Five minutes before I die

11. Meet up?

 













Ah.... shit, the sun’s up?


After I got home yesterday, I showered and went straight to bed. I think I got home around 5.? Maybe 5:30 or so, and after putting a few things away and washing up, I was lying down after 6 and fell asleep right away. Around 7 or so?


Right now it’s 9 a.m.


On days when I had to go to work, it used to be normal for me to wake up after 12.


Forced miracle morning.


...


Huh, then I slept for 14 hours? (almost hibernation)





















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


Because I dressed 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 to find me and took me home. (At this point, isn’t he basically a chauffeur?)


Choi Yeonjun waited for me out front, and I was just about to go out in a sweater and pants when the doorbell rang.


ding-dong.


...


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


"I said I’d be out in a minute, just wait a bit-"


Then once more.


ding-dong.


Ha, I told you to wait.


"Why are you in such a rush-"


I went to the front door and yanked it open.


"My house that interesting-"


For a very brief moment, I caught an unfamiliar scent.


It wasn’t Choi Yeonjun.





I slowly looked up.











"...Seungwoo?"


"Hello, Eun-ssi..ㅎㅎ"
"Sorry for dropping by all of a sudden and startling you."


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


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


Ah.... Mom, please-


"But it looks like you were about to go out."
"Is the reason you said you couldn’t meet me because of this appointment... right?"


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


....


Damn, I shouldn’t have let him in.



















"Your house is incredibly neat."
"I’d believe you if you said this was a new build-"


"..It is a new build..ㅎㅎ"


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


"Yes, I live aloneㅎㅎ.."


This is so damn uncomfortable.


Seriously, why did this guy suddenly show up?


What time is it now?


While talking, I casually turned my eyes and checked the clock.


6:43.


I told Choi Yeonjun I’d be out by 40 minutes...


I’m sure I looked at it without making it obvious, but it seemed Seungwoo noticed.


"Ah... I seem to have caused an unnecessary inconvenience."
"Showing up like this without saying anything first."


"Ah, no, it’s fine."


"You said you had plans.. go on and head out-"
"I was just worried I might be being a nuisance..."


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


This is our house...


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


There was about a 3-second silence.


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


"....A rabbit?"


.....?


A rabbit....?


Am I that small....?


...


Is he implying I’m the avoidant type?



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


"Ahaha... That’s the first time I’ve ever been told I look like a rabbit.."
"I... wonder if I should say thank you...ㅎㅎ."


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


"Thanks for the compliment ㅎㅎ."



















Ah.... I really need to leave now.


Now, I guess I have to say it?


"Ah, but I..."


Just as I was about to say it,


ding-dong.


"Why aren’t you coming out faster, Baeeun-"
"You didn’t fall asleep because you were tired, did you?"


Choi Yeonjun’s voice came from outside the door.


...


Ah....


I’m screwed.




























....There was silence.


Seungwoo looked flustered.


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


"....It sounds like your friend’s here, so you should go out."


"....Ah, yes."


No, damn it, why the hell am I saying yes?


It’d be weird whether I go out here or stay in.


My mouth had already answered for me.


And staying put like, ah, no, it’s nothing, and not going out would be insane too.


I opened the front door.


Choi Yeonjun’s broad frame blocked me.


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



After seeing my expression, Choi Yeonjun turned his gaze into my house.


He kept looking back and forth between me and the inside of the house.


"Ah.... right, the person I went on the blind date with."


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


"Hello, nice to meet you."
"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.


Damn.....ha....


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


The situation itself made absolutely no sense.


Why are they greeting each other...?


Why are they shaking hands.


"....."
"Seungwoo-ssi, I’ll contact you later."
"Please head out now, it’s already late-"


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


whoosh-


bang-





.....





Choi Yeonjun said nothing.


I should have spoken first, but no words came out.


"Shouldn’t I have come, then?"


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


"Forget it-"
"I’m so hungry."
"Let’s go out quickly."


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




















Choi Yeonjun drove me somewhere and we arrived.


We got to Konkuk University, famous for its many bars.


We went into some restaurant that looked fancy.


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


Looks like it’s a popular bar.


