episode_0024

He returned just as he left.

Not only did he miss lunchtime, but he also missed his classes.

Is this really right? That thought crossed his mind.

“You’re done. You can go back now if you’d like.”

Hearing that it was okay to go back as is, he took Ji-won and headed back.

Although they were a bit late for class, it wasn’t a big issue.

Taking Ji-won with him, he entered the school premises.

They decided to wait until classes were over, so they waited together.

After the class ended, he took Ji-won back home.

Upon reaching home, Ji-won, seeming tired, entered my room and lay down on the bed.

“Go to your room.”

“I’m really tired today, can I rest here for a bit?”

Saying so, Ji-won lay down on my bed.

So, that’s how my day went; I can’t say anything about it.

But I feel exhausted right now too.

When I thought about wanting to lie down as well…

Ji-won lifted the blanket and said to me, “Come in, it’s cold.”

In that moment, along with Ji-won’s original appearance, an image of some guy flashed in my mind.

Since it was indeed cold, I tried to get under the blanket.

“What the hell! If I tell you to come in, what will you do if you actually come in?!”

I don’t understand why he’s saying such crazy things.

If he tells me to come in, why is he making a fuss when I actually do?

“I don’t know, I’m cold, so I’ll just come in.”

Saying that, he got under the blanket and closed his eyes.

Indeed, our blanket is so warm that I could die.

And there was a pleasant scent emanating from the blanket, maybe due to fabric softener.

It smelled nice… but why?

Come to think of it, we don’t use fabric softener at home.

What kind of smell is this? I sniffed to find out.

“Oh! Why are you smelling someone else’s belly?!”

Ji-won touched my face inside the blanket and pulled me out.

“Oh, was it your smell?”

It seemed to be Ji-won’s perfume scent, not fabric softener.

And there was also a whiff of shampoo at the tip of my nose.

It definitely smelled like mine, but I don’t know why it smelled so good.

“Hey, pervert! Don’t smell others’ scents, get out!”

“Oh, damn it! This is my bed! You get out!”

That’s how Ji-won and I ended up arguing about the bed.

“You son of a b****! Just stay…”

Did I misjudge the distance?

I almost fell under the bed just like that.

“Ouch! S***!”

Ji-won tried to catch me, but ended up falling with me.

Thud!

With a loud noise, Ji-won looked at me.

He asked if I was okay.

As we fell, I thought we might become water ghosts before hitting the ground, so I held onto his arm and fell together.

I found myself hugging Ji-won’s waist.

I clearly grabbed his arm.

Why am I doing this?

Ji-won, looking flustered, asked me to let go, wondering if I wanted to go back to the police station.

“Oh, damn it! Just stay still! You b******!”

About 30 minutes passed in this chaos.

Maybe because I moved, I started feeling hungry.

Going to the police station was mentally exhausting enough.

“Hey, let’s go eat.”

At that, Ji-won, lying on the floor, agreed.

“Are you treating?”

“This guy has never paid for anything.”

Though I knew he had no money.

If I ask, “Are you treating?” Would he just feel sorry and pay?

Nodding, Ji-won immediately got up.

The person who seemed like he was about to collapse from exhaustion just a while ago was now ready to go outside and participate in a triathlon.

Is he really tired?

**

Ji-won said he wanted to eat Jjolmyeon, so we went to a nearby snack bar.

We ordered Jjolmyeon and fried udon.

Ji-won was reading a web novel on his smartphone.

“Is that interesting?”

I asked Ji-won if the novel he was reading was interesting.

“This is my life.”

“Life’s value seems ridiculously cheap.”

A monthly subscription platform where you can live your life for 9,900 won each month.

It felt quite cheap to me.

While waiting for food with Jiwon.

When the food arrived, along with Ji-won’s Jjolmyeon, my Tempura Udon came out.

“Where’s the tempura?”

I definitely ordered Tempura Udon.

Strangely, what came was just Udon.

Is the tempura so small that it looks like Udon?

Or is this just Cup Ramen Tempura Udon?

I don’t know where my tempura went.

