I Don't Like You (*Rollback...*)
"Clink."
"Heh, drunk already? Lame. Total loser."
"That's why I said... I wasn't gonna drink..."
"Park Jiyong, fighting! You got this! On to round two~!"
"Round two... clink... bullshit..."
"Come on, one more cheers before we head out~"
"Do it yourself..."
"Aww, why not. You don't have to drink, just cheers with me."
"Haa... Fine, happy now? Clink."
"Hehe, cheers~"
Ah, C8... The clink of glasses reverberates softly through my skull. You little demon, I chugged that draft for you. If you were human, you'd have ordered just one bottle. That's the rule, clink, right...? Haa... Fine, at least I'll sip politely for show.
"Gonna hit the bathroom..."
"Hmm~ You wouldn't be plotting an escape, would you?"
"I'm coming back."
"Okey-dokey, pinky promise~"
"Yeah, yeah."
Whoosh—wash hands, wash face—in the cramped mirror above the sink, my reflection looks pathetic. Face all flushed red. If I try to make morning lecture like this tomorrow... ...Wait, no, I'm dropping out anyway.
Get it together... clink...
Stepping out of the bathroom, neon signs glow brighter through the window, night settling deeper...
"Zero-zero who loves~ random~ games~ games~..."
The vibe's heating up all around. And then,
"Thanks for the grub~"
Kim Yejeong's swiping her card at the counter, my Chicago Bulls windbreaker draped over her shoulders. Oh, for once she's paying fas—
"Hey, Batty~! Round two, let's go~!"
—nope, not a chance.
Chatter chatter—packed tight—buzzing crowds—
"No seats here either~"
Kim Yejeong chants as she weaves through the street throng.
Ahem... In that case...
"Ah, no choice then~ Guess we'll each..."
"......"
"...search on our phones or something."
"Batty. Warning."
One more yellow card and I'm ejected?
"If I sa—"
"Try that yellow card bit and you're done. Dead serious."
Whoa, Kim "Mind-Reader" Yejeong's on fire.
"Creepy as hell."
"Hehe, told ya. Big sis knows."
"You're a December baby too."
"Annoying."
I'm annoyed I can't drop out. But I shouldn't say that.
"Hey hey hey, how 'bout this one? Check it."
Let's see, let's see. Gotta find a solid reason to nix it.
"...Store name's sketchy."
"Right? Guanum Ranju Pocha. Total perv den."
Baby, forget the booze, wanna sip on you instead
I'm hungry~
...Oof. That dance busking crew's killing it. Their outfits look like our school's dance club kids.
"Whoa~ What're you staring at?"
...What the—why're you shoving your bucket hat on my head.
Squish. Crumple.
"You psycho, can't you at least loosen the strap?"
"Whyy~ Your hair's short toooo~"
...Drunk already? Total lightweight.
"Agh, fine fine, got it!!"
Always gotta twist my wrist to get through. Whatever, the hat fits decently.
"Whoa, grabbing a girl's wrist...! You're insane, Park Jiyong."
"...How much."
"Huh?!"
"Chicken place. Sending via KakaoPay now."
"Nope, not telling."
(Motorcycle) Vroooom—!
Ah.
"Whoa, nice save..."
"......"
"Sudden back hug outta nowhere..."
I know what it looks like, but don't get the wrong idea. Pure safety reflex. And this ain't a back hug—I'm just gripping her wrist. It's just her ass pressing against my crotch...
"You— mf—"
"Back off back off back off."
"Whoa, shoving people around~"
Ugh, hate how her sleeve flutters over my mouth. Should've let the bike take her to the afterlife.
"Hands off. That's my jacket."
"...Nuzzle nuzzle nuzzle."
Pfft.
Damn it. Couldn't hold back the laugh.
"Heh, you laughed? Admit it, that was top-tier sense."
"...Lame."
"Mmm, whatever. Feeling good~, off to buy condoms!"
...?
"King...dom... just now..."
"Condom."
"Kiiingdom..."
"Cooondom."
Pretty sure my brain short-circuited right around here.
...Ding ding ding ding ding.
Click. Beep beep.
Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit
This wasn't the plan??
She lost it completely over the condom joke...!!
And somehow(?) I brought her back to my place...!!
Thump... thump... thump...
"F, fuck it."
Yank off Park Jiyong's bucket hat!
Haa... how's his hair such a mess...
...So annoying. Whatever whatever whatever! Drag him into the bathroom!
"P, Park Jiyooong... Ahh... Try it ahh..."
"Uh, ahh—."
"Crazy."
"Ah...?"
"Ah, no. Uh, grab the toothbrush now... Yeah, yeah. Toothpaste's all on there, good job..."
