Chapter 45
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Meeting (4)
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Jin Seo-won's house.
"……."
I sat across from her, silently watching Jin Seo-won as she busily worked her chopsticks.
'She eats well.'
Jin Seo-won, who had barely shown any appetite at first, started eating a lot more ever since awakening her ability.
She used to only finish half a bowl of rice, but now she was polishing off a full bowl.
'Has her growth spurt finally hit?'
I absentmindedly stared at her chest for a moment before snapping out of it and casually shifting my gaze. I broached the subject indirectly.
"Seo-won."
"…?"
"Just out of curiosity… what do you think about dorming together?"
"…Dorming?"
Unlike with Bang Han-na, I couldn't just spring the idea on Jin Seo-won out of nowhere.
Bang Han-na had been going to her parents' dojo since she was little, so she was somewhat used to communal living. But Jin Seo-won had no such experience.
"…Living together?"
I paused at her question, which omitted the subject, then calmly laid out the dorming plan.
"There's an idea that you and Han-na should live together. So…."
But right then.
"…What about Producer?"
"…Huh?"
"…Not living together?"
Jin Seo-won hit me with the exact question I'd dreaded.
"…I'm not."
Pretending not to notice her subtly disappointed reaction, I set down my chopsticks and emphasized the necessity of dorming.
"Here's my take: you and Han-na need to get closer. Like I mentioned before, she's going to be the one looking after you…. You want someone you're comfortable with, right?"
"…I'm already comfortable…."
"More comfortable than me?"
Jin Seo-won didn't argue back and quietly kept eating. I could sense she was subtly resisting the dorm idea.
'No way… is that why?'
She was the type who had 'relief' time every night even when staying with me, so of course dorming would feel inconvenient.
'Wait, wasn't it inconvenient with me around?'
As I pondered how to convince her.
"…If we dorm…."
"Yeah?"
"…We can't eat together…."
She came out with an unexpectedly sweet reason.
'She doesn't want to be apart from me?'
The wording was a bit odd, but the nuance was definitely that.
"Why couldn't we eat together? You'd be even closer than now."
"……?"
Her cute head tilt, as if she didn't understand, made my lips curl up involuntarily. I listed the same conditions I'd explained to Bang Han-na to persuade her.
"It's close enough that you can drop by whenever you're bored, so no need to worry."
Then.
"!"
Jin Seo-won's eyes suddenly widened as if something had occurred to her. With an expression full of eager anticipation, she ventured.
"…Then, can I visit anytime?"
"Uh…. My place?"
She nodded cutely, chopstick tip in her mouth.
'…This is a problem….'
I was caught off guard by her unexpected counterproposal.
I never dreamed she'd take my exaggerated comment seriously.
'Should I allow this…?'
Me visiting their dorm was one thing; team members coming and going from my house was entirely different.
Of course, nothing problematic would happen….
"…No?"
Just then, Jin Seo-won widened her eyes and subtly pressured me.
'Where'd she learn this….'
Her rare coquettish side was devastatingly effective.
"…No, it's not like I can't. Come over anytime."
I ended up opening my door far too easily.
Back home like that.
[Do you know that actress Lee Seung-ju? The one from the soju commercial….]
"Ah. I think I've seen it."
[I filmed with Seung-ju today, and her face is tiny and she's seriously so pretty…!]
During my usual post-schedule call with Im A-rin, I suddenly realized something I'd overlooked.
'…Come to think of it…, why hasn't A-rin said anything about that kit?'
She hadn't told me she'd gotten tested.
[So I made plans to eat with Seung-ju next time…. Wanna come?]
"Me?"
[Yeah! She said she's been a Queens fan forever and wants to meet you…. What do you think…?]
While I was lost in thought, Im A-rin sneaked in an ambush invitation.
Sensing the dinner invite was a trap, I smoothly declined and made it clear I had no interest in meeting other women.
"Nah, I'm good. No time, and I don't really know her…. Just say I'm busy and we'll do it next time."
