013 – Parties Are Fun Only for the Extroverts #2
Summary:
My date request to Seugal was put on hold. It wasn’t a rejection, but rather a deferral. She said she’d give her answer during a party tonight at a place called “Sa Oak”.
“Then, Hanamjin? We should finish eating, so this is probably where our conversation ends?”
“Good. Meals should be eaten on time.”
Swish.
I slowly stepped back from Seugal and returned to my original spot. Chang-sik, the candy maker, seemed to have been watching everything and was now making a fuss as if he were utterly shocked.
“To publicly ask Seugal out like that! You’re not just crazy, you’re stone cold crazy! Friend of mine, I’m thoroughly curious where you conjure up such courage!”
“Wha, that’s amazing….”
Even quiet Deoksun was expressing admiration toward me, though Geum Tae-sung, who has always been friendly since we met, shook his head seriously.
“That wasn’t such a great move. See those kids over there?”
Tae-sung subtly nodded toward a group.
“That’s Prince Juhyun’s gang from Class F. As far as I know, Prince Juhyun confessed to Seugal last week and got rejected. If you approach Seugal and they notice, things could get annoying for you.”
I turned my head and saw a group of boys gathered in the middle of the plaza, glaring at us with a look that suggested they’d like to eat us whole. I simply glared back at them.
At that moment, Baek Yeo-ul frowned and slightly showed irritation.
“Hanamjin, are you coming to my place or not? You’re the only one left.”
Baek Yeo-ul’s house?
Is that important right now?
Seugal said, “Whenever I see this handkerchief, I’ll think of you. Do you want to marry me? Let’s have kids too,” didn’t she?
Her invitation to her party tonight was undoubtedly an announcement of our marriage in front of everyone.
And so, our meal ended. While I was deeply engrossed in that episode, the team members were all engaged in lively conversation, mostly about their abilities.
“I’ve never once managed to make a goal into a net since I’ve become an adult, no matter if it’s basketball or soccer. I guess I’m just unlucky…”
“Really? You can’t even throw this can into the trash?”
Swish, Tink.
Geum Tae-sung perfectly tossed the crushed can into the trash can with a parabolic arc, which showed that he had done some basketball in his day.
“I want to try too!”
Baek Yeo-ul, seemingly stimulated, began digging through the trash can, probably to recycle the can we just threw away.
“Huh? This…”
Swish.
Baek Yeo-ul pulled out something from the trash can. In her hand was a handkerchief embroidered with a heart pattern.
“Hanamjin, isn’t this the thing you were touching, sniffing, and going crazy about all day?”
“Isn’t this the one I gave to Seugal?”
Huh? The item I gave back to Seugal, why is it in the trash?
Something is definitely wrong. I thought so until Baek Yeo-ul sighed softly in a low voice.
“Hey, you’re at it again…”
“At it again? What does that mean?”
Baek Yeo-ul and I struck a deal. I would join the same team in exchange for her providing information on Seugal.
She glanced around, then whispered quietly so others wouldn’t hear.
“Mumbling… s*x? Bangdaengi, what are you whispering into my ear?”
“I, when did I ever say that!!! I’ll show you what I know if you come to my place tonight! But there’s a condition! You have to introduce yourself as my…close friend to my mom and dad and act accordingly!”
It seems even Bangdaengi wants to strike a deal.
Just a rather peculiar condition.
“To act as a friend. Weren’t we already friends? After all, we’ve even seen each other’s underwear.”
“When did we ever see each other’s underwear?! I-I only showed you mine…”
Baek Yeo-ul screamed hysterically. Soon, her face turned red as if she remembered something.
“S-Seriously? That time at the…crosswalk?”
“Of course.”
“YAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!”
Baek Yeo-ul clenched both fists and lunged at me. However, due to her excitement, she tripped over a rock by her foot and stumbled.
How foolish!
“BANG DANG-E, are you an idiot? PuahahaHAH!”
And just as I burst into laughter, Baek Yeo-ul, tipping forward due to her momentum, fell and accidentally punched me in the nose.
Punch!
“GYAAAHH!!!”
#####
Baek Yeo-ul’s house was located a bit away from the center of City D, the kind of house you often see in movies or dramas with high walls.
The garden beyond those walls had been planted with grass, and the living room’s terrace, which overlooked the garden, basked in the sunlight subtly enhancing the quality of life.
Inside the house, built in a modern minimalist style, there was supposedly a Swiss kitchen, and it was a place where the plump housekeeper would always be peeling fruit.
“How amazing. This is my first time stepping into such a spacious house. I knew Yeul was well-off, but I didn’t realize she was from such a wealthy family!”
