Anniversary Party Invitation (2)

I moved my seat a bit and sat at the edge of the table.

Suddenly finding myself listening to Eunha’s story, I asked for more, and she said she could only tell me stories that wouldn’t embarrass her too much.

“So, the reason you were able to become a writer was…?”

“It’s important, but nothing special… It’s just that she told the company a bit about me so I could become a comic artist.”

The more I listened, the more I stared at Eunha, wondering if it was really her.

She’s completely different from the Eunha I knew? Is this someone else wearing Eunha’s mask right now?

Eunha silently looked back and forth between me and Writer Yoon, just sipping her drink.

“…Her? How did she talk them into it so much that you became a writer?”

“On the path of whether or not I would become a writer, Eunha Writer-nim gave me a little push, and I was able to become a writer. That’s all there is to it.”

She’s energetic at home, but quiet at work.

And on top of that, she was doing things like this…? Is this really the Eunha I know?

“Thanks to that, I became a writer and I’m doing a webtoon with Kim-hyung who just left… That hyung is particularly 신경쓰다 about Eunha Writer-nim.”

“In a good way? Or a bad way?”

Judging by how he was hitting on her, it seems like it’d be a bad way.

“It’s a bad way, but not a weird way, he’s probably just jealous that you became a writer in such a short amount of time.”

“A short amount of time?”

“…Don’t you talk about work at all with your boyfriend? It hasn’t been long since she became a top writer at the company. She’s probably the youngest in our company, but she’s risen quickly.”

“I only recently found out she became a writer, so…”

“Hahaha! I see. That’s understandable.”

Writer Yoon laughed at my words.

He probably wasn’t laughing because it was funny.

There’s definitely a meaning behind it, like, ‘How can her boyfriend not even know that?’

‘It’s because I’m not really her boyfriend.’

I only recently started contacting my cousin frequently, so isn’t that obvious?

“So, while I was helping, that thing from earlier… Ah, just a moment.”

She took out her phone from her chest pocket, bowed her head, and left her seat.

I figured she had a call to take, but now I have a mountain of things left to ask Eunha.

“You were going around like that outside? So that’s why you were dressed like that.”

“If I didn’t, people would talk behind my back. Do you know how hard that is?”

As a successful writer, there must be a lot of talk behind her back.

It’d be even worse for the youngest writer who rose to the top the fastest.

Rather than being energetic and going here and there, it’s better to appear quiet and not create such situations.

I thought it was her own way of getting by, but I didn’t know Eunha had such hardships.

‘I thought she was always smiling, so I assumed she was like that at work too.’

“I should’ve recognized your struggles. Sorry for not knowing.”

“Huh? No, why are you apologizing for that, oppa? No, I didn’t tell you on purpose.”

“I’m still your oppa, so shouldn’t I at least know that much?”

Her squinting eyes are a little prickly.

She’s the type to say she doesn’t like something clearly, so is she doing this because she likes it?

If I show that I like this too much, it might be a bit…

“Thanks. I’m glad that uncomfortable person left so I can relax a bit.”

“Is that person always like that?”

“I think it’s because my income has increased recently. He said he was originally the most successful writer at the company.”

Maybe it’s because his first impression was so dirty, but I wondered if people like that could also be number one.

It’s not my place to say, but it’s only natural that I don’t see him in a good light since his first impression was so dirty.

“It must be hard making money.”

“You’ll know when you work too, oppa. Ah, my plans changed today, so it looks like I’ll have to stay here for a while?”

“A while? How long?”

“Hmm… Probably until dinner? Jihae-unni will probably come too.”

Jihae? Why is she coming?

What business does she have coming here?

“She’s coming here? Why, what’s going on?”

“It’s an anniversary party, so she has to come. Unni said she has to come for work too.”

“Work?”

Does she do work related to webtoons?

No. It has nothing to do with webtoons.

I think she’s working in women’s products, right?

“Yeah. Jihae-unni’s company is related to women’s products, right? Our company got an outsourced promotional comic from them.”

Ah. So there’s that connection?

I didn’t think of that. She can attend the party because of company outsourcing.

Since they’re related companies, they need to maintain a long-term relationship, is that it?

‘They’re not just going to see each other once. They’re showing their face and making an impression?’

“So unni will probably come later… around 3 or 4? Around that time?”

“Suddenly all three of us are meeting. Should we all go home together after this?”

“Aren’t you going?”

“Are you going to take the drink you’re drinking and pour it on my clothes, so I want to go home?”

“Just sit down, eat something, spend some time, and wait for me…”

She taps my arm, gesturing for me not to do it, but honestly, there’s no point in me being here.

In this place where I only know one person, it’s too uncomfortable to just sit and eat and drink, because of my clothes.

I’m also attracting a lot of attention, so I’m subtly aware of it. More than anything, there’s nothing to do.

‘I can’t just be pathetically using my phone in the corner.’

It’s not like I can’t do it.

There’s no problem, and no one would say anything.

But Eunha, who I’m with, would have to bear that burden.

It’d be different if I came pretending we didn’t know each other from the start.

But since I’ve already told everyone that I’m her boyfriend, I had to endure this uncomfortable situation.

“Then I’m going to go talk to the other writers. Make sure you don’t leave and stay here!”

“Am I a kid? I’ll call you if I can’t see you. Go and come back.”