Crazy crazy. D-don't panic, Kim Yejeong. Either way, this is going according to plan...??
Gargle gargle. Spit spit. Gargle gargle. Spit.
Oh, okay. Even half-sober(?), she finished brushing...!
"P, Park Jiyong...?"
Out of the bathroom, her male bestie is in the dark corner by the bed, blankly staring up at some character figurine. 58,000% real-life situation...!
"Eh...?"
"S, sober now...?"
"Naa...?"
Crazy crazy. She's turned into a total shipper otaku.
H-ha, well, after slamming draft and bottles on a girl who goes down from one can, brain freeze makes sense...?
Creep... sliide... creep...
D-does this look like I'm pouncing...?
Ah, no(?). I'm climbing onto the bed, sure, but she's chilling against the wall, and I'm fully on my knees...?
Your Honor, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!
"P, Park Jiyong. House... husband..."
"...Husband?"
"Remember... what I said on the way here...?"
What. Why's she nodding? She remembers...?
Crazy crazy crazy.
"Wh-what'd I say again."
"...Kingdom."
You bastard.
"Hey, I said if I spark that impulse or whatever, you won't drop out, right? True or not."
"...True?"
"Y-yeah.... Then next. So what impulse is the best...? Wanna say it?"
Sexual impulse—say it.
"...Kingdom."
You bastard!
"Snap out of it? Or should I just pin you down? Want that?"
"Ahhh."
"Ahhh~? You like that...? Me pinning you...?"
"Don't... like..."
Looks like she does, what the hell, selective sobriety?
"Fuckin' hell,"
You're like that striker spitting Kim Deok-bae assists right now, you know that?!
"Th—that—."
...Hold up. Why's her face like that. Wh-what.
"Gotta... confess something..."
"Con... fess...?"
Thump thump.
"J-just say it..."
"Actually, since that impulse thing earlier, I've been kinda sober—"
"Urghaa!!"
You blabbermouth, let me shut that trap...
"Mmph. Mmf. Mmmph."
Gaaah......
Ah, insane...
Your fault. All your fault, Park Jiyong.
That handsome face, eyes half-lidded, hot breath on my palm... If this ain't flirting, what is...?
"Park Jiyong."
"Mmph..."
"I don't like you. Got it...?"
"...Mmph."
"Shut up and listen."
"......"
"I don't wanna date any more than you do."
...So annoying...
"But I can't just cut ties all casual like you."
"......"
"If you drop out, you'll delete my number too."
See? Not shaking her head. I know that "just listening" face means everything.
"That whole people-hating thing you do—mmph?!"
(*Real-time POV switch in progress...*)
Ah... C8R... Feels like my skull's gonna crack...
Shake... shake shake... Trying to clear my head, but thoughts just bounce everywhere.
"H-hey, Park Jiyong...! What the, suddenly...?!"
Mmm. So... why am I pinning your wrists from on top. Why's my knee jammed between your thighs. That kinda thing.
"Th... thirsty..."
"Pfft, want a kiss...?!"
You psycho.
"Water wher—"
"Can't even spoon-feed yourself, huh. Figures."
Sigh, listen to that tiny trembling voice. You've never provoked like this.
"You're inexperienced too, right."
Far as I know.
"...What. Shouldn't that make you happy?"
You just hit the nail on the head. Kinda.
"Handing over your virginity and getting eaten up."
"...Talk like a total asshole. Bad boy act?"
Flinch.
"Loosening your grip? Scared? Guilty?"
Yeah, whatever.
"Dunno about you, but I don't wanna da—"
"Don't drink the kimchi soup. Who said date? Stop assuming and concluding on your own."
"If you know me so well, try understanding my dropout for once. Or at least stop interfering."
"...No."
"......"
"No. I said no."
...Fine, do what you want. Sorry, but you're on your own now.
"Eek!?"
Hand in her jogger pocket,
"Taking this. Mine."
Pull out the crumpled dropout application. No turning back.
Done.
It was always gonna end like this. Better skip the farewell bullshit.
No point investing in a doomed connection.
Deal with your heartache or don't.
Release her slender wrist, flip—!
"...Whoa..."
Positions reversed.
"Guess you got zero confidence satisfying a woman."
Kim Yejeong pounces on top. Strands of hair cascade onto my cheek and ear.
"...Obviously. Can tell just by looking."
"Always acting so cool... Why?"
Dunno. It's not 'cause I like it. Defense mechanism.
"Can't you just... let me go?"
Her eyelids droop calmly at my words. Pretty.
Yeah. You're annoying too.
"Three condoms."
"...?"
"If you make me cum three times before you do once,"
Haa...
"I'll let you."
Dunno fuck it...
"Eat. Me. Up."
Bitch or whatever, then.