Thinking like that, I was about to call the staff to order Tempura Udon.

“Hey, just eat it, man.”

Jiwon said from the front to just eat it.

Well… it’s only a 500 won difference anyway, not that expensive.

“Well… okay.”

I said okay and was about to give up on the tempura.

“Boss!”

Jiwon started calling the staff.

“We ordered Tempura Udon, but just Udon came.”

Jiwon explained this to them.

“Why? Just eat it.”

“No, come to think of it. 500 won is quite a lot of money.”

Saying that, the nearby staff apologized and quickly brought the tempura.

It seemed strange, but I started eating the Udon with the tempura in it.

Jiwon also enjoyed the Jjolmyeon.

The Udon tasted good, and the tempura was delicious too.

Feeling good today.

“Hey, let’s order a Tonkatsu Gimbap!”

Saying that, we decided to order a line of Gimbap.

**

On the way back home.

Jiwon patted her stomach and said she ate well.

“Don’t pat your stomach outside. It’s embarrassing.”

“Oh, I forgot I wasn’t a girl, it’s okay.”

Yeah, if you say that, I can’t say anything.

I don’t know how Jiwon ended up like this, but it’s not bad.

Thinking like that, on the way back home.

A car stuck its head out in the alley.

It seemed like we could just pass by since it was coming out slowly.

“Take it! Shoulder tackle~!”

Jiwon said next to me, shoulder-tackling me to the side.

Well… maybe she moved me to a safe place because a car was coming.

At first, I definitely thought that way.

Thought like that but…

“Shoulder tackle!! Shoulder tackle!!”

I let it go once, but when she did it three times…

“Hey, damn it, stop it, I might get hit by a car.”

Continuing to shoulder-tackle me, Jiwon started from the side.

Now, this is not just joking around; I told her to stop for real.

Sensing that the joke had gone too far, Jiwon suggested tackling someone else from the other side.

“Really, come here and hit me, you jerk.”

Finally exploding, I started going to grab Jiwon.

Jiwon, not finding it fun anymore, said something about catching me and started running away.

I really have to catch her and scold her.

After walking for a while, we finally arrived home.

Already tired.

Thinking that I should rest today, I lay down on the bed and looked at my smartphone.

Jiwon said she would go work now and went to the next room.

Feeling tired, should I sleep now? I was thinking.

Ring—

My smartphone started ringing.

Who is it? Looking at the contact name on the call screen.

[Mom]

Damn it.

A call from my mom, whom I hadn’t heard from in a while.

Damn, it’s so annoying.

If I call her, it’ll be… definitely annoying.

Thinking like that, should I answer the call? I was contemplating.

But still, she’s my parent, if I don’t answer, it might be a big deal, I thought, and eventually pressed the call button.

“Hello?”

-What are you doing, son?

Mom asked me what I was doing.

Just lying down watching TV, I said, and she started nagging from asking if I had eaten to why I haven’t been in touch.

Trying to brush it off and hang up again.

After Mom, can I go hang out with my son? Is that okay?

“What? This is so sudden.”

If you suddenly say you want to go hang out, what can I say in response?

“I won’t go into my son’s house, Mom. I just want to go on a trip.”

Saying that, I mentioned that it’s okay for him to come over.

Just as I was about to hang up the phone…

“Jihu! Where’s my bra?”

“You little bastard!!!”

While on the call, Jiwoon asked where his bra was.

“You used it as an action figure costume; I need to change into it.”

Talking about such a sensitive topic, I immediately sensed trouble.

Even before the call ended…

“H-hello?”

Upon answering the call…

“Whose female voice was that just now?”

Ah… It was heard after all.

“Did you bring a girl home?”

“It’s not possible. I have to visit your place tomorrow.”

Damn it…

Saying that, Mom cut me off without listening further.

“What’s wrong? Did I do something?”

Jiwon beside me tilted his head, asking about the situation.

“Ah… You little bastard!!!”

Still, I approached Jiwon and began pulling his cheek as if crazy.

Because of the kid… Because of the kid, what kind of trouble is this…