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Episode 6
“Gasp…!”
Dasom’s eyes flew open. Immediately, a wave of headache crashed over her, and she clutched her head, groaning in pain.
She wasn’t usually this prone to hangovers, but she must have drunk the soju too quickly yesterday.
“Ugh, I’m dying… But where is this?”
The place Dasom opened her eyes to was a bed—a soft, plush bed that wrapped snugly around her body.
Dasom’s own blanket didn’t feel this nice.
And the smell was different, too. Grabbing the edge of the duvet and sniffing it suspiciously, Dasom looked around the room with wary eyes.
Since there was a bed, this must be a bedroom, she assumed. The room she surveyed had clean, simple interiors with white-toned wallpaper.
“What is this?”
Who on earth had picked her up?
Dasom slowly tried to piece together her memories, but at some point, they just… stopped.
She remembered buying soju at the convenience store near her house, though. Had she moved somewhere after that? But there were no bars around here.
Nah, no way.
Surely she hadn’t grabbed onto some stranger and caused a scene.
…Shaking her head at that thought, Dasom suddenly recalled that just a short while ago, surely had cruelly betrayed her, and her heart turned ice cold.
She quickly got off the bed and pulled the door handle.
“Ugh!”
The moment she opened the door, the living room came into view. Squinting painfully against the bright sunlight, Dasom heard a thump, thump sound coming from what seemed to be the kitchen, and she gulped.
Tiptoeing cautiously toward the sound, she saw someone chopping ingredients at the sink.
Beside them, something was bubbling away on the stove.
Dasom’s mouth slowly fell open. The tall figure from behind—the broad shoulders and back, the slender waistline—looked strangely familiar.
There was only one person she knew with a build like that.
“Senior… Han-gyeol?”
At her faltering voice, the man who had been chopping turned around. Da-som’s eyes widened so much they felt like they might tear.
A face so strikingly handsome, even in the morning
The owner of those exquisite features was, from any angle, unmistakably Han-gyeol. Once again betrayed by surely, Dasom felt like she could weep blood.
No, this was way worse than having clung to a stranger!
I acted drunk and disorderly in front of that senior? In front of Han-gyeol? Me?
Dasom seriously considered whether she should just kneel and bow her head to the floor right then and there.
“If you’re up, set the spoons.”
But contrary to her expectations, Han-gyeol’s reaction was surprisingly calm. Dasom, who had braced herself for sharp nagging, blinked in bewilderment.
Han-gyeol had his arms crossed, his eyes slightly lowered.
There was neither contempt nor anger on his face. Just an indifferent expression.
Was I okay yesterday? Did I just drink and fall asleep, and Han-gyeol brought me here? Out of concern for a junior?
As Dasom tilted her head, making no move to comply, Han-gyeol narrowed his brow and raised his eyes.
Sunlight slowly filled his dark pupils, making them gleam.
Dasom stared blankly at him. A strangely enchanting feeling washed over her.
“I said, set the spoons.”
His rough voice shattered that sentiment into pieces.
“Y-Yes, sir!”
Though Han-gyeol’s demeanor still nagged at her, it seemed better to do as he said than to kneel. Dasom quickly moved.
Finding the utensil holder, she set out two spoons and chopsticks on the table, sneaking glances at Han-gyeol.
Two sets… That’s right, isn’t it? Surely he doesn’t plan to eat alone?
“If you’re done, take out the side dishes from the fridge. Whatever you want to eat.”
Han-gyeol gave his next instruction as he sprinkled finely chopped green onions from the cutting board into the pot. Telling her to take out whatever she wanted to eat meant he intended to eat together.
Relieved, Dasom quickly set down the utensil holder and opened the refrigerator.
As she took out the side dishes, Han-gyeol soon ladled out the bean sprout soup that had been boiling in the pot. Dasom carried it to the table as well.
She even scooped the brown rice from the rice cooker and set it out. Before long, a rather lavish breakfast table was laid out.
Dasom, who usually just grabbed bread or cereal for breakfast, was momentarily overcome with emotion.
After all, rice is the heart of a Korean breakfast.
“……”
“…….”
But the problem, as always, was that she had to share this breakfast with Han-gyeol. Dasom still couldn’t remember what kind of fuss she had made yesterday while drunk.
