42 – Still
“First of all, I’m going to get tired of eating tteokbokki at a snack bar anyway, so I can’t… ah! The chicken feet restaurant we often went to… Is not there yet Well, originally, we met three years later.”
It was past 1:00 in the morning after I broke up with Soi. At home, fumbling through the search bar on my smartphone, I’m looking for a store I can go to with Soi this evening.
Soy’s favorite foods. Tteokbokki, chicken feet, salmon, giblets… I’m looking hard, but I’m not sure which of the shops near Korea University is good.
You have to be able to trust internet reviews these days.
“I wish I could ask if there is any place I want to go, but… No reply.”
The 1 that doesn’t disappear next to Soi Kim’s name. So-yi, who left the words to drink today instead of yesterday and rushed home, is not replying to my message, probably because she went home and fell asleep.
Well, you run a restaurant, but you have to go to bed early and get up early to prepare for business.
… Let’s think so.
I’m sure he won’t say that he didn’t like drinking together when he went home and thought about it.
『Chicken feet, salmon, and giblets are good near the school. Does anyone know?』
After thinking about it for a bit, I posted a message in the male group chat room, not the entire 23rd class group chat room.
Since it’s a food that women like, it would be better to ask them, but… If you upload it to the entire group chat room, even Ara will see it.
That’s a bit unsettling. Asking which store to go with Kim So, the fact that Ara sees it.
Not expecting a good answer from my classmates, I laid down on the bed and closed my eyes.
Tomorrow there will be an answer from Soi.
———-
Even after dawn, there was no reply from Soi.
… It’s okay though. It’s still 10 in the morning now.
You can sleep in a bit.
Preparing the shop kitchen… I don’t know. The boss will know what to do.
Yeah, it’s not like he really wanted to drink with me when he woke up and thought about it again.
While I was rationalizing myself like this, Dongmyeong Park, who was heading to the lecture room together, said.
“Today, I woke up and looked at the group chat rooms. You were really in the 3rd grade yesterday… What’s your name? Did you fight with Kkwachu or something?”
“Yes? Ah… Kwak Chu-ha. That person. But, it just wasn’t a big deal.”
“It’s not a big deal. I heard that my kids posted 300 posts with it. But you… Were you really friends with Yuara? And you said you were friends with idols too?”
“… I’m just talking about when I was young. I am almost no different now.”
Yesterday, Ara mentioned that we were ‘friends when we were children’, so this must be true.
Ara and Mina went to the same school and uploaded a video together on social media, so it might seem like they were close until recently… I don’t have any evidence left, so it won’t matter.
… In reality, all three of us have become quite awkward.
To me who said it insignificantly, Park Dong-myeong brought his face closer and raised an excited voice.
“You were almost a stranger, but did you fight like that by the collar? I saw them all in the chatroom? Be honest. Maybe you… Isn’t that Mina dating an idol? So was it?”
“… Absolutely not. It was just because I was a bit drunk. Don’t talk like that Will people look at me weird? I am delusional.”
“Ah, sometimes I felt something strange when I saw you as a child. What are you really up to? Isn’t that Mina and the three of us just having a love triangle relationship with the kid?”
“You sat down after writing a real novel… “
I got goosebumps. Park Dong-myung is a delusion he makes alone, but he almost got it right.
I pretended to be calm and tried to laugh it off, but Park Dongmyeong was persistent.
“Then what did you post on the group chat for 23 men at dawn? Chicken feet, salmon, giblets… Aren’t all these things girls like? Are you doing this to meet that idol named Minah?”
“Just the things I like? Men can like that too. And hyung, are you really proud of the person you dumped me yesterday because you were completely drunk? After all, it was because I was separated from my older brother and I heard strange things from that senior, and that division was caused?”
“Oh, no, that… that, you know Yesterday, Hyeji and I had a good atmosphere. So just a little… “
“… The atmosphere in my brother’s dating business may have been good, but mine was gutter.”
“Sorry… “
Park Dongmyeong scratched his head as if he had no face.
I managed to silence him once.
As it is, I went to the locker used by the first graders, and there was someone who came first…. There was ara
Ara, who found me, opened her mouth small. Park Dong-myeong waved her hand at her as if he was glad to see her.
“Oh? Ara, how are you?”
“Ah, hello brother… “
“I heard that you two are friends? Yesterday, Ara and Lee Hansol helped you. Say thank you dude. Shall I go in first?”
Park Dongmyeong tapped my shoulder and entered the classroom first.
Ara and I took a book out of the locker and stood in front of each other in an awkward atmosphere where we were left alone.
How long have you been talking with Ara? Ara opened her mouth first.
“Sol, are you okay inside? You went in first because yesterday was very difficult.”
“… Uh, actually it was fine. I just made an excuse because I had something to do.”
“I see. I went in early after a while.”
“… Yes, well done.”
Yesterday, freshman classmates seemed to be lacking in alcohol, so they agreed to go for a second round.
I missed it because it was time to go see Kim So-yi, but Ara seems to have stayed.
“Uh… But what was it to do? Even at night… “
“… Just. I have a friend to meet.”
“If you are a friend… Minseop?”
“Another friend.”
“Yeah, that’s right… I’m glad I have another friend, Sol.”
Ara put on an awkward smile. But I couldn’t laugh.
