episode_0019

Episode 18: Can’t we eat at home? (1)

“Ms. Jung A-yeong~”

“I’ll be back soon. Sit tight.”

Of course, taking Jung A-yeong’s card with me.

I left work early around 11 o’clock.

There weren’t many people at the hospital before lunchtime, so I received quick treatment.

After inquiring about Jung A-yeong’s symptoms, the doctor just chuckled and lightly disinfected her forehead before applying a bandage.

It wasn’t a traffic accident, nor did she hit her head anywhere while walking.

“If you experience dizziness later, come back,” she was told before being ushered out.

And so, back to the pharmacy.

Nevertheless, a patient is a patient, so I left Jung A-yeong sitting there fidgeting and went to get the medicine.

The pharmacist, upon seeing her school uniform, opened his mouth.

“Hwarang Academy?”

“Oh, yes.”

“Your girlfriend? You guys look good together~”

“No, thank you.”

A mix of mischief and awkwardness in the young smile was quite burdensome.

Are these gentlemen unable to hold their tongues here?

“Here. Your card.”

“Oh, right.”

Anyway.

Returning to my seat, I could see Jung A-yeong looking uneasy.

Why is she acting like that? Upon careful consideration, I couldn’t find an answer.

In such situations, conversation is key.

“Do you have something you forgot?”

“Oh, no. It’s just…”

Fidgeting fingers.

It felt like she had something to say but was holding back.

“What is it? Spit it out.”

“Well… it’s lunchtime…”

A slightly flushed cheek.

Jung A-yeong was seated at the pharmacy, and I was standing.

It had been a while since I found myself in this position of looking down at her.

Through the faintly shadowed dark circles, a cautious gaze peeked out.

Her forehead covered by the bandage.

Wasn’t it said to be bad if it got wet?

I brushed her bangs aside and responded.

“Yeah. Are you hungry?”

The blush on her cheeks intensified.

Jung A-yeong’s frozen figure resembled a penguin caught in ice.

Her lips, opening and closing repeatedly, seemed like goldfish.

The awkward sound coming out seemed incredibly out of place.

“Oh, um. I-I am hungry but… um…”

“Yeah.”

Ah, I see.

Is she embarrassed because it sounds like a date request?

Well, even though eating together in the cafeteria is routine, we’ve never had a meal outside like this.

“Let’s eat together?”

“Um…”

“But what should we do…”

I really don’t have money.

I don’t know what excuse to make.

Was it a gut feeling that rejection would come from my mouth?

Jung A-yeong’s head began to droop gradually.

“S-Sorry…”

“No, no, it’s okay, I don’t have money… so yeah.”

Phew.

I ended up saying it after all.

It’s not that I’m ashamed of being poor, but it’s a fact that it’s delicate and sad.

Having no money ultimately disrupts daily life.

“I-I’ll pay…!”

“No, that’s a bit…”

“S-Sorry… is it burdensome?”

Seems like she doesn’t manage well.

Her hair is surprisingly soft, isn’t it?

Skipping over the overly familiar apology, I offered her an alternative.

“It’s fine. I’m hungry too… Shall I cook something?”

“….!?”

I gently touched Jung A-yeong’s forehead.

Her head slowly rose.

I met her gaze, which seemed to question if she heard wrong.

“As long as we have the ingredients, let’s go to your place.”

I had been cautious, but the last words slipped out almost like a whisper.

Perhaps because it was small? She started to react more strongly.

“Let’s go out. Let’s go out first.”

“Yeah. Grab your bag.”

“You guys are quite close, huh.”

An elderly lady at the pharmacy muttered.

Whether she heard that or not, Jung A-yeong twitched.

Outside the door, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Like a broken wooden doll.

“Phew.”

“Oh…”

“Hmm?”

“It’s nothing.”

With slightly dazed eyes, Jung Ah-young looked at me and then shook her head.

And so, she and I began to walk.

“Can we go to my place…?”

“Yeah, if you get permission from your sister?”

“Oh, I see…”

How strange, asking for permission from her sister…

Jung Ah-young muttered to herself; she had a habit of talking to herself, so I didn’t say anything about it.

As funny as the word “permission” was, in reality, it was not much different from informing her.

What can I do! I’m just hanging out at a friend’s house! Not even staying out overnight, planning to be back around dinner time!

