episode_0081

“Of course, I should.”

As if there was no need for further thought, Cheol-su responded, causing a puzzled expression on his face.

“Why? Are you still unable to forget that damn ex-wife of yours…?”

“Marriage is necessary to have children, so that our Da-yeong and Da-bin can be born, right?”

“Ah…”

As if finally understanding, the guy nodded.

“I’m not sure if you’ve really understood, but anyway, hurry up and get married and have a child. They say even non-existent affection can develop, right?”

In reality, even when tired and exhausted from work, seeing his children after coming home always gave him strength. It may seem like nagging to me now, but thinking of Da-yeong, who used to follow me around looking for her dad when she was young, and Da-bin, who gave me a letter written in a childish, crawling handwriting with carnations on Parent’s Day, still brings a smile to my face.

“Hmph, in the end, you’re circling back to ‘get married’ again, huh. Heh heh.”

“Is that so? Anyway, that’s how I am. Hehe.”

Cheol-su said, looking ahead again as he walked.

“Don’t laugh like that. You almost confessed and ruined everything.”

“Heh heh, is that a confession?”

“Then, will you accept it?”

“Are you crazy, me?”

“That’s right.”

As we continued walking and talking like this, a convenience store came into view.

“Oh, it’s a convenience store.”

Hastening our steps, we entered the convenience store and grabbed two hangover remedies.

“Do you want to buy anything else?”

“Well? Should I buy some snacks since I’m feeling peckish?”

“Sure, go ahead and choose.”

While he went to pick out snacks, I quickly moved to the household goods section. Spotting my target after some searching, I swiftly grabbed it and headed to the checkout counter.

“Please calculate this first.”

As I urgently spoke, the convenience store clerk was taken aback and responded.

As we waited for him to calculate, suddenly, Cheol-su’s voice came from behind.

“So, did you buy condoms?”

“Eek!”

Startled by Cheol-su’s sudden voice from behind, I blurted out a strange sound.

“Why are you calculating that secretly? The convenience store isn’t that big anyway.”

Although the convenience store was only about 14.5 square meters, it might not seem that big, but from the perspective of a guy over 180cm tall, even the shelves would need to be lowered to see what I was doing.

“Ahaha, that’s… I bought some panties. I didn’t have any to change into.”

“Oh, just panties?”

As we were having that conversation, the clerk looked at the snacks and drinks in Cheol-su’s hands and asked.

“Yes, please calculate them together.”

Cheol-su poured out everything he was holding onto the checkout counter.

Snacks, drinks, instant meals, and more.

“Oh, suddenly craving ice cream. Do you want some too?”

He suddenly turned back to the ice cream freezer and asked me.

Ice cream… full of fat and sugar. The calories must be off the charts.

But I had already had cocktails and some appetizers in the first round, nearly two bottles of wine in the second round, and even charcuterie.

What should I do? I’m tempted, but…

After a moment of hesitation, I said, “I’ll pass. I have to resist.”

“Okay.”

He then picked up one ice cream and placed it on the checkout counter.

Carrying the purchased items in a bag, as we were leaving the convenience store, Cheol-su suddenly reached out and snatched the bag I was holding.

“What’s this?”

“Appearances matter, you know. I wouldn’t want to be courteous to you, right?”

But that statement is just an excuse. In this ambitious night, who in this rural area would see us?

He probably just acted that way to feel comfortable in his own skin, but in the end, it was a sign that he was starting to see me as a woman in some way.

-Churup

Hearing a slurping sound, I turned around to see the guy who was now happily eating an ice cream wrapped in a paper wrapper.

“Ah, looks good.”

It wasn’t quite tropical, but with summer in full swing, the hot air was thick with humidity. Despite that, sucking on an ice cream seemed incredibly refreshing.

I couldn’t help but regret not getting one for myself.

“Here, take it.”

Suddenly, Cheolsu handed me something, and I saw that it was an ice cream.

Why did he have it? It was a coffee milk-flavored ice cream, wrapped in paper packaging. You could tear it along the perforated line in the middle, split it in half, and share it easily.

Anyway, what he offered me was the half he had already eaten.

“I, I don’t want it.”

“Just wipe your drool and take it, will you?”

Was I unknowingly drooling?

“Ah, fine. Give it here.”

As he handed me the ice cream, I found myself taking a bite without even thinking.

“Mmm, delicious.”

