About waking up to find I have a boyfriend
W. Gpeum
Two weeks had passed. That meant it had been exactly 15 days since Kim Seok-jin and Chae Yeo-ju started dating.
To be honest, Chae Yeo-ju never thought this relationship would last. It was literally a relationship that started 'out of necessity'. A lover who became one after a drunken mistake, without affection or love... Saying this makes me sound like such a piece of trash, Chae Yeo-ju thought. In fact, it wasn't wrong, but it made her even sadder.
Anyway, Chae Yeo-ju didn't really have any romantic interest in Kim Seok-jin. He was handsome, had a good personality (at least that's what he looked like on the outside. Chae Yeo-ju seemed to think differently, though...), and had a lot of money, making him the perfect romantic partner. But if you asked him if he was someone she'd want to date, he'd probably say, "Uh... why?" At least that's how it was for Chae Yeo-ju. Her stomach was pounding. Chae Yeo-ju perked up her ears, thinking she could hear Lee Yu-min's voice somewhere. But, isn't that the same for Kim Seok-jin?
"Want to see a movie?"
The major lecture had just ended. Chae Yeo-ju looked up at Kim Seok-jin with wide eyes. As always, Kim Seok-jin had a friendly expression on his face, quietly waiting for her answer. A faint anticipation was on his face. He said, "My favorite director's movie has been re-released," and showed her the movie poster in an unusually excited voice. "It's a bit of an old movie, though..." Kim Seok-jin continued his words in a whisper, making Chae Yeo-ju feel a little unfamiliar. "What kind of director is he?" she thought, then answered nervously.
“Look, then.”
“Would you like that? Then, there’s… a little time left.”
“It would be perfect if we went after eating.”
Chae Yeo-ju said as if it was nothing special. "Oh, then that'll do," Kim Seok-jin replied with a bright smile. Chae Yeo-ju, who seemed to be in a good mood, still gave off an awkward laugh. "Well then, shall we go?"
Ḟ
Kim Seok-jin, who said there wasn't anything decent to eat near the movie theater, took Chae Yeo-ju to an ordinary-looking Western restaurant. The popular menu item, the whole shrimp rose risotto, was just right for Chae Yeo-ju. Chae Yeo-ju emptied her plate. Kim Seok-jin, who isn't picky but is known for his picky palate, left a bit of his tomato pasta. He paid the bill.
“I was going to pay. You already reserved the movie tickets.”
“Well, then I guess I can buy you some popcorn.”
“You said you don’t eat anything while watching a movie….”
“I got caught.”
In the end, instead of popcorn, we each bought a drink at the cafe inside the theater. "I'll buy the coffee," he said. At Chae Yeo-ju's firm words, Kim Seok-jin, who had slyly pulled out his card, backed away without further insistence. "It's 9,400 won." After Chae Yeo-ju finished paying, Kim Seok-jin's expression looked strangely joyful.
The movie theater was deserted during the daytime on a weekday. The re-released film was a romance. Even Chae Yeo-ju, who rarely watched movies, had heard the title at least once. Everyone who had seen it had said it was quite enjoyable. It must have been quite popular to be re-released… Despite this, only about ten people were seated in the spacious theater. Chae Yeo-ju sat down in a seat a little farther away from the screen and thought, “Romance? For a movie that Kim Seok-jin had chosen, it was quite unexpected.” She glanced at Kim Seok-jin and saw his expression brighten, making it even more so.
Movies may have been Kim Seok-jin's cup of tea, but sadly, they weren't Chae Yeo-ju's. Chae Yeo-ju couldn't concentrate at all on the movie, which flowed gently. She was more into hitting, destroying things, and fighting. As the male protagonist uttered the line, "That kid really likes you," Chae Yeo-ju quietly listened, and then unconsciously looked at Kim Seok-jin. She saw him focused on the screen. Why was he meeting me? As she gazed at his handsome side profile instead of watching a movie that wasn't her taste, a question that still hasn't been resolved popped up.
The main characters in the movie were constantly doing something. Sometimes it was a trivial conversation, and sometimes it was the shy act of holding hands. I rolled the formless word "love" around in my mouth, then glanced at the couple sitting in front of me. They put their heads together, whispered, and giggled. They held hands without any intention of letting go. They were definitely an ordinary couple. Yes, ordinary.
