WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator/Editor: Ryuu

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◈ My Platinum-Blonde Childhood Friend is Too Pretty

Chapter 61: My Birthday Party, and Joo Hye-ryeong (1)

The next day, the bunny-girl outfit Elli would be wearing arrived. And I got a message from Min-ah noona that the Alice cosplay had come in as well.

However, because the second-semester midterms were practically upon us, we couldn’t get together right away.

As for the bunny-girl suit, since there hadn’t been a single weekend since then when both our parents were out, I still hadn’t had a chance to see her in it.

I’d have been happy just to inspect the costume, but Elli flatly refused, telling me to wait and look forward to the real thing.

So, nursing that disappointment, I focused on studying for the exams.

During the week we did night study while watching online lectures, and every so often the three of us—Elli, So-yeon, and I—took turns gathering at each other’s houses.

"…So, the necessary and sufficient condition for z² to be a negative real number is…"

"x = 0, y ≠ 0. Right?"

"Correct!"

"Thanks. Your explanation is seriously good."

"Hmph, you should be thankful Teacher So-yeon is here."

"Thank you, Teacher So-yeon."

Since Lee So-yeon was exceptionally good at studying, I ended up asking her about pretty much everything I didn’t understand.

Unfortunately, the only subject I could teach in return was English, which made me feel a bit guilty.

"…"

And while we were deep in study, Elli was half-heartedly working through problems, endlessly checking her phone.

It was true that Elli couldn’t stay focused for long stretches, but right now she was messaging the online shop owner on Talk.

Starting in mid-October she already had a steady stream of fitting-model gigs lined up.

But because winter season shoots were mostly ladies’ coats, there were almost no couple-look sessions with me; it would be mostly Elli shooting alone.

After finally cracking the tough math problem, I asked Elli,

"What did the owner say?"

"He asked if I could come every week in November."

"Sounds hectic. Didn’t he give you a bonus last time because sales were so good?"

"Yeah."

She answered, but her eyes never left the screen; it was clear she was torn.

The owner treated her well, cut her plenty of slack, paid generous wages, and even tossed in bonuses—he’d made a great impression on us.

Of course—

"Right, that cardigan from the latest shoot was gorgeous! I bought it the second I saw it—Yujin said she grabbed one too!"

Just as So-yeon said, Elli’s modeling really did boost sales, which was why the owner was willing to do so much for her.

"...What should I do?"

And the reason Elli was hesitating now was probably because it meant more time apart from me again.

I went to learn guitar from Jeong-woo hyung every Saturday, and the shoots were usually scheduled for Saturdays too—long ones at that.

So just like the first time Elli took a fitting-model job, we’d barely see each other on Saturdays except at breakfast and dinner.

I could clearly see how much she enjoyed modeling, and the fact that she was hesitating just because she didn’t want to be away from me made me happy.

But on the flip side—

For Elli, for whom I was always the first priority, to agonize this much meant the job must really be fun.

"Take it. You want to, right?"

I said it to help Elli make up her mind.

Honestly, I hated being apart from Elli too, she probably felt the same.

I didn’t exactly relish the idea of reliving that hollow feeling from her first shoot, when she wasn’t by my side.

But we both knew we couldn’t spend every single day clinging to each other forever.

Unlike her first fitting shoot, we were now officially dating, lovers who exchanged deep kisses every day.

Both Elli and I felt a bit more secure and at ease now.

I’d spoken with that in mind, yet Elli shot me a dagger-eyed glare.

"What the heck. Why are you trying to send me away? You got a death wish? Wanna lose your head?"

"No, it’s just that I’m learning guitar from Jeong-woo hyung that day anyway. Even if you came along, you’d just kill time on your phone. I do want to be with you... but you enjoy the modeling job, right? So just go and do it."

"It’s whatever. It’s just work..."

"Don’t be like that. I just started my vocal practice anyway, so while you’re gone I’ll work hard and surprise you on my birthday."

"…"

"I’ll keep in touch like before, so you don’t have to worry."

"Hmph."

She wanted to model, didn’t want to be away from me, wished I’d give her a push, yet got mad when I actually told her to go.

She voiced that contradictory feeling, but because I understood, I could smile and soothe her.

"Thump-thump… thump-thump!"

"Stop making sound effects with your mouth."

"Aww, come on! Watching you two date is the joy of my life!"

"So annoying. I’m not inviting you when we cosplay."

"That’s so mean! I’m living for the day I can see that! How could you do this to me?! I even tutor your husband, you know!"

"Whatever."

Watching So-yeon tease Elli with an exaggerated eye-roll and Elli turn crimson with embarrassment, I chuckled softly.

Yeah.

Even if we had to spend a little time apart now and then, as long as our everyday life stayed like this, it was enough.

After all, when Elli and I gett married and I find a job and started commuting, there would naturally be times we will be apart.

Given the way things stood, there was a high chance we wouldn’t even attend the same university, so that time apart might come sooner rather than later.

It was nice to stick together whenever possible, but we still needed to get a little used to being apart.

Especially if the time apart came from Elli doing something she truly wanted to do.

