Ch.231Side Story – I’ve Come to End This Virgin (2)

After the college entrance exam ended, even as I was on the brink of vacation and graduation,

I continued my part-time modeling job at Teacher Jung’s wedding shop.

She had such an extensive network of connections,

that she often received requests not only for her own designs but from other designers and shopping malls as well.

As I kept getting calls and working, before I knew it, I had been doing this part-time job for all three years.

At every opportunity, I was broke.

“Buy some Zero Lime,” he’d say,

and it was no exaggeration to say that the reason Bahn Do-young, who had been penniless and unworthy of his handsome face, hadn’t been struggling for money lately was all thanks to Teacher Jung.

“My goodness, you’re still in high school and got a military notice? How is that possible? You’re not even twenty yet. It’s still December.”

“It’s not an enlistment notice, it’s just a notification that I’m old enough for the physical examination. Come to think of it, my son got his around the same time.”

After finishing a fitting session, during break time.

Somehow we ended up talking about Do Ha-min, which led to a conversation about military physicals and service.

“So, do you think he could get an exemption or alternative service?”

“Ah… if he were still the loner he was in first year, maybe, but unfortunately I raised him to be too handsome. He’ll probably be classified as active duty without question.”

“Hahaha, what’s that! Aren’t you being a bit too self-congratulatory?”

Even if I tried to lower his grade, he’d probably still get a Grade 2 due to his eyesight.

Ha-min, whom I had been training in kendo since first year, making him physically strong, had no chance of avoiding active duty for mental or physical reasons.

What could I do?

Ban Do-young, the world’s most beautiful girl,

was also the world’s best at supporting her husband.

“Sigh… Looking back, it was similar for me when my son went to the military. The night before his enlistment, I even held his hand and slept in the same room with him.”

“What? Teacher Jung, you did that too?”

“I think all families with sons go through that? Especially when it’s the first son going to the military, it feels different. Do-young, you have an older brother too. Didn’t your mom act like that when he went to the military?”

“I don’t know, I don’t remember anything like that.”

What? Why was I the only one without those memories?

That kind of memory.

“This girl, how can you not remember something that wasn’t even that long ago! You must be pretending not to know because you’re recalling feeling left out, acting all cute!”

Slap. Did she think I was lying out of jealousy toward my brother?

Teacher Jung slapped my back heartily with her skilled hand and laughed boisterously.

“By the way, you seem pretty calm about it. Do you have the mindset that you can definitely wait through his military service?”

“Of course, what’s the big deal about that? Besides, is today’s military really that tough? The service period is shorter, they can use phones…”

-Zip

In the middle of speaking, Teacher Jung lightly tapped my cheek as if in warning.

“Tsk, you shouldn’t speak so carelessly even among women. We shouldn’t talk recklessly about hardships we don’t understand. How would you feel if Ha-min said, ‘Isn’t giving birth just a bit of pain that’s over quickly?'”

“Mmm… I’m sorry. That was thoughtless of me.”

“As long as you understand.”

I actually know all about men’s hardships.

These words rose to my throat, but I swallowed them back down.

After three years of modeling for a wedding dress designer,

with a huge bridal concept photo of myself hanging at the entrance of the wedding shop, I couldn’t say such things.

“I understand. You need to think of military service as no big deal so that waiting isn’t hard for you. That way, Ha-min won’t feel burdened either, right?”

“Ah, so that’s it. Our Do-young is actually quite innocent in that way? You’re already giving yourself positive affirmations because you can’t bear to be apart from Ha-min?”

“Not really… I hadn’t thought that far…”

Of course, Teacher Jung and the other staff had no way of knowing about my memories from my original world.

Perhaps that’s why.

To others, my behavior seemed like

I was just pretending to be calm and nonchalant,

trying to endure the fear of being separated from Ha-min.

“What? Why is everyone looking at me like that?”

“Nothing really. I just think that the Do-young who always acts tough even in front of adults would naturally respond this way in a situation like this.”

“I’m telling you, that’s not it! I’m not acting tough! I just believe that Ha-min, that guy, will do well wherever he goes! That’s why I’m acting so casual!”

“Hehe… your faith in your husband is quite admirable.”

“W-when did break time become ‘tease Do-young time’? Get up quickly! Because Ha-min went to an unnecessarily good school, I need to work hard to earn his tuition! Let’s get back to work!”

“Yes, yes, how could I refuse, future military girlfriend. All your excuses revolve around Ha-min.”

“As expected of Teacher Jung Sil-yong’s persona, it’s pure love, pure love.”

“Come on, what should I wear next? Let’s hurry up!”

During the subsequent photoshoot, I kept insisting that I was really fine,

that it didn’t bother me at all, but throughout it all, I couldn’t help noticing

the corners of Teacher Jung’s and the staff’s mouths curling up as if they found me pitiable yet adorable.

“Thank you for your hard work. That’s a wrap for today’s shoot!”

“Good work everyone!”

“What hard work! The one working hard is you, Do-young, already trembling at the thought of being separated from your husband for a year and a half!”