Chae Yeo-ju impulsively moved her hand. She simply intended to touch it. What? Kim Seok-jin's hand resting gently on the chair handle. She felt like she could vaguely understand it. Just a little bit about this unknown person's thoughts. Chae Yeo-ju's hand tapped Kim Seok-jin's and then came down. It was a brief encounter. Kim Seok-jin's cold hand flinched slightly.
"……."
Chae Yeo-ju turned her gaze to the screen. The main characters kissed. They caressed each other's cheeks longingly, wrapped their arms around each other's necks, and pulled each other's waists into a hug. The cliche "I love you" flowed out. Chae Yeo-ju's gaze fell from the screen again. Her eyes were drawn to the empty armrest.
Still, it didn't seem like they were dating because they liked each other.
F̈
“How was the movie?”
“It was okay.”
"really?"
Chae Yeo-ju nodded, tossing the empty disposable plastic cup into the trash. She wasn't lying. The movie itself was quite entertaining. It just wasn't to her taste. Kim Seok-jin said with a smile. "Thank goodness."
“I thought it was boring and that he was only looking at my face.”
“…Crazy, did you know?”
“Your gaze was so intense that I couldn’t help but notice.”
“…Ahh…,”
Chae Yeo-ju's face flushed bright red. Ah, shame. Kim Seok-jin laughed at Chae Yeo-ju, who was rubbing her neck in embarrassment. The amusement on her face as she playfully nuzzled him was evident. Chae Yeo-ju only quickened her pace for no reason. It was because her flushed face showed no signs of calming down.
We walked for a long time without a destination. Kim Seok-jin was grinning the whole time. Why did you watch it, me? Wasn't the movie boring? What did you think about while watching it? The reason Chae Yeo-ju's cheeks were flushed red and wouldn't go back to normal must have been because of Kim Seok-jin's constant questions. I really felt like I was going to fall asleep. I felt like a shameless person staring at someone else's face. Even though the person being observed was smiling... Chae Yeo-ju thought as she watched Kim Seok-jin asking why he was watching her. ... Are you a pervert?
“I just saw it, just.”
“For someone like that, your eyes are so hot.”
“It’s not that hot… I just watched it, you know? I had some random thoughts while watching it.”
“Really? What were you thinking?”
“I think you’re really handsome, senior.”
“That’s such a soulless answer,”
Chae Yeo-ju's busy pace slowed. Kim Seok-jin's pace also slowed. "Aren't you really going to tell me?" Kim Seok-jin asked, completely frozen. He looked down at Chae Yeo-ju with a slightly upturned expression. It was annoying. At the same time, conflict arose. Chae Yeo-ju's expression was complex and subtle.
…Should I ask? The thought occurred to her. The question that had been bothering Chae Yeo-ju for days. Why are you meeting me, senior? Chae Yeo-ju didn't know why he was being nice to her even though he didn't like her. She thought she wouldn't know anymore if things continued like this. Chae Yeo-ju's mouth trembled. Should I ask? She asked herself once more. Dry saliva rolled down her throat. The empty armrest of the movie theater came to mind. And at the same time, Kim Seok-jin's face, brightly smiling. Chae Yeo-ju really wanted to ask. If you don't even like me, why on earth are you meeting me? By any chance...
Do you like me?
“…I’ll tell you next time.”
"Oh, yeah. Please tell me."
I couldn't ask. I thought about the reason why he was being rejected. Well, why? I couldn't bring myself to open my mouth, but no matter how much I thought about it, there was no reason.
No, actually, Chae Yeo-ju knew. She thought she would be hurt if it wasn't the answer she wanted. Maybe she wanted to hear the obvious answer that she liked him. Maybe she avoided the question because she thought Kim Seok-jin wouldn't give her that answer. I don't know. Chae Yeo-ju knew nothing about Kim Seok-jin.
Kim Seok-jin walked ahead, matching Chae Yeo-ju's stride. They had a distance of two steps.
ක⃛
Even after two more weeks had passed, Kim Seok-jin and Chae Yeo-ju still did not break up.
As always, Kang Seo-young's studio apartment was occupied by Chae Yeo-ju and Lee Yu-min. With exams just around the corner, they'd gathered for the sole purpose of studying, but, of course, studying took a back seat. Hands that should have been constantly moving were grabbing chopsticks and scooping up noodles, while Jo Dong-ari, who should have been still, was constantly chatting away while swallowing noodles.
