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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Awkward Sneaker Laces
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Jeju Island had remarkably clear skies.
Unlike the stormy scenes occasionally shown on the news, there was only a cool, refreshing breeze.
No matter which direction you looked, everything was beautiful.
After setting down her luggage, Cho-hee headed out to the convenience store in front of the accommodation to buy some water.
In her haste to avoid making two trips, she collided with a part-timer carrying two boxes of snacks stacked on top of each other.
“Ow!!”
One of the boxes fell, scattering snack bags everywhere.
Both Cho-hee and the part-timer wore deeply irritated expressions.
The part-timer was especially upset, wondering if he'd have to pay for the damaged snacks out of his own pocket.
“Damn…….”
He reflexively cursed and looked up.
Spotting Cho-hee's pretty face, he quickly covered his mouth.
“Are you okay?”
He asked in a gentle tone.
“Watch where you're going…….”
Cho-hee glared at him, her shoulder throbbing with pain.
She was about to give him a piece of her mind when Jun-woo happened to walk toward the convenience store.
She quickly changed her expression.
“I'm fine. You're not hurt, are you?”
“Yes. Sorry about that. I couldn't see ahead.”
“No, it's okay. Let me help.”
Cho-hee helped the part-timer pick up the scattered snack bags and put them back in the box.
In the meantime, Jun-woo glanced at the two of them indifferently and entered the store.
At that, Cho-hee tossed the snack she'd picked up back onto the floor and followed him inside.
Jun-woo headed to the beverage cooler.
A variety of drinks were neatly lined up by type.
He found the section with tonics and digestive aids.
Opening the transparent door, he picked up the first digestive aid bottle.
The next glass bottle slid forward as if it were its turn.
Before it even settled into place, he grabbed the second one.
“Why digestive aids?”
Cho-hee, who had followed him in and was grabbing a water, asked.
“Jong-min says his stomach's upset.”
“Really? What did he eat?”
“…….”
Without a word, he placed the two bottles on the counter.
Just then, the part-timer stepped up to the register and scanned the barcodes into the POS system.
“1,800 won. Do you want this water too?”
The part-timer asked about the water on the counter.
“Oh, this one.”
Before Cho-hee could say it was hers, he nodded.
It was just water, but she was deeply moved.
Her eyes sparkled with emotion.
“Received 3,000 won.”
Jun-woo took the 500 won change from the part-timer and slipped it straight into the donation box for love nearby before leaving the store.
Cho-hee followed him out.
“I could've paid for mine.”
“'No' was too much hassle to say.”
‘He spends other people's money just because it's a hassle?’
She gave a sly smile.
“But is Jong-min really sick? Will digestive aids be enough?”
At her question, he suddenly stopped walking.
“Why? You worried?”
“Worried? Of course…… he's a friend.”
“Don't say stuff like 'you okay?' to Jong-min, whatever you do.”
“Why not?”
“That jerk will definitely get the wrong idea. That you're concerned about him.”
Cho-hee looked at the water he'd bought her.
At first, she'd thought he was reining her in for Jong-min's sake.
But now, her thinking had shifted.
‘Is he actually jealous?’
If he was hungry, he'd told her to say so directly; he'd advised her multiple times to give Jong-min a clear rejection.
And today, he'd even bought her water.
“He is on my mind.”
“What?”
His brows furrowed deeply.
Cho-hee was convinced by his change in expression that her feelings had hit home.
“He's someone who said he liked me. How could I not care?”
“Hey…….”
‘He's getting worked up.’
The corners of Cho-hee's mouth twitched upward.
“But…… have you talked to A-jin?”
“About what?”
“That bread thing.”
It was the first thing she wanted to ask when she saw him.
From his attitude, it seemed her lie hadn't been exposed, but she was still anxious and wanted confirmation.
“No, didn't seem necessary to ask.”
Hearing that, the knot in her stomach unraveled.
Cho-hee let out a secret sigh of relief.
* * *
“Does it look weird? It feels off. Oh, right. How do I take them out?”
The optometrist had stepped away at the worst moment, so all she could get were the lenses.
A-jin kept blinking, unaccustomed to them.
She used her phone as a mirror, constantly checking herself, and on the way back to the accommodation, she stopped at every reflective surface to stare at her unfamiliar face without glasses.
Bus windows, car side mirrors, even metal poles outside shops—she pressed her face close, trying to get used to this strange version of herself.
* * *
“Aaah……. There, right there……. Damn, harder.”
Thud thud.
Jong-min's face was pale and sickly.
Whether it was last night's dinner, this morning's breakfast, or seasickness, some unknown indigestion had him grimacing in agony.
“Ugh, uh……. It's coming. It's coming up.”
Their other friend Sun-ho pounded on Jong-min's back with all his usual intensity.
Buuuurp.
It felt good. Incredibly good. The gas trapped inside him like the universe's prisoners, struggling futilely to escape—it was a burp so refreshingly cool that it erased all that torment, beyond any other description.
Jong-min looked relieved and refreshed, but Sun-ho and Jun-woo nearby pinched their noses at the foul stench.
They complained irritably.
“Ah……, you crazy bastard. What the hell did you eat! Even your ass wouldn't smell like this!!”
At Sun-ho's irritation, Jong-min hid his embarrassment by acting brazen instead.
