Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 197

Chapter 197

The road to my part-time job was quiet after parting ways with my friends. Working at the gas station from 7 PM to 1 AM after school was a bit tiring, but the hourly wage was quite good. More than anything, not many places would hire me, a minor and just a middle school student, so I was grateful for the job. It would have been impossible if the manager, who felt sorry for my situation, hadn’t been so accommodating. Everyone I worked with was also a good person, so I felt very lucky. I figured I would probably continue working there until I went to college.

“What are you doing here right now?”

I was waiting for the light to change at the crosswalk when I heard someone’s voice. I turned around without thinking and was surprised. A foreigner with blue eyes was standing right next to me. Moreover, the person’s identity was even more unexpected. A jet-black cape coat and platinum blonde hair tied back in a single braid. A face so dazzlingly handsome that it was familiar. It was definitely the same man I had seen from the classroom window during lunch.

‘Wow……’

His appearance was impressive enough from a distance, but it was on a different level up close. His skin texture and even each individual eyelash looked like they had been drawn with an artist’s utmost care, and I felt overwhelmed just looking at him.

How could someone be so handsome? I was so amazed by his inhumanly gorgeous appearance that I belatedly realized he was looking at me strangely. He seemed to be waiting for a response. Only then did it occur to me that he had ‘asked’ me something. That’s right. The foreigner had spoken to me, a Korean. The realization made my mind go blank.

“Why aren’t you answering? Can’t you hear me?”

“Ah! Um, I’m sorry! I can’t speak English at all! Ugh, what should I say in this situation? Ah, I’m sorry?”

“……I never told you to use English.”

“Huh? But…… Oh! Come to think of it, we can understand each other?”

I blinked at the realization, and the man sighed softly. He looked dumbfounded, which made me feel embarrassed, but the relief of being able to communicate was greater. As the tension eased, it became a little easier to look at him.

“Haha, sorry. By the way, you speak Korean really well. Are you an exchange student? Or are you Korean?”

“I’d like to hear the answer to my question first.”

“Oh, right! ……But what did you say?”

At my question, his finely shaped eyebrows twitched. He seemed to be wondering how to deal with this. Even that movement looked cool; I guess people really need to be born with good looks.

“I asked what you’re doing here.”

“Ah, you did. Why are you asking that?”

“Answer.”

“Well, school’s over, so I’m going home.”

Even if he was handsome, he was still a stranger. I didn’t think it was necessary to tell him the truth, so I gave him a vague answer. The man looked at me as if he didn’t like my answer.

“Home? Where is your home around here?”

“It’s about two bus stops away by bus.”

“That’s not what I mean. I mean, what is your place to be in this place?”

“……Excuse me?”

I didn’t understand what he was saying at all. As I stared blankly, unable to understand his question, the man made an even more unpleasant expression than before. His blue eyes flickered like waves, making him seem even more forceful. After glaring at me like that for a while, he suddenly looked at my forehead and hardened his face. He must have noticed the scar hidden under my thick bangs. Even Taejin hadn’t noticed it, so he seemed to have a good eye.

His hand reached out to sweep up my hair, so I tried to step back. But the man, who had strode forward, grabbed my wrist tightly even faster. The man finally examined the scar on my forehead and asked in an angry voice.

“Who did this?”

“Huh? Oh, it’s nothing. I’m just clumsy…….”

“I asked who did this.”

“Ugh, why are you getting angry? I just did something wrong and got hit by my father. Okay?”

“Who is your father?”

His voice got even lower. I had no idea why he was angry. Did he have bad memories of domestic violence? But that didn’t mean he had to be angry at me. It’s not like I wanted to be hit. I thought I would get tired if I dealt with him any longer, so I forcibly shook off the man and tried to turn around.

“Hey, I’m a little busy right now? Then goodbye…….”

“Don’t avoid me and look at me straight. Who is your father? The person you call that shouldn’t be him, right?”

“What are you talking about since a while ago…….”

“Don’t pretend you don’t understand. You know everything I’m saying.”

“What do you mean?”

“Is this the kind of place you ran away to? Did you think everything would be okay if you hid in the past? Even with memories like this? Why did you just keep putting up with it like a fool until this happened! Look at me, Elle! Who am I in front of you?”

“……!”

At that moment, goosebumps rose all over my body. It felt like I was forcibly recalling something I didn’t want to remember. Something uncomfortable seemed to be strongly urging me from within. Ah, right. I think I knew this person. But I didn’t want to remember who he was.

“L, let go of this!”

“Elle!”

“My name is not Elle!”

I reflexively shouted, and the man’s hand faltered. In that gap, I pushed him away and ran blindly. I heard him calling from behind, but I didn’t look back. I felt like he was chasing me, so I was anxious.

Then, I spotted a familiar face in a building in front of me. Surprisingly, it was Taejin. Taejin, a black belt in kendo [a Japanese martial art of swordsmanship], goes straight to the dojo [a training hall for martial arts] after class. Especially now, with a competition coming up, he often skips afternoon classes to go practice. It should be time for him to be at the dojo now, so why is he here? Besides, this isn’t the direction of the dojo he goes to. I thought it was strange, but now wasn’t the time to worry about that. In this urgent situation, finding someone I knew as if it were planned made me want to cry. I ran as hard as I could and clung to Taejin’s back.

“Ugh! You scared me! What is it! Oh? Kang Jihoon?”

Taejin, who was startled by the sudden situation, turned around with an angry face, then looked at me and made a dumbfounded expression. Then, he scanned my appearance and quickly hardened his face.

“Why do you look like that? Like you’ve seen a ghost. What happened?”

“That’s…….”

