88.
Beyond my dazed mind, I heard an unknown noise. As soon as I tossed and turned my body a little, a stiff pain spread to both arms and legs.
Severe muscle pain appeared all over my body, as if it were the day after working out hard for two hours at the gym. While I was groaning, my mind gradually became clearer, and I recalled the events of yesterday.
Yesterday, that is... After the exam, vacation began in earnest. Kim Dae-seok and Eun Hae-seong asked them to go for a drink, and I called Chae Yoo-jeong.
The drinking party for four people ended in one hour due to Chae Yoo-jeong’s weak drinking capacity. After carrying Chae Yoo-jeong on my back and returning to my room...
Beep, clank.
It was then. The front door opened with the sound of the door lock being activated. I belatedly realized that I was lying alone in bed without Chae Yoo-jeong, so I jumped up.
‘No way, this bastard...!’
Are you running away without waking me? I shouted loudly to prevent the puppy from running away.
“Chae Yoo-jeong!”
“Yes?”
However, contrary to my expectations, the answer came right in front of the bedroom. Chae Yoo-jeong opened the closed door and came rushing in, looking surprised.
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
His face was clean, as if he had just washed it, and the plastic bag in his hand caught my eye. While I looked at his face and the plastic bag in shock, Chae Yoo-jeong shyly smiled.
“Did you wake up because I was being loud? I’m sorry. I ordered some hangover food to be delivered, but I had to go out for a bit to receive it…”
“Hangover? What kind of food did you order?”
“Beef rib soup. They told me to just boil it as is, so I ordered it. Is this not good? I don’t know much about hangovers.”
Beef rib soup? Surely you didn’t order it from an expensive place?
Beef rib soup seemed quite unfamiliar to me, who usually just order jjamppong for hangovers or eat ramen if that’s too much of a hassle. It’s not that I don’t like it.
‘I was going to get and order some porridge.’
For me, I can digest anything I eat, so ramen was enough for me, but I thought Chae Yoo-jeong wouldn’t like that, so I tried to feed him porridge. I certainly didn’t expect Chae Yoo-jeong to wake up first and make the delivery.
“Hey, Hyung. I took out a new toothbrush from the bathroom drawer and used it. Is that okay?”
“I don’t particularly care.”
I was going to give it to him when he woke up anyway. After hearing my answer, Chae Yoo-jeong hesitated and added.
“I also borrowed new underwear and clothes. Sorry.”
“……”
Now that I think about it, the clothes he was wearing looked quite familiar. Did he take out new underwear and wear them just in case?
I should be praising him for finding this and wearing it well, or I should be criticizing him for being obvious– In the end, I rested a hand on my forehead and sighed.
“Sorry. I was going to buy a new pair, but I didn’t know the door lock number. I’ll go out and buy new ones later.”
“It’s okay.”
I tried to prepare underwear and clothes as well as toothbrushes, so I didn’t feel too bad.
Rather, I was more bothered by the state of the pants, which were different from when I wore them, with the hem rising above his ankles. Why is he so tall?
“Let’s finish talking after I wash up. Wait for a moment.”
“Okay, Hyung, I want to boil this while you wash up. Do you have a pot?”
“If you search, you’ll find a few, so take out any and use them.”
A guy who has already searched for underwear and is wearing them is asking me permission.
Well, it was annoying, but it turned out well. I happily handed over the household chores to Chae Yoo-jeong and went into the bathroom.
***
The beef rib soup that Chae Yoo-jeong ordered for delivery was really delicious. Considering the generous portion size and the large amount of meat attached to the ribs, it was clear that the price was quite high.
Well, considering how hard I worked yesterday, I can get this much food. Still, having a hangover with the delicious and nutritious beef rib soup made my stomach feel full.
Chae Yoo-jeong, who was sitting across from me, must have been very hungry, and he ate the best I had ever seen before. Fortunately, I didn’t seem to have a hangover that upset my stomach or gave me a headache.
‘It’s amazing.’
Just a few weeks ago, I heard Chae Yoo-jeong’s confession here and immediately rejected it. Now, they are sitting side by side with beef rib soup instead of porridge.
After all, one truly wouldn’t know how people’s lives will go. With that thought in mind, I opened my mouth and spoke to Chae Yoo-jeong.
“You told me that you can drink as much as everyone else, right?”
“Cough!”
Chae Yoo-jeong, who was eating happily, seemed to be offended by those words and started coughing violently. The guy who was gulping for a while finally calmed down after drinking a glass of chilly water.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lie, but I also don’t think I would be that bad at drinking…”
“Don’t you even know how much your drinking capacity is?”
“I don’t usually drink.”
“Do you remember yesterday?”