Every time I see you, I can’t help but smile.
You used to be like the sun, but now when I see you, there are only dark clouds in my heart.
So before it rains, I decided to say what I have to say.
“Yooara, thank you for yesterday.”
“Huh? No, hehehe… Something like that between us… “
“… But why did you come to the Department of Korean Language Education?”
“Huh?”
Ara’s face, which had been laughing lightly at the thank you greeting, hardened.
“Why did you go to the Department of Korean Language Education? Have you ever dreamed of becoming a Korean teacher?
“… No.”
“… Then why are you here? Are you going to do academy business?”
“… No.”
Ara lowered her eyes and answered with a crawling sound.
Seeing such a scene, my voice grew darker and darker without realizing it.
“Then why did you come… Why did you come to the same department as me!”
“… It was so hard not being able to see you.”
“What does that mean… ”
“… Let’s start the lecture, Sol. I’ll go in first.”
With a crying sound, Ara ran up the stairs.
A thick dark cloud hung over my heart again.
Ugh-
The cell phone vibrated. It was a text from Soi.
After checking the contents of the text message, I burst into laughter.
“… What’s this.”
Anyway, the best restaurant information I’ve ever collected seems to be useless.
———-
“Now, here.”
“Ah, thanks! I was very curious because my sister drinks one can every night.”
Soyi smiled broadly after accepting the can of beer I offered him.
I never thought we were talking about canned beer. I let out a bitter laugh.
“Sorry for the late reply today. I slept without charging my phone yesterday… “
“There is nothing to be sorry about. I don’t know if I apologize for confusing people… “
“Huh? What are you confused about?”
“… No.”
Well, it’s a bit like drinking alone when we were just half-talking yesterday.
I asked Soi, who was sipping beer as if he was curious.
“So what? Is this your first beer?”
“Um… It’s a bit weird, but is it edible? I just drank and thought I would.”
“Beer is low in alcohol. If it was just a can of beer, I could have drank more in that state yesterday.”
“Huh? Really? Do you think it’s okay to drink a lot of beer?”
“Everyone is different…. But Kim Soi, you shouldn’t drink more than two cans, right?”
“… What? How do you know I might as well have a drink.”
How do you know? I’ve been dating you for 3 years, I wonder if you don’t know that.
Or should I use this as an opportunity to ask a question?
“Jung Then, would you like to go to a bar and check your alcohol level? If you know your alcohol amount first, it’s good when you drink later.”
“Sorry. That won’t work. I have to prepare for the store from morning tomorrow as well, but what if I get drunk?”
“… I see.”
So you’ve never had a chance to drink properly today from the beginning. Well, it’s a recently opened store, so it’s going to be difficult to ruin your condition by drinking alcohol.
Seeing me smiling bitterly, Soyi widened her eyes as if she had realized something.
“Ah… Were you thinking of going to a bar today? That’s what confused me… ?”
“… Yea, what was it but this is fine too In the first place, Kim So-yi, you said you wanted to try drinking, but you’re drinking beer like this.”
“Couldn’t you have been looking for something like a bar?”
“… That’s it, it’s just a short sleep, but what? I just searched a bit.”
From noble mtl dot com
“Sorry… I’ll tell you right from the start.”
“There is nothing to be sorry about. Really.”
Even when I said that it was okay, Soi made an uncomfortable face.
Ah, that’s it. When you’ve just become friends, if you feel sorry for one thing, it lasts for a long time.
But there are things that can be gained from such a slightly uncomfortable relationship.
Kim So-yi, who had been thinking for a while, looked as if she had made up her mind.
“Well then… Our store is closed on Sundays, so would you like to go to a bar on Saturday?”
“Really? Can I? Uh… okay! Then let’s go!”
The corner of my mouth went up at the unexpected suggestion.
Seeing her reaction, Soi nodded her head in satisfaction.
“You are finally smiling today. When we met yesterday and today, I didn’t like your face so much that I was worried about you.”
“Did I?”
“I did. Yesterday, you drank too much, but your face was crumpled and you said something really serious happened?”
“… I made some mistakes yesterday.”
Thinking about it, I think that was the reason Soyi became a bit weak towards me.
Yesterday and today, I came here doing bamboo statues, so I thought that I should do a favor.
“What was the mistake? Are you okay now?”
“It wasn’t just a big deal… That, my friend helped me, so I’m fine.”
“Good friend. Originally, a true friend helps a friend in a crisis.”
“… Yes. Helped me a lot when I was in trouble… He is such a friend.”
That friend, Yoo Ara. I remember a conversation I had with Ara this morning.
I’m not comfortable talking about another girl I like in front of a girl who used to be my girlfriend, even though I’m not now.
A dark cloud hangs over my heart again.
So Yi, who had been looking at me quietly, came closer to me.
“That, Hansol. Would you like to see me?”
“Uh… ?”
“Your expression darkened again. Don’t do that, let’s laugh huh? Like this. Try it.”
Making eye contact with mine, Soi smiled like the sun.
I imitated her face.
“Puhahahaha! What is that face again! Why can’t you smile like this?”
“hahahaha, I see…”
Soyi laughed out loud as if my face was ridiculous.
Following her, I naturally laughed.
You are still the one who makes me laugh.