“…….”
Today’s drinking party was at a grilled pork belly restaurant.
A cheap, all-you-can-eat place with large portions.
Personally, when we decide to go to an all-you-can-eat restaurant, it puts my mind at ease.
Even though I grew up eating delicious food without worrying about money.
That was the past, and now I’m a college student just looking for part-ti work.
Even though I still have so of the lump sum I earned working at Gold One, it’s not enough to live on for a year.
Before entering the all-you-can-eat at restaurant.
I was waiting at the playground, the eting place, to et Chan-woo.
Chan-woo said he wanted to introduce his girlfriend separately to .
‘How many tis will I be introduced, really?’
Including the current one, I recall it’s the third ti now.
And now he’s dating soone from the English departnt.
It seems that exports from Construction Engineering and Public Resources to external fields are happening now.
“Anyway, I’m not worrying about those handso guys.”
Muttering to myself, waiting while swinging at the playground.
“What are you doing?”
A familiar voice from behind.
Maybe it’s because of the sunset, but Oh Yoon-ji’s hair looked much redder than usual.
“Oh, oh. Hi.”
I hesitated slightly, but thought I greeted not too badly.
Oh Yoon-ji nudged my shoulder and sat on the swing next to .
“Don’t be awkward. We’re just friends now.”
“Can we really be that?”
“If that’s what you want.”
Sigh.
A mix of various emotions swirled inside, but it was hard to express them in words.
So I just kept my mouth shut, and Oh Yoon-ji asked,
“Why are you waiting here? Yiseo and the others already went into the shop.”
“Chan-woo said we should stop by for a mont. But why are you here?”
“I ended up here while looking for the smoking area.”
What?
“You smoke? You didn’t smoke before.”
“Maybe because life is tough, I started.”
As I grab Yoon-ji’s wrist, which is rummaging through her pocket.
“Don’t smoke, just hand the cigarettes over. Why would you put sothing that’s bad for you in your mouth?”
“Are you worried about ?”
Our eyes et as Yoon-ji looks up from the swing.
“It was nagging.”
I couldn’t quite say I was worried, so I answered evasively, and as I tugged to snatch the cigarettes from her pocket.
“Ta-da.”
What ca out was a lollipop.
Chupa Chups.
“I was just joking.”
“Sigh.”
I was unnecessarily startled.
As I plop back onto the swing and move it to catch the breeze, a sudden question pops up.
“Then why are you here?”
Watching Yoon-ji with a candy in her mouth, I asked, and she looked at clearly and answered.
“I ca looking for you because you weren’t there. Or I was waiting outside for you to co.”
I stop the swing I was riding.
Seeing like that, Yoon-ji lets out a hollow laugh.
“Can’t I even do this?”
“No, it’s not like that-”
“Kim Woojin!”
Just as I was about to respond, Jeong Chan-woo is walking this way from afar.
He definitely said he would introduce his girlfriend, so I don’t know why she’s not here and he’s coming alone.
“Your girlfriend? You said you’d introduce her.”
“Oh, haha.”
Jeong Chan-woo awkwardly scratches the back of his head. He looks at Yoon-ji beside him and whispers quietly.
“We fought, so she went ho.”
“You fought? You?”
On the outside, he seems like a cold city guy, but inside, Chan-woo is well-mannered, so what could they possibly fight about?
“Uh, my ex-girlfriends contact sotis and I got caught.”
“This is really-!”
Just as I was about to call him a crazy jerk.
Oh Yoon-ji is blinking beside , looking at .
“…That could- Ha. I don’t know. It can’t be. But it kind of feels like it could be.”
“I said we were just friends, but she got really angry.”
“So. Are you going in for dinner?”
“No, it’s an English departnt gathering, I don’t really need to be there. I just ca to tell you.”
“Huh, Chan-woo. Shouldn’t you get so dating coaching or sothing?”
“I heard all of that is a scam.”
After a brief chat with Chan-woo, I look at Yoon-ji again.
“A male friend…?”
Her sowhat touched expression was annoying, but I decided to let it slide for now.
Chan-woo eventually left, saying he would comfort his girlfriend, leaving just Yoon-ji and .
