TL: looloo
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Before I could fully grasp the aning of her words, I found myself being led by Heena into the car. Fortunately, I had dressed up a bit, thinking we might be going on a date, so I just threw on my coat and we were off.
Sitting in the back seat of the car as we started our journey, I stared blankly at Heena. She was smiling brightly beside , holding my hand tightly.
Although I was montarily confused, I soon realized that the 'house' she ntioned was probably about living on her own. She had been subtly bringing up the topic of living independently for a while now, so I had thought it might be a possibility.
I had easily passed the university entrance exam. With my grades, failing would have been more of a challenge.
"Suddenly talking about a house? Are you really planning to live on your own?"
"Yeah~"
Her nonchalant affirmation surprised briefly, but then I found myself making a fuss. Living on your own, after all, has its own charm!
"Really? But if you're attending Seoyeon University, couldn't you commute from ho?"
"I could, but it'd take at least an hour."
"True, spending two hours commuting back and forth does seem like a waste of ti."
I would have just commuted from ho, but for Heena, a girl, it could be dangerous to return ho late, especially with the frequent drinking parties in university.
"So, did you go to look at places yesterday?"
"Yeah. At first, we were checking out studio apartnts near the university... I found them quite decent, but Dad didn't like any of them."
"No way, how can you live in a building without proper security asures?"
Heena's words prompted a comnt from the quiet driver. I understood the father's concern. For a daughter like Heena, one must be thorough in checking out the place.
At this, Heena gave a bitter smile and continued.
"Anyway, we kept looking, and then my uncle... well, my dad's friend had an officetel building a bit farther away, so we decided on that. Dad also didn't know his friend owned a building there until recently."
"Oh..."
The scale of this arrangent was beyond what I had imagined. So, her dad's friend, who was a building owner, had a place nearby and they decided to rent?
Friend discounts are insane. Maybe I should also rely on my friends later... No, what am I thinking?
"Actually, we only got the call late yesterday, so we've only seen photos. We're going to see it for the first ti now."
"So, it's confird that you're moving in?"
"Yeah. They're currently working on the flooring, so I can't move in right away. It'll be ready around early February."
"Wow."
What more could I say? I was just awestruck. Then, it suddenly hit that Mom had started talking about cooking from yesterday.
Moreover, Heena and I had often discussed living together in the past. Even though Heena spoke a lot about living on her own, I had always thought of it as sothing for the distant future.
Wait a minute.
Could it be?
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Raei Translations
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After about 30 minutes in the car, we arrived at an officetel building that looked seriously expensive. Just from the entrance, one could tell the security was top-notch.
As Heena and I gaped in surprise, a bald, easy-going man approached us.
"Hey, it's Myunghun! How have you been?"
"We just saw each other last week."
They laughed and greeted each other, then turned their attention to us, prompting us to bow our heads promptly.
"Hello."
"Long ti no see, Uncle."
"Wow, Heena, long ti indeed! You've grown so much! But who's this?"
"He's my boyfriend."
"Oh, the one Myunghun ntioned? Nice to et you. I'm Byungchil. You can call Uncle."
"Nice to et you. My na is Han Yeonho."
"The kid's got manners~ Let's go upstairs!"
The uncle, speaking a charming mix of standard and regional dialect, felt incredibly friendly despite being a stranger. I followed him and Heena, chatting quietly.
"You two seem close?"
"He used to visit our house often. I haven't seen him much since the college entrance exams."
Indeed, they seed like close friends, judging by their hearty laughter and conversation.
"Look at my Heena, I'll only take the managent fee from you. But you'll have to buy the drinks from now on!"
"Got it, got it. But why are you changing the flooring?"
"Don't even start! The previous tenant made a huge ss!"
We listened to their conversation as we entered the elevator, which took us to the seventh floor.
