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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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My group and I left the subway station and headed to a cafe.
Kim Sung-joo, who had suggested the cafe, led the way, taking us through winding alleyways until we reached a traditional Korean-style building (hanok).
“You said cafe, but what’s with the hanok?”
Pi A-reum tilted her head, looking around.
Kim Sung-joo pointed to the sign that read “Unhyangnu (Cloud Fragrance Pavilion).”
“It’s a cafe. A unique cafe that opened recently. It’s pretty good.”
“Wow, I’ve never been to a cafe like this.”
“If it’s a unique cafe, I wonder if the desserts are different too?”
Everyone excitedly went inside.
I was about to follow them when,
“Hey, Cheol-jin.”
Ahn Sung-hyun, who hadn’t gone in yet, called out to me.
“Uh…”
I turned around, and Ahn Sung-hyun just looked at me, unable to speak.
I looked at him for a moment and sighed softly.
The situation was strange. I was the one with the trauma, yet he was the one who seemed scared. Even now, he flinched when I sighed.
…I could guess why, but it annoyed me to see such a large guy react like a timid girl.
“Ahn Sung-hyun.”
“Uh, yeah.”
“Are you going to keep doing that? The others will think it’s weird.”
“…Sorry.”
Ahn Sung-hyun’s shoulders slumped. Seeing a well-built guy with such a pitiful expression was irritating.
I couldn’t help but add,
“You said we’ve been friends since we were three.”
“S-sorry.”
He apologized again. He was apologizing for revealing our past friendship.
I looked at Ahn Sung-hyun impassively and asked bluntly,
“Are you my friend?”
“…”
“No, I mean, do you still consider me a friend?”
I rephrased the question.
Ahn Sung-hyun, who had been hesitant, slowly nodded.
Seeing that reaction, I felt a surge of anger. If you consider me a friend, why did you do that back then? I swallowed the words that rose to my throat. Because I knew why.
I let out a sigh, suppressing the words swirling in my mouth. Then, with irritation in my voice, I said,
“Then why do you keep apologizing and acting so cautiously around me?”
“…Huh?”
Ahn Sung-hyun’s eyes widened.
I ignored his reaction and jerked my chin toward the cafe.
“Aren’t you coming in?”
“O-of course! Yeah!”
Ahn Sung-hyun’s voice sounded a little excited.
‘He’s become kind of girly since I last saw him.’
I left Ahn Sung-hyun behind and headed to where the others had settled down. The place wasn’t suitable for further conversation.
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As expected of a unique cafe, the menu was quite different from typical cafes. The girls chattered excitedly as they looked at the menu.
“Has anyone tried omija tea? I’ve only heard of it, never actually seen it.”
“What dessert should we order? There’s a lot of things that look delicious.”
“Let’s order something we can only get here.”
“Yeah. First, the garaetteok churros! And these ya-kkwa-rongs, the name is so cute.”
“Ahaha. It is. Yakgwa- macarons, ya-kkwa-rongs. The name is so cute! Is there anything else?”
The girls giggled for a while over the dessert names. At this rate, it would take forever just to decide on what to order.
On the other hand, Ahn Sung-hyun and I quickly decided on our orders and waited patiently. Kim Sung-joo, who had asked us for our orders, called out to the girls.
“Hey, if you’re having trouble deciding, let’s order different things and share. We’ve already decided.”
“Ah, that’s a good idea.”
“Let’s share a bite of everything!”
Then, Pi A-reum, who had been staring intently at the menu, spoke with a determined look.
“I’m going to have the sweet pumpkin bingsu. Anyone want to share?”
“They sell bingsu in winter?”
“Yeah, I guess so. Look, there’s a customer eating it over there.”
Following Pi A-reum’s finger, I saw someone eating bingsu. The bingsu topped with red bean paste and sweet pumpkin looked quite appetizing.
“Hmm. I’ll pass. Bingsu in this weather…”
“Sorry, bingsu’s not really my thing either. I don’t really like sweet pumpkin.”
Everyone seemed reluctant.
Even though Ipchun (Start of Spring) had passed and March was approaching, the weather these days… it still occasionally snowed, and the temperature dropped below freezing in the evenings. Not many people craved bingsu in this kind of weather.
Pi A-reum’s eyes drooped. She seemed to want the bingsu, but it looked like she was worried about the large portion.
When no one else volunteered, I quietly raised my hand.
“I’ll share it.”
“Oh, really?!”
Pi A-reum’s head shot up. I nodded, and she looked at me with a touched expression.
“Kang Cheol is such an angel…!”
The others burst out laughing at that. They were a cheerful bunch.
“Pfft! What, Kang Cheol because your name is Kang Cheol-jin?”
“Kang Cheol, that nickname has a nice ring to it.”
“Cheol-jin already has a nickname.”
I awkwardly laughed and brushed off their reactions. But inwardly, I was trying to calm my startled heart.
‘That surprised me.’
I was momentarily taken aback. ‘Kang Cheol’ was the nickname I often used online. Naturally, I also used the same nickname when taking illustration commissions. That’s why my regular client, ‘Yoo-shi,’ often called me Kang Cheol.
Could Pi A-reum be Yoo-shi?
That thought crossed my mind, but I dismissed it.
That would be an overreaction. It was just a nickname based on my name. Come to think of it, I think I was also called Kang Cheol in elementary school.
“Hey, Sung-joo, switch seats with me. I’m going to eat bingsu with Kang Cheol!”
“Sure. That would be easier.”
“Thanks, thanks!”
Pi A-reum switched seats with Kim Sung-joo and sat next to me. I tensed up, feeling nervous with a girl sitting next to me. Moreover, Pi A-reum was undeniably pretty.
‘She’s ridiculously pretty.’