“Truly impressive. With the part-time jobs I’ve had, I could never afford a house like this in a lifetime.”
“…It’s like the house from the movie ‘Parasite’.”
The whole “No Leftovers Day” team marveled.
However, frankly speaking, I couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. I had expected some sort of fairy tale gingerbread house from a famous dessert tycoon, but all I saw was concrete, cement, and stone.
“So, wait here for a moment! I’ll go get Mom and Dad! Mom! Dad!”
It seemed that Baek Yeo-ul had rushed upstairs somewhere after taking off her shoes, and then came back down with what looked like her middle-aged parents.
“Our little Yeo-ul bringing a friend over! How long has it been since the last time!”
“Nice to meet you all! I’m the father of Yeo-ul.”
The graceful woman and the slightly balding corporate-looking gentleman led us to a spacious dining table, and they piled it high with a myriad of dishes – from perfectly cooked lobsters to unknown cuts of steak.
“… Mom, isn’t this a bit much?”
Baek Yeo-ul seemed to hint toward her mother, who smiled softly while covering her mouth and gently patted Baek Yeo-ul’s back.
“How can I sit idly by when our daughter brings friends over? I personally prepared a few dishes. Please eat heartily. There’s more, so don’t hesitate.”
“… …”
“… …”
The atmosphere was tense as everyone seemed to check each other’s body language. I thought now was my chance.
“Ma’am, could I take some leftovers with me?”
As I pulled out a container from my bag, the lady burst into laughter.
“If you want more, I’ll personally prepare some for you!”
Her laughter loosened up the stiff atmosphere, and we all began eating. The silent businessman-like father seemed to notice the liveliness of the mother flitting around everywhere, continually engaging us in conversation during our meal, preventing any awkward silence.
“Our daughter is kind hearted but has some slightly awkward tendencies, so I’ve always been a bit worried─.”
“Mom!”
“I’ve always been worried that Yeo-ul wouldn’t make friends or might be bullied. How is she doing at school? She’s a complete handful at home.”
How Baek Yeo-ul was doing at school?
I thought back to Baek Yeo-ul who had been teased by everyone before she got the chance to speak.
“I have a lot of friends! Everyone wants to be in the same group with me!”
Indeed. It seemed that Baek Yeo-ul’s parents were unaware of how she was actually doing at school. Baek Yeo-ul must not have shared it all.
Because of Baek Yeo-ul’s clumsy lie, the meal’s atmosphere became slightly awkward, but the cooking was delicious.
“Agggh, Agggh─”
“Hey! Don’t eat the shrimp with the shell on! This will ruin everything!”
“Ma’am, you’re a really good cook.”
“Heheh, really? What about your parents’ cooking? Is your mother a good cook?”
“Eh, mom─.”
Baek Yeo-ul seemed greatly shocked.
「Name: Baek Yeo-ul
Condition: 《Tension》 – She is nervous that her parents might say something unnecessary.”
Baek Yeo-ul starting to pick up on the vibes, as everyone put a question mark above their heads and looked toward me, I gave a simple answer.
“My mom isn’t the best cook. Every day, she makes strange dishes, like mixing ssamjang and ketchup into kimchi stew.”
“Oh my, what an interesting person. One’s cooking style truly reflects their personality.”
Just as the atmosphere was becoming lively around the dining table, suddenly –
Du-du-du-
Men dressed in black suits burst into the house. For a moment, I thought it might be a surprise event, but judging by the apparent distress of the lady, the gentleman, and Baek Yeo-ul, it didn’t seem to be.
“Who are you people?”
“Sir, we’re from the National Tax Service. The overdue taxes have not been settled, so unfortunately we must proceed with compulsory execution. We apologize for any inconvenience but the seizure will be carried out according to legal procedures.”
The suited men started attaching yellow notices around the house. Even the table we were eating at got a yellow tag, as did the plates with food!
The gentleman and the lady were visibly distressed, unable to utter a word, only opening and closing their mouths like fish gasping for air.
「Name: Baek Jung-won
Condition: 《Humiliation》 – He is deeply embarrassed and distressed by the ordeal happening in front of his daughter and her friends.”
「Name: Dang Hwa-yeon
Condition: 《Worry》 – She is concerned that her daughter might be hurt.”
We all started glancing at each other. Baek Yeo-ul, her brows furrowed, tightly squeezed her fists and quivered. Tears were welling up in her eyes, and I began to worry that she might snap like a rabid raccoon.
If she snaps, it could cause a real catastrophe.
With that in mind, I grabbed Baek Yeo-ul’s wrist.
