chapter 6
“Dojin-ah, Dojin-ah… … !”
Smooth forearms wrapped around her neck like a snake, and her bulging chest pressed against her body. It was suffocating, but it was difficult to separate the huge physique of 180cm, which is higher than the average height of a Korean man.
“Dojin-ah… … . I miss you. Where the hell have you been for a week?”
Dasomi’s soft palms caress all over her face.
“I didn’t read the chat, and to make matters worse, I didn’t even answer the phone. I was worried, so I went to the house and they removed the room. Do you know how worried I was after hearing that? Dojin is you, did you owe something to coin or something? Then I have to tell my sister, why are you homeless! And what if you catch a cold?”
“Because, I-.”
Afraid to open her mouth, Dasom’s sister’s hand grabbed my wrist.
“Okay, Dojin, you must have been tired too, but your sister was too pushy. sorry. I can’t speak. Let’s go to my sister’s house and get some rest before we can talk. It’s not like I didn’t eat properly while I was homeless.”
“Sister, I have resigned.”
“What are you talking about, don’t say anything strange, let’s go back quickly.”
A tear-like pain spreads through the wrist.
“Do-jin, are you doing this because you are embarrassed by your debt? It’s okay, my sister doesn’t care about any of that. How much is it? If you need a guarantee, my sister will stand for you. No, I’ll pay you back even if you get a loan, so don’t fret, let’s eat first.”
“I never owed anything like that.”
“… … Then why are you doing this? Why are you being so stubborn? We were good, we were happy. Is not it?”
happiness, yes.
To be honest, I think I was happy. It must be strange not to be happy again.
Because my older sister cared for me like a little brother, who doesn’t mix with a single drop of blood.
“Dojin-ah, you’re a little weird these days. Like Coin, did you not meet bad friends or fall in love with strange games while your sister didn’t see you?”
His red-brown eyes carefully traced my face as if to confirm something. But the face swimming in it was not mine.
It was the face of someone I didn’t know, a little purer, clearer, and gleaming with a noble light.
For some reason, she looked like she was trying to mold that face through me… … .
—A plastic model? These hobbies are not for all grown-ups. So are you going to throw it away?
—Dojin-ah, don’t wear that kind of clothes, wear this. Because this suits you… … . oh, nice to see
—Do Jin-ah, I think this movie will only have a detrimental effect on you. Why don’t you watch another movie with your sister instead of watching this?
Each time you do, you will know for sure. That is an impossible story for me. at the same time realized That it might be faster to find someone she likes than to fix me, who can’t be saved.
No matter how hard I tried, I was a human with a bowl too small to realize my sister’s expectations.
I pushed Dasom’s sister’s hand away as she grabbed my arm.
“… … Do Jin-ah?”
Water seeps into Dasom’s noona’s eyes. I wanted to turn my eyes away from the wretchedness, but in the end it was what I had to do for my sister.
“Sister, I’m sorry.”
“Yes? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
I couldn’t let her waste any more time.
“I can’t be the person you want me to be.”
“Again, you say something strange… … . When did your sister ever ask you for something like that? Maybe it’s because he was homeless, so he seems to have a bit of a cold. so let’s go home Do-jin will also serve your favorite bean sprout ribs and tomato eggplant gratin. Oh, I also prepared a movie. The ‘National Dance Contest’ was so much fun. good? Come on… … .”
I opened my mouth, looking straight at the face of Dasom, who was pulling the collar.
“The truth is, I didn’t want to eat it.”
“Hey, is home-cooked the best? The ones sold outside are covered in artificial seasoning.”
“Soybean beef short ribs, tomato eggplant gratin, all the vegan foods that my sister makes.”
“uh… … ?”
Dasom’s lips, which had been shaking up and down, froze.
“It’s the same with movies, it wasn’t fun. My sister and I have different tastes.”
“What? It’s all different, can’t it be? Well, then, what did Dojin want to see?”
“Horror movie. I’m sorry, my sister told me not to watch it, but I couldn’t stop it.”
“Do, Dojin-ah! Don’t say that, even as a joke. Do you like movies that shed blood for such pleasure and stimulation? … ! ok, it’s ok It’s because you have animal food left in your stomach. It’s because I picked up and ate something while I was homeless, so my head went crazy. Starting today, if you eat healthy plant foods again, you will be able to heal.”
Dasom covered her ears and shook her head.
“Let’s stop now. I can’t live up to my sister’s expectations.”
“no! Hey, this is not what I expected. I’m just helping my little brother not to go astray. yes, protection… … ! Because that’s my sister’s role! This is it now… … . Come here quickly!”
With the last words said, Dasom grabbed my wrist and began to forcefully move. It’s like pulling a dog’s leash.
* * *
The sky was clear without a single dust, as if ridiculing the downturned atmosphere, but Dasom’s ivory hair fluttering in the wind seemed to have lost its luster, unlike usual.
“Dojin-ah, I’ll say one last time. Don’t say anything strange and come quickly.”
As Dasom continued to speak, the corners of her eyes were red, and the hand holding me, or even her whole body, was trembling enough to recognize it at a glance.
“If you keep doing that, I think you’ll get angry.”
But those eyes will never turn to me. I raised my arms as if surrendering and opened my mouth.
“Okay, sister. I’m all wrong Sorry.”
“… … are you okay. I don’t think I slept properly, maybe it’s because I’m a little tired. My sister understands everything.”
“yes.”
I turned my head and looked at the midsummer fast food restaurant. The red bricks and yellow pipes surrounding the building caught my eye, but this isn’t what I’m looking for.
Soon, my gaze shifted to the stained window, and only then I was able to make eye contact with Midsummer, who was looking down while chewing a hamburger.