Stepping out of the elevator, I noticed fewer rooms than expected for such a large building. We entered room 702, and I was imdiately struck by the living room, noticeably larger than the typical studio apartnts I had seen online. Since it was still under construction, everyone kept their shoes on, so I did the sa.
Just a few steps in, I saw a kitchen in one corner of the living room and a separate room.
This isn't a studio apartnt?
"Nice~"
"It'll be ready by early February?"
"That's right! It's fully equipped, so you don't need to bring much! But you might need to buy a bed separately."
"So, a desk and a bed. Heena, do you need anything?"
"I'll buy what I need when the ti cos. No need to get everything in advance."
"Okay then. I'll leave you two to look around while I talk with your uncle."
"Alright~"
Left alone in the room, Heena and I had the chance to talk freely.
"I thought it was a studio, but it's not?"
"This is a studio too. Sotis it's just one room, or like this, with an additional separate room."
"Oh, I see."
Both were studios, but this was much better than I had vaguely imagined.
"Do you like it? It seems really nice."
"Of course, I like it~ Uncle is practically giving it to us for free. What do you think? I saw the photos earlier, we could put a large bed here"
Heena, excited about her upcoming independence, enthusiastically explained everything to . I listened and looked around the apartnt more carefully.
The kitchen was more spacious than I expected, and the inside room was large too. The living room wasn't particularly big, but just having a separate space felt great. Additionally, there was a balcony, and the wide window overlooking it offered a stunning view.
I noticed upon entering: the security keypad was a given, and from the communal entrance to near the elevator outside the room, there seed to be many CCTVs, blatantly marked as recording. The attached managent office was also impressively large.
This would surely ease Uncle's mind.
"And Yeonho."
"Hmm?"
Heena, who had been excitedly discussing where to place the bed and desk, suddenly called out to .
"You know we'll have to go shopping together for the things we need, right?"
" too? I don't mind."
"That's the spirit~"
She bead and hugged tightly.
"You have to help choose things for 'our' ho."
The way she said 'our' ho felt like it was not just hers, but ours together.
"Uh... am I living here too?"
My question ca out a bit stupidly, and Heena chuckled.
"Cohabitation? If you want, anyti!"
"Oh, it's not a given?"
"Well~ To be honest, I'd like that."
She continued with a slightly regretful expression.
"It might be hard to focus on studies if the environnt changes suddenly... And with classes, I might not be ho much, so leaving you alone here would feel sorry..."
"That's okay. I need to study too. Being alone might actually be better for concentration."
"Then you'll wait for at ho?"
,,
"Isn't that obvious?"
"Hehe, thank you~ But let's see how things go. You'll co over often, won't you?"
"Of course, I'll co every day."
"Hehe, I should reward those sweet words, shouldn't I?"
Saying that, she kissed repeatedly. I embraced her, accepting her bold kisses, and slowly sorted my thoughts. Honestly, I was surprised she didn't imdiately suggest living together, but she seed to be calmly assessing the situation.
I understood her point. Our schedules would differ, and she might have felt guilty about leaving alone. Of course, she probably did want to live together, having wished for it for so long.
But anyway, it's not too far, and I could easily stay here anyti. Like she said, we could decide based on how things go.
"Anyway, I really like this place! I should thank Uncle later~"
"Indeed. I didn't expect this quality."
"I hope our future honeymoon ho feels like this. Right?"
"...What ho?"
"Our honeymoon ho~ If it's just the two of us, one room is enough. We don't need a big space; this size seems perfect."
In Heena's mind, it seed our post-marriage blueprint was already forming. She chattered happily about various things, her face filled with joy, as if walking through a field of flowers.
Listening to her future plans, my mind wandered a bit. After all, it wasn't the first ti Heena talked about such things.
Even if Heena started living here and I visited often, I figured it might get boring to just study all the ti, especially since I wouldn't be going to school anymore. I had plenty of ti, but that didn't an I would study all day.