“Hey, the adults look busy. Let’s give them some space.”
“…”
As I led Baek Yeo-ul out, all of the others who had been overwhelmed by the situation silently followed behind. We put on our shoes, stepped out of the garden, and passed over the high wall, and it felt like everything that just happened was but a dream.
Each of their expressions was subtle.
They were definitely not in a good mood.
“It’s my fault…”
Eventually, Baek Yeo-ul frowned and burst into tears. Her appearance became even less attractive because of the tears.
“It’s because I bring ‘bad luck’ that my house is struggling. Even my mom and dad keep getting hurt. It’s because of me…”
Was Baek Yeo-ul’s family’s financial difficulties not as apparent on the surface as I thought? That’s why they hadn’t fixed the phone’s broken screen immediately.
Baek Yeo-ul seemed to believe that these occurrences happened due to her “bad luck.” However, as I’ve mentioned before, luck is akin to a seesaw; if something goes up, something else must go down, and if something goes down, something else must inevitably go up.
“Hey, you guys are having exceptionally good luck today. You’ll be eating something extremely delicious next. Let’s go!”
I led everyone toward my house. Passing through a narrow alleyway stacked with garbage and scrap metal and stepping into my home, everyone appeared amazed.
“Is this your house? The neighborhood is incredibly quiet.”
The serene atmosphere was something for which Geum Tae-sung marveled. Choi Chang-sik, however, seemed worried.
“Friend, shouldn’t we inform our parents before we all rush in like this? Aren’t we imposing?”
“It’s fine. My parents aren’t home, so this is my place. Come on in. You can wear indoor slippers if you’d like.”
Leading in the timid friends like broken-down cats, I immediately went to the kitchen and boiled some water. Into a pot, I added today’s leftover side dishes, saved ramen soup, ssamjang, ketchup, and it wasn’t long before the delicious smells began to gently rise.
“Here, it’s my special ramen.”
The thick broth already looked incredibly appetizing. As saliva began to accumulate, everyone glanced around nervously.
“… Is it okay to eat this? Why did you mix everything?”
The tense Geum Tae-sung seemed to be forcing himself to be strong due to how delicious it looked.
“Why did you mix it? Everything ends up the same once inside, anyway, right? People with IQs over 140 all eat this way.”
“… …”
“… …”
“… …”
“… Do you want a taste? I’ve always said you should eat everything and leave nothing behind.”
The first to pick up the spoon was Baek Yeo-ul, who was still gently sobbing. She ladled a spoonful of broth and quickly swallowed it, her expression going through diverse changes.
“It… it’s good…!?”
“Miss Yeul, is that true! Can this weird hell broth really be delicious? Allow me to taste it as well! Hmm, this, this flavor is UGH…”
The ramen turned out to be so delicious that Choi Chang-sik lost control and rushed to the restroom.
“Haha, Namjin, forgive me, but I can’t eat this.”
“It’s not food, it’s poison…”
Even Geum Tae-sung and the gentle Oh Deok-sun couldn’t regain their senses after a spoonful, but Baek Yeo-ul continued to eat, drinking the broth and using her chopsticks to scoop up more of the content.
“… Why, why does this taste good? It shouldn’t! Why? Why is it so delicious! I, I can’t accept this!”
Baek Yeo-ul seemed to have completely forgotten the sorrow that was crushing her just moments ago, due to this revolutionary taste.
In the end, the food was all eaten by Baek Yeo-ul and me. Though Baek Yeo-ul slightly ate more, making me a little upset, given that I had already eaten from the lady of the house, I decided to forgive her.
“Look at this! There’s a cricket in the courtyard! A golden cricket!”
Just as I was about to start cleaning up, Choi Chang-sik suddenly shouted that he found a golden cricket in our yard. Thinking about the golden cricket cheered me up, and I enthusiastically ran outside, with Geum Tae-sung lightly tapping my shoulder as he followed.
“Namjin, you’re more impressive than I thought.”
All of a sudden?
Could my cooking have made me look better?
That was entirely possible.
It’s the era where good cooks look attractive.
In the end, we didn’t see the golden cricket. They said it flew away before we got out. Missing such a rare golden cricket was a terrible lack of luck.
Instead, the sight of Baek Yeo-ul imitating the cricket in the yard was amusing.
“Are you mimicking the golden cricket now?”
“… No way! You! Didn’t Seugal mention a party she’s hosting? It’s happening at “Sa Oak.””
“Ah, that’s right.”
“That’s a trap. I’ve been caught in it before…”
Baek Yeo-ul seemed to have many things to say about Seugal.