“I told you, that’s not why!”

“Ahaha, so this is how it feels to tease someone who’s teasing you!”

After talking about Ha-min,

managing my expressions during the photoshoot became harder than before.

.

.

.

“We’ll be heading out first today.”

“Alright, good work, see you all tomorrow.”

Usually, I would finish my part-time job and leave first.

But today, the shooting schedule was set relatively late in the afternoon, so my schedule ended at the same time as the staff’s.

After changing back into the clothes I had worn when I arrived,

I was about to follow the staff members who had left ahead of me.

“Then I’ll be going home now…”

It was the lobby I passed through every time I came for work.

A scenery I was always familiar with.

But for some reason,

as if something in that scenery caught my eye,

I stopped in my tracks before stepping out of the store.

It was in front of the wedding dress Teacher Jung had designed,

the one my mother had worn on her wedding day.

“…It’s been a while since I’ve looked at it this closely.”

Since I had promised to only wear bridal attire when modeling as a set with Ha-min,

I didn’t get to wear dresses as often as I thought I would during my modeling job.

As a result, even though it was the shop’s signature dress,

at some point I had started seeing it as just another part of the passing scenery.

The Jung Sil-yong dress that supposedly makes brides burst into tears as various emotions cross their minds.

Back then, I thought it was an absurd fantasy setting even for a webtoon world.

Perhaps because of that underlying premise,

I was still the only one who hadn’t shed tears while wearing Teacher Jung’s dress.

Of course, that might also be because I was the only one who wore the dress without being a bride.

“It really is… beautiful.”

Looking back now,

I realize I wore quite an extraordinary outfit.

And in that attire, I rushed into Ha-min’s arms and hugged him.

“Why are you standing there blankly? In front of the display.”

-Tap

“Wow, you startled me… you scared me.”

Teacher Jung, who had changed into her outdoor shoes, tapped my shoulder and spoke.

“Just… it looked especially pretty today, so I was looking at it.”

“That’s unusual. Our Ban Do-young, who used to wander around this dream wedding shop like it was a convenience store with nothing to buy. When you first wore this dress, you said you couldn’t understand why prospective brides would get teary-eyed just from wearing a wedding dress.”

“I know, right? I wonder why I suddenly find this dress so beautiful now.”

“…How about it? Want to try it on again after all this time?”

Teacher Jung grinned and pointed toward the changing room.

Even though she was already prepared to leave, she seemed ready to help me into the dress if I wanted.

“Thank you for the offer, but I’ll pass.”

“Hmm… may I ask why?”

I turned my head slightly away from the dress behind the display and said:

“…Because now I think I might cry too. Just like the other prospective brides.”

“…I see. Our Do-young has really become a true lady. Back in the day, I might have believed it if someone said you were a man with just a woman’s body.”

Teacher Jung nodded and didn’t press me further about trying on the dress.

Her eyes suggested she already knew what the outcome would be without me having to try it on.

“Ah, right. I almost forgot. Take this.”

“Hm? What are you giving me? Is it clothes?”

“No, not that. You’ve worn the clothes I’ve given you to death. It’s something else.”

Teacher Jung took out a paper envelope from her handbag and handed it to me.

At a glance, it looked like a meal voucher, or perhaps tickets to some performance.

“Hot spring ryokan…? Is this the Japanese ryokan you mentioned going to with your family at the beginning of the year?”

“Yes, a place where you can relax for two nights and three days.”

“So it’s about taking clothes off, not putting them on.”

“When you say it like that, it sounds strange.”

“But it’s not wrong, is it?”

“Ah, just a moment ago you were completely like a young lady about to get married. Now you’re back to your old self.”

Perhaps it was fitting for Teacher Jung, who always gave me work involving wearing new clothes.

The envelope she handed me as a gift for relaxation contained vouchers for a hot spring ryokan where one could comfortably undress and rest.

And not just one voucher, but two.

“Isn’t this too expensive a gift? I’ve already received all my part-time wages without any delays.”

“This time, it seems like everyone in my family has something going on, so it’ll be difficult for us to go. We can’t go separately, and it would be a waste to let them expire, so I thought I’d give them to Do-young as a coming-of-age gift.”

It had been almost three years since I’d known Teacher Jung.

Even considering the connection from my mother’s time and the time that had passed,

the gift seemed too generous for a mere part-timer, and I just stared blankly at the vouchers in my hand.

“What do you think? With these, you could create a nice memory with Ha-min after becoming an adult, couldn’t you?”

“Thank you so much. But… even if I’m an adult, I don’t think my parents would allow me to travel abroad alone with Ha-min. My dad is like that, and especially Ha-min’s father is just so… incredibly old-fashioned. Despite what he’s done.”

“This girl. You really have no idea how to use those vouchers, do you?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Those vouchers allow up to two people per ticket.”

“Oh, so a total of four people… but even as adults, if we go with our parents, creating a mood with Ha-min would be… wait, what?”

Flash.

Something clicked in my mind.

The most delicious way to use these vouchers.