episode_0436

.

No, just because someone contacts you at this hour doesn’t automatically mean they’re a sex partner, right?

Maybe it’s a different kind of relationship.

Like… um…

……

…

…Ah, damn it.

I already know the most plausible answer is still “sex partner.”

If a man calls a woman out at this time and she heads toward his place, what other reason could there be?

It’s not like he invited her over to play games, right?

But if that’s the case… does that mean Seoyeon sunbaenim is really doing those things with Seo Woojin?

Just visualizing Seoyeon sunbaenim panting beneath Woojin makes my imagination grind to a halt.

I’d think someone like her would absolutely despise a guy like Woojin.

All that lingered in my head was the image of Woojin on his knees while she sternly lectured him.

…Though if he’s obedient enough to follow her words like that, they must’ve already gone at it plenty of times.

Who knows? Maybe sunbaenim, who acts so rigid in public, actually has a high sex drive.

Anyway, it’s kinda hot in here.

Is it because I’m imagining sunbaenim in such a filthy way?

Letting out a conflicted sigh, I unzipped my windbreaker a little, finally relieving the tension I’d held until now.

From the direction she was walking, it does seem like she was headed to Woojin’s place…

For a moment, I considered tailing her to confirm my suspicions, but I quickly dismissed the idea.

Sunbaenim would notice right away, and explaining myself afterward would just complicate things.

Besides, it’s not like this is the only way to uncover the truth.

One option is just interrogating Woojin directly.

If I suddenly bring up sunbaenim’s name—something I’ve never mentioned before—wouldn’t he assume I’d caught onto something?

Or maybe there’s another way…

…Anyway, okay.

So the “sex partner” thing… it’s between Woojin and that blond girl whose face I can’t remember last time… and Seoyeon sunbaenim, huh?

There might be one or two others here too.

Case closed.

After glancing one last time in the direction sunbaenim had disappeared, I started jogging lightly toward home.

“……”

“Handle it yourself today,” she said.

Or, “Go meet your boyfriend,” she said.

Was her laid-back tone earlier just code for “I’m gonna go sleep with Seoyeon sunbaenim instead of you”?

What a pointless thought.

436

[Baek Jiho]

– Sorry. The bed’s way too comfy. Don’t feel like getting up.

– I wanna lie down forever, seriously.

[Seol Dahbin]

– Uh… okay?

A bright Sunday morning. The perfect time to wake up late and enjoy brunch.

After a quick shower, I asked Jiho if she still wanted to meet up later and if she wasn’t bored yet. The response above is what I got.

At this point, I’m actually starting to get a little worried—and that’s not an exaggeration.

This is the same girl who complains she hates being cooped up at home and drags me out every single day she feels like staying in…

Was work that exhausting? Why is she suddenly turning into a homebody…?

Running a hand through my hair, now smelling of the usual shampoo, I slumped back onto the bed with a morning yawn.

The plush, cozy mattress and warm blanket made me seriously consider just staying home all day…

“……”

But unfortunately.

Today just so happened to be the only day I could do one particular thing.

…Saying it like that makes it sound grandiose, but it’s really not.

Just heading over to Woojin’s place for a quick check. Simple and straightforward, right?

If certain conditions lined up, I’d confirm that Woojin and Seoyeon sunbaenim were sex partners.

And then…

Well, nothing else, really.

Just a casual “Oh, so that’s how it is” and moving on.

It’s just… Seoyeon sunbaenim seems like the last person who’d fit as Woojin’s sex partner.

So I got curious.

To satisfy that curiosity, I stretched my stiff body and got up.

The spicy aroma of kimchi jjigae wafting into the bedroom told me breakfast was almost ready.

“Did you sleep well?”

“What’s going on? You’re up so early.”

“Huh? Early…? I always get up around this time on weekends. What do you mean?”

“I’m saying you usually hole up in your room until I wake you.”

“……”

That wasn’t wrong.

Now that I thought about it, on weekends, I’d wake up groggily to my alarm, snooze for another half-hour, and only get out of bed when Mom called me.

But that didn’t mean I could explain why I was up early today…

In the end, I just shut my mouth and grabbed utensils.

As Mom ladled out the hearty kimchi stew, she asked one more thing.

“Did Jiho come over yesterday?”

“…Huh?”

“Baek Jiho. She came up to Seoul last night. Said she was gonna rest for a few days.”

“…Oh, yeah. Right.”

“‘Right’? Didn’t you plan to meet her this weekend?”

“……”

Yes. Correct. I got up early to meet Jiho.

That would’ve been the smoothest lie.

But I couldn’t bring myself to say it outright.

If I stepped out now and Jiho so much as peeked outside from next door, it’d all be over.

So I went with this instead:

“I’m just meeting some friends this afternoon. Jiho and I will hang out in the evening or another day.”

“Friends…? Then I guess you should head out soon?”

“Yeah…”

…Come to think of it, this was exactly like stacking lies to secretly meet another guy.

