—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Just as I took a deep breath and was about to sit up,
Ding-a-ling!
“Oh, Seora?”
Someone came in,
and I froze in place, still lying face down.
“M-M-Minji! Did you come to stretch?”
“Yes, it’s been a while. But what are you doing? Is that a member lying down there?”
I heard Seora noona’s flustered voice and the voice of an unfamiliar woman.
“Y-yes! He’s a member and also an acquaintance. I was giving him a massage after his workout.”
“Aha. Seora’s massages are the best.”
It seemed they hadn’t figured out the situation.
“Oh, should I give you one too, Minji? It’s been a while. Hey, Cheol-jin, wake up! We’re done!”
Only then did I move, pretending to wake up groggily.
“Ah, noona. Sorry. I was tired and dozed off.”
“Hmm, hmm. Don’t be sorry. I told you it was okay to sleep.”
“Still. Thanks for the massage.”
I pulled up my rolled-down shorts and sat up.
But then, oh no.
My fully erect penis strained against my shorts, making its presence known.
Seora noona flinched and averted her gaze.
“Oh my.”
My eyes met with the woman called Minji. Her gaze was blatantly fixed on my crotch.
Flustered, I covered my groin with my hand.
“Th-this. I’m so sorry. Ugh…”
“Pfft. It’s okay. It’s natural to wake up like that.”
“Haha… Th-then I’ll see you next time, Seora noona! Goodbye, miss!”
I fled the stretching room as if running away.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
My erection subsided.
As my libido calmed down, my rationality, which had been paralyzed by excitement, returned.
Lying in bed, I replayed the events at the gym.
‘It was a good thing Minji came in.’
At first, I was a little resentful.
Because I was excited, thinking I could have a deeper relationship with Seora noona like I did with other women.
But now that I had calmed down, I realized it was a good thing Minji came in. It prevented me from making the mistake of jumping Seora noona.
‘If I had tried anything then, things might have become awkward with noona.’
Of course, noona touched me first, but there might be a difference between touching out of curiosity and actually having sex. What if I had tried something and been rejected?
It would have been uncomfortable to see her face afterwards. I wanted to maintain a good relationship with Seora noona if possible. It was too optimistic to assume that I could easily become physically intimate with her like with other women.
More than anything, if I had acted just a little sooner, it would have been even more embarrassing when Minji walked in. Then I wouldn’t have been able to set foot in that gym again.
However,
‘…Maybe there will be another chance?’
I hadn’t completely given up hope. There was no guarantee that Seora noona wouldn’t make the first move, like other women had.
It might be a pathetic thought, but…
At this point, I didn’t have the courage to initiate anything with anyone.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The weekend passed.
A small change occurred in my daily routine after returning to school. After classes, I would head to the anime club, “Toons.”
Today was the day of the club meeting.
A-reum, Sung-joo, Sung-hyun, and I headed to the clubroom as soon as our classes ended.
Only Han Saebyeok was in the clubroom.
It seemed the other members’ classes hadn’t ended yet.
“Hello. Has anyone else arrived yet?”
Sung-joo greeted everyone cheerfully, but Han Saebyeok only nodded from her spot on the sofa. She was even less sociable than me.
However, there was one person among us
who could approach Han Saebyeok without hesitation.
“Saebyeok unnie, what are you watching?”
A-reum scurried over and peered at Han Saebyeok’s phone.
Han Saebyeok shifted slightly, making space, and replied,
“Fullmetal Alchemist.”
“Fullmetal? Kang-Cheol’s favorite?”
“Yeah.”
“Didn’t you say it was boring? I thought you dropped it after the first episode.”
“I did, but…”
Han Saebyeok glanced at me.
Our eyes met, and I flinched, forcing an awkward smile. Why was she staring at me so intensely?
“He said something about it.”
Her words reminded me of what I had said at the last club gathering.
“You, you fashion otaku! How can you judge without even watching it? Has anyone here even seen all of Fullmetal Alchemist? Especially you, saying it’s boring after only watching the first episode?!”
I had an otaku outburst when they all said my favorite anime was boring. I especially pointed my finger at Han Saebyeok and lectured her.
Remembering that moment, my face flushed. Bringing up my embarrassing past right off the bat!
Feeling a bit wronged, I said,
“Well, that’s because… you said it was boring after only watching the first episode…”
I could confidently say that Fullmetal Alchemist truly begins from episode four. Once you get past that hurdle, the immersion is completely different.
I tried to argue, but
Han Saebyeok just looked at me with cold eyes and said,
“That’s why I’m watching it.”
…Was she implying she would criticize it thoroughly after watching it all?
Speechless, I closed my mouth.
“Unnie, what episode are you on?”
“I’m about to watch episode four.”
