"Yo, Joonhyung, what're you doing?!"
Ugh… my eardrums… my skull's rattling…
In-ha flings the door open, glaring down at me.
Blinding, fuck…
*Sniffle.*
"What're you doing lying there?"
What do you think?
Can't you see I'm sick?
Sleeping outside with Ye-young gave me a cold, fuck.
Maybe not a cold—flu?
In-ha clicks her tongue, looking down.
The kitchen light's blinding… close the door.
"You gonna lie around all break? Get up, fuck. Let's eat."
"What're you talking about…"
Go out at this hour?
Call your friends… why me…
"I'm really sick…"
"What cold in July? Wanna die?"
"For real…"
I can't believe it either, fuck…
In-ha lunges, grabbing my blanket.
What's with this chick!
"Stop, don't pull—"
"Cold… I'm cold…"
"Get up, ugh!"
Fuck, don't pull the blanket…
"Cold… I'm freezing…"
"Ugh, ughhh!"
What's with her, acting like a rabid dog!
"I'm not your only friend! Why me?!"
"Juha's busy, fucker.
I'm done playing with others. Get up, fuck!"
I'm sick… I'm sick…
Why do you only bug me when I'm trying to rest…
"Ughhh…"
"What're you saying, fuck.
Lying around all day's why you're sick."
What, fuck?
Now that I think about it, I'm pissed.
Squeezing me every three days, forcing me to drink on rest days.
Getting raped, passing out, drinking, passing out—my stamina's fucked because of you all.
From Ye-young to everyone, not a single helpful chick—
"Get up—"
"Aagh!"
My scalp!
My precious scalp!
"I can't go… not today…"
"Fuck, you gonna say that in the military too?
Wanna get fucked up by your seniors?"
What?
You're not even going to the military, and you're talking about it?
Daring to mention it in front of me?
"Oh, look at that glare. Still got some fight, huh?"
In-ha's eyes gleam, lips curling.
"Get up, fuck. Unless you wanna die."
"Ugh…"
Why's she like this?
Why only mess with me when I'm resting…
"Let's go, fuck!"
"Fine, let go…"
I go limp, pretending to give in.
In-ha smugly drops the blanket.
"Knew you'd come, fucker."
"Just five minutes…"
"… …"
Her face turns cold.
If I push it, my balls are next…
"I'll go now…"
"Hell yeah!"
In-ha bolts out of the room.
Should I lock the door and barricade?
Nah… she'd break the window.
---
"Damn, dakgalbi looks so good."
"Yeah…"
"Fuck, gopchang looks amazing too."
"Maybe…"
New city commercial district.
Late-night neon lights stab my eyes.
Didn't know this place existed. A stream runs through the shops, reflecting shimmering signs.
"Meat smells insane."
"Kinda…"
"Wanna die?"
I can't smell anything 'cause of this cold…
No energy either. Though, getting out's kinda refreshing…
But the chilly breeze makes me feel like I'll get sicker…
"What do you wanna eat, what do you wanna eat?"
"Uh…"
I don't care.
Will my opinion even matter? She'll pick what she wants anyway.
"Samgyeopsal?"
"Damn, dakgalbi sounds so good!"
Fucker, knew it.
In-ha races into the restaurant like a maniac.
She's hyped 'cause OnlyFans money came in, huh…
"Welcome. How many?"
"Two."
The server eyes me up and down.
*What's with this loser? Friends with her?*
Sharp eyes. We're delinquent-loser, got it…
"Ugh."
The restaurant's lights are too bright.
In-ha sits and orders a ton of dakgalbi.
Why so much?
"We eating all this?"
"?"
In-ha blinks wide.
"You eat the leftovers."
Why's that obvious? Am I a garbage bin?
"Ugh, now I want gopchang…"
…
Bad feeling. Bet she'll half-eat the dakgalbi and drag me to a gopchang place.
Her patterns are so predictable.
"Should I tell Juha to come?"
In-ha hums, staring at her phone.
What's Juha been up to? Haven't seen her much.
Practicing banana bread?
"Hah."
In-ha, lost in her phone, slams it down.
So intense today, fuck.
"Wanna go somewhere."
"Where now…"
More outings?
Already anxious.
Last time it was Gangwon-do, pensions, all that…
"There's MacFest, Waterbomb, waterparks…"
In-ha chews her nails.
Why so many damn events?
She's ready to hit every festival.
*Glance.*
Her eyes lock on me.
Why… why me.
"Been to a waterpark?"
"Waterpark?"
Never been.
If I had, I wouldn't be your shuttle.
"Nope."
"Ugh, knew it, loser."
