Episode 88: Ji Eun-hwi Is Not Persuasive
88 Ji Eunhwi Is Unconvincing
"So now I'm thinking of cutting back on activities and doing more professorial work. Why? Don't you like that?"
She rested her chin on my stomach and looked up at me as she asked.
Did I not like it? Of course I didn't.
First of all, I was her only TA. I held the Department Manager title because she was the Department Head, and if her workload increased, naturally mine would too. Not that I particularly wanted more TAs.
I know it's a contradiction—hating more work while also hating adding more staff—but I wanted to be her only TA. That way, she'd only have to worry about me.
The second reason was more important: if she got busier, our time together would shrink. Even now, out of all my girlfriends, I spent the most time with her, but it still never felt like enough. I'd never once thought we had plenty of time.
It was a childish thought, but I told her honestly.
"Pfft-haha!"
She patted my butt and laughed as if I were adorable.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Because you're cute."
"Cute..."
Feeling inexplicably self-conscious, I deflected.
"No, I mean, let's just spend cozy time together, Nuna. Huh? You're the one who told me to make more girlfriends."
By now, her original reason for telling me to build a harem—time and stamina—had long since faded. Stamina aside, if my time was being taken away, there was no point in me having built a harem in the first place.
"That's to make it easier."
"What?"
"I'm going to take Haru on as my student."
"..."
My mind stalled for a moment, then snapped back as if someone had flicked a switch.
"What about Professor Choi?"
"I already talked about it. She'd be in my lab but also receive guidance from Professor Choi."
"That's not all, is it?"
"Nope."
"What else?"
"Try getting more girlfriends."
What kind of nonsense was this?
"Four is already overwhelming for me... How could I possibly add more...?"
I meant it. Four was overwhelming. The only reason things worked was that my current girlfriends were all kind, accepted me readily, and got along well with each other even when I wasn't around. Most normal people would have been fighting long ago.
The fact that these were celebrities with strong self-esteem, all getting along so well while sharing one man, never ceased to amaze me.
Could Nuna have some kind of fetish? The thought crossed my mind.
"Nuna, do you maybe..."
"What? Are you asking if I have a fetish for watching my boyfriend with other women?"
"Uh..."
"If that were the case, I'd have to watch you doing it with the others... I don't have that kind of taste."
"Then why..."
"...Well."
"No, don't say anything. Whatever you say right now, Nuna, your persuasive power has hit rock bottom."
It really had. The excuses she'd made before I met Haru and Nara had already faded into irrelevance long ago.
"What do the others think?"
"I haven't asked yet."
"If the others say they're fine with it, I'll consider it. But seriously, four is already tough for me..."
While we were talking, I realized we'd drifted apart.
"Alright, come here."
She opened her arms, stood up, and pulled me into her embrace. I nestled tightly into her arms and savored her scent and warmth.
"But honestly, you were tempted, weren't you?"
"..."
As a man, I had been. I didn't know what kind of plan Nuna had, but the person she had in mind probably wasn't an ordinary woman.
I was curious. If Haru and Nara had come into my life naturally, I was genuinely curious what kind of connection Nuna would forge.
"Be honest with me~"
She poked my side, demanding an answer.
"Yeah... I'm curious... Wait, do you already have a candidate?"
"Of course~ A woman for my Sijun."
"You're talking about a person like an object you can just hand over."
I genuinely felt that way.
"She's really pretty."
But when she said that, I couldn't help but be curious. Who could it be...?
"Look at that. The moment I say she's pretty, your expression gets all serious."
"I can't help being curious."
"Heh heh, you're so honest. But picking pretty girls isn't just for you."
She lightly pinched my nose and wiggled it.
"Then what?"
"I'm selecting disciples, for goodness' sake. I have to choose well. Pretty and kind ones."
"Ah..."
---
"Oppa."
"Nara, you're here?"
"Are you busy?"
"Mm... a little?"
"Is it because Eunhwi unnie is opening her research lab?"
"That's part of it."
The news that Nuna was opening a lab was still confidential, but people close to her like Haru and Nara already knew.
They were both tight-lipped, and Nuna trusted them, so it seemed she'd told them herself.
"So you can't hang out with me?"
"There's always time to hang out with you."
"Then entertain me... I'm bored."
Nara had been on vacation from her agency for a few days and had been bombarding me with texts and calls saying she was bored and begging me to hang out.
When someone nags like that constantly, it should get at least a little annoying and tiresome, but somehow it didn't.
It just made me laugh because she was so cute.
"What's that dad smile?"
"What do you mean, 'dad smile'?"
"It's a thing. Those uncle fans who look at me not with romantic interest, but with the eyes of someone looking at a cute niece or daughter."
"You don't like it?"
