# Chapter 12
I mentally went through all the novels I’d found on my sister’s hard drive.
Did they meet when he kicked a can while walking to school? On the school rooftop? While working part-time at a live café? At an arcade? A coin karaoke room? Or maybe at the Lotteria downtown? A club? A bar that minors couldn’t enter? While riding a motorcycle? By the Han River? Or was it… that group date Min Sihu kept nagging about earlier?
Where on earth did the male protagonist meet the female protagonist? I tried to recall every possible place people could meet, but I just couldn’t remember. In the end, I spent the entire class thinking without any results, and all the lessons were over.
“Haejun, get on!”
“Ah.”
“Come over here. You need to wear a helmet.”
And so, going home with the Four Kings and their beloved rides had become my daily routine.
***
Despite racking my brain during class trying to remember, it was only when the weekend came that I could recall information about Ban Pyoran from the novel. It was thanks to an unexpected visitor who came to my house.
On weekends when we didn’t go to school, Seong Haemin always prepared meals. At first, I felt uncomfortable being taken care of by Seong Haemin, but now I’d gotten used to it.
“Was the food good?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m glad.”
Even with my halfhearted response, Haemin visibly relaxed and smiled. Whenever I saw him like this, my conscience pricked me. I wasn’t even his real brother. Seong Haemin, despite being just a character in a novel, persistently tormented my conscience.
To avoid Haemin, I quickly escaped to the living room. Trying to relax my mind, I turned on the television. I focused on the movie that happened to be playing.
It was actually a classic film I used to like. Even after entering a novel set in the past, classics remained timeless. Sometimes discovering things like this made me feel strange. Despite the passing of 20 years—enough time for mountains and rivers to change—some things remained the same.
I could hear Haemin washing dishes in the kitchen, but I deliberately ignored it. Yes, this situation of getting used to Haemin was also a problem. Having grown up eating only my mom’s cooking, there was no way I knew how to do household chores. But with Haemin waking me up every day, feeding me, cleaning, looking after my needs—basically taking care of me in every way—it was impossible to consistently ignore him.
I really needed to find Ban Pyoran quickly for my own independence. That was the only solution that came to mind.
Suddenly, I felt a presence beside me. Haemin had approached and was standing vacantly by the sofa. He seemed to have finished the dishes. His expression looked odd as he stared at the television.
“What? Don’t just stand there if you’re uncomfortable watching.”
“Ah, sorry. But… Haejun, did you like these kinds of movies?”
“Yeah.”
“I didn’t know… I guess I haven’t been paying enough attention to you.”
Sigh, sigh. Seeing Haemin suddenly engaging in self-reflection made my conscience sting. It’s not because you were insensitive, it’s because the person changed.
But it’s not like I wanted to become Seong Haejun! I’m a victim too!
I went back to watching TV, and after a moment of silence, I glanced sideways to find Haemin sitting at the edge of the sofa, absorbed in the movie. Despite joining midway through and probably not understanding the plot, he was focused on the screen.
Could it be because Seong Haejun was watching it? This guy is really something else.
Without taking my eyes off the screen, I called out to him.
“Seong Haemin.”
“Huh? What is it? Need something?”
“No. Just asking if you’re enjoying the movie.”
“Mmm, I’m not sure yet, but it seems like a good movie.”
I could feel Haemin smiling shyly without even looking. When I didn’t respond, he seemed to focus on the movie again.
Suddenly the movie felt like it was moving in slow motion.
I inwardly sighed to myself.
Even though I wasn’t certain yet… maybe I should truly accept this place as my reality.
‘If that happens…’
I glanced again at the guy sitting next to me. If you examined his features, he didn’t particularly resemble me, but somehow the more I looked at him, the more similar we appeared.
‘We could become… family.’
Instead of the brother he knew and remembered, perhaps I could play the role of his brother… just a little bit.
Of course, assuming Seong Haemin quits the Four Kings. I turned my head back sharply and concentrated on the movie.
Just as we were getting absorbed in the film, someone pounded on our door. Haemin got up to answer it. Thinking he’d be right back, I continued watching the movie. To escape the strange feeling that the empty space beside me was bothering me, I stubbornly kept my eyes fixed on the screen.
But.
‘Why is he taking so long?’
It was unusual for someone who normally panicked if I was out of his sight for even a moment to be away for so long, so my curiosity finally got the better of me. I turned off the television and headed toward the entrance.