"I'm seeing you well," Chae Yeo-ju replied to Kang Seo-young's question about how things were going with Kim Seok-jin. Lee Yu-min looked surprised. "I thought we'd break up soon because you were so disgusted," Chae Yeo-ju laughed at his words. She wasn't wrong. Chae Yeo-ju was thinking the same thing.
“It’s funny to say something like this while we’re dating, but it really didn’t seem like he had any hidden agenda or anything.”
“What if you just straddle the fence and do things like that?”
Chae Yeo-ju shook her head. Although their relationship had a shaky start, Kim Seok-jin was doing a great job as Chae Yeo-ju's lover. How could that face be ruined by dating? He was still popular, he still got a lot of confessions, and Kim Seok-jin was still talked about on Eta, but Kim Seok-jin didn't care about any of that. If anything, he might have rejected them all because he said he had a girlfriend. Kang Seo-young and Lee Yu-min were furious when Chae Yeo-ju said that she even heard that it was okay to have a second. Really? Wow, are you crazy? There really are all kinds of people in the world... Chae Yeo-ju responded nonchalantly. Well, it's okay because you rejected him well.
“Or maybe we just meet after seeing each other’s bodies,”
Hmm, not at all. Chae Yeo-ju answered. Even though it started with a one-night stand… A month has passed and he hasn’t slept with her, let alone touched her. He hasn’t even shown any signs of trying to hold her hand. “That’s weird in its own way,” Lee Yu-min said. Kang Seo-young replied, “Maybe it’s because he’s concerned about Yeo-ju in his own way.” Chae Yeo-ju, who had been quietly listening to the others, said that she was also concerned about the beginning, and shrugged. Whatever it was, it was clear that they weren’t just meeting for physical contact. So, that’s okay.
“Okay, then that’s fine… Well, considering you’re still seeing each other, I guess Kim Seok-jin is a pretty decent guy.”
Chae Yeo-ju neither confirmed nor denied those words. A good person? That's right. At least for the past month, the Kim Seok-jin that Chae Yeo-ju had seen was a truly good person. If there were any shortcomings, it would be better to find fault with them or not. Chae Yeo-ju thought. There were still some parts that made her uncomfortable. Nevertheless, Chae Yeo-ju had no intention of denying that Kim Seok-jin was a good person. That was how I felt as someone who happened to be Kim Seok-jin's lover.
“At this point, isn’t it true that Seokjin really likes you?”
Chae Yeo-ju thought. That really doesn't seem right. Thinking back on the events of the past two weeks, it really was. Chae Yeo-ju listened quietly to Kang Seo-young and Lee Yu-min chatting excitedly in front of her, then opened her mouth and said,
"To break up,"
“…Huh? Suddenly?”
“What, what happened?”
He suddenly threw a bomb. Kang Seo-young and Lee Yu-min were so startled that they threw down the chopsticks they were using to eat ramen and grabbed Chae Yeo-ju's shoulders. What happened? There was something. And it was an incident that made Chae Yeo-ju's heart very complicated. Chae Yeo-ju quietly thought back on what had happened. As she thought about it, her insides started to boil again, so she rubbed her face. ... Irritated, Chae Yeo-ju muttered, and Kang Seo-young and Lee Yu-min slapped each other's arms. What's going on? You said you were dating well, so what really happened? Chae Yeo-ju leaned back and opened her mouth as she watched the silent scream. Hey, listen.
Two weeks ago…
බ⃜
Chae Yeo-ju thought this two weeks ago.
Even after confirming that her encounter with Kim Seokjin wasn't based on affection, their relationship remained unchanged. Nothing soured, nor did Chae Yeo-ju's attitude toward him suddenly become awkward. In other words, they were still going to the movies, going on dates, and keeping in touch—a somewhat lacking but still decent relationship. The only change was a very minor one: Chae Yeo-ju began spending a little more time thinking about Kim Seokjin.
Around this time, Chae Yeo-ju was filled with thoughts of one day, when she could finally set a date and strip Kim Seok-jin bare. That is, the reason she started this relationship that she had never dared to ask him about before, and the A to Z of what happened that drunken night. In any case, she was determined to delve into everything that made their relationship impossible to define as ordinary. In other words, she was planning to have a "conversation."
