-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: It's Okay to Come Home Late
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Shocked by Cho-hee who suddenly dropped to her knees, Jun-woo hurriedly helped her up.
“What are you doing! Get up!”
But Cho-hee shook off his hand and held her ground.
“I'm really sorry. But please don't report it.”
“You know this isn't something that can just be brushed off lightly.”
“I know. But I'm begging you. If you report that guy, my name will come up too, obviously. Mom knows she messed up with you, but she's living her life pinning all her hopes on me. She might collapse if this happens.”
“If she means that much to you, then why did she do something like that?”
“I really didn't know those guys would go that far. That's the truth. A-jin got out without a scratch and wasn't hurt or anything. Can't you just let it slide? I'm begging you like this.”
Cho-hee hadn't seen A-jin trembling in fear.
She didn't know how A-jin had shaken like a leaf in terror.
Stunned by Cho-hee's selfishness to the end, Jun-woo let out a hollow laugh.
“You're really the worst!”
“…….”
“What would you do if I decided not to report it?”
“What do you mean...?”
“Would you tell Kang A-jin? She needs to know what you did.”
“That...”
Cho-hee hesitated.
She was worried about her mom finding out, but truthfully, she was more afraid of A-jin learning about her mistake.
“Why on earth are you even close to Kang A-jin?”
“…….”
“When you hate her so much.”
“…….”
“I'll think about not reporting it. But stay away from Kang A-jin.”
Cho-hee looked up at him in surprise at his proposal.
It was unclear whether she was shocked by his promise not to report it or by his demand to stay away from A-jin.
“Seeing you with her makes me too anxious.”
“Why? Afraid of what I might do to Kang A-jin?”
“You've done it before. And you'd do it again.”
“…….”
Tears welled up in Cho-hee's eyes.
The remorse in her gaze had vanished, replaced entirely by resentment toward him.
She felt a pang of sorrow wondering why his heart wasn't hers.
“Kang A-jin is so pitiful. Believing someone like you is her friend...”
With those insulting words, Jun-woo left her.
She glared at his retreating back with eyes full of resentment and jealousy.
But beyond glaring, there was nothing she could do.
* * *
Forty minutes had passed since Jun-woo was supposed to meet her.
Unable to reach him, she stayed rooted in front of the ticket booth in case they crossed paths.
But he didn't appear.
Not even anyone who looked remotely like him.
“If he hasn't shown up by now, he's probably not coming, right?”
A-jin decided to get her phone fixed first.
As she headed out of the theater, someone called her name.
“A-jin?”
Thinking it was Jun-woo, she whipped her head around reflexively.
But it was Kwang-hyun.
She was disappointed it wasn't Jun-woo, but glad to see Kwang-hyun too.
“Teacher.”
“Where are you going?”
“Oh, well...”
“Did you come alone?”
“Not exactly alone, but I am now.”
“Huh?”
Kwang-hyun furrowed his brow, not quite following her words.
“I was supposed to meet a friend, but they didn't show. My phone's broken so I can't contact them, so I'm heading to get it serviced first.”
“How'd it break?”
At his question, A-jin wrinkled her nose and said, “Beats me.”
“Go on ahead. Your friends are probably waiting.”
At her words, Kwang-hyun gave an awkward smile.
“No friends. I came alone.”
“Alone?”
“Yeah. I come to movies by myself sometimes.”
“There really are people who watch movies alone.”
A-jin looked at him with wonder.
“Weird, huh?”
“Not weird, just... first time I've met someone like that.”
“Well, since you've been stood up anyway, wanna watch with me?”
“Huh?”
Her face flushed slightly at his suggestion.
Watching a movie together felt somehow embarrassing.
“Shall we?”
He was grateful she'd agreed.
He'd asked cautiously about watching together, and her ready acceptance made him happy.
* * *
“Careful.”
In front of the restaurant, the door swung open from inside as someone exited.
Kwang-hyun pulled A-jin toward him by her shoulder just as she nearly bumped into them.
Her body curled up tightly from the sudden skinship, tense.
Kwang-hyun felt awkward too but managed a casual smile.
Once inside the restaurant, they took seats by the floor-to-ceiling window.
“The movie was so fun.”
“Yeah. I wasn't expecting much, but maybe because I watched it with you, it felt even better?”
“What! I spilled popcorn everywhere and was such a nuisance— you're teasing me, right?”
“For real. Movies are definitely more fun with company.”
“But why watch alone?”
“No one to go with, and honestly, it's kinda nice and relaxing.”
“I don't think I could ever do it alone.”
The wine glass felt unfamiliar, so A-jin fiddled with it.
She took little sips of water too.
Finding her cute, Kwang-hyun gazed at her steadily.
He was enjoying this time with her.
His upper body leaned toward her.
“Then how about watching with me from now on?”
*Cough cough.*
A-jin's sudden choking at his proposal made her slip into her usual term for him.
