After receiving an aesthetic treatment and finishing with hair and makeup, it was already quite late, almost 8 o’clock. Staring at herself in the mirror, she couldn’t take her eyes off for a while. It felt like someone else was sitting there. A stranger’s face that didn’t seem to have experienced the storms of the world.
The eyes were slightly shaded with eyeshadow, which looked deep and sultry. Her cheeks were slightly pink, and her lips were coated with pink lip gloss. Without saying a word, she looked at herself in the mirror when Jung-hoo walked into the room. Leaning against the wall, he folded his arms and stared piercingly at Jae-hee in the mirror.
“Let’s go.”
He extended his hand without saying a word about her transformation. Even when she got into the car he was driving, it didn’t feel real to her. Jae-hee’s hand trembled as she continuously touched the end of her necklace, afraid of losing it.
“It’s still snowing.”
Breaking the heavy silence, Jung-hoo spoke calmly. The snow that had been falling since morning was still pouring down.
“Can you pull over for a moment?”
“Why?”
Jung-hoo asked as she hesitated, looking at the nearby pharmacy. After a moment, she lied.
“I want to buy some antacid.”
“Don’t you feel well?”
His eyes carefully examined Jae-hee’s complexion.
“I’ll go get some medicine.”
“No, I thought it’s better to take antacid first than to just eat there and have an upset stomach. I’ll be right back.”
Before he got out of the car, Jae-hee got out first. Jung-hoo handed his wallet to her before he left. After hesitating, she realized she had no cash and took the wallet back before going into the pharmacy.
“What are you looking for?”
Coincidentally, it was a male pharmacist. Jaehee hesitated for a long time, as she had never bought anything like this before, before finally speaking in a small voice.
“…Please give me a contraceptive pill.”
Despite her hesitant request, the doctor casually took out the contraceptive pill and explained how to take it. After taking out a one-thousand won bill from Jung-hoo’s wallet to pay for it, she immediately took a pill with water from the water purifier and checked the time.
Although she had no experience with men, Jaehee knew the basics of contraception. She may not know what Junghoo was thinking, but since she had realized the importance of contraception, she believed it was better to take the pill than not to take it. She knew that the contraceptive effect would not be immediate, despite the pharmacist’s explanation, but still believed it was better to take it than not.
When she finished the remaining water and looked outside the window, she saw Jung-Hoo getting out of the car. She hurriedly went out but stumbled due to the high heels she was wearing for the first time.
“Why are you in such a hurry?”
Junghoo skillfully grabbed Jaehee’s waist and clicked his tongue.
“You got off, so I rushed.”
“Don’t rush me. I’m already in a hurry enough.”
“That’s nonsense.”
Jaehee simply took Junghoo’s words as a joke. She naturally got into the passenger seat he opened for her.
“Don’t worry. It’s just a meeting between close friends.”
“If someone asks about me, what should I say?”
“Why do you ask?”
“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable by telling the truth straightforwardly.”
“The only person who would make me uncomfortable is my Sunbae. I’ve never been troubled by other people’s gazes, so say what’s on your mind.”
She looked back at Junghoo who was driving. His lips were tightly sealed.
The snow that had fallen on her during the short time she was outside had melted into droplets. The fox fur vest she was wearing was cool in certain places. She squeezed the fur tightly and let go, and before she knew it, the car smoothly stopped in front of a restaurant in Cheongdam-dong. Outside the restaurant, it said “00 University Law Department Alumni Association” in writing.
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The next chapter will be updated on March 11, 2022, Saturday.
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Thanks for the chapter!