169 - I Unknowingly Rejected My Favorite

EP.169 #169. Line Choosing someone for counseling was an extremely difficult task. They needed to be capable of keeping my secrets. And they needed plenty of experience in relationships as well. Hoo... After scanning through my contacts, I eventually concluded that going to Hanbit unni was the right decision... Ah... Is this really the right thing to do...? I was more worried about internal leaks than external ones. Undoubtedly, if I talked to her, the other sisters would come flocking, exclaiming, “Oh my~ They say your handsome boyfriend is a wolf~ What are we going to do?!” causing a fuss. Should I put myself on the chopping block? Or should I somehow deal with it on my own? But honestly... Will an answer come from worrying on my own...? This...? If I asked the person involved, he’d surely just feign ignorance. Ugh... Why does he do things like this to make my life difficult? A newly installed app on my phone. [Novel World] I sighed and sent a DM to unni. [Hey, unni.] A reply that didn’t come for a while. Ah. Maybe it’s better not to say anything. I thought about deleting it before she saw it, but a vibrating notification startled me. [ㅇㅇㅇ What?] [No, it's nothing. Just wanted to see how you're doing.] [ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ] [Hey, Kim Luca! You never contact me unless something's going on!] Feeling like she read my mind, I decided to play ignorant. [No, really. It's been so long since we last talked, I genuinely just wanted to check in~] But the reply was.... [Cut the crap. I know something's up, so spill it already.] Gah. This unni has annoyingly quick intuition. So I came to her, but... Ugh... Ah... Sigh... As I tried to jot down the details of my worries, my hands hesitated. [Can we do a call?] [In three minutes.] The call came first. With a trembling heart, I pressed the accept button. [Hey~ Global idol~ Luca, long time no see~] [Ah, unni~ It's been way too long~] [Hey, you don’t even game with us anymore. Are you ditching us?] [Noo~ It's just been super busy. Even when I’m not broadcasting, there’s work.] [And the rest of the time you're with your boyfriend?] Hit right on the mark, I awkwardly smacked my lips. [Ah... Um... So, speaking of which, you mentioned something! You know what, I’m curious about something.] [I thought so. What is it? Let’s hear it.] Calmly, I organized the mishaps with my boyfriend and explained. She, listening quietly, couldn’t help but let out a few chuckles, interrupting my story occasionally. [So? What's your dilemma, ultimately?] [So... Is it normal for guys to act like this... or is it just my boyfriend... And if it's normal, what should I do...?] Confusion. Babbling. The nature of the issue made it difficult to explain clearly. [Okay, Luca, first of all.] [Yeah.] [How long have you been seeing your boyfriend? It was last year, right?] [It’s been about... six months...? I guess...?] [And how frequent was it since the start?] The inside of my mouth felt dry. Yeah. Advice isn’t free, is it? I had to answer for her to give proper counsel. [Right after our first time in winter, it's been pretty frequent... I guess...] [Hmm. Then, surely it’s about the time he might start feeling a bit tired of it.] Her doctor-like diagnosis made my facial muscles stiffen. [...Tired of it?] [Right? No matter how much you like each other, it’s still just the two of you, isn't it?] [Ah... But I still enjoy it though? I still like doing it with my boyfriend...] ...What am I even explaining here. [That might be just you feeling that way.] My pupils quaked. Her words echoed in my head, muddling my thoughts. It might just be you. It might just be you. It might just be you. It might just be you. It might just be you. It might just be you. It might just be you. [Then... What do I do!] I shouted, flustered, at unni. [Oh! My ears! Hey, why are you yelling.] [Sumi masen... But what should I do... Is my boyfriend tired of doing it with me? Is that why he's checking out weird stuff?] Noticing my anxiety, unni offered a gentle voice of resolution. [Well... That depends... Hmm... How do I explain this well...] After a distinct clap, she continued her explanation. [That’s just how it is. After some time passes, it can’t be helped. Even the most delicious food isn't the same after you've had it every day as it was the first time you tried it.] [...Yeah.] In the end, it’s cooled down, she means. [But I’m sure in the place of that, something new has blossomed between you two.] [Huh?] [Time spent together eating, dating—not just bedtime—must have built a relationship that's not formed out of simple curiosity.] Indeed... That was true. If my boyfriend were to disappear before my eyes now. If he suddenly asked to break up with me. I could confidently say I wouldn't be able to go about my daily life anymore. [But... Should I just leave it? That he's looking at those things?] [Hey. That’s not something you can control by scolding others. When it comes to guys and their habits, just let it be~] [Is that so?] Maybe you're supposed to just turn a blind eye to it. [But if you're really curious whether he likes that kind of stuff, there's a way to find out.] [What is it?] Sensing that practical advice was finally coming, I raised my voice to ask for her words. [Try doing what you saw your boyfriend watching.] ...Excuse me? My jaw dropped and wouldn’t close. [Are you serious?] [No, it's because you said you didn't like things getting monotonous that I'm suggesting this. Sometimes trying out something different can be a solution. Most guys tend to like that kind of stuff.] It was advice coming from none other than Hanbit unni. [One of my exes wanted to try using handcuffs, so we did that too.] She recounted such a shameless story with laughter, seemingly unfazed. [As long as you're comfortable, go for it. He wouldn't say no, that much is certain.] ...Is this really the way to go? Logging onto an adult site, I squeezed my eyes shut. * * * - Buzzzz [Hello?] [Hey, Oppa. Are you running late today?] Not wanting to overlap with the rush hour and subway crowd, I quickened my steps. [Nope? I'm actually on my way home now. Why?] [Hmm... I was thinking we could order some late-night snacks tonight.] [Oh, I'm down for that. What do you feel like eating?] [Pizza.] A girlfriend whimsically requesting pizza. [When should we eat? I should be home around... 5:30, I think.] [I'm working now, so maybe around 10 PM? How does that sound?] [Sounds great. Should we eat at my place?] [No, my place.] Since I didn’t particularly care about the location, I readily accepted her suggestion. After getting home and taking a shower, I dived onto the bed. Picking up my phone. Ah... But I'm still tired... No matter how enjoyable, lessons were lessons. I barely dodged the rush of people during the commute as well. What soothed my tired mind and body were Luca's clips. Her second album is dropping tomorrow... Yet Doa continuously told me to look forward to it without showing me the music video. Having already watched the clips live, I busily devoured the edited versions. [Captured Her.] Should I continue watching...? Even though Doa had caught me, I hadn't deleted it yet. To be honest, it felt like a waste of money. I'd already spent over 10,000 won, so there was an urge to finish it? While it was provocative, the story itself was also incredibly engaging, so I decided to continue my binge with the mindset that I’d either hide or delete the app afterward. When was the last time I had been so engrossed in text like this? The time melted away as swiftly as snow in spring under my relentless pace. Soon enough, the promised time neared, and I prepared to meet Doa, dressed in sweats. Naturally, I deleted the [Novel World] app beforehand. I trudged up the stairs and extended my finger to press the doorbell. I could easily unlock the door and enter, but having Doa greet me felt nicer. “Could you open the door and come in, Oppa?” I heard her voice from inside. Thinking she might be doing something, I followed her instructions, punched in the code, and stepped into the entrance. “Why are the lights off?” The room was dark, the lights turned off. “Close the door and come in here. Just don’t turn on the lights!” She seemed to be on the bed, but... Even though it was a string of inexplicable instructions, I went along with it, took off my shoes, and stepped cautiously into the dim room, feeling my way forward. “...Oppa.” A mere silhouette of Doa. But... hey... is she really... wearing clothes...? A string, thick nor thin, was placed into my hand.