Drunk Woman – 1

“Ah~ Now I can finally breathe.”

“Geez, why do you guys have so many questions for us?”

“How could we not be curious? A guy with a decent face and the appearance of the girlfriend that the ‘girlfriend claimer’ has been talking about.”

“Yoon Do-hyun, this bastard has a talent for saying things beautifully, doesn’t he?”

Because I couldn’t bear the students who flocked to us during each break, I had no choice but to escape to the school store with Seo Jin-hyuk and Yoon Do-hyun.

They surrounded us and fired questions like baby birds begging for food from their mother, and since there was no malice in it, I couldn’t really say anything.

So as soon as break time came, we just ran away. What kind of break time is that?

It seemed the situation was the same for Ye-rin’s class, as I had received a message of complaint.

Thinking of Ye-rin who would be diligently answering each question despite her discomfort, I couldn’t help but smile.

So I sent a reply saying to tell me immediately if anyone was bothering her.

“What will you do if she actually calls?”

“What do you think?”

I’ll have to take care of it.

As I crushed the empty drink can, Seo Jin-hyuk made a terrified expression.

Next to him, Yoon Do-hyun asked curiously.

“By the way, aren’t you guys going to see your girlfriends? I thought you would run to them during every break.”

“It’s the first day of school. They need time to adjust.”

“So what’s your honest feeling?”

“I really want to go see her, you jerk.”

When I said this with a smile, Yoon Do-hyun giggled, saying he knew it.

“Come to think of it, Seo Jin-hyuk, why didn’t you come back to Korea even once in over three years? Wouldn’t it have been reasonable to come at least once during vacation?”

“…That’s all because of that bastard Han Woo-jin.”

“…Hey, that’s not my fault.”

“Has your conscience exploded?”

When Seo Jin-hyuk raised his eyebrows as if telling me to shut up immediately, I quietly averted my gaze.

“…? Why is it because of Han Woo-jin? Did that muscle freak prevent you from coming on the plane or something?”

“This guy said it would be harder to wait if we saw each other occasionally in between, so he told us not to come. Ha, I should have told him to eat shit back then…”

“…You agreed at that time too.”

“I did because I didn’t know, you jerk!”

“I’m the same, you jerk!”

ㅡ Because I didn’t know!

I didn’t know three years would be so long!!!!!

In the past.

At 15, I thought three years would be bearable.

Hey, that’s only one-fifth of my life? I thought that would be quite bearable.

As I told Seo Jin-hyuk, rather than seeing Ye-rin teasingly once in a while and then having her taken away on a plane back to America repeatedly.

I would endure and endure until the day the study abroad was completely finished.

Come on, let’s HODL- I thought and said that, but.

If I could go back in time, I would tell my 15-year-old self.

Don’t talk nonsense and please beg Ye-rin to come every vacation, or at least once a year.

Honestly, after two years had passed, I wanted to just ask her to come, but I endured with a man’s pride and stubbornness.

“Anyway, Han Woo-jin was such a middle schooler back then, infected with middle school disease and completely dominated by his pride, geez…”

“…If you’re going to say something, call me a romanticist.”

“If you were any more romantic, someone would die, man. You don’t know how much Se-ah nagged and complained to me because of that.”

Ugh, that sounds awful.

I didn’t need to witness it to imagine how much Han Se-ah must have chattered, so this time I felt a bit sorry.

“I was wondering. You guys didn’t come even once, so I thought something had happened, but I never imagined there was such a reason. Han Woo-jin, you idiot.”

“Han Woo-jin, you idiot.”

“…What is this, an echo in the middle of the city? And I already apologized earlier, dude.”

“Idiot Han Woo-jin. Didn’t Ye-rin say anything?”

“Unlike some people, Ye-rin has a kind heart, so she doesn’t complain about things like that.”

“Is that ‘some people’ referring to my little sister by any chance?”

“I was talking about your girlfriend?”

When I responded shamelessly, Seo Jin-hyuk looked at me like he was looking at a crazy person.

Well. I didn’t say anything wrong.

And it was true that Ye-rin never complained about such things.

Although Ye-rin always respected my opinions, she could be more stubborn than anyone if she thought something wasn’t right. So I could only guess that perhaps Ye-rin also thought my opinion had some merit.

…Of course, she might have resented me later, just like me and Seo Jin-hyuk now.

Anyway, she had never shown such signs in front of me, not even once.

After squabbling for a while like that.

Since we couldn’t keep loitering in front of the school store forever, we quietly entered the classroom right before the bell rang, and fortunately, we weren’t surrounded by students.

**

“Hey, Yoon Do-hyun. Do you want to have lunch with us too?”

“Am I crazy? To eat squeezed between two couples? I’d choke on my food.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“It’s not an exaggeration, it’s a fact.”

Since it was the first day of school, we had decided to all have lunch together, so I invited Yoon Do-hyun too.

But Yoon Do-hyun left for where the other students were, as if telling me not to say such nonsense.

Then, Seo Jin-hyuk, who was sitting next to me, tapped my arm.

“…Hey, Han Woo-jin.”

“What?”

“…It’s lunchtime, why aren’t the students leaving?”

Seo Jin-hyuk was right.

Despite it being quite a while since lunchtime started, many students remained in the classroom.

No, including students from other classes, there were even more than the capacity of our class.

“…I guess they’re curious about Ye-rin’s real appearance?”

“Really? Huh….”

Given that I could feel the surrounding students glancing at us, it didn’t seem wrong.

Seo Jin-hyuk gave a bemused laugh, as if he couldn’t believe it.

While we were waiting for Ye-rin and Se-ah at our seats.

We heard a commotion from the hallway.

