episode_0027

I stood at the entrance to the downtown area at the time I had promised to Ha-eun last night.

The time now is 6:40 PM.

I arrived earlier than the 7 o’clock time we had agreed to meet.

… The weather is nice, not too cold.

The weather forecast said it would rain tonight, but it won’t rain much and I won’t be out that late, so I don’t think I need to worry.

As I was mindlessly fiddling with my phone, I heard a cheerful voice behind me.

“Dohyun oppa!”

“Are you here?”

“Yes! Have you been waiting long?”

I shook my head because it had only been five minutes since I got here.

“No, I just got here too.”

“Really? That’s lucky!”

After a brief greeting, we headed to our destination: a pasta restaurant.

But Ha-eun’s expression and her light steps are completely different from when we talked on the phone last night.

That was interesting, and I couldn’t keep my mouth shut on the way to my destination, so I started talking.

“You don’t seem to be nervous today, do you?”

“Huh?”

“You said that yesterday. You said you were nervous because it was your first time talking to a guy on the phone.”

She smiled awkwardly.

“Ah… It’s my first time, but that’s not why.”

“Really?”

“It was my first time making an appointment with someone else, so I was really nervous.”

“Aha. Are you okay now?”

“Yes. When I saw your face, my heart strangely felt at ease.”

As he looked over here and smiled, I smiled back.

“That’s unexpected. Ha-eun was so friendly when I first saw her, so I thought she’d have a lot of friends. Oh, I guess her friends usually ask her to hang out first?”

“No? I don’t have any friends.”

Although the other person spoke indifferently, the content was unexpected, so I asked back.

“No one? Not even friends from middle school or high school?”

“Yeah… I’m a bit of a nerd. Hehe.”

Even though she does some weird things sometimes, how can someone this pretty not have any friends?

“Then what about your roommate… .”

“My roommate has a kind personality and treats me kindly, but we never play together or anything.”

“Ah… I see.”

As I became cautious, wondering if I had asked something unnecessary, Ha-eun smiled at me again.

“It’s okay because I can play by myself anyway. And if I get bored in the future, I can call my brother, so it’s okay. Is that okay?”

Rather, it seems like he is being considerate of me for feeling sorry.

It was a strange atmosphere to say no, so I found myself bobbing my head up and down.

“Yes, do that.”

Luckily, the restaurant line was short so we were able to get in quickly.

As soon as we sat down, Ha-eun, who was sitting across from us, laid the menu to the side so that we could both see it.

“Choose what you want to eat! I called, so I’ll pay!”

The momentum is good, but I’m hesitant because my opponent is Ha-eun.

“Are you okay? I think I said that last week, when I left just the living expenses.”

“Of course! Eat deliciously today, and next time, fill up on triangle kimbap.”

I’m speaking innocently and without any intention, but who would hear something like that and say, ‘Then I’ll take good care of it’?

“I’ll buy it. Come to think of it, Ha-eun bought it for me last time.”

“That’s my way of thanking my brother for letting me eat pasta through a lottery… .”

“Then Ha-eun can do it next time.”

“Still… .”

“I’ll buy you pizza instead.”

“Really?!”

—

The food we ordered arrived and the meal began.

We only ordered one more small pizza, but Ha-eun was as excited as a baby tasting chocolate for the first time.

While chatting with the other person and diligently putting food in my mouth, I suddenly wanted to ask something I had been curious about.

“But does Ha-eun have any expensive hobbies? I heard she used up all her part-time job money.”

She chewed and swallowed the noodles she was holding, then answered with a slightly embarrassed smile.

“It’s not a hobby, I have some important things to do.”

I don’t know what it is, but I don’t think it’s something I should ask deeply about.

“Aha. Don’t you ask your parents for pocket money? It’s a bit much to only eat triangle kimbap or cup ramen.”

“That’s… because my parents aren’t here.”

“Ah… .”

When his expression hardened at the thought that he had made a mistake, Ha-eun waved her hand after seeing this.

“Ah! I think I said something strange. My parents aren’t dead, but they live so far away that it’s hard to contact them. So I don’t get any allowance or anything.”

I’m so glad you’re alive.

However, the feeling of guilt over making a mistake still lingered, so I spoke to her, who was eating diligently without realizing it.

“What else should we order?”

“Really? Yes!”

—

I finished eating and left the store.

The meal was so satisfying that Ha-eun’s lips didn’t even seem to turn down.

“Was it that delicious?”

“Yes! And I’m so happy that I have a close friend like you. We even make plans to eat together like this!”

Maybe it’s because I heard that he can’t contact his parents and has no friends, but I feel a needless sense of regret.

Maybe it’s because her usual cheerful appearance makes her feel like a younger sister.

“It’s such a shame… I want to play more.”

Her sagging figure had a magical power that made those who saw it want to cheer up.

“You can play some more. It’s just past eight o’clock.”

“Is that okay? When we made the appointment yesterday, I just asked to eat pasta?”

“What does it matter? Do whatever you want.”

“I see! I thought it would be rude not to do as I said before.”

I was nervous when we talked on the phone, but I felt comfortable making the appointment, which must have been a very important event for her.

“I have a lot of time, so I’ll go play more. What do you want to do, Ha-eun?”

We walked around the downtown area.

I went to a coin karaoke, looked around a shopping mall, and even went to a claw machine shop as revenge for last time.

I had quite a good time with Ha-eun.

Because people are so emotional and have such big reactions, it was fun just to watch.

