Pick Up the Rejected Pure Love

Eun-ha and I walked into the bar we had promised to meet at.

After showing our IDs, we scanned the room and spotted Jeong Harim waving enthusiastically from a distance.

Eun-ha smiled brightly as she approached the table to greet Harim.

“Harim~ Hi~”

“Eun-ha, long time no see~ How have you been? You look so much better since you started living with Han-gyeol~”

She had told them we were living together before we met up.

“Yeah, yeah. It’s been great. Hi, Jang Yujin.”

“Hey. Hi.”

I also greeted Yujin from behind Eun-ha.

“You’re here?”

We settled into our seats and ordered a bottle of soju and some stir-fried pork. But today, we were here more for the conversation than the alcohol.

“By the way, did Han-gyeol lose weight? I haven’t seen you in about a month, but your face looks slimmer.”

“Yeah, right? I’ve been gaining weight from drinking and partying, but why are you losing weight? It’s annoying.”

Jeong Harim’s comment prompted Yujin to chime in as well. I did feel like I had lost some weight recently.

The reason, if I had to pinpoint it...was probably because of how much Eun-ha and I had been doing it.

I knew living together meant we’d do it a lot, but it was more than I expected.

On days when Eun-ha wanted it...morning, noon, evening, even at dawn...

I have a pretty high sex drive, but Eun-ha’s is no joke either.

Lately, Eun-ha seemed to be the one wanting it more often... Feeling a bit guilty, she stammered out a response.

“R-really? Maybe it’s because Han-gyeol and I have been going out a lot lately... Haha. Hahaha.”

I couldn’t exactly say it was because we’d been having too much sex.

However, Jeong Harim seemed to catch on to something in Eun-ha’s nervousness and looked at her with a knowing expression.

Yujin, on the other hand, didn’t seem to notice anything unusual and spoke to me.

“Don’t you guys fight? Most people fight at least once when they live together.”

“We’re doing well. We’ve divided up the housework nicely.”

“Oh- really? That’s practically like being married. Why don’t you just get married already?”

“We’re only twenty, it’s a bit ea-”

Before I could finish, Eun-ha looked at Yujin and said.

“You think so too?! I think so too! Yeah, it’s practically like we’re married.”

Yujin was taken aback by Eun-ha’s bold statement. Meanwhile, Jeong Harim maintained her characteristic calmness and teased the situation.

“Sooner is better~ How many kids do you want~?”

Although Jeong Harim asked playfully, Eun-ha responded seriously.

“Four.”

“What?”

For the first time, the composure disappeared from Jeong Harim’s face.

She probably didn’t expect us to be thinking that far ahead. And not just one or two kids, but four...

Of course, that would be surprising. Just as a slight awkwardness began to settle over the group, our drinks and snacks arrived at the table, perfectly timed.

“L-let’s talk while we drink.”

Jeong Harim, flustered, opened the bottle of soju.

“Sure.”

“Okay.”

Each of us filled our glasses with soju and clinked them together in midair.

After downing our drinks, we finally began to have a proper conversation.

“Meeting like this feels so new~ I can’t believe we’re adults.”

“Yeah, it does. But being twenty is fun. We get to drink like this.”

“I used to love watching Eun-ha and Han-gyeol dating in high school, but now I can’t, and it’s a bit sad~”

“Not much has changed since then.”

“Really? I wonder about that~ Huhu...”

As expected, Jeong Harim was quick to catch on. She always had a sly side.

“It’s changed a lot...!”

But Eun-ha responded without any hesitation to Harim’s comment.

“What’s changed, exactly~? Come on, tell us~”

“Han-gyeol’s become even better...”

Eun-ha’s innocent remark brought another wave of silence.

“Oh, come on-”

Yujin, sitting across from me, silently refilled his glass.

Jeong Harim extended her glass towards Yujin as well.

“Give me some too.”

“Alright. Let’s drink the bitter stuff and forget the sweetness.”

Surprisingly, these two got along well.

“Han-gyeol, aren’t you worried that once the new semester starts, there will be lots of guys hitting on Eun-ha?”

Jeong Harim hit a sore spot. Her sly smile was annoying, but... honestly, it was a bit concerning.

I subtly turned my head to the side to see Eun-ha, whose overwhelming beauty stood out.

“Why?”

I had a feeling that if she walked alone on the street right now, tons of guys would ask for her number.

Although we’re always together now, it wouldn’t be the same once we started university.

