-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: I Did It Because I Like It
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It was a bright, clear day after a long time.
The deep blue sky was free of even a speck of the tiresome fine dust, fully revealing the distant mountain peaks.
As excited as the weather, the kids gathered one by one at the pier.
The long-awaited school trip—some had dolled up head to toe in hot new shopping spree items just for today, while others drew eyes with bold makeup and hairstyles. Among them were kids who looked like they'd popped over to the corner store, carrying nothing but a tiny bag barely big enough for a toothbrush and wearing comfy training clothes.
A-jin had dressed up in her own way, too.
In a white t-shirt and black linen jumpsuit, with her hair tied back in a single braid dangling down, she looked especially cute today.
“How much longer till we leave?”
“Yeah. Want me to grab some snacks?”
Cho-hee checked her watch and pointed toward the passenger terminal.
Cho-hee in her casual clothes was drawing everyone’s stares without a doubt.
Her high-waisted denim pants accentuated her slender, long legs even more, and with every movement, her white crop top bounced up to teasingly reveal and hide glimpses of her pale skin.
“Sure.”
A-jin nodded, and Cho-hee stretched with a bored yawn as she walked off.
That made her already short crop top ride up even further, exposing her ribs.
“Ugh! Hey!! It’s all showing!”
A-jin startled and yanked her crop top back down.
Cho-hee whined that it would stretch and swatted A-jin’s hand away.
“What’s the big deal? That’s why I wore it—to show off.”
She was enjoying the sidelong glances from the boys who couldn’t stare outright.
“Still.”
“Anyway, why aren’t we flying? Why take the boat? It’s gonna be so boring.”
“I like it. When do we ever get to ride a huge ship like this?”
“Let’s see if you still like it after thirteen hours inside. It’s only forty minutes by plane! We should’ve just paid extra for the flight.”
Cho-hee was already complaining about the boredom of the long boat ride ahead.
“They say there’s an arcade and a shop inside. What should we do?”
Unlike the grumbling Cho-hee, A-jin smiled brightly, happy with anything.
“Alright, let’s board!”
With the headcounts done, each class started boarding under their homeroom teacher’s lead.
“Choi Jong-min.”
Cho-hee grabbed Jong-min’s wrist as he was about to board and yanked him toward her.
“Ah! What the hell!”
Jong-min whipped around, annoyed by the sudden strong grip, ready to curse out whichever friend it was.
But it was Cho-hee holding his wrist.
His scowl vanished in an instant, replaced by a goofy grin.
“What’s up, Cho-hee?”
“Let’s eat dinner together later.”
First she grabs his wrist—what an honor—and now a date invite?
Jong-min didn’t know where to put himself from shyness.
“Dinner? With me?”
“Yeah. They said dinner’s free time. Let’s get something tasty together.”
Jong-min had zero reason to refuse.
He just nodded gratefully.
“But A-jin’s eating with us too. Pairs don’t match up, so bring a friend.”
“Oh… okay. Got it.”
Not just the two of them was disappointing, but still, dinner with her was the bigger joy.
Jong-min nodded once more to show he understood.
* * *
“Yeah, we just boarded. It’s huge! Bigger than that ship we took to Japan.”
A-jin stepped out onto the deck, letting the sea breeze hit her as she called her mom.
She bragged about riding a cruise ship for the first time ever.
Even on their one and only overseas trip to Japan, the ship hadn’t been this big.
-Is it really that big?
“Yeah. They’ve got everything here. Arcade, gym… what else was there.”
-Our A-jin’s going on a cruise and to Jeju for the first time ever. You’re thrilled, huh.
Her mom’s words made her feel guilty somehow, like she was the only one enjoying a great trip.
Her parents, busy with the store, almost never took days off, let alone long vacations.
“Sorry. I’m the only one having fun here.”
-What’s there to be sorry about? Mom’s been everywhere. We went to Jeju for our honeymoon, remember.
“Still. That was over twenty years ago.”
-We’ll get another chance. Don’t worry about us, sweetie. Have a blast. Buy whatever you want, and if you bring any spending money back, you’re in trouble!
“I’ll spend it all, then.”
-Good! Please do.
“Yep! I’ll call as soon as we get there.”
After hanging up with her mom, A-jin didn’t head straight back to the cabin. She watched the rippling waves instead.
At that moment, Jun-woo came up to the deck for some sea air too.
The cramped cabin felt stuffy.
He figured with everyone distracted by the amenities, the deck would be empty.
But there was one person in the distance.
As he got closer, her shape and voice sharpened into focus.
A-jin was on the phone.
Her chat with her mom looked so warm.
Come to think of it, he hadn’t spared a thought for his own parents.
Not that he needed to—they went to way better places together plenty without him.
His parents had a great marriage and plenty of money, so they’d jet off domestically or abroad whenever they could, using his studies as an excuse to leave their only son behind.
They went to movies together at least twice a month and dated now and then.
Of course, they never invited him along.
So he felt zero guilt.
Jun-woo slowly approached A-jin’s side.
“Hey.”
“Mom! You scared me.”
Jun-woo had snuck up without a sound, startling her so bad she nearly dropped her phone.
A-jin clutched her chest and squeezed her eyes shut then open.
“Saw a ghost or something?”
“No, it’s just… you popped up out of nowhere.”
“You’re overreacting. How many people are on this ship?”
“That’s ’cause you stood there without a sound. Who sneaks up like that?”
“My fault?”
“No, I mean… not exactly. Anyway, why’d you come out?”
“Just. Felt stuffy.”
“Oh? Then get some air and head back in.”
A-jin tried to make a quick exit.
Being alone together in an empty spot felt awkward.
“Where you going?”
“Inside.”
“Just stay here.”
