episode_0175

The four women sat around the living room sofa in Minah-ssi’s house. Unlike me, who was still bewildered, they looked calm. Yuna, especially, was beaming as if something delightful had happened. Could it be that they had already been in contact with each other even before I brought it up? While I could only guess at the exact details, Yiseo Unnie’s voice reached my ears.

“We tried to keep it a secret. But now, I suppose we have to tell you.” “I’m sorry, Yiseo Unnie… because I blurted it all out…” “No, Yuna. It was my stubbornness that made us want to keep it a secret anyway.” Minah-ssi and Chaerin-ssi quietly listened to their conversation. As expected, all four of them seemed to have already reached an agreement.

“Jihoon. Actually… me recommending that part-time job to you. It was so you could meet Chaerin Unnie.” “What? Really, Unnie?” “Yes. I thought if you couldn’t hold back and brought another new girl, it would be better if it was Chaerin Unnie, whom we already knew. And coincidentally, Unnie was swamped with work and suffering from fatigue, so I figured it would be a win-win for both of you.”

I had only thought she recommended it so I could gain YouTube-related experience at an MCN company, but I had no idea there was such a reason. Was it planned from the very beginning?

“Of course, that wasn’t the only reason. Even if nothing happened with Chaerin Unnie, you could still learn about YouTube, and there would be no downside for me, Yuna, or Mom.” “I see…. So, you’ve been talking with Chaerin-ssi all along?” “We haven’t known about their relationship for long, actually. We only caught on because of a gift Chaerin Unnie sent to Mom.” “A gift?”

This time, Chaerin-ssi, who had been listening quietly, answered my question. “When my head was really complicated because of Jihoon-ssi, I went to Minah-ssi for some advice. As a thank-you, I sent her a gift, and that’s how Yiseo and Yuna found out.” “Chaerin-ssi is right. That’s also when I found out Chaerin-ssi is the CEO-nim of Yiseo’s company.”

Minah-ssi echoed Chaerin-ssi’s words. I had no idea the two of them had any connection, much less that Chaerin-ssi had sought advice because of me.

The story I heard next from Yiseo Unnie was quite unexpected. Knowing that Chaerin-ssi was agonizing over whether to continue her physical relationship with me, Yiseo Unnie and Yuna had visited her office. And, given they had already been intimate, they even suggested that she date me. It was both absurd and astonishing to hear that my girlfriends had been secretly helping out in places I didn’t know about.

“But Chaerin-ssi. How did you decide to date Jihoon? Was it thanks to Yiseo and Yuna’s words?” “Ah, well…” Just as Minah-ssi asked and Chaerin-ssi was about to answer, Yuna, who had been quietly smiling, interjected.

“Heh-heh. It’s probably thanks to my strategy, isn’t it?!” “What strategy are you talking about?” As Yuna answered Minah-ssi’s question, her face was inexplicably overflowing with confidence.

“Yes! I launched a strategy to make Chaerin Unnie want to date Oppa. Heh heh.” Following this, Yuna proudly spoke of this “strategy” as if it were a great achievement. To show how happy she was dating me, she had apparently shown Chaerin-ssi our time in bed via video call. Not just me, but everyone else present wore a bewildered expression at this unimaginable eccentric act, and soon Yiseo Unnie asked, as if something had just occurred to her.

“Then Yuna. That method you said you thought of when we talked before…” “Yes, it was this! Oppa, I’m sorry I tricked you into thinking I wanted to record a video then. I had no choice but to do it to entice Chaerin Unnie.” “It’s okay. That doesn’t matter, but I can’t believe Chaerin-ssi was watching.”

Now that I think about it, Chaerin-ssi had texted me to turn on the vibrator then. So, it means she was masturbating with a vibrator while watching Yuna and me? Quite a turn-on— No, I seem to be hearing a lot of surprising things today.