Without even looking, I thought Ye-rin must have arrived.

Sure enough, soon Ye-rin and Se-ah appeared, opening the front door.

“Wow…”

I don’t know who it was, but I heard an admiring voice.

“Oppa!”

“Oppa…”

“You came?”

Seeing our two little sisters approaching with bright smiles, we also smiled and stood up from our seats.

Before leaving the classroom, I heard whispers saying that the real person was indeed better than the photos, but.

It was a familiar occurrence with Ye-rin.

And it was something I had to get used to with Ye-rin.

So I let it in one ear and out the other as we left the classroom.

“Being popular is waaaaay too much!”

Se-ah said with disgust, banging on the cafeteria table.

“…Ye-rin?”

“Yes!! From asking why her eyes are like that, what cosmetics she uses, if the person who came with her is her boyfriend, where she transferred from—they ask all sorts of questions just to say a word to Ye-rin~? I thought we were having a press conference!”

“Did you wear makeup today, Ye-rin?”

“No, I didn’t…?”

“Right?”

Whew. I was worried I hadn’t noticed if she had.

When I caressed her cheeks in the morning, or when I left marks on Ye-rin’s face with my lips…

The moist, soft feeling I experienced in the morning definitely didn’t feel like makeup, and Ye-rin usually didn’t wear makeup, so I had a moment of doubt wondering if she had worn makeup.

Feeling relieved, I nodded, and Se-ah slapped my arm as if she was displeased.

“Geez, what’s that for? Why did you hit me?”

“Oppa, after hearing everything your pretty sister said, all you have to say is whether she wore makeup or not?”

“No, but…”

Since it was obvious that this would happen from the moment Ye-rin arrived.

I couldn’t say I hadn’t expected it because Se-ah was staring at me with fire in her eyes.

“…You worked hard.”

“Right~?”

Fortunately, my chosen response was correct, as Se-ah smiled as if I had done well.

Whether that was all she wanted to hear, Se-ah soon began conversing with Seo Jin-hyuk.

Though they seemed to have almost forgotten the existence of Ye-rin and me right beside them, since we were reuniting after a long time today.

Knowing that each of us would have so much to say to our respective partners.

Without deliberately interrupting, I also focused on Ye-rin.

“Have you made friends with your classmates?”

Hearing my question, Ye-rin spoke with her chopsticks in her mouth, as if considering.

“Mmm… honestly, I still don’t know who’s who…”

“That makes sense. It’s similar in our class too. A lot of students gathered because of Seo Jin-hyuk.”

“Because of Jin-hyuk oppa…?”

…Siblings are alike.

Just as Seo Jin-hyuk couldn’t understand the students coming for Ye-rin, Ye-rin also tilted her head upon hearing my words, as if she truly couldn’t understand.

“Jin-hyuk has a handsome face, right?”

“…?”

“You don’t realize it because you’re sibli—”

“Oppa is much more handsome though…?”

…Ah.

I kind of.

Wished she would give me a warning before saying such things.

…It’s not good for my heart. Seriously.

At first, I thought she might be giving me lip service because I’m her boyfriend.

But seeing the pink eyes blinking at me, filled with sincere affection without a speck of impurity.

My heart felt like it would jump out of my mouth at that lovable sight.

“…Uh, um, thank you…?”

“But it’s true…”

Even to me, if we were just comparing pure appearances, Seo Jin-hyuk would barely win against me, but if Ye-rin said so, then it must be so.

From today on, I decided to think that I was more handsome than Seo Jin-hyuk.

“…I guess I am a bit handsome, yes.”

“I started dating you because of your face…”

“Pfft!”

I hadn’t expected Ye-rin to go a step further, so I couldn’t help but burst into laughter when I heard her.

“I’m shocked? My girlfriend was a face-con.”

“Hehe, I was trying to keep it a secret…”

Since Ye-rin, who said this, was also smiling broadly.

Both I and Ye-rin. We looked at each other and laughed for a while.

“Ah… that was really funny. Oh, by the way, I’m not dating you for your face, okay?”

“…Pervert.”

“Huh? No, why does that make me a pervert…?”

“Pervert oppa…”

…What is this?

I was just trying to score some points, but Ye-rin’s preemptive strike of covering her chest with a flush on her cheeks made me break out in a cold sweat unexpectedly.

I wanted to say that when I first saw you, there was no— well, thinking again, there was something, but it wasn’t that much, but.

Somehow saying that seemed even weirder, so I couldn’t bring myself to argue.

“Actually, I also saw your fa—”

“Don’t tell me you’re dating me for my face…?”

“…But you just said—”

“I’m disappointed, oppa…”

“Huh…?”

What is this?

This inescapable combo?

Didn’t I just hear her saying my face was handsome, and wasn’t I smiling in response?

Was it my delusion?

Before I knew it, I had become a scoundrel who was only interested in my girlfriend’s chest and face.

As I fumbled for an escape route, Ye-rin finally lowered the hand that had been covering her chest and smiled.

“Hee, I’m just joking…”

“Please spare me from jokes like that…”

“Mmm, I don’t want to…”

To my earnest request, Ye-rin shook her head joyfully.

Just as I let out a chuckle thinking she was really incorrigible, I overheard from Seo Jin-hyuk and Se-ah’s conversation that to commemorate the first day of school, there would be a class gathering after school to build friendship.

“Ye-rin, does your class have a gathering today?”

“Ah, yes. I think they said there was one. But I wanted to go with oppa…”

“That’s perfect. You can go there and get close with your classmates.”

“……………………Really?”

Suddenly, Ye-rin’s pink eyes were gradually mixed with a deep crimson color.