episode_0139

As Siwoo’s hand, supporting my back, subtly tightens, our already close faces get even closer.

It feels like our lips are about to touch.

What should I do? What should I do?

Should I just stay still like this? Close my eyes? Keep them open?

Ah, let’s just close them for now!

What should I do next? Can someone please tell me?

I really have no idea…!

“…Ah.”

Thud.

I thought he was leaning in towards Siwoo, but suddenly his forehead collided with the floor.

“Ouch.”

I winced in pain as the cold floor met my throbbing forehead.

“Ow! If you drop me like that!”

“…Sorry. I got carried away and almost made a mistake.”

Siwoo gently laid me down and slowly moved away.

Only then did the sounds of chaos around us start to register again.

The sounds of zombies and screams were deafening.

I immediately operated the pause button on the gamepad.

“What are you sorry for. Suddenly.”

“You almost kissed me without asking for my opinion. Just now.”

That’s right. That’s what happened.

But I didn’t exactly refuse either.

“So that’s how it’s written in romance novels.”

In a heated atmosphere, with bodies getting closer and the woman closing her eyes without a word, that’s the okay signal.

I was ready to accept Siwoo just now. I was mentally prepared for whatever might happen.

But Siwoo, that clueless guy. That clueless guy.

He came all this way only to run away.

We must have read the same romance novels, so why are you running away?

“You must have been surprised. I won’t do that again.”

Although I’m clueless about dating and often get nagged by Aclaire, I seemed to know what to do now.

If I let this slide without clarification, Siwoo would ruin the mood again if a similar situation arose.

And then, my inner Chaewon would scream in frustration.

“What are you doing!” she would say.

Say it.

Even if it’s embarrassing, you have to say it.

You have to clearly state what you want.

Siwoo won’t understand if you beat around the bush. I know that best.

“It meant I was okay with kissing……”

But after saying it, I couldn’t bear it anymore, so I wrapped my face with both hands and hunched over.

I couldn’t look Siwoo in the eye.

What did I just say? Why is it so embarrassing? I should be confident like Min Chaewon, but I can’t. Save me. My face is burning. Red alert, fire emergency.

“Sorry. I was clueless!”

Thud.

I heard the sound of Siwoo hitting his forehead on the floor.

“It’s already late today… But if a similar opportunity arises next time, I’ll definitely do it. Sorry. I was clueless.”

It’s okay for me to be embarrassed, but Siwoo shouldn’t be hurt.

I quickly got up and lifted Siwoo, who was lying flat on the floor.

“Don’t hit your forehead over something like this. It hurts.”

But as I touched his forehead, our eyes met. Startled, my body naturally recoiled and rolled back to the floor like a beetle.

Embarrassed, I muttered softly, with no guarantee that my words would reach Siwoo.

“I… I’m fine.”

I hoped the awkward atmosphere would disappear quickly.

I waited, and waited some more.

Hurry up, Siwoo. Say something, anything.

I feel like I’m suffocating!

“I’m not okay, that’s why.”

Thank goodness.

…But he’s blaming himself.

“I’m sorry for being a clueless boyfriend. You’re trying so hard for me. I… lacked sensitivity.”

I should probably comfort him, right?

But how should I comfort him?

How can I make Siwoo happy and make myself feel fulfilled?

…I guess there’s only one way.

I slowly got up from my seat and knelt down in front of Siwoo, who was sitting there like a sinner, mirroring his posture and meeting his gaze.

“Look at me.”

There was a brief moment of hesitation, but I pushed forward, thinking of the tiny Min Chaewon.

If I wanted to dispel Siwoo’s unease, this was the only way.

I don’t know what will happen next.

Let’s just do it for now.

“…………!”

Siwoo was taken aback and leaned back.

He nervously touched his lips with trembling hands, as if trying to feel the remaining warmth.

“Wha… wha… what?”

Wow. After watching a zombie movie, my boyfriend turned into a zombie.

“Today, as a practice run, I did it first. From now on… you can handle it yourself.”

Sensing that the awkward atmosphere would linger if we stayed silent, I immediately pressed the play button.

The sound of trains colliding filled the room, refreshing the atmosphere as it echoed around.

“… What.”

There was no further conversation.

The movie was nearing its end, and both Siwoo and I had lost our ability to speak.

But I didn’t just stay silent; every time a jump scare appeared, I leaned on Siwoo’s shoulder and flinched until the movie ended, sticking to him without saying a word.

No matter how scary the scenes were, I could endure them in his embrace. It was the first time I felt such a sense of relief in my life.

“That was fun. There were a lot of scenes that made me jump.”

“Well, that’s how zombie movies are.”

