episode_0482

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Seol Da-bin dislikes owing favors to others.

Creating even a single debt ensures continuous points of contact.

Judging by how kind she’s been to fans, she isn’t a bad person by nature.

The reason she openly dislikes me is the same—because she saw me reaching out to multiple women.

Perhaps I can find a way to use this ostensibly kind side of hers.

In the past, she had a boyfriend who was her childhood friend, so she must’ve been spoiled rotten early on. Despite seeming deeply attached, she wasn’t actually that devoted.

Now, their relationship is best described as just “the most comfortable kind of friendship.”

Which means I might be able to win her over with somewhat crude methods.

It’d be best to tread carefully and keep testing the waters here.

Lately, perhaps thinking she won’t be caught, she’s been making “honest” remarks—uncharacteristic for her—while using filming for her boyfriend as an excuse.

If I dig deeper here too, there might be some payoff.

And now, let’s note one more newly discovered trait of Seol Da-bin this time:

She flies into a rage when called cute.

How can I use this…?

Before I can think too hard—

-♪ Ding dong, ding dong

This naturally reminds me of one girl I know.

Of course, it’s none other than—

“…Come in.”

“Oh, you even know how to welcome me?”

“If you’re just gonna be sarcastic, leave. …It must be freezing outside.”

Baek Seo-yeon.

I toss her a light tease before stepping past the doorway.

482

Perhaps because she’s indoors—

Despite it being midwinter, Baek Seo-yeon, who cautiously opened the door for me, was dressed rather lightly.

Last time in the infirmary, she was bundled up like a penguin in a long padded coat over her uniform.

Now, she’s just wearing a plain, oversized T-shirt and short dolphin shorts.

Still, seeing her in that slightly stretched-out shirt makes me feel at ease now.

Anyway.

I’ve always felt this, but there are quite a few similarities between her and Seol Da-bin.

Their looks share a similar overall vibe.

And their personalities are practically carbon copies.

…Come to think of it… Wouldn’t it work just as well to treat Seol Da-bin the way I treat Baek Seo-yeon?

And since doing things the way Seo-yeon likes would have the highest success rate anyway…

So I settled on meeting her immediately.

After filming a two-hour video with Seol Da-bin—the very next day.

Thursday.

Having spent the evening appeasing Lee Ji-yun’s foul mood, I came to Seo-yeon’s place just a while ago under the pretext of having a quick chat.

“Didn’t you freeze to death out there? Why are you just walking in like it’s nothing?”

“It was chilly, yeah.”

“Chilly…? There are barely two weeks left in the year.”

Despite her words, she reaches out for my coat without me even asking.

Carefully handing it over to avoid skin contact, I take off my shoes.

Well, I came under the guise of just talking for a bit—but as I said earlier, the reality was slightly different.

One goal was to ask Seo-yeon—who’s comparatively closer to me than Seol Da-bin—about the things she likes.

Another was to, while meeting her anyway, gently warn Yozora against stirring up trouble.

Which is why, hours earlier, I’d already contacted Yozora, telling her to come here.

Yet despite her eager agreement in our text exchange, there’s no sign of her.

She said she’d come to Seo-yeon’s place three hours ago.

Did she step out somewhere?

“Where’s Yozora? Thought she’d come first, but she’s nowhere.”

“She went to the convenience store for a bit. Must’ve missed you.”

“Why’s she at the convenience store? Getting drinks?”

“…Uh…, …Haa….”

“Guess that’s a yes. Booze.”

I did tell her to drink in moderation—not that she should never drink.

With Seo-yeon and me around, maybe she just wants cheap beer or something.

Either way, the important thing is my conversation with Seo-yeon.

Dismissing it, I was about to head to the living room when Seo-yeon—who’d been folding my coat—spoke up uncomfortably.

“It’s not drinks…, …Um. Condoms… She went to buy condoms.”

“…Why suddenly?”

“…Today’s a risky day, she said.”

“…….”

Didn’t she always take birth control pills with Sua before?