That was something I could always cheer her on for.

Two more weeks passed, and midterms were coming to an end.

With only one subject left tomorrow, the classroom was buzzing, and I chatted with my friends.

"Hey, Lee Do-yoon! So when’s the birthday party?"

"This weekend, of course. You’re coming, right?"

"Is one Chupa Chups enough for a gift?"

"That’s fine. Just come hang out."

"Damn it... You replying like that makes me feel like trash."

"Jin-woo, that’s because you are trash."

"Shut up."

Since my birthday was next Monday, the talk naturally centered on the upcoming party.

I’d celebrate separately with Elli too, but on the day itself I usually gathered with friends for a loud get-together, it had become a yearly tradition.

Even the friends who’d already given a definite yes were more than ten, so I had to figure out where to fit everyone.

Like last year and the year before, we could meet at a karaoke place, go wild for a while, then let whoever wanted to leave first do so, and the rest could grab a meal afterward.

That was the easiest plan, but the number of people was...

"Do-yoon~ can we come too?"

"Of course. If you want to come, come."

"But if we show up, isn’t Alicia going to say something?"

"She doesn’t mind when it’s my birthday gathering. Don’t worry about gifts, just come eat cake together. I’ll buy plenty."

"What the—why are you buying cake when it’s your birthday? We’ll bring some too."

"That’d be great, thanks."

I accepted the girls from our class with a smile as well, basically welcoming anyone who wanted in.

Elli wouldn’t glare at girls who came to celebrate my birthday. Honestly, she didn’t glare at girls unless they clung to me too aggressively.

Still, the headcount was bigger than expected, and I worried whether any karaoke place could hold us all.

"A karaoke room might not cut it... should I rent an actual party room?"

"The one we used for Shin Chae-hwan’s birthday? Wasn’t it kinda cramped?"

"There’s gotta be somewhere bigger than that."

"Yeah, if we look we’ll find one. Want me to check around?"

"Please. I’ll search a bit too."

"Hey, make sure the place has a karaoke machine. It feels wrong without one."

"Okay."

While Jin-woo and I were talking, the front door of the classroom slid open and a loud voice called my name.

"Lee Do-yoon! When’s the birthday party!"

"Saturday!"

"I’m coming too!"

"Come on!"

"Even that bastard Bbak-ju is coming. Damn... how many people is that?"

"Who knows? Just the ones who’ve asked so far make about twenty."

"That’s crazy."

It did feel like more than usual this year. Maybe I’d have to see my middle-school friends separately.

One by one I accepted new RSVPs while waiting for Elli to arrive.

A moment later—

"Lee Do-yoon. Come here."

Elli, who’d said she was chatting with classmates like I was, stepped into our classroom.

"There she is. Later, man."

"You guys too. Once the venue’s set I’ll post it in the group chat."

"I’ll send a link if I find a good place."

"Thanks~"

I said goodbye to Chae-hwan and Jin-woo, then stood up.

I walked over to my platinum-blonde girlfriend, who stood by the back door with her arms crossed, soaking up every eye in the room.

Beside her stood Lee So-yeon, smiling brightly as ever.

"Have a good talk?"

"Yeah. One of my classmates wanted in on your party, so I told her to come."

"That okay, Do-yoon?"

"It’s my birthday they’re celebrating, so I’m grateful. If anyone asks, just tell them yes."

It was probably one of the girls who’d become close with Elli.

These days Elli didn’t lead rough-and-tumble play and mostly clung to me, but the social skills she’d used to doMin-ahte playtime back in elementary school hadn’t gone anywhere.

On top of that she was unrivaled at school when it came to fashion and makeup, and now she was a fitting model too, so lots of girls struck up conversations in that vein.

Thanks to that, she had a fair number of girl friends—though just as many jealous ones.

At any rate, the three of us left the classroom together.

"Did you two do well on the exam?"

"Eh, not really."

"I feel about the same as last time. What about you?"

"I think my average will go up from last time. Thanks to Teacher So-yeon."

"You know how to repay me, right?"

"Good job."

We chatted idly, with Elli praising me for what felt like a solid bump above last term’s finals.

We drew attention in the hallway—hard not to with faces that stood out like ours.

We were walking and I was telling So-yeon I’d buy her a drink at a café to thank her for all the tutoring when—

a voice stopped us.

"Do-yoon!"

She had pitch-black, flowing long hair, the opposite of Elli’s, and a beaming face that somehow felt both fresh and cute.

She was gaining lots of popularity through her fashion TokTalk videos.

Joo Hye-ryeong.

She grabbed—no, singled me out as we passed by, and spoke with a bright smile.

"Long time no see, Hye-ryeong."

"I know, right? But you’re still watching every TokTalk I post, aren’t you?"

"You always send me the link, so I watch them all with Elli. You’ve really got great style."

"Thanks."

"So what’s up?"

After that brief exchange with me, before Elli or So-yeon could say anything,

"I heard you’re having a birthday party this weekend. Can I come too?"

She asked, just like that.

Boldly, and beautifully.

With a graceful smile in her eyes.

Footnotes:

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