Forcing myself to ignore that glaring truth,

I shamelessly—

By now, the route to Woojin’s place had grown familiar.

After transferring subway lines, I got off near his apartment. Scanning the area—just in case I ran into Hayun like yesterday—I cautiously moved forward.

Wearing a mask seemed excessive, so I just slightly altered my hairstyle.

The back of my neck, usually exposed to the breeze, felt stifled under the longer strands.

“Phew…”

Under the midday sun, the distant roar of a motorcycle blended into the background.

Without incident, I arrived at the first-floor parking lot of Woojin’s building.

Ducking into the shade, I lightly fanned myself and approached the shared entrance.

The parking space, designed for around eight cars under the building’s pilotis, was mostly empty.

From the far end, a middle-aged man taking in the sun locked eyes with me briefly.

But that was it.

His exhausted expression as he smoked told me he’d probably pulled an all-nighter.

The bags under his eyes were insane…

Either way, strangers weren’t my concern. I punched the keypad by the communal door.

Right, I think it was… Unit 205?

His Kakao message from last time…

Ah, got it.

“…Huh?”

After pressing the buttons and ringing the callbell, the glass door beside it slid open silently—without anyone asking who was there.

Sure, this happened before, but back then, Woojin had invited me over.

This time, I just showed up unannounced. I expected at least a “Who is it?”

Does the intercom here have a camera feed or something?

Glancing around, I spotted two CCTV cameras.

If he checked those and recognized me, fine, but… Hmm…

Do intercoms usually let you see this far out?

Even the one at my parents’ place shows only the front door. Then again, that thing’s ancient…

…Dunno.

Doesn’t matter now that it’s open.

Adjusting my cap, I headed straight up to the second floor.

And after firm knocks on the door—

“…Oh, thank—…?”

“……?”

The catch was bigger than I expected.

“……”

“……”

I’d only planned to check for traces of Woojin meeting sunbaenim and leave.

But instead, Seoyeon sunbaenim herself—wearing nothing but a wrinkled white dress shirt and looking freshly messed up—

Opened the front door and stepped out.

“……Ah, uh.”

“……”

For reference, sunbaenim knows Woojin sleeps around with all sorts of women.

Maybe that’s why she barely reacted to seeing me.

No “Don’t you have a boyfriend?”

No “Wait, you too?”

She just stared at me, then glanced away awkwardly.

Though she couldn’t hide her fluster from the sudden encounter, it wasn’t… indignation.

More like an “Ah, we got caught” vibe.

The obvious hickeys on her collarbone and the faint peaks of her breasts—she tugged the shirt to conceal them slightly.

So, they’re definitely doing it.

…Did these two spend all last night going at it?

And only just woke up around now?

Her opening the door without questioning who it was… maybe she thought it was food delivery.

What should’ve been a joke played on loop in my mind—because it was way too plausible.

“D-Dahbin-ssi. Could you close the door? I’m… not exactly presentable.”

“……”

Then what were you planning to do, greeting the delivery guy like this?

The comment reached the tip of my tongue before I swallowed it back.

Woojin probably made her do it.

That pervert must’ve wanted to show off sunbaenim’s disheveled state.

Instead of sarcasm, all that came out was a sigh.

At the same time, I slipped off my shoes and stepped inside.

“……”

But contrary to expectations—

Woojin was still fast asleep, hugging the blanket with only his boxers on.

Staring down at him, I removed my cap just as sunbaenim shut the middle door behind me and spoke.

“…Guess he’s tired from last night. He usually wakes up easily… Didn’t even hear the doorbell.”

So her earlier appearance was entirely her choice after all.

For a second, I wondered if sunbaenim had some exposure kink, but no way to know.

Come to think of it, she only cracked the door open slightly earlier.

More accurate to say she just threw on whatever was handy for the delivery guy.

And as proof—

The oversized shirt dragging at her sleeves and waist was definitely Woojin’s, not hers.

…And those suspiciously messy strands?

Probably from his wardrobe.

“……”

With this, everything I’d been curious about was cleared up.

Sure, sunbaenim now knew about my secret arrangement with Woojin—but she’s keeping her own just as discreetly.

No way this leaks.

Well, I saw what I needed. No reason to stick around.

Feeling equal parts satisfied from solving my curiosity and… something else I couldn’t name, I turned to leave.

“…Ah, you’re leaving already?”

“…Uh, with you here, sunbaenim…”

“I see…”

“…Yeah.”

“Then bye, Dahbin-ssi.”

“…”

Her words—casual, with no attempt to stop me.

Not that I wanted her to, but…

Still, her breezy dismissal…

Not a single thing to nitpick about it.

Yet for some reason—

Some reason—

I don’t get it.

Bowing slightly, I stepped outside and sent messages on my way down.

To Jiho:

Something came up with friends tonight. Might not have time otherwise.

To Woojin:

After agonizing over it…

Free up your evening.

And that was that.