“Yiseo Unnie, how was it? I did well, didn’t I?” “Huh? Oh, uh-huh…. But isn’t it a bit ambiguous to say that Chaerin Unnie’s mind really changed because of that? Would watching others do something make someone want to date?” “Huh? Of course, it would! Oppa, you think I’m right too, don’t you?!” “Well…”

I’m sorry, but I was of the same opinion as Yiseo Unnie. If we were to divide the credit for changing Chaerin-ssi’s mind, the largest share would probably go to the counseling with Minah-ssi or the persuasion that Unnie and Yuna did in her office. Minah-ssi didn’t say much either, but the atmosphere suggested she didn’t entirely agree with Yuna.

However, Yuna was still full of conviction. “It really was thanks to me, I’m telling you! Right, Chaerin Unnie? You started liking Oppa because of the video call, didn’t you?!” Her expression, as she asked this, even showed a hint of injustice. Her desperate gaze was fixed on Chaerin-ssi, her last hope. In a situation where Yuna clearly seemed at a disadvantage, the answer finally came.

“Yes… that’s right.” “Right?! It was thanks to me, wasn’t it?!” “Chaerin Unnie, really? You truly felt like dating Jihoon after watching Jihoon and Yuna doing that?”

Yuna, who had regained her confidence, and Yiseo Unnie, who was still not convinced. Just as I was thinking Chaerin-ssi’s answer was unexpected, she spoke. “Seeing Jihoon-ssi caress Yuna made me wish I could be caressed like that too…. I can’t say it was only because of that, but my heart was shaken quite a bit then.” “I knew it! How about it, Oppa? Aren’t you totally grateful to me?!” “Yes, Yuna. Thank you very much.”

Seeing Yuna swaggering, I couldn’t help but laugh, finding it both absurd and cute. Thanks to her, the tension eased a little, but not all problems were neatly resolved yet. Even though the existing girlfriends seemed to welcome Chaerin-ssi, I wanted to confirm their thoughts clearly.

“Um… Yiseo Unnie. Yuna. Are you really okay with me dating Chaerin-ssi? Minah-ssi, are you okay with it too?” “Of course. It’s fine. I also started dating Jihoon as his third, so I can’t object to Chaerin-ssi, can I? And Chaerin-ssi, though I only talked to her during the last consultation, seems like a good person, so I feel relieved.” “I’m okay with it too, Oppa! In fact, I’m happy because I can become even closer with Chaerin Unnie now!”

Following Minah-ssi and Yuna, Yiseo Unnie also gave me her answer. “I don’t know about other people, but Chaerin Unnie is fine. That’s why I deliberately recommended the part-time job.” “…Thank you, everyone. Minah-ssi, you too.”

“However, no more than this. We can somehow manage with four, but five is too many. Mom and Yuna also agreed on this.” I had no intention of arguing with that statement. Everyone had understood my unreasonable demands out of pure affection for me, so if I were to complain now, I would truly be a bad person. Moreover, since I had even set up a lock to prevent new blank documents from appearing on the wiki, I could now speak with complete certainty.

“Alright, Unnie. I won’t even look at other women now. I mean it, so Yuna and Minah-ssi can rest assured. And Chaerin-ssi too, of course.” “Hmph, always just talk. Still, there’s no choice but to believe you, so I’ll trust you just this once.”

Yiseo Unnie pouted her lips and replied curtly. Just then, Minah-ssi gently took Chaerin-ssi’s hand, who was sitting next to her.

“Chaerin-ssi.” “Yes, yes?” “Welcome. It might sound strange, but since we are all Jihoon’s girlfriends, in a way, we’ve also become special to each other, haven’t we? I look forward to working with you from now on.” “Ah, yes…. I look forward to working with you too, Minah-ssi.”

After Minah-ssi, Yuna promptly grabbed Chaerin-ssi’s hand. “Chaerin Unnie! If you have any questions about Oppa, ask me anytime! First, a little tip: Oppa has a weak heart, so if you ask him anything while crying, he’ll do it!” “You’re teaching Unnie such a great thing, Yuna…”

At Yiseo Unnie’s resigned words, a light smile spread across the faces of the girlfriends present. Seeing that sight made my heart feel brighter too. With a promise not to cause them any more worry, I also smiled, following my girlfriends’ lead.

