After confirming that Jae-won-i was asleep, I returned to my room and went to bed.
Perhaps because I woke up in the middle of the night, it was a bit hard to get up in the morning, but I had to prepare breakfast, so I got up.
I yawned widely and checked the refrigerator.
,"There's a lot left from what I prepared yesterday...."
The problem is Jae-won-i's hangover... Instead of meat, it would be better to make hangover soup, right?
I checked if there was anything to make hangover soup, but I didn't see any bean sprouts. It would be nice to add bean sprouts, but oh well... Should I make dried pollack soup?
I found the dried pollack and made soup while stir-frying the meat I had prepared yesterday.
As the morning sun rose and the day brightened, people began to wake up one by one.
,"What's with you being the first one out for once?"
Shi-hyun-i, who is usually a heavy sleeper, woke up first.
,"I was drawn in by the delicious smell."
,"Just wait a little bit."
,"More than that, what time did Jae-won-i come home yesterday?"
,"In the early morning."
A frown appeared on Shi-hyun-i's face.
,"It's not like he's a kid, he can be late from drinking."
,"Tsk...."
Shi-hyun-i clicked his tongue and sat down on a chair. Following him, Kim Seo-bang and Seo-hui came out.
,"Good morning."
,"Did Seo-hui sleep well too?"
,"Yup!"
Seo-a came out with Saet-byeol-i. She must have played hard yesterday because she was coming out while dozing off.
,"Okay, Seo-a, let's eat breakfast quickly."
Jae-won-i hadn't come out even though it was time.
Well, it's understandable that it's hard for him to get up since he's probably struggling with a hangover. But will Shi-hyun-i acknowledge that?
There's no way....
,"That Jae-won-i...."
As Shi-hyun-i tried to get up, I quickly pressed down on Shi-hyun-i's shoulder to stop him from getting up.
,"I'll go."
If Shi-hyun-i goes, he'll definitely make a fuss, so I have to go. I could feel Shi-hyun-i glaring at me, but I ignored it and quickly entered Jae-won-i's room.
Jae-won-i was sleeping without even covering himself with a blanket.
,"Aigoo."
I went over and shook Jae-won-i's body.
,"Jae-won-a, it's morning."
It would be nice if he woke up when I did it moderately... Jae-won-i only frowned and didn't seem to want to get up.
,"Seong Jae-won!"
If it gets any later, Shi-hyun-i will get up, and an angry Shi-hyun-i will forcibly wake Jae-won-i up.
It's better for me to wake him up by force.
I hit Jae-won-i's forehead with a moderate amount of force.
,"Why aren't you getting up?"
,"Ack!"
Jae-won-i screamed and woke up.
,"Mom...?"
,"It's morning, I made dried pollack soup, so eat it and sleep."
,"Ah... Can't I just sleep...?"
I flicked Jae-won-i's forehead.
,"Dad is angry."
Jae-won-i was startled and got up.
,"Eugeuk."
Jae-won-i, who was holding his head as if it was ringing, moved slowly.
,"Let's go."
,"Okay."
He's scared of Shi-hyun-i after all.
When Jae-won-i came out, Shi-hyun-i glared at him with raised eyes.
,"Come on, come on, it's been a while since we've eaten together, let's not get angry."
When Jae-won-i sat down, everyone shouted, "We'll eat well," and ate breakfast.
Seo-hui and Seo-a, who were tired of waiting, picked up their spoons while talking.
Jae-won-i didn't seem to have an appetite because of his hangover and kept eating only the soup. After eating breakfast, Jae-won-i was sprawled out on the sofa like a zombie.
,"What kind of friends did you meet yesterday that made you drink so much?"
,"High school friends...."
,"Didn't they go to the military?"
Jae-won-i nodded at Shi-hyun-i's words.
,"There are some who are Hunters, and some who went to the military earlier than me because they didn't go to university, so that's why."
Well... there must be some who didn't go to the military.
,"Aigoo, you should have drunk moderately anyway."
,"I came home properly."
Jae-won-i frowned and got annoyed.
,"You should have made sure your mom didn't worry."
Shi-hyun-a? Why are you dragging me into this?
Jae-won-i looked at me cautiously.
,"It's okay, he just got discharged, he can do that."
When I defended Jae-won-i, Shi-hyun-i glared at me.
,"What? Why?"
When I raised my eyes and looked at Shi-hyun-i, Shi-hyun-i slyly avoided my gaze.
Jae-won-i continued to suffer from his hangover from morning. But Seo-hui didn't care about that.
,"Play with me, Uncle."
,"Sorry, Uncle is a bit tired...?"
,"Play with me!"
If Seo-hui cared about that, would she have come next to him... When Seo-hui clung to him, Seo-a started to follow suit.
,"Play."
,"Seo-hui-ya, Seo-a-ya? Shall we play with grandma?"
,"No!"
Saet-byeol-i was watching from behind, laughing. If Saet-byeol-i stopped them, they would listen a bit....
She was tormenting him, saying she caught him at the right time.
,"Okay, let's play, let's play."
Jae-won-i gave up and started playing with the kids. Jae-won-i's expression worsened every moment.
And Jae-won-i, unable to withstand the intense movements, even retched.
,"Ugh."
Jae-won-i, who was retching, covered his mouth and quickly headed to the bathroom.
,"Uncle?"
Seo-hui, who was having fun, looked in the direction Jae-won-i went with a look that meant why wasn't he playing with her anymore.
,"Looks like his stomach is upset."
When I said worriedly, Shi-hyun-i shook his head.
,"It's his fault for drinking."
It's too much to blame Jae-won-i for that... Somehow, neither Shi-hyun-i nor Saet-byeol-i are helping Jae-won-i at all.
When I went to the bathroom, I could hear Jae-won-i throwing up.
,"Should I pat your back?"
Even when I asked, Jae-won-i couldn't answer. And he shook his head with a painful expression.
I quietly stepped back.
After throwing up once, Jae-won-i was completely exhausted and passed out.
Seo-hui also didn't touch him because her uncle looked sick.
,"Jae-won-a, your phone keeps ringing?"
Jae-won-i frowned and turned off his phone.
,"Are you okay?"
Who could be calling that makes him act like that?
,"It's a friend, so it's okay."
It's Jae-won-i's business, so let's let him handle it.
Jae-won-i was miserable until the evening that day.
*
Several days have passed since Jae-won-i was discharged from the military. Jae-won-i, who used to go out and play with the kids when he was bored, was now tired of it and was cooped up at home.
,"Jae-won-a, aren't you going out today?"
,"I don't know...."
,"You must be tired of going out since you played so much."
Well... every time he went out, he drank alcohol and came back exhausted.
Thanks to that, I had to make hangover soup every morning....
,"Jae-won-a, aren't you meeting Yeon-u?"
,"Her? Why would I?"
His reaction is... ambiguous.
Yeon-u is also Yeon-u. If she really likes Jae-won-i, she should snatch him up! What is she doing that makes Jae-won-i react like this?
,"And you have to prepare to go to school now."
,"Is there anything to prepare?"
,"Reviewing?"
Is he somewhat concerned about his grades?
,"Yeon-u is returning to school next year, right?"
,"I guess so."
,"It would be fun to go to school together, right?"
,"We're in different departments, so that won't happen."
I, who haven't experienced university life, couldn't argue with Jae-won-i's words.
,"Is that so?"
,"Ah, just thinking about studying is already annoying."
,"But it's better than the military, right?"
,"That's true."
Jae-won-i chuckled and went into his room.
There's no progress between Yeon-u and Jae-won-i... There's no good way for me to help... I don't even know if I should get involved....
Well, should I just watch for now?
* * *
It's already been a month since I was discharged from the military. I was dazed by the time that had passed in the blink of an eye.