As I approached, I could hear faint voices in conversation. A neighbor? Some kind of problem? I pressed against the wall near the entrance and peeked around.
And immediately regretted it.
“Jjunaaa!!”
Min Sihu spotted me through the half-open door and waved his hands excitedly. Damn it. I tried to pretend I hadn’t seen him and quickly retreated to the living room, but it was already too late. Haemin returned to the living room with an expression of resignation, Min Sihu in tow like an unwanted growth.
It seemed Haemin had been doing his best to block Min Sihu, but I had brought this on myself. I should have just kept quiet and continued watching the movie. I was unnecessarily concerned about that nice twin.
“Jjuna! Good morning!”
“Uh-huh.”
Just seeing the energetic Min Sihu made me feel drained. Massaging my face that threatened to grow pale, I responded to his greeting.
“Jjuna, do you want to come to the group date today?”
“No.”
Was today the scheduled day for the group date? He came all the way to our house to talk about such nonsense! Haemin had already said at school last time that he would go instead of me.
As I was trying hard not to frown, my eyes widened at Min Sihu’s next words.
“One of the girls coming today is Ban Pyoran’s friend!”
“What!”
And so, Haemin and I, who had been enjoying a peaceful Saturday morning, ended up going to a group date together.
Did Min Sihu originally have this connection with Ban Pyoran’s friend?
I couldn’t remember such details clearly. Still, I needed to check it out. To escape this tiresome association with the Four Kings as soon as possible.
If Ban Pyoran had someone she could call a friend, it would be just one person—Kim Idam. And if my memory was correct, the reason Ban Pyoran could form connections with the tough kids(?) was thanks to Kim Idam. It was because Kim Idam’s older brother, Kim Igyeong, was a prominent school leader.
Kim Idam and Kim Igyeong were like family to Ban Pyoran, who had lived alone without siblings. After all, Ban Pyoran only had her mother as family.
“Ah!”
At that thought, I finally remembered where the Four Kings first met Ban Pyoran.
‘The hospital!’
Following the internet novel cliché of secret births and family trees, Ban Pyoran was an illegitimate child, and her mother, who was in poor health, was always in the hospital. And the place where Ban Pyoran and the Four Kings met was the hospital!
I can’t believe I’m only remembering something so important now. Still, better to recall it now than never know at all.
Haemin, who hadn’t missed my exclamation, bent down to examine my face. His dark eyes were filling with concern.
“Haejun? Are you feeling sick? Should we go back home?”
“I’m fine.”
“You two keep talking just between yourselves~ Sihu is jealous~! Hmph!”
“Get lost.”
“Waaah! Mini, do you act like this at group dates too?! People will say you have no social awareness! Pfft!”
“If someone would break up with me for taking care of my brother, I wouldn’t date them in the first place.”
At Haemin’s resolute answer, I scratched my cheek with an awkward smile. Honestly, it was absurd. Though he might not realize it, Seong Haemin’s character was set to die for the woman he loved, giving up his own brother.
The reason I didn’t want to return Haemin’s meticulous care, even though it weighed heavily on my mind now, was because I knew this affection would disappear once he met Ban Pyoran.
This is just a novel after all.
These people aren’t even real.
I let Haemin’s protestations go in one ear and out the other.
The meeting place was an ordinary café.
For 17-year-olds, it was relatively sensible—I’d heard of some web novels where they’d dress in suits and meet at bars. We arrived early and took seats by the window. Min Sihu checked his reflection in the glass wall and fixed his hair.
Looking at him like this… I had to admit his appearance was impressive.
Min Sihu possessed all the qualities that would be used to describe someone both cute and handsome. You know those descriptions—soft, light brown hair; large, round eyes that curved like bananas when he smiled. Plus, being a web novel character, he was tall with broad shoulders.
Come to think of it, all the Four Kings were strikingly handsome. They could debut as an idol group right now and no one would question it. The only issue was their cringey dialogue. I was only now realizing, after entering the novel, that no matter how handsome someone is, when they chuckle with “heh” and “huh,” it really turns you off.
Shortly after, three girls cautiously approached and spoke to Min Sihu.
“Excuse me, are you…”
“Yes?”
“Seoyeon High’s Four Kings’ official cutie pie and aegyo angel Min Sihu…?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
