Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Rescuing the Trembling Yu In-ha
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"Fourth round... gotta go... must... gotta go..."
"Senior, you're drunk."
"Ah... I'm not drunk? I'm not, right?"
The hellish drinking session finally came to an end.
Up until the second round, there had been a decent crowd, but by the third, nearly half the people had vanished.
The ones left weren't in great shape either.
Maybe it was because I'd toughened up my body with some whiskey a few days ago...
I somehow managed to survive.
Though to be fair, I'd stuck mostly to beer instead of soju.
"Alright, let's call it. Disbanding. Freshmen, get home safe."
"These ones, we'll drop off."
"Got it."
They've got class tomorrow, but they're totally out of it... Guess no first period for them.
For some reason, the only first-years left were Kim Myeong-jun and Ju Ye-jin.
Kim Myeong-jun didn't seem drunk at all—same as usual.
Ju Ye-jin looked about the same as always, but with a slightly looser vibe.
"Ah— what're we doing about the festival?"
The drinking talk had mostly revolved around the festival.
Stuff like how to run the food stall, what to do for sports day.
No one mentioned midterms. Guess they just ditch exams...?
"Gotta think it over."
The seniors said they'd share all the basic know-how...
But since I'd never done it before, it wasn't easy to get a feel for it.
They said just sell skewers or desserts like in high school festivals.
'Only memory I've got is getting fleeced.'
All I remembered from festivals was getting dragged in by delinquents hawking and spending money.
The actual making and stuff seemed handled by the more responsible kids.
When it came to festivals, all that stuck in my head was that December stage where the girl delinquents danced.
"Should be fun though, right?"
Fun...?
Kim Myeong-jun and I both made awkward faces.
Guess he's not the type to love this stuff either.
I'd heard that this time, the girl students were banned from hawking, so the guys had to do it.
Last festival, the girls got in trouble for hawking in skimpy outfits, so total ban.
Some other department was spouting nonsense like, "Then just have guys dress as girls?" and putting skirts on dudes... Hope we don't pull that crap.
"Selling booze and stuff like that sounds kinda fun."
Hmm...
Running a proper bar, paying rent and all—yeah, that'd be fun.
Not sure about street-stall style like a pocha. Maybe the fun's in doing it together as a group.
"But who's the celebrity coming for the festival?"
"Dunno. But they said they're booking a top-tier girl group for sure."
Girl group? Now that's tempting.
New wave top-tier like current fest faves? Or the unique band girl group Q-teep?
Personally, I prefer third- or fourth-tier groups a bit more. Something about that desperate vibe... Mmm.
"Talking girl groups lit up Jun-hyeong's face?"
"Huh? Nah."
Did I grin without realizing...?
Ju Ye-jin smirked and poked my shoulder.
"Got a fave?"
"Nah, whoever comes is fine..."
"Pfft."
For real. Honestly, a girl group showing up would just be novel—no deeper feelings.
What actually gets my heart racing are the peers right next to me.
Just that poke from her, and my heart's pounding.
The girls seem way less guarded now that they're a bit buzzed.
"So, where you guys headed? Taxi?"
"Samgeori for me."
"Main road direction here."
All three of us going different ways.
Buses are done for the night—taxi's the only option.
Sucks we can't split the fare.
"Guess I'm off first? See ya tomorrow."
"Yeah."
Ju Ye-jin waved and vanished first.
Kim Myeong-jun and I paused, watching the direction she'd gone.
"She's got charm, huh?"
"...Yeah? Uh, yeah..."
Kim Myeong-jun said it out of nowhere. He's tipsy too, huh? Talking like this.
Yeah... she's got charm.
Feels different from other girls our age.
Unlike the guarded ones, she's chill, no prejudices, approaches first.
Guys all think alike, huh.
But then it hit me.
We'll be doing that group date thing with him... What if our picks overlap?
If Yu In-ha or the pretty girl she brings don't click? Eyes go to whoever's left, naturally.
What if Kim Myeong-jun's type is subtle girls, and we overlap?
Then what?
Fight over one girl like rutting males?
I snuck a glance at him.
Damn, total stud.
The kind every girl would like—no polarizing features.
Zero loser vibes. Probably had his fun in high school.
And studies decent too. School's iffy, but he's not bad—came in on scholarship...
Dunno why he picked here, but smarter than me who barely scraped in.
'Wilt.'
Sudden inferiority complex.
Fight? Doesn't seem like he'd back down, and I might not either.
Win? No clue.
Not everyone's equal just 'cause same school.
What do I have over him?
Poker skills? Fuck. OnlyFans actress gig? Total shit...
"What's up?"
"Nah, nothing."
If I'd shown my face on OnlyFans like him, it'd probably sell for a million won.
That thought hit hard with reality.
Yi Ju-ha probably had a whole different expression too.
Super thrilled face? Panting like crazy in ecstasy?
...
Imagining it, my junk just deflated hard. Lost the male showdown in my head.
