READ NOVEL ONLINE #006
#006
School life was manageable enough. Though classes were still overwhelming, I was living the life of an extremely ordinary student without any incidents. On my way home, without even 1,000 won to my name, I walked. Thankfully, Ha Jin had gotten a place close to school; otherwise, I might have become like those protagonists in stories who walked over mountains for two hours with their bundles to get to school.
My steps were light as I wondered what delicious meal the housekeeper would make for dinner tonight. As I walked cheerfully, someone stopped me.
“Excuse me, student.”
A kindly-looking grandmother held out a crumpled piece of paper to me. Seeing her troubled face, I could tell something was wrong.
“What is it, grandmother?”
“I need to get to this place, but I forgot my glasses and can’t read the signs well. Could you help me?”
The grandmother, carrying bags full of goods, looked like she was bringing food to her children’s home. The paper had “OO Villa” written on it, but how would I know where that was? If I had a phone, I could check the map, but I was just a beggar without even a phone.
“I’m sorry, grandmother. I just moved here recently, so I don’t know the area well.”
“Oh dear, I’ve bothered the wrong person, then. Don’t worry about me, go on your way.”
The grandmother smiled kindly while gently pushing my back. As I reluctantly walked away, I looked back and saw her still holding the paper and looking around. After hesitating briefly, I turned back and approached her again. Seeing me return, she tried to shoo me away once more.
“No, no, it’s fine. I can ask someone else.”
“Let’s ask together.”
“Oh my, why bother?”
“Give me those bags.”
“No, no, they’re not heavy.”
“If they’re not heavy, then I can carry them.”
“My, what a cheeky student.”
The grandmother laughed and playfully patted my back as I took her bags. It was a pleasant touch—not painful, but warm, like a gentle caress.
We stopped a passerby to ask about the “OO Villa” written on the paper. They didn’t know either but said, “Just a moment,” and searched on their map app. Fortunately, it was a villa in a nearby alley. After bowing thankfully to the person, I smiled at the grandmother and told her I knew where it was. “Let’s go.”
Walking side by side, the grandmother asked me various things.
“Are you a student?”
“Yes.”
“Oh my, my grandchild is also a student.”
“Really? Since it’s nearby, are they in university?”
“Yes, A University.”
“Oh? I go to A University too!”
“Is that so? You go to a good school.”
“Your grandchild goes to a good school too. They must have studied hard. If they take after you, they must be good-looking too.”
“My, how do you speak such sweet words?”
The grandmother held my arm and laughed heartily. As I laughed along, she watched me for a moment before bragging about her grandchild.
“Looking at you reminds me of my grandchild. My grandchild is fair-skinned and pretty.”
“Prettier than me?”
“Oh my, how can you even ask? My grandchild was known throughout the neighborhood for being pretty since childhood.”
She must have a very pretty granddaughter. Looking at the grandmother’s face, if the grandchild took after her, they would definitely be pretty.
“That child came up to Seoul alone and is having a hard time.”
“They must be happy to have you taking care of them like this.”
“They’ve loved my cooking since childhood. I raised them as best I could… but I always feel sorry for not being able to do more.”
As we chatted about various things, we arrived at OO Villa. As I handed the bags back to the grandmother and said goodbye, she held me back.
“Student, why don’t you stay for dinner?”
“No, thank you. Someone’s waiting for me at home too.”
“Oh, of course! You should eat with your family at home. Thank you, student. Without you, I would have been wandering the streets for a long time.”
“It’s nothing, grandmother. Enjoy lots of delicious food with your grandchild. I’ll be going now.”
As I bowed and turned to leave for home, the grandmother called out again.
“Wait a moment, student.”
The grandmother set her bags down and quickly came to me, pulling out a 10,000-won bill from her pocket and holding it out.
I raised both hands, strongly declining.
“Oh, come now. It’s because you remind me of my grandchild. Won’t you let this grandmother give you some pocket money?”
The grandmother quickly stuffed the money in my pocket and ran toward the villa. It didn’t seem right to try returning it. Gratefully accepting the grandmother’s kindness as if she were giving pocket money to her own grandchild, I bowed deeply once more. From a distance, the grandmother was waving her hand, saying, “Go on now.”
Seeing that made me feel both melancholic and happy. Her grandchild must be really fortunate.
* * *
Sun Woo’s expression had been looking better lately, though he was still cold toward me.
“What are you looking at?”
At Kim Shin’s words, I withdrew my gaze from Sun Woo. Kim Shin smiled kindly and nodded his head toward something. Looking that way, I saw a tall woman wearing a hat pulled low, talking with one of Ha Jin’s associates. While talking, she glanced at me, then quickly turned her head and left through the hallway. Since I’d never seen her before, she probably wasn’t from our department.
