NOVEL NEXT #064
#064
“Wasn’t your dream to follow in your father’s footsteps?”
That’s what you said in the webtoon.
“That’s true, but… Huh? How did you know that? That it was my dream?”
“Oh? Well, I heard it from the hospital director during a conversation.”
“You even remembered that? I’m happy. But dreams can change anytime, you know.”
Still, it’s not the business administration department. You said since you were young, you would become a doctor like your father. Of course, that’s what you told Sun Woo in the webtoon. How many lives will you save as a doctor in the future?
“Yeo-un.”
“Yes.”
Sin Yeo-un answers slowly and gives me a smug smile. Why are the two main characters so captivating? They are truly a match made in heaven.
“You as a doctor. I think it would suit you quite well.”
“Really?”
Sin Yeo-un nodded his head, smiling brightly.
“If you say so, going to medical school doesn’t sound bad either.”
What a ridiculous guy. He never intended to come to the business administration department in the first place.
I finished eating and planned to get up after drinking the tea that was served for dessert. As I was wondering if I should take Sin Yeo-un home, he suddenly asked me a question as if he just remembered something.
“Senior, do you have anything you like?”
“Things I like? That’s a very broad question.”
“Then what about your favorite food?”
“Not really… Oh, perilla leaf wrap with snail soybean paste?”
“That’s a healthy dish. I guess you take care of your health.”
“It’s the first dish the person I like made for me.”
“…The person you like?”
Sin Yeo-un stopped smiling and showed a stiff expression for the first time. His hardened lips and cold eyes looked unfamiliar. He’s already big, but when he makes that face, it sends shivers down my spine. The part where readers said it was creepy wasn’t like this.
“I had it this summer vacation. It was delicious.”
“Oh… Is that so?”
Sin Yeo-un had a downcast gaze and only looked under the table. Seeing his dejected appearance, I thought it was strange and continued.
“Anything tastes good when grandma’s touch is added, right?”
“Grandma?”
He lifted his head with surprised rabbit eyes.
“Yeah. Grandma who was discharged this time. You didn’t know? She made it for us when we went to visit her.”
“You’re talking about the grandma you visited every day at the hospital, right? I heard from my father. He said she’s your friend’s grandma. You must be very close with your friend. You visited the hospital every day. You even went to grandma’s house to hang out.”
Sin Yeo-un suddenly changed his expression and smiled, emitting bright energy. Is it because he’s in his third year of high school? It’s that time, I guess. I also had ups and downs in my mood when I was in my third year.
“I see. But that’s something I can’t do for you. Is there anything else you like?”
“Money?”
“Money? You already have plenty, senior.”
I do have plenty. I think it’s more than Ha Jin’s father. Then would I get hit less?
Sin Yeo-un laughed out loud as if he thought I was joking. He really laughs well. When a good-looking guy laughs, it makes me laugh along unconsciously. As I slightly curled the corners of my lips, Sin Yeo-un stared at me quietly with his gaze fixed on me.
“I think I like people who smile prettily.”
“Most people would.”
“But I also like people who cry prettily.”
“Then isn’t that just saying you like pretty people?”
“That’s right. I guess I’m a materialistic person who cares a lot about looks.”
After finishing his words, Sin Yeo-un laughed out loud again, seeming to be in a good mood. Sin Yeo-un’s ideal type was obvious. Sun Woo is pretty. A handsome and pretty guy. How pretty must he be that Sin Yeo-un fell for him at first sight when he saw him crying in the webtoon? I’ve never seen Sun Woo cry.
“Senior, there’s someone I’m interested in these days. Do you want to see? I’ll show you a picture.”
“Interested?”
Sin Yeo-un is interested in someone? Out of curiosity, I took the phone he handed me. There was a picture displayed on the screen… It was Sun Woo, smiling as tiny as a mouse poop.
“…Sun Woo.”
