Five minutes before I die

10. Carry me?

My eyes flew open.


....Ha....


Did I even sleep for 4 hours....?


It’s not even my first blind date, so why am I shaking like this?


Checking the clock, it was 10 o’clock.


I think I went home after work yesterday, showered, lay down, watched Reels, and fell asleep at 6 a.m....


It’s a 1 o’clock blind date, so I need to get ready now.











For once, I even did full makeup and used a curling iron to make big waves.


It had been so long since I used a curling iron that I burned my middle finger, but that wasn’t the important thing right now.


Lastly, I even put on the mini skirt Mom sent me, and seriously.....


It’s way too small..... Feels like it’s about to burst because of my belly fat.


No, seriously, what kind of clothes did Mom send me-

















For the very last time, I even sprayed perfume and left the hous-


Ah, seriously, for real the very last time... I slung on a white handbag and really stepped outside.


I checked my makeup in the elevator as I got in.


It had been a long time since I wore high heels, so my feet really hurt like hell.


My waist was squeezed so tight I could barely breathe, ha...


Should I just cancel and go home to sleep?
























Damn, I’m screwed.


12:50?


"Um, could you please drive a little faster, driver..-"


The taxi driver heard me and started flooring it.


I almost pitched forward, but I guess that’s better than being late?




















"Thank you~"


I got out in front of the café, and it was 12:59.


I clicked my heels as I opened the café door.

Wow, why is this café so stylish?

It felt like a palace or something.


Wearing a mini skirt and just one cardigan in this weather had almost frozen me to death, but inside the café the heater was blasting and it was super warm.


I looked around for the man I was meeting, and a man by the window raised his right hand and waved at me while looking my way.


Seeing his face, I guessed he was the man I was meeting and went over to him.


"Hello, you must be Bae Eun?"


"Ah, yes..."
"May I ask your name..."


"I’m Hong Seungwoo."


The man stood up and held out his hand to me.


I smiled awkwardly and shook it.


"You’re prettier in person than in the photo-"


"Ah haha.. thank you."


This is seriously so awkward.


The man’s looks were, well? Not bad. He had a face that looked like he’d never told a lie in his life, like a gentle puppy, and he seemed to be about 180 cm tall.


"Bae Eun, what do you do for work?"


"Ah, I teach at an academy..."


"That’s a cool job."
"Being an instructor is tough too."


"Haha... It’s nothing special."


"What do you teach?"
"Math? Or Korean literature?"


"English."


"Wow, English~?"
"That’s totally cool."
"I think people who are good at English are so cool-"


"Ah haha... I’m just not very good at math."


"English is just so hard for me."
"Would you be able to teach me sometime too?"


"I can do that haha"


After talking with him, he turned out to be better than I expected. He listened well to what I said, and he was polite too.


But... whenever there was a pause in the middle, it was so awkward.... I kept drinking warm coffee and really had to pee like crazy.


"Do you have time tomorrow, by any chance?"


"Ah... tomorrow...?"
Tomorrow... I’m supposed to meet Choi Yeonjun.


"Looks like you have plans."


"Tomorrow I have academy classes.."


I somehow covered for it, but...


"What a pity. I wanted to have a meal with you."
"What time do you get off work at the academy?"


"Can’t we meet after you’re done?"
Ah....
"I have a prior engagement after work tomorrow."


"Oh, then what about today..?"
"Can’t we go eat dinner tonight?"


"I’m sorry. I have work I need to finish at home today..."


Please don’t cling to me. I’m the type who got 98% I, okay?—I want to go home and rest too.


I was already so drained it felt like I’d die, and on top of that my bladder felt like it was about to burst, fucking hell.


"Eun, are you uncomfortable somewhere..?"


"Huh..??"


"Ah, no... it’s not that.."


Ugh, I guess it showed on my face.


"You looked like you weren’t feeling well."


"If you’re not feeling up to it, should we call it here and get up?"

"Yes... I’m sorry."


"No need to apologize."


"I really enjoyed today."

"Haha, I had fun too.."

"Let’s meet again next time. If you give me your phone number, I’ll contact you."
The man handed me his phone.
I entered my phone number and gave it back to him.

"But did you really come wearing that today?"

"It must be really cold—should I give you a ride?"


"Ah, no."
"I don’t get cold very easily..."


"Ah—understood."


"Ah, about the coffee..."


"I paid for it earlier."


"I’ll get going now."


"Uh... th-thank you... no, sorry..."
"Ah, no, please take care..."


The man smiled softly at me.


....
Damn, I need to pee so bad.


We were definitely supposed to meet at one, but it was already almost 3:30. I guess time flew by without me noticing while we were talking about all sorts of things.


After I stopped by the restroom and stepped out of the café, it was colder than I expected.
Fuck, seriously, who wears clothes like this in March-


No, but I can’t even get a taxi. Ha....


The bus stop was a 15-minute walk away, but it was the kind of temperature where I’d collapse after walking 15 minutes....