“Ooh. Can I watch with you? I watched up to episode three a long time ago.”
“Then let’s watch it on the tablet.”
Han Saebyeok started playing the anime on a tablet, saying it would be better to watch it on a bigger screen. She seemed strangely kind to A-reum. Was she actually a kind person despite her cold demeanor?
Then, the affable Sung-joo approached and said,
“Can I watch too? I’m curious.”
“No.”
“…”
He was rejected outright.
Sung-joo, looking unusually dejected, slumped down in the corner of the sofa.
“H-hyung. Let’s watch together.”
While Sung-hyun consoled Sung-joo,
I secretly observed A-reum and Han Saebyeok from a distance. I was curious about their reactions to my favorite anime.
‘Where are they in episode four now?’
That scene is coming up.
I waited patiently, anticipating their reactions.
And a little while later,
Ed…ward… brother?
“…Huh?”
“Wh, what? Don’t tell me?”
Their eyes widened, and their pupils dilated as they watched the screen.
The scene where the daughter, who had been subjected to human experimentation by her own father and turned into a chimera, calls out to the protagonist. The protagonist’s expression changes upon realizing it, and the atmosphere becomes heavy.
The scene that shocked many viewers during the live broadcast.
“W-what is this… How can this…”
“Oh, oh no. What about her, what about her?!”
Isn’t it incredibly sad? I felt the same way. How could you not be immersed in that scene?
“Uwaang! What is this! How can something like this happen! Poor girl, what’s going to happen to her. Sob…”
A-reum started sobbing, and
“Fuck…”
Han Saebyeok cursed under her breath, a single tear rolling down her cheek.
I smiled contentedly, watching their expressions. That’s the expression I was looking for. Their reactions were perfect.
I was nodding to myself when I suddenly made eye contact with A-reum. Han Saebyeok followed her gaze and looked at me too.
I gave them a thumbs up and said,
“See? It’s good, right?”
There was no way it wasn’t good. Just say it’s good already.
But their expressions turned sour as they looked at me. Why were they looking at me like that?
Then, A-reum said, trembling,
“Cheol-jin, are you a psychopath? You heartless bastard!”
“…A-reum, don’t hang out with that kind of guy.”
A-reum cursed at me, and Han Saebyeok, wrapping her arms around A-reum as if protecting her, looked at me like I was an insect.
“But…”
I felt so wronged.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
I had just become desensitized to it because I had seen it so many times.
Actually, I was also shocked when I first saw that scene. I’m a person with feelings too. Well, I didn’t cry, but still.
‘They’re unexpectedly sensitive.’
I expected A-reum to react that way, but I didn’t think Han Saebyeok would cry. I thought she was just a scary person, but maybe she wasn’t just scary.
The problem was that, after that, Han Saebyeok tried to keep A-reum away from me. Han Saebyeok held A-reum in her arms like a doll, turning her back to me.
Seeing that irritated me for some reason.
‘This, this is annoying.’
I’m closer to A-reum!
Why is she acting all close to my A-reum?
I watched them for a moment, then beckoned A-reum.
“A-reum, come here.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Hurry. It’s urgent.”
At my call, A-reum slipped out of Han Saebyeok’s embrace and ran over to me. Han Saebyeok looked at me with a dumbfounded expression.
Feeling a sense of superiority, I stroked A-reum’s head as she approached. Then, I looked at Han Saebyeok and smirked.
‘I’m closer to her, right?’
I understood this feeling. It was possessiveness towards my first friend in five years. I used to do this when I was younger. A childish feeling of “I’m closer to her than you are,” “I’m her best friend.”
It’s childish, but it’s infuriating for the person on the receiving end.
Han Saebyeok’s expression hardened, and she glared at me, her lips pressed together in frustration.
…I was a little intimidated, but it was okay. She didn’t seem that scary, despite her appearance.
That’s when it happened.
Bam!
A fist connected with my gut.
“Oof?!”
It was a light punch, but hitting my solar plexus made me cry out.
“Ugh, you messed up my hair! I styled it this morning!”
“…Can’t you see I’m in pain, A-reum?”
“I don’t care. Tell me why you called me.”
“…It’s nothing.”
“Ugh!”
I blocked her second punch. Since I kept taking her punches without complaint, she was starting to think it was a habit.
A-reum shouted with a frustrated expression,
“Why are you blocking!”
“Of course I’m blocking! Should I just let you hit me?”
“Yes, just let me hit you! You heartless psychopath!”
“Hey!”
“Wahhh!”
I flicked her forehead.
“Saebyeok unnie, he’s bullying me!”
A-reum ran away and tattled.
Han Saebyeok hugged A-reum and then looked at me with a mocking expression.
That pissed me off…
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Thanks for the chapter