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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: My Boyfriend
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“It’ll be fine, right?”
While A-jin had stepped away for a moment, Jun-woo sat in the waiting area, looking at the ticket.
‘Romantic Week’
It was blatantly a romance movie.
The aftershocks of their kiss hadn’t even faded yet, so he worried there might be embarrassing scenes.
He tried to check some reviews beforehand, but someone recognized him.
“Jun-woo oppa?”
The raspy voice gave him a bad feeling right away.
“Oppa, what are you doing here?”
Ji-yeon asked cheerfully.
But Jun-woo blatantly ignored her.
“…….”
When he didn’t respond at all, Ji-yeon smoothed down the skirt of her pink mini dress and sat down right next to him.
Jun-woo shifted uncomfortably, moving a little to the side.
But Ji-yeon didn’t back down and followed him, sticking close again.
“I came to the shopping mall. Out of this huge place, we just happen to run into each other at this time?”
“Yeah. Of all people, I run into you. Have fun shopping.”
In the end, Jun-woo stood up from his seat.
Even with his outright dismissal, which should have hurt her pride, Ji-yeon persistently kept talking to him.
His cold, aloof attitude seemed to make him even more appealing to her.
“Did you come with your girlfriend?”
“…….”
Even Ji-yeon’s thick skin started to sting from the continued ignores.
She clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes, then brightened back up with a smile.
“See you at school, oppa.”
“…….”
Jun-woo maintained his consistent attitude.
Click.
At that moment, the sound of a camera shutter rang out.
Jun-woo turned his head, and Ji-yeon was looking at him, playfully lifting the corner of her mouth.
‘What the hell?’
Something felt off, irritating him.
If A-jin ran into Ji-yeon, things could get messy, so he texted her to meet at the theater entrance.
“Did you wait long?”
But before he could even send the text, A-jin appeared.
Jun-woo panicked, and seeing his expression, A-jin silently asked what was wrong with her eyes.
She hadn’t noticed Ji-yeon.
“Is this person your girlfriend, oppa?”
Ji-yeon asked.
Only then did A-jin spot Ji-yeon and freak out, blinking her wide eyes.
“Isn’t she from our school? How come I’ve never seen her?”
“Well…….”
“No, that can’t be. They say oppa’s girlfriend is the prettiest girl at school.”
A-jin was relieved Ji-yeon didn’t recognize her, but it still stung a little.
Sensing her mood, Jun-woo stepped in.
“No. My girlfriend…….”
“No. I’m just a classmate. The others will be coming too.”
But A-jin cut him off.
And with her eyes, she signaled not to reveal they were dating.
“Right? I figured. Then do you know her, unnie? Who…….”
“Can we just go now?”
Jun-woo interrupted Ji-yeon.
He looked a little angry.
At his unusually forceful tone, Ji-yeon backed off surprisingly quickly.
“Yeah. Have a good time then.”
* * *
Was the movie that bad?
Jun-woo’s expression hadn’t improved the whole time.
Even after entering the coffee shop, he stayed quiet.
Well, it wasn’t like Jun-woo would enjoy a romance movie anyway.
“Did I pick too much to my taste? It wasn’t fun, was it?”
“A bit.”
She knew he wasn’t into it, but hearing him say it outright still hurt a little.
A-jin gave an awkward smile.
“Then next time, let’s watch something you want to see. I’m good with anything except horror movies.”
“…….”
He still didn’t say much.
She started feeling guilty, wondering if she’d done something wrong.
Wanting to lighten the mood somehow, she spoke up.
“I guess I don’t have much sense. Sorry. Were you bored?”
At her question, he finally looked up.
It felt like the first time their eyes had met since the movie.
“This is our first real date. I’m sorry I’m so clumsy. I want to make it fun for you, but I don’t know how.”
He let out a sigh.
It wasn’t a sigh for her—it was for his own pathetic self.
“To be honest…….”
“To be honest, what?”
“Well…….”
It felt too petty to say he was upset she’d hidden that he was her boyfriend.