,"Jae-won-a, you're going to school from today, right?"
,"I'm awake...."
I was awake, but I didn't want to get up, so I was in bed.
,"Ah, I'm really returning to school...."
Honestly, I hadn't really felt it just by being discharged. But it was really time to go to school.
I got up, ate the breakfast my mom prepared for me, and left the house.
I arrived at school using public transportation, but it was so awkward.
,"Has anything changed?"
The school I saw after 2 years hadn't changed much. But it felt very new.
,"Hoo...."
When I went to the Department of Business Administration, a familiar building welcomed me. On the way to find the classroom, I encountered many people, but they were all strangers.
Is it natural since the 1st and 2nd graders have newly entered?
In particular, the awkwardness when I entered the classroom was indescribable.
The 1st graders were all looking at me, as if asking who that person was.
Still, I was glad that the first class ended quickly.
Unable to bear the awkwardness, I headed to a place where there were no 1st graders, and luckily, I was able to meet a friend.
,"Jae-won-i, is that you?"
,"Class president?"
The friend I ran into was the class president when I was a 1st grader.
,"I'm not the class president now."
,"Oh, really?"
,"Because I'm a 3rd grader."
To think I would feel the 2-year difference due to the military like this....
,"How have you been?"
,"Oh, oh."
Perhaps because I met a university friend after a long time, I was lost in the conversation without realizing how time was passing.
I heard about my friend's university life and received some tips....
I also heard the news that most of the other guys had gone to the military.
,"When you said you were going to the military, all the girls in our class were sad."
,"What are you talking about?"
Suddenly, he's saying something I don't know.
,"Didn't you know? There were a lot of girls who were after you."
Me...? Honestly, I was scared of girls, so I didn't approach them. Of course, I often talked while drinking with my friends, but I maintained a certain distance.
It was because I didn't want to reveal my frivolous self.
,"Well, you're handsome."
,"It's suspicious when you say it...."
I couldn't easily believe the former class president's words.
,"What? I'm saying it as a woman, okay?"
,"Ha, you're a woman too, right?"
The corner of my mouth slightly went up, and without realizing it, it became a mocking expression.
,"You...!"
,"Sorry, I'll buy you coffee, so forgive me."
It's because there was an incident where I declared that I had no intention of dating from the MT until graduation and asked to be treated like a man.
The former class president, who said that boldly while drunk, regretted it a lot later, right?
,"Anyway, even I think you're handsome."
Still, I could believe a woman's words.
,"Then what's the point?"
I've never even been confessed to by a girl.... Until middle school, I used to get confessed to often.
Back then, I liked playing with my friends, so I rejected them all, but now I regret it.
It would have been nice to have dated at least once.
I talked with my friend and headed to the vending machine and bought her coffee.
,"I'll enjoy it, ask me if you have any questions."
She said that and handed me her phone number.
,"You're registered on the messenger."
,"Uh-huh, that and the number are different."
Is that so...?
I received the paper with her phone number written on it.
,"See you later."
,"Okay."
I waved my hand and left that place and headed to the next classroom.
On the way to the classroom, someone grabbed me from behind.
,"Jae-won-a."
,"Wak?!"
I was startled because someone suddenly spoke to me. I quickly turned around to check who it was, and an unexpected person was standing there.
,"Y-Yeon-u?"
,"Jae-won-a, who was that woman from earlier?"
,"Huh, huh?"
Yeon-u's eyes were scary. Why is she looking at me with those eyes?
I couldn't understand.
,"A, friend?"
,"Is that so...? Then what's that paper?"
,"It's a number."
,"Why did she give you her number?"
Yeon-u kept questioning me.
,"Ah, she said she'd tell me if there's anything I don't know since I'm returning to school."
,"Is that so...?"
,"Yeah, that's what it is."
Why am I making excuses to Yeon-u? I couldn't understand.
,"Sorry, I have to go to class now!"
I was scared of Yeon-u, so I quickly ran away from that spot.