Side Story 1.4

Unlike the others around him, who had started smoking, Dowook simply held the cigarette in his mouth without lighting it.  

Why is he doing that?  

Junhee wondered, then remembered the warning she had given him once.  

‘I won’t say anything if you smoke outside, but don’t do it indoors.’

It was during their first official date after becoming a couple.  

They had been friends for such a long time that they didn’t know what to do on a date. Although they had hung out countless times, calling it a “date” made it feel awkward, and they spent a long time hesitating.  

When Dowook noticed her avoiding his gaze, he had sarcastically asked why she wasn’t looking at him. Junhee, still shy, had suggested, 

‘Should we make some rules together?’  

Looking back, it was a childish idea, but Dowook had agreed without much complaint. The no-indoor-smoking rule was one of the rules they had made together.  

‘That’s unexpected. I thought you’d tell me to quit altogether.’  

‘Could you quit if I told you to?’  

‘I’d have to. If you told me to quit, Woo Junhee.’

Junhee liked Dowook’s response. Smoking? She could let that slide. Her heart grew even more lenient. Smoking wasn’t exactly a crime, after all. She didn’t want to be the kind of girlfriend who controlled him so tightly.  

‘I’m letting it slide.’  

‘Oh wow, I’m so grateful.’ 

He said with a playful grin.  

She found his joking expression endearing and impulsively kissed his lips. Surprised by her unexpected action, Dowook froze for a moment before arrogantly saying, 

‘Do it again.’  

‘What?’  

‘I said, do it again.’  

‘It’s already over.’  

‘What’s over? Do it again.’  

‘No.’  

‘Why not? Are your lips going to wear out if you do it one more time?’  

‘Yes, they’ll wear out.’  

‘No, they won’t.’  

As Dowook spoke, he pulled Junhee’s chin toward him. His gaze was fixed on her, craving another kiss.  

It was that signature look of Choi Dowook—completely unrestrained. His eyes were stubborn, persistent, and defiant, as if he wouldn’t tolerate any obstacles in his way. Yet, they were also charming and so full of affection that sometimes they made Junhee want to hide.  

‘…What if you overdo it and we get sick of it?’

Junhee asked cautiously.  

Dowook laughed as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  

‘How about you actually do it enough to get sick of it before saying that?’  

‘Nope, not happening. Focus, Choi Dowook. Rule number seven is….’  

‘If you won’t do it, I’ll do it.’  

Dowook cupped Junhee’s face with both hands and began planting kisses all over it, effectively putting an end to their rule-making session.  

Those rules, which had fizzled out like that, seemed to linger in his mind.

Was he remembering them now and refraining from smoking? 

Junhee looked curiously at the cigarette hanging between Dowook’s lips.  

The corners of his mouth lifted faintly as if he was enjoying Junhee’s prolonged gaze.  

“…Junhee, Woo Junhee.”  

“Oh, yeah. I understand. I’ll do that later depending on the situation. Thank you.”

Ji-won winked at her and went back to handing out ice cream. Junhee turned her head away, but her gaze kept accidentally meeting Dowook’s as if by chance.  

Whenever their eyes met amidst the noisy, bustling crowd, Junhee felt a strange tension.  

It was definitely Choi Dowook, someone she knew all too well and was completely familiar with. Yet, in those moments, it felt like she was facing a total stranger.  

The surroundings were undoubtedly chaotic, but in those fleeting seconds when their eyes locked, it felt like the world consisted only of Dowook and Junhee.  

Maybe it was because she was pretending not to know him, ignoring him in this crowd. Acting like they were strangers, not exchanging a single word, and staying far apart.  

Even when she tried to avoid his gaze out of discomfort, it was no use. 

Was it really just a coincidence, or was Dowook deliberately keeping his eyes on me? 

Their gazes kept meeting.  

Every time their eyes locked, Dowook would either remain expressionless, smirk slightly, or narrow his eyes sharply as if everything about this annoyed him.  

Regardless, he was still surrounded by many people. Junhee quietly sipped her glass of water. She was used to seeing Dowook being the center of attention in any group since they were kids. She also knew very well that, no matter how far apart they were now, he would eventually come back to her.  

So, before Choi Dowook came over, she needed to sober up.  

Dowook wasn’t the type to just sit back and watch Junhee in a dazed state. He’d either tease her mischievously or nag her endlessly, making her life difficult.  

