Flirting Techniques Men Use
Monday morning.
I rubbed my sleepy eyes and shuffled out of the house like a zombie, trudging my way to school.
The most hellish thing about Monday morning classes wasn't simply the fact that it was horribly tiring just getting to campus. The real nightmare began right after the first class somehow ended.
The true agony hit the moment I thought, Okay, I've lived hard enough this week, only to realize that what I'd just sat through was merely the first class on Monday.
Feeling thoroughly depressed, I was pulling a coffee from the campus café when a KakaoTalk from Hyejung suddenly arrived.
I only remembered after seeing the message that I'd promised to give her the My Melody keychain I'd pulled from the gacha shop at the mall with my sister the other day.
I hurriedly dug through my pocket and, luckily, the keychain was still there. I'd worn the same coat as that day, so the keychains my sister had given me were still inside.
I sat on the bench in front of the library, sipping my coffee with noisy slurps while typing a reply with one hand.
After a moment, Hyejung answered again.
My next class wasn't until three in the afternoon, so I had plenty of free time until then.
I shoved my hands into my pockets and walked with a still-exhausted face toward the restaurant where I'd agreed to meet Hyejung.
When I arrived a short while later, Hyejung was already seated. She wore her usual outfit—dolphin shorts, a tight short-sleeved tee, and a thin cardigan on top.
Hyejung was squinting hard at her phone, so focused she hadn't noticed me come in. I deliberately crept up behind her so she wouldn't spot me.
Up close, I saw she was watching YouTube Shorts. The title was something sensational and weird like "Flirting Techniques Men Use."
Flirting Techniques Men Use
Men remember the girl's preferences and then casually take care of them later as a flirting technique.
I sneaked right up behind Hyejung, who was completely absorbed, then yanked the hood of her hoodie over her head and let out a mischievous giggle.
"Ah, shit! You scared me…! W-what are you doing!"
"Hehe, what are you watching so intently~"
When I poked my head out to get a better look at the video, Hyejung frantically turned off the screen and hid the phone under the table. Her entire face was bright red as she shot me a fierce glare.
But unlike what I'd expected—her unloading a string of thick curses and throwing a fit—Hyejung only huffed a little and didn't get any angrier. She crossed her legs, gave an exaggerated cough, and said,
"…Stop doing pointless stuff and sit down already. Order. I'm starving to death."
"You didn't eat breakfast?"
"No, this is my first meal. I worked out this morning and haven't eaten since."
"What? Then why didn't you just eat after your workout?"
"…I thought you'd be here soon. Anyway, order quickly."
"Fine, fine, I'll order right away… I'll just get the beef curry rice bowl I always have. What about you, Hyejung?"
"Chicken plate for me. Ordering now?"
Hyejung selected the two items on the table kiosk and pressed order. When the card payment window popped up, she naturally held her phone to it and paid for everything in one go.
I felt I should show some gratitude, so I shot up from my seat, clasped both hands in front of my stomach, and bowed politely.
"Thank you. I will never forget the grace of you buying me a meal today, dear sister."
"Ah, what are you doing! It's embarrassing, so sit down, damn it…"
Hyejung's face flushed crimson like she was genuinely mortified. She fidgeted, glancing around. Finding her reaction hilarious, I chuckled and sat back down.
Then I suddenly remembered the keychain and quickly fished the My Melody one out of my pocket.
"Hyejung, here. Take this."
Hyejung took the keychain, her eyes sparkling as she turned it over in her hands.
"…Is this the one you showed me in the photo that time?"
"Yeah, the one I pulled. Aren't you grateful?"
"Yeah, it's cute. Thanks."
She slipped the keychain into her pocket, then asked casually, as if it were nothing,
"…By the way, where did you get it?"
"Huh? From the gacha shop next to Artbox."
"Really? By yourself?"
"No, of course not…"
Just as I was about to add that I'd gone with Jiyoung, a part-timer approached from across the restaurant and set our food down. The conversation broke off. By the time the server left, it felt too awkward to pick up again.
I smiled at Hyejung and started scooping up my rice bowl.
"…Thanks for the meal, Hyejung. I appreciate it."
"Yeah, sure."
We ate in silence for a while until a thought suddenly hit me. I lifted my head, still chewing, and asked,
"…Hey, Hyejung."
"What."
"Are you buying me lunch because I brought the keychain?"
"…"
Hyejung chewed quietly for a moment, staring at me, then finally looked down and answered flatly.
"Yeah. Is that a problem?"
"No, it's not a problem… But that thing only costs about five hundred won. Isn't this kind of an over-the-top thank-you? Do you owe me for something else?"
"It's not that."
"Then why…"
"Aish, damn it… I just bought it, so eat quietly. Why do you have to keep making a big deal out of everything…"
When Hyejung glared at me with clear irritation, I shut my mouth, figuring I'd actually get hit if I said anything more.
After another long silence, Hyejung lifted her head slightly, still chewing, and muttered quietly.
"…Back in first year, when we first met."
"Huh…? Oh, yeah. What about it?"
"That time, you saw the charm on my phone and spoke to me for the first time. You asked if I liked My Melody."
"Ah, right. Because of my real sister, I knew about Sanrio characters…"
"…That's why I bought it. Not because of some five-hundred-won keychain."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
When I asked with a confused look, Hyejung glanced at me, let out a deep sigh, and shook her head.
"Idiot… Forget it if you don't get it. You done eating?"
"Yeah…"
"You have class in Building 18 later, right?"
"Yeah. Yours is in the building right next to it, isn't it?"
"Yep. Let's go together."
Hyejung picked up her bag to stand, then suddenly set it down again. She carefully attached the My Melody keychain I'd given her to the side of her bag.
She smiled softly and stared at it for a long moment.
…Man, I just don't get why girls love hanging those things all over everything. I scratched my head, unable to understand, and let out a small laugh.
Hyejung shouldered her bag again, nodded toward the door, and said,
"Let's go."
We left the restaurant and walked toward the lecture building. I stayed quiet beside her for a while, then nudged her shoulder.
"…Hyejung, want to get ice cream for dessert?"
"Should we? What flavor?"
I stroked my chin, thinking hard, until something from memory surfaced. My face brightened.
"Hey, didn't you like the pistachio at Baskin-Robbins last time? Want that?"
Hyejung's face flushed bright red again. She glared at me, then shook her head and muttered to herself,
"…That's exactly why I told you to stop doing that… Seriously…"
"Why… If you don't want it, we'll get something else."
Hyejung let out a long, resigned sigh, stretched her arms, and answered,
"…No, I do like it. You're buying, right?"
"Obviously. You bought lunch."
"Okay. You're dead. I'm getting a half-gallon."
"Wait, no… You're seriously going to eat a half-gallon? Didn't you say you were on a diet?"
"Shut up. No talking back… I only had salad for lunch, so this is fine…"
And so Hyejung and I bickered and chatted until afternoon classes began, sharing ice cream together.
That afternoon.
Jiyoung had been rolling around in bed half-naked ever since she woke up, not having washed yet, when a KakaoTalk notification arrived. She checked her phone.
Jiyoung smiled brightly and replied right away.
…Ah, I'd deliberately picked that time because Namhyuk had class then so our schedules wouldn't overlap…
Wait, does that mean the two of them are in the same class? No way. What a coincidence…
Jiyoung shook her head and typed another reply.
She beamed with joy and sent a huge thank-you emoticon.
Thinking she should wash before Namhyuk got back, she yawned lazily, scratched her chest, and shuffled off to the bathroom.
