Episode 13: Is Ji Eun-hwi Jealous?

13 Is Ji Eunhwi Jealous?

"Nara, was it? I heard you were parading around our department with some idol draped all over your arm."

"'Draped all over my arm' is a bit..."

She made it sound like I'd been fooling around in some bar.

"Am I wrong? They said she was clinging to your arm the whole time."

I let out a sigh and slowly walked into the room, explaining the day's events as I went.

"I just felt like I couldn't forcibly push her away..."

A faint smile touched Nuna's lips, which put me a little more at ease.

"Our Sijun is quite popular, isn't he?"

"Popular, my ass..."

"Why not? A twenty-year-old girl was practically ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠throwing herself at you because she likes you, wasn't she?"

Nuna's words brought the memory of Cha Nara's kiss flashing back, but I wiped it from my mind at once.

"What, are you jealous? Of a twenty-year-old?"

"Yeah."

Nuna's honest answer left me more speechless than anything else could have.

"What am I supposed to do? Swat them away if they get close? Like this?"

I swung my hand playfully as I asked, but the answer I got was the opposite of what I expected.

"No. Just let them."

"..."

"It makes me jealous, but my man is popular, so I should just be proud of it."

"I won't lose you. Not to anyone."

That was confidence. Nuna had absolute faith in herself. That self-assurance that she was above anyone who came along—I didn't dislike that side of her.

"And Sijun, don't get the wrong idea."

"What wrong idea?"

"We've gotten so used to it we forget, but you, me, Sieun—none of us are normal people."

The conversation was taking an unexpected turn. Not a direction I'd anticipated or encountered before.

"All of a sudden?"

"Yeah. So what I'm saying is: if you don't hate it, don't bother pushing her away."

"Why?"

"Hmm... was it hypocritical of me to tell you that, when I was the same way?"

"That's a different situa—"

Nuna placed a finger on my lips, silencing me.

"No, it's the same thing. But—"

"But?"

"If you fall for some other bitch and stop loving me or abandon me, you're dead that very day."

The words, delivered with a smile, landed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠far heavier than anything said with a straight face. She was genuinely terrifying.

"And..."

Nuna came and nestled into my arms as she continued.

"After the weekend, the shoot yesterday, and then lecturing... it was tough. I need someone else, or Sieun... doing this alone is too much for me."

"Then just take it in moderation. Go a little easier."

"If I do that, you'll just end up unleashing everything all at once."

"That's..."

I couldn't say, "No, I won't." Honestly, I wasn't confident either. Even if I started out telling myself to go slow, the moment I came to my senses I'd be going at it like a madman.

"The time I spend falling asleep with you afterward is wonderful, of course. But those moments when we're so exhausted we collapse and don't even know who's sleeping next to us... I think it'd be nice to just talk, hang out, or even just hold each other during those times."

"Okay. Let's figure it out. Together."

I hadn't realized she'd been carrying worries like that. I'd been so wrapped up in my own desires that I'd overlooked how hard it was on her. It made me stop and think.

"Okay, thank you."

I wasn't sure how the conversation had gotten here, but I took Nuna's serious confession to heart.

I hadn't realized she had those kinds of concerns. I'd been so focused on satisfying my own desires that I'd ignored how hard it was on her, and I felt sorry.

"So you built up that whole conversation just to say this?"

"What?"

"I mean, you did that whole 'don't get the wrong idea, we aren't normal people' bit just so you could tell me you're exhausted, didn't you?"

I mimicked Nuna's expression as I teased her. The result was exactly what I expected.

"Argh! Nuna, seriously! That hurts! My bone! Bone! She hit my bone!!!"

"Die! Choi Sijun! Just die!!"

"Aargh!! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!!"

----

The school was a bit chaotic because of yesterday's incident. The campus as a whole was calm, but the legal team, the administrative headquarters, and I were not.

"If you look at the CCTV footage here, the reporter is entering while disguised as a student. We intend to argue that point."

"And the reason for arguing it as a disguise?"

"Compared to simple trespassing, entering through deception—essentially a trick—allows for aggravated punishment."

"The targets are both the individual reporter and the company, correct?"

"Yes... (details omitted) ...will do so."

The head of administration and the lawyer from the legal team were talking, and honestly, I understood the opening part, but after that, I could only grasp that they were suing under such-and-such pretexts. The reasoning behind it all went over my head.

"What about civil measures?"

"First, we'll file a claim for damages."

"On what grounds?"

"Primarily, although she's just an idol and an individual, she filmed a student who belongs to this school without permission. So we'll submit it under four categories: facility infringement, reimbursement of actual expenses, and losses due to business interference. Additionally, if possible, we are even considering an unjust enrichment claim."

"An unjust enrichment claim?"

"The school provides sets for movies and dramas, does it not? Based on that, we will argue they used our asset—the campus set—without authorization."

"Will that hold up?"

Once the civil side started getting into arguments I couldn't easily follow, I tuned out.

Right as I was letting it all wash over me, the head of administration called my name.

"Manager Choi."

"Yes."

"The matters concerning Cha Nara and Kim Hyeonwoo have been relayed to their respective agencies, and they have delegated authority to us. From what was passed on, I heard Ms. Cha Nara had a slight panic episode because of the stalker."

