Chapter 117: Chapter 117

Looks like the fun start to the vacation gotta be canceled.

Shit hit the fan from day one.

Nah, since Yoon Hye-yoon is the next-door neighbor and all.

It’d be bullshit to say I didn’t see this coming.

Ever since I said let’s go to my place. I kinda had a funny feeling.

「Oppa.. You’re not just gonna leave it like that, right?」

What she meant by that. Seems a bit over the top.

Seems she was hoping for some fun alone time, but got interrupted unexpectedly.

「I’ll go check it out.」

「I’ll come with.」

Shin Ah-young fully pressing her chest against my arm, kept poking my ribs.

Wearing a short sleeve, her big melons just revealed themselves through the fabric.

I walked slowly to the door, feeling a pleasant squishiness and a bit overwhelmed.

「Um.. Hey Hye-yoon, what’s up?」

「Uh? Oh, hi… there?」

She smiled brightly seeing my face, but then her expression hardened seeing Shin Ah-young next to me.

「Hye-yoon, hello? Nice timing running into you here?」

「Hello. Well, I live next door, so I’m supposed to be here… but what about Shin Ah-young?」

「I came to hang out with Oppa here. All night long..♡」

「Ah.. Like last time you gonna make noise all day? It’s a huge nuisance next door.」

「Huh? You heard us ‘all night’? Really sorry about that.」

「I slept with earphones on at some point. Wasn’t that bad.」

The two kept exchanging words without backing down.

Better mediate fast or they’ll keep this up all night.

「Both of you stop. Exams are over, let’s not fight. You’re done too, right Hye-yoon?」

「Yeah. Oppa. That’s why I bought this to drink together…」

Yoon Hye-yoon trailing off, glancing towards me.

Noticing her gaze, Shin Ah-young snapped.

「I called dibs first, okay? I even waited with him during exams and came here together.」

「I finished my exams early and was all prepped.」

「Really, let’s just stop. Exams are over, let’s all hang out together. Alright?」

「Okay.」

「..Can’t help it.」

Can’t pull a grenade here choosing one over the other.

I planned differently but ended up taking both to my place.

「Can I open this?」

「Sure, here.」

After setting down her bag, Yoon Hye-yoon opened the bag she brought.

Inside were four cans of beer and some frozen tripe and chicken feet.

Shin Ah-young let out a scoff seeing that.

「Wow, planning to eat all that just the two of you? Four cans of beer too.」

「Well, better slow than running out midway.」

「Yeah, if you eat a lot at night, you can work it off later. Makes sense.」

「What’s that supposed to mean?」

「No particular meaning.」

I could see they were arguing because of me.

Though they were my closest friends, I hoped they wouldn’t fight.

「Now that we’re three, let’s go to the convenience store and get more snacks.」

「Okay.」

「Sounds good.」

「I’ll go alone, you guys rest?」

「I wanna come too.」

「Me too.」

Turning towards the shoe rack, they followed me.

Seems like they’re gonna stick close tonight.

On the way to the convenience store.

Shin Ah-young on my left, Yoon Hye-yoon on my right, perfectly aligned.

We walked with a steady pace, making noise with every step, just like one person.

Silently.

Ding-dong-ding.

「Welcome.. uh.」

「Hello. Working hard?」

Han Hee-jin frowned seeing me, but her eyes widened seeing Shin Ah-young and Yoon Hye-yoon enter after me.

「Wow.. Did they remodel here?」

「First time here?」

「Yeah. There’s a closer convenience store near my place, so I don’t usually come here.」

「Pretty big, huh?」

「Yeah.. I’ll look around for a bit, see if there’s anything to buy.」

Shin Ah-young wandered around the store, admiring it, then disappeared deeper inside.

「I’ll see if there’s something I need too.」

「Okay. Be right back.」

Yoon Hye-yoon followed Shin Ah-young, and I turned towards the counter.

Stare…

「…You told me you’re taking a day off for an important exam. And here you are, flanked by girls? You messing with me?」

「Just finished the exam, came with someone I know, that’s all.」

「Ah.. Then you’re gonna have fun now. Jealous, with such pretty girls too..」

「Ha ha..」

Felt like my nerves were a bit frayed. More talking might just lead to nagging.

I tried to slip between the aisles, when someone from the storage called out.

「What? Woo-jin, you said you were off today?」

Always stunning, Han Chaea.

She was stocking shelves, a basket full of items, her chest resting atop it.

「Ah, hello, manager. Just finished exams, came to pick up some stuff.」

「I see. I stayed to help Hee-jin, so don’t worry and have fun.」

「Thanks. See you next week then.」

「Yeah~」

I wandered around picking snacks and sports drinks.

Then Shin Ah-young and Yoon Hye-yoon approached, hands full.

「Got everything?」

「Yep. This.」

As if they planned it, both were holding bottles of soju.

Four in total.

「Isn’t that too much? We have beer at home too.」

「We’re three, this is fine. And I can hold my liquor, so don’t worry.」

Shin Ah-young shook the soju, smiling.

