45

"Noona, do girls prefer a bad boy or a nice guy?" Daniel asked out of the blue.

She was a little taken aback by the questioning, "Eh? Why are you asking me something like this?"

"Well, I was just curious and it seems like a girl's opinion on this question of mine is the only one that would matter."

Erin withdrew from his one armed embrace and had a pondering expression, "Hmm, I think this is a pretty loaded question that has a lot of factors to consider and any answer would only be a subjective opinion because it would really depend on the girl right? But generally, girls don't exactly prefer bad boys per se. We are attracted to confidence, and so called 'bad boys' are usually more confident than 'nice guys'."

"And it also depends on which stage of life the woman is in. When they are still in school, perhaps dating a 'bad boy' makes them feel more edgy and cool, so they would rather be in relationship with the cigarette smoking punk who gets into fights. But once they start to get older and become more mature, they begin to see the value of a more stable partner who doesn't get involved with dumb things like getting into fights and smoking."

"Plus, what kind of partner is the woman looking for? If they just want to date around and have fun, then the entertaining and wild life style of a 'bad boy' may seem more attractive. But if they are looking to settle down and get married, then someone who is more considerate and well-adjusted would definitely be the person they desire to be with."

"There are a lot more factors to consider, but these, I would say, are the main points. Did that answer your question?" Erin finished while Daniel looked impressed with the well-thought out and thorough answer.

'Girls are attracted to confidence… Though I may not consciously be aware of it, but maybe I have become more confident because of this new body of mine? Certainly there are things that I have said or done in this new body that I never would have said or did in my old body…'

An example of course was him drinking alcohol with a girl in her room, as well as all the naughty things that he had done so far with both Sophie and Brooke.

"Yeah, you really did answer my question. I didn't think there were so many things that factored in to attraction, I suppose."

She grinned at his praise, "Why, were you thinking if you should be a bad boy or a nice guy? I keep forgetting that although you look mature, you're still 16. Kids your age are all still looking into yourself and trying to find a self-identity they are comfortable with to present to society."

"…Kids my age? Are you a lot older than me? Noona, how old are you really? Should I be calling you ajumma instead?" Daniel teased back, though mostly it was to avoid her question about him thinking whether he should be a bad boy or a nice guy.

Because truthfully, he didn't know if he was being either right now. He was raised to be kind and considerate to others, and when he went to middle school he tried his hardest to be nice to his classmates… His classmates took his kindness and stomped it into the ground, taking him as a pushover and forced him to become their gopher.

He was regularly beaten and punished even though he had never done anything to offend them. Just his existence alone was enough for them to throw any attempts from him to befriend them into the trash.

Whereas the 'bad kids' were the ones who were popular in school, with many friends and even being chummy with pretty girls.

And now that he was acting like a scumbag, going on dates with multiple girls and taking advantage of their affection for him, he was the one being rewarded this time. Not for his kindness, but simply because he was handsome…

So Daniel was indeed confused and he was having something like an identity crisis.

Erin slapped his shoulder playfully, "How rude! You are saying I'm old? I am only 20 years old, okay? I'm in the prime of my youth! What ajumma? This kid, you tired of living?"

Daniel tried not to let the existential crisis he was having seep through his façade, and he chuckled playfully at Erin, "That's what the ajummas in my neighbourhood always say too – 'Aigoo, I'm still a young woman even though I have multiple children who are already adults'."

She pouted and pointed an accusatory finger at him, "Ah now I see it. You are definitely a bad boy! I thought you were a nice kid, and you come into my apartment, drink my beer and call me old?"

Daniel took another sip of the beer, "I'm bad? Aren't you the one trying to get me drunk? Noona, be honest, you are trying to take advantage of me aren't you?"

"…" Erin blushed at being called out on her actions, but couldn't find the words to refute him.

Daniel grinned at seeing her flustered, feeling amused at teasing a noona who was 4 years older than him. The alcohol buzzing in him giving him more courage to do and say things he usually wouldn't dare to.

He put up a hand to his forehead and made an exaggerated show of being lightheaded, "Ah, what should I do? The room is spinning and I think the alcohol is making me too drunk to resist what this cunning noona wants to do to me."

Daniel then deliberately put down the nearly empty beer on the floor while flopping down on the bed with his eyes closed and a smile on his face, "Oh no, I am really too drunk to resist her now. I hope she doesn't do anything to me while I am passed out…"

Erin was stunned at his sudden boldness and cringe-worthy acting.