Five minutes before I die

11. Shall we meet?

 













Ah.... shit, is the sun up?


After I got home yesterday, I washed up and lay down right away. I think I got home around 5.? Maybe around 5:30? After I sorted a few things out and showered, I lay down sometime after 6 and fell asleep right away. Around 7 or so?


Right now, the current time is 9 a.m.


On workdays, it had become my routine to wake up after 12.


Forced miracle morning.


...


Huh? Then I slept for 14 hours? ( basically hibernation )





















When class ended at 4 and I got home, it was already past 6.


Because I had to dress up a bit for the parents’ open class, it was uncomfortable, so I told Choi Yeonjun not to come and said I’d stop by home, but he gladly came 찾아와서 and drove me all the way home. (At this point, isn’t he basically a chauffeur?)


Choi Yeonjun waited for me out front, and I was about to head out in some knitwear and pants when the doorbell rang.


Ding-dong.


...


Damn, Choi Yeonjun this bastard doesn’t know how to wait.


"I said I’d be out soon, so wait a little-"


But then it rang again.


Ding-dong.


Ha, I told you to wait.


"What, are you in that much of a hurry-"


I went to the front door and yanked it open.


"M "Is my place that interesting-"


In that split second, I caught a strange scent.


It wasn’t Choi Yeonjun.





I slowly lifted my head.











"...Seungwoo??"


"Hello, Eun-ssi..ㅎㅎ"
"Sorry for showing up out of nowhere and startling you."


"Ah... um, but how did you know my home address?"


"Your mother told me, Eun-ssi-"
"She said to take good care of you."


Ah.... Mom, please-


"But it looks like you were on your way out."
"Is the reason you said you couldn’t meet me because of this appointment...?"


"Ah, yes, that’s right ㅎㅎ."
"Come in first.."


....


Ah, shit, I shouldn’t have let him in.



















"Your place is so neat."
"I’d believe you if you said it was brand new-"


"..It is new..ㅎㅎ"


"..Ah."
"Ahem, ahem. You live alone, right? No roommate?"


"Yes, I live aloneㅎㅎ.."


This is fucking uncomfortable.


Seriously, why is this person showing up out of nowhere?


What time is it?


As we talked, I casually turned my eyes to the clock and checked it.


6:43.


I told Choi Yeonjun I’d be out by 6:40...


I thought I’d checked it without making it obvious, but Seungwoo must have noticed.


"Ah... I seem to have caused you unnecessary trouble."
"Showing up without saying anything."


"Ah, no."


"You said you had plans.. go on, then-"
"I was worried I might just be getting in the way..."


Shouldn’t the one who needs to leave be me...?


This is my house...


"Ah, I’m fine."
"You don’t have to apologize..."


There was a silence for about 3 seconds.


"Eun-ssi, you seem really kind."
"You’re like a rabbit, a rabbit."


"....A rabbit?"


.....?


A rabbit....?


Am I that small....?


...


Is he indirectly calling me avoidant?



"Rabbits are really pretty and gentle, you know."
"You look like a rabbit, Eun-ssi."


"Ahaha... This is the first time I’ve ever been told I look like a rabbit.."
"I... guess I should say thanks...ㅎㅎ."


"It’s a compliment. Please take it as one."


"Thank you for the compliment ㅎㅎ."



















Ah.... now I really have to go out.


I should say it now, right?


"Um, but I..."


Right when I was about to say it,


Ding-dong.


"Why isn’t the kid named Baeun coming out already-"
"You didn’t fall asleep because you were tired, did you?"


Choi Yeonjun’s voice came from beyond the door.


...


Ah....


I’m screwed.




























....There was a silence.


Seungwoo seemed flustered.


Actually, I had my back to him, so I couldn’t see his expression, but I could tell.


"....Looks like your friend is here, so you should go out."


"....Ah, yes."


Damn, why the hell did I say yes?


Leaving would be weird, and staying would be weird too.


My mouth had already spoken.


And staying here going, ah, no, not at all, and not leaving would be crazy.


I opened the front door.


Choi Yeonjun’s big frame blocked me from view.


"What, you were all ready, so why weren’t you coming out?"
"You said you’d be here by 6:40."



Choi Yeonjun looked at my expression, then turned his gaze into my place.


He looked back and forth between me and the inside of the house.


"Ah.... right, it’s the person I was set up to meet."


Seungwoo, who had been sitting on the sofa, sprang to his feet.


"Hello, nice to meet you for the first time."
"My name is Hong Seungwoo."


Seungwoo held out his right hand first to Choi Yeonjun.


"Ah, yes."
"Hello."


Choi Yeonjun took his hand and shook it.


Shit..... ha....


What the hell am I supposed to do in the middle of these two?


The whole situation made zero fucking sense.


Why are you even greeting each other...?


Why are you shaking hands?


"....."
"Seungwoo-ssi, I’ll contact you later."
"Please go ahead, it’s already getting late-"


"Ah, yes, then I’ll be going."
"Have a good time."


Yank-


Bang-





.....





Choi Yeonjun didn’t say a word.


I should be the one to speak first, but nothing came out.


"Should I not have come, then?"


"No, sorry.."
"I should’ve sent him off sooner."
"It couldn’t be helped."


"Forget it-"
"I’m really hungry."
"Let’s go out already."


