniffing my underwear. But if it were me with her panties? Totally different story.

"No way! It is a huge deal!"

Good lord. She was more worked up than I was, even after I said it was fine.

"I…! Stole your underwear and sniffed it while doing shameful things! And not just that—your clothes, towels, blankets, even putting your cigarettes in my mouth! How is that not a huge deal?!"

Hearing it from her mouth did make it sound massive. Like I said before, this was novel material that'd get the author's head cracked open. Straight-up insane.

'I never imagined I'd have a conversation like this in my life. My head's spinning for real.'

How do you even resolve this? I was fine with it, but she was losing it more than ever.

"You must despise me. Go ahead, it's okay."

"N-No. Calm down. I told you I'm okay with it."

"How can I make this right? Sniff… I really am trash. You got me a part-time job and even made time for fun, and I repay you like this. I should be grateful, not… mmph."

I wanted to dramatically seal her lips with a finger like some romance novel hero, but reality meant slapping my palm over her mouth instead.

"Please calm down, Aebom-ssi."

Truth be told.

The moment she said "got ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me a part-time job," another forgotten detail hit me.

Her "absolute affection" toward me.

My hunch was.

That damn system was one of the culprits here. Sure, the way it manifested—stealing underwear—was ironic as hell. But thrillers have stories where people kill out of love, right?

"Let's take it slow and talk this out one step at a time. My underwear's back safe and sound. I've heard everything about what you did, and I'm telling you it's no big deal. I want to forgive you. But if you keep freaking out and refusing to forgive yourself, I'm the one who ends up in trouble."

"…"

She gave a apologetic look and nodded faintly.

I peeled my palm off her mouth. It was soaked with saliva.

Come to think of it, her claim about stealing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my underwear for the smell suddenly felt a tiny bit credible.

Because her lips were twitching under my hand. Was she getting turned on by the smell of my palm right now? No way.

'They say bookworms are full of common sense and worldly wisdom from all the info they absorb.'

Han Aebom was always reading around us, but wasn't she a bit too much of an airhead? Even reading just the school's required 100 books should build a solid foundation of knowledge and thinking.

'Well, I don't know everything about her anyway.'

Far from it. I knew next to nothing.

"So, is that it? Apology for the underwear theft? Then we're good, right? Should we talk about the future maybe? Like my underwear or whatever you just mentioned."

"Not yet."

Pardon?

"It's not over yet."

What? She looked like she'd just resolved to dive into a horror movie's climax scene.

"I like you, Hyunwoo-ssi."

Yeah, I know.

Absolute affection and all that.

"We've only known each other a short time, so maybe this feeling… is just gratitude. Or dependence from the situation."

No need for a thesis breakdown right now.

"But I've never felt this kind of goodwill toward anyone before. So…"

I had a gut feeling something huge was coming. And I wasn't wrong.

"Will you… go out with me?"

"Yo, check out that hottie in the corner. Fucking gorgeous. Think she'd give me her number?"

"Give it up, dude. That face screams 'taken.' A girl like that without a boyfriend? Suspicious."

"Man, dating someone like her would feel amazing."

I could hear everything. Crystal clear.

Oh Hana had come to the PC bang near the one-room and shelled out 6,000 won for a five-hour flat rate. She slurped down 3,500-won instant ramen while clicking the mouse.

She was doing her usual cafe activity, but time was dragging today.

"Pulling an all-nighter at a PC bang is nothing new for me."

She muttered to herself, leaned back carefully in the chair, and closed her eyes.

By ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠now, had she confessed? How'd it go?

Whatever happened, they'd probably end up screwing. She was 100 percent—no, 1,000 percent—sure of it.

"I wanna have sex too."

Oh Hana whispered under her breath and started moving the mouse again. Her side felt especially empty tonight.

They say everyone gets three big opportunities in life, or at least one peak of popularity. Was this it? My golden chance?

Go out with me? Me and Han Aebom?

'Crazy.'

I briefly pictured us walking arm-in-arm, and a curse nearly slipped out.

Beauty and the Beast in real life? Nah, too generous. More like Slave and Lady. Even so, if I said yes right here, I could date Han Aebom.

It wouldn't come again—this once-in-a-lifetime shot.

Living under the same roof let me see just how amazing she was. A bit naive about the world, sure. But she adapted quickly, and her personality was top-notch.

Dating her? Pure bliss. In seconds, I'd imagined us dating, marrying, even having kids.

The fantasy alone made me happy.

'Plus, it'd be huge motivation to grind harder.'

For the woman I loved, to make her happy—I'd hustle way more than now, no question.

She wouldn't have said it lightly, and if we dated, she wouldn't break up easily. Marriage odds were higher.

So yeah, I should say yes. Any hundred guys would.

So why…

"I'm sorry."

Was I really throwing away this golden opportunity myself?