[Okay? Too bad…. But can't be helped…!]
Im A-rin sounded subtly satisfied as she smoothly changed the subject.
Confident I'd handled it right, I let out a quiet sigh and debated whether to bring up my meeting with Hong Yu-ra.
'…What should I do about this….'
Even after the three got tested, I'd kept in touch with Im A-rin.
From the circumstances, it seemed like they'd used that purity kit or whatever after the diagnosis….
For some reason, Im A-rin hadn't breathed a word about the test or the kit.
'Why's she hiding it?'
I couldn't fathom her reason for keeping it secret.
Considering what Hong Yu-ra said, it was all going to come out to me anyway.
So why pretend she didn't know?
'…I should just ask.'
After racking my brain, I decided asking her directly was best. I waited for an opening.
"Um…. A-rin."
Seizing the moment, I cautiously brought up the test.
"Did you… go to the hospital recently?"
That instant.
[……Huh?]
A flustered voice came through the speaker.
I continued calmly to draw out her response.
"Actually, Yu-ra came by and told me. About the three of you going to the hospital… and that 'kit.' I didn't ask on purpose since you hadn't mentioned it…. But it's been on my mind."
Im A-rin stammered in a slightly panicked voice.
[…Y-you heard…?]
"Yeah."
[…H-how much…?]
"All of it."
[…I-I see…. You heard everything….]
Im A-rin sounded pretty shocked, rambling incoherently. After a long pause, she spoke in a resigned tone.
[It's just….]
I braced myself for whatever might come and waited.
[I-I thought you might do it in the meantime….]
"……Huh?"
A completely unexpected answer poured out.
[If I told you ahead of time…. Y-you wouldn't, right…?]
'What the hell is she saying…?!'
Stunned by Im A-rin's bold strike out of nowhere, I clutched my sinking heart.
[…D-did I rush it…?]
Im A-rin subtly probed for agreement.
If I affirmed she'd rushed it, we'd create some distance….
But if I denied it….
Gulp─
[…….]
In the heavy silence, I hesitated before carefully replying to her question.
"…Dunno…. Not sure."
I ultimately dodged ambiguously.
[…I see…]
Im A-rin sounded a bit disappointed.
I tried to pivot the topic smoothly….
[Then…. Should we meet and talk?]
"…H-huh?"
She pulled me in hard again.
[…If you're not sure…! W-we can meet and talk, right?!]
"Uh…. A-rin?"
[Y-you're home, right? I'll come over…!]
"N-no! The house isn't even tidy…, a-anyway, no!"
My heart pounded so loud it echoed in my ears.
Barely stopping Im A-rin's charge, I forced a calm voice and postponed.
"…Next time. We'll talk later. …Got it?"
My voice trembled faintly enough for me to notice….
I could only hope she didn't catch it.
The next day.
Having gotten dorming approval from Bang Han-na and Jin Seo-won, I instructed Han Gyu-ri to contract a place for them right away.
But….
"What? You want to extend the period?"
"Yes…! We agreed on it…!"
"Really?"
"…Yes."
For some reason, Bang Han-na and Jin Seo-won suggested extending the dorm period.
By a full three weeks, making it a month total.
'What wind blew this way?'
They hadn't even tried dorming yet and knew nothing of each other's habits. Where did this confidence for a month come from?
"Will it be tough…?"
"No, it's not…. Just, you two sure you'll be okay?"
I'd set it at two weeks initially, accounting for possible adjustment issues.
Their willingness was a good sign, but I was still worried.
"Extending is fine, but if you clash midway, it'll be a hassle."
"It's fine! We set rules and promised to follow them…! Right?"
"…Yeah. We can do it."
Bang Han-na and Jin Seo-won insisted repeatedly that it'd be fine and they could get along.
"Sigh…. Alright, then. Contracts are monthly anyway, so dorm for a month…. But tell me immediately if issues arise. Got it?"
"…Yes."
"Yep…!"
After agonizing, I decided to go with their wishes.