‘What’s he gonna tease me about now?’
A-jin eyed him warily, suspicious of his intentions for holding her back.
‘Better avoid him.’
He might tease her again.
Plus, even in spring, April felt surprisingly chilly.
Especially in the middle of the ocean—the air bit colder than usual.
Feeling the chill creep in, A-jin rubbed her arms and backed away.
Jun-woo stared at her like he was watching a prisoner trying to sneak off, his expression scary.
She swallowed hard.
The intimidated girl forced an embarrassed smile.
“Haha. It’s cold. Flower frost or something?”
Flower frost in this weather?
Jun-woo gave her an incredulous look and started shrugging off his windbreaker.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
As he suddenly stripped off his jacket, A-jin tensed up and huddled smaller.
“Put this on.”
He handed it over casually.
‘Giving it ’cause I said I was cold?’
His kindness felt so unfamiliar.
At the same time, she felt embarrassed and sorry for tensing up so much.
A-jin took his windbreaker and draped it over herself.
“Thanks.”
“…….”
He said nothing to her thanks.
He just leaned on the railing, gazing out at the distant sea.
A-jin gave up on leaving and stood beside him.
Seeing this unexpectedly warm side made him seem different.
The bad feelings built up over time started to crumble a bit.
“Not cold?”
“If you are, say so. I’ll take it back.”
“Nah. It suits you—keep it on.”
“Suits me?”
The surprise compliment lifted her mood.
She looked down at his windbreaker, wondering if it really did.
“No windbreaker of my own… Guess I need to buy one.”
“Doubt they make ’em in your size.”
“What?”
“Do they even have windbreakers in kids’ clothes?”
There it was. People don’t change that easy.
Unable to hold back, Jun-woo teased A-jin.
She bristled, folding up the sleeves and waving her arm in his face.
“See this! I’m not that much shorter than you! I shop in the adult section too!”
Annoyed at him, A-jin put on a sassy face.
Her pouty lips stuck out, and her flared eyebrows twitched.
Jun-woo burst into laughter at how funny she looked.
His laugh just made her glare harder, finding him even more infuriating.
Jun-woo nodded like okay, okay, chuckling as he turned back to the sea.
The sky darkened bit by bit, and the gentle waves lapped thicker and thicker.
The breeze felt soft against the skin, and the salty sea scent wasn’t half bad.
The two shared the same mood, gazing at the same view.
Then A-jin turned to look at Jun-woo.
A light breeze tousled his hair, revealing beneath it eyes full of depth, a smooth nose bridge, and full lips—like a work of art.
‘He really is so handsome….’
Infuriating as he was, his looks were undeniably striking.
A-jin found herself staring blankly at his profile.
‘Kang A-jin!! Snap out of it. Don’t fall for that devil. Think of all he’s put you through.’
She scolded herself to get a grip and slapped her own cheeks.
“What’re you doing?”
Jun-woo eyed her strangely.
“Nothing.”
“…….”
“But… can I ask you one thing?”
“What?”
It was something she’d always wanted to ask.
A-jin ventured carefully.
“Do you hate me?”
“What?”
He looked puzzled by her question.
“I mean, you always tease and look down on me whenever you see me. Makes me wonder if you do it on purpose ’cause you hate me. Did I do something wrong? Is it the charger?”
At first, his behavior baffled her.
But thinking it over, maybe it stemmed from that bad start with the charger.
Her voice lost confidence, trailing smaller and smaller.
Jun-woo stared at her, head bowed, waiting for his answer.
Then he slowly spoke.
“Because I like it.”
“Huh?”
“I like it.”
“What?!!!”
Her eyes went wide at his reply.
‘L-like it? Me?’
So all this time he’d been teasing her because he liked her—like little kids picking on their crush?
Sure, she’d suspected it a tiny bit sometimes.
From the occasional kindness he showed.
But he was Park Jun-woo.
With all the pretty girls in the world, why would he like her? Impossible, she’d thought.
“What’re you thinking?”
Her wide eyes were so transparent he could see right through her thoughts.
Jun-woo suddenly burst into laughter.
‘What? Why’s he laughing like that!’
A-jin was baffled, watching him clutch his stomach and roar.
It kinda pissed her off too.
“Your face is priceless. I like it—your dumb expressions! They’re hilarious. You don’t even know how ridiculous you look, do you? Ha… Nobody reacts like you.”
He shook his head, and A-jin’s expression slowly hardened.
‘That’s it! Fooled again by Park Jun-woo, that demon!’
She’d heard what sounded like a confession—what should she say back, how to act from now on, would it get more awkward—her mind raced with a million thoughts in seconds.
Her heart had pounded like crazy at the first confession she’d ever gotten, even thrilling her a little.
She felt pathetic and embarrassed for taking the joke so seriously.
“Hey!! Did you really think I like you? What am I gonna do with you.”
A-jin’s face flushed beet red.
Tears welled up in her eyes before she knew it.
She turned her back to him.
‘No way. Leaving like this is too unfair!!’
She spun back around to face him.
Her expression was deadly serious.
Jun-woo finally stopped laughing.
“You jerk!”
A-jin channeled all her rage into her tightly clenched fist and slammed it hard into his left chest.
“Ow!!!”
It hurt more than expected.
One punch from her, and he clutched his throbbing chest, stumbling back.
“Hey!”
“You know you’re such a jerk? I’m not your toy. Don’t ever talk to me again! Never!”
A-jin poured out her frustration and stormed off the deck.
“Hey!”
Calling after her too late was useless.
He’d gone too far with the prank.
He should’ve stopped sooner, but her reactions were too fun—he lost control.
Jun-woo regretted it and felt sorry.
The spot on his chest where she’d hit throbbed.
He could feel just how furious she’d been.
