Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Episode 8. The First Day of the Holiday
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"Seonghyeon, what's wrong? Is your stomach hurting bad? Should we go to the hospital?"
This wasn't a stomachache—it was my conscience aching.
Yeah, to be honest, I'm a guy too, so with a woman with an amazing figure right in front of me like this, sure, dirty thoughts cross my mind.
But come on. There's a nine-year age gap.
With a girl who's barely had any alcohol before,
on the first day we met,
lying in the same bed.
Breasts?
This is not okay.
My guilt limit is exploding.
I swear, I'm not the type for that kind of loose lifestyle.
So nothing like that probably happened...
But just to be sure, I should check.
"Dahye."
"Yeah?"
"Did we... do it last night?"
"You wouldn't believe it even if you saw the photos?"
"Not that. I mean sex."
"Oh my god."
Yeah, I know it's embarrassing.
But if I keep beating around the bush, you'll never get it until you die, right?
Park Dahye's face turned beet red, like it was about to burst, as she bowed her head and punched my shoulder repeatedly.
I thought it just felt good to hit, but damn, she packs a punch too.
And her cheeks flushed all the way to her ears in an instant.
I can't understand it.
Park Dahye was standing there in just a white tee, no bra, her figure completely on display.
Yet she was so embarrassed because we were too close—it was making me shy.
And just a minute ago, you proudly showed me that cringey photo?
But now you're acting like that one word is the most embarrassing thing, ignoring all the other shameful stuff.
Just last night at the barbecue place, when she was crying, I thought I understood her.
I concluded she was straightforward, honest, pure as snow.
But after I revealed who I was... well, let's just say I'm not so sure anymore.
What the hell is Park Dahye thinking, standing in front of me like this?
At least the good news, from her reaction, is that we didn't have sex.
God knows how relieved I am. We don't even have condoms in the house right now.
"Sex...? Is that what you're worried about right now?"
"Yeah. Honestly, a bit."
"Nah, no way. Nothing happened, so don't worry about it. You just innocently groped my chest while you slept. It was just the booze, that's all."
How is that "just" anything?
The situation looks like I dragged you home on my whim and did whatever I wanted.
You, with no social experience, must've been scared of everything.
Not knowing how to handle it.
It hurts my heart.
"Why didn't you say anything? Weren't you scared?"
"Scared of what?"
"A strange guy dragging you to his place... making you sleep in the same bed. And the breast... stuff."
"Pfft~ What's strange about it? It's you."
"Am I not a guy? What if I had, y'know, done something weird?"
"You'd do something weird?"
"Am I crazy?!"
"See? Seonghyeon wouldn't."
"How do you know?"
"How could I not? I know you best."
"That's ridiculous. We just met yesterday."
"No! I know for sure."
"Alright, then tell me. What kind of guy am I?"
"Hmm... You're the kind of person who... has the softest heart in the world..."
"...who gets swayed easily by others' feelings..."
"...born full of love in your heart."
Puhahaha.
Is that from some fairy tale?
More embarrassing than the lines I spouted yesterday.
I'm the guy famous at work for being emotionless.
And two days ago, I cursed out and blocked my girlfriend of two years—like a total trash human.
If you let your guard down with that wrong impression, you'll get sick of my trash level?
You couldn't have misjudged more completely.
"Dahye."
"Yeah!"
"Do you know my nickname in the guild?"
"Hmm... Yeah. Unnie called you Tin Man or something. What's that mean?"
"She says I'm like the tin robot from Wizard of Oz. Knows how to think logically but has no heart. And that's not all. Emotionless machine, psychopath, bipedal CPU. That's my rep."
"Pfft~ The unnies and oppas are wrong. I know the real you."
We met yesterday, and you claim to know me best?
If she wasn't Kim Pokttal, I might've gotten mad.
Something like, don't get ahead of yourself since we just met.
Keep your distance,
I'd have laid down the law.
But I can't do that to her.
Because... I thought the exact same thing yesterday.
Know Kim Pokttal? I dare say no one in the world knows her as well as I do.
Is this what they call mirror therapy?
What right did I have to act like I knew everything about her?
"Dahye. Maybe I seemed that way in the game... but this is reality now."
But Park Dahye just put her hands on her hips and shook her head firmly.
So resolute.
Does she realize she's not talking about herself, but about me?
Where does that confidence come from?
Don't I know myself best?
Yet she pointed her index finger at me like she was teaching a lesson.
"Seonghyeon."
"Yeah."
"I worried about it yesterday too. Is this guy really Seonghyeon? Is he the same as in the game? Or totally different?"
As she said that, she cupped my cheeks with both palms.
Like she was comforting a self-deprecating me.
Our positions felt reversed, and it embarrassed me.
I'm the adult, you're the kid, so I should be the one sorting out this awkward situation,
but I'm just flustered while you comfort me.