I was standing in front of the café unable to do anything when someone messaged me on KakaoTalk.


Pfft....


Whenever I talk with Choi Yeonjun or text with him, a laugh slips out before I know it.
He said he’d talk informally, so why is he moving so fast?


I’m not his nuna or anything, I’m just Bae Eun, right?
Still... I almost froze to death, so it’s a relief he said he’d come pick me up..


About 10 minutes later, I was shivering from the cold.


No, fuck, when is this bastard coming...


At this point I couldn’t even go to the bus stop anymore... I just kept waiting for Choi Yeonjun.
Five minutes later, a black sedan stopped in front of me.


Choi Yeonjun rolled down the window, rested his arm on the frame, and looked me over from top to bottom.
"What are you looking at?"


"What is that outfit?"


"Are you trying to freeze to death?"


"Hey, by the way, why are you so late!"


















"I thought I was going to freeze to death-"


"Then who told you to dress like that?"


"And am I your taxi?"


"Tch, you said you’d bring me, didn’t you."


"If you don’t want to give me a ride, just go."


"I’ll just take the bus or something."








"Get in, quickly."

"Let’s go."

Getting into Choi Yeonjun’s car felt like salvation.

"No, but. You said you’d talk informally, so I thought you were just saying that, but your execution is sooo fast, to someone four years older?"

"You said you didn’t like being called nuna."

"Did I say I liked it?"

"I’ve already gotten used to it, so I can’t change now."

"Yeah, right-"

"How was the blind date?"

"Out of nowhere?"

"...Well, just because."

"It was okay."

"Really?"

"Not like that bastard from last time?" (=ㅇㄷㅎ...)

"Hey, he wasn’t like that."

"Once I talked to him, he seemed like a good guy."

"...Well, that’s a relief."

Ah... my feet hurt.

I wore high heels just to dress up, and anyway. I really do go looking for trouble.

"Ah, right, that..."

In the quiet atmosphere, when I spoke up, Choi Yeonjun glanced at me.

As I hesitated, Choi Yeonjun said to me,

"What, go on and say it."

"That... last time, because of me, you got hurt..."

"I wanted to say I’m sorry-..."

"I was going to apologize, but I could never find the right timing."

"When."

"No- last time, you got hit by Lee Donghyung, remember."

"Because of me..."

"How is that because of you?"

"And that bastard was big, but he wasn’t actually that strong, was he?"

"The place he hit doesn’t even hurt that much."

"Haha, showing off."

"He’s a gym trainer."

"These days, it seems like anyone and everyone is a gym trainer."

Ugh, I want to go home already.

My shoes were uncomfortable, and the skirt was way too uncomfortable too.

Sitting there, I kept pulling down the poor skirt over and over.

Then at that moment, Choi Yeonjun took off the outer jacket he was wearing and handed it to me.

"Uh... thanks."

"Wear proper clothes."

"When do you ever see me dress like this normally?"

"Your mom sent this saying I should wear it like this, what am I supposed to do."

"Exactly."

""

I don’t dress like this in front of you.

""

"...Why would I dress like this in front of you...?"

"Then is it okay to dress like this in front of that guy?"

"Is he the same as the person you’re meeting on the blind date?"

...Why is he really like this lately?

"K-khm, where are you going tomorrow?"

"I’ll pick you up after you get off work."

"Then let’s go eat."

"So I’m asking where you’re going-"

"Since it’s Friday night, want to drink?"

"Wow, our Choi Yeonjun can drink too?"

"How old do you think I am?"

"Do I still seem like a high schooler to you?"

"Yeah, haha."

"You really do look a lot like you did in high school-"

"Hah, seriously."

"So are you going or not."

"Hmm... okay."

"Haven’t had a drink in a while anyway.""What, should we go to a hunting pocha?""Do you think I’m crazy enough to take the woman I’m meeting on a blind date to a hunting pocha?"

"Just follow me."

While we were talking like that, we’d already arrived in front of my house.

"Thanks, I saved on taxi fare, total win-"

I handed Choi Yeonjun back the outer jacket.

"Keep it. Wear it."

"It’s cold outside."

"...Okay-"

"I’ll wash it and bring it back tomorrow."

When I got out of the car, a cold wind was blowing.

Wow... it’s freezing. Even after taking Choi Yeonjun’s jacket and wearing it, I was still cold. Damn.

My feet hurt so much that I honestly wanted to take off my heels and just walk barefoot.

"Do your feet hurt?"

"You’ve been looking uncomfortable since earlier."

"Uh... a little?"

"It’s bearable, I guess."

"It’s because I wore them for the first time in a while."

""

Carry me

?"

"...No, I said I’m fine?"

Phew... it was definitely cold out, but I’m hot...

I forced myself to act nonchalant and went into the house.

The reason Eun’s blind date’s name is Seungwoo..... is....

I like Jeonbuk FC’s Lee Seungwoo...♡

Haha, sorry ㅈㅅ just ignore it. Seriously.

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