“I remember it vaguely. That… Ji-han Hyung.”
Chae Yoo-jeong, who was watching me, put down his spoon and spoke carefully.
“I’m sorry for cursing you yesterday. I thought it was someone else. Thank you so much for bringing me home.”
“Okay. Please be careful when drinking alcohol from now on.”
It was clear that Chae Yoo-jeong’s drinking capacity is only half a bottle since he immediately lost consciousness after two or three drinks.
If he didn’t have much to drink, there’s a good chance he didn’t like alcohol very much. It seems like he just followed me when I asked him to go. As expected, I guess I took him out for drinks yesterday for no reason.
After hearing my answer, Chae Yoo-jeong blushed brightly and asked hesitantly.
“I must have been heavy.”
“Oh, it wasn’t a joke. My body feels sore.”
“I’ll get the medicine later! Is there anything else you want to eat? Even the clothes…”
“Chae Yoo-jeong.”
I frowned as I listened to what Chae Yoo-jeong said.
“I’m just kidding. Just like last time, you keep buying me some kind of medicine, do I look that weak?”
“No, no. That’s not it….”
“Just say thank you. That’s more than enough. You don’t need to give me anything.”
Chae Yoo-jeong, who was shaking his head and trying to make an excuse, stiffened as he heard my next words. I sighed inwardly at that reaction.
Chae Yoo-jeong’s shy face came to mind as he hid his wrinkled pills.
He said he lived alone even before he became an adult. The sight of Chae Yoo-jeong’s dreary house, which did not seem to be his at all, and the way he was anxious to buy me anything had always bothered me, and it was just as I had guessed.
“I know you like doing it, but if you keep buying things like that, I feel a bit burdened. Do it in moderation.”
“...Sorry.”
“I’m not asking you to apologize...”
How should I explain this to this guy? No, is that even something that can be easily fixed by saying a few words to someone who feels anxious about affectionate interactions in the first place?
‘If you think about it, I have nothing to do with Chae Yoo-jeong.’
But I can’t just leave Chae Yoo-jeong, who is so anxious to spend money on me.
I was seriously contemplating between the two, whether to act erratically or stick to the line, and ultimately chose the latter.
“I’m pointing this out because you and I talk even after seeing each other for a day or two. I’m the type of person who finds things like that burdensome. I’m asking you to take that into consideration. Do you understand?”
The eyes of Chae Yoo-jeong, who was sullen with his shoulders drooping, sparkled.
“Yes, yes.”
“If you feel anything uncomfortable with me, just say it like I did now.”
“No!”
“If something happens, please tell me. How would I know it won’t happen again in the future? It could happen anytime.”
“I’ll tell you when it happens!”
...Okay, where is this going? I guess there’s a long way to go, but I’ll have to be satisfied with this for today.
“It doesn’t matter if you take out a new toothbrush and underwear because I’ll have some left over anyway. The clothes fit roughly, so just wear them. This is the price for what you paid for the beef rib soup.”
“Really? These are your clothes. Can I have them?”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s just my clothes...”
Of course, I was about to allow it, but a harsh thought inadvertently occurred to me, and I stopped. Wait for a sec.
I slowly raised my head and looked at Chae Yoo-jeong’s face. Chae Yoo-jeong, who had my clothes, was smiling brightly with both of his ears dyed red.
He stared at him in silence and then slowly opened his mouth.
“Chae Yoo-jeong. I want to ask you in advance.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t do anything weird to my clothes.”
“Yes......?”
Chae Yoo-jeong, who was blinking with a blank expression on his face, soon understood what I meant and his whole face and neck blushed. Chae Yoo-jeong hurriedly covered his mouth with his hand as if in shock and shouted in a rarely excited voice.
“Oh, I won’t! How can you look at me like this?!”
“I was just saying it. I’m a man, just in case.”
The reaction is amazing. If you don’t do it, that’s fine.
While thinking about it, I picked up the spoon I had put down and resumed eating. On the contrary, Chae Yoo-jeong trembled for a long time after that and cried out again with an aggrieved look.
“Hyung, I’m really annoyed!”
“When did you say you liked me again?”
“I’m even more annoyed now!”
“Is that so?”
He deliberately suppressed his laughter and answered roughly, and Chae Yoo-jeong, who had pursed his lips and grunted, glared at me, and turned his body slightly to the side.
You don’t want to face me, but you want to be next to me? I forcibly lowered the corners of my mouth that were rising uncontrollably. Being cute like that is a talent, really.
---
Credits:
Translator: Hoshi Miya
Editor: Meimei
Support on Kofi:
HM : when Our MC said, “don’t do anything weird to my clothes….” >~<, aaaaa
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