“That’s a relief, Woojin.”
“I’m not going to listen to ‘what’s a relief’.”
“That you have a male friend.”
“……”
I said I wouldn’t listen.
Anyway, I ended up going into the pork belly restaurant with Yoon-ji.
Everyone was already there, grilling at, eating, drinking, and having fun.
“Wow, look at them coming just as the at is done grilling.”
Yu Arin, who unusually was holding the tongs and grilling, gestured towards us and grumbled.
But then, seeing Yoon-ji next to , her expression stiffened slightly and her actions halted.
“The vibe doesn’t really feel like the English departnt.”
Rather than the English departnt, it was just a gathering of familiar faces enjoying together.
So it wasn’t really strange for Yoon-ji to be part of it.
It feels awkward as I try to find a seat.
Seo Yerin and Yu Arin’s side includes Han Bomi from the design departnt and Lee Se-ah from the Theater and Film departnt.
Choi Yiseo’s side is bustling with other English departnt students.
Being the class president and popular, it’s no surprise for Choi Yiseo.
“Oh dear. My seat’s taken too.”
Yoon-ji lants about her missing seat.
I wondered if there was any available spot, then I noticed an empty seat.
It was in front of Ahn Hyeon-ho at a table for four.
“Why are you sitting here?”
The guy grumbles at right away.
Ahn Hyeon-ho seed to have just arrived and was starting to grill the at, so I smiled awkwardly and replied.
“Let’s just sit together. There’s nowhere else to sit.”
“You can just grab a new table. I have sothing serious to discuss.”
“That’s not an option.”
If we take a new table, wouldn’t it be just Yoon-ji and sitting together?
I won’t repeat the mistake Chan-woo made just now.
Yoon-ji naturally sat next to and greeted Ahn Hyeon-ho. He seed slightly surprised, knowing we dated in the first sester.
More importantly.
“Serious talk? What serious talk?”
I pre-emptively ntion Yoon-ji before Hyeon-ho can say anything.
Judging by the chopsticks and spoon next to him, it seems like soone was eating with him.
“Gyu-ah said she wanted to talk. She’s just gone to get so drinks for now.”
“Senior, I’m back-”
Gyu-ah, who arrived just in ti, saw Yoon-ji and , and her expression hardened.
I introduce Yoon-ji with a smile, pretending nothing’s wrong.
“Hi, this is Oh Yoon-ji. She took a break from school last year. She’s returning this second sester. Get along well.”
“Oh, hello.”
“This is Kim Gyu-ah. I don’t know much else about her.”
“I’m Lee Gyu-ah.”
Hmm, I didn’t even know that part of her so well.
“You two are having a serious talk, right? Don’t mind us and just do your thing.”
“Yeah, you played among yourselves when I was around anyway.”
“Why bring that up again…?”
“That’s my only trick…”
I was at a loss for words, but decided to eat the at first.
I was going to get tongs, but Ahn Hyeon-ho was already grilling the at to prevent it from burning.
“Well, Kim Woojin already knows everything anyway.”
What could I not know about the relationship between Gyu-ah and Ahn Hyeon-ho?
In fact, I was practically playing Cupid.
Perhaps that’s why they both decided to have a big talk.
They seed to think it would be hard to have this conversation at any other ti.
“So, Gyu-ah. I’m sorry, but I have no intention of getting involved with a girl who cheats.”
“Could we get one soy bean stew, please? You still only eat soy bean stew when having at, right?”
“Hyeon-ho oppa. I admit it was before. But not anymore. I’ve changed my mind.”
“Yeah, I only eat soy bean stew. The greasy at and savory taste go perfectly together.”
“Am I supposed to believe that? You were the one who got sniped in the Bamboo Forest last ti, right? Got called a reptile.”
Oh right, the Bamboo Forest is still frozen.
I can release it later.
“The at is really good for an all-you-can-eat place.”
At Yoon-ji’s words, I quickly grab the cooked at and nod.
“Indeed, we should rember this place.”
“That one’s done.”
“Oh, thank you.”
Gyu-ah, who was caught being called a reptile, panics and hurriedly makes excuses.
