Yes, It’s Me. The Obsessive Side Top

#059

I strongly swatted his arm away.

Due to the murderous atmosphere, the gazes of the people around us gathered. Not wanting to cause unnecessary trouble on I-na’s birthday, I quietly hissed at Ji-hoo,

“It’s a day to celebrate, so let’s appropriately back off from each other?”

“Ooh. Scary.”

Ji-hoo exaggeratedly moved away from me. Then he smiled despicably, brought his face close to mine, and whispered quietly.

“Don’t pretend to be noble. We should play properly, shouldn’t we? You’re a hedonist, Ha Jin.”

“You’re on the rise these days, so will it be okay?”

“…”

“Do it in moderation. Don’t cause trouble for I-na.”

“I’m a bit disappointed to hear you say that?”

“What does your disappointment have to do with me? You should take care of your image. If it’s known that you played dirty, I wonder if even a handful of fans will remain?”

“Seriously. I’m telling you, you have to acknowledge Ha Jin’s bluntness.” 

He frowned as if his feelings were hurt, but he managed to make a kind voice and moved away from me. His tail-between-his-legs escape looked quite funny. I guess he doesn’t want his entertainment career to end? But I can only sigh at his words that he can’t let go of his lingering attachment and will wait for my contact.

“Ha Jin.”

Who’s calling me again? Without easing my frown, I turned around and saw Kim Shin looking at me with a puzzled face.

“You’re late?”

Kim Shin smiled brightly, trying to hide his rough breathing at my question.

“I didn’t know Ha Jin was attending too. You should have contacted me? Then we could have come together. I rushed over here after hearing the news that you came.”

Contrary to his calm tone, his chest was constantly moving up and down. After catching his breath with effort, he rubbed my furrowed brow with his finger. My furrowed expression relaxed at his touch.

“Why are you upset? Did something happen?”

“Nothing special.”

“Can’t you tell me that you were bored without me? I think I would be so happy to hear that.”

The brow I had tried hard to smooth furrowed again.

“Relax your expression. You’ll get wrinkles on your pretty face.”

I tried to slap away Kim Shin’s approaching hand again, but the surroundings became noisy and congratulatory remarks popped out from here and there.

“Wow. I-na dressed up with determination today. She put in more effort than for an awards ceremony?”

I-na was seen walking with a bright smile among the people. I-na, who was looking around as if searching for someone while receiving congratulatory greetings, made eye contact with me and immediately walked towards me. After discovering me, she seemed to half-heartedly listen to the greetings around her, and eventually, when she came close, I-na spread her arms and jumped into my embrace.

I reflexively held her up. She felt light in my arms as if she doesn’t even eat properly.

“I really didn’t think you would come. I didn’t get my hopes up in case I got disappointed after hoping in vain.”

I-na murmured in my arms as if complaining. I-na, whose mouth corners were up to her cheekbones, had a very happy face. Thinking ‘Could it be, still?’ I thought I shouldn’t have come.

Moreover, everyone is paying too much attention. I felt sorry as if my existence was needlessly staining the popular I-na.

“Happy birthday. I-na.”

When I quickly detached her from my embrace, I-na was rolling her eyes with a face that looked happy enough to die. Afraid she might hug me again, I quickly pulled Kim Shin.

“Our I-na. Shall we go to the protagonist’s seat?”

With good sense, Kim Shin separated I-na from me. Even while being pulled by Kim Shin’s hand, I-na maintained a happy face.

‘Yes, she’s so happy, so I guess I came well.’

The long table covered with velvet cloth like a new work production announcement was decorated with colorful flowers, and a pretty 3-tier cake was placed in the center. The cake befitting the glamorous venue suited I-na well. Kim Shin, who was sticking close to her side, also suited the glamor quite well.

Even while sitting there, I-na kept making eye contact with me. Although it seemed like most people were whispering, knowing about me and I-na, I smiled brightly as if I didn’t care. I thought the whispers would decrease if I at least gave a good-natured smile.

