episode_0461

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I hadn’t made any rigid plans like rushing out the moment I got home without even taking off my backpack.

First, I’d change clothes and relax on the bed a bit—our first plan was to meet up for dinner.

After that, it just felt like we were cramming six months’ worth of what we usually do into a short time.

As I watched Seol Dabin chattering away happily, Baek Jiho kept swallowing words that kept jabbing at his Adam’s apple.

There was something he wanted to do more than that.

No, more accurately, something he wanted to see.

Something he wanted her to do for him.

“Huu….”

But of course, it stayed just a thought—a fantasy.

If he blurted out exactly what the Seol Dabin in his head was doing right now, that chattering voice would undoubtedly twist into thick disgust and contempt.

Even knowing that, he lacked the courage to be honest.

So after briefly matching Dabin’s pace as they walked, Jiho soon parted ways with her and headed home.

Dabin’s voice, reminding him not to be late for 6 p.m., slipped through the crack of the front door.

What followed was his parents’ flat reaction—now seemingly quite accustomed to these sparse reunions.

There was an unavoidable twinge of disappointment, but when he thought about it, this change was only natural.

He accepted it roughly and tidied his shoes.

After a light greeting, he slowly crossed the living room.

Twisting the doorknob left untouched for a month, he opened it and set his backpack down on the floor.

Inside were a few items his mother had asked him to pick up—small errands.

The rest were just things he’d use briefly while back home.

Nothing particularly special, so after hanging up his coat, he flopped onto the bed.

The neatly folded blanket—likely arranged by his mother—began to crumple under him as usual.

…There was still some time before the meetup, and nothing pressing to do.

The only thing that came to mind was meeting up with friends from the academy, but everyone was busy with graduation and agency matters. He didn’t want to bother them.

In the end, the only viable option was to catch a quick nap before the scheduled time.

So just as Baek Jiho let out a deep sigh and sank into the sun-scented bedding—

“…?”

His phone, placed beside him, buzzed lightly—vrrrt.

He glanced at it reflexively.

“…Who is it? Ugh….”

Since he usually kept message notifications off by default, the recent message could only mean one of two things:

Either it was a special case like Seol Dabin, or someone he “wouldn’t even bother exchanging messages with” had reached out. Maybe he’d been suddenly added to a group chat.

…Back then, there was an older guy he worked with who’d invite him fishing. This was probably something similar.

If that were the case, how should he turn it down this time…?

Stretching out his hand, Jiho unlocked his phone and checked the notification.

[Seo Woojin] – Long time no see. – I heard the news. – You’re back for a bit this time too, right?

The name on the screen was none other than Seo Woojin.

The mysterious teacher who, despite Jiho personally revealing Dabin’s secret to him, had remained quiet all this time.

461

Did Dabin tell him herself?

The delusion that started with that thought gradually lost strength the more he reasoned it out.

Dabin and the teacher were connected through Lee Hayoon, after all.

In a way, it was only natural that news of Jiho would reach the teacher’s ears.

Even if Dabin had told him directly, it wouldn’t be strange.

They weren’t complete strangers—they’d done plenty of things together.

So Jiho stopped his pointless delusions and sat up.

Even his own friends barely cared about his whereabouts, yet this person had reached out first.

Still, lying comfortably while chatting felt… off, somehow.

[Baek Jiho] – Yeah. Just got back.

[Seo Woojin] – Last time, you seemed like you were trying to drop formalities in private, but you’re back to how you were before.

[Baek Jiho] – This just feels more comfortable. Can’t help it.

The problem was that Teacher Seo Woojin wasn’t someone he could feel entirely at ease around.

…It couldn’t be helped.

If they’d just hung out casually like during their trip to the pension, it wouldn’t have mattered.

But because of his own stupid desires—

He’d outright told the teacher, “Dabin moans your name when she touches herself.”

Of course, there was zero evidence the teacher had ever acted on that. At most, there was just the suspicion that he and Dabin might have met in secret…

But given the nature of the secret they’d shared, it was only natural to feel awkward.

Scratching the back of his neck, Jiho shook his head to snap himself out of it.

[Seo Woojin] – I see. – Well, anyway. – If you have time, let me treat you to a meal like last time. – My girlfriend and I found a few nice places recently.

[Baek Jiho] – Ah, sure. I’ll let you know when I’m free. – I’m meeting Dabin today, so it might be tough…

[Seo Woojin] – No problem. Just message me whenever. – I’m usually free.

Could someone this kind-hearted really have called Dabin to him?

That late summer day, under the drizzling rain, had Dabin—umbrella in hand—really gone to meet the teacher?

Had the two of them…

…really done that?

As he carefully pieced together his suspicions—

“So by the time you come back after working this time…”

“Probably around Christmas.”

“Christmas… Hmm.”

“…I can take breaks when I want. If nothing comes up, I should be able to make it back right on time.”

“Really?”

“There’ll still be plenty to do, though.”

Muttering to herself, Seol Dabin sipped the latte she’d just ordered from across the table.

Even after letting it cool, it was still too hot—her usually calm brow twitched slightly.

Normally, Jiho would’ve teased her, “Should’ve gotten iced, dumbass.” But today was different.