As soon as Eunha left her seat, I moved to get some food.

The food was placed on a long table in the center.

The buffet-style food looked delicious, with so many dishes elegantly arranged.

‘It’s more like “try a taste” size rather than something to eat.’

Rather than scooping and eating like a normal buffet, the food was all bite-sized.

Judging by the people walking around with plates, it seems like it’s just to fill their stomachs a little.

I put my plate down at the end of the table, took a few skewers, and went back to the table.

‘Delicious.’

The skewers were more delicious than I thought.

It didn’t seem like they put any sauce on it, but it was moderately salty and bite-sized.

The flavor that spread in my mouth as soon as I took a light bite was a 고급진 feeling that I couldn’t taste in a normal store.

Without realizing it, I ate all the skewers I brought and repeated bringing more.

After the skewers piled up on my plate, and I had to hold them with one hand because there were so many, I slowly looked around.

People were talking normally, laughing, chatting, and walking around.

I turned my head to see if Eunha was among them, but Eunha wasn’t visible in the crowd of people, which was larger than I thought.

There were so many people that I couldn’t see her, even though she’s quite tall for a woman.

‘This is boring. I want to finish this quickly and go home.’

I yawned out of boredom.

This feeling of being isolated in a place where I don’t belong.

It’s like going to a wedding with a friend, and my friend is talking to the groom while I’m watching from afar, this emptiness.

It was hard to resist the urge to get out of here right now.

“Ah, should I just go home… It’s really harder to keep my seat.”

“Are you already leaving? You should go with Eunha.”

“?”

I turned around at the familiar voice.

“Huh? What, Jihae, why are you already here?”

Jihae, wearing a tight black dress, appeared from behind.

Not much time had passed, so I thought I’d see her later, but she suddenly appeared.

I couldn’t hide my surprised expression, so she glared at me slightly and sat next to me.

“The company told me to leave early and go home early.”

“Good company. Hey, but why didn’t you tell me you were coming here? You didn’t even report to the owner.”

“If you keep doing that outside, I’d love for us to go to the police station. Right?”

She lightly pushed my cheek with her index finger.

It means don’t talk nonsense, but isn’t that too much?

At least she could’ve told me she was coming here first.

If that’s difficult, why does KakaoTalk exist? She could’ve at least conveyed that.

“You could’ve told me. You can’t say that’s difficult, can you?”

“There’s no problem even if I don’t, right?”

As I was about to speak, she looked at me with a confident smile.

I don’t know what that smile means, but I missed the timing to speak for a moment because of that smile.

“You saw me, so that’s enough, right?”

“That meaning… Yeah, I saw you, so that’s enough.”

“Still, you came wearing a suit because it’s a somewhat important occasion? I’m so used to seeing you wear comfortable clothes…”

Saw? I glared at her, gritting my teeth, wondering what she was going to say, and she quietly came closer to my ear.

“You’re more handsome than I thought.”

‘…What, is this really Jihae?’

She’s become much more gentle than I thought since yesterday.

From feeling like she had a sharp blade, to feeling like the blade was slightly dulled, but still sharp?

If she was almost at the level of dry ice before yesterday, she’s at least at the level of ice now.

As I stared at her without saying anything, her eye smile and the slight smile on her lips were the second shock.

Wow, there are times when she smiles like this? Honestly, I think it’s the first time I’ve ever seen it.

This is much better than her usual silent and sharp self.

At least guys would like this, but she dumped guys because of me… Shit, I feel guilty.

“It feels like it’s been years since I’ve heard you compliment me.”

“I’ll compliment you today. Even though it’s a casual suit, I think it looks better on you.”

“I’m already dying of discomfort, so what am I supposed to say since you say it looks good.”

“Wear something like this on days like this. If you came wearing a hoodie like you always do… seriously, ugh.”

Now she’s a bit more like Jihae.

Shit, wasn’t I brainwashed? I can’t handle the temperature difference because she’s being nice to me.

I felt like I was brainwashed without realizing it, so I made a sulky face.

‘I feel like I’ve been brainwashed, so this is subtly fucked up. Should I re-establish discipline?’

“Where did Eunha go?”

“Huh?”

While I was quietly thinking in my head, Jihae asked in a whisper.

I don’t know if there’s a need to whisper, but maybe she doesn’t want to make a loud noise.

“She said she’s going to talk to the other writers? Why, were you going to ask her something?”

“Hmm… No.”

While she was whispering, she grabbed my hand that was on the table.

What, why is she doing this? Before I could even ask, I heard it in my ear.

“W-Wanna go to the bathroom?”

“…?”

The meaning of bathroom has two meanings.

One is that she really wants to go to the bathroom to take care of business.

There are cases where you ask a same-sex friend to go to the bathroom, so you just assume that’s the case.

But this time, she’s asking a person of the opposite sex to go to the bathroom?

What does that mean?

Could it be that the usual purpose of the bathroom that I know is different?

“Front? Back?”

“Ah… Just a little bit with your tongue on the front…”

She buried her face in my shoulder after I lightly pretended to scratch with an empty hand.

With your tongue on the front. Ah, she’s telling me to suck it a little with my tongue.

I laughed without realizing it and got up from my seat.

“What are you doing, you said we were going?”

I held out my hand, and Jihae quietly took my hand and followed me.

Jihae, who glanced back slightly, followed me with a flushed face like a woman on a bed.