He didn’t want to say it himself and hoped she’d figure it out on her own, but of all people, A-jin wasn’t one to pick up on his feelings.
“What is it? Did I do something wrong?”
“Do I really have to say it myself?”
“If you don’t tell me, I won’t know.”
“Why don’t you tell other people I’m your boyfriend? Are you embarrassed to say it?”
As if she would be.
A-jin beamed brightly.
Seeing her smile made Jun-woo look even more upset.
“I can’t believe it.”
“You say it like it’s no big deal.”
“I want to tell people too. Part of me wants to post it online or something. I want to brag about it.”
“You don’t have to go that far.”
Jun-woo was pleased but pouted anyway.
“But if I say I’m dating you, the girls’ reactions won’t be great…… They might bully you again. You’ve had enough trouble because of me.”
He hadn’t thought that far.
That the wounds from Cho-hee still hadn’t healed.
No, that they were too deep to heal easily.
He scolded himself for his short-sightedness.
“Sorry. I didn’t think of that. But don’t worry! Even if the kids find out, no one will touch you.”
A-jin smiled gratefully.
Even if his words were empty, they made her feel secure.
“That’s really reassuring. But were you that upset?”
“No. Not at all.”
He was bluffing.
“Oh, come on, liar. You were sulking so hard you wouldn’t even talk. You’re always saying I make you sulky, and here’s the real sulk monster.”
A-jin exaggerated her expressions to tease him.
It was a rare chance, so she wanted to poke at him.
“Huh! Sulk monster? Wow. First time I’ve ever heard that in my life. I wouldn’t even care if you pretended not to know me at all.”
“Oh, really? It’s okay if I totally ignore you?”
“Of course.”
He nodded boldly, but his heart wasn’t in it, so he added,
“You’re not really going to ignore me, right?”
“Who knows? Depends on the situation.”
He clamped his mouth shut.
His furrowed brow smoothed out, and his face went completely blank.
He was sulking again.
“Let’s just go home.”
He gathered the cups onto the tray.
The clattering sound showed he was properly pissed.
She almost burst out laughing.
She felt a little sorry for him, but he was just too cute.
On the other hand, it felt satisfying.
She was always the one getting teased, so it evened things out.
After stacking all the cups, he stood up.
“You really going?”
A-jin stood up after him.
At that moment, he bumped into some girls coming from the opposite direction.
If they’d been glass, they would’ve shattered.
Luckily, they were empty disposable cups, so he just had to pick them up.
The girls checked their clothes irritably, wondering if coffee had spilled on them.
“Sorry.”
Jun-woo picked up the cups and nodded apologetically.
The girls looked up at his face.
Their irritated expressions instantly turned friendly.
They even flashed soft, charming smiles.
“No, it’s fine. These things happen.”
A-jin was floored.
The fun mood from teasing Jun-woo deflated instantly.
She’d forgotten her boyfriend was Park Jun-woo.
A-jin stepped in front of the girls’ blatant stares.
And drove the point home firmly.
“Sorry. My. Boy. Friend. is a bit careless. Honey! Let’s go.”
* * *
-Hello?
A-jin called Jun-woo.
His voice was still husky, like he’d just woken up.
“Were you sleeping?”
-No. I’m up. How could I stay asleep when my baby’s calling?
“Hey!”
She’d given him ammo to tease her with yesterday.
He’d kept teasing her about calling him “honey” all the way home, even into the late-night calls.
And now today too.
A-jin glared at her phone as if it were Jun-woo, calling him annoying.
But she wasn’t really mad.
Yesterday, he’d said he was pretty impressed by her boldness.
By the time they parted, the mood had heated up enough for a second kiss.
They hadn’t gone through with it only because a bunch of people suddenly poured into the apartment lobby.
-Got it. I won’t tease anymore. You should’ve slept more. It’s not even 10 yet.
“Well…….”
A-jin scratched her forehead, embarrassed.
-Something wrong?
He asked gently.
“I’m in front of your house.”
-What?
His shocked voice pierced her ear and echoed in the air.
* * *
“Come on in.”
