episode_0373

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After slowly scanning the atmosphere at home, it seemed my parents had gone out somewhere.

Even on normal days, the most you’d hear was the sound of the TV, but now, not even that remained.

If this were some Japanese anime, there might’ve been a short note on the dining table saying, “Gone out for a bit,” but this was just plain reality.

Shrugging off my slumped shoulders, I walked over and lifted the lid of the now-cold pollack soup pot before shuffling lazily toward the rice cooker.

“…Oh, right.”

Come to think of it, Baek Jiho had texted me.

If it was a message sent over the weekend, the content was pretty predictable, but that didn’t mean I could just ignore it.

After pressing the induction stove’s power button firmly, I yawned and headed back to my room, bending slightly to pick up my phone from the bed.

[Baek Jiho] – The weather’s nice outside. – There’s some cloud cover, so it’s not too hot.

That guy really hates being stuck at home, huh.

I get restless if I’m cooped up too long too, but I’m not that extreme.

Well, if you think about it, a guy who swings swords being a homebody is even more unbalanced, I guess.

Since I’ve never trained with weapons despite learning martial arts, I let my imagination run wild for a bit before sending a half-hearted reply.

I drank with friends yesterday, so I’m a little short on cash.

His response came soon after.

[Baek Jiho] – Then let’s grab coffee and take a walk today. – It’ll double as light exercise.

373

Maybe it was because I’d slept in the same clothes and woken up feeling gross.

While Woojin was out—having said he’d stop by home briefly since it was close and he’d be back in about 30 minutes—I hesitantly stepped out of the bedroom.

As for my destination…

In this tiny apartment, how many places could I even go?

The living room, the first space you step into after leaving the bedroom.

The kitchen, whose boundary with the living room has always been ambiguous.

A few steps further, and you’d face the bathroom or the front door.

And then—

“…Hey. Lee Jiyoon.” “Huh?”

—there was only Jiyoon’s room left.

Without knocking, I barged in and trudged toward Jiyoon, who was lounging on her bed, scrolling through her phone.

Even if it was a summer blanket, if she was going to hug it tightly like that, why bother turning on the fan right beside her?

“You came to tell me to shower first?” “No, that’s not it…” “Then what? You don’t wanna go out because of your hangover?” “That’s not really it either…” “…Hmm.” “…”

As I trailed off, Jiyoon, who had been staring at me, let out a light sigh and rolled onto her side.

She seemed completely uninterested in me, going back to her phone like before.

…Maybe it was because she was turned sideways. My gaze lingered for a second on the pale thighs resting atop the blanket, or the noticeable size of certain areas.

I wasn’t on Jiyoon’s level, but I figured I was decent enough as I perched on the edge of her bed.

“Lee Hayoon, move. The fan’s not reaching me.” “W-we should talk, though…” “About what? You’ve just been hesitating this whole time…”

Any normal person would hesitate over a topic like this, you know?

I swallowed the words rising to the tip of my tongue.

Arguing with Jiyoon always ended with me losing anyway.

So after clearing my throat, I cautiously spoke up.

“…That thing about the three of us going for a walk—isn’t that what we talked about before?” “……”

I shifted slightly to let the fan air reach Jiyoon too.

“Could be. Or not.” “…What do you mean, ‘or not’? It’s obvious.” “We’d all have to be in the mood for sex. It’s not like we can just force it anytime…” “Hey, wait, can you phrase it a little more…?” “All three of us have to be turned on. Otherwise, it’s just a walk. Got it?” “…Ugh…”

Our Jiyoon… she wasn’t like this before.

Back then, she was an adorable girl who’d follow me around, calling me “unni” with a bright smile.

But bringing that up would only earn me a pinch somewhere, so I just sighed and flopped down beside her.

Maybe it was because Jiyoon’s thigh, which I was using as a makeshift pillow, had cooled down from the fan.

Oddly enough, it was surprisingly comfortable to lie on—which somehow pissed me off.

“Hey, Lee Hayoon. You’re heavy, so don’t cling to me.” “…”

But we couldn’t just lie here like affectionate sisters.

Neither Jiyoon nor I.

Even if we didn’t say it out loud.

We were in a relationship—

one too secret to ever reveal to anyone else.