“Is your friend’s name Sun Woo? That grandma’s grandson?”
Sin Yeo-un seems to know about that too now.
“What do you think? His smile is really pretty, right?”
It was a picture taken during a date at Mi-eun’s request for a final project. Yeah. He is pretty. Even though he was smiling as small as a mouse poop, anyone could see it was a pretty face. Next to him, I was leaning on Sun Woo with a delighted expression, looking like I was about to die from happiness after getting drunk on wine-ade. Of course, in Sin Yeo-un’s eyes, I would just be seen as a background. I heard the picture spread a bit, and even Sin Yeo-un knows about it.
“He’s pretty when he cries too. That person.”
“…”
‘What the heck, Sun Woo. When did you cry in front of Sin Yeo-un?’
Well, they are the official couple in the webtoon, so they must have been involved in some way. Although the timing and situation would be different.
‘You two are really destined for each other.’
Strangely, my heart settled calmly. It’s probably because I haven’t seen Sun Woo cry, right? That’s why I feel this way when Sin Yeo-un has seen something I haven’t. So if I see him cry, I won’t feel this way, right? I should try making him cry sometime.
But how would I make Sun Woo cry?
“That person. When he cries, he doesn’t even make a sound and just lets the tears fall. It’s heartbreaking.”
“Really?”
Is that how Sun Woo cries?
For some reason, I felt bad and was about to send Sin Yeo-un back alone, but when I saw his innocent smiling face, I couldn’t bring myself to say it and ended up giving him a ride. I asked Sin Yeo-un, who kept talking to me from the passenger seat, about the day I got drunk.
“By the way, did the hospital director pay the bill that day? When I contacted the restaurant, they said the person who came to pick me up had already paid.”
“I paid the bill that day.”
The price must have been substantial.
“How much was it? I’ll take care of it for you.”
“No, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”
“I’ll pay you. I feel really sorry about what happened that day. And it’s the bill for alcohol. A high school student can’t pay for me.”
“Then, senior. Can you pay me back with something other than money?”
“With what?”
“When I go to college, buy me lunch with that money.”
What is he talking about? Why would I buy you lunch… I simply expressed my intention to refuse.
“I’ll pay you in cash.”
“Then forget it. It’s fine.”
“…”
Sin Yeo-un’s repeated refusal made me feel like I hadn’t fully taken care of the matter. No matter how well-off Sin Yeo-un’s financial situation was, it went against my conscience to have a minor pay for my alcohol. In the end, I smacked my lips and spoke.
“Okay. I’ll buy you lunch.”
I’ll just have to buy him a few expensive lunches.
Sin Yeo-un smiled, seeming pleased with my answer.
* * *
Sun Woo seemed to be incredibly busy after Grandma finished her treatment and went back home. Just how many jobs was he working? I could barely see his face. On days when he finished work early, Sun Woo would always stop by our house before leaving. Even if it was only for about 30 minutes.
He wouldn’t stay the night even if I told him to.
He wouldn’t use the car even if I told him to.
I felt upset by his actions that seemed to suggest he no longer wanted any help from me. But that upset feeling would quickly dissipate as soon as I saw Sun Woo’s face, which was also frustrating. When I see his handsome face, my mood improves without me realizing it, so how could I have time to be annoyed? I was just grateful that he stopped by the house even for a short while.
‘What kind of work are you doing so much?’
One day, when I asked, Sun Woo smiled prettily despite his tired face and said,
‘I need to make money as soon as possible.’
Why are you overworking yourself to make money? The area under his eyes was really dark. Even when I asked him to go out and eat something delicious, Sun Woo just said he preferred to stay quietly with me and left after chatting. I wanted to tell him that he would have immense wealth later, my mouth was itching to say it.
He doesn’t need to try so hard.
Days passed by like that, and before I knew it, it was the first day of the semester. When I entered the first class, the familiar faces were still there as expected.
“Wow, Ha Jin. I almost forgot your face. How have you been?”
