The effect was visibly good, so Saebyeok decided to try a little harder.
“We are soulmates, you and I. After we get married, let’s be buried together when we die. Okay?”
“…I didn’t know you thought that deeply about us.”
Gong Pyeonghwa’s eyes welled up with overwhelming emotion.
Was it because Shin Saebyeok’s line was romantic? No, definitely not.
It was because despite having no natural talent for cheesy lines, Saebyeok was desperately trying to squeeze one out just to make him feel better!
That earnestness in forcing out the words despite the cringe-inducing feeling!
Those eyes sincerely shouting love despite the embarrassment!
It felt like truly intense love!
Childish Gong Pyeonghwa decided to be the bigger person. No matter what Kang Gun did, he wouldn’t be able to hear Saebyeok’s sincere confession from earlier.
The official wife who jealously resents the concubine who hasn’t even received a letter of appointment lacks class.
He decided to be generous and overlook that Kang Gun guy.
Why? Because the world is beautiful.
Because Shin Saebyeok loves Gong Pyeonghwa.
Because Kang Gun poses absolutely no threat to Gong Pyeonghwa.
He’s a transfer student, and looks decent enough, his personality is… well, his athletic abilities are… well, they’re okay? But so what.
Shin Saebyeok loves Gong Pyeonghwa.
Even if he sticks to Shin Saebyeok’s side all day whining, Shin Saebyeok wouldn’t bat an eye!
“Hehe.”
Gong Pyeonghwa returned to the classroom in a good mood.
Seonwoo Jeong halfheartedly patted Gong Pyeonghwa’s shoulder.
“Hey.”
“What?”
“The homeroom teacher wants you to come to the faculty office.”
What’s this about? Gong Pyeonghwa thought nothing of it as he headed to the faculty office.
“Teacher, you were looking for meee?”
He entered the faculty office with full aegyo mode activated, but the homeroom teacher immediately dragged him to the counseling room as if he’d been waiting for him.
“Have you been bullying Shin Saebyeok lately?”
“What?”
The teacher sighed tiredly and continued.
“Teacher has, you know? Heard everything. You’ve been bullying Shin Saebyeok, and you got into a fight with the transfer student today, didn’t you?”
“Come on, that’s not…”
Of course I wanted to fight! I wanted to beat him up! I wanted to stomp all over him! I wanted to tell him not to exist within 500 meters of my man! But I didn’t actually do anything.
“Get down on the floor.”
Even though corporal punishment had been banned for several years, the homeroom teacher, who considered it romantic, pulled out a pool cue.
“Kid, even though it might seem like the teacher doesn’t care about you guys, I know everything. Teacher has eyes in the back of his head too, you know? Watching you from everywhere? Got it?”
“But teacher, I have something to say too. I don’t know who told you what, but Shin Saebyeok and I have had bad blood between our families for generations, so this level of hostility is more natural…”
“That’s not my business.”
Then what is your business?
“Objectively speaking, you know? Gong Pyeonghwa, you bullied Shin Saebyeok. Right? This is a fact. Right?”
“…Yes.”
“Even if all the kids in class say there’s no problem between you two? Huh? If even one person says it’s school violence, then it’s school violence. Right?”
Was it Seonwoo Jeong? Did Seonwoo Jeong succumb to his conscience? Unable to overcome the pangs of conscience, did he expose his friend’s faults as they were?
“You’re a high school senior, kid. Next year you’ll be an adult, an adult. What’s an adult? It’s someone who takes responsibility for their actions. If you do this in society, you’ll end up in the slammer, you hear? Teacher is hitting you to make you a better person, so don’t hold a grudge. Hurry up and get down.”
No, actually, I’m secretly dating Saebyeok and it’s a kind of fake. And frankly, did I steal Shin Saebyeok’s money? Did I destroy his social reputation? Did I cause him shame? Did I use my fists?
There was a lot he wanted to say, but nothing he could say, so he obediently got down on the floor.
“Teacher isn’t doing this just because of what one particular person said. You know that.”
How am I supposed to know that?
Just take the punishment like a man and shake it off.
The 21st century caning hurt more than expected, making him grimace involuntarily.
As he was coming out of the counseling room, rubbing his sore buttocks, he happened to run into Kang Gun.
Whether it was paranoia or not, Kang Gun had a hatefully smug smile on his face.
‘That fucking bastard.’
▶▶▶
“This won’t do. I should send a mobile invitation to that bastard too.”
With the despicable intention of showing off that he and Shin Saebyeok had done all sorts of things together and even had a baby, Gong Pyeonghwa asked around and sent a mobile invitation to Kang Gun.
Surprisingly, Kang Gun promptly replied that he would gladly attend.
***
No matter how much Seonwoo Jeong thought about it, it was absurd. The millstone had no handle.
So should he go to the first birthday party? Or not?