Anyway, after sending that message to Han Se-yeon, I turned off my smartphone and put it in my pocket.

“Do we have ingredients at home?”

“Probably…?”

“I don’t know.”

“Sorry…”

“You should apologize to your parents.”

“Sorry, Dad.”

“Haha, what’s that about?”

“Hehe.”

A natural laughter.

After checking my face, Jung Ah-young also smiled brightly.

Even though it wasn’t my own place, but rather a house where I lived with my parents.

Could something happen?

The man’s smile was beautiful.

Especially when it was the smile of someone he liked.

For Jung Ah-young, Han Se-in’s smile was special.

Leaving work early, having leisure time.

Seeing Han Se-in’s carefree face made Jung Ah-young feel increasingly frustrated.

The situation itself was good, but mentally it was not.

The good part was that he would cook for her.

The bad part was entering a stranger’s house so defenselessly.

What if he did this with another woman?

Jung Ah-young’s unnecessary worries started to grow.

Releasing stress is normal when it piles up.

She opened her usual online community.

And tapped on her smartphone keyboard.

“[My male friend is coming over to cook at my place. Is he being considerate?]”

– Why?

– Just don’t.

– Don’t what?

– You’re annoying, damn it.

– What are you talking about?

She closed her smartphone.

Whether Han Se-in had sent a message to his sister or not, she put her phone in her pocket.

Act in sync with the man!

It was what she learned from the dating gallery.

Anyway.

Jung Ah-young headed home like that.

It wasn’t a very long distance.

About a 15-minute walk to the apartment.

Although she felt stifled trying to match her pace with Han Se-in, she did her best.

Definitely. To make her heart flutter.

“Excuse me…”

“No one’s here.”

“Still…”

So Han Se-in and Jung Ah-young were able to arrive home.

To be precise, it was Jung Ah-young’s home.

She felt even more uneasy and awkward, making it seem like it was Han Se-in’s home if anyone saw them.

“Sit comfortably…”

“Did you bite your tongue?”

“Yeah…”

How much stumbling would it take to actually bite her tongue?

Guided by Jung Ah-young, Han Se-in reached her room.

He grabbed the doorknob and turned it.

In an instant, she made a surprised sound as she remembered the traces left in the room.

The door opened, and Han Se-in looked inside.

“Oh, it’s clean here? Can I sit down here?”

“Ah, ah, sleep, just a moment…”

Han Se-in, feeling a bit excited, entered the room.

Curious about what a woman’s room in a reversed world would look like.

It was cleaner than expected.

More modern than quaint.

In the spacious room, a large bed and a stylish desk with a computer that looked appealing caught the eye.

The plush bed made one want to lie down on it.

Lying on the hard floor made one envious.

Unlike Han Se-in, who was admiring the intriguing modern interior,

Jeong Ah-young felt as uncomfortable as a lost meerkat.

“Hmm?”

“What’s this?”

“Oh, oh. Oh…!!”

No!!

Jeong Ah-young reached out her hand.

But it was out of reach.

Seated at the edge of the bed, Han Se-in noticed a towel nearby and picked it up.

“What’s this? A towel?”

Jeong Ah-young’s face turned increasingly red.

Embarrassment filling her heart.

That was it.

Women usually use a towel when masturbating.

This morning,

The item forgotten after the happy time was now in Han Se-in’s hand.

“Snniff… Ugh, what is this.”

It was a kind of instinct.

Usually, when you think of a towel, you remember the fragrant fabric softener smell.

The towel near her nose and the sound of breathing.

Jeong Ah-young groaned.

“Oh, nooo…!!!”

One day in March.

It was spring.

***

“[Hey Hyuna, isn’t that them?]”

“[Yup.]”

Clang.

Arriving at Class 1-3, Kang Hyun-a realized this.

During lunchtime,

Jeong Ah-young and Han Se-in were nowhere to be seen in the cafeteria or the classroom.

Kang Hyun-a came here to find them but ended up empty-handed.

Her social circle was not thin by any means.

She didn’t have many friends, but there were plenty of hangers-on.

In a way, it was natural.

It was inefficient to solve petty errands by herself.

Now it had backfired.

In the photo posted online,

There were Jeong Ah-young and Han Se-in heading somewhere.

Walking side by side intimately.

Kang Hyun-a realized this keenly.

Because they looked so affectionate.

So secluded.

She clenched her fist tightly.