「What about Hye-yoon?」

「I’m fine too.」

Last time at the bar, she was so drunk she passed out. Really okay?

Back then, I had to carry her on my back all the way home.

A bit worried, but since we were drinking at home, didn’t seem too risky.

Yoon Hye-yoon was right next door, and Shin Ah-young was probably staying over at my place anyway.

「Let’s pay.」

We placed the four bottles of soju on the counter, Han Hee-jin’s expression subtly changing.

But with people around, she just finished the transaction without much talk.

「Goodbye.」

「See you next time.」

Ding-dong-ding.

Once outside, Shin Ah-young immediately struck up a conversation.

「You a regular here? Seems like everyone knows you?」

「Didn’t I tell you? I work here.」

「What? Really? Since when?」

「About a month now, Thursday to Friday, 6 PM to 11 PM.」

「Uh…」

She looked displeased for a moment but then relaxed.

「Can’t really stop you from working, right. But.. all the staff are pretty. Really pretty.」

「To be precise, the tall one is the manager, and that blonde at the counter, that’s her younger sister.」

「Wow.. She was the manager? Looks young, impressive.」

「You should know, right? That convenience store at Future University first branch. She runs that too.」

「Ah! Now that you mention it, seems familiar.」

「Hye-yoon’s been here a few times, so she knows?」

「Yeah. You told me before.」

After the store, the atmosphere was lighter as we arrived home.

We sat on the floor like last time, arranging the snacks and drinks in the center.

Four cans of beer, four bottles of soju, one bottle of sports drink, and snacks.

「You guys.. sure you can eat all this?」

「It’s only 9 PM, plenty of time.」

「If not, we can continue tomorrow.」

Were they planning to stay until tomorrow? Let’s just start eating and see.

I picked up a beer can and raised it for a toast.

「Let’s just drink the beer for starters. Cheers!」

「Cheers!」

The refreshing sound filled the air, and we all took a few sips.

Setting down the can, Yoon Hye-yoon spoke up first.

「Right. Shin Ah-young, where do you live? Alone? Or in a dorm?」

「I live about seven minutes from here in my own place.」

「Come to think of it, you said you’re both in the same year, right?」

「Yeah. Electrical Engineering, third year.」

「Then you’re older. 22, right?」

「Yeah. So, Hye-yoon is 21?」

「Right. So, can I call you Ah-young unnie? ‘Ms. Shin Ah-young’ doesn’t roll off the tongue.」

「Sure, call me whatever’s comfortable. Can I call you Hye-yoon too?」

「Yeah. That’s fine.」

The two quickly became chummy, even using informal language.

It was much better to see them getting along than fighting.

I quietly drank my beer, listening to their conversation.

「Why’d you go into engineering? It’s super tough, isn’t it?」

「Just.. liked making and assembling stuff, but once I got there, turned out it’s all math and engineering.」

「Just hearing that gives me a headache.」

「What’s your major, Hye-yoon?」

「I’m in English Literature.」

「Because you like it? Or just matched your grades?」

「My dad works in trade, so I was interested in foreign languages, and you know, speaking English well seems cool.」

「That’s pretty unique.」

Shin Ah-young and Yoon Hye-yoon kept asking each other questions, continuously drinking beer.

As they finished a can, Shin Ah-young shook the soju.

「Shall we switch to this now?」

「No soju cups at home, what do we do? Just grab water cups?」

「Yeah. That works. We can mix it with the drink.」

They got up and brought three cups.

We poured the two drinks, toasted again, and continued our chat.

But this time, I was the topic.

Yoon Hye-yoon, her face a bit flushed, looked at me.

「So, why’d you come to engineering, Oppa?」

「I just.. heard jobs were good, no particular reason.」

「That seems pretty important, hehe..」

Giggling non-stop, Yoon Hye-yoon seemed quite tipsy despite having barely finished a third of the soju bottle.

Shin Ah-young noticed too, quietly speaking up.

「Hye-yoon, seems like you’re getting drunk, why not head to your room?」

「I’m not drunk. Still totally fine.」

「If you push yourself, it’ll be tough tomorrow.」

「If I leave.. you’ll pounce on him. Absolutely not.」

「Won’t pounce, so don’t worry and go.」

「Lies.」

Saying such things right in front of her.

Pounce or not.

But Shin Ah-young seemed just to enjoy teasing.

Yoon Hye-yoon was quite earnest in her response, which was pretty cute.

As the room started to heat up, I grabbed a new bottle of soju.

Normally, it would’ve been straight into a sex trance with Shin Ah-young, but just hanging out this way was fine too.

「Ah, Oppa. Hold off on opening that for a sec.」

「Huh? Why?」

「I brought something fun today, let’s do it together. Was planning to do it with just you, but it’s fine with three.」

Shin Ah-young rummaged through her bag and pulled out a pink, suspicious-looking box.

She smiled and gently shook it.

「Isn’t this kinda fresh? Seems like it could be fun.」

On the box, in flowing script, it read:

‘Love Jenga - For Couples’