episode_0035

Episode 34: The Small Panties Thrown by Jeong Ah-young.

Ugh… My head.

The same situation did not occur.

Originally, just one shot of soju?

I remember it should have been two shots.

Being weak to alcohol, my body wasn’t a complete wreck from the hangover.

Just inherently fragile.

But the issue lay elsewhere.

“Ouch…”

It hurts.

My whole body was screaming.

To be precise, my lower body.

With both hands on the ground, I managed to struggle to stand up like a patient.

I never expected the aftermath of hiking to be this severe.

My wobbly legs were shaking more intensely than yesterday.

At a desperate level of instability.

Every step I took, my muscles screamed.

Nevertheless, I moved.

Because I have to stay alive, for now.

Should I consider that a stroke of luck?

As I walked, the pain gradually subsided.

Though occasionally encountering challenges like stairs or doorsteps.

Still, shouldn’t I head home?

Perhaps due to the unfamiliarity of the bed.

Despite sleeping late, I could wake up on time.

Opening the door and passing through the messy living room, there was Jeong Ah-young.

“What are you doing?”

“…Reflecting.”

However, her posture was a bit peculiar.

Standing against the wall with her hands raised.

Her reflection flowing out from her mouth.

I was puzzled, but the reason soon became clear.

“Last night, I threw up…”

“Is that so?”

Could it be…

She vomited when Kang Hyun-ah took care of her?

I recalled Jeong Ah-young lying quietly in the living room.

So that’s why.

“Cheer up.”

“Ow! That hurt.”

“You deserved it.”

Clunk.

Accidentally touching her shoulder made her flinch.

Kang Hyun-ah, you’ve been through a lot.

Jeong Ah-young, drunk and playing the damsel in distress.

Kang Hyun-ah not only took care of her but also cleaned up after her vomiting.

They were cute and grateful people.

I almost wanted to hug them tightly.

The relationship and emotions as friends didn’t feel too delicate.

“Let’s start heading back.”

“Okay.”

Outside was quieter than expected.

Some grumbling here and there.

Due to the nature of an MT, while everyone came together, there was a sense of returning individually.

So, let’s drink and have fun until it’s time to leave.

Of course, since the bus was scheduled to arrive, I planned to take it.

Wouldn’t Jeong Ah-young do the same?

Anyway.

As I prepared to go home after washing up, I felt a chilly vibe somewhere.

…

Oh, look at those eyes.

Intense, chilling.

Kim Hyung-min’s gaze from afar truly felt icy. Is it okay to be that cold?

Thinking back to last night’s events, I understood, but the aftermath felt a bit intimidating.

Yet, he only sent intimidating glances.

Kim Hyung-min didn’t say or do anything.

Since he didn’t initiate conversation, I finished packing my bag.

Although the black envelope bothered me.

I decided to seal it for now.

I’ll deal with it separately at home.

How am I going to retrieve the semen-stained panties from here?

Time passed.

It was time for the bus to arrive, so I boarded.

“Take care.”

“Ugh, thanks.”

I almost stumbled climbing the bus steps.

I’m losing it.

If it weren’t for Jeong Ah-young, I would have fallen flat on my face.

“Phew.”

The seats were emptier than before.

It being Saturday, traffic was a bit congested.

Maybe I should catch some sleep.

I closed my eyes, seeking some much-needed rest.

I just want to go home and relax.

As I had that thought.

My body seemed more exhausted than anticipated, and drowsiness washed over me.

“Sein-ah.”

“Mm…”

“Sein, are you there?”

“Uh, yes.”

“I’ve arrived.”

Already?

Looking out the window, a familiar scene greeted me.

It was the school.

In other words, it meant I had to walk about 40 minutes to get home.

“Sigh…”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s tough.”

“Sorry…”

“No, you go ahead.”

Normally, I would have gone with her halfway. However, I sent Jeong A-yeong ahead.

I had to ponder over the biggest dilemma of my life.

“The taxi fare is five thousand won…”

If I took a car from here to home, it wasn’t that far. But it felt quite wasteful to spend money on a route I usually walked. It was all because of the perpetually insufficient money no matter how much I saved.

Did I ponder for about five minutes?

“Ugh…”

In the end, I put my wallet back in. Yes, let’s walk.

As I took steps, groans involuntarily escaped me. It wouldn’t hurt as much if I were used to walking. Sitting comfortably on the bus made the pain rush back.

But that didn’t mean I could stop. Standing still wouldn’t make the distance shorter. With the single-minded determination to rest as soon as I got home, I moved my body forward.

