Chapter 41: Will You Accept Me?

It had been like this since the first time I met Jin-wook's mother.

The reason she felt somewhat uncomfortable somewhere.

It wasn't that she treated me poorly or anything.

It was just that she had watched how I treated Jin-wook during our school days.

And despite that, perhaps because she showed an inscrutable smile?

"Come in."

"Then, excuse me."

It had been a really long time since I came to Jin-wook's house, but as soon as I entered, I wanted to leave again.

But since she told me to eat before going, it felt awkward to just leave.

"It's been a really long time since Eun-ha came to our house."

"I-Is that so?"

"I heard you blocked the Dungeon Break that erupted at school a while ago? I saw it on the news, you were really cool."

"Thank you."

I've really become a nationwide celebrity.

She handed her bag to Jin-wook, telling him to throw it somewhere, and headed to her room, perhaps to change clothes.

Jin-wook hung his mother's bag on the coat rack by the entrance and told me, "Rest for a bit."

"What are you going to do?"

"Illustration work."

"Leaving me here like this?"

"What do you mean leaving you? The deadline for the commission is coming up, so I have to do it quickly."

"Che, got it."

Following behind him, I entered Jin-wook's room.

Jin-wook was startled and panicked, asking, "Wh-What? Why are you following me in?"

But I saw it inside the room.

What kind of picture was hanging in Jin-wook's room.

"Ah, that's that picture from back then?"

"Yeah."

"You know, the one where you used me as a model with a destroyed city background for a homework assignment."

"You remembered?"

"Since I was the model, would I forget? But I think it's drawn prettier than me? Is this really me?"

Did I look like this in Jin-wook's eyes back then?

A face without expression.

Me, capturing the scenery of a crumbling city with a smartphone while riding a card and destroying the city.

"I drew the appearance as identical as possible."

"Pff-ft. Even if it's empty words, I feel good. Where do you study such lines?"

"Not empty words."

Jin-wook sat down and grabbed his tablet again. As he was about to move his pen, I gently wrapped my arms around his neck from behind.

"It's hot, get off," he said, trying to start working, but I grinned and looked at the illustration he was about to work on.

A blonde woman looking straight ahead and drawing a sword.

"This time it's not me?"

"I told you it's a commission."

"Pretty. Do you know what commission it is?"

"They said it would be used as a novel cover..."

"Hmm."

"Anyway, get off. I really have to work because the deadline is close."

I glanced at Jin-wook's computer.

The exterior looks the same as before, so how does it withstand such high-resolution work?

"Did you upgrade your compu— Mmph!"

"Shh. Shut up, please."

"Suddenly covering my mouth, what the hell."

Anyway, since he said he had to work, I moved away from Jin-wook and started watching him draw quietly.

I felt it before too, but seeing the lines drawn over lightly painted colors...

And seeing Jin-wook's unique sense of color fill the inside was fascinating no matter how much I looked.

'I'm not good at that kind of thing...'

The fascination coming from the fact that he can do well what I can't.

And Jin-wook's appearance engrossed in something looked somewhat cool, unlike usual.

Even though his current outfit was just a shabby t-shirt and sweatpants.

'Ah, wake up.'

I almost slapped myself asking what I was thinking for a moment.

But hating to break Jin-wook's concentration, I barely withdrew my hand and started watching Jin-wook working again.

As if he completely forgot the fact that I was in the room with him right now.

Until Jin-wook's mother finished preparing the meal, he didn't even breathe as he moved the mouse and tablet pen, and pressed the keyboard as if throwing taps, cleanly completing the base color work.

"Kids, let's eat lunch!"

At that moment, as if timing it perfectly, Jin-wook's mother's voice came from outside. Jin-wook and I answered "Yes" simultaneously and stood up.

Is the saying that people resemble each other if they live together for a long time applicable here?

Seeing us answer simultaneously as if coordinated, we came out bickering, starting with "Hey, why are you copying me?"

Today's lunch menu was a simple Western-style lunch centered on pasta.

"Thank you for the meal."

The reason Jin-wook likes Western or snack food more than Korean food was definitely because of his mother.

She must be busy working as a lawyer, but how is she so good at cooking?

"Jin-wook, you have a lot to do, right?"

"Yeah."

"I have something to talk to Eun-ha about, so would you mind going inside?"

"Okay."

Eh?

You have something to talk about with whom right now?

"Huhu, Eun-ha-ya, sit here."

While Jin-wook ran into his room as if escaping, I was led to the sofa by his mother's hand.

An anxiety creeping from somewhere began to cover me.

Mother looked at me, gave a meaningful smile, and dropped a bomb.

"Yes."

"Auntie is asking because I'm curious, are you interested in Jin-wook?"

"Yes?" (Pardon?)

Uh, so... is she asking in 'that' sense right now?

Whether I consider Jin-wook a man, not a friend.

"A-Ah, no. What do you mean me and Jin-wook... We are just friends."