Even after we sat down and ordered, I was still out of it, so Choi Yeonjun spoke to me.


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


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


"Why are you so worked up about it?"


"Seriously, if it were you, wouldn’t you be the same?"
"What do you think Seungwoo-ssi would think-"
"Wouldn’t he think I’m some easy person who just drags any man around, but still goes on blind dates...?"


"....."
"Me, with any random guy?"
"Wow...."


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


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


"Forget it, I’m leaving."


"Aaaah, sorry!!!"



















"Your food has arrived."


The smell of the food (plus the smell of alcohol haha) 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.


"Wha... damn."


"Why."


"This is so fucking good♡"


"....Ha, seriously."
"What is this emotional whiplash?"


"Hey. Hurry up and pour the drinks."


"Yes, ma’am-"


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


"Ah... I’m alive."
"It tastes even better because Choi Yeonjun poured it for me?ㅎㅎ"


"You’re spouting nonsense again."
"How much can you usually drink?"
"You can easily drink about eight bottles, 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."
"That was because I was trying to d....ie."
"Ugh, but five bottles really isn’t something a person should drink."
"I almost thought my head would crack open that time."
"The world was splitting into two..."
"Anyway, don’t drink that much..."


"What crazy bastard would drink five bottles in one go."


"That crazy bastard is me...."





I chugged down a glass of beer.


Choi Yeonjun kept drinking too. Without a break.


And then he spoke.


"That Seungwoo guy, is he okay?"


"Yeah, seems like a nice guy?"


"You’re going to meet him, then?"


"..Huh?"


"And marry him too?"


"Why did the conversation suddenly jump there..?"


“…”
"I was just asking, just asking."


"....Well."
"The guy himself seemed nice."

"Meet him?"


"...."
"Why are you asking me that?"


"Haha, I was just asking too~"
"You’re acting all flustered, huh? You really do seem young?"


"You say I’m young about everything."
"If you have nothing else to say, you just push the age thing, huh?"


"Yep, my skill."


"Just eat your food."





...For sure.


His face froze.


When I joked, Meet him?


The smile vanished completely.



















"Hey, if you keep drinking like that, how are you supposed to drive-"
"Did you drink all this by yourself?"


There were bottles piled up high on one side of the table.


"Just call a designated driver or something."
"I can handle liquor too."
"And you drank a lot too, you know?"
"Look next to you, one, two, three, four...."


"You’re talking more, so you must already be drunk?"


"I’m not drunk-"


"Pfft, your ears are so red-"


It’s been a while since I laughed out loud.


....Ah, this feels good.


It’s fun drinking and hanging out with someone after years.


The corners of my lips lifted, and my eyes automatically squeezed shut.


"Ah, but."


My eyes flew open.


"What."


"What am I supposed to do..."
"Seungwoo-ssi is going to think I’m weird-"


"You know this is the fifth time you’ve said that now?"


"I should’ve sent him off long ago."
"I’m such an idiot...."


I grabbed my hair.


"He won’t think you’re weird, ma’am-"


"I’m just causing trouble for no reason...."
"I’m really sorry..."
"You were uncomfortable earlier too, right?"


"No, ha..."
"Why are you always apologizing so much?"


"Huh...?"


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


".....Huh?"


"You apologized to me earlier too, and you’re doing it now too, and you even apologized when you got hit by Lee Donghyung. You always said sorry to me."
"And last time in the police car too, and even when we were in school. You always said sorry to me."


"...What are you talking about right now..?"
"Police car...?"
"What.... police car?" (I was drunk then and don’t remember. )


"Ha... anyway."
"Stop saying sorry all the time."


"I say sorry because I am sorry..."
"It’s my fault-"


"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 so....shaky.


My face is red too-


Ah..... I feel like I’m burning up.

It’s here, it’s here, exam season is back and it still refuses to die...... I’ll write in between studying, so don’t leave me everyone😭

*There definitely wasn’t any problem when I was writing this, but after uploading it the paragraphs kept changing.... There’s nothing I can do about that, and it seems like there’s an error on FanPlus itself. I hope it gets fixed soon.... Sorry for the inconvenience to your reading.*