If there was a problem, it was that the opportunity to have that so-called "conversation" never came. It wasn't just because Chae Yeo-ju lacked the courage, but also because time steadily passed while Kim Seok-jin and Chae Yeo-ju engaged in a strange, yet neither here nor there, relationship. In other words,
“Is it true that there is another major assignment?”
“Professor, you bastards, you think I only listen to your lectures….”
“…Hey, I heard that the scope of the international economics exam has been expanded?”
“…Oh, I’m so pissed….”
It was exam period, damn it… The two college students, crushed to the brink of death by a deluge of assignments, quizzes, and finals, as if they were waiting for the exam period to begin, had no time for in-depth conversation. Naturally, Chae Yeo-ju's grand plan had to be put on indefinite hold. All they could do was change the date course, not even talk.
“There won’t be any seats in the library, right?”
"maybe."
“…Would you like to go to a cafe?”
“Let’s go somewhere far away, then.”
Since the nearby cafe seemed crowded, Chae Yeo-ju nodded at Kim Seok-jin's words. Chae Yeo-ju, who had gathered her laptop and major books, quietly got into Kim Seok-jin's car.
That's how Kim Seok-jin and Chae Yeo-ju ended up at a quiet cafe a fair distance from school for their assignment. Certainly, the quiet is nice... Chae Yeo-ju thought as she turned on her laptop.
“Would you like some cake?”
"Yes. But I will buy it, sir."
“Well, I’m not used to getting paid.”
“Why don’t you take this opportunity to get used to it…?”
While the cafe worker was lost in thought after seeing Kim Seok-jin's face, Chae Yeo-ju, after much deliberation, chose a piece of cake and a cafe mocha. Kim Seok-jin ordered only an Americano. "I'll enjoy it." Chae Yeo-ju thought it was a bit odd to see him smiling and talking about a mere 4,000 won coffee. Next time, I'll buy you dinner, for real.
After that bickering, all they really did at the cafe was work. Aside from the clanking of forks, the crunching of ice, and the clatter of laptop keyboards, no words were exchanged between them.
Chae Yeo-ju stretched her arms upwards. She hadn't even finished half her coffee before it was gone. Chae Yeo-ju, who had been idly munching on ice, glanced at Kim Seok-jin, who was sitting across from her. The round glasses, now relegated to the look of an engineering student, suited him well. Behind them, his pitch-black eyes were busily scanning the laptop screen.
Whenever Kim Seok-jin met Chae Yeo-ju's eyes, he always smiled, his eyes crinkled. Today was no different. Chae Yeo-ju, who was quietly staring at Kim Seok-jin while rolling an ice cube in her mouth, looked up from her laptop, and when their eyes met, Kim Seok-jin smiled as always.
"Are you done?"
“…No, it’s not that. I was thinking of ordering more coffee. Would you like something else, sir?”
“Um, no. I’m fine. Just order and come.”
Unlike Chae Yeo-ju's glass, which was empty, Kim Seok-jin's still had about half a drink left. Chae Yeo-ju nodded and grabbed her wallet. She snatched the card Kim Seok-jin offered her and put it back in his pocket. Chae Yeo-ju walked towards the counter, leaving Kim Seok-jin's laughter behind.
“I’ll prepare your drink right away,” the part-timer said. Instead of finishing her payment and going straight back to her seat, Chae Yeo-ju chose to wait at the counter. The coffee machine was noisy. With the noise of the cafe in the background, Chae Yeo-ju calculated how much time she would need to finish her remaining assignments. She touched her forehead as she thought about the endless list of tasks. “Ugh, this is how it is…” Forget talking to Seokjin Kim. She knew she would have to stay up for three days and nights just to do her assignments. “School is shit,” Chae Yeo-ju muttered.
“…Sister?”
“Here’s an iced Americano,” the part-timer said, and at the same time, a familiar voice made Chae Yeo-ju turn her head. … Kim Tae-hyung? At the sound of her name, a face with a bright smile suddenly appeared in Chae Yeo-ju’s field of vision. Yeo-ju’s older sister! Chae Yeo-ju’s expression trembled at the sound of Kim Tae-hyung’s voice, which sounded like he was dying of joy.
…Why are you here?
❤️🔥