When Ha-eun finally won the doll from the lottery after repeated failures, I was also very excited as I followed her around.

Before I knew it, it was eleven o’clock while I was playing absentmindedly.

Ha-eun, who came out, looked up at the sky with a regretful expression.

“I really have to go now. Today was so much fun!”

“I had fun too.”

“Next time I’ll pay for everything! Today, you paid for everything!”

“Okay, let’s do that. Where is Ha-eun’s dormitory?”

“It’ll be quick if you take the bus.”

“I’m taking the bus too, so let’s go together to the bus stop.”

That was the moment when he started walking while saying that.

As the drops of water fell one by one, it began to pour down rain as if a hole had been opened in the sky.

Eventually, we had to go into a nearby building to avoid the rain.

“Ugh… I got hit for a second and I got all wet… Are you okay, oppa?”

“I’m pretty wet too. It looks like it’s going to rain, so I’ll stay here and go when it stops.”

By the way, the forecast said it would rain tonight.

But was it really pouring this much?

I opened my phone to check and the content had changed. My eyebrows furrowed.

“It says it’s going to rain until dawn.”

“Really? There’s still quite a bit of time left until the stop. What should I do… .”

I poked my head out to look around, but I couldn’t see any convenience stores that sell umbrellas.

At that moment, Ha-eun, who was behind me, grabbed my arm.

“Oh, brother… .”

“Huh?”

“Do you want to wait here until the rain stops before you go?”

She pointed inside the building we had entered, and it was only then that I realized this was the entrance to the motel.

—

Fortunately, there was a room left, perhaps because it was a weekday.

As she opened the door with the key she received from the counter and went in, Ha-eun’s eyes widened.

“Wow. This is so great! The bed is huge too!”

As she was about to throw herself on the white blanket, I picked up the towel provided and handed it to her.

“First, wipe off the water.”

“Yes! Huh? There’s a fridge too?”

As soon as I received the towel, I discovered something else strange and couldn’t help but open the refrigerator door.

“Wow, oppa, there’s a drink here too. Can I drink it?”

“Yes. You can also eat the snacks that were on the counter earlier.”

“That’s so cool?! Wow, the TV is really on too?”

Then, perhaps they just put it there for decoration?

I was afraid that if I kept wandering around like that, I would end up in a sea of water, so I snatched the towel back again.

“Wipe it up quickly because the water is dripping.”

When I wiped his face directly, he sat still as if he had never been running around.

It feels like I’m taking care of my younger sister, not a college student.

It was a bit awkward to touch her body, so I handed her a towel again and Ha-eun finally dried herself.

“Oh, oppa. I’m sorry. I didn’t know motels would be this expensive… .”

“I can’t help it. I didn’t know that you can’t use the waiting room at this time, only the accommodation.”

“This is my first time here, so I didn’t even know there were divisions like that. I guess you come here often, oppa?”

“I just came here sometimes when I had nowhere to go to drink with friends.”

“Aha.”

I handed her the disposable toiletries that were on display as she nodded.

“You can take these, wash them, and then wear a robe when you come out until your clothes dry.”

“Yes!”

As Ha-eun went into the bathroom and I sat down on the bed alone, the tension I had tried to ignore began to rise.

Even though we said it was to avoid the rain, we couldn’t help but be conscious of the situation when we came to the motel alone.

… Now that I think about it, you could have just called a taxi using the app and taken it.

What does Ha-eun think?

Even though there is a means called a taxi, do you think I came here with evil intentions?

Considering how curious they were about the motel they had just arrived at, it seems likely that they had originally come here purely to avoid the rain.

That doesn’t change the fact that it was my first time at a motel with a woman.

My heart continued to pound, even as the two of them sat on the bed in their bathrobes after washing up.

“… .”

Silence filled the room.

Ha-eun also seemed to be starting to notice me, and she was looking at the ground with a blush on her face.

…what should I do?

The other person probably came without thinking, but I acted awkwardly for no reason and the air became heavy.

I opened my mouth, thinking that I had to change the mood somehow.

“Ha-eun, aren’t you hungry? What should I order?”

“Huh? No. I ate a lot earlier… .”

Oh, and I didn’t just eat pasta, I also snacked on things while walking around.

“Well, if you’re not going to sleep yet, I’m bored. Should I watch Netflix?”

“Netflix… .”

Ha-eun’s reaction is not very cool.

Seeing him seem to be pondering something, I felt a strange sense of impatience, wondering if I had made a mistake.

Then her lips, which had been trembling, moved.

“Oh, brother… . You know.”

“Yes, Ha-eun.”

Her next words were unexpected.

“Do we…want to do it?

“Yes?”

“Don’t misunderstand! I didn’t mean to come here with that intention… But being here reminds me of the time I was called by the goddess… .”

While I was thinking about what to say, Ha-eun continued speaking.

“I want to see your happy face again. Can’t I?”

As if she was going to push forward while I was talking, Ha-eun, who was standing in front of me, spread out the front of her gown.

“Oh, oppa, you don’t hate my body either…? Every time I said that, you stared at me intently.”

Without time to make excuses, my eyes were fixed on her naked body.

The obscenely shaped body that had just come out of the wash was emitting a fragrant scent, and there was no way to avoid it.

“I’ll make you feel good like that. Okay?”

She makes lewd demands with a childlike, innocent expression.

When I saw that sight, I couldn’t resist my instinct and nodded.