Ch.174Side Story) Dream of China (7)

As the sun was about to rise, Soo-jin’s eyes narrowed slightly when light seeping through the curtains touched them.

There were still no messages from Soo-hyun on her phone, so she brushed her messy hair carelessly and frowned.

He said he was going drinking yesterday, but not mentioning who he was drinking with and then cutting off contact like this… what exactly was she supposed to do?

After putting on her glasses, she boiled water to make coffee. While listening to the bubbling sound,

Soo-jin carefully examined the dark room and flinched when she spotted someone under the bed.

“…When did you come home?”

Seeing Soo-hyun sleeping under the bed, still not awake even after so much time had passed, was not a common sight.

He was usually so diligent that he always woke up earlier than her. Seeing him sleep this late for the first time,

Soo-jin tilted her head in confusion before realizing it was because of the alcohol.

Since he had been drinking late, he was probably suffering from a hangover. Soo-jin smiled slightly and took out honey from the drawer to make honey tea.

Wasn’t honey tea good for hangovers? Just as she was preparing to give it to him when he woke up,

she heard rustling sounds from behind and slightly turned her head.

“Are you up? Why didn’t you contact me, I was worried—”

“Oh.”

But the person behind her wasn’t her brother, but a foreign woman she had never seen before.

She had long white hair and was beautiful at first glance.

After staring blankly for a moment, Soo-jin’s eyes widened as she realized the woman had come from the room where Soo-hyun was.

Despite her confused thoughts, one thing was clear… Soo-hyun had brought a woman home after drinking.

#

“…I’m sorry.”

Airin bowed her head deeply to Soo-jin.

With such a clear glare directed at her, all she could say was that she was sorry.

If anyone heard the full story, they would agree it was her fault.

Getting drunk after just two shots of soju, being carried here, and falling asleep in the room—she had tried to escape quickly after waking up in the morning.

But even that failed as she was caught.

Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Soo-hyun smiled at Airin.

While he didn’t think much of it, getting caught by his sister and being scolded like this.

But it seemed necessary to be careful.

If he did this with someone other than himself… he didn’t particularly want to see that.

Though he didn’t know why it irritated him, it certainly wouldn’t be pleasant.

“Oppa, don’t you have anything to say?”

“What am I supposed to say?”

“No, how could you let a woman sleep in the same room? There are plenty of other rooms!”

Actually, Airin was the one who insisted on sleeping in that room, but seeing Airin’s pale face, Soo-hyun scratched his head and spoke.

“You’re right. I forgot.”

“Really. I can’t live because of you, oppa. If you two were going to sleep together, you should have told me to leave!”

“We didn’t do what you’re thinking. We just slept.”

Was he asking her to believe that a man and woman who came back after drinking did nothing?

But since it was her brother, it seemed plausible, so after glaring at Soo-hyun for a while, Soo-jin just let out a deep sigh.

It wasn’t easy to be angry at anyone.

Recalling who Airin was from her memory, Soo-jin awkwardly smiled and turned her gaze toward Airin.

‘…She is pretty.’

Though her eyes were quite accustomed to handsome faces from looking at Soo-hyun,

Airin Yuris’s appearance could still be considered quite exceptional.

As was often the case with performers,

even in this flustered state, she exuded an elegance that secretly impressed Soo-jin.

It was like seeing a noble’s child, and Soo-jin’s eyes narrowed as she observed how Airin held her teacup.

“I think I’ve seen your face a few times at competitions before. Was it in Brussels? I was impressed by the piece you played when you won.”

“Ah… are you referring to Queen Elisabeth?”

“Yes, I try to attend competitions diligently because of my brother. I can’t play, but I quite enjoy listening.”

Airin’s expression brightened considerably when she heard that Soo-jin was interested in music.

She had worried that Soo-jin might dislike her for being caught coming out of the room,

but it seemed she was actually quite friendly toward her.

As Soo-jin and Airin continued their conversation, Soo-hyun quietly stood up and tapped Airin’s shoulder.

“We should get going now. I have class in an hour.”