A suffocating silence hung between the two seated across from each other at the table.
Dasom felt the pressure to say something.
“Oh, wow, looks delicious. Haha, hahaha. I’ll enjoy this meal.”
Despite her efforts, Han-gyeol remained silent. Dasom, feeling frustrated and uncomfortable, picked up her spoon.
She took a sip of the clear bean sprout soup and her eyes went wide. The refreshing broth sliding down her throat washed away her discomfort.
“It’s delicious…”
At her heartfelt exclamation, Han-gyeol gazed intently at her.
His face somehow looked tense.
“Wow, Senior! Were you always this good at cooking? No way, it’s been forever since I’ve had something this tasty. This is seriously the best.”
“When you’re away from home in a foreign country for a long time, even things you couldn’t do become manageable.”
“Manageable? That’s an insult to your cooking skills! Seriously, you’re amazing, Senior. You’re good at everything you do with your hands.”
Dasom chattered away and popped a piece of beautifully rolled omelet into her mouth. The egg roll, studded with carrots and green onions, practically melted on her tongue.
Only when Dasom continued eating with such relish did Han-gyeol finally pick up his own spoon.
The corners of his mouth had already lifted ever so slightly.
“I ate well!”
Dasom, having finished both her rice and soup, set down her spoon and declared.
“It’s been forever since I’ve had a meal this satisfying. Thank you, Senior.”
“Well, I couldn’t exactly let you starve.”
“Ugh..”
Though he spoke indifferently, as if to say it wasn’t prepared for her, Dasom could tell.
Bean sprout soup—anyone could see it was a choice meant for curing a hangover. He had definitely prepared breakfast for her.
Picking up a drunk girl, letting her sleep at his place, even making her breakfast.
Da-som suddenly felt anxiety wash over her again. No matter how she thought about it, there seemed no reason for Han-gyeol to act like this. Even if she was a junior, even if he was a neighbor…
“Senior, what did I do yesterday?”
Dasom gathered her courage and asked. Han-gyeol, having belatedly set down his spoon, raised one eyebrow.
“You don’t remember?”
“Actually… no. I’m usually not the type to black out when I drink, but yesterday…”
Dasom carefully continued, gauging his expression. Then she suddenly noticed his lips—strangely swollen.
Moreover, Han-gyeol kept licking his lips with his tongue, as if moistening them.
Did they swell up from eating? Tilting her head, Dasom picked up her water cup and asked casually.
“By the way, what’s wrong with your lip? It looks a bit swollen…”
“You kept sucking and biting it yesterday.”
“Ugh—!”
Dasom, who had been drinking water, hurriedly covered her mouth. This at least prevented the disaster of spraying water all over Han-gyeol’s face.
S-Sucked? Bit? I bit that lip?
“So it still hurts a bit.”
“Ugh.”
Da-som’s wavering gaze fixed on his lips.
Han-gyeol rested his chin on his hand, looking languid. His tongue swept across his lips again.
What she had thought was just dryness now felt completely different, knowing the circumstances.
Dasom swallowed the mouthful of water with a loud gulp.
And then, like a button had been pressed, everything she hadn’t been able to remember came flooding back in an instant.
‘Ow, it hurts. Don’t bite. Chae Da-som.’
‘Where are you… Where…’
Her own image, biting various parts of Han-gyeol’s body before finally latching onto his lips.
‘Senior, wanna sleep with me?’
‘Yes, let’s sleep. Please, let’s go to bed. Chae Da-som, what’s your door密码?’
‘Han-gyeol, let’s sleep together. Don’t you know what I’m saying? Really?’
Herself, shaking him stubbornly, yelling at him to sleep with her. Han-gyeol, carrying her piggyback down the hallway.
And since she never gave him her door password, they ended up coming to his place next door.
Dasom’s lips parted slightly.
She couldn’t believe she had been so shameless, so fearless. The power of alcohol was truly formidable.
“Senior…”
“Looks like you remembered now.”
Han-gyeol asked. His voice was still calm, which made it all the more frightening. But she couldn’t avoid taking responsibility for what she had done.
He quirked the corner of his mouth, as if amused. Dasom squeezed her eyes shut and opened her mouth, utterly devastated.
“Shall I kneel right now?”