Technically, as a repeat exam student, that's what I should be doing, but Heena had consistently offered advice and encouraged self-awareness, so I knew it wouldn't work out as simply as I thought. After all, there's only so much ti one can concentrate in a day.
So, what should I do? Maybe start a part-ti job? Working 3 or 4 days a week for short hours seed manageable.
The only part-ti job I had experienced so far was at Jung Yoonsung's snack bar, but if I could handle that without running away, I felt confident I was at least an A-grade worker.
Of course, that doesn't an I wanted to work at that snack bar again. I'd be too tired to study after a shift there.
Maybe I should ask my friends if they know of any good opportunities. Heena seed worried about leaving alone, so starting a part-ti job might be a good idea.
As I was wrapping up my thoughts, Heena began to talk, "Still, it's a bit disappointing if we have a baby and there's only one room..." I gently stroked her hair to stop her from continuing.
The future she was envisioning was a bit too much for to keep up with.
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Raei Translations
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After finishing the house tour and having dinner with Uncle, Heena's father's friend, we returned ho. I had told him "Thank you for the al, sir," but he insisted I just call him Uncle.
I also heard so fierce stories about what would happen if I made Heena cry. The bald uncle's stern face while saying this was genuinely scary.
Anyway, when I got ho, my family had just finished dinner, so I helped Mom with the dishes and told her about my day. I ntioned how wealthy Heena's uncle's friend was and how amazing the house he offered was.
Then I brought up a question that had been bothering .
"Mom, did you know Heena was planning to live on her own?"
"Yes."
"Wow... It feels like I'm always the last to know. Is teaching to cook also because Heena wants to live together with ?"
I asked with half certainty, but Mom's answer was unexpected.
"She didn't ntion that."
"Really?"
"Yes. It ca up in a conversation with Heena on KakaoTalk."
Then why did she talk about not being able to study well alone, or that I should learn to cook to feed Heena properly?
"So why are you teaching to cook?"
"If Heena lives on her own, won't you go there?"
"I will."
"Then you'll be visiting often, right? You should feed Heena well. You've always been receiving help from her; it's ti you did sothing in return."
Her reasoning was so sound that I had no rebuttal. Heena had always been teaching , buying food, and looking after .
Regardless of being a repeat exam student, I knew I had to reciprocate Heena's kindness; it was only right.
"And like that, you'll end up staying over there for a day or two, and before you know it, you'll be living together."
"Wow... that's quite plausible. But why hasn't Jeongwoo moved out yet? Shouldn't he start living with Yoonjung noona... oh, never mind. Their place isn't really fit for two."
While speaking, I suddenly rembered Yoonjung noona's cramped studio apartnt that I had visited a couple of tis. It really wasn't suitable for two people.
Shaking my head, I brought the conversation back on track.
"Then why did you ask if I study well alone?"
"I was curious because you'll be going there often. If not, I was thinking of enrolling you in a study hall or sothing."
She was just worried about . Right. When I was wearing a cast, everyone, including Mom, was concerned about my ntal state. Even now, she seed to care in her subtle way.
"Do you still talk often with Heena?"
"More than all three of you boys combined."
"......"
Sorry about that...
Despite seeing each other daily at ho, I internally apologized for the fact that all three of us sons didn't communicate as much. Our family has always been like this, and it felt a bit embarrassing to start being overly communicative now.
After finishing the dishes and wrapping up the conversation with Mom, I returned to my room. Checking my phone, I saw a ssage from Heena.
[ Heena: The move-in date will probably be February 10th! That day is our shopping date! Got it? Don't make any other plans that week! ]
I replied affirmatively to her ssage and started to roughly plan out the upcoming days in my mind. My upcoming birthday didn't have anything special planned, and after that, it was Heena's move-in day, which was also close to her birthday.
As this thought struck , I quickly got up from the bed and moved to the computer. I had a rough idea of what to do, but I needed more accurate knowledge.
I couldn't afford to look clueless in front of Heena.
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