I used him as a shield and glanced back. Fortunately, the blond man was nowhere to be seen. He must have given up in the middle of chasing me, or he just went back after seeing that my acquaintance showed up. I let out a long sigh.

“Haaa. Taejin, you’re going to be a hero from now on. I think you have a knack for it.”

“What nonsense are you talking about? I’m asking what happened?”

The scolding voice brought a sense of relief. It felt like I had escaped from a terrible fear and returned to a normal life. Still, I didn’t feel like explaining, so I just smiled awkwardly. Fortunately, Taejin only grumbled and didn’t press me. Instead, he just checked on me with worried eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, sorry for worrying you.”

“It’s okay. But isn’t it time for your part-time job? I think it’s almost 7 o’clock?”

“Gasp! That’s right, my part-time job!”

Only after hearing Taejin’s words did I remember what I had forgotten. I hardened my face and hurriedly looked down at my watch. It takes more than 30 minutes to get there, but the hands were already pointing to 6:40.

“Ugh, I’m doomed. Kisoon hyung [older brother or male friend] said he had urgent business and asked me to be on time today!”

“You mean the hyung from the previous shift?”

“Yeah! Sorry, Taejin! I’ll go first! See you at school tomorrow!”

“Are you going to run?”

“It would be nice to take the bus, but the time waiting for the bus and the time running are about the same.”

“You can take something other than the bus.”

“Something else?”

“Tsk tsk, what is this?”

I was puzzled by his question, as he clicked his tongue as if I was hopeless. When I followed Taejin’s gaze, an object standing next to him came into view. The sleek black object with two round wheels was a bicycle.

“Oh? That’s what you ride when you commute to school…….”

It didn’t take long to figure out the situation. When I raised my head sharply, Taejin’s grinning face came into view.

“Are you coveting this, brother?”

“Yes! I covet it very much!”

“I’ll lend it to you if you call me hyungnim [a more honorific term for older brother].”

“Hyungnim!”

“Mwahahaha! You’re so cute! You know how to work in society!”

Taejin, who laughed heartily, gladly handed me the bicycle. I knew better than anyone how special this was. Taejin is usually very attached to his belongings and doesn’t even lend erasers to others. In particular, the bicycle is his most cherished possession among the things he owns. Such a guy willingly gave it to his friend who was going to be late for his part-time job.

I think I have a good friend, if nothing else. Taejin chuckled as he watched me enjoying the emotion.

“Why aren’t you going and just staring blankly?”

“Taejin, I think I only need you after all.”

“Ew, no thanks? I know I’m kind of cool, but I politely decline the courtship of a fellow man. I’m going to put all of this on debt. Think about paying it all back when you succeed later.”

Even the strict words didn’t make me feel bad because I felt that it was for my pride. It’s said that it’s hard to make even one true friend in a lifetime. In that sense, maybe my life is worth living. When I thought about it that way, I wasn’t anxious about anything anymore.

I hoped that this peaceful moment would last forever. I prayed quietly in my heart.

* * *

When I opened the door and went inside, the air in the house felt strange. It wasn’t noisy because it was late, but everyone was usually gathered watching TV at this time, but today I couldn’t hear any sound. But it wasn’t like there was no one in the living room. The lights were on as usual, and I could feel my older brothers peeking out at the entrance.

“Oh, you’re here.”

My second older brother, who peeked his head out, said as he found me. He seemed to be smiling, but his expression was a little strange. Of course, it was strange enough that he even acknowledged me, but still.

“Are you here now?”

I doubted my ears at the voice I heard just as I was about to take off my shoes. When I hurriedly raised my head, my mom was standing in front of me. I couldn’t believe it, so I couldn’t react for a while. She was a terribly indifferent person to me, and she had never once welcomed me home. I had never imagined this would happen, so I didn’t know what to do. After hesitating for a long time, I barely remembered that I hadn’t answered.

“Ah, I’m back…….”

But the greeting I was trying to give in a hurry couldn’t be finished. Slaaaap! A sharp noise and a burning sensation were felt on my cheek. Only after realizing that my head had turned to the side did I recognize what had just happened. She hit me. My mom, hit me.

As I looked up in confusion, the other side of my cheek became hot this time. My mom’s breathing was rough, as if she wasn’t relieved even after hitting me in succession.

“You ungrateful bastard.”

My shoulders trembled involuntarily at the words she spat out fiercely. I was out of my mind because of the sudden situation, but I could clearly see my mom’s gaze looking at me. It was a look filled with contempt.

“M, Mom……?”

“Don’t even call me Mom! You don’t even know the grace of being raised and taught. How dare you do this? Don’t you know your place?”

“W, what are you talking about?”

“Jinsoo stole the kye [a Korean rotating savings association] money that was in the drawer!”

I blinked for a moment at the unexpected words. Jinsoo is my oldest brother’s name. His face, smiling meaningfully at me this morning, came to mind. He said he needed money, but I didn’t think he would touch Mom’s kye money. But I didn’t understand why that was splashing on me.

“Hyung [older brother]…… stole it, right?”

“Look at how he’s glaring. Yes! Jinsoo stole it. When I questioned him why he did that, he said he was too desperate for money. So, does that mean you’re not at fault? You don’t know anything?”

“Well…….”

“Are you going to keep denying it like that? I’ve already heard everything from Jinsoo? He said he asked you to lend him money, but you told him to get lost, you pathetic loser who goes to a no-name college! And what else? You told him to go to his mommy and beg for milk? Oh my god, how could you say such harsh things! How embarrassed do you think I was when I heard that!”

No. That’s not it. Everything she was saying was the first time I was hearing it. My vision seemed to be turning white, so I desperately shook my head.