Cha Beom-jun approached me, chattering.
The atmosphere that had been subdued due to the lingering frame of the firearms violence incident and the not-so-favorable gazes of my classmates lightened a bit when Beom-jun approached me with a smile.
“It’s been a while.”
“Ha Jin. You didn’t block my number, right?”
“I didn’t.”
“Ah, I knew it! I was so worried throughout the vacation, thinking you might have blocked me. Why didn’t you reply? I asked you to go camping.”
“Sun Woo said he replied on my behalf.”
“Still, you should have replied. I was waiting for your message. Not for Sun Woo’s short replies in the group chat.”
“Hey! Cha Beom-jun! Can’t you see me?”
Behind Beom-jun, Mi-eun entering the lecture hall could be seen. As soon as Mi-eun spotted Beom-jun, she shouted at him.
“Beom-jun is going to get scolded again.”
Kim Shin, who sat next to me, laughed softly.
“You just got here.”
“Ah, anyway! I’m here now.”
“…Yeah, right. Did you come to the department?”
“Yes. With Mi-eun.”
As Mi-eun approached, acting overly cute, Beom-jun pretended to vomit and left the lecture hall. Mi-eun clicked her tongue at Beom-jun and then handed me a piece of paper.
“Our fellow student. Next Friday, Saturday, Sunday! There’s a schedule, so come along.”
“Schedule?”
Looking at the paper, there was information about the business administration department’s MT (membership training).
“Do I have to print and distribute these things in this day and age? Ha Jin, why haven’t you made a KakaoTalk account? I posted an announcement in our group chat. Do I have to take care of you separately like this? Someone who’s not smart at all in the smart era?”
“Sorry.”
“Ah, it’s okay. Actually, I’m just happy to be able to talk to you like this, Ha Jin oppa. Please continue to receive my care in the future. I’ll always look after you. So make sure to come to the MT.”
After Mi-eun left with a friendly tone of threat, Kim Shin poked my arm.
“You’re going, right? I think it would be fun if we go together.”
Kim Shin spoke in a tone that didn’t suit him and leaned his head on my shoulder. And he immediately pulled away. Since Kim Shin wasn’t one to pull away so quickly, I turned my head and saw someone’s hand pushing Kim Shin’s head away.
Sun Woo, with dark circles under his eyes, nodded at me while pushing Kim Shin away.
“Ha Jin, move to the seat next to you.”
There was an empty seat next to me, but Sun Woo, perhaps because of his position as the main character, always insisted on sitting in the middle.
“Do you like me that much, Sun Woo? You always aim for the seat next to me.”
“Ha Jin. Where are you going?”
Sitting in the middle, Sun Woo ignored Kim Shin’s words and asked me.
“We’re going to the MT next week. Mi-eun just informed me about it.”
“Are you going?”
“I’m thinking about it.”
“I can only participate on Friday.”
“Why can Sun Woo only go on Friday? More than that, are you planning to attend too, Sun Woo? I’m so happy that Ha Jin and Sun Woo are going to the MT together.”
“Are you free on Friday?”
“They said they’ll excuse us from lectures to go to the MT, and I don’t have work at that time. I have to come back in the evening.”
“Can’t you hear my voice? Can’t you see me? What do I do? I think I’ve become a ghost. I’m going to follow Sun Woo around and curse him like this. Ah, no, I’ll follow Ha Jin around and…”
When Sun Woo turned his head and said, “I can see you. I can hear you. Happy?” Kim Shin finally stopped his joking, looking satisfied.
“Come down with me too.”
“On Friday evening?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
I asked, wondering why he wanted me to come down with him. Kim Shin also seemed curious and leaned in close to Sun Woo’s back to listen. Sun Woo, receiving our gazes, sighed and opened his mouth with an expression that seemed to say he was asking something obvious.
“How can I leave you alone in a place where I’m not there?”