Her face and smile so close, her determination so dazzling it was hard to look straight—I wanted to squeeze my eyes shut.
But I forced myself to meet her gaze.
If I closed them here, I'd look like a total kid.
I could feel Park Dahye's breath.
"Seonghyeon. But... I don't doubt anymore. You're exactly as I imagined, the Kwon Seonghyeon I know. I confirmed it with my own eyes, so even if someone else says weird stuff about you, I won't believe them. Happy now? So, don't worry about yesterday."
"Confirmed with your eyes?"
"Yeah! So trust me."
"What the hell... did you see?"
Now I'm scared.
Drunk me.
Spouting shoujo manga protagonist lines like it was nothing.
What else is there? What did I do?
I only remember drinking, laughing, chatting... and striking a super cool pose at the end. Nothing else comes to mind, so what action of mine made her see that side?
Someone poke my side for real.
"Hehe. Curious?"
I don't want to hear it, but I'm dying to know.
"Not telling, dummy."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After that, I got completely swept up in Park Dahye's pace.
She kept giggling about whatever she saw last night but wouldn't tell me till the end.
And... she didn't delete the photo either.
"What!? Why won't you delete this!"
"I said it's a mistake. Since you saw it anyway, delete the photo too~."
"No way!"
"What are you gonna do with it?"
"This is the only photo from our first day meeting! I can't delete it! No!"
After several back-and-forths, Park Dahye snatched the phone and ran to the corner of the room.
Her eyebrows were in a perfect V— so determined.
I knew she was clear about what she liked and hated, but I've never seen her hate something this much.
Looking at her like that... sigh.
Unless I'm ready to go all-in with her,
I probably can't delete that photo.
My life... where is it headed?
Screw it.
My stomach hurts.
The collab of stupidity and alcohol is synergizing like crazy.
I'll give up on the photo and focus on hangover recovery first.
"Fine... do whatever. Keep the photo. Think I'm a fairy or whatever. I don't care anymore. I'm gonna nurse this hangover first."
"Then, should we go buy some food?"
"No, I'll make some. I always do hangover cures at home."
"Huh? You can cook too, Seonghyeon?"
"After nine years of living alone, what can't I do?"
"Whoa... you're a real adult. Can I watch?"
If I were a real adult, I wouldn't have made that mistake.
But Park Dahye seemed totally unfazed by last night.
I'm grateful, but still sorry, so I should at least feed her something tasty.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ On hangover mornings like this, my menu is always fixed.
Spicy clam pasta loaded with cheongyang peppers.
Simple, refreshing broth—nothing beats it for a hangover.
A single guy's place doesn't have many side dishes anyway, so Western food is easier than Korean.
And let me be clear: this is an extremely simple dish.
But after I said I'd cook, Park Dahye stuck right by my side and wouldn't leave.
Her eyes were sparkling so much it was overwhelming.
"It's dangerous if you're that close. Step back a bit."
"Okay. Tell me if you need help with anything?"
Not really.
It's not a hard dish.
First thing is chopping the bacon and garlic for flavor.
Chop chop chop chop chop!
But as soon as I started cutting, Dahye, who was standing back, let out a squeal of delight.
"Eek! Kwon Seonghyeon, what?!"
You scared me.
"What."
"Your knife skills are insane! Like a YouTube chef!"
"Th... this?"
"Yeah! Totally pro! So cool!"
Really? This is nothing.
Just something I picked up working at a restaurant during my college days, hopping between part-time gigs.
Didn't even learn it specially.
But... why make such a fuss over something so minor?
Feels weird.
Next, I heated olive oil in the pan and started frying the bacon.
Added the pre-washed clams, mixed with a wrist snap.
Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!
"Whoa!! Kwon Seonghyeon!"
"This cool too?!"
"Insane!!!"
"How about this??"
I got caught up in some weird euphoria and even did a white wine flambé, which I rarely bother with.
Whoosh!
Flames bloomed over the pan and vanished in a flash.
No reaction this time, so I glanced over and...
Park Dahye was frozen, hand over her mouth.
Her eyes were bulging like they might pop out.
"Wow... insane. Kwon Seonghyeon. What are you making? Alchemy?"
What... is this feeling?
I'd cooked for my girlfriend when she visited, but Suyeon always just sat on the sofa scrolling her phone until it was done.
I'd whip it up quick since it was no big deal.
But having someone react like this right beside me... somehow...
"Kwon Seonghyeon, you're awesome!"
Maybe... I'm actually pretty good?
Even then, I had no idea.
That this situation—Park Dahye, nine years younger than me, in my house—
wasn't just her getting swept along by my whims.
I never imagined the reverse.
That her reactions, thrilled at everything because of her inexperience,
were drawing me in.
I didn't notice at all.
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