===

The evening after Han Jihoon and his four girlfriends first gathered in one place. At the time when office workers had finished their duties and left work, the four women gathered again at the Kang family’s mother-daughter house.

“Good, everyone’s here. You all came without Jihoon knowing, right?” The other three women nodded at Kang Yiseo’s question. A strange tension flowed around the kitchen table where they sat, and Kang Yiseo opened her mouth with a serious expression.

“Then, from now on, let’s discuss how we can stop Jihoon from getting a new girlfriend.” This was why she had gathered Han Jihoon’s girlfriends again. Although they believed his words that he wouldn’t even look at other women, things in the world don’t always go as one wishes. Therefore, Kang Yiseo believed that they also needed to make an effort.

“As you all know, Jihoon has a very weak heart. Even if he tries to refuse other women, he might waver again if someone desperately clings to him. We need a countermeasure to prevent that.” “Are you suggesting we keep Jihoon from getting involved with other women? I don’t want to make things difficult for Jihoon…” As Kang Minah spoke, Kang Yiseo shook her head.

“I don’t mean to control him. I don’t want to make things difficult for Jihoon either, and Yuna and Chaerin Unnie probably feel the same. So, I’m suggesting we talk about if there’s a better way, other than that.” “Mph-mph. Me! I think Oppa needs to fall even more for us so he doesn’t get carried away by other girls!” “You said, ‘I think Oppa needs to fall even more for us so he doesn’t get carried away by other girls!’ right? For now, you can eat everything in your mouth and speak slowly, Yuna.”

Kang Yiseo understood Park Yuna’s words without missing a single syllable. For reference, what was in Park Yuna’s mouth was an apple that Kang Minah had peeled for her.

“Phew. Yes! We need to make Oppa like us even more!” “Hmm…. It’s an idealistic idea, but I think it’s necessary. How can we make Jihoon like us more?” “Answer! Stick a sign on Oppa’s clothes that says ‘Has a Girlfriend’!” “Th-that might be a bit much, Yuna?”

“How about hugging Jihoon once every day and telling him ‘I love you’?” “Well… it seems okay, but when Mom says it, it sounds a bit like a depression treatment program…” Kang Yiseo’s brow, which had been furrowed in thought, deepened even further.

“Hmm. I want to offer an opinion too, but nothing comes to mind…” In the midst of everyone seriously pondering, An Chaerin sat silently with a grave expression. However, the reason for her serious face was slightly different from the others.

“Um… Yiseo.” “Yes, Chaerin Unnie. What is it?” “You said we should make Jihoon-ssi fall for us even more. But actually… Jihoon-ssi doesn’t like me that much yet.” “What did you say?” “Huh?!” “Chaerin-ssi, what do you mean by that?”

Kang Yiseo, Park Yuna, and Kang Minah were all startled, their eyes widening one after another. An Chaerin looked at Kang Minah, who had asked her last, and replied. “Originally, Jihoon-ssi intended to stop at a relationship where we would just have sex occasionally. But because I clung to him desperately, he couldn’t refuse and accepted me. Jihoon-ssi probably likes me less than the three of you.” “Oh my, that’s how it was…? I naturally thought Jihoon liked Chaerin-ssi first…”

Following her mother, Kang Yiseo also spoke with an expression of unfairness. “That’s not right, Unnie. You’re Jihoon’s girlfriend now too, so you should be loved just as much as us, shouldn’t you?” “That’s right! It’s so sad that Oppa likes only Chaerin Unnie less!” “This won’t do. Let’s change the topic of the meeting. Our top priority is to make Jihoon like Chaerin Unnie as much as he likes us. For this relationship to remain healthy, Jihoon’s feelings for all four of us must be equal.”

Park Yuna and Kang Minah nodded in agreement with Kang Yiseo’s opinion. An Chaerin, with slumped shoulders, asked with a mix of hope and worry. “What should we do…? I’m new to dating, so I don’t know much.” “Don’t worry, Unnie. There are four of us, so there must be a way.” Beginning with Kang Yiseo’s words to reassure An Chaerin, the four women put their heads together and began to ponder. Not forgetting to eat sweet apples in between.