SIDE STORY 20

SIDE STORY – TO EARTH (13)

The night before.

At the time when Hong Yoo Hee was thinking of buying clothes tomorrow, or to be exact, when she was excited to meet the oppa next door with the new and pretty clothes she would buy tomorrow, Kang Jin-ho was facing a scantily dressed beauty.

“Drink, drink. Have you become a weak drinker?”

“Because I have no reason to drink.”

“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, but your life is so bleak. My poor Gino.”

The face of Natasha was flushed red as she pretended to cry, and Kang Jin-ho turned his head to avert his gaze as far as possible from her loose tank top that was revealing her chest, and naturally saw the empty bottles lying on the table.

‘I’d rather have a beer can.’

There was nothing but vodka bottles there.

“Anyway, Gino. My Gino. I’m glad.”

“What?”

“You’ve been healthy. For… haha. Haha. The past six years or so.”

Kang Jin-ho knew why Natasha was laughing like that.

He had told her everything honestly.

“Wow, for real. This is unbelievable. The fact that Gino has been competing with the girl next door for the first place position. And the fact that he has lived like that for the past six years because he wanted to tease her.”

“…As I’ve said earlier…”

“What did you say?”

“I only recently knew that she was… the girl next door.”

When Kang Jin-ho spoke quietly, Natasha laughed even louder.

“Wow, oh my god. Look at Gino getting embarrassed. Haha. Yes, it is embarrassing. You do know it’s embarrassing, right? Right? My Gino.”

She could no longer just hold her stomach and laugh, so she began rolling on the floor.

“Hahaha, it’s really funny. Funny. I’m really glad that I came here and saw Gino’s sulking face after a long time.”

“I’m not sulking.”

“Okay, I understand. If you insist, then so be it.”

As Natasha laughed again, Kang Jin-ho silently filled her glass.

It seemed like the best way was to make her drink more so that she would fall asleep.

“How long will you be staying?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll be going back tomorrow.”

Natasha briefly responded and crawled back to the chair and sat with her knees in her arms.

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes, tomorrow. I’m quite busy too.”

Natasha laughed again and began to gulp down the vodka from the glass.

Kang Jin-ho blankly stared at her, blinking his eyes before saying.

“Is it really tomorrow?”

“Yes, it’s tomorrow. Tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow. I have to go back tomorrow. I’ve seen you safe and well, so it’s okay now. Alexei will surely be glad. I’m sure he’ll pat you on the head for doing a good job.”

Natasha spoke with tears in her eyes, perhaps because of drunkenness or longing.

“Natasha…”

“It’s not tomorrow morning though. I’m leaving at night, so let’s go on a date after a long time during the day, okay?”

When Natasha tilted her head as if trying to act cute, Kang Jin-ho narrowed his eyes and spoke instead of nodding his head.

“Excuse me, I’ve never gone on a date with anyone before.”

“Oh my, did you forget about that day? The day Gino peeped at my naked body in the night pool…”

“Wait! I didn’t peep! That was an accident!”

“Yes, if you insist, then so be it. I’ll think of it that way.”

“No! What do you mean by you’ll think of it that way! I’m telling the truth!”

“Yes, that’s right. Everything that Gino says is true.”

The smile of Natasha was like that of a benevolent saint, but Kang Jin-ho was so frustrated that he felt like he was about to burst.

“Hey, don’t be upset.”

Natasha smiled and acted cute again before standing up and continuing her words.

“Anyway, it’s tomorrow. Let’s have fun for the last time tomorrow. Okay, Gino?”

“Natasha?”

Kang Jin-ho unwittingly asked her.

Her words sounded very plain, but he somehow felt uncomfortable.

Tomorrow.

Last time.

But his thoughts did not last long.

Because Natasha immediately shrugged and spoke again.

“Hehe, anyway, that’s what I think, so I’ll go to bed now. I’ll leave the door open… so if you want it, you know? I’m completely fine with it if it’s Gino.”

“Ah, yes, Have a good night’s sleep, Natasha.”

“Hmph, you’ll regret it later.”

Natasha grinned again and waved her hand seductively before heading into the bedroom.

And the next afternoon.

In the streets of Hongdae.

“Oh, it’s the girl next door. Hong Yoo Hee.”