As the end credits rolled, and I didn’t move from his embrace, Siwoo released his arms first and got up from his seat.

“I need to use the bathroom. Pick the next movie you want to watch.”

“Uh, okay.”

As he disappeared, I remembered what I had done earlier.

What a ridiculous thing I had done.

Today, I did it first.

Today, I did.

Today…

I barely suppressed the scream that was about to burst out.

I’m going crazy. I’m going crazy. I’m going crazy. Min Chaewon is completely crazy.

I had left the task of controlling my emotions to Siwoo and just stayed quiet.

Min Chaewon was never a woman known for restraint.

She almost let the powder keg explode several times, forgetting and becoming complacent.

With the past forgotten, there is no future for Chaewon.

The result is her breaking the promise she made with him.

I can’t protect her anymore.

“No, wait, maybe Min Chaewon could have done that?”

But soon, my defense mechanism kicked in.

It was clear that multiple Chaewons were conveying their opinions to me.

“Yes. Min Chaewon did the right thing…!”

Min Chaewon likes Siwoo.

She had hidden that feeling for 14 years.

She endured and endured, but what if she finally lets it out?

Siwoo will anchor her.

Just trust Siwoo.

I can go wild.

… Let’s do as we please.

Siwoo, having calmed his mind in the bathroom, looked at his reflection in the mirror.

There was no drunkenness, his mind was clear.

But his body was naturally drawn to Chaewon, and even a slight slip-up could lead to the biggest crisis of his life.

National anthem. Ready.

The saddest moment in life. Ready.

Replacing Min Chaewon’s face with a famous comedian. Ready.

After splashing his face with cold water once again, Siwoo opened the bathroom door.

“… Surprise.”

Chaewon was standing in front of the door.

With a deeply serious expression.

A sweet scent of alcohol wafted from Siwoo’s nose.

It seemed like she had hastily drunk something and spilled it, leaving wet marks on her white t-shirt.

“Siwoo.”

Pure affection overwhelmed Siwoo.

“Why, why are you like this all of a sudden?!”

“You know why.”

Every morning, she was the woman who ran with Reka. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t beat Chaewon’s determination to dig into the ground and surpass her.

In the standing wrestling match, Siwoo began to lose.

“Wait! Just a moment—!”

In the end, Siwoo had only one choice.

Chaewon’s body, floating in the air, landed precisely on the bed. There was a precarious moment where the makeshift table almost tipped over, and the soup bowl with makgeolli almost spilled.

“Why did you throw me! I have something to say!”

“Just wait. Calm down. Speak slowly. I’m listening.”

“…Okay.”

Chaewon, who always led Siwoo like an adult, would sometimes lose control when their physical contact deepened.

But it was the first time it had gotten this bad.

It was because she had forced alcohol into her body that she couldn’t handle. If she left her alone like this, an accident was bound to happen.

There was only one way to calm her down.

To lay her quietly on the bed until she fell asleep.

Siwoo still had some sense left. She was human, not an animal.

As long as they didn’t lie side by side on the bed by mistake.

“You know. I. Like you a lot.”

“…Yeah. I know.”

“Have I liked you for a long time? Liked you? Liked you a lot?”

“I know. Yeah. I know. I love you just as much.”

At Chaewon’s words of love, Siwoo blushed.

The girl who had just rushed at her like someone cursed by a succubus had now become an ordinary girl.

Siwoo was a little relieved.

The big crisis had passed—.

“Ugh?!”

Two hands flew towards Siwoo’s neck like arrows. Unable to dodge, Siwoo’s face was pressed against the two prominent mountain ranges.

“I’ll hug you like this.”

“Wait, wait, wait! Min Chaewon!!”

“Stay still!”

“Ahhhh.”

Feeling the sensation vividly as she moved, Siwoo maintained a rigid posture.

Chaewon’s breathing was rough. Her head bobbed up and down.

“Hehe… I like you.”

Singing the national anthem in her mind like a mantra.

Remembering the first time she went to her parents’ grave, thinking of her parents in this situation made her feel like a pervert.

Still, it was not easy to endure the stimulus.

Siwoo’s hand naturally reached out towards Chaewon. It was an instinctive move that was hard to block.

“… Hm. Hm.”

Sniff.

A small breath reached Siwoo’s ear.

“… Are you asleep?”

“Hehe.”

Siwoo turned her face slightly to look at Chaewon.

There was a sleeping girl with a happy expression.

Siwoo cautiously put her finger in Chaewon’s open mouth and took it out.

There was no reaction.

Carefully making sure she didn’t wake her, Siwoo slipped out of Chaewon’s grasp and sat down on the floor.

A long sigh escaped her.

“Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh