Part 9

“Wow, this alcohol is so sweet.”

Yoonmi tilted her empty glass over her head after downing it in one shot.

“Hey, take it easy.”

“What? We’ve just started. Let’s go all out!”

Seowoo shook her head in disbelief. It had been a long time since the last MT at the beginning of the semester, so everyone in the class, including Yoonmi, was excited.

They were gathered at a pension house in Gangchon

Everyone was gathered in the yard, drinking alcohol and eating barbecue and food.

“Have some meat. You might just leave feeling awful if you keep drinking like that.”

Despite Songcheol’s warning, Yoonmi was just in high spirits.

Except for those who couldn’t make it due to personal reasons, about twenty people were able to attend. Moreover, some seniors from the Business Administration department, whom they had invited yesterday, were also there.

“I have no idea why you even bothered to come here.”

Songcheol grumbled but poured Yoohyun a drink. It seemed like Yoohyun wasn’t just making empty promises when he said he would come along.

“We’re all from the same school anyway. Seowoo, did you do well on your exams?”

 Yoohyun asked, shifting his gaze to Seowoo.

“Uh, yeah. Just okay.”

“Don’t bother aiming for the top of the department. Seowoo will probably come first again.”

“Oh no, please don’t say that.”

She denied it out of embarrassment, but everyone didn’t seem to believe her.

“It’s true tho. Yoonmi told me that all of her grades are already in, and she’s guaranteed an A+.”

“Han Yoonmi, seriously…”

Seowoo glanced at Yoonmi, who was drinking next to her. She hadn’t meant to say it, but she had. Seowoo took a sip of her juice and glanced around.

‘Good luck on your exam. See you tomorrow.’

He didn’t say he was coming to MT. Maybe he meant they would see each other at school.

Seowoo felt pathetic for fretting about it since yesterday. 

What was I waiting for? He hadn’t promised to come anyway.

As she aimlessly fiddled with her glass, Taejun spoke up, breaking the silence.

“That’s right. Seowoo.”

“What?”

“Did you see Jiwook yesterday? He left right after you did, saying he was going home.”

“Oh…….”

She didn’t know what to say.

She hadn’t done anything wrong, but she couldn’t bring herself to mention that she had gone with Jiwook.

“But why didn’t Jiwook come?”

As she hesitated, trying to choose her words, Songcheol suddenly interjected.

“Oh, he had something to do at home. He said he’ll come in the evening.”

“What’s going on? Why is Kwon Jiwook saying he’s coming to the MT? And it’s even someone else’s department’s MT.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Maybe because he’s about to return to school.”

“Do senior Jiwook usually not come to these kinds of meetings?”

Yoonmi, who had been listening quietly, asked with a glint in her eye.

“Yeah. He usually doesn’t come around much.”

“Ohh, I see.”

“Well, you know, it’s a different world he lives in. Though he’s got a good personality, gets along well with everyone, you know. It’s just the way he is.”

Yoohyun’s words were true.

His house, as Seowoo remembered from her childhood, was like a palace. High walls and vast yards made the house barely visible from the outside. The first floor had a reception room, kitchen, dining room, and countless bedrooms.

And behind the main building, there were quarters for the staff.

That’s where Seowoo and her mom stayed.

“Yeah, he’s the first heir to a conglomerate. It was really fascinating to see him for the first time. He looked exactly like a prince, you know?”

He wasn’t someone you could easily meet in the first place. His father and grandfather were famous enough to appear frequently in the news.

“He’s got a good background, and he’s good-looking too, so I thought he was going to be an asshole, but it turns out that someone from a good family also has a good personality.”

“Wow, he’s perfect.” 

Seowoo pretended not to be interested in the seniors’ conversation, but she was more focused than anyone else.

The stories she couldn’t bring herself to ask about yesterday were floating around in her mind. Just then, a car pulled into the parking lot in front of the pension. 

Under the bright lights illuminating the yard, Songcheol checked the license plate.

“Oh, it’s him.”

“It looks like Jiwook is here.”

Seowoo’s gaze shifted to where they were looking.

A moment later, Jiwook stepped out of a white sports car, his figure clearly visible even in the dark evening as if illuminated by spotlights.

He really came.

Seowoo had thought it was just empty words, but seeing him made her heart race again.

“You came.”

He jerked his head up without answering. His hands were full of something.

“What’s all this?”

“Oh, Senior brought some groceries.”

Yoonmi and Taejun accepted it and checked the items.

“…….”

Despite the surrounding noise, Seowoo quietly bit her lip and narrowed her eyes. Then, she made eye contact with Jiwook. Startled by his intense gaze, she quickly looked away.

While everyone’s attention was focused on what he’d brought, Jiwook slowly walked over and stood next to Seowoo.

“How’d it go last night? Did you sleep well?”

His calm, low voice echoed in her ears.

Seowoo glanced up to find him staring down at her.

“Uh, me?”

“Yeah, you.”

As if to say, “Isn’t it obvious that I’m asking you?” he raised an incredulous eyebrow.

She had indeed made it home safely. It’s just that she couldn’t sleep. 

She usually went to bed early the night before an exam to be in good condition, but because of Jiwook, she couldn’t fall asleep.

“Yeah, somehow.”

She couldn’t exactly say she couldn’t sleep because of him

“I’ll, uh, get you a glass.”

Feeling awkward, Seowoo started looking for a glass in a hurry.

“Don’t bother. I have to leave early in the morning, so I can’t drink anyway.”

“……Why?”

“Don’t want me to go?”

“Well…” 

“If you don’t want me to go, then I won’t.”

The conversation seemed to flow uncontrollably.

The words came out in a series of hooks and tosses, and Seowoo didn’t know what to say in response. As she pursed her lips, she suddenly felt something in her hand.

“What is this?”

Seowoo looked down to see what she was holding.

“You don’t like bitter things, right?”

“…….”

Even so, but why chocolate milk…….

As she pondered this, her head snapped up and she looked at him. He, who had been beside her a moment ago, had walked over to the seniors and was talking to them.

‘Here, have this. You like it, don’t you?’

Occasionally, he used to offer her something like this when they were younger. 

Suddenly, memories from those days flooded back to her. 

“I knew it for sure…”

Without asking anything, Seowoo was convinced.

That he really did remember her.

“Seowoo, have this.”

Yoonmi came over with a fruit pack, smiling brightly.

“Hey, he got this from the department store. Buying expensive fruits from there instead of a fruit shop. Truly a different class with the chaebol. This must be delicious.”

Seeing the neatly cut fruits made her mouth water. Yoonmi opened the plastic case and picked a piece of melon with a fork, pushing it into Seowoo’s mouth. 

Sweet juice filled her mouth. As she chewed, she glanced over at Jiwook, and their gazes locked for a moment.

“Mmm. Cough.”

“Eat it slowly. Why the rush? But seriously, it’s tasty. Is this sprinkled with sugar?”

Still reeling from the sensation, Seowoo took a while to regain her composure. With a flushed face, she finally managed to breathe properly. Yoonmi looked at her hand and jerked her chin.

“What’s that? Oh, milk. Did you used to like chocolate milk?”

“No…… uh…….”

Flustered, not knowing what to say in response, Seowoo stumbled over her words, awkwardly closing her eyes and laughing.