Kang Jin-ho was startled by the remark of Natasha and quickly turned his gaze, thus making eye contact with them.

Looking at him were Hong Yoo Hee and an unfamiliar woman besides her.

Was it possible to meet like this on the streets of Hongdae without any prior agreement?

But there was no time to think about this probability.

Because Natasha began to act even before Kang Jin-ho could open his mouth.

“Hi! You’re the girl next door, right? I’m Natasha.”

As she walked forward and spoke in a friendly manner, the unfamiliar woman flinched and became nervous, while Hong Yoo Hee was bewildered. But she unconsciously faced Natasha with an expressionless face.

“The girl… next door?”

“Yes, the girl next door. Hong Yoo Hee. I heard a lot about you from Gino last night.”

Having said that, Natasha hugged Hong Yoo Hee, not caring on whether Kang Jin-ho who ran was troubled or not, and Hong Yoo Hee thought at that moment.

‘The girl next door?’

Did oppa introduce me that way?

Girl.

The girl next door.

She felt complicated emotions at that time, but that did not last long.

In any case, she was in a situation where a person she had met for the first time was hugging her on the street.

In addition.

‘W-What is this?’

Something was big, soft, and amazing.

‘I-Is she a foreigner?’

The other person was tall, probably around 170 cm.

“Natasha!”

“Yes, Gino. I said hello first. Like you’ve said, she’s really cute and lovely.”

When Natasha said as she hugged Hong Yoo Hee tighter, everyone present was surprised.

Because the foreigner Natasha spoke Korean fluently, despite her pronunciation being a bit awkward.

There was also the content.

What Natasha just mentioned.

‘C-Cute and lovely?’

Buried in the chest of Natasha, Hong Yoo Hee pursed her lips inwards and blushed, while Kim Hye Eun unknowingly covered her smiling mouth and looked at Kang Jin-ho.

And the red-faced Kang Jin-ho shouted in embarrassment.

“W-When did I say that!”

It was in Russian and not Korean.

And in response, Natasha smiled like a devil and answered in Russian.

“After talking like that yesterday, you’re playing innocent now? And why? Why are you denying it in Russian rather than in Korean? Tell me. What’s the reason?”

She actually knew.

Because the reason was so obvious.

But Kang Jin-ho could not admit it.

“Ugh…”

“Look at my Gino’s face turning red. You’re really a civilian now.”

Natasha giggled again and looked down at the blushing and smiling Hong Yoo Hee who was buried in her chest and unable to move.

She could tell what the other was thinking by just the look of her face.

‘O-Oppa said that I was cute and lovely.’

Kya. What should I do?

Natasha could imagine what Hong Yoo Hee was thinking. She then pulled the cheek of Hong Yoo Hee and said.

“I really wanted to meet you since Gino complimented you a lot. My name is Natasha Molotov. Gino’s older sister.”

“Older… sister?”

The eyes of Hong Yoo Hee widened in surprise as she asked, and Natasha nodded her head.

“Yes. Of course, I’m not his real sister, but like an older sister to him. That’s why… thank you very much for being with my Gino for the past six years.”

Her words that began lightly became very serious towards the end.

Hong Yoo Hee unknowingly blushed at the expression of Natasha full of affection, and slowly nodded.

She did not know how to properly express the strange feeling she felt, but it felt like she was recognized for something.

Natasha patted the head of Hong Yoo Hee and asked the person next to them, Kim Hye Eun, who was intrigued as she looked at them.

“But who are you?”

“Uh, I… and Yoo Hee are like close sisters. And I know Gino… I mean, Kang Jin-ho, too…”

At the answer of Kim Hye Eun, Natasha turned to Kang Jin-ho who narrowed his brows for a moment.

And right afterwards, his eyes widened and he asked.

“No way, are you Romantic Cat?”

“Yes, that’s right. I mean, you are correct.”

She could tell the moment they met.

He was clearly older than Kim Hye Eun.

T/N: What happened here is that Kim Hye Eun changed her speech from casual to a more respectful tone since she realized that Kang Jin-ho was older than her.

“What the heck… Uh, I’m-”

“Outboxer009? I mean, you are him, right?”

