episode_0576

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…She’s unusually late today.

Lee Hayoon did say she was going out for drinks, but didn’t she leave even before evening?

Would it really take this long…?

As I was lounging around, enjoying the comfort of the weekend, a message arrived from Seo Woojin.

It said that Hayoon was too drunk, so he’d be bringing her home himself.

While part of me thought, It’s pouring rain—why not just stay home?, I also felt a strange sense of déjà vu and briefly revisited an old memory.

It must’ve been around summer.

Something similar had happened before.

A day when Hayoon had gotten so drunk she passed out, and Woojin had carried her home.

And that day… it hadn’t ended with just that.

“…….”

Well, the season’s different now.

This time…

576

KO.

Hayoon, who had been munching on snacks between sips of beer, started using Woojin’s shoulder as a pillow within minutes.

She’d already been pretty drunk at the bar.

Seems like three more sips pushed her past her limit.

At this point, most of the prep work was done.

All that remained was to deliberately switch Hayoon’s smartphone with mine.

Amid this, a small worry surfaced, and I asked Woojin, “This happened last time too—won’t she get suspicious if the same thing happens again?”

His response?

“If anything, that’ll make it easier to pass off as confusion. Repeating the same mistake would seem more natural, don’t you think?”

Honestly, I wasn’t entirely convinced… but I had no real counterargument.

I just tilted my head slightly before slipping my phone into Hayoon’s coat pocket.

“Huu…”

“…….”

The ultimate goal of this operation was to get Hayoon’s approval for this embarrassing relationship with Woojin.

But for now, it’s just a stepping stone in the process, so it’s best to tread carefully.

Especially when approaching Jiyoon.

Lately, I’ve felt like we’ve gotten much closer, but if I suddenly asked something like, “What’s your relationship with Teacher Seo Woojin?”…

If she just brushes it off as “He’s just my sister’s boyfriend,” wouldn’t all my efforts crumble?

This time, I need to gently edge into Jiyoon’s secret.

Once we’re somewhat entangled, as Woojin said, I’ll lightly tap into Jiyoon’s hidden desires.

…And in the end, I’ll be included in the three of us sharing this secret.

I exhaled a tense breath and slipped Hayoon’s phone into my coat.

“I’ll text you later from Hayoon’s phone, so come then. A missed call or two won’t raise suspicion.”

“…Just hurry up and go.”

“There’s a chance I might not be able to contact you, so if that happens, just knock on the door in 30 minutes.”

“…Fine.”

Thirty minutes had passed.

As expected, there was no message.

As expected—I added that because I’d somewhat anticipated this.

Even as an outsider, I knew it wouldn’t be easy for them to spare time to message while doing that with Jiyoon.

The only possible window would’ve been after the first round… but…

…If Jiyoon didn’t let go, there’d be no moment to even touch a phone.

Can’t be helped.

“Haa…”

A slight buzz from alcohol.

And with tension in my grip, I opened my umbrella.

I’d thought the rain might’ve eased as night fell, but no—it was still pouring relentlessly, drumming against the umbrella.

If these had been snowflakes instead, the streets would’ve been beautifully blanketed by morning.

With that idle thought, I quickened my pace.

Since the convenience store was nearby, it took less than three minutes to reach Hayoon’s place.

Hayoon’s phone remained silent.

So, folding my umbrella, I began climbing the stairs slowly, careful not to make noise.

I remembered the last time I’d visited Hayoon’s place for a similar reason—how a sound from beyond the window had abruptly cut off before I could even process it.

A clatter, something like that.

Given the circumstances, it was probably Woojin and Jiyoon… mid-act before stopping.

Well, anyway.

Since Woojin told me to do this, it should be fine.

Even in the absolute worst-case scenario, I’m only doing this because I hate lying to a friend—so I’d be forgiven, at least a little.

Besides, Jiyoon was the one who deliberately went after her sister’s boyfriend, so…

…Maybe, at least for Jiyoon,

I’d actually be a welcome sight.

Worry—and hope.

With all sorts of thoughts swirling, I finally reached the top of the stairs.

“……?”