As I sat quietly, Kim Shin asked with a low laugh:
“Aren’t you going after her?”
“Why would I?”
“Right. I knew you’d react like that. I-na won’t last long either.”
Who’s I-na?
Kim Shin just smiled at me brightly. Seeing him smile as if amused by my reaction, I almost asked him who she was, but stopped myself. Ha Jin’s connections were probably just thugs anyway, so there was no need. Besides, if after two weeks I still didn’t know who someone was, we probably weren’t that close anyway.
* * *
“Ha Jin.”
As I was taking my lunchbox from my locker and about to open the department room door, a woman wearing a hat called my name coldly with a sharp tone from the corridor that should have been empty. I heard footsteps behind me, but I hadn’t expected anyone to be following me. It was strange enough that she followed me to the department room, but her hostile tone was even stranger.
Usually, people call my name very sweetly and politely.
Who is she to call me like that?
As I stood still, the woman had already approached me. With a mask on, I couldn’t make out her face, but seeing how loose even a small hat was on her, she must have a tiny face. Even though I couldn’t see her face at all, I could tell she was extremely angry. How peculiar.
“Ha Jin, you can’t be reached?”
“I don’t have a phone.”
“Are you crazy? Who says that in this day and age? Should we exchange letters instead?”
She had a point. Not having a phone in this smart era didn’t make sense. I completely agreed, so I couldn’t make excuses and just listened. This seemed to anger her more, and she let out a very slow sigh.
“Even so, you should be reachable somehow. You have endless ways of tormenting people. You’ll be my party partner today, right?”
“What party?”
“Chang Ki’s birthday. Didn’t you hear it’s today? Oh right, you don’t have a phone?”
She sarcastically pointed out my lack of a phone again. Come to think of it, Kim Shin did mention something about a yacht party and invited me… That must be it. Oh dear, I’d already told Kim Shin I couldn’t go. It would look bad if I changed my mind now. Besides, it would probably just be full of rich thugs anyway.
“I’m not going.”
“What? I’ve been patient for two weeks because you weren’t going to other gatherings and I hadn’t heard about you hanging out with other women. If you’re going to treat me like yesterday’s news like this, I can’t take it anymore.”
“Can’t take it?”
I asked because I genuinely didn’t understand. The woman flinched and took a step back.
“Damn, Ha Jin, you’re really something. I’m risking getting kicked out of the broadcasting industry to date you. I know all about how people who get involved with you end up with ruined reputations and leave the industry. But I’m different from them. I’m on a different level! How can you do this?”
“…”
“Am I short on money? Brains? You know I’m different from those girls you date for money. You know my family’s influential and deeply connected to political circles. That’s who I am, dating you! A daughter from a prestigious family! An actress beloved by the public, getting involved with you!”
She caught her breath for a moment, clenching her fist so tightly her knuckles showed. Then, with great difficulty, she spoke:
“…Hah… I won’t be possessive. I’ll understand whatever you do. So please don’t treat me like this. Ha Jin.”
The woman was clearly hurt in her pride but still pleading with me.
Standing before her, I was at a loss in this situation that seemed both familiar and unfamiliar. So basically, Ha Jin was dating this popular actress from a good family and ghosted her for two weeks? Ha Jin did the dating, but I did the ghosting.
Still wounded in her pride from what she’d said, the woman was trying to steady her rough breathing. Either way, ghosting was wrong, so I started to apologize.
“Is your name I-na?”
I think Kim Shin mentioned that name earlier, though I wasn’t sure since I hadn’t paid much attention.
At my question, the woman stopped breathing and just stared at me. Though her face was covered, I could only see her eyes, but I could feel those eyes slicing me to pieces. If looks could kill, I would have died ten times over right there.
Muttering “bastard” under her breath, she walked away down the corridor. I didn’t have enough information to chase after her. Seeing no other option, I entered the department room. Sun Woo, who usually came late, was already there.
‘Ah, I wonder if he heard? The room’s not very soundproof…’
“Hi, Sun Woo. You look even more handsome today?”
Sun Woo ignored my greeting as usual, but his gaze seemed upgraded somehow. If I had to measure it, it was about contempt level 2.
[The Lives of the Gold Spoons]
– Ha Jin’s Banned List 3. No alarms
└ How do you wake up without an alarm?
└ Isn’t an alarm essential?!
└└ Must wake up feeling Sun Woo’s coldness when he’s not around.
└└└ lol if you can feel that, shouldn’t you wake up right when Sun Woo leaves?
└ lol it’s already series 3
└ Alarms are necessary. What about being late?!
└└ Being late is no big deal for Ha Jin.
└ Is the “pa pa pa” alarm sound allowed?
└└ Ha Jin gets the death penalty the moment even a “p” sound comes from his alarm.
└└└ Ha Jin dies here again lolololol