episode_0046

46

“You never know when to stop, do you?”

“Look, I’m just teaching you what Noona likes…”

“…Still, it’s perverted.”

“I don’t care. Besides, what’s the big deal about grown adults talking about this stuff?”

As if it were nothing—no, as if I were the ridiculous one for making a big deal out of it—Lee Jiyoon let out a light, tickled laugh.

The cramped karaoke booth was filled with the blaring background music, layered over the whispered secrets between us.

…Lee Hayoon’s porn preferences.

Honestly, useless information at this point.

Anyway.

Frankly, I was stunned.

I never imagined I’d be having this kind of conversation with Jiyoon so soon.

I thought we were just gaming buddies for now.

Or at most, acquaintances hanging out occasionally under the pretense of treatment.

I planned on closing the distance slowly over the next month, calling it “practice dates,” but—

Anyway, I’d been holding myself back, forcing polite smiles, pretending to be patient.

And now she suddenly wants to teach me her sister’s porn tastes?

Hmm. Did gaming together click with her better than expected?

Or is there another reason?

…Who knows.

It’s not like I can read minds.

But one thing’s certain:

“…So, what is her type?”

“Curious, huh?”

“Obviously. I’m not asexual.”

This was my first chance to swap dirty talk with Jiyoon.

No way I was letting it slip.

“But how do you even know this stuff? You watch porn together or something?”

“What? No! Would you watch porn with your sister?”

“…Right. Sorry.”

Horrified by the mental image, Jiyoon lightly punched my shoulder a few times.

But the faint smile on her face told me she wasn’t actually mad.

Good. Keep going.

“I stumbled on it in high school while clearing my browser history. Our family computer was in my room. Happy?”

You could just use incognito if you don’t want traces.

The thought that it was so Hayoon-like flashed through my mind, but then something else hit me.

“Why were you clearing your history?”

“…Why are we talking about that all of a sudden?”

“Because I’m curious.”

“……”

Her lips sealed tight.

Eyelids fluttering rapidly.

Eyes darting left and right—green irises flickering like disturbed water.

After a few seconds of silence, she finally squeezed out an answer.

“Just… privacy stuff. Internet’s dangerous.”

“Really?”

…Suspicious.

But fine.

If she wants to hide it, I’ll let it slide.

Probably just embarrassed about browsing sketchy sites.

Or the same reason as her sister.

“Anyway, about Noona’s tastes…”

Flustered, Jiyoon fixed her clothes unnecessarily and continued.

“…She’s into rough stuff.”

“Rough?”

“Yeah, like… Ugh, how do I put it…”

I know what she means.

I’ve been treating Hayoon exactly like that lately.

But hearing it directly from her hits differently.

So I pretended not to get it.

Tilted my head like a confused puppy.

…And then.

“Say I’m a guy, and you’re a girl.”

Jiyoon, who had been sitting properly on the couch just moments ago,

shifted slightly,

placed her knee on the seat,

pinned my thighs beneath her,

glanced outside the karaoke booth—

“…Like this.”

—and closed the distance with a sudden lunge.

Close enough that her scent clung to my clothes.

So close our bangs nearly tangled together.

Painfully close.

“Basically, pinning her down like this, gripping her wrists… forcing a kiss… and…”

“……”

“G-get it? That’s rough.”

“…Yeah.”

“…Good. Use it on Noona later. She… likes that stuff.”

“…Okay.”

Dazed, I barely managed a response.

As soon as the weight on my thighs vanished, the stuffy booth door swung open.

Cool air rushed in, brushing against the sweat on the back of my neck.

“…Let’s go. We’re done here. I’ll show you another spot for the next date.”

Biting her lip, she put on her cap and bolted out.

…What just happened?

Did I hallucinate?

Still seated, I pinched my thigh—hard.

Same result.

The lingering sting.

The warmth where she sat.

The ticklish itch where her hair brushed my forehead.

Her scent still clinging to my nose.

Nothing changed.

“……”

What the hell was that?

Because we’re friends?

No way.

Too soon for this.

Payback for the treatment?

No.

That doesn’t make sense either.

Blinking stupidly, I slowly stood.

Getting closer to Jiyoon? Good.

Casual skinship? Obviously good.

That’s why I’ve been grinding games I don’t even care about.

But…

Her climbing onto my lap and pressing our foreheads together this soon?

That’s… weird.