Honestly, he didn’t want to go out on his day off and just wanted to send money. Actually, wouldn’t it be perfectly fine to not send money and just ignore it? After almost 10 years of no contact, suddenly slipping a first birthday party invitation at a class reunion?
But on the other hand, he was also curious.
‘I wonder what kind of delicious food they’ll serve?’
Although he had graduated from kimchi dumplings, Seonwoo Jeong still loved delicious food, so after much deliberation, he decided to attend the first birthday party.
He was curious about what kind of meal his rich friend—wait, were they even friends? It was intermittently irritating.
Anyway, he was curious about what kind of meal and return gifts would be offered at a rich friend’s first birthday party.
Just this once, and then he’d cut him off…
“No, that’s not right.”
Before cutting him off, he should at least eat his fill for the accounts to balance. How many cup ramens had he been mooched off by Gong Pyeonghwa throughout their school years?
Seonwoo Jeong, whose name matched his affectionate nature, decided to add one more person to his party with good intentions.
“Hey. Pig. Wanna get some food?”
***
On the day of Iseul’s first birthday party, who had a thoughtless and rude father, Seonwoo Jeong folded up the map as he walked toward the address written on it.
The map was unnecessary.
From a distance, he could see a huge banner that covered an entire side of a building. The banner had a high-resolution print of the baby angel he had seen last week.
<Congratulations ♡ Our Iseul’s First Birthday ♡ Party>
Not only that, but near the building, there were many booths set up like a flea market.
The booths were full of Iseul merchandise.
<Congratulations on Iseul’s First Birthday.>
<Our Love That Came Like Destiny>
Gosh. Even banner advertisements.
‘Does he not know what a first birthday party is?’
Had he become an American in the past 10 years? Seonwoo Jeong felt slightly dizzy, but forced himself to endure by thinking of his bank debt.
“What’s going on today?”
“Don’t know. Looks like they’re having a baby fair.”
Passersby glanced at the row of booths as they walked by.
“Who’s Iseul?”
“Must be an idol fan birthday café or something.”
Ah. It’s a bit embarrassing to go in.
Seonwoo Jeong slightly covered his face with the birthday invitation as he entered the venue.
As if the excessive display outside wasn’t enough, the interior was thoroughly decorated by Iseul, for Iseul, and of Iseul without any gaps.
“My dear friend Jeong. You came.”
Gong Pyeonghwa, holding Iseul who was beautifully dressed in hanbok, personally greeted him.
“Of course. How could I not come when my friend’s daughter, who is like a niece to me, is celebrating her first birthday?”
His correct and formal speech, clearly conscious of the baby, couldn’t have been more awkward.
“But I didn’t see a place to give the money gift?”
Surely I don’t have to collect it now? Usually, a close friend handles this sort of thing?
“Oh. What money gift? It’s enough that you came. Just eat a lot of good food and go.”
“Oh, really? I actually brought someone else with me.”
“Oh. Did your parents come too?”
Why would he assume my guest is my parents? Wouldn’t people normally think of a soon-to-be-married girlfriend?
When Seonwoo Jeong looked dumbfounded, Gong Pyeonghwa said something even more ridiculous.
“You’re asexual, aren’t you?”
“Me?”
He knew my sexual orientation that even I didn’t know about? And he was wrong about it too.
“I’m a very sexual person? No joke? Every morning, it’s no joke? Have you seen it? Have you?”
“Okay. I’ll believe you. Sure.”
I’ll believe you? Not ‘I believe you’ but ‘I’ll believe you’? Like he’s doing me a favor? Seonwoo Jeong, dumbfounded, or rather, enraged, found himself at a loss for words.
“So where is your mother who came with you? I’ve been thinking I should pay my respects.”
“No, don’t think about that.”
“Why?”
“My mom says she’d kill you if she saw you.”
It wasn’t a lie, but the truth. Seonwoo Jeong’s parents might very well try to kill Gong Pyeonghwa if given the chance.
The reason for that was walking in with heavy footsteps.
“Hello everyone! Hi Junies. It’s Juna! Junha!”
Seonwoo Jeong’s female clone appeared, communicating with people online while holding a GoPro.
“Today we’ve come to the first birthday party of my oppa’s friend.”
“Seonwoo Jun is really fucking annoying.”
“Just shut up for a bit.”
The blood relatives exchanged everyday conversation.
“Oh. Woo Jun is here. Eat a lot and go.”
“Really?”
“Of course, of course.”
You’ll soon regret saying that. Seonwoo Jeong smiled maliciously.
“Hey. Pyeong.”
“What?”
“Do you know why my mom wants to kill you?”
“Because she wanted me as a son-in-law but I got married?”
Gong Pyeonghwa put on a detestably pretty act. Seonwoo Jeong, who had come on an empty stomach to get his money’s worth, felt his internal organs twist.
“Do you remember when you came to our house before and saw that pig bastard eating, and said, ‘I like people who eat well’?”
Seonwoo Jeong spoke in a deep, greasy voice. His impression of Gong Pyeonghwa was superb.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