"ㅋㅋ... and you’re hungry in the middle of all this?"
"Where are we going?"




















Choi Yeonjun put me in the car and took me somewhere.


We arrived at Konkuk University, famous for its many bars.


We went into some restaurant that looked fancy.


You couldn’t tell from the outside, but there were quite a lot of people.


Looks like a popular bar.


Even after sitting down and ordering, I was still dazed, so Choi Yeonjun spoke to me.


"Hey, Baeun-ssi?"
"Get your head together-"


"Ah, sorry."
"My head’s a mess right now."
"Ha... my head’s all tangled up."


"Why are you making such a big deal out of it?"


"What, like you wouldn’t if you were me?"
"What would Seungwoo-ssi think?"
"Wouldn’t he think I’m some light woman who drags any man around and plays with them, but still goes on blind dates...?"


"....."
"Me, messing around with any man?"
"Wow...."


Choi Yeonjun covered his mouth with a big hand. Shut your mouth


"....?"
"No, that’s not what I meant-"


"Forget it, I’m leaving."


"Aah, I’m sorry!!!"



















"Your food is here."


The smell of the food (+ the smell of alcoholㅎㅎ) made me feel a little more alive.


"Drink as much as you want and clear your head a bit."
"He probably doesn’t think much of it either?"


"Ha... really?"


I took a bite of the food.


"Whoa... holy shit."


"Why."


"So damn good♡"


"....Seriously."
"What is with this mood swing?"


"Hah. Hurry up and pour the drinks."


"Yes, ma’am-"


I took a sip of alcohol for the first time in a while.


"Ah... I can live now."
"It tastes even better because Choi Yeonjun poured it for me, I think?ㅎㅎ"


"You’re talking nonsense again."
"How much can you usually hold?"
"Eight bottles is basic, right?"


"What are you talking about..."
"I can only drink two bottles."


"You’re lying, aren’t you?"
"You drank five bottles last time." (at the Han River...)


"Ah, that’s different."
"I was trying to die then..."
"Ugh, but five bottles really isn’t something a person should be drinking."
"I nearly split my head open that time."
"It felt like the world was splitting into two...."
"Anyway, don’t drink that much..."


"What kind of crazy bastard drinks five bottles at once?"


"That crazy bastard is me...."





I downed a glass of beer refreshingly.


Choi Yeonjun kept drinking too. Nonstop.


Then he opened his mouth.


"That Seungwoo guy, is he okay?"


"Yeah, he seemed like a good person?"


"You’re going to meet him, then?"


"..Huh?"


"And marry him too?"


"How did the conversation suddenly get there..?"


“…”
"I’m just asking, that’s all."


"....I don’t know."
"He did seem like a good person."

"Would you meet him""....?""why ask me?"


"ㅋㅋㅋI’m just asking too~"
"Getting flustered already, huh? You really do look young?"


"You always say that whenever there’s nothing else to say."
"When you’ve got nothing else to say, you just shove it all onto my age, huh?"


"Yeah, my skill."
"Just eat your food."


...Definitely.


It froze, my expression did.





When I jokingly said, Would you meet him?


The smile vanished completely.


"Hey, how are you gonna drive after drinking that much-"


"You drank all this by yourself?"



















There were bottles piled high on one side of the table.
"Just call a driver or something."


"I can handle alcohol too."


"And you drank a lot too, you know?"
"Look next to you, one two three four...."
"The fact that you’re talking so much means you’re already drunk, huh?"
"I’m not drunk-"


"Pfft, your ears are so red-"


He laughed out loud for the first time in a while.


....Ah, this feels good.


It was fun drinking and hanging out with someone after so many years.


The corners of my mouth went up and my eyes automatically closed.


"Ah, but."


My eyes flew open.


"What."


"What am I supposed to do...?"


"Seungwoo-ssi is probably going to think I’m weird-"


"Do you know this is the fifth time you’ve said that?"
"I should’ve sent him away sooner."


"I’m such an idiot...."


He grabbed his hair.
"He won’t think it’s weird, auntie-"


"I just ended up causing trouble for no reason...."


"I’m really sorry..."


"You were uncomfortable earlier too, right?"
"No, ha..."
"Why do you keep apologizing so much?"


"Huh...?"
"Every time you meet me, you keep saying sorry for something."


".....Huh?"


"You said sorry to me earlier too, and now too, and even when you got hit by Lee Dong-hyung, you said sorry."


"And last time, even in the police car, you said sorry, and even back when we were in school. You were always apologizing to me."


"...What are you talking about right now..?"
"Police car...?"


"What.... police car?" (I was drunk then, so I don’t remember. )
"Ha... anyway."
"Stop saying sorry all the time."


"I say sorry because I’m sorry..."
"It’s because I’m the one who did wrong-"


"
You didn’t do anything wrong


.""....""So don’t say sorry in front of me."


"If you say it one more time."


....
Why am I like this....?


Is this because I’m drunk....?


Why am I shaking like this....


Even my face is turning red-


Ah..... it feels like I’m burning up.


It’s back again, it’s back, exam season that won’t die has come back again...... I’ll write in between studying. Don’t leave me, everyone😭"]}]}]}]}]}]


മൂല്യം?}]}]}]}}}]}]}]}]}]

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