“With ajusshi?”
“Ajusshi... It's been a while.”
“Sorry. I meant teacher.”
“Nah. I didn't know hearing 'ajusshi' could sound so nice. Truth is, it bugged me at first. Made me feel old. But now 'teacher' feels more off-putting.”
“Why?”
“Feels distant somehow.”
His smile seemed somehow lonely.
He'd been thrilled to be assigned to her school, but on the other hand, it felt regrettable.
An invisible wall of 'teacher and student' had formed between them.
* * *
“Are you close with that friend?”
Hee-jin asked about Cho-hee.
“No, not really.”
“Sorry to badmouth your friend, but she was so rude.”
“It's fine. She's not my friend.”
“Same school, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I thought all high school girls were like A-jin.”
'Right, Kang A-jin.'
She hadn't read his messages.
Jun-woo called A-jin.
But she didn't pick up.
'Why isn't she answering?'
Was something happening again?
Like last time, had trouble found her? He grew anxious.
Was Han Cho-hee up to something in the meantime? The thought scared him.
“Mom, drop me off at the station. I actually had plans with a friend but came anyway.”
Hee-jin's eyes lit up at the mention of plans with a friend.
“Who? A-jin maybe?”
Jun-woo's feet tingled at the sudden mention of A-jin's name, despite having other friends, and his voice rose.
“No! Just a friend.”
“Oh, really?”
Hee-jin smirked at his obviously transparent expression when lying.
“Yeah. You know Jong-min.”
“Of course. How's Jong-min doing? Haven't seen him in ages—should Mom say hi?”
“No!”
His voice rose again.
Wanting to tease her innocent son more, but they'd already reached the station.
“Bye.”
He hurried out of the car.
“Jun-woo.”
Hee-jin called him back.
“What?”
She handed him two 50,000-won bills.
“What's this for?”
“Buy something tasty with Jong-min.”
“I've got allowance left.”
“Don't skimp on street food like tteokbokki—girls like pasta.”
“Girl? No, I mean...”
Before Jun-woo could make excuses, Hee-jin pressed the bills into his hand and drove off.
“Son, it's okay to come home late.”
She waved energetically out the window, thrilled and excited.
* * *
Coming home, Cho-hee stormed straight to her room and slammed the door.
She resented her mom for all of this.
“That little bitch! Hey! Han Cho-hee!”
Startled by the bang, her mom followed her into the room.
“Get out!”
Cho-hee lay on the bed, pulling the blanket over her head, and yelled at her mom.
“Why are you like this? Still embarrassed by Mom?”
“That's not it. Get out.”
“Then what? Because of that boy you met? What did you talk about with him?”
Her mom tried to pull the blanket off to see her face, but Cho-hee gripped it tight.
“Just get out!”
“What's wrong with you! Yelling at the department store, not saying a word on the way home! Huh!”
She wished her mom would just leave her alone.
Jun-woo's mom was so different it was embarrassing by comparison, she regretted being rude to Jun-woo's mom, and she was devastated that Jun-woo knew everything.
Everything was the worst.
'You're really the worst!'
Like he'd said, she thought of herself as the worst too.
“Han Cho-hee! You really won't talk!”
She wanted to be alone, but her oblivious mom kept hounding her.
Cho-hee threw off the blanket, her tear-streaked face twisted in rage.
“Yeah! Embarrassing. I'm so embarrassed you're my mom. Did you see that boy's mom? Why don't you have any class like that lady? Why do you live like this? Desperate to fight? I hate it all! Everything's disgusting! I really hate it all!”
“You... Is that how you talk to your mom?”
“Then is that how you act in front of me? I'm never going out with you again! Never!”
“Fine! That woman's drowning in love so she's all classy, and I'm unloved and twisted up like this. Sorry I'm such an embarrassing mom.”
Her mom couldn't hide her hurt.
The mom who'd been angry with her left the room.
Cho-hee pulled the blanket back over and sobbed loudly.
* * *
She never picked up at times like this.
No matter how many times he called, A-jin didn't answer.
Had it gotten too late and she'd gone home already?
Or had she seen his message and not come out at all?
But the '1' on his message was still there unread.
Frustrated, Jun-woo roughly raked his hair back.
It might be better to just go to her house.
He left the theater and headed to the bus stop.
Then, as if drawn, his gaze drifted toward the shopping area.
There she was.
She sat by the window of a small pasta place.
Relieved she was safe, he approached the shop.
Wondering where she'd gotten the courage to eat alone, he then realized she wasn't alone.
Someone sat across from her.
He tilted his head to see who.
It was the student teacher.
“Why are those two...”
Sudden anger surged.
The two, facing each other, were smiling.
They looked quite intimate.
Something rose from his toes, making his heart burn hot.
It felt like bubbling and boiling.
So that's why she hadn't answered his calls?
He resented her.
He couldn't bear to look anymore.
Jun-woo turned and walked away.
