episode_0112

“Ugh.”

As part of the meal plan, freshly baked bread was always served. Consequently, it was customary to have various types of tube-shaped jams placed on a high shelf.

“Ugh, darn it.”

Yu Arin grumbled as she tried to reach for the jam. The one at the bottom had run out, and she attempted to grab the next packet, but her hand couldn’t quite reach it.

“Oh, you don’t like it?”

“Please! Pleasepleaseplease!”

While she struggled, Yeonyoung, Yiseo-a, and Kim Woojin were chattering among themselves, ignoring her plight.

Yiseo-a, clinging desperately to Kim Woojin, held up her phone, pleading with him for something with an urgency that puzzled everyone.

“He posted a photo with his female friend on social media? How shameless can he get?”

“Well, that could happen. It’s not a big deal.”

“Not a big deal? Seriously? Are you kidding me? You’re hanging out with your female friends while I can’t even meet you?”

“Sigh.”

Come to think of it, Yiseo-a had gone berserk over this issue back at the lodging yesterday.

Thanks to that, she even made me drink beer I didn’t want to.

“So what now? Are you going to do the same thing? Take a picture with me to make him jealous? What’s the point of all this?”

“Goodness.”

Yu Arin chuckled at her friend’s antics. Even if her boyfriend was being annoying, returning the favor in the same way seemed somewhat one-dimensional.

“Please! Huh? Just one! Pleease! Take just one picture!”

“I know someone who’s really good-looking. I’ll introduce you to him. Let’s take a picture together.”

Seems like she’s trying to use Chanwoo for her own purposes.

Sorry, but Yiseo-a knows Chanwoo too. They were high school classmates.

“No, not Chanwoo.”

Yiseo-a immediately refused.

“Why not?”

“He’s too good-looking; my boyfriend might really get mad.”

“You little…!”

“Giggles! Oh, come on! Pretty please!”

Yiseo-a now clung onto her, pleading earnestly. With a mischievous smile on her lips, she looked more like a character from a theater or movie than a student in the drama department.

“Ugh.”

Ignoring their antics, Yu Arin went back to getting the jam.

Kim Woojin, who had dragged Yiseo-a away, came over and handed her the jam, irritatingly remarking, “You don’t like it? What if your boyfriend says something to me later? I can’t fight.”

“Aish! I’ll explain everything myself. Okay?”

“I don’t know. I’m going back to the room.”

Kim Woojin pulled the cart and fled to the room without saying another word.

Silently watching the abandoned jam packet, Yu Arin snapped back to reality and refocused on her work.

* * *

“Like this?”

“No, like this.”

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

Room service typically slowed down after lunchtime. At most, they would receive one or two late lunch orders.

So, during the lull.

Kim Woojin was attracting attention with his peculiar steps.

From the drama department’s Yiseo-a and Design major Han Bom to the managers, everyone gathered to watch Kim Woojin’s dance moves, resembling a circus act.

“See, like this. This way. So when the guest comes out, they can be delighted right away.”

Is he still pushing that joke?

“No, it’s really cool.”

“Did you practice?”

“Surprisingly not.”

In fact, Kim Woojin hadn’t received any formal training. He had simply watched YouTube videos with his roommates at the lodging yesterday.

With only a phone and no other plans, engaging in odd activities with the guys in the room seemed like a natural course of events.

“I was bored at the lodging, so we were just doing this.”

Wondering why he suddenly got interested in dancing, Yu Arin took a step back, observed for a moment, then checked her watch.

It was time to pick up the laundered napkins, so she quietly left and headed to the laundry room, pulling the cart along.

“Why the sudden interest in dancing?”

Although she often mentioned doing home workouts, developing an interest in dancing seemed rather out of the blue.

When men gather, they start engaging in strange behaviors, but isn’t that a bit too bizarre?

Kim Woojin and dancing just didn’t go together at all.

Anyway, as I was transferring napkins to the cart in the laundry room.

Before I knew it, Kim Woojin had come closer and was standing on the opposite side, helping transfer napkins to the cart.

“Why are you going alone?”

“What… When did you get here?”

“I saw you going alone, so I followed. There will probably be a lot of laundry since many napkins are going out this time.”

“I can do it alone.”

“Yes, I suppose you can.”

“…”

He was definitely acting colder than he did at school. Especially since he saw her talking with Choi Eiseo, he had been even more distant.

Yet, Kim Woojin was oddly taking care of himself.

Feeling both good and bad.

He disliked the subtlety, but accepted the kindness.

“Hey, how was my step? I practiced quite hard. I’m the best at our dorm. Seems like I have talent, right?”

It was somewhat amusing to think about practicing with Jung Chanwoo while looking at their phones, but Yoo Arin forced a smile and replied.

“Why suddenly dance?”

“Hmm? You showed me the windmill.”

“…”

Yoo Arin slowly raised her head instead of continuing to transfer napkins.

Whether he didn’t notice her gaze or not, Kim Woojin kept talking while transferring napkins.

“The windmill looked cool, so I wanted to try it too. Honestly, isn’t it kind of a guy’s dream or something?”

“Really, for such a trivial reason?”

“Is that so?”

