Chapter 07
“Maybe I just look plain. Haha… ha…”
Yeonjae answered quickly.
“Yeonjae? No way.”
Luckily, the conversation didn’t go any further. As the tension eased, Yeonjae lifted the soju glass in front of her and emptied it in one go.
After that, whenever Hyeonho went out to smoke, Dohan and Yeonjae were often left alone.
“You don’t smoke, sunbae?”
“No. You?”
“Me neither.”
Whenever the conversation paused, an awkward silence immediately filled the air.
What am I supposed to do?
The easiest solution was to drink. Trying to ease the tension, Yeonjae kept reaching for her glass. Watching her, Dohan casually said,
“You drink pretty well.”
“Haha… do I?”
“Why did you choose Korean Literature?”
Because I chose the safest major I could get into while following you to this university.
She couldn’t possibly say that. So Yeonjae picked a harmless lie.
“Books. I like books.”
In truth, her reading list had never advanced beyond the world literature comic series her mom bought her as a child.
“What about you? Why did you choose Business Administration?”
She recycled the same question he had asked her, trying to keep the conversation going.
“Business Administration?”
“Yes.”
Dohan let out a carefree laugh.
“It’s safe.”
That answer completely missed her expectations. It wasn’t disappointing, but it wasn’t impressive either.
That’s unexpected.
When people called Business the “flower of the humanities,” most chose it precisely because it was safe.
Even so, she had thought Dohan would have some grander reason.
After that, no particularly memorable conversation followed.
Yeonjae kept emptying her glass.
And as expected, she ended up drinking too much.
An hour later.
As they stepped out of the eel restaurant, Yeonjae’s steps tangled.
“Whoa. Look at her.”
Hyeonho grabbed her before she could fall.
“Did we drink too much?” Dohan asked awkwardly.
“No. She drank about two bottles by herself.”
Hyeonho answered indifferently.
Then Dohan suddenly asked,
“So what’s going on between you two?”
“You said you’d introduce me to a new friend, but I had no idea that friend would be a girl. Didn’t know she was your junior either.”
“What do you mean what’s going on? She’s just someone I know.”
“Really? You looked pretty close for that.”
“Ah. She’s just kind of funny.”
“Funny how?”
“I don’t know. Just… everything. Don’t you think she’s kind of funny?”
Dohan laughed in disbelief.
“When guys say ‘funny’ in moments like this, doesn’t it usually mean ‘cute’?”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
“Why so serious? If not, then not.”
Hyeonho’s sharp denial instantly cooled the mood.
Still holding Yeonjae up, Hyeonho muttered,
“Two sober guys and one drunk girl. This picture doesn’t look great.”
At that moment, Yeonjae—who seemed asleep—suddenly straightened up and slapped her own cheeks.
“I’m not drunk.”
“Look in a mirror before you say that. Your eyes are unfocused.”
“Yeonjae, tell us your address. We’ll put you in a taxi.”
“I can go by myself.”
Drawing a big X in the air with her arms, she replied stubbornly and started walking away on unsteady steps.
Hyeonho stared at her, dumbfounded.
Is she really wasted? Is she stupid?
Wasn’t this the perfect opportunity?
If she pretended she couldn’t help it because she was drunk, she could’ve asked Dohan to walk her home.
He had known from the first moment he met Shin Yeonjae that she wasn’t cunning.
You could tell from the way she dealt with people.
The type who, when misunderstood, would stay silent instead of defending herself—only making things worse.
Even now.
If she were clever, instead of writing down Dohan’s every move in a notebook, she would have at least pretended to stumble in front of him by now.
Still, he hadn’t expected her to throw away such an obvious chance.
After thinking for a moment, Hyeonho suddenly said,
“I’ll take her home.”
The words came out without much thought.
Regardless of wanting to help Yeonjae, he was Dohan’s friend.
It didn’t feel right to burden Dohan—who didn’t seem particularly interested in her—with the task of carrying her home.
When Dohan asked if he was sure, Hyeonho waved him off.
Just then, the bus Dohan needed would arrive at the stop in one minute.
With his long legs, Dohan ran and caught the bus as it pulled in.
From inside, he waved.
Hyeonho waved back, then looked down at Yeonjae, whose head was hanging so low it nearly touched the ground.
“Hey. Where do you live?”
When she didn’t answer, he searched her coat pocket and found her wallet.
Checking the address on her ID, his eyes widened slightly.
“What the— You live in the same apartment complex as Lee Dohan?”
No matter what he muttered, Yeonjae didn’t open her eyes.
“You didn’t move there just to follow him, right?”
It was ridiculous to even think that.
If someone had enough money to move apartments in Seoul for unrequited love, they might as well just court the guy with money like in a romance novel.
Besides, the issue date on her ID showed she had registered there before she even became an adult.
Several possibilities crossed his mind, but he didn’t feel like making wild assumptions.
So he simply memorized the apartment name and closed the wallet.
Then he hailed a taxi.
When Yeonjae opened her eyes, she was in her own bed.
She clearly remembered drinking with Dohan and Hyeonho.
But that was it.
Her memory stopped there.
She vaguely knew she had drunk too much, but she couldn’t remember leaving the restaurant or getting home.
Only then did she realize.
When people say your film cuts off, they mean it literally.
“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never experienced it.”
Except for the freshman welcome party, she had skipped every drinking event. She didn’t even know her own limit.
“Ugh… my brain feels like it’s vibrating. I’ll sleep a bit more.”
Just as she was about to drift off again, her bedroom door burst open.
“Unbelievable. Just unbelievable.”
Her mom, already dressed for work, marched over and clicked her tongue.
Yeonjae wondered why she sounded so exasperated.
Then her mom dropped the bomb.
“What kind of grown daughter comes home carried on a man’s back?”
What?
Yeonjae’s half-open eyes flew wide.
She scrambled up, groping for her glasses.
“What are you talking about?”
“Some boy knocked near midnight. When I opened the door, there you were, completely out cold. You weren’t answering your phone either. I almost called the police.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Anyway, I made bean sprout soup for you. Go sober up. I can’t believe I’m cooking hangover soup for my twenty-two-year-old daughter. Oh—and that boy was so polite. Tall and handsome too. I thought he was a celebrity.”
Her mom left, and the front door shut.
Yeonjae just blinked.
A man’s back?
A man?!
There were only two possible men: Dohan or Hyeonho.
Whoever it was, she was doomed.
She fumbled for her phone, which had fallen far from the bed.
Her head throbbed like someone was poking her brain with needles.
Finally grabbing the phone, she texted.
Hey.
??
Did I do something crazy yesterday??
The reply came instantly.
Ha. Don’t even get me started.
Seriously??
The next message was impossible to believe—even with both eyes wide open.
First of all, you remember that you kissed Lee Dohan when you were drunk, right?
