Eighteen’s Bed Novel Completed - Chapter 168

Do you think my face would look good, you bastard? I forced my brows to relax and stretched my lips wide to the sides, but I couldn’t do anything about my twitching facial muscles.

“Why-y-y?”

“Okay, well, there’s no need to feel inferior or anything. It’s not a big deal when you hear it. Your friend’s picture was uploaded on SNS, and Soyeon’s friend’s friend saw it. Anyway, everyone saw it.”

“SNS? Soyeon?”

“Yeah, Park Soyeon.”

It wasn’t an unfamiliar name, as I’d subtly heard it throughout our project. Kang Soohyun always used to say “Soyeon this, Soyeon that,” attaching her name to every sentence, so I remembered it. There were countless times I wanted to shut Kang Soohyun’s mouth. Every time I heard that name, I almost died of embarrassment because of guilt. I never thought that name would come up again in this context.

“Go Yohan doesn’t use SNS.”

“It wouldn’t look cool if it was uploaded on his own account anyway. It’s that annoying friend-nim of yours… whose friend uploaded a picture they took together on their account, and it seems to have appeared on Soyeon’s friend’s friend’s account. Lots of likes, ‘he’s handsome,’ all that crap… Don’t tell your friend-nim what I just said.”

This sucks. It’s not inferiority, but I felt like a dying butterfly fluttering inside me.

“So that friend wants you to introduce Go Yohan?”

“Soyeon was against it. She said he’s a personality-wrecking jerk with a terrible temper who grates on your nerves. But that friend really, really begged Soyeon to be introduced.”

Kang Soohyun’s long-winded explanation continued. My chest felt tight and stuffy, so I chugged the beer on the table. It was just the first thing I saw. The stinging liquid made my stomach ache. Right, it’s all the beer’s fault.

“No.”

“So I just—just once… huh?”

A faint mist followed the shape of my hand on the cup. My heart pounded fiercely. Finally, my slightly unfriendly and very prickly original tone burst out of my mouth. It was by no means intentional.

“He has a girlfriend.”

“…He has a girlfriend?”

“Yeah, he does.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Why is it impossible? It’s possible. Go Yohan is handsome, smart, rich, tall, and kind.”

“Kind? Are you in your right mind?”

“Anyway, he does. He does. His girlfriend is super jealous, so if she found out about something like this, it’d be a huge mess. And don’t you dare go directly to him and say something like this just because I refused here. It’ll be a really big problem.”

“Is his girlfriend’s personality like that?”

“She’s even more of a personality-wrecking, twisted, gloomy person than Go Yohan. She’s totally awful. A sewer.”

“Why are you putting down someone else’s girlfriend like that… Your personality.”

Kang Soohyun looked at me with a somewhat disappointed gaze. Not my problem.

“Anyway, refusing a blind date isn’t a difficult thing, is it?”

So refuse. Refuse, I commanded inwardly, gripping the glass tightly.

But Kang Soohyun, who should have said yes, just smacked his lips. I couldn’t stand not getting a definite answer. My furiously pounding heart felt like it would burst.

“Right?”

“Ah, well, that’s a bit…”

“What’s ‘a bit’?”

“It’s hard to refuse Soyeon’s request.”

“Did you owe her money or something?”

A slight headache returned. I pressed the outside of my forehead with my fingers and asked. Kang Soohyun’s mouth kept mumbling without opening, and I felt like my insides were bursting from frustration.

So this time, I reached out and chugged the beer in front of Kang Soohyun too. Then I wiped the liquid from my mouth with the back of my hand and said,

“Tell her you’ll pay her back with something else.”

“Soyeon… that, Soyeon’s request is a bit… that…”

“She’s not the kind of person to ask for something that would put someone in a difficult position, is she?”

“Right, right. Ah, but.”

“But what, again?”

Kang Soohyun, who hesitantly took back the cup I had snatched, looked at me cautiously. Then he poured beer into the cup he was drinking from and chugged it. Thud. The glass bottle hit the table.

“Right! I’m doing well with Soyeon, so it’s hard to refuse Soyeon’s request!”

“…Doing well? You? With Park Soyeon?”

“Yeah, that’s why!”

Doubt piled on top of frustration. I looked at Kang Soohyun’s appearance in front of me, then recalled Park Soyeon’s neat appearance from my memory, and found the answer. I leaned back against the chair and waved my hand decisively. Let’s just state the conclusion clearly.

“Uh, no. No, so refuse it.”

“No? What do you mean, ‘no,’ friend?”

“You’re mistaken.”

It was certain. If I were Park Soyeon, I would never date Kang Soohyun. I judged based on the given conditions. However, at my certainty, Kang Soohyun’s face flushed. It seemed he didn’t believe me.

“Mistaken? Ha, friend. What do you know? About my and Soyeon’s history? How could an arrogant person like you know about the strong and close relationship built on character? Do you know love? Hey, Soyeon saw my inner self.”

“If your inner self was truly good, I don’t know, but your inner self isn’t as good as you think.”