“Th-that wasn’t !”
Yoon-ji looks at .
She was asking if I knew anything since I’m the Bamboo Forest Administrator.
At that ti, Yoon-ji actually contacted separately, asking if I was the one being targeted.
“It’s true.”
As I mumbled with food in my mouth, the gazes of Gyu-ah and Ahn Hyeon-ho simultaneously pierced through .
“…We were just talking among ourselves. You guys have your own conversation.”
I quickly swallowed the food and tried to excuse myself with effort.
“See, you’re lying again. If you really wanted to date , you should have been honest by now!”
“Th-that was because I was afraid of being hated by Senior. I’m really sorry.”
“We’ve finished all the at.”
“I guess I should go get more.”
Leaving the two to continue their argunt, Yoon-ji and I went together to get more at.
It’s satisfying since they have not only samgyeopsal (pork belly) but also pork neck, pork jowl, and pork cheek.
I brought back a lot while humming, but it seems they’re still in the middle of that conversation.
“I’ve sorted everything out. It’s true!”
“What does it matter? It ans you could do it again!”
I slyly pushed the plate of at toward Ahn Hyeon-ho.
As the two of them continue to stare intently, Ahn Hyeon-ho grits his teeth and places the at roughly on the grill.
Sizzle sizzle sizzle sizzle.
“This reminds of when we went camping.”
“Why do you keep bringing up the past?”
“That’s all I have. What, should I ask how far you’ve gotten with Yiseo now?”
“…The ran was really good back then.”
“Right?”
Smiling brightly, Yoon-ji checks the at again.
“That’s why I just don’t get you—!”
“Hyeon-ho, flip it.”
“Oh, yeah.”
He seed to be about to say sothing impressive, but Oh Yoon-ji interrupted the flow.
The at looks about done.
As soon as Ahn Hyeon-ho, while talking, cut the at with scissors, our chopsticks quickly reached for the at.
“But there’s no pickled garlic leaves here, didn’t you like those?”
At my question, Yoon-ji responds while wrapping a perilla.
“Yeah, but expecting pickled garlic leaves at an all-you-can-eat place is a bit much.”
“I see.”
Well, if she says so, then it must be.
I also wrap a leaf and take a big bite.
While Oh Yoon-ji and I chew on our wraps together.
Ahn Hyeon-ho places more at on the empty grill.
“In the end, you brought this situation upon yourself- no, wait a minute.”
While chewing my wrap and watching Gyu-ah talk intently, Ahn Hyeon-ho’s gaze turned this way.
“Is there soone who grills and soone who just eats? Why are only you two eating in here?”
“Uwahuwahuum!”
“Chew it all before you speak.”
Quickly chewing everything and then answering again.
“Wow wow wow!”
In fact, it was nothing special.
I just replied as if I was making an excuse.
“You bastard.”
Just as the very angry Ahn Hyeon-ho was about to scold .
“Right?”
Yu Arin, holding a glass of alcohol, appeared with her arm resting on the back of my chair.
“Such a bastard, right?”
Staring at intently, forcing a smile, which was already creepy.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Phones ringing simultaneously.
- Seo Yerin: I want to have sex.
- Seo Yerin: I want to have sex.
- Seo Yerin: I want to have sex.
- Seo Yerin: I want to have sex.
- Seo Yerin: I want to have sex.
Glancing at Seo Yerin, she looks this way with a blank expression, continuously tapping on her phone.
I thought Choi Yiseo might be a bit better.
“Haha.”
The mont I saw her smiling brightly and looking this way, I felt that sothing was terribly wrong.
“Uh, Woojin. This soy bean stew is your favorite style.”
In the midst of this, Oh Yoon-ji obliviously tried to show that she knew my taste well.
“……”
Seeing her eye smile, it wasn’t that she was oblivious; it was on purpose.
“Ah, this.”
A word that fit much better than saying I was screwed ca to mind.
‘Jeong Chan-woo happened.’
Who would have thought I’d follow in that guy’s footsteps exactly.
…But when I say Jeong Chan-woo happened, my shoulders subtly lift, and I don’t feel too bad.
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