Trying to look unbothered, I lifted my glass, but the drink wobbled slightly for some reason.

“W-worried? No way... Eun-ha only loves me... She’s the kind of strong girl who’d reject any guy in a heartbeat... She loves me and always says she’s mine, so it’s fine... It’ll be fine...”

“Sorry, did I touch a nerve? Your glass is trembling.”

As Jeong Harim’s comment ended, this time, Yujin spoke up.

“Honestly, shouldn’t Shin Eun-ha be just as worried? Han-gyeol might have a quirky personality, but he’s still pretty good-looking, isn’t he?”

Was he saying that for my sake? I felt grateful to Yujin. But my anxiety seemed to have spread to Eun-ha as well.

“I-I’m fine... Han-gyeol is mine... If any girl approaches him, I’ll cut them off immediately... Han-gyeol has to stay by my side until he dies... So, it’s fine... I have no intention of sparing any girl who comes near him...”

Unlike my trembling glass, Eun-ha’s hand, holding a fork, was shaking.

“Aren’t you two a bit different in style? What’s this about not sparing anyone?”

“You two are a perfect match~ like soulmates.”

It seemed they enjoyed watching us.

“Han-gyeol, don’t worry about me. I’m definitely yours. Don’t worry. If you want, we can get married right now. We don’t need a wedding. All I need is for the law and society to recognize us as a married couple.”

“Isn’t that a bit unromantic?”

“All I need is Han-gyeol.”

“But I want to see you in a wedding dress, Eun-ha...”

“Then, soon...!”

Seeing us like this, Yujin and Jeong Harim clinked their glasses together, looking envious.

“Hey, why are we being left out?”

“It felt like you two were in another world. For a moment, I thought we disappeared.”

“Got it. We’ll tone down the lovey-dovey stuff. Let’s all enjoy together.”

“Right. It’s been a while since we met. Let’s drink properly from now on.”

Jeong Harim and Yujin filled their glasses again and extended them towards us.

***

Eun-ha and Yujin seemed to have similar drinking capacities, as they both collapsed onto the table.

Only Jeong Harim and I remained conscious.

“So, this is how it ends... I didn’t expect Yujin to get this drunk and pass out.”

“He can’t handle alcohol. Last time too, he just went ‘plop’ around this point~ It was tough getting him into a taxi.”

“You two drank together before?”

“Oh no~ I slipped up~ Hurry and take care of Eun-ha~ I’ll handle Yujin.”

“No way. Even so, how are you going to-”

Before I could finish, Jeong Harim grabbed Yujin’s arm and lifted him up with ease.

“Huh? What did you say?”

“N-nothing... You’re really strong...”

“This is nothing. Anyway, can you settle the bill? Send me the total and I’ll cover Yujin’s share too.”

“Sure. I’ll take care of my girlfriend first.”

I helped Eun-ha up, paid the bill, and we left the bar.

“Take care on your way home. Make sure Yujin gets home safely.”

“Don’t worry~ You take care of Eun-ha too. Let’s meet again soon.”

“Yeah, it was fun.”

“For us too~”

Jeong Harim supported Yujin and walked away.

“Come to think of it... Did she always call Yujin without his last name?”

Well, their relationship is their business. I needed to take care of Eun-ha.

“Han-gyeol~ The ground is waving~ It’s amazing~”

“Oh dear, we need to get you into a taxi. Let’s go.”

“Carry me, Han-gyeol~ Carry me.”

Her cuteness made me give in and carry her on my back.

“How’s this? Satisfied?”

“...”

“Eun-ha?”

“...”

She must have asked to be carried because she was sleepy.

As we slowly walked towards the taxi stand, Eun-ha began muttering in her sleep.

“Han-gyeol is mine... If you touch him, I’ll start with one arm...”

“What kind of dream are you having? Eun-ha, calm down. What’s with starting with one arm?”

“Stay still... It’ll hurt more if you move... Slice.”

“Eun-ha? Who are you cutting?”

Scary…

Even in the taxi, Eun-ha continued her violent dream.

“Whose is Han-gyeol...?”

“Yours, Eun-ha.”

“Right... Good job...”

It seemed she had brainwashed someone in her dream.

gently placed my hand over Eun-ha’s, who held onto it even in her sleep.

“Mine...”

Eun-ha’s birthday is coming up in a few days, so I’ll take this chance to measure her finger size.

--- The End OF The Chapter ---

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