Kim Hye Eun spoke quite confidently to Kang Jin-ho. He then turned to Hong Yoo Hee who smiled awkwardly.

Because it was Hong Yoo Hee herself who asked him to keep it a secret from the chat room members.

“Hehe, given your words, I guess you’re his internet game friend too? Legend of Heroes 2?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

Kim Hye Eun barely recovered her expression and replied leisurely.

In fact, it was Hong Yoo Hee and Kang Jin who found themselves in an embarrassing and awkward position, and not the third parties themselves.

Or rather, it was quite fun observing the two.

And it was the same for Natasha.

“Since we’ve met like this, shall we go together?”

“Natasha?”

“Eh?”

Kang Jin-ho and Hong Yoo Hee spoke at the same time, and Kim Hye Eun clapped her hands.

Natasha had a big smile again, perhaps because she welcomed the response of Kim Hye Eun.

“Why? Can’t we have fun? Before I leave, I want to know a little more about the lady who captured Gino’s heart.”

“C-Captured…”

Hong Yoo Hee muttered with a red face again, and Kang Jin-ho struggled from being continuously exposed.

“Then it’s decided. Let’s go together. I’ll buy you clothes and shoes.”

Natasha cheerfully said and hugged the shoulder of Hong Yoo Hee as she began to take the lead.

As for the two left.

“She’s… like a storm.”

Instead of replying to Kim Hye Eun, Kang Jin-ho just shrugged and walked forward as he struggled in his embarrassment.

***

Natasha’s ability to act was truly amazing.

Only an hour had passed, but Kang Jin-ho was already exhausted as he stretched his shoulders and stood in front of the changing room of a clothing store with numerous paper bags in his hands.

A heated discussion was continuing in his mind.

“Can’t we just shove our nose into a plate full of water and die?”

“General, you can’t die from just shoving your nose into a plate full of water. It’s like committing suicide by hanging yourself with a tie.”

But how can I see Hong Yoo Hee’s face from tomorrow?

General Kang Jin-ho suffered with a red face, and so did the other Kang Jin-hos.

“But General. In a way, isn’t this a good opportunity? This crisis is a chance! We might be able to make a lot of progress!”

“P-Progress?!”

“Progress?!”

The Sexually Frustrated Kang Jin-ho shouted, and the other Kang Jin-hos began to shake.

It was certainly embarrassing, but thanks to Natasha, a lot of his hidden feelings were revealed.

Moreover, the reaction of Hong Yoo Hee did not seem to be negative.

“So, General! I’m sure of it today! Yes! I’m! Sure! We’ll become a man!”

When Sexually Frustrated Kang Jin-ho insisted again with a smile, some of the Kang Jin-hos gulped hard, but not General Kang Jin-ho.

His already red face turned even redder, and he commanded with a sigh.

“Hey, get him out.”

At the same time as his command, Soldier Kang Jin-ho quickly rushed and captured Sexually Frustrated Kang Jin-ho.

But Sexually Frustrated Kang Jin-ho did not just let himself be dragged out.

“You hypocrites! I know what you’re thinking inside- Mmph! Mmph!”

But it was impossible for Soldier Kang Jin-ho to handle it all as Sexually Frustrated Kang Jin-ho managed to shout ‘How long have we endured! Yesterday too!’ while being dragged out of the tent.

And a moment of silence.

When General Kang Jin-ho tried to issue a command, a change took place in reality.

“Gino, how is it? Isn’t she pretty? Lovely? What do you think?”

The changing room door opened, and out appeared Natasha and Hong Yoo Hee who had become the dress-up doll of the former.

“Give us some feedback. After all, the most important thing is your feelings. Right, Yoo Hee?”

“N-No… ueueue…”

Natasha snickered and grinned, but Hong Yoo Hee bowed her head while trying to deny it.

And Kang Jin-ho grasped his chest without realizing it.

Because his heart began to pound as though it was going to burst.

‘Haa, you two are really having fun. Should I just go?’

And there was Kim Hye Eun watching them.

It was fun at first, but as time passed, she somehow began to suffer splash damage from all the ‘flirting.’

“Yoo Hee, ask him quickly. Okay? Hurry.”

As Natasha urged her, Hong Yoo Hee bit her lip once and slowly raised her head.

