My Ex-Boyfriend is Sold Out

Chapter 21: A Countryside Life with My Ex-Boyfriend and Childhood Friend!

* * *

On their way to the western coast, Si-hyun and Yerin were traveling on an express bus. Yerin, humming happily in anticipation of visiting her grandma’s house, tried to rest her head on Si-hyun’s shoulder, only to be thwarted by the seat divider.

“Tsk… should’ve booked regular seats instead of first class.”

“What’s wrong with first class? It’s comfortable,” Si-hyun said, fully stretched out with his shoes off, half-reclined.

Yerin shot him a disapproving look. “Honestly, you’ve got no sense of romance. None at all.”

Si-hyun tilted his head, bewildered by the sudden complaint.

Yerin, pouting as she looked out the window, perked up after a moment. “Come to think of it, Si-hyun, you’ve met my grandma a few times, right? Do you remember her?”

“Of course. She always came to the school events, like Sports Day and Parents’ Day.”

Even though his memories from childhood were a little fuzzy, he still remembered her kind smile.

I never quite understood why her grandma always came instead of her parents, though…

Even though Si-hyun and Yerin had been close for years, he’d never once met her parents.

Whenever he asked, she’d simply say they were busy and quickly changed the subject, making it clear she didn’t want to talk about it.

They must have their reasons…

Just then, Yerin offered him a triangle kimbap.

“Want a bite?”

“Sure.”

Si-hyun took a bite absentmindedly, savoring the spicy pork bulgogi flavor as it spread across his tongue.

Yerin watched him, a mischievous smile creeping onto her lips. “Wow, you just went for it, didn’t you?”

“Huh?”

“You bit the exact spot where I had already bitten. So… no problem with indirect kisses anymore?”

As she teased him, gently tapping his lips with her finger, Si-hyun’s face turned a deep shade of red. Seeing his adorable reaction, Yerin grinned, barely resisting the urge to pull him closer.

He’s just too cute sometimes.

“Want another bite?”

“No, you eat it.”

“Pfft, shy already?”

Back on the train, he’d seemed so confident, acting like he could handle anything she threw his way. But now? Not so much.

Watching him squirm at her every move filled Yerin with delight.

“I can’t take it anymore!”

Yerin pulled Si-hyun into a hug, pressing his head against her shoulder. Si-hyun could feel the sweet, fruity scent of her perfume, but between her teasing and the closeness, he could barely breathe.

* * *

When they finally arrived, Si-hyun, feeling utterly exhausted from the ride, dragged himself off the bus. After hopping into a taxi and giving the driver the name of the village, they traveled another few miles before arriving at their destination.

“From here, we just have to walk ten minutes, and we’ll be at my grandma’s house.”

“Seems pretty far…”

Walking along the shore with the smell of the sea in the air, the summer breeze offered them a brief relief from the sweltering heat.

“I heard the West Sea was supposed to be dirtier than other places, but it doesn’t look bad at all.”

“Of course not! People just have a prejudice against it.”

As Yerin eagerly started listing all the virtues of the West Sea, Si-hyun’s mind drifted, noticing something nostalgic about the village.

So, this is where Yerin came every break…

When they were younger, Yerin had disappeared every summer and returned just before the start of school, her skin tanned from the sun, always cheerful and full of stories about her grandma’s place.

As he pondered, an elderly woman waved at them from a distance.

“Oh, is that our Yerin back already?”

“Yes, it’s me!”

As they got closer, Si-hyun realized she wasn’t Yerin’s grandma, just a friendly neighbor.

“And who’s this young man? Your boyfriend?”

“Exactly!” Yerin replied cheerfully, pulling Si-hyun’s arm close. Si-hyun looked like he wanted to object but settled for a polite bow and a sigh.

“Well, look at you, in the prime of youth! Our Yerin’s a good girl, so be good to her, okay?”

“Uh… yes, ma’am,” Si-hyun replied, scratching the back of his head.

They exchanged goodbyes and continued up the path until they arrived at a quaint, traditional thatched house. Excited, Yerin sped ahead, flinging open the door and calling out in a sweet voice.

“Grandma~!”

“You’re here.”