"No, they're fans, why would I dislike it? But Oppa, don't look at me like that."
"Why not?"
"You're my boyfriend!"
Nara practically flew to my side and smacked my shoulder.
"Ack!"
She probably meant to tap me lightly, but she was so strong the impact was considerable.
"But what am I supposed to do when you're so cute?"
"I'm cute?"
Where had the angry Ms. Cha Nara from a moment ago gone? The moment I called her cute, she immediately cupped her face with her hands, her eyes sparkling as she looked at me.
"Yeah, you're cute."
I gently pinched Nara's cheek, pulled her close, and gave her a light kiss.
"Heehee, I like being sexy too, but I want to be cute for you, Oppa."
"You're sexy, but you're cute."
"What does that even mean? Heheh."
The things she did and the way she talked were so cute, but her movements were sexy. It didn't seem like she was trying incredibly hard, so I figured it must be a talent.
In videos, even when everyone in the same group danced the same choreography, her wave was different. The styling was clearly bright, the song had an innocent concept, but during her solo part, it somehow turned into a seduction.
"Oh, right! I bought that thing."
"That thing?"
"You know, the cinema thing that Haru unnie's sister runs? The bed from there!"
"Oh..."
I had meant to buy one too, but our bed at home was still fine, and since I shared it with someone, it wasn't easy to decide on my own.
Eunhwi told me not to worry and just buy it, but when I saw the price, I wondered if I really needed to, so I'd put it on hold.
"Want to go lie down on it?"
"What's this, Cha Nara? Are you seducing me?"
Because of the stalker incident from before, Nara still lived in the dormitory, but just because it was a dorm didn't mean it was incredibly strict.
The fact that I was affiliated with the school also made it less strict.
"That's right~"
Before, she would have been embarrassed... well, she was still embarrassed now, her face turning red. But Nara was so lovely that I pulled her in and hugged her.
"Eek! What's this, all of a sudden~ You startled me~"
"I just wanted to hold you."
"So? Are you going to fall for my seduction?"
"I already have."
"Have you?"
"But..."
"But?"
Today was Friday. And once I stepped into Nara's room, I had no intention of leaving. How should I phrase this...?
I was debating whether to just be blunt or to beat around the bush at least a little, when Nara spoke first.
"Oppa, you can't go home today."
"Huh?"
"I said you can't go home today."
"Why?"
"Today... whether it swells up or not... I'm going to devour Oppa's cock..."
Before, she'd said the reason we could only do it once was because her pussy swelled up, but now she was determined to erase that reason.
And even with her face growing red, the way she spoke those words and pressed her lips together made it look like she was resolute.
"You don't have to push yourself. We have plenty of time. Let's take it slow."
"No... I want to spend a long time with you too, Oppa."
"We can spend a long time doing other things too. It doesn't have to be only that."
"Really?"
"Of course."
It felt like her mind was stuck on sex, so I tried to reset her a little. I'd been there myself in my early twenties—when I got into relationships with older women, my head was completely filled with sex with them—so I could understand.
Still, the fact that an idol, at least in name, had her head filled with sex seemed a bit reproachable, so I gave her a light flick on the forehead.
"Ow! What was that for?"
"Is it okay for an idol to be like that?"
"...You're right."
We faced each other and laughed pointlessly.
"Wait just a little bit. I'll finish this up."
"Finish that and come over. I'll tidy up my place a bit."
"Alright, I'll message you."
"Okay! Smooch! Smooch! Smooch! Hehe, I left a mark."
Nara kissed my lips and cheek deeply, then rubbed my cheek with her finger where the lipstick had smeared, smiled in satisfaction, spun around, checked the office door cautiously, and slipped out.
She'd walked in so confidently, but seeing how careful she was leaving made me think her professionalism was solid, which was a relief.
"Ugh, who am I to worry about anyone..."
Seeing Nara like that made me feel pathetic about myself, always looking for excuses to slack off because I didn't want to work.
"Aargh!"
I stretched once and started working quickly. And not long after, it was done.
I checked Nara's text, quickly tidied up the office, and headed out.
"Oh... pretty nice?"
It was my first time at the newly built dormitory, so I looked around before going to Nara's room. It was surprisingly high-end.
"Only two units per floor? That's insane."
Judging by the building's size, the interior probably wasn't that spacious, but what was fascinating was that they'd built multiple identical buildings, making it look like an apartment complex.
Normally, at this scale, a dormitory would just be one big building with several units per floor. You could feel they'd put a lot of thought into it.
"Post-and-beam structure? The ceiling height is generous..."
I found it funny—analyzing so many useless things as if I were some kind of architect.
"Well... it's where Nara lives."
Making the excuse to myself that I was paying more attention because it was where Nara lived, I headed toward her room.