"Ah, yes. I calmed her down."

"That's a relief. It's fortunate there were no serious injuries or anyone hurt."

After that, I listened to and took over the tasks I needed to handle—items requiring my cooperation, document organization, and so on.

I thought it was wrapping up, but after the main work was handled, the Chief of Security, who joined later, and I continued discussing security measures for a long time.

"It's late."

The meeting stretched past lunch and ended just slightly past quitting time.

[ Call me ]

I saw the four-letter message on my way home, and as soon as I got back and changed my clothes, I dialed.

—Wow, our little brother finally decided to get in touch?

"I was busy..."

— If you're busy, does that mean you're busier than me?!

Sieun-nuna's voice came through so crackly that I hurriedly pulled the phone away from my ear.

"Speak softly..."

— You're $% making me mad, you $%$%$!

Sieun-nuna's voice still came through distorted. I could roughly guess it meant something like "You're the one making me mad."

"Hey, I said speak softly. I can't make out what you're saying."

—So, are you having a lovely, lovey-dovey time with Eunhwi?

After that initial burst of anger, Nuna seemed to have calmed down and asked in a composed voice.

"Yeah, it's good."

— Then just throw me away and live only with Eunhwi.

"Why would you say something like that again?"

Unlike ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Eunhwi-nuna, who has a soft image, Sieun-nuna has a sharper image, but she's actually a very sensitive, jealous, and young-at-heart person.

"When are you coming?"

— Hmm... around fall?

"I miss you."

— ....

"Nuna?"

— You need to quit doing that. Saying stuff out of the blue like that.

I hadn't really said much, but it seemed Nuna took it as something special.

"You don't like it?"

— No?

Once the lovey-dovey couple talk, by my standards, was over, it was now time for Nuna and her little brother.

"Ah...uh...yeah...okay..."

My available responses were extremely limited.

And so, a whopping three-hour nag session came to an ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠end.

— Nothing difficult going on?

I vented about my recent situation—well, mainly what happened today. Nuna sympathized and listened to my story.

I can't help but act slightly childish around my nunas.

"Anyway, that's what happened."

— Sijun had a rough time.

"Thanks for understanding. Really, I have no one but you, Nuna."

—Sijun-ah.

"Yeah?"

— I love you.

"I love you too."

— I miss you... I'll hang up now.

"I miss you too... get some rest, Nuna."

— Smooch! Smooch! Smooch!

Only after repeating that she was hanging up at least ten times did she finally end the call.

"Sieun?"

"Yeah."

As I went out to the living room and tried to sit on the sofa, Eunhwi-nuna gently nudged me down onto the floor.

She placed her hands on my shoulders and slowly began kneading them.

"Ah... that's good..."

"Good?"

"You've got surprisingly strong grip strength, Nuna."

"I heard you worked hard today. Think of it as a service."

I closed my eyes and focused on the feel of Nuna's hands.

"Sijun-ah."

"Yeah?"

When Nuna called me and I looked up, she was gazing down at me with her head tilted.

"What... that's scary..."

Her hair surrounded my face like a curtain.

"Ooh, is it scary? Smooch!"

Nuna laughed once, then lowered her head further and lifted my chin to kiss me.

"Smooch, mwah!"

Kuh-huh-huk, kuh-hup

"Churp, mwah, smooch."

The strange sounds made by the space between Nuna's mouth and mine, and the sounds of us sucking each other's tongues, grew louder.

Ku-huh-huh, huh-guh huh

"Churrrp, smooch! Mwah! Pwah-ha~"

"Hah, hah."

A kiss so intense we nearly suffocated.

The front of my neck was strained from keeping my head tilted back, but I had no time to care as we once again shared a deep exchange.

"Huh-huk, huh-huk, huh-huk."

"A little more... hah... hah..."

"Nuna... huh-huk..."

It would have been nice to spend some sweet, naughty adult time after that, but we couldn't today.

—Let's go work out.

After we kissed, Nuna went to the room, came out in workout clothes, and promptly dragged me to the gym.

After that, she turned into a demon trainer and tormented me.

"Ju...just let me rest a bit..."

"No. Get on."

"Hhhaaaaah."

I wished I could rest for just thirty more seconds, but she firmly pointed at the treadmill.

Giving her pitiful eyes didn't work.

Instead, Nuna just looked back at me with the same pitying, glistening gaze.

"You need to go on a diet."

"You said you don't do heavy workouts..."

I muttered it so quietly only she could hear. Then, swallowing my ragged breathing, I straightened my back and climbed onto the treadmill.

Of course, that resolve crumbled in barely a minute.

"He-eck! He-eck! He-eck! He-eck!"

Still, since I used to exercise until a few years ago, I thought I'd be okay. But it seemed my body was far more wrecked than I imagined.

"If you do well today, I'll give you something nice later."

Nuna whispered again, but it didn't even register in my ears.

"Sijun-ah~"

"Uuuuurgh."

"Oh my?"

After finishing the workout, Nuna called my name affectionately as I lay sprawled on the bed, but I couldn't answer.

"Let's just sleep tonight. I'll give you the nice thing next time."

It was the first time that Nuna—her head resting on my chest and shoulder, one leg slightly draped over me—had ever felt this heavy.