And shouldn’t the ones from convenience stores be too small for…?

That was my first thought, but Yozora must have her reasons, so I just nodded.

I don’t know the nitty-gritty details of birth control anyway.

Maybe there’s a gap period where she can’t take them.

…Still, is sex all she thinks about even today?

The reminder of Yozora’s past antics—annoying enough to make me sick—made me shake my head unwittingly.

Replace those pranks with sex, and she’s no different now.

Should I praise her for being consistent?

Closing the mental album, I asked:

“How long ago did she leave?”

“About… three minutes before you came? Why?”

In that case, I should finish what I came here for—asking Seo-yeon about her preferences—before Yozora returns.

That girl’s mere presence alone is maddening enough.

As for the gentle warning… later.

Once Yozora’s calmed down a bit.

“Nothing important. Just wondering when she’ll be back.”

“When she’ll…, …Oh, is there something you need to talk about without her?”

“Not necessarily, but it’s smoother without her. She’d obviously just get in the way.”

“That’s… definitely true….”

“Anyway, walking takes about three minutes… Wanna sit here for now?”

“…Sure. I suppose….”

Whether it’s because I told her beforehand I wanted to talk, she doesn’t probe deeper.

In the impeccably clean, high-end-looking living room, I take a seat on the sofa while Seo-yeon hesitantly sits opposite me.

Belatedly realizing she should offer something, she starts to rise, but I wave her off and begin my questions.

“Sorry to spring this on you, but I want to know what you like.”

“…Wh-what?”

“Exactly that. Things you like.”

“What I… like…, …Hmm…….”

Narrowing it down to specific categories might help, but for now, collecting random examples might be more useful.

No matter how similar Baek Seo-yeon and Seol Da-bin are, they’re still different people.

Finding common ground between them is the priority.

But perhaps the question was too vague—Seo-yeon rolls her eyes before hesitantly asking:

“……Pref-preference-wise…? Is that what you’re asking?”

“Yeah. Roughly.”

…Right. Asking without any framework just makes the scope too broad.

Setting at least minimal criteria would help.

While debating what those criteria should be, Seo-yeon—shrinking even more—murmurs in a mosquito-like voice:

“Doggy…, …Um, on all fours….”

“……?”

“…Or like last time… completely pinned down…, hammered hard from above… is also… kinda….”

…Muffled speech aside, I got the gist.

Ah, she thought I was asking about her preferences.

Understandably embarrassing to share.

Either way, a decent criterion finally popped into my head, so I steered the conversation:

“Sorry, couldn’t catch that earlier.”

“…….”

“Subjectively, what kind of guy appeals to you? What do you wish men would do for you? That kind of thing.”

“…….”

This works. After hearing her answers, I can deduce if they apply to Seol Da-bin.

A pretty clever solution, if I say so myself.

Hiding a hint of pride, I study Seo-yeon’s face.

“…What kind of guy…? …Uhh.”

Unlike at the doorway, she now wears a slightly displeased expression.

But since she always looks like that, nothing’s unusual.

“…First off, gentle and affectionate guys. Think I mentioned that before.”

“You like the model-student type? Sorta rings a bell.”

“Yes. And I definitely said guys like you are disgustingly unlikeable. Probably.”

“That I remember.”

A gentle guy.

Vague, but not entirely useless.

Since my only thought was how to get Seol Da-bin into bed, our relationship practically started with something close to coercion.

Even if it’s regrettable, there’s no harm in listening.

After all, Baek Ji-ho—Da-bin’s ex—was far from rough around the edges.

“Gentle and affectionate. Anything else?”

“…Someone who can read the mood, maybe.”

“That’s just social awareness, isn’t it?”

“Better than lacking it.”

Fair enough. Moving on:

“Anything you’d want done for you?”

“…Nothing comes to mind right away… but…. …Ah.”

After a brief pause, Seo-yeon speaks up—this time more composed.

“…Wish you wouldn’t ask such annoying questions.”