“…If all three of us are in the mood, will you do it? …That thing we talked about before.” “…Probably. It’s not like anyone’s against it.” “But I’ve never done cosplay in my life…”

Sliding off Jiyoon’s thigh, I rested my head on the same pillow and spoke up.

All the while, I caught the familiar scent of the same shampoo—no different from when I was lying in my own bed.

“Then do you think I have?” “W-well, of course you haven’t either, but…” “…Oh, right. Forgot to mention—it’s on hold.” “On hold?” “Yeah.”

Maybe lying down made sleepiness creep in.

Jiyoon’s voice sounded drowsy as she stretched with a soft groan and hugged her blanket tighter.

…Wait, cosplay is on hold?

Last time, she was the one going on about how it was every guy’s fantasy and how Seo Woojin would definitely be into it.

“……”

But it wasn’t a hill I wanted to die on.

Sure, I’ve called Woojin “oppa” like some younger girl during sex more than a few times, but that didn’t make the embarrassment any less sharp.

Whether it’s calling him Woojin during sex or moaning “oppa” while getting railed—

the latter just feels a little better, so I play along,

but the shame is entirely mine to bear.

So I stayed quiet, listening to the hum of the fan, until—

“But why’s it on hold all of a sudden? Last time, you made it sound like you’d do it right away.”

Now that I thought about it, there’d been no signs of this until now.

I casually asked.

“I asked Seo Woojin directly yesterday, and he said it’s not really his thing.” “…Ah.”

Asked him directly. Not his thing.

It made sense, but it also felt like such a buzzkill.

The best way to pick a gift is to either hand over the budget or ask the person directly what they want, but this lacked any sense of romance, didn’t it?

Still, like I said, it wasn’t hard to understand.

If you want efficiency, nothing beats it.

…Anyway, I’m glad we’re not doing cosplay.

What she meant by “the three of us” was probably just what we usually do.

I was thinking that as I lay beside Jiyoon when—

“…Wait, yesterday?”

Come to think of it, yesterday was when I was out with friends.

Meaning, did she secretly call Woojin over to our place or something?

I asked cautiously.

“Yesterday… Well, more like early today? When he helped carry you home after you got wasted.” “…Oh. Uh-huh.” “After moving you to your room, the two of us talked for a bit… Yeah, that’s when. Mm.” “…”

The two of us talked.

You and Woojin. Talked.

…As if that’s all you did.

It was late at night.

I was passed out drunk.

You and Woojin were the only ones sober.

There’s no way you just talked.

Especially when the topic was something lewd.

“What? Why’re you suddenly—” “Hold on. Stay still.” “Hey, Lee Hayoon—! You’re heavy, so—”

Now that I thought about it, the fact that Woojin slept on the couch—there was a 99% chance it was because he was too tired to go home after certain activities.

So I crawled over Jiyoon and peered into the wastebasket beside her bed.

The result?

The most damning evidence—condoms—weren’t there, but something else was.

…Next to what looked like pill packaging, an awfully suspicious pile of tissues.

…Unbelievable.

If I thought about where I usually use tissues after sex with Woojin—

“…We did it twice. …He said he was tired, so.” “……”

Twice? Looked more like three or four times.

There were a million things I wanted to say, but—

After carefully selecting my words, I spat out the snarkiest one.

…So I wouldn’t seem like a pushover.

“Then you go out to a PC bang or something today. Let me and Woojin do it alone. …And I’m doing it in your bed, not mine.” “It was only twice. …And it’s partly your fault for being drunk.” “W-what?”

…Excuse me?

I was trying not to seem like a pushover—

“How is this my fault?! It’s not like I banned you two from meeting, and you should be thanking me—” “…I do have my merits, you know? …Woojin gets that much more excited because he can mess with both of us—not just you.” “What, that’s not—” “No? Isn’t it?” “…”

…It’s not like she’s wrong.

The way he got way more turned on during our threesomes,

or how his dick twitched watching me and Jiyoon—sisters—swap tongues while kissing.

I remember it all vividly, but—

Playing the tough neighborhood unni just doesn’t suit me,

so instead of conceding, I just faceplanted onto the bed.

“…Lee Hayoon.” “…” “…Unni.” “…”

Jiyoon’s voice, whispering close beside me—

“…So, about earlier.” “…”

—carried a playful lilt, unlike her usual indifference.

I listened.

Just enough.

Just enough to catch every word.