“Mmm…”

…Kind of dizzy now.

“…Maybe I should just take it as a good thing…”

With a sigh, I followed her out.

Am I insane?

“Kyyyaaaahhh—!”

Back home, Jiyoon buried herself in her blanket and screamed into the void.

Okay, fine, teaching him Noona’s preferences was justifiable.

He could use it later if they ever end up in a motel or something.

That’s just dating advice, right?

But why did I have to demonstrate it?!

Couldn’t I have just explained?!

How am I supposed to face him now?!

“Ughhh…”

And that browser history question—

It caught me so off guard I froze.

…At least—

Thank god—

Despite looking shell-shocked, Seo Woojin treated her normally until the end.

Asking if they were gaming later,

making small talk (honestly, she couldn’t recall most of it),

but still keeping everything casual.

She even confirmed they’d play,

and they eventually parted without incident.

But would her aim be steady in this state?

She wasn’t sure she could even hold a conversation in Discord beyond game talk.

Idiot.

Absolute idiot.

“Aaaah—!”

Rolling around in bed, still in her outside clothes, Jiyoon clutched her blanket.

Just then—

Bzzzt!

Her phone buzzed on the charger.

She fished it out.

[Seo Woojin]

Lit up on the screen.

…Too embarrassed to ignore it.

…Damn it.

“…H-Hello?”

“Hey. You coming soon?”

Unlike her, drowning in shame, his voice was as calm as ever.

Her eyes flicked to the clock on her screen.

8:10 PM.

Ten minutes late.

“…Sorry. Just… finished showering.”

“Hurry up. CZ keeps making this awkward.”

I’m too embarrassed to even talk to you right now.

She swallowed the thought.

“You’re already in voice chat?”

“Yeah. Had no idea what to say, so I told him I was running to the store and muted.”

“…I’ll log on soon.”

“Muting again for another three minutes. Don’t tell him.”

“Okay.”

CZ and Woojin’s only common ground was her.

Even after gaming together for days, leaving them alone was bound to be awkward.

Groaning, Jiyoon crawled out of bed and booted up her PC.

“Ah! Jiyoon!”

A bright, high-pitched voice greeted her the second she joined Discord.

Unlike Woojin’s subdued tone, this one grated on her nerves.

She usually didn’t mind vocal differences, but this guy might ruin clear voices for her.

“Woojin went to the store. Probably smoking.”

“Yeah…”

“You’re late. Busy?”

“Dinner.”

Lie.

She’d been too busy screeching into her pillow.

Too lazy to entertain him, she booted up the game while fielding idle chatter.

“Hey, didn’t you bail on the Valorant meetup tomorrow?”

“Work.”

CZ must’ve heard through mutuals.

She brushed it off and accepted his party invite.

“Bummer. Everyone wanted to see you.”

“Eventually. Maybe we’ll cross paths on campus or something.”

“Say hi if you recognize me?”

“If I recognize you.”

“Wow, cold. Well, I’m decent-looking, so maybe I’ll pass?”

“Sure.”

“Want a pic?”

“No.”

Most guys rated themselves as at least average-looking—

—whether they were ugly or not.

Jiyoon sighed, eyeing Woojin’s muted mic.

He’s the baseline for handsome, not—

“Sent it.”

“……”

A glance confirmed: Just Some Guy™️.

Tall? Average build? Nothing stood out.

Oh, a tacky wrist tattoo?

…What even counts as “decent” for guys?

“Well?”

“You look fine.”

“Fine? Compared to Woojin?”

“Huh?”

“You’ve met. You’d know, right?”

“……”

Silence.

Her gaze drifted to Woojin’s mic again.

Picking favorites would just stir trouble—

“…Similar.”

“Fine, then—which one?”

“Hard to say…”

Then—

1.

A new notification popped up on Discord.

No profile picture, but the name was familiar.

[Seo Woojin]

─Let me see.

Of course.

He was listening.

She quickly sent CZ’s pic to Woojin.

30 seconds later—

[Seo Woojin] (typing…)

─I look like this?

─Seriously?

“Pfft—”

“Huh? Jiyoon?”

“Sorry. Noona texted me.”

“Oh.”

She never took him for the insecure type.

Guess he just hates losing.

Smothering giggles, she typed back:

─You’re slightly better.

The embarrassment from earlier?

Gone.

Why?

No idea.