I corrected Kang Soohyun’s misunderstanding again.

This was my secret apology to Park Soyeon, with whom I had unfortunately become entangled. I felt bad enough for getting involved with Go Yohan, and I didn’t want Kang Soohyun to get involved too. However, I couldn’t help but be flustered by the sight before my eyes. Kang Soohyun was trembling like a soaked hamster.

“That’s just your jealousy, who only cares about outward appearance.”

This bastard, he’s hopeless. I straightened my back again and asked Kang Soohyun bluntly.

“Let’s judge this coldly. Has Soyeon ever contacted you first?”

At my question, Kang Soohyun’s expression hardened. But then, as if something was boiling up inside him, he lowered his lips, then pointed at me with a firm index finger and replied.

“When I contact her, she always replies. I contact her every day!”

“Friends contact each other every day too.”

“My friends said no? They said contacting a girl every day means there’s something between them.”

“Then has she ever contacted you to meet up with just the two of you?”

Kang Soohyun’s eyes darted around in the air, then he pointed his index finger strongly at me.

“When I asked her to grab a meal sometime, she readily agreed!”

“Not words, have you actually eaten alone with her, just the two of you?”

Kang Soohyun’s eyes seemed to be getting moist, but again, not my problem.

“Has she ever messaged you first to eat alone, just the two of you?”

The index finger that had been pointing firmly at me bent, but that wasn’t my problem either. Kang Soohyun, who couldn’t answer my question until the end, finally squeezed his eyes shut. He had finally admitted defeat.

“You… you, you… seriously… What’s wrong with you today?”

Kang Soohyun was utterly childish. He resented me like a kindergartner, then slumped over the table. Because of that, the chopsticks clattered to the floor. The clinking sound pierced my ears.

Ah, I get it.

“Hey.”

I half-heartedly patted Kang Soohyun’s head, who was slumped over. I was trying to comfort him.

“You like her, don’t you?”

Kang Soohyun’s head twitched slightly. I hit the nail on the head. I took my hand off his stiff hair. But the lukewarm sensation of 36.5 degrees remained, making me feel bad. I secretly wiped my hand, which felt like it would rot from the subtle warmth, on the edge of the table and said,

“Then shouldn’t you apologize to her? If she knew about this situation, she’d be really upset.”

“Is that, is that something a human would say?”

Kang Soohyun mumbled, still slumped. But to that person, I’d be an angel. That’s what I think. And Han Taesan said it. I have a clumsy good side. I used to think he was crazy, but now I agree a little. I’m nicer than Kang Soohyun, who likes Park Soyeon. And I’m saying something helpful to Park Soyeon, who is at least nicer than Kang Soohyun. I conveyed my thoughts as gently as possible.

“And if possible, try to reduce contact for her sake. Okay? She might feel very burdened.”

“You son of a bitch. Bastard. Bad guy…”

“Soohyun, I’m saying this all for your own good. Later, you’ll think it was good that you at least remained friends.”

I truly offered the most helpful solution for both their lives, but looking at Kang Soohyun’s face when he lifted it, he clearly didn’t take it that way at all. This pathetic fool. Kang Soohyun grabbed the box of herbal medicine he had placed on the floor and slowly pulled it under his chair.

“…I even bought advance tickets for the amusement park to go together on Christmas.”

Christmas? Amusement park? Advance tickets? He’s really going far. How far has he gone alone in his head?

“I think it’s better not to give them.”

“Then what can I do?!”

“Cut contact.”

“You son of a bitch!”

His fist slammed hard on the table. With a loud noise, small ceramic dishes rattled. However, having gone to an all-boys high school with Go Yohan, such clumsy curses didn’t scare me at all, so I didn’t even blink and just sipped the little remaining soju.

Perhaps my reaction was too bland and uninteresting, as Kang Soohyun changed direction, covered his face with one hand, and began to whine.

“What’s your reason for judging Soyeon and my relationship like that?”

Why? It’s simple. Just recall the face that person was first attracted to. It’s obvious without even asking. Park Soyeon is probably an honest woman who cares about looks, height, and body shape.

“You’re not handsome.”

“But I’m not ugly.”

“…”

“Wow, look at him not saying anything until the end. So considerate.”

Kang Soohyun, whose lower lip trembled, glared at me subtly and said,

“Now I understand why you hang out with that friend.”

“Huh?”

“Among all the bastards I’ve counseled, there’s never been anyone as persistent, malicious, and wicked as you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you bastard. What? There’s no more herbal medicine for you. This actually says Kang Soohyun. Didn’t you know? Do you feel betrayed? Do you understand the terror of Seoul people now? You’re bad… bad bastard!”

But why, after going so well? Why are you suddenly bursting into tears at this timing?

I got goosebumps for a different reason. The eyes of the customers filling the bustling restaurant were directed towards us. ‘What’s wrong with him?’ Disapproving glances were shot directly at us. This is insane. I felt cold sweat trickling down my neck and lowering my head.