His mind was stuck on the topic that had just come up: Christmas.

As he took a sip of his own coffee, memories of last Christmas briefly surfaced before he erased them like pencil marks under an eraser.

Christmas.

His birthday.

And alcohol.

…The sight of Dabin flustered in his bed, drunk.

The way she tried to hide that fluster afterward.

The memory of something in their relationship starting to creak around that time.

His mind was like a sketchpad—not blank, but smudged with dirty marks.

Since an eraser wouldn’t fix it, he took another sip of the hot coffee.

“Hey. Baek Jiho. Doesn’t that burn your mouth?”

“Huu… I’ve told you before. I’m good with heat—winter kid, remember?”

“…God, you were so annoying in summer, always insisting on eating lunch outside.”

“If it bothered you, you should’ve said something.”

“It’s in the past. Whatever. The irritation never lasted long anyway.”

Dabin sighed, propping her chin on her hand.

For a moment, neither spoke, each focusing on their own thing.

One quietly sipped coffee. The other checked her phone.

That was all.

“…….”

“…….”

But since they sat facing each other, they could observe each other’s expressions in detail.

“…Text?”

“…Ah, yeah.”

“Friends again? Sorry.”

“Don’t be. Why are you apologizing? …They should be sorry.”

Dabin was making a face he’d never seen before as she checked her phone.

“…….”

Like—

Instead of the blank expression her friends called “scary,”

She looked flustered.

Her cheeks, never usually red, were now flushed.

While fiddling with her phone, she glanced at Jiho—

Their eyes met briefly.

…Then she quickly looked away, pretending it hadn’t happened.

“…I already said I couldn’t meet because of you, but they keep messaging.”

Rambling excuses for something he hadn’t even asked about.

All of it—

“Some of your friends must’ve missed the memo. Mine are too busy monologuing in group chats to even check meetup times.”

“Right. But still… …Never mind.”

“What?”

“…No. I’m not meeting anyone while you’re here.”

“You can. Don’t change plans just for me.”

“No. No. I won’t. …Absolutely.”

“You idiot? You’ll see them at the academy anyway.”

“…That’s not what I meant, um…”

“…….”

If “that’s not what I meant,” did that mean it was okay to interpret it the way he was desperately avoiding?

As Jiho clenched his hand on the table, lost in his own thoughts—

Eventually, stirring his latte with a coffee stick, he spoke.

“I’m fine with just relaxing at home too, so if you want to meet your friends, it’s really okay.”

“Ugh, but still…”

“Sigh… You’re so stubborn…”

“…….”

“Fine. In that case, I should probably cancel with the teacher too.”

“…Huh? Teach…”

“Seo Woojin.”

Pointlessly.

Absolutely pointlessly—

He brought up Teacher Seo Woojin’s name, unprompted.

The result?

“He said to grab a meal before I leave. Like last time.”

“…Ah, when we drank…”

Just the mention of the teacher’s name made Dabin react more intensely than he’d ever seen.

Pretending not to notice—

“Yeah. Like then.”

“Mmm…”

“….”

“….”

“I’ll apologize to him later…”

“I-Isn’t the teacher fine? I mean, we’re both close with him…”

“….”

“Plus, the meat we ate that time was really good…”

There’s definitely something between them.

Confirming it arbitrarily—

“…I was too drunk to remember much. What a waste.”

“Ah, you don’t remember? At all?”

“Nope. Not a thing. I really shouldn’t drink anymore. Only when I’m with you.”

“…I see.”

At Dabin’s suspicious tone—

…Like an idiot.

His pulse raced.

“My mom told me you took me home. Obviously, if not you, it would’ve been the teacher.”

But even with his suspicions—

With no concrete evidence, all he could do was stew in frustration.

“…….”

“…….”

Until finally—

He couldn’t hold back.

“Ah, right. Dabin.”

One step further—

He barely managed to ask.

“Come to think of it, the teacher stayed at your place that night, right?”

“…He did, yeah. …Why?”

Sweat coated Jiho’s hand as he gripped his straw, feigning nonchalance.

Meanwhile, his mind raced to reconstruct what might’ve happened that night—as normally as possible.

Maybe they just slept.

Her parents were in the same house.

And the walls couldn’t have been completely soundproof.

No way they’d do something weird.

…But then again, there are things that don’t make noise.

There are plenty of those, right?

Even if they did, is now the time to ask?

Shouldn’t he wait for a more natural moment?

A better atmosphere?

It took longer than expected to force out his next words.

“If something like that happens again, just let him stay at my place.”

“…Huh? Wha—”

“Your place isn’t empty, but still, you’re a girl. …Who knows what could happen?”

“…….”

“What if he makes a mistake while drunk? Like, mistakes you for your friend or something.”

“Friend…?”

Not because of Jiho’s internal struggle—

But because Dabin’s face, listening to this—

Had turned bright red.

“Y-You idiot?! The teacher and I aren’t stupid enough to— What the hell?!”

“Just a hypothetical. Hypothetical. Lower your voice. Everyone’s staring.”

“Worry about something else, dumbass! Like— …Ow, hot…”

…At most—

She was only keeping up appearances.