Since the cart was full of napkins, Kim Woojin briskly started pulling it. Yoo Arin followed behind him, feeling awkward.

“It’s almost time to collect the carts in Building B, so we should hurry.”

It was time to bring in the carts left outside after the guests finished their meals.

“You got scolded by the managers last time for forgetting to go.”

While Kim Woojin casually mentioned being scolded, Yoo Arin bit her lip.

But he continued nonchalantly.

“It’s understandable to make a mistake once, right?”

“But twice is a bit much. If you do it twice, you can be called a fool.”

Silently observing Kim Woojin seeking agreement, Yoo Arin finally couldn’t hold back.

“Hey.”

Unable to bear it, she blurted out, “Do you like me?”

“Suddenly gone crazy?”

Kim Woojin asked abruptly. Yoo Arin stared at him intently, then suddenly grabbed the cart and said, “Or leave. I’ll do it alone.”

“…Fine.”

“You have to go to Building B.”

“Oh, right.”

With a bewildered expression, Kim Woojin, who was about to head to Building B, paused for a moment, turned around, and asked, “Is something bothering you?”

“Why?”

“You seem different lately… not like yourself.”

Struggling with vague words, Kim Woojin eventually gave up and left.

“Sigh.”

Unable to respond, Yoo Arin sighed deeply, then pulled the cart towards the office.

As time passed, it was time to leave work.

Everyone headed from the basement to the first floor towards the bus stop.

“Wow, it’s snowing.”

“Really?”

“We didn’t know because we were underground.”

They started taking cheerful photos with the accumulated snow, and Yoo Arin found herself reluctantly joining them.

“Woojin! Come over here!”

“Take a picture with us!”

Kim Woojin was called by Lee Sua and Han Bom. He was about to join them, saying he would take an amazing photo, but…

Ring!

“Oh, sorry. I have to take this call.”

Just as his phone rang, Kim Woojin left to answer the call.

Watching him blankly, Han Bom chuckled and asked, “Is that his girlfriend?”

“I thought he didn’t have one? Maybe just a crush? Look how relaxed he looks.”

“He’s not a bad guy.”

“Was that the person at his house back then?”

“…”

The atmosphere around Kim Woojin changed instantly, leaving the two discussing relationships.

Between them, Yuarin just clenched her lips tightly.

It’s infuriating.

The fact that he’s smiling like that.

The fact that he’s smiling with a smile that he wouldn’t show off for just one phone call.

To the people around them, it seemed obvious that they were in some kind of romantic tension.

She felt smaller and smaller.

‘You’re not yourself.’

Isn’t it ridiculous?

She wanted to ask what was so unlike her, but she knew herself. She knew that if it were her usual self, she wouldn’t have worried about such things at all.

Why?

For what reason?

Seo Yerin and Choi Eiseo.

She knew that the two friends who had become close were already interested in Kim Woojin.

From the beginning, revealing the man that girls like among themselves was practically a signal not to touch.

It was only natural that she would be seen as a bad woman if she went against that.

“Can’t you make a mistake once honestly?”

Suddenly, Kim Woojin’s words from earlier came to mind. Thanks to those words he casually muttered.

“But twice is a bit much. If you do it twice, you can be called a fool.”

A somewhat frustrating feeling began to be sorted out.

Once is understandable.

But twice is unacceptable.

You can’t live as a fool forever.

“Ugh, I can’t stand being stupid again.”

“Arin?”

“Where are you going?”

Even when her friends called out from behind, Yuarin stepped forward, pushing down her accumulated anger.

“No, it just ended.”

Kim Woojin was on the phone, smiling behind the bus stop. Even though his voice was soft, it was clearly Choi Eiseo.

“Hey!”

Yuarin shouted and immediately reached out, grabbing Kim Woojin’s head with one hand.

“Eek?!”

Her hand was small, so it only covered his forehead and eyes, but that was enough.

“Ow!”

Kim Woojin, caught by her strength, writhed in pain.

Yuarin swiftly snatched the phone from Kim Woojin’s grip.

“Hello?”

– Yuarin?

Hearing Choi Eiseo’s surprised voice after a long time, Yuarin couldn’t help but feel a refreshing sense of satisfaction, evident in the bright smile on her face.

“We weren’t close friends from the beginning, right? So maybe you’ll feel less betrayed.”

– …What are you talking about?

“What am I talking about? A declaration of war.”

“My, my eyes can’t see!”

Seeing Kim Woojin struggling, Yuarin chuckled.

“I’ll be taking this phone with me.”

– …..

“Find someone else, you and Yerin.”

– Wait a minute!

Click.

Yuarin hung up abruptly.

With a relieved expression, she released Kim Woojin and handed him back the phone.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Chuckling at Kim Woojin staring blankly at his phone, Yuarin said,

“I like you.”

She raised her fist.

“So don’t talk to Choi Eiseo in front of me. I’ll snatch your phone away.”

“Are you crazy?”

Unable to comprehend, Kim Woojin asked, and Yuarin immediately crossed her arms and retorted.

“Why, is that weird?”

“No, isn’t it obvious? Why are you suddenly like this?”

“Well, duh.”

Yuarin tightened her arm around his, showing no intention of letting go, and playfully scolded him.

“You should’ve been nice to me.”