"I'm off too. See ya tomorrow?"
"Yeah. Tomorrow."
The worst part? Not even jealousy.
Wanna get closer instead.
Get tight enough to watch from the sidelines as girls get shy and flustered around him—ones I'd never get.
I'm... beta male... sob...
"Haa."
Tired, mood tanked.
I pulled out my phone. What time is it?
...Huh?
What're all these endless notifications.
This is the kind of missed call barrage only popular kids get.
Fuck, what the hell. Cold sweat broke out.
The girl delinquents I'd completely forgotten about—the whole crew—had all called me.
I hurriedly opened Kakao. Endless notifications there too.
[Fuck, you ignoring calls?]
[Wanna die?]
[Goddamn, pissing me off after so long?]
[Hey, you asleep?]
[This fucker sleeps early af]
[Gaming? Gaming means you're dead]
[Fuck, wanna beat your ass]
Not some bully app... How long since I felt this PTSD...
In the midst of it, no Kakao from Yu In-ha. Kinda ominous.
Scrolling up the messages from the other delinquents, they were all the same.
Come find Yu In-ha.
She called drunk and in bad shape, but they couldn't go.
Fuck, calling at 1 a.m. to come over—how? House is far.
That was the gist.
...It's 2 a.m. now?
First call around 12:30.
So bad shape from then, called around for help. Last call to me.
'Yu In-ha's not the type to lose it on booze.'
Never saw her drunk in high school...
Downed soju bottles like nothing, stayed chill and sober—unbeatable.
"But how the hell do I know where she is."
Called Yu In-ha back... No answer.
What gives. But there had to be a reason she called me. Gotta be near university street.
Fuck, now I gotta clean up her drunk mess too? Shit...
Looked urgent, no choice...
I trudged back toward university street.
She better have gotten home on her own. Or maybe sprawled by a trash bag somewhere.
Fuck. Nowhere.
Already soaked in sweat.
Searched university street like rat-hunting. Nada.
Already home? If she could get there herself, no call.
Bad feeling creeping in.
What if she flipped out and got dragged off by someone?
All sorts of worst-case scenarios flooded my mind.
Fuck... Silent mode, didn't even know calls came... This is fucked, right?
I bit my lip.
Zero chance in a shop. Someone finding her collapsed and calling cops? Slim.
Leaving without checking means no sleep tonight. Again. Search from start?
...Nah.
Redoing spots is pointless.
From experience. High school trip treasure hunt—I was the only one who failed, back soaked in sweat.
Fuck, where is she. Can't go home without finding her...
Checked usual spots over and over. Nothing, even focusing hard.
Later found her in the most random-ass place. Unimaginable spot... Kids had cleared all normal ones.
That memory flashed up.
Normal person = normal spot. Yu In-ha ain't normal.
Assume completely beyond imagination.
I deliberately looped wide outside university street.
Checked deep random alleys, shady spots behind poles. Maybe there instead...
"Ha."
Found her.
Outside university street, deep in a hard-to-spot dark alley.
Yu In-ha sat hugging her knees, head buried.
"Why're you here..."
Even her hiding spot's weird...
I sighed and put a hand on Yu In-ha's shoulder.
"Hey..."
"F... F.... F..."
What... the hell.
Didn't notice at first, but she was trembling.
Shaking like someone who'd eaten something bad. Freaky.
"Hey... Yu In-ha. Why... why're you like this."
Sh... shit... gonna kill... kill... fuck... touch me... kill...
Like a horror flick, Yu In-ha was mumbling.
Wh... what's wrong with her. Feels like she'll snap and bite my throat if I touch. Fuck.
"Hey.. it's... me, Yi Jun-hyeong. You called."
"Yi... Yi Jun-hyeong..."
At "Yi Jun-hyeong," her shaking eased a bit.
I cautiously crouched beside Yu In-ha.
She's in real bad shape? Drunk for sure?
"Hey... let's go. Where's home. I'll take you."
"F... fuck..."
Yu In-ha slowly lifted her head, still trembling hard.
Gah, fuck. What happened to her face. Eyes swollen like raccoon rings.
Makeup smeared everywhere—looked like a ghost.
Lips bitten bloody...
"Ha... sch..."
Looked serious. Not a laughing matter.
Wha... what'd she take? Gotta support her home quick.
"Why... why like this. Let's move first."
Grabbed her shoulders to help her up; she barely stood.
Pale face looked ready to collapse any second. Precarious.
What the fuck. Call 119? Worst thoughts raced through my head.
"Yi... Jun-hyeong? Jun-hyeong?"
Out of it.
I kept answering. Y... yeah, it's me, Yi Jun-hyeong.
Buy water or something? Draped her arm over my shoulder to walk—heavier than expected.
Getting worse, zoning out more.
No choice, grabbed her waist to pull her along—
"Huh... heuk..."
A sharp gasp, and Yu In-ha's body shuddered violently.
...Huh?