episode_0064

“Could you reconsider once more, Student Jiyoo? If you help out, the future in this field will undoubtedly become much brighter. I guarantee it!”

“Haha… I’m sorry, Professor. I’m not someone with such grand ambitions. If my thoughts change, I’ll contact you then. I’m truly sorry.”

“Just a moment! Let’s talk a bit more…!”

“I’m sorry!”

Escaping from the research lab and heading straight to the cocktail bar.

By the time I had distanced myself a bit from the department building, I felt that this distance should be safe, so I sat on a bench for a moment to catch my breath.

“Sigh… whether an undergraduate researcher or a graduate student, why do they keep insisting when I clearly don’t want to?”

Should I have firmly declined instead of being tactful?

I declined as politely as possible, yet why does he think there’s room for acceptance?

Just recalling the professor desperately trying to recruit a capable assistant sends shivers down my spine.

I vigorously shook my head to clear my thoughts and got up from the bench to continue walking.

“…Anyway, it’s already the end of the semester.”

Although I didn’t achieve great grades, I felt somewhat relieved at successfully completing the semester unscathed.

Well, what does a grade matter? As long as I reach the end of the semester unharmed.

A semester that passed relatively smoothly with the help of many people.

Reflecting slowly on the events of the past three and a half months, I quietly gazed at the azure sky.

“If Jaehyuk hadn’t helped, I would have struggled much more, wouldn’t I?”

If I had asked if it was okay to stay a few more days and he had flatly refused, how would things have turned out?

Perhaps if I had stayed a few more days and barely found a place for myself, would I be living happier now than I am?

Who knows.

One thing’s for sure, there would have been fewer moments of laughter compared to when we lived together.

Maybe due to adapting, I might have spent quite a dull time until the end of the semester.

“…When will I ever repay all these favors, really.”

Listing all the things he helped with, I wondered if I could repay everything while he’s still alive.

Should I repay him physically?

I briefly considered it but immediately shook my head.

He probably wouldn’t want to be involved with someone who has no interest or feelings towards him.

It would only stir up disgust, so let’s not even go there.

Moreover, it’s not a method that particularly appeals to me either.

“…I don’t know, maybe after living together for about a month more, some answer will come somehow.”

Originally, I had planned to end cohabitation right after the semester ended and find a place of my own, but coincidentally, the rainy season was forecasted to start tomorrow.

Moreover, with news that it would last for several weeks, I unavoidably had to live with Jaehyuk for about a month longer.

Honestly, during the semester, I skipped work for various reasons, so if I were to say I’d skip work again due to the rainy season, what would my boss think of me?

Of course, to avoid causing him more trouble, for a month or two, I had been contemplating ways to commute without living together.

Until the end of the semester, I occasionally made time to diligently search for alternatives… Unfortunately, there was no harvest at all.

From an efficiency standpoint and to avoid causing inconvenience, commuting with Jaehyuk seemed better in many ways.

…Unless the country allows bloodletting specifically for vampires, that seems to be the only solution for now.

“I should think of at least one plausible excuse while working.”

Even though I have to cohabit due to the rainy season, having at least one helpful aspect would ease my mind a bit.

Slowly walking towards the cocktail bar, I began pondering the benefits Jaehyuk would bring while living together.

—–

“Jaehyuk, oppa.”

“What?”

“Today, Jiwoo unni seems a bit off, don’t you think? She looks a bit low on energy… Do you know anything that might be bothering her?”

“I don’t know either. Did she hear something from the department professor? I have no idea why she’s acting like that.”

It seemed like Jiwoo had another conversation with the department professor as she arrived late for work again today.

As I glanced at the worried protagonist after making a cocktail, indeed, she seemed completely drained, just as he described.

Even if she messed up exams, she used to laugh cheerfully. Why was she so gloomy today?

Feeling concerned for no reason, I quietly approached the guy tidying up where the guest had been.

“Hey, Han Jiwoo.”

“Yeah? What’s up?”

“Did something happen with the professor today? Why do you look so down?”

As I casually asked while helping with the cleanup, he shook his head denying any issues.

Jiwoo, who finished clearing the table in an instant, handed me glasses and plates as if asking for help with the dishes and then spoke up.

