191 – 185. Min Ju-Hee
Chonjekko.
Despite the minor accident, the World’s Best Pepper Contest ended in great success.
Just as the lingering aftertaste of a festival lingers as we return to reality,
we too had to return to the reality of Ga-hyeon High School’s midterm exams.
“I’m still having nightmares.”
While waiting for the coffee he ordered at the school cafe, Jung Chan-woo muttered with a sigh.
There was no need to ask what the nightmare was about.
I’ve had similar ones myself.
“That bald old man can get so hard even with a guy.”
“Ugh, don’t say it.”
“No, but it’s amazing. How can that happen?”
“……I think I know how the girls who were slightly s*xually harassed feel. It really sucks.”
Chan-woo, who looked like he was going to throw up, took his coffee and left.
His girlfriend, Min Se-rin, was upset about the pepper contest last time, so he bought two coffees to make it up to her.
‘But does he know what his girlfriend drinks?’
It would be a bit awkward if he bought something she didn’t drink.
“Wait a minute, Chan-woo.”
I called out to him, wondering if he knew how he treated his ex-girlfriend.
“What? Are you going to talk about that old man again?”
“No, that coffee. Do you know what your girlfriend likes?”
At my words, Chan-woo frowned as if to ask what I was talking about.
“How would I know? There are so many items on the cafe menu. Do you know what a child’s favorite menu is?”
“She likes Choco Mon more than coffee. But I think she just likes Choco Mon rather than sweet things. That’s why she often drinks lattes at cafes.”
“……That’s cool.”
Jung Chan-woo was taken aback, as if he didn’t expect me to answer.
Anyway, shouldn’t you know what your crush’s coffee preferences are?
“So you bought it knowing? Or did you just buy something safe?”
To be honest, if you don’t know, most people like iced Americano, so it’s safe to buy.
“Don’t worry, I don’t know what she likes. I bought her an iced Americano for now.”
“Oh.”
“Plus, I was considerate enough to buy it decaf.”
Hmm?
“Why?”
Decaf drinks aren’t bad, but there are quite a few people who don’t like them.
When I asked why he bought it, Chan-woo answered with a laugh.
“She might not be able to drink anything with caffeine. It’s more considerate to buy something that everyone can drink.”
“……”
This time, it seemed like he had given it some thought.
I wondered why he still didn’t know what kind of coffee she preferred, even though they must have been to cafes together several times since they started dating.
“Chan-woo, just drink that. Your girlfriend is-.”
“Oh, it’s okay. I’ll figure it out. You’re just trying to tease me again like you did with the bald old man.”
…….
In the end, Chan-woo left.
I had a feeling she would hate it.
Moreover, that menu seemed like a testament to Chan-woo’s lack of interest in her, and it was obvious that she would be upset.
“Good luck.”
I hope he gets lucky.
I hope his girlfriend is someone who only drinks decaf drinks.
I take my coffee and go to the lecture hall.
The exams start next week.
I drink my coffee to keep myself from falling asleep in class and vow to do well on this midterm exam.
When I entered the lecture hall, there were many people who looked like me.
Students preparing for class with a cup of coffee next to them.I was also preparing for the lecture among them, when a familiar face came to the seat next to me.
“Is the seat next to you empty?”
It was my senior, Min Joo-hee, wearing a dragon jumper.
“I sit next to you every time we have a lecture, so can’t you just sit down now?”
“I should still ask.”
In this lecture, the only person I was close enough to talk to was Joo-hee sunbae.
That’s because I followed her when she applied for the lecture.
I heard that thanks to her wide network of connections, she only takes lectures that will give her high grades.
A pick by the reliable Joo-hee.
In fact, I was quite satisfied with the lecture.
“Have you studied a lot?”
“I am. I’m so tired these days.”
Joo-hee sunbae’s eyes were definitely haggard, and the daylight wasn’t very good either.
“Please have this.”
When I handed her the coffee I had just bought, Joo-hee sunbae hesitated for a moment and shook her head.
“No, I work at a cafe these days, so I get sick of coffee just by looking at it.”
And then she took out an energy drink from her bag.
“Hmm? Sunbae, are you working part-time?”
This was the first time I’d heard of it.
I thought that sunbae was relying on scholarships because she couldn’t ask for support from her family.
Wouldn’t it be hard to study for a full scholarship and work part-time?
“Yeah, I’m a junior now, so the number of lectures has decreased a bit.”
Joo-hee sunbae said as she took out her glasses and put them on.
I’ve seen it a few times, but just one pair of glasses creates a different atmosphere.
“It was harder when I was a freshman and sophomore. It’s much easier now than it was then. That’s why I can work part-time.”
But even if college life has become easier, wouldn’t it be the same if you added a part-time job?
Rather, it would be more tiring if it was tiring.
“Where do you work part-time? I’m going to get a part-time job after the midterms.”
“There’s an Anzu Coffee next to the intersection. I work there.”
“Wow, there are always a lot of people there. You must be busy.”
“The hourly wage is better than other places.”
As expected of Joo-hee.
She’s just a tough cookie.
When I actually saw her like this, there were many ways in which I admired Joo-hee sunbae.
To be honest, her body shape wasn’t much different from other girls. But even so, it must have been packed with real combat-compressed muscles.
‘Reliable.’
If she were a man, I’m sure I would have begged her to join the army with me.