I genuinely admired her. Because she was short, my first impression was that she was cute, but up close, her delicate features caught my eye.
Careful not to stare too much, I focused on the others’ conversation, while inwardly reciting the “How to make friends as an outcast” advice.
‘Listen attentively and give good reactions.’
They said I’d be halfway there if I did just those two things.
I opened my ears wide, ready to give enthusiastic reactions at any moment.
But as I listened, I realized I didn’t need to give any over-the-top reactions. Kim Sung-joo, who looked like a natural social butterfly, was leading the conversation effortlessly.
“Kang Cheol, I noticed you’re tall, but your sitting height is similar to mine. Look at those long legs.”
“Oh? R-really?”
“Yeah. You can always tell the difference between someone with long legs when they’re standing and sitting. So, how tall are you?”
“I don’t know exactly, but somewhere between 178cm and 180cm?” (5’10” – 5’11”)
Since I didn’t go outside, I didn’t have any health checkups. I just guessed based on my father’s height, which is around 185cm (6’1”).
Ahn Sung-hyun glanced at me and added,
“I’m 178cm, so… Cheol-jin is probably around 180cm. He’s a bit taller than me.”
“Wow, I’m so jealous of you tall guys. I’m just average. Seo-jin, as a girl, do you prefer tall guys?”
“Huh? Well, I guess so?”
Lee Seo-jin nodded vaguely. She was the quietest one in the group.
On the other hand, Kim Sung-joo was a typical extrovert. Handsome and taking the lead in the conversation. While everyone was still a bit awkward, Kim Sung-joo had been asking various questions to both the guys and girls, creating a comfortable atmosphere.
Oh, speaking of extroverts, there was one more. Someone as outgoing and friendly as Kim Sung-joo. Park Mi-hyun, the one who was most excited about the menu.
Park Mi-hyun looked Kim Sung-joo up and down and said,
“Aren’t you taller than average?”
“Whoa, it’s embarrassing when you look me over like that.”
“Oh, whatever. Anyway, you don’t really have to worry about height.”
I nodded in agreement. Honestly, no matter what people say about men’s height, if you’re as handsome as Kim Sung-joo, it’s a secondary issue. I thought he was a celebrity when I first saw him.
And speaking of celebrities, Pi A-reum, sitting next to me, was humming a strange song.
“Bingsu, bingsu, sweet pumpkin and sweet potato bingsu~.”
“There’s no sweet potato in it.”
“Sweet pumpkin and sweet potato!”
“…”
Maybe it was just me, but she seemed a little strange. She was also excessively pretty.
Honestly, everyone here was good-looking, but Kim Sung-joo and Pi A-reum were on another level. If I hadn’t been so flustered by Ahn Sung-hyun at the subway station, I might have run away, intimidated by this social butterfly party.
I didn’t want to think about how out of place I looked…
I secretly sighed, feeling a sudden wave of disillusionment.
“Guys, I’m actually twenty-two.”
“Huh?”
Suddenly, Kim Sung-joo, or rather, hyung Sung-joo, revealed his age. (Hyung is a term used by males to refer to older males)
Kim Sung-joo laughed awkwardly and said,
“I wasn’t trying to hide it, but I just didn’t get around to saying it. Ah, I’m not a stickler. Just keep speaking informally and call me by my name. But, you know, the vibe… you know?”
…Did I call him “ya” (informal term, can be considered rude depending on context)?
As I was trying to recall, Pi A-reum, who was sitting next to me, suddenly stood up and bowed at a perfect 90-degree angle.
“I apologize for calling you ‘ya,’ hyungnim!”
“…Hyungnim? Not oppa?”
“Correction, orabeoni!”
“Uh, um. Call me whatever you want, A-reum.”
“Okay, oppa.”
She definitely seemed a little strange.
But then, Park Mi-hyun also raised her hand hesitantly and said,
“Actually, I’m twenty-one. I retook the exam.”
“Sorry…”
“Don’t do that, A-reum.”
“Okay, unnie.”
The atmosphere became a little awkward because of Pi A-reum. It wasn’t a big deal, though.
Park Mi-hyun nudged Kim Sung-joo with her elbow.
“Oppa, can we really call you by your name?”
“Yeah, I don’t mind. And you’re twenty-one, right? Just a year apart, so we’re practically friends.”
“Oh, friends. You’re so magnanimous. Then can I call you ‘ya’?”
“…Do as you please.”
Kim Sung-joo shrugged as if giving up. He was a good-natured older brother figure to his younger classmates. Is this what being a social butterfly is like?
Anyway, as we were chatting, the buzzer went off.
Pi A-reum, who had been humming, fiddled with the vibrating buzzer and jumped up.
“Bingsu!”
“Ah, I’ll get it.”
Since I was sitting on the outside, I took the buzzer and stood up. Originally, Kim Sung-joo was sitting in the middle, so after switching seats, it was difficult for Pi A-reum to get out.
‘…Should I have moved to the inside when we switched seats?’
Thinking about it now, it seemed like basic manners. I was too busy following the conversation to notice.
“Kang Cheol, let’s go together.”
“Ah, thanks, hyung.”
“Huh? What’s there to thank me for? You wouldn’t be able to carry it all by yourself anyway.”
Kim Sung-joo chuckled and patted my back. Like Pi A-reum and Kim Sung-joo, it didn’t feel like we had just met today; they were surprisingly comfortable around me.
As we were heading back to our seats with the drinks and desserts,
Kim Sung-joo suddenly asked,
“Kang Cheol, do you have a tattoo?”
“…Huh?”
“That thing on your neck. Isn’t that a tattoo cover-up sticker? It’s not a patch, is it?”
I flinched and covered the back of my neck with my hand.
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