“O-Oppa.”

“Y-Yes?”

“H-How do I look?”

Cute. Beautiful. Lovely.

Jude would have said that if it was him, but unfortunately, Kang Jin-ho was not as shameless as Jude yet.

That was why he could not help but only squeeze out a few words.

“I-It suits you.”

It was a bit vague to be called a compliment, but that seemed to be enough as Hong Yoo Hee wiggled her fingers and smiled, while Natasha desperately held back her laughter.

And time went by again.

One hour, two hours, three hours…

The sky was really dark after they ate dinner.

“Sigh, unfortunately, it’s time for me to go back.”

At the words of Natasha who had continuously led the group with excitement, everyone turned to her.

“I have an appointment at 10 o’clock. I have to stop by the meeting place and then leave the country. Because it’s an early morning flight.”

Hong Yoo Hee and Kim Hye Eun nodded in disappointment at her calmly listing facts, but not for Kang Jin-ho.

“Are you really going?”

“Then do you want me to fake it?”

“Then I will…”

“No, you don’t have to see me off at the airport. As I’ve said before, there are people I have to meet. They’re someone you don’t know, Gino.”

Natasha quickly spoke in Russian and lightly pushed away Kang Jin-ho who seemed to still have some regrets. She turned to Hong Yoo Hee and said.

“Yoo Hee. I had a lot of fun today. And as Gino’s older sister, I would like to thank you. Thank you very much for the past 6 years. Please continue to take care of Gino.”

“I-I had a lot of fun too.”

Hong Yoo Hee shyly smiled and only answered the first sentences as she did not know how to reply to the next ones, and Natasha laughed again.

As if it was really the last time, Natasha hugged Hong Yoo Hee and whispered softly into the ear of the latter.

‘W-What? What is she saying?’

Kang Jin-ho grew anxious because the expression of Natasha was just like the smile of a devil, but it was impossible for him to find a way to figure it out.

Natasha continued speaking, and Hong Yoo Hee swallowed hard with a red face and nodded as she looked at Kang Jin-ho.

‘What is it?’

What in the world is it?

What in the world are they talking about?

But Hong Yoo Hee did not say anything, and neither did Natasha.

She eventually kissed Hong Yoo Hee on the cheek and said goodbye to Kang Jin-ho with a hug.

“Goodbye, Gino. Take care of yourself. Got it?”

“Really… You’re just leaving?”

“Because today’s not the only day. We can see each other later, right?”

What she said was not wrong.

It was true.

But why?

Was it because he met her after six years?

He felt like he could not let her go like this.

But he could not stop Natasha just because of his feelings.

In the first place, Natasha would not stop leaving just for that reason.

“Then, goodbye. See you next time. Don’t forget what I said, okay?”

“…Yes.”

When Hong Yoo Hee timidly replied, Natasha was satisfied and turned around.

And she really began to go her way without looking back.

She arrived like a storm and left like a storm.

On the other hand, the exit of Kim Hye Eun was very quiet and natural.

“See you later in the game then.”

After Kim Hye Eun said that, she went her own way, so only the two were left this time.

“Uh… Shall we go too?”

“Yes, oppa.”

Because the two were neighbors and had the same way home.

Just like with the offline meeting last time, they got into the car together and headed home.

Several minutes passed.

Kang Jin-ho stopped at a signal light and gulped once before opening his mouth as he tried to speak as naturally as possible.

“Umm… Miss Yoo Hee.”

“Yes?”

“Uh… Well… earlier.”

“Earlier?”

“Yes, earlier. Uh, Natasha…”

“Natasha-unnie?”

“Uh… What did she… say earlier?”

The words that Natasha whispered just before they parted.

In fact, Kang Jin-ho highly valued privacy, but he made an exception for this time only.

Because he was so anxious at the expression of Hong Yoo Hee who stared at him while she was listening to Natasha.

What is it?

What in the world is it?

What in the world did she say?

Kang Jin-ho tried to suppress his nervousness and looked at the front, and Hong Yoo Hee pursed her lips and smiled a little.

“Miss Yoo Hee?”

“Uh, well. Natasha-unnie said this. She was sure that you’ll ask me later when we’re alone.”