Hee-jin welcomed A-jin with open arms.
Hee-jin had called early that morning.
The sudden invitation threw her off, especially since it was Jun-woo’s house, making her hesitate even more.
But she couldn’t just refuse outright, so she accepted.
“Hello.”
“It’s the weekend—you must want to rest. I hope I didn’t drag you here for nothing.”
“No, not at all. Here.”
A-jin handed over one of the shopping bags she was holding.
“What’s this?”
Hee-jin looked touched regardless of what was inside.
Like a fan getting a gift from their favorite celebrity.
“Last time I came empty-handed. Canelé and pretzels.”
“You didn’t have to bring anything. Just coming is enough.”
“The canelé are from yesterday, and the pretzels I made in a rush, so I’m not sure how they’ll taste.”
“Of course they’ll be delicious. I hope I didn’t make you go to too much trouble.”
“No. I enjoy doing it.”
“Thanks anyway. Have a seat first?”
“Yes.”
She answered Hee-jin, but A-jin’s gaze drifted upstairs.
Wondering if he might come down.
Hee-jin poured the prepared tea into A-jin’s cup.
“Thank you. So, what did you want to talk about?”
“Oh, that. Here.”
Hee-jin pulled out a document envelope she’d hidden behind her.
“This is…….”
“Open it.”
For some reason, Hee-jin’s words made her tense.
Was it an envelope of money?
Did she already know about her dating Jun-woo?
She seemed to like her so much, so probably not against her.
But to Hee-jin, she was just a blogger.
If she were her son’s girlfriend, that could change things.
Blaming it on too many dramas for her wild thoughts, A-jin’s hand still trembled as she took the envelope.
“What are you doing here?”
Just then, Jun-woo came down from upstairs.
Even though they’d talked on the phone out front, he acted like he had no idea she was coming.
“Why’d you wake up so early?”
Hee-jin eyed Jun-woo like it was unusual for him to be up early.
Especially since he looked perfectly put-together from head to toe.
“Going somewhere?”
“No.”
Jun-woo replied indifferently and sat across from A-jin.
“Why is she here?”
“I called her because I had something to show A-jin.”
Jun-woo silently asked A-jin with his eyes what it was.
But A-jin subtly shook her head, signaling she hadn’t seen it yet.
“Open it already.”
Then Hee-jin urged A-jin.
Panicking that they’d been caught exchanging glances, A-jin’s hand slipped.
The envelope tore halfway open with a rip.
“S-Sorry.”
A-jin hurriedly gathered the flying scraps of paper.
“What’s the rush?”
“Oh…….”
Luckily, the contents weren’t damaged.
And thankfully, it wasn’t money.
“Read it.”
“Yes.”
It was like a pamphlet.
“Baking contest……?”
A-jin looked at Hee-jin, puzzled.
“Yeah. In one of my groups, there’s someone who runs a bakery. You probably know it—Rolling Bread.”
“Yes, I do.”
“They’re holding a contest there, and the moment I heard, I thought of you.”
“How could I enter something like that? Everyone there will be pros. I’ve never even trained properly—I’d get eliminated right away.”
“Yeah, Mom. What’s this contest nonsense?”
Hee-jin looked frustrated at Jun-woo’s words.
“You’ve never tried A-jin’s desserts, right? Out of all the cakes I’ve had, hers was the best. You know I’m a foodie, don’t you?”
Hee-jin’s eyes sparkled.
She was as enthusiastic as a coach discovering a talented athlete.
“Still, it’s not like child’s play.”
Child’s play?
A-jin felt a bit offended by Jun-woo’s words.
She’d been feeling proud lately from Hee-jin acknowledging her skills.
“Don’t worry about prep costs or venue. This auntie will cover it all. A-jin, you have to give it a shot. Okay?”
“The costs are fine. I can handle prep on my own. But I should talk to my parents first.”
“Right, that comes first. But they’ll definitely say yes. They know your talent better than I do.”
Hee-jin seemed convinced.
Full of confidence, like she’d win first place just by showing up.