“Nothing happened. Especially not with the professor. It’s just that there’s a lot to think about now that the semester is over. Don’t worry about it.”

“…Did you do well on the exam? You were studying so hard yesterday.”

“Haha, of course…”

Seemingly a sensitive question, he hesitated briefly before quickly flashing a bright smile and speaking.

“I bombed it. I just couldn’t figure out the descriptive questions.”

“Ugh, bragging about failing, huh? If you go back, are you buying dinner tonight? Can’t stand it since I let you use my place.”

“Yeah ~ Yeah ~ So what are we eating? Chicken? Pizza?”

“Pig’s feet, it’s been a while since I got some cholera.”

“Tsk, it’s collagen, not cholera, idiot. Are you two going to die eating that together? Anyway, okay, pig’s feet with soju… Not a bad choice, I guess.”

After finishing speaking, Jiwoo greeted the guest with a bright smile once again.

Breathing a sigh of relief at his somewhat regained energy, I got lost in thought for a moment.

If it wasn’t because of something with the professor, and if it wasn’t due to messing up the exam like he said, why was he so low on energy?

Placing the washed glass on the shelf, I could find a clue in what he had said.

Come to think of it, he mentioned having a lot to think about now that the semester was over.

So maybe… that was the only reason.

“Was it because of cohabitation?”

The issue of cohabitation.

Other than that, nothing else came to mind.

With only one day left until the end of the semester, he had put off answering until today.

Now that he was trying to answer, his mind must have been tangled with what to say.

“…What choice will he make?”

Logically, deciding to end cohabitation would be appropriate, but he disliked owing anything so much that it was impossible to predict what answer he would give.

Constantly grumbling, I had to do my best to avoid burdening him as much as possible.

Since he knew me well, he might feel even more burdened because of that.

Honestly, I was worried. He seemed like he might insist on ending cohabitation due to excessive consideration.

“It’s not really uncomfortable. I could stay for a few years… No, even a lifetime.”

Thanks to Jiwoo’s efforts not to cause trouble, cohabitation wasn’t that uncomfortable.

It was awkward at first. The guy who hadn’t adapted to his changed body easily did embarrassing things in front of me without hesitation.

Was that all? His constant cries for help like a baby bird seeking warmth, once he started taking the supplements, honestly, it was just sigh-inducing.

But after starting the supplements and getting used to them, things changed significantly.

Whether he realized that his previous actions were quite embarrassing, Jiwoo no longer made me uncomfortable.

Moving cautiously to avoid triggering any weaknesses, the dramatic decrease in requests for help was noticeable.

Living together was comfortable except for the inability to relieve sexual desires due to not having personal time for self-soothing.

So whenever the opportunity arose, I would softly tell him that it was really okay, that he could relax a bit more, but…

The burdened lad, already consumed by pressure, didn’t even seem to hear my words.

He seemed to take my words as mere courtesy to alleviate his burden.

“I want to keep living together.”

Suddenly, Hyeeun’s words from a few weeks ago during a dinner with the four of us came to mind.

Wasn’t it said that if you fall for someone oblivious and insensitive, the fearful one must gather courage?

At first listen, it sounded like a lesson from a romantic story, but I could read between the lines.

That was advice directed at me.

“Ugh… the situation is so damn different, Eehyee. It’s not a comfortable relationship like yours, damn it.”

It was actually problematic because it was too comfortable.

Once just same-sex friends, now a complex and subtle relationship turned into opposite-sex friends.

Whether he liked me or I liked him, it created a strange picture of our relationship.

A relationship where neither could confess easily, arguably a risky one.

In such a relationship, even showing affection was not an easy task.

“…I should have just said our ideal types matched back then.”

Regretting and cursing my past self, it was already too late.

Would I have shaken my head in despair at the bleakness that only brought sighs?

“Hey, it’s time to leave work. What are you doing without getting ready?”

Lost in thought, it seemed like it was already time to leave work as he chuckled and pointed at the clock.

“I got lost in some thoughts. I’ll get ready quickly and come out, so please wait a bit.”

…Is this reluctance to return to my studio apartment just a mood thing?

Feeling an inexplicable sense of unease, I silently headed towards the changing room.