CHAPTER 46: AFTER DISCHARGE
Seo Juhwan felt something welling up inside him, his voice trembling.
He never thought she would embrace him like this in front of all the soldiers.
He felt anew that he had become close to Jeong Sora.
'I'm glad I lived again.'
While he was immersed in emotion, a voice full of mischief reached his ears.
"The administrative office was the most fun. Don't you think?"
"...I didn't hear that well?"
"Now that it's over, I regret it. If I'd known it would end like this, I should have done it when you asked. Don't you think?"
"...This noona really is something."
Seo Juhwan let out a helpless laugh with a bewildered expression. When he turned his head, she was smiling mischievously and chuckling.
'This noona is...'
With a sigh, his head shook on its own.
She was truly a fox-like woman. It was strange because when he checked directly, she didn't have a tail.
A moment later.
Jeong Sora released him from her embrace and said:
"Say something to the junior soldiers who still have military service left."
"Huh?"
"What? You have nothing to say?"
"Um..."
A discharge ceremony different from before regression.
It was such an unexpected situation that he couldn't think of much to say. Then his eyes met Lee Junghoon's, and something suddenly came to mind.
"Hyung Junghoon!"
"Yes, sir! Hehe, Lee Junghoon."
Lee Junghoon answered playfully.
Meanwhile, Seo Juhwan spoke with a serious voice.
"You didn't forget our promise, right?"
"Promise?"
"When I'm on leave!"
"Leave? Ah, yes!"
As if suddenly remembering, Lee Junghoon kept nodding his head.
Soon he flashed a manly smile and gave a thumbs up. Seo Juhwan returned the gesture with his own thumbs up.
Good, this was enough.
He turned to the bewildered junior soldiers and said:
"You guys!"
"Yes, sir!"
The junior soldiers answered energetically.
In their position, Seo Juhwan was quite an unusual senior. He was clearly timid and unlucky, but at some point he started performing amazingly, went on leave, and even caught a murderer.
What kind of advice would he give before leaving?
To those junior soldiers, Seo Juhwan grinned and shouted loudly:
"Get some demerits! I'm leaving!"
"..."
The junior soldiers fell silent in confusion for a moment.
Seo Juhwan ran toward the guard post before they could recover.
Tap, tap, tap!
"Demerits are bullshit! Ahhhhh!"
"You're already getting wise right after it's over!"
Angry shouts came from behind.
"Grab him!"
"Let's finally talk about the blanket thing from yesterday!"
"Stop right there! No, wait!"
"Juhwan, have a good one! I'll contact you when I'm on leave!"
The junior soldiers let out laughing screams as his farewell.
Seo Juhwan left the guard post with their send-off.
Finally, he was discharged.
*
---EXTRA SCENE 1: STAY IN TOUCH---
"Juhwan."
"Yeah?"
"There's something I couldn't say earlier."
"What is it?"
"Stay in touch even after discharge."
"Of course. Don't worry. I won't be clingy."
He didn't want to lose a good person by prioritizing lust.
But Jeong Sora sighed as if frustrated.
"That's not it... I think it would be okay when you don't have a girlfriend."
"...Huh? What does that mean?"
"When, um, neither of us has a partner, then... if we feel like it, let's do it."
Jeong Sora spoke while avoiding his gaze.
Seo Juhwan, who had tried hard to let go, was flustered and asked in return:
"Didn't you just say you didn't want to? That this was the last time?"
"Ah, I was trying to say something then too. I said I was sad that this had to be the last time. But you kept moving and wouldn't let me talk!"
Jeong Sora shouted, embarrassed at contradicting herself.
Meanwhile, he smiled brightly. Wasn't this saying she couldn't forget him? The promise he'd made to create an unforgettable moment was being kept.
Seo Juhwan's self-esteem as a man skyrocketed.
"Hehe. Noona."
"...Why are you laughing like that?"
"Did I really do that well? Once a month after discharge..."
At those words, Jeong Sora's face became troubled and she became serious.
"No, that's not possible. Wouldn't strange rumors spread if you came all the way here? Just don't come and just contact me instead."
"...Then you'll come to me?"
"Yeah. I'll go."
"When?"
"Hmm? I have personal things to take care of too, so I don't know the exact date. The hometown and Seoul are far apart anyway."
Seo Juhwan felt a sudden deflation. Disappointment was clearly evident in his voice.
"...Contact me when you're on leave."
"Aha. Our Juhwan is eager to see noona, huh? You're not sulking, right?"
"Who's sulking?"
"Hehe. I'll contact you later, so wait for it. Oh right. You should tell me if you get a girlfriend."
"A girlfriend? Why? Are you jealous?"
"Jealous of what. No matter what, I can't do it if you have a girlfriend. That would be disrespectful to her."
Seo Juhwan found it annoying how Jeong Sora was drawing clear lines unnecessarily. Of course, he wasn't saying he'd do it if he had a girlfriend, but...
Jeong Sora chuckled and teased:
"And if you develop feelings for someone, tell me. I can at least give you dating advice."
"...Noona."
"Hmm?"
"Do you remember when I confessed to you?"
"Yeah."
"That really was bad."
"...Yeah."
"Ah, forget it. I'm not asking you to apologize."
"Can I still not apologize?"
"Instead, give me a kiss."
"Smooch."
"Here too."
"Smooch."
"Okay. I won't bring this up again."
"Smooch."
"...I didn't say lips."
"Aha."
How could she convey an apologetic feeling through a laughing face?
And yet she was clearly drawing all the necessary lines.
That was the ironic part—it didn't feel bad at all.
"Sigh."
Seo Juhwan completely gave up and let out a small laugh.
Anyway, she was a noona he could never win against.
***
---EXTRA SCENE 2: STRANGE SMELL---
Sniff, sniff.
"Hey, don't you smell something strange?"
"Are you referring to the febreze smell, sir?"
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