In-ha giggles, tapping her calendar.
"Waterpark's locked in then."
"Huh?"
Locked in what?
Why's my schedule getting made without me?
"Hah."
In-ha props her chin, deep in thought.
If she put that effort into studying, she'd have a 3.5 GPA.
Better not mention grades—she'd crush me.
Might slam my face into the grill.
"Wanna go to Gangwon-do… gotta hit one of them…"
"… …"
What's so great about Gangwon-do?
What's there? Anything fun?
She's not talking about Yangyang, right?
"Not my business, right?"
I ask cautiously.
It's got nothing to do with me, right?
If I get dragged there, my break's done.
I'll do nothing and it'll be over!
"Why wouldn't it be?"
In-ha stabs a pickle, saying it casually.
"You're automatic if we go."
Why? 'Cause I'm the luggage shuttle?
Gotta hide during that time.
"Run, and I'll wreck your house."
"… …"
Haven't been a shuttle in a while, so my poker face is slipping…
"Dakgalbi's here."
"Whoa!"
*Sizzle sizzle.* Red-hot dakgalbi with cheese melting down the sides.
Smells insane.
"Three beers too."
"Which ones?"
"Terra, Kelly, Crush."
Beer buffet much?
In-ha munches dakgalbi, blinking slowly.
"Hmm, wonder if Juha'd go."
"Gangwon-do?"
"Yeah."
Doubt she will.
She hasn't seemed into outings lately.
Though, if In-ha nags enough, she might…
Not sure.
"Hot!"
Dakgalbi's super hot.
But tasty…
"How do I convince her?"
In-ha props her chin, thinking.
This chick—came to eat dakgalbi but barely touching it.
"Joonhyung, try convincing her. She might go if you ask."
"Uh…"
If I suggest Yangyang, she'd look at me like I'm a ghost.
She'd know In-ha put me up to it.
"Hmm… what's in Gangwon-do?"
In-ha twirls cheese, lost in thought.
…I'm gonna end up eating all this dakgalbi.
"Maybe add a casino to the plan?"
Jeongseon Casino? My brain freezes.
"Jeongseon Casino?"
"Yeah, Juha might like it."
Jeongseon…
Bad old memories hit.
The cheese in my mouth tastes salty. Jeongseon… forgot that was in Gangwon-do.
"Right, you're good at poker, huh?
Lots to do there."
Lots to do, but not the good kind, dumbass.
"Yo, it's on the way.
Jeongseon's en route to Yangyang."
My cold's gone, just like that.
Was whining earlier, but now…
Fuck, wanna ditch them at the casino.
*Gulp.*
I stare at the beer foam filling In-ha's glass.
Jeongseon… Jeongseon…
"Ugh."
Can't help but sigh.
This chick—finally got Juha to stop gambling, and now what?
Next OnlyFans shoot, they're done. I'll make them a beehive pizza, fuck.
---
…I'm the one turning into a beehive.
Gonna puke.
Second round at a gopchang place—dying…
"Ugh, so full."
This chick…
I ate most of the dakgalbi, most of the gopchang…
Drank beer 'cause I couldn't resist—gonna die.
Scared to wake up tomorrow.
*Ding.*
Made it home somehow.
Open the door, hear the TV.
Steam smells—someone just showered.
"Yo, Juha, hard to catch you."
"Late."
In-ha bolts to sit next to Juha.
Juha's still damp from the shower.
Yeah… haven't seen her in a while.
In-ha acts like she saw her yesterday, even after a month—so intense.
"Yo, Joonhyung wants to hit Gangwon-do."
In-ha giggles.
This crazy chick!
"Joonhyung?"
Juha blinks, looking at me.
In-ha raises a fist.
*Speak, and you're dead.*
"Where in Gangwon-do?"
"He wants to go to Yangyang."
I don't even know where Yangyang is, fuck!
Just thinking about it makes me sweat.
Full of delinquent, tanned, popular types…
"What's there to do?"
"Plenty."
In-ha looks at Juha nervously.
I stare too, tense.
Please say no! Go with In-ha and ditch her in Gangwon-do…
"Might go for a bit."
"For real?"
Why's she agreeing so easily?
The beer can she's holding—maybe that's why…
I don't mind a day or two.
Just got a bad feeling… Jeongseon to Yangyang… feels like trouble's brewing…
"When we going?"
"I'll plan it."
Don't change your tune!
In-ha darts into the room.
If we're out playing, when's the next OnlyFans shoot? At the beach? Kinda wild.
"Yo, Joonhyung, clean my ears."
"Uh…"
Do whatever you want…