Chapter 35

Fortunately, there was no one yet at the place Jiyong had promised. I first ordered a glass of juice and called Jihong Lee to ask for advice.

[...........why?]

Why is this guy's voice dying like this?

“Are you awake now?”

[crazy. If I wake up now, is that a person?]

“I woke up a little while ago.”

[........ A person.]

“But what’s wrong with your voice? Did you get dumped again?”

[Kwon Hee-chan. Not even this guy.]

It was a car.

[Did you call to check on that? uh? When I explained everything via text message as you said, I was told it was boring. Are you done now? uh?]

“I was calling to ask about something else. It’s good to hear what you’re up to.”

[......What do you want to ask?]

“When you were in high school, you helped a lot of kids at school who were taking money, right? Even though you didn’t take money because you helped them, were you still scared of the kids who took money and beat you up?”

[of course. On the contrary, there is another child who was taken away and told not to tell me. But why?]

I roughly explained what happened to Jiyong. Even after graduation, he still seems scared. I don’t think I could get over it.

[You won’t forget it easily. If your pride is hurt, the wound remains big. Me too this time....kehehehe....]

“So you’re saying there’s no way to overcome it?”

[I can't do it completely. Last year, I met one of the guys I helped out in high school and had a drink with him, and he said something like that. He says the kids who stole his money still appear in his dreams and harass him. I'm scared that when we meet again, I'll end up in trouble again. But things turned out really well for that kid. I went to college, studied hard there, and ended up going to a good graduate school. So I got a job at a large company. At first, I didn't understand why the people who beat this kid were still scared even though they were clearly worse off than this kid.]

I didn't understand either. If you have the upper hand now, wouldn't everything be overcome? Jiyong also wanted to quit the store because of that.

[When I thought about it, there were some scary things I couldn't overcome, so I couldn't say anything. You probably have something like that too, right? Especially if the other person hurt you, the person who was hurt is even more unable to forget.]

It hurts. There was one person that immediately came to mind. Even if you think you've overcome it, you'll think of it once in a while, and even if you want to completely ignore it, that person will hover around you for the rest of your life, and it'll come to mind and hurt you once in a while. Actually, my father is probably living happily.

[But even from what I saw, this kid was dealt a bit harshly. Not only did I hit them because of that, but I didn't see any of my high school classmates for several years after I graduated. But when I asked him if it was okay because things are going well now, he just laughed.]

“So you’re saying you can’t get over it in the end? Those who hit other people and take money from them are all shit if you get to know them.”

It's a piece of cake. Jihong agreed.

[Especially those guys who stole 1,000 or 2,000 won in high school to buy bread and smoke cigarettes, they really are nothing. You know what? Really rich people don't brag about their money. Just as powerful people do not boast about their power.]

“Seeing as how you’ve never boasted about your money, it seems like you’re really rich, huh?”

[Is that how the story goes? Haha~ Actually, I have a lot of money.... Hmmmm. I'm a bitch Kwon Hee-chan, don’t ever think of borrowing money from me.]

1. This bastard....this is how he is my friend. I know this many times, but I don't do money transactions between acquaintances.

[Oh right. I saw a child who overcame it. I had forgotten about this guy I met about 4 years ago, but he was also the guy who took my money.]

“How did you overcome it? Were you incredibly successful?”

[No, I just work at the factory. It doesn't seem like I'm making that much money, but my life has improved. It must have been very difficult at home. So, the child has more free time, is satisfied with what he does, and his hobby is making L-La models, so he likes that he can now do something he couldn't do because he had to spend money. According to that guy, it tastes good. Thanks to you, I thought I was going to die of boredom talking about picures that I didn’t even know about.]

I had no idea. So how did you overcome it? Did you learn the Tao while making plastic models?

[Now that I think about it, the girl I met for the first time makes more money and has a better company. I think this is the whole reason for Hona-kyung to overcome it now.]

“Then what is it?”

[Hmm......The second guy looked really happy. Are you satisfied with reality and have no time to think about difficult things? Then she will naturally forget it, and over time, even if she cannot completely overcome it, she may be able to afford to lightly ignore it.]

I felt like I could vaguely understand something. It's so fun to be with Woo Min-jae, or rather, I feel good even when he's not around, so even if my father appears in front of me, I think I'll say hello to him without any hesitation. On the one hand, it was a difficult answer. In the end, you have to be happy. Jiyong came into the store. The person who made the appointment must have already been inside the store, but Jiyong sat across from a young man of his age. Is that guy the bastard who hit Jiyong? He took a moment to appreciate his face, hiding himself and sucking his juices. Because of the distance between them, I couldn't hear their conversation. However, I could see that Jiyong was not suffering unilaterally as I had feared. Still, his face was red and he was nervous, so he kept swallowing his saliva and his expression was stiff. While I was finishing my drink, there were several loud noises and the other person stood up first, as if he was angry. He then raised his arm as if threatening, but Jiyong didn't flinch and just raised his head and looked at him. I guess that pissed the other person off even more.

“Fuck!”

He went out with the intention of hearing me too. The remaining Jiyong then picked up the drink that had never been touched by his hand and gulped it down. And he sat still for a while. As if to calm a trembling heart. Well, you probably need to calm down. That fucking guy left without paying for the drinks. I took advantage of Jiyong’s distraction and came out. I'm glad it wasn't as bad as I feared, though. It wasn't reassuring. I thought as I walked to the store. I can't do anything to make him happy in reality, but wouldn't I be able to make him happy? The reason I care about Jiyong is not because I have too much time. Before, I would have just stayed at the cafe and watched. It's not serious, so I just pass it on and say I'll get over it on my own. But it was different now. What can I say? Since I am happy, I have some peace of mind. To the point of meddling in the happiness of others.

A person's future is unknown.

“Whoa............”

Jeong Chung-yeon sighed as if the ground was sinking. Did I just say that I now have the luxury of interfering with other people's happiness? How arrogant this thought was. If there are a lot of people around you to meddle with, your leisure will disappear immediately. It was a bit overwhelming. Why is this guy like this again?

“Are