I approached the window where the strange sound had come from last time, but now, there was nothing.

Not only that, but the lights were off this time.

What in the world was going on?

Pausing for a moment, I pressed myself lightly against the nearby wall, straining my ears—careful not to be seen through the window.

But nothing changed.

No moans, not even the creak of a bed.

It looked no different from a bedroom where someone was peacefully sleeping.

Though, if you asked whether the lights were on last time… it’s been nearly half a year, so I don’t remember clearly.

But still, unless there’s a specific reason, who’d have sex with the lights off?

And with no sound at all—how could I even suspect anything?

Was this unfolding differently than I’d expected?

“…But if Jiyoon had been asleep, she would’ve messaged me right away…”

She would’ve said something like, “Sorry, not today,” and called it off.

Why hadn’t Woojin said anything?

Holding onto that question, I stood in front of Hayoon’s door.

Then.

“…….”

Knock knock.

I carefully rapped on the door with my fist.

If I rang the doorbell, Hayoon might wake up.

“….”

But no response yet.

Maybe the sound got drowned out by the rain? I knocked again, but still nothing.

Same with the third attempt.

Which could only mean…

“…No way.”

A ridiculous thought flickered—what if Woojin had dozed off in that short time?—but it quickly fizzled out.

Obviously not.

A guy who’d been pretending to sleep just to get with me wouldn’t suddenly act so careless now.

So, clenching my fist again—knock knock.

“Why keep knocking? I was about to leave.”

“….”

The moment I knocked, Woojin opened the door.

“…If you talk too loud, Jiyoon will hear. This place has terrible soundproofing.”

A low, quiet voice.

Following the trailing end of his words, my gaze shifted—and stopped at Woojin’s half-undressed body.

…Half-, meaning he wasn’t completely naked.

His pants were on, but the coat and shirt I’d seen earlier were gone.

“Oh, what brings you here? In this rain, no less.”

An ordinary bystander might’ve thought, “Oh, he was having sex with Hayoon and rushed out,” and tried to play dumb.

But to me,

it meant that while Hayoon was drunk,

he’d been with

Hayoon’s younger sister,

going at it

wildly.

“Uh, Hayoon and I switched phones…”

Now, it was time to act.

Thanks to Woojin, I stepped inside easily, suppressing my pounding heart as I delivered the excuse we’d agreed on.

“We must’ve swapped them when we talked earlier at the convenience store.”

“Yeah, probably…”

“But where would her phone be now…?”

“…Maybe near a charger. Or in a coat pocket.”

“Hold on.”

Shouldn’t you know best where the phone is?

A flicker of doubt arose, but it vanished just as quickly.

“Doesn’t seem to be on a charger, ……hmm…”

“…….”

“Could you wait a little longer?”

He disappeared briefly into Hayoon’s room, then into another—the one that had been dark.

After a short while, rustling and Hayoon’s faint groans drifted out.

“….”

…From what was unmistakably Jiyoon’s room,

Hayoon’s voice had come.

“Here. Her phone.”

“….”

Whatever had happened in Hayoon’s room—I could picture it without seeing.

Which made what I had to say next crystal clear.

“…Hey, I heard something from Hayoon before, so I was wondering…”

“….”

“That room over there is her sister’s, right? …Isn’t it?”

Hinting.

Like something was stuck in my throat.

Outwardly, acting completely normal.

Just simple curiosity.

“And Hayoon… from the sound of it, she’s asleep, right?”

“….”

“But why are your clothes…, …….”

Making sure the door to Hayoon’s room—the one he’d left slightly ajar for the “charger”—was still that way,

I spoke slowly,

stringing thoughts together, then—

as if solving a puzzle,

as if realizing something I’d known all along,

…If this were real, I’d probably take this secret to the grave.

Pushing that thought aside,

“…What were you doing, half-naked like that?”

I let the question hang,

then added one short phrase.

“With Hayoon’s little sister…, …were you…?”

“….”

“And in Hayoon’s room, too…?”

I could’ve asked more indirectly, like if he’d been with Jiyoon.

…But leaving out just one word,

I made it direct.