“Dojin-ah, why are you doing this? The story is over, let’s go now. Can I call you a taxi? Oh, I have to decide what to do when I get home. Shall we eat rice first? Ummm, no, I’d rather wash it first… … .”
Dasom looked at me with a bright smile on her face. It was such a bright smile that the coolness I had felt before seemed like a lie.
I gently twisted the corners of my lips as I prepared myself.
“It’s good to go home right away, but I’m hungry because I skipped breakfast. Come to think of it, I think I read an article that said there was a vegan restaurant around here… … . Won’t you go with me too?”
“Uh, huh? Do, Dojin is with me?”
“yes.”
Dasom covered her mouth with both hands as if she couldn’t believe what I was saying. The sound of the wind leaking through the back of her hand was conveying her heart instead.
“I’m going to try playing a little game instead. Because I was busy these days, so I couldn’t even play with my sister.”
“I, really? Dojin-ah, are you serious about that? right? After all, I missed my sister because I was out. How long have you been talking like that?”
“Yeah, just close your eyes. Don’t move until I tell you.”
“Yes. Is this a co-op game? It’s gonna be fun.”
After confirming that Idasom had closed her eyes, I gave instructions to Midsummer using a spoken word.
‘come out.’
As soon as the words were finished, midsummer came down the stairs.
“Dojin-ah… … ? Not yet, I’m a little scared of you.”
“Wait a minute, sister, I’m looking for a restaurant with the map app. Don’t worry, I’m by your side.”
“yes… … .”
I once again gave directions towards midsummer.
‘taxi.’
Midsummer nodded and went out to the main street and started waving his arms, and after a while he called for a taxi.
“Sister, wait a little longer.”
“Yeah, I can do anything Dojin wants—”
I boarded a taxi.
“Please go to Piaro 32 Nobel Villa.”
“All right.”
Beyond the window, Dasom stood upright with her eyes closed and her hands folded as if praying to a god.
The taxi soon departed, and the figure of Dasom, who did not notice that I was gone, became smaller and smaller and then disappeared.
“… … Is it okay for my girlfriend to do this?”
“Don’t say anything rude.”
* * *
“That’s right, the website I made during my club days turned into a business and became a success! You are really great.”
“No, not yet.”
“Ah, that’s about it. While proudly charting in the Joongsun Ilbo’s ‘Top 10 Startups to Pay attention to this year’!”
He shed a smirk in embarrassment towards the sparkling reporter with his two snowing eyes.
She was now at her alma mater for an interview.
Everything was the same. Even the chair in which she is now sitting had once been seated.
Of course, something has changed. That was Chae Seol-ha’s own position.
Read at nobelmtl.com
It is still a business that lacks many aspects, but compared to the days when I was walking around the campus in a slumped posture with a sense of inferiority, it is a complete metamorphosis.
Now, as the ‘CEO’ of a young company running towards success, she can proudly walk around here with her back straight.
“Ah, it’s already this time… … . This may be the last question.”
The young reporter continued to speak while twitching his fingers as if it were a pity.
“As the CEO knows, there are a lot of people in our school who dream of starting a business after graduation, right? As a senior who is at the forefront of the field for such people, please give me a word of advice!”
He opened his mouth with a humble smile as if he had waited for the words of Chaseol.
“Don’t fret and do what you can now. Then the opportunity will follow.”
With those words, the interview was over, and the young reporter nodded to Chae Seol-ha.
“Thank you for coming while you are busy! Originally we were supposed to go… … .”
“No, it’s been a while since I’ve come to visit the school.”
Saying that, Chae Seol-ha smiled softly, and the young reporter began to lower his head, covering his mouth with both hands as if he was moved.
Turning around with a light greeting, I moved to the parking lot where my car was, quieting the twitching corners of my mouth. Soon after getting into the car, he took out his mobile phone and called somewhere.
“Ah, sister. Is the interview over?”
“Yeah, sweetheart. It’s just over.”
“Thanks for your efforts. How was the atmosphere?”
“It wasn’t bad. But more than that… … .”
He paused for a moment while holding the earpiece that was collecting snow before opening his mouth.
“I heard you called. That, Yoo-jin and… … .”
“Ah, yes, I think you will be back to work on Monday.”
“So that bastard, why did he do that all of a sudden? What did you not hear?”
“I haven’t heard anything, but… … You have a contract. Last week, my brother, no, he took it from our project.”
“Why?”
“The atmosphere was not good back then. So I think you may have been heartbroken. In fact, he said that he was going to work right away when he brought up the contract… … .”
“No, it’s because everyone is busy dying, but it’s because they care about things that don’t matter.”
“Still, I think I just said something too harsh… … . Wouldn’t it be better to apologize now?”
“done.”
Chae Seol-ha said as he started the engine.
“I’m not going to go out. There is only one place where you can receive an asshole like you.”
That there is only this Chae Seol-ha.
“It’s better, that bastard needs to know. Because the favor continues, it behaves as if it were taken for granted.”
“Yeah, yes, but… … .”
“Okay, okay, so stop nagging.”
After the call, Chae Seol-ha nervously threw the phone away.
… … Come to think of it, I’ve been a little, a little rough with him lately.
No, you have no choice but to be harsh. Because I don’t listen to what I say. We’ve been doing well so far, but it’s not like we’re fighting anything. All he says is for himself.
hey, it’s done i have to be patient Anyway, he must have said he would come back because he felt something from this incident, so I’ll throw in a carrot or something.
That way you will be able to understand it more clearly.
that you have only me Then someday… … .
The corners of Chae Seol-ha’s lips, who grabbed the handle, began to twitch again.