Kang Jin-ho felt really miserable at those words.

As expected of Natasha.

She’s indeed Natasha.

If Kang Jin-ho was a master in teasing Hong Yoo Hee, then Natasha was a master in teasing Kang Jin-ho.

“W-What did she say then?”

He had already turned stiff.

Kang Jin-ho asked again despite his embarrassment, and Hong Yoo Hee pursed her lips and slightly turned away. She looked out the window and spoke in a small voice.

“…Your girl.”

“Huh?”

“Oppa likes… bunny girls… a lot…”

Kang Jin-ho could not say anything at her intermittent words.

Or rather, he was screaming in his mind.

‘Alexei! Alexei!’

Help me! Please! PLEEEASE!

But there was no answer as always, so Kang Jin-ho continued to be embarrassed while Hong Yoo Hee silently smiled.

And half an hour later.

Kang Jin-ho had endured the hellish time and arrived at the parking lot. He got out of the car while feeling exhausted.

He took the dozens of paper bags Natasha had bought for Hong Yoo Hee, and glanced at the sprinkler before saying.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, oppak.”

Perhaps it was because of the mood that a ‘k’ was mixed at the end of her words.

Kang Jin-ho tried to calm himself down and rode the elevator with Hong Yoo Hee.

And after a while.

He got off the elevator and put down the paper bags in front of the house of Hong Yoo Hee. He spoke briefly instead of making any excuses.

“I’ll be going then.”

“Yes, oppa. See you in the gameth.”

It’s probably just because of the mood again.

Kang Jin-ho convinced himself and operated the electronic door of his apartment.

Beep-beep-beep.

Now it would open with a clicking sound.

“Huh?”

But it did not open.

Perhaps there was a malfunction, so he tried again, but there was not even a beep afterwards.

How did this happen?

Don’t tell me it’s Natasha?

‘I-It can’t be.’

I doubt it.

Yes, no way.

And even if that’s the case, the situation is different from last time.

At Yoo Hee’s house, her parents are-

“The door… is not opening?”

Kang Jin-ho was startled at that moment from the voice he heard from behind, and replied as calm as he could.

“Uh, yes. It looks like it’s… broken.”

But it was fine.

It was only an electronic door, so he could just break in. He could also get in through the window by climbing the wall.

But right afterwards.

He discarded all his plans at the voice from behind him.

“There is… no one at my home today.”

She muttered as if talking to herself, but somehow seemed like she was wanting someone else to hear it.

“They suddenly won another travel ticket in the lottery, so they left this morning.”

The ears of Kang Jin-ho perked up.

He could not resist it.

And her last words that followed.

“Oppa, would you like to… watch Netflix at my house?”

Kang Jin-ho turned around.

And at that moment, a coup was taking place in the tent inside the mind of Kang Jin-ho.

“Let me go! Let me go! Release me! This is a rebellion! A rebellion! A coup!”

“But General, this is the will of all the Kang Jin-hos.”

At the remark of Sexually Frustrated Kang Jin-ho who suddenly re-entered the tent, General Kang Jin-ho tried to shout, but soon gave up speaking.

Because the Kang Jin-hos in the tent neither actively responded to Sexually Frustrated Kang Jin-ho, nor opposed it.

“Just a moment, just pretend you don’t know what she means for a moment.”

In response to Sexually Frustrated Kang Jin-ho, General Kang Jin-ho eventually sighed and lowered his shoulders, giving up his seat to Sexually Frustrated Kang Jin-ho.

“What should we do?”

“What will we do? Of course, go ahead!”

At the cool words of Sexually Frustrated Kang Jin-ho, the Kang Jin-hos in the tent confidently raised their heads at the same time.

And the Kang Jin-ho in reality replied.

“Should we… eat ramyeon too?”

“Yes, ramyeon. I’m really good at cooking ramyeon. You may even fall in love from eating it…”

What Netflix and what ramyeon?

Where in the world did that ramyeon come from?

If it was Kang Jin-ho, the incarnation of rational reason, he would have naturally been skeptical of it, but he could not be like that this time.

Sexually Frustrated Kang Jin-ho took control of the tent and swung his baton with a happy smile, and the Kang Jin-ho in reality followed Hong Yoo Hee into her house.