Yerin was thrilled to see her grandma, wrapping her in a warm hug, her feet bouncing up and down with joy. Her grandma, after patting Yerin on the back like she would an overexcited puppy, turned to Si-hyun.

“Aren’t you Si-hyun?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“My, how you’ve grown!”

Though her greeting was warmer than expected, Si-hyun could only chuckle awkwardly as she gave him a few hearty pats on the back.

“You kids must be starving. Just sit, I’ll set the table in no time.”

“Yes, thank you!”

Soon, the table was filled with food, and Si-hyun’s eyes widened at the spread.

Eel, oysters, abalone, octopus, shrimp… I guess being by the sea, it’s all seafood.

Despite his initial surprise, Si-hyun quickly set aside any suspicions about the meal’s “intentions.”

“All this granny wants,” she said with a playful glint in her eye, “is to see a great-grandchild before I die, all chubby and healthy.”

“Grandma~! You’re too much!” Yerin squealed, cheeks bright pink.

Si-hyun could only hope her intentions weren’t as… implied as they seemed.

While Si-hyun gulped nervously, Yerin picked up a generous slice of eel and placed it in his bowl.

“Eat up, Si-hyun. You’ll need the strength later.”

Strength? For what exactly? Si-hyun thought, chewing reluctantly.

Her grandma watched them, her eyes twinkling as she gave Yerin a slice of eel as well.

“Remember, dearie, a mother’s nutrition goes straight to her child. Eat well, so your babies grow all plump and healthy.”

“Of course!” Yerin replied enthusiastically.

That day, Yerin left the table spotless.

* * *

Meanwhile, at that exact time, Chae-yeon was sitting at home in her panda pajamas, flipping through a red photo album.

Swish.

The plastic covers were covered with fingerprints from how often she’d turned the pages. Every picture was one of Si-hyun, each one bringing a soft smile to her face.

“This one… it’s from our aquarium date. He laughed so sweetly during the dolphin show…”

She moved to the next memory—the amusement park.

“Here he’s wearing those animal ear headbands… and the lady who took our picture said we looked like such a perfect couple…”

Next, she looked at a picture from their college festival.

“This one was taken at the bonfire… We were both so clumsy dancing around it, tripping over each other’s feet.”

She’d looked through the album hundreds of times, reminiscing over each memory. Feeling lonely during the break, she found herself turning to it even more often.

“I wonder… what Si-hyun’s doing right now.”

The more she looked at the pictures, the more she missed him. She imagined him safe at home, getting some rest… alone, hopefully, with no one else around.

“Surely he’s not with Yerin, right?”

The last time she’d seen them, right after MT, something seemed different. She’d felt a strange unease watching the way they looked at each other, a shift in their gaze that hadn’t been there before.

“If the two of them started dating, it would be a disaster…”

Chae-yeon shook her head vigorously, her black hair swaying back and forth.

Come on, get it together… Si-hyun wouldn’t do that.

She knew she needed to overcome her trauma for good, especially if she wanted to avoid this constant anxiety. But despite her efforts, therapy hadn’t brought her much progress yet.

“Ugh… what should I do to pass the time?”

Was summer break always this dull? Si-hyun’s absence seemed even more noticeable, and as she flipped through her calendar, her gaze fell on the family photo on her desk.

Mom…

Since she’d started dating Si-hyun, Chae-yeon had barely been in touch with her mother. She still harbored feelings of resentment toward Soo-yeon, the woman who had planted those painful beliefs in her.

But she’d never spoken up about it. No matter how much it hurt, Chae-yeon knew all too well about the hardships her mother had endured and didn’t want to burden her further.

Now that I think about it… I haven’t checked in on them in a while…

The last time she’d visited was during winter break. She resolved to go see her parents this summer, too, maybe even confront some of the unresolved feelings she had toward her mother.

Talking to her might be the key to moving past this.

After all, if she could convince her mom to rethink the views that had trapped her, it might be just the push she needed to heal.

“If I can finally overcome this… then I’ll tell Si-hyun how I really feel.”

With that goal in mind, Chae-yeon quickly packed a bag, called for a cab, and set off for her parents’ house.

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