"Hmm, for that, it seems something has changed between my son and you?"

Sitting with her legs crossed, Mother soon looked at me with a somewhat pleased smile.

A feeling as if she was looking into me from deep inside.

"You know Auntie has tight lips since I'm a lawyer, right? It's okay to tell me, I won't tell anyone."

"Really no. What about me and Jin-wook... If we were in such a relationship, my father wouldn't have allowed us to live together, right?"

"Hmm. True, Chul-jin (Dad) is such a 'daughter-fool', so maybe."

Fortunately, is she accepting it?

I need to finish this Q&A time quickly and escape this question hell.

That was what I thought 2 seconds ago.

"But you never know when living together. Even without living together, a single moment of playing with fire leads to marriage, but you two are living together. So I wondered if it might be more likely."

Wow, fuck.

That sounds like she's saying it knowing nothing, but why does it sound like she's saying it knowing everything?

"Jin-seong (Brother) was such a case."

"Yes...?"

"Hmm, now that Eun-ha is an adult too, maybe I can tell you. Actually, Auntie didn't know I would live with Uncle (Husband) like this either. Back then, we didn't know about things like morning-after pills, we just got drunk, eyes met, and it was just once."

"Wh-What do you mean by that?"

"I'm telling you this because my father almost beat Auntie's groom (husband) to death. If by any chance you cause an accident (get pregnant), please tell me in advance."

Auntie's hand moved to my hair.

Fiddling with my hair, which had now reached near my shoulders—a length quite unreasonable to call the short cut I always used to wear—she spoke as if pleading.

"Because Auntie doesn't want to see our son beaten to death by his father-in-law."

"Wh-What are you saying..."

"Why, do you dislike our Jin-wook as a man? In my eyes, I think he grew up quite cool."

"...I haven't thought of him as a man."

That is a lie.

Just doing the 'One-day Girlfriend' event last time...

Was an idea only possible if I viewed Jin-wook as a man to some extent myself.

...In the first place, since that day, I haven't been seeing Jin-wook entirely as just a friend either.

'There's no way a woman can take a woman's virginity.'

I briefly recalled the memory of Jin-wook's thing pushing inside me back then.

There was definitely pain from the deflowering.

But the pain didn't last as long as I thought.

"Well. For that, it seems there is something."

"It must be just a feeling."

"Huhu, okay. Well, if you ever like Jin-wook, you must tell me, okay? If it's you, Eun-ha, our 'He' (Husband) would probably approve too."

What point of me did she see to try and match me with Jin-wook?

"...Yes. If such a thing happens, I'll tell you."

"Anyway, there's really nothing going on with my son, right?"

"Yes."

I wanted to ask, but kept my mouth shut.

My personality is still unstable, and all I have is looks and ability.

Being with me would be harder for Jin-wook.

"Ugh, then Auntie is tired so I should sleep a bit. Since you came after a long time, rest a bit before going."

"Then, excuse me."

"Yeah. Rest well and go back at a reasonable time later."

"Yes. Good night."

Jin-wook's mother went into the master bedroom.

Left alone, I sat on the sofa and briefly imagined what it would be like after marrying Jin-wook.

Sitting on the sofa hugging a belly swollen due to pregnancy, nagging Jin-wook, a comfortable NEET life...

Slap—!

Pregnancy.

I slapped myself, waking up from the momentary obscene imagination.

Usually, I don't go this far to snap out of it, but this time I needed to get a grip properly.

"Haa, Hwang Eun-ha, wake up."

As I regained my senses, memories from a few days ago resurfaced, and my face started to burn.

Because I remembered myself pouncing on him as if it didn't matter whether I got pregnant or not when my body heated up.

'Ugh, why did I do that.'

There really was no crazy bitch in heat like me.

No matter what, how could I think of jumping on Jin-wook?

"Hey, what are you doing?"

At that moment, I was startled by Jin-wook's voice, who had come out before I knew it.

Did he come out to drink water or something?

I lashed out at Jin-wook, who was holding a cup and a water bottle simultaneously.

"Eek, scaring people."

"What. What the hell were you thinking to be that surprised?"

"Y-You don't need to know."

I turned my gaze away, blushing.

It was an action to avoid being caught thinking about what I was thinking.

But rather, that action seemed to give him suspicion.

"Hmm, seems like you thought of something weird again."

"No I didn't."

"Yeah, you didn't~."

"You little, seriously."

He smirked, picking a fight again for no reason.

Hah...

If we used force, he wouldn't stand a chance, so how did I become the losing one in this relationship?

"Hey."

"Why."

"Do you know what I talked about with your mother earlier?"

"Don't know. How would I know."

Hugging my legs pulled up on the sofa, I buried my face in my knees.

So that my current expression wouldn't be visible to Jin-wook.

I brought up a topic that could summarize everything I heard from Auntie in a single sentence.

"You, if I cling to you asking to get married later, will you accept me?"