People’s birthday song started and I-na blew out the candles. While I was watching I-na cut the cake, I clearly heard a very small voice in my ear.

“Blood doesn’t lie, I guess.”

They were chatting without minding their surroundings, as if thinking it wouldn’t be heard in the space where loud music was playing. My ears perked up at their conversation. It was a sarcasm that didn’t suit the birthday celebration.

“I-na? She has an incredible aura. Is it because her family has been prestigious for generations? She gives off the vibe of a rich young lady, don’t you think?”

“We’re not talking about I-na, you know?”

The sharp remark sounded tiring just by listening to it, so I tried to divert my attention, but at that moment, I heard a familiar name. In the end, I had no choice but to listen to their conversation again.

“No. I mean Baek’s son. Ha Jin. I thought he was American or something. How can he even think of coming to his ex-girlfriend’s birthday party?”

“I-na must have invited him. I saw I-na earlier and her lingering feelings were dripping.”

“Still, she’s his ex-girlfriend. Cool, so cool. Even Baek is totally American-minded.”

“She’s not even active now. It’s been so long since she retired, why are you suddenly mentioning Baek?”

“I saw something incredible.”

“What?”

“Ah, well.”

“Ah, why do you stop talking midway? Say it properly.”

What, as if she’s Baek Su-ah herself? Why is she babbling about someone else’s story? My eyebrows furrowed involuntarily at the woman’s arrogant attitude.

“No, I recently moved because of a sasaeng fan. To an apartment with strong security.”

“Is it nice there? I want to go there too.”

“No, that’s not the important part. Not just anyone with money can enter that place. But recently, I started seeing a male high school student in our building.”

“Is he handsome?”

“Just average. Ah, don’t interrupt me. It’s an important story.”

The content of the conversation… I was starting to doubt if they were really talking about Baek Su-ah.

“I saw that high school student holding hands affectionately with a very pretty woman. The woman’s outfit was a bit mature for a girlfriend… Anyway, it was like that. So I took a closer look and that woman’s bag, you know the bag?”

“How would I know that woman’s bag?”

“There’s a bag that came out as Baek Su-ah’s dedicated line from Erna.”

“The luxury brand Erna? It was a huge deal this time. The chief designer there revealed in an interview that his muse is Baek Su-ah. Hey, it’s been over 20 years since she retired. But to think she’s the muse of Erna, beating out all the currently hot people. Wasn’t it a big issue? Her impact is no joke even after retirement.”

“Yes, that bag. That woman was carrying that bag.”

“What? What does that mean… Don’t tell me you’re saying that woman is Baek right now? Are you crazy? Hey, you said it was an average male high school student.”

“That’s why.”

“Eh, no way. It can’t be.”

“I thought it sounded too absurd too, so I even looked up Baek Su-ah’s recent status these days? The hairstyle! Even the light brown hair dye was exactly the same.”

“Are you out of your mind? What does Baek Su-ah have to be desperate for?”

“That’s what I’m saying! She must have a lot of money. Her face, honestly, even if she comes out now, she would crush everyone. Ah, I don’t know. How would I know her true feelings? But they were really holding hands affectionately.”

“Oh no, it can’t be. It won’t be. My idol.”

What is this?

I turned my head and looked back. The two people who were talking flinched as if pricked by my gaze, and soon left their seats.

What did I just hear?

If I hadn’t heard my mother’s phone call at the department store, it would have been a story that I could have laughed off as completely nonsensical. But just a few days ago, I had even indirectly confirmed that my mother went to cook ramen for someone other than my father.

But they’re saying the other person was a high school student?

“Mi-ja?”

“Who’s Mi-ja?”

Kim Shin, who had approached me at some point, asked me.

“A minor.”

“…Ha Jin. That’s not okay.”

“What?”

“That’s a crime.”

…What are you saying? No, more than that, yes, it’s a crime. It’s a crime, Mother. It’s not Mi-ja, is it? The scale of the makjang seemed to keep getting bigger.

“Ha Jin. Don’t drink just anything. Most of the drinks here contain alcohol.”