“……Sunbae, you’re not going to join the army, are you?”
“The girl army? I’ve thought about it. But I can’t if I have a criminal record.”
“What?! You have a criminal record?!”
I was so surprised that I looked at Joo-hee sunbae, and she patted my shoulder with a smirk.
“I’m kidding. What kind of criminal record? I want to make a lot of money, but the army is actually a bit tough for that kind of dramatic income.”
That’s true.
But isn’t that the case for most working people?
“Whew, is that right? I was really surprised.”
“……I think you really believed it, so I’m a little offended.”
But what can I do about it?
I’ve seen Joo-hee sunbae’s power so far, so I can’t help but misunderstand.
The image of her beating up Hwang Sa-jang with a baseball bat was still vividly etched in my mind.
Just then, the professor came in.
Without a word, we stopped chatting and began to concentrate on the professor’s lecture.
‘That’s why they say you can do it if you try.’
When I started to concentrate on the lectures that I usually didn’t listen to properly, I realized that I could understand them, so I guess I have my father’s blood in me.
But that doesn’t mean I enjoyed it.Studying is supposed to be fun, but I don’t feel it at all.
Same with exercise.
I just do it because I have to.
I only try hard because there’s someone I want to impress.
When I think about how happy Choi Yi-seo will be when I get good grades, my heart swells with pride.
I was studying like that.
Swish.
A strange sound came from beside me.
When did Joo-hee sunbae fall asleep, face down?
“Sunbae?”
She looked tired, but the iron-willed Joo Daejang is dozing off during class!
I was bewildered because this was a situation that could never happen in my common sense.
“……!”
The moment I saw the red blood soaking into sunbae’s notebook, I stood up without realizing it and called out to her.
“Sunbae! Joo-hee sunbae!”
The moment I saw sunbae passed out with a nosebleed, I felt possessed and hurriedly lifted her up.
* * *
Simple overwork.
She collapsed as if she had fainted from accumulated fatigue.
Inside the emergency room.
I felt a strange emotion as I watched Joo-hee sunbae sleeping in the hospital bed while receiving an IV.
Joo Daejang.
When I first met sunbae in the group project, she made a bold and strong impression, so she had become a general in my mind.
Sunbae was always proactive, confident in herself, and strong and dignified.
But sunbae lying in the hospital bed now is a little girl.
She didn’t look like anything more or less than that.
‘……I guess I had a prejudice without realizing it.’
One of the reasons I rejected sunbae’s confession was because she didn’t seem like a woman.
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She was pretty, strong, and dignified.
That’s why her feminine side wasn’t highlighted.
To me, Joo-hee sunbae was just a general.
“Ha.”
I sighed and stared blankly at Joo-hee sunbae, who looked awkward lying down.
I felt complicated in many ways.
“Hmm? Isn’t that Woo-jin?”
A familiar voice came from behind me.
“Little bro?”
Little bro with his big belly and little sister-in-law with her flashy hairstyle were standing there.
It was such an unexpected encounter that I wondered what the situation was.
But then, I suddenly worried that something might be wrong with little bro.
“I’m pregnant.”
Little sister-in-law laughed as she caressed little bro’s belly.
“……What?”
I was confused by what she meant, and little bro laughed out loud as he stroked his belly.
“hahahaha, I’m pregnant. They have an obstetrics and gynecology department here too.”
“You mean sister-in-law is pregnant?”
“Of course.”
“You’re funny, master.”
“But why are you talking while touching little bro’s belly?”
From my point of view, it was clear that they were both acting to confuse me on purpose.
I felt a little relieved as I watched them laughing like they were joking.
“Congratulations.”
“hahahaha, I’m going to have a baby before big bro. What should I do?”
Isn’t big bro busy producing little bro juniors while enjoying office play?
“What about broadcasting? Are you going to retire on this occasion?”
The fact that little sister-in-law, a famous internet broadcaster, is pregnant will cause a big stir.
“If she wants to retire, she can, or she doesn’t have to.”
The two of them suddenly started talking about the future here.
To be honest, I congratulate them on their pregnancy, but isn’t there someone lying in the hospital bed?
“Aren’t you two going? Why are you gossiping in the emergency room in the first place?””Hyung, my acquaintance is an assistant professor in the emergency medicine department here. So I wanted to talk to him a bit.”
“……Hyung, this is my acquaintance. Can you pay for my hospital bills?”
“Ugh, your voice only gets soft when you want to get something out of me.”
“I’m here because I got an IV due to overwork. It’s not much.”
At that moment, Sunbae Juhee’s cell phone rang.
Even though it kept vibrating in her pocket, Sunbae Juhee showed no signs of getting up.
“I’m sorry.”
She quietly apologized and took out her cell phone, and the name ‘Cafe Owner’ was written on it.
“Hello.”
– Hello? Isn’t this Juhee’s cell phone?
“Yes, it is. I’m a junior who knows Sunbae Juhee. Actually, right now-“
After I gave a brief explanation, the cafe owner let out a deep sigh.
It seems like he’s busy because he just barely makes ends meet, but he can’t blame Sunbae Juhee for fainting from overwork.
As an awkward silence continued, I suddenly got up and said.
“If it’s okay with you, I’ll go in Sunbae Juhee’s place and help out.”
I gestured to my older brother and sister-in-law to take good care of Sunbae Juhee, then called the cafe owner again with my cell phone and ran outside.