“You punk! Don't you burp too? Ah…, I feel alive again.”
“That's why I told you not to eat whatever.”
“I ate the same stuff as you guys!”
Jun-woo watched Sun-ho and Jong-min bickering with pathetic disdain.
Just then, A-jin walked in through the revolving door of the accommodation.
“Huh? Is that Kang A-jin?”
Jong-min spotted her first and asked.
The three sitting on the lobby sofas all turned their gazes to A-jin.
“Something looks different.”
“Didn't she always wear glasses?”
Sun-ho tilted his head, agreeing with Jong-min.
‘She's finally back.’
Jun-woo eyed A-jin curiously, since the girl who'd gone to get new glasses was bare-faced.
“Kang A-jin? What happened to your glasses?”
Jong-min called out to A-jin, who was heading to the elevator.
“Oh……, they broke.”
A-jin, self-conscious that her awkward face might look strange to others, placed a hand on her forehead to half-cover her eyes.
Jong-min gestured for her to lower her hand.
“But your eyes are bigger than I thought.”
“Really? Did they seem small before?”
“Not exactly……”
“Haha, it feels weird.”
A-jin gave an embarrassed laugh and took a step back.
“No, it looks way better.”
“Does it? I feel awkward. I'll head up first.”
It was a relief that they said it was fine.
A-jin smiled shyly and boarded the elevator that arrived just then.
Jun-woo watched her until the doors closed.
“Hey, but Kang A-jin is kinda cute, huh.”
Once she was gone, Sun-ho showed interest in A-jin.
“What…….”
“With glasses, she looked a bit nerdy, but without them, she seems okay.”
“She is cute.”
“People really look better without glasses. So much prettier!!”
Jong-min nodded, agreeing with Sun-ho.
But then a chill ran down his back.
Someone was glaring daggers at him—an eerie sensation.
Jong-min slowly turned around.
Jun-woo was glaring at him and Sun-ho.
His eyebrows were raised sharply, brows deeply furrowed.
Why did he look so pissed off?
Was my burp that shocking? Should I apologize?
Or…… could it be?
* * *
A-jin had felt awkward and uncomfortable at first, but she was gradually adapting and marveling at the convenience of the lenses.
The school trip was turning out far more fun than expected.
At the entrance to Bijarim Forest. Not as flashy as a botanical garden, but composed entirely of dense trees, it instantly calmed the mind upon entering.
Sunlight filtering through the trees felt like a fantasy movie forest, teeming with mystical creatures.
“Breathe in all the phytoncides you can.”
At the teacher's words, the students scattered in all directions in an instant.
The one-hour free time felt so precious they couldn't waste a single minute or second.
“A-jin, I need the bathroom.”
Before entering, Cho-hee pointed to a row of shops on the left.
“Okay. I'll wait here.”
A-jin waited for Cho-hee at the Bijarim entrance.
Staring blankly into space, she noticed a familiar silhouette approaching with a box.
Even seeing only his dark eyes and long legs, A-jin recognized him instantly.
“Park Jun-woo!”
She hurried over to him.
“What?”
“You…….”
A-jin hesitated for a moment.
What if she pointed out his untied shoelace and got scolded instead?
“What is it?”
He looked annoyed, like she was some random passerby grabbing him.
‘He'll handle it himself. But if he trips like that with the box, he'll get hurt worse.’
After agonizing, she squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them and spoke.
“Your sneaker lace is untied.”
“So?”
“Tie it.”
“I'll do it later.”
“You'll trip.”
“Not me.”
“Ugh, seriously.”
His tone was as curt as ever.
A-jin regretted saying anything.
But……
“What if you get hurt.”
She blocked his path.
“What. Move.”
He was struggling with two drink boxes, and now she was in the way.
He irritably furrowed his brows.
“Fine, I'll hold it. Hurry up and tie it.”
“No. It's heavy.”
“Then I'll tie it for you.”
Thinking she'd just tie it quickly and be done, A-jin crouched down and tied his sneaker lace.
“What……, what are you doing?”
Startled, he stepped back awkwardly.
“Hold still.”
A-jin grabbed his ankle, pulled it toward her, and tied a neat bow.
Jun-woo's cheeks flushed faintly.
His heart raced oddly, his body stiff and awkward.
Tensing up, he gripped the box tighter, afraid he'd drop it and hurt her.
On this exceptionally sunny day, the sunlight at the open Bijarim entrance seemed to shine only on the two of them. To anyone watching, they looked utterly picturesque.
A-jin tugged the bow once more to ensure it wouldn't come undone, then patted the top of his sneaker with her palm.
“Done.”
“I said I didn't need it tied!!”
Afraid his embarrassed feelings would show, Jun-woo spoke even more gruffly.
“But you might trip. Whatever. Go on.”
Her expression looked refreshed, like she'd resolved something bothering her.
A-jin entered Bijarim first, and Jun-woo loaded the box onto the bus.
Setting it down, he clearly saw the shoelace she'd tied.
The knots on both sneakers were completely different.
“Couldn't you at least make them match.”
Contrary to his gruff words, a smile spread across his lips.
His steps toward Bijarim felt inexplicably lighter, though belatedly.
Later, he heard complaints multiple times about his mismatched sneaker knots and fixing them, but he never retied them.