***

“Yes, yes. Thank you, class president.”

[Thanks! Since there’s no work!]

“Yes…”

“If you can come tomorrow, do so. No work today anyway!”

The voice was sharp and commanding. Some might misunderstand it as anger due to its rough and brusque tone. But Han Se-yeon understood.

There was affection hidden within the rough and brusque manner.

Was it because she looked upset on Friday? The class president inquired about her situation. She couldn’t say that she was feeling down just because her younger sibling couldn’t wait for their MT trip. All she could do was lower her head.

Had it only been a day or two since they knew each other? Despite being a busy time for the working class president, she ordered Han Se-yeon to take a forced vacation. Even most workers take a day off per week.

However, Han Se-yeon worked through even weekends. Normally, she would have advised taking it easy. But it seemed her expression was rather serious.

Thanks to that, on one Saturday, she finally got a day off.

“…”

And so.

At the usual time, Han Se-yeon was idling away her time. 10 in the morning. After clumsily finishing the household chores, she sat down and stared blankly.

Actually, the household chores weren’t that difficult. But since it was a rare day off, she tried to appear lazy. However, the house without Han-se-in seemed a bit uncomfortable even for two people to live in. Loneliness crept in, and Han Se-yeon needed something to focus her mind on.

But… it ended too quickly. Instead of tasks being easy and simple, it was more like there wasn’t enough piled up work to warrant a major cleaning session. Since she usually kept the house chores in order, even if she wanted to do something, there was nothing visible to do.

And so.

Once again engulfed in loneliness, Han Se-yeon raised her head absentmindedly. The sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. Irregular and somewhat precarious, but she could easily identify who it was.

When she heard the door lock opening, Han Se-yeon hurriedly got up from her seat. Should she greet him at the door? What should she say?

She had thought it would be nice if he came, but she hadn’t decided what to say when he actually arrived. Of course, her flustered state was all due to emotions.

So, in front of Han-se-in, she was even more at a loss. Her heart was full of longing to see him and welcome him, but in his presence, she would likely be perplexed.

After a brief moment of contemplation, the harsh reality of the situation dawned on her.

“I-I’m here.”

“Come in… A-are you okay?”

Shaky legs.

The bag on her back looked as large as a burden, not just an illusion.

Her appearance seemed quite precarious.

Irregular breaths flowed weakly.

Taking off her shoes and entering slowly, she seemed unstable like a newborn giraffe.

Shaking, she leaned into her embrace.

“Haah, haah. Sorry… overdid it a bit.”

“Uh…”

What did she overdo?

Hanseyeon couldn’t think clearly in the sudden situation.

She was only able to feel the warmth in her arms and the scent tickling her nose.

“Sister… is it a day off?”

“Yeah, it’s a day off.”

“Haah, haah. I see…”

Her heavy breathing sounded oddly strained.

A whispering voice from within her embrace tickled her mind.

The faint, soft presence of a man’s body was felt.

“I’m a bit tired… Can I lie down?”

“Of course. Lie down comfortably. Just for a moment.”

Tired legs.

Why was she struggling so much after the MT?

Anxiety surged deep within Hanseyeon’s heart.

Thoughts starting to veer off in a strange direction.

“Give me the bag here.”

“Uh…”

“I’ll organize it… Just a moment.”

Swift movements.

She quickly spread out the blanket and placed the pillow.

Possible due to the good organization.

Hansein groaned while looking at her doing this.

It was the aftermath of a forced march lasting about 40 minutes.

“Ah, my back…”

“Did you… have fun?”

The curtain rose to her chin but was soon swallowed.

Hanseyeon managed her growing unease and spoke carefully.

“Is it because of the sports day and courage training…”

“I see…”

Normally, she would have just nodded.

But why did Hansein’s slumped response feel so unsettling?

Hanseyeon moved her body to hide her feelings.

“I’ll organize the bag. Stay lying down.”

“Thank you, sister…”

Hanseyeon turned her back.

To organize the bag.

And to calm her mind.

Ignoring the groaning sounds, she pulled the zipper of the bag.

And then.

She took out items from the bag one by one.

When she opened the well-sealed black envelope.

“….!”

It wasn’t a familiar smell.

However, the scent deeply ingrained in her mind that had made her feel like an animal surged strongly.

Upon opening the black envelope.

Already used wet wipes and underwear.

And the identity of the strong smell piercing her nose didn’t need to be explicitly mentioned.