As I grew older, I found that the classic flavors of the ice creams I used to eat were more satisfying than the new products on the market. This ice cream, with its unique coffee milk flavor and sherbet-like melting ice cream, brought back nostalgic memories.

“Ah, walking around with this ice cream makes me nostalgic for my hometown.”

“True.”

And so, the sound of slurping and crunching ice cream filled the night streets in silence.

Returning to the laundromat after our walk, I found that all the washing machines had finished their cycles. I transferred the laundry to the dryer, sat down for a moment, reminiscing, and before I knew it, 40 minutes had passed.

Taking out the dried clothes from the dryer and putting them in a bag, Cheolsu marveled at my bra size.

“Wow… what cup size are you? It’s huge.”

“Well…”

I felt a bit embarrassed to talk about this number.

“The last time I checked, it was an I cup.”

“What?! That’s not even a cow…”

My face turned red for no reason, so I quickly gathered all the laundry into the bag and left the laundromat. Cheolsu quickly followed me and said.

“That thing I saw earlier… wow…”

“Ah, why are you looking at that, you pervert!”

“I’m sorry, really. I never thought I’d see an I cup in my life.”

“Ah, stop it! Don’t talk about that outside!”

“Why not? Just by glancing at it, anyone can tell it’s not a joke.”

There’s a saying that “words have power.”

When the guy, who had only thought of it as “big breasts,” heard the word “I cup” and got so excited talking about it, you could see how fitting that saying was.

While things had calmed down a bit since he got a girlfriend, this guy was the most disruptive among the four of us, including me and Samsoo. So, it wasn’t too surprising to see him getting excited like this. But the fact that I was the subject of his excitement felt quite alien.

Anyway, blushing, I quickly stepped back into the room.

“Phew…”

Although there weren’t many guests at the motel in this remote area, entering the isolated space still made me feel a bit relieved.

“That guy… he really got flustered over a joke.”

“Consider the time and place, buddy!”

“Is that so? Then let’s consider the time and place…”

He took a step, then another towards me.

“What, what is it?”

“On this ambitious night.”

I took a step back.

“Huh, huh?”

“At the motel.”

He follows me.

“Just a moment, you…!”

As I try to step back and move my body backwards.

-Thud!

A dull impact transmitted through my back.

“What kind of prank should a man and a woman play?”

He reaches out his hand, gripping the wall and locking eyes with me.

“Stop it. Seriously. I’ll get angry.”

The gaze of the man I faced is intense. Without saying a word, he continues to stare into my eyes for a moment before quietly starting to bring his face closer, causing me to tightly shut my eyes.

As time passes with no response, I open my eyes to find him smiling mischievously and looking at me.

“Are you really going to do it. Hehe.”

I collapse, my legs losing strength.

“Hey! Seriously! Hey!!”

Too tense, tears welled up in my eyes as soon as my heart relaxed for a moment.

“It’s just a joke, a joke.”

“Why are you suddenly playing such a prank?! Oh, seriously! Ugh!”

Like a faucet being turned on, once the tears started flowing, they couldn’t be stopped.

Seeing me in tears, Cheolsoo tried to calm me down in a flustered manner, but how could he control me when I couldn’t even control myself.

After a while, as the tears were wiped away, my fluctuating emotions began to settle and the tears started to subside.

“Wow… you really squeezed out the juice.”

“S-Shut up. Sniff! This, this is all because of you… sniff! You know.”

“Thanks to you, I got to see a lot of precious things today. From the show of the drunkard Jeongdohyeon, to the tears show.”

“You’re really!”

“If this is enough, maybe it was worth the trouble.”

“Is this guy really crazy?”

No matter how much of a joke it was, this was too much. If it weren’t for the fact that I stepped back and restrained myself, I would have had nothing to say even if I had slapped him.

“Anyway, I’m sorry for the joke. I just thought it would be fun…”

Now I understand. Why this guy still can’t get married.

In fact, Cheolsoo is a good guy as a friend, but honestly, as a man, isn’t he close to being trash?

Even now. No matter how attractive he may seem, seeing him playing around with the opposite sex like this, even though we’ve been friends for 30 years, makes me think that way.

“Cancel the marriage proposal. Just live alone.”

“Why does it always end up like that?”

“I don’t know, man!”

-Slap!

“Ow!”

In a fit of anger, I slapped him on the cheek. I was momentarily shocked, but then my thoughts changed.

You little rascal.