“…You drank with me even though you had class?”

“If I explained the reason, my sister might have something to say about it.”

Since Airin was the one who drove to the Han River while he was asleep, she glanced at Soo-jin and had no choice but to nod.

Hurriedly leaving to avoid revealing what was essentially an “abduction,”

Airin finally let out a sigh of relief and glanced at Soo-hyun.

“…I’m sorry. I got caught trying to leave.”

“I was planning to make you breakfast and send you off if you had stayed still, but it seems you’re more impatient than I thought.”

“How could I eat breakfast there… eating would be the same as admitting I slept there.”

“I was just going to tell her. That I let you sleep there.”

It wasn’t something that needed to be hidden, and she would have figured it out soon enough from seeing the fresh bedding.

If anything, sneaking out would have seemed more suspicious. Airin stared blankly at Soo-hyun, who just shrugged as he gripped the steering wheel.

“Should we stop contacting each other now?”

“W-what are you suddenly saying?”

“Just that. Since we’ll be seeing each other anyway, I was just going to tell my sister in advance.”

At those words, Airin quickly turned her head. Tapping her tingling cheek with her finger,

she leaned against the car window and stared outside.

In truth, she wasn’t seeing the scenery at all.

Introducing her to his sister… it sounded like introducing her to his family.

Like they were lovers… or something more. It was silly, and Airin knew it well.

But the wings of imagination growing vigorously were already filling her mind.

Couples holding hands and walking together kept appearing in her vision. Even when she shook her head to clear it, the imagination continued to torment her, making her squeeze her eyes shut.

‘Why did he have to say such unnecessary things.’

Suddenly saying he was interested, that he would introduce her to his sister.

She knew well that such words were far from what she was thinking,

but part of her was painfully bubbling with expectation. It must be a misunderstanding, just… the other person probably didn’t think much of it.

“Why do you look so unhappy?”

Airin didn’t answer Soo-hyun’s question. She was suddenly feeling down and deliberately avoided his gaze.

Only the sound of the car engine filled the silence. With her mood so capricious and her expression uncontrollable,

she felt ridiculous as she massaged her cheeks with her hands.

There was no reason to be depressed, nor any particular reason to be happy. That was what felt so pathetic, and she closed her eyes briefly in the moving car.

Screech-! Her body lurched as the car suddenly stopped. He could have at least said they had arrived.

But when she looked up, the scenery outside wasn’t the university, but an empty space just big enough for one car.

“Why did you stop the car? We haven’t arrived yet.”

Soo-hyun quietly observed Airin as she avoided his gaze.

Until just a moment ago, she had been thoroughly embarrassed, but now she was suddenly so gloomy, which left him puzzled.

“Did I make some mistake?”

“…No.”

“Did I do something wrong back at the house?”

“No.”

“Then I don’t understand why you’re suddenly making such a sad face. If it’s because you were sniffing my bedding, how should I react to that?”

“When did I ever sniff your bedding!”

Though she flared up at his words, she quickly pouted again and hung her head, making him smile wryly.

He had some idea why she was acting this way, so he gently brushed her disheveled hair and slowly spoke.

“None of what I said at home was a joke.”

“……”

“Are you worried it might be a lie? That what I said was just a joke, including that I’m interested in you. That I just said it carelessly.”

Though it was quite embarrassing to explain such things himself, it seemed necessary right now.

When he said he was interested, he meant romantically,

and when he said he would introduce her to his sister… it was with the hope of something beyond their current relationship.

So rather than being depressed like this, he preferred her to act openly like she did yesterday.

Placing his hand gently under her chin to lift her face, he could see Airin’s eyes staring directly at him.

He pressed his finger against her drooping lips and pulled them up, making it look like she was smiling.

“You look better smiling than frowning.”

“…Let go.”

“Then how about making a promise with me? When classes are over and I contact you, let’s meet at the main gate.”

“Why suddenly at the main gate?”

To Airin’s puzzled question, Soo-hyun answered with a bright smile.

“Right now, I’m asking you on a date.”