“Okay.”

“But why do you look so out of it? You seemed to be in a bad mood earlier.”

“Well…”

Kim Shin laughed slightly and carefully observed my neck.

“Wait a moment.”

Kim Shin raised his hand, firmly pressed on my neck, and let go. The spot he pressed was where Sun Woo had bitten before. Fuck.

It was so noticeable that I had been wearing tape matching my skin color… Did it come off slightly? …Did he see it?

“Do mosquitoes only bite there? That’s interesting.”

He saw it, damn it.

As Kim Shin’s gaze lingered on my neck, my ears turned red. Either my skin was sensitive or Sun Woo had sucked hard, but the mark was lasting quite long.

‘I’ll really see if I get caught again next time.’

“Ha Jin. Sun Woo…”

When Kim Shin suddenly mentioned Sun Woo, my ears became even hotter. I grabbed my ears with my hands, feeling the heat. They say the ears have the lowest temperature in the human body. It’s like a separate heater.

“Huh? Sun Woo?”

“Why are you so surprised? Sun Woo’s grandmother. Is she still in Seoul? I think of her sometimes.”

“Ah… Grandmother?”

“Yeah. I guess I got really attached to her in the countryside. I miss Grandmother’s smiling face too. I couldn’t even say goodbye properly that time when you left early in the morning for Seoul.”

What is he talking about? We spent 30 minutes just on goodbyes. Because Kim Shin kept clinging to Grandmother and chatting, our departure was delayed. Kim Shin looks at me with a sad face as if he really misses Grandmother.

“Do you… miss Grandmother?”

“Yeah. If Grandmother is in Seoul, I want to buy her delicious things.”

“It’s a bit difficult now.”

“Why?”

“There are circumstances. Next time when Grandmother has time…”

“What circumstances?”

Kim Shin cut off my words and asked me with an expressionless face. Then, realizing that he had failed to manage his expression for a moment, he smiled again with his eyes curved, but it was useless. I already saw it all, you know? Kim Shin with a blank expression is really fierce.

“There are. Anyway, it’s not possible now and…”

“Ha Jin.”

I tried to change the subject, but Kim Shin suddenly called my name very quietly. Crazy, Kim Shin had such a chilling atmosphere while smiling and being cheerful all the time?

“What happened to Grandmother?”

Kim Shin tried to make his expression as gentle as possible, but he couldn’t hide the coolness emanating from within.

Even though we only stayed together for about 3 days, Kim Shin must have fallen head over heels for Grandmother in that time. He must find it strange that she suddenly came up to Seoul and I keep trying to change the subject. Understanding his feelings, I decided to tell the truth.

“Grandmother is in the hospital.”

“Where? Which hospital? What’s wrong with her? Why? Why is she in the hospital?”

“Calm down, Kim Shin. She’s at Hope Hospital. Fortunately, they say her condition is treatable.”

“…Ha Jin.”

“She’s okay now.”

Kim Shin leaned his face on my shoulder as if all the energy had drained from his body. I heard Kim Shin’s sigh of relief very slowly in my ear.

“Kim Shin, what are you doing? On my birthday… Are you joking?”

I-na was frowning her pretty face and glaring at Kim Shin. The whipped cream slightly smeared on her cheek added a lot of cuteness to I-na’s perfect face. With Kim Shin hanging on my shoulder, I reached out to I-na’s cheek.

“I-na, you have whipped cream on your face. Did you not know?”

I-na’s cheeks instantly turned red and she narrowed her eyes slyly.

“I purposely let it smear there knowing Ha Jin would do this. Why did you intervene and ruin it all?”

I-na spoke shyly in a way that didn’t match her sly eyes, and at the end, she criticized Kim Shin as if reproaching him.

“Yoon I-na. This is how you seduce Ha Jin, like me.”

Kim Shin advised I-na with his head still buried in my shoulder, only tilting his head slightly.

“…What is that?”

I-na. Why are you getting involved in that? Somehow, the people around me seem to have excessive interest in me. But my own blood-related family doesn’t care about me.