Even before coming to today’s gathering, he had pestered her several times, saying, ‘Don’t drink too much. Go home early. Better yet, don’t go at all.’  

I’ll drink moderately. Don’t worry. I’m not a child. I can take care of myself. Stop nagging.  

In the end, she had hung up on him, slightly annoyed. But now, she couldn’t let him catch her in this state.  

Determined to pull herself together, Junhee poured water into her empty glass. She glanced toward where Dowook was, but he didn’t seem like he’d be leaving that group anytime soon. Several female classmates had also joined his table, surrounding him. Judging by how they were fiddling with their phones, they were probably exchanging numbers.  

“Ah.”  

Cold water spilled onto Junhee’s hand. She had accidentally overfilled her glass. As she blinked down at her wet hand, a senior sitting across from her wiped it with a tissue.  

“Junhee, you look pretty drunk. Shouldn’t you call it a night? You live near school, right? Your face looks a bit dazed. Did you drink too much earlier?”  

“No. I’m sorry, Senior….”  

She wanted to pull her hand away.  

“What’s there to be sorry about? Speak casually. We’re only two years apart.”  

Whether it was because the senior had a strong grip or because Junhee lacked the strength in her drunken state, she couldn’t free her hand. The man continued talking while still holding her hand.  

“Can’t hear me well? It’s too noisy here, isn’t it? Let’s go outside. I’ll walk you home.”  

The man tried to pull Junhee up by her hand.  

“No, I’m fine.”  

“Fine? You can’t even pronounce your words properly. Don’t worry about it. I’m okay with helping you.”  

“No, really, I’m fine….”  

As the man tightened his grip on her hand, it began to hurt. She wanted to pull her hand away, but she still couldn’t. A sense of fear crept over her. The man’s slick smile felt unpleasant, and just then, someone reached out from behind her.  

Junhee’s shoulder was wrapped in an arm, and her body was abruptly pulled backward. The hand that had been holding hers was released, and the person behind her gently took her hand into their own.  

“I’m here to pick up my girlfriend.”  

A familiar voice whispered in her ear. Relief surged through Junhee in an instant.  

“You all have fun. I’m taking her with me.” 

Dowook said irritably to someone.  

The faint scent of cigarettes mixed with a cool cologne—it was Dowook’s scent.  

“You drank a lot, huh?” 

Dowook asked sharply, but Junhee felt her tense body relax.  

“Who made you drink this much?”  

Even though Dowook sounded fierce, Junhee wasn’t scared at all. He grabbed the glass in front of her and tapped it on the table.  

“Huh? Who made you drink this much?”  

“Shut up….”  

Junhee muttered quietly. At that, a familiar low chuckle came from above her head. That laugh eased the tension in her even more.  

Unlike Junhee, however, the senior across from her visibly stiffened. He seemed to recognize Dowook’s face and looked intimidated, his eyes filled with fear.  

Curious about what kind of expression Dowook was making to cause such a reaction, Junhee tried to turn her head, but Dowook cradled her head in his hand. He pressed a firm kiss to the top of her head and spoke with a voice full of longing.  

“God, I missed you….”  

We just saw each other yesterday. We even talked on the phone for over thirty minutes earlier. 

But listening to Dowook’s fervent voice, it felt like they hadn’t seen each other in months.  

Seriously, he’s so dramatic.  

When it came to Junhee, he was always like this. Junhee tried to gently push him away, feeling the sudden quietness of the room. She pressed her fingers against his firm stomach, but the more she pushed, the more stubbornly he held her close.  

If she stayed still, she’d end up completely buried in his arms. Even though the stares from those around her made her uncomfortable, his scent and embrace felt comforting and pleasant. She thought that if she closed her eyes and reopened them, she’d like to find herself under the covers in her apartment with Dowook.  

“What? Your girlfriend is from our department?”  

“Yeah, my first love.”

Junhee grimaced. 

First love? Gross.  

While Junhee cringed, exclamations erupted around her. People who seemed to be Dowook’s friends looked at him with shining eyes, each expressing their surprise and curiosity in their own way.  

Their words came fast and loud, too many to keep up with. Yet, Dowook handled them with ease, responding casually without losing his composure. Even when someone jokingly said he couldn’t leave with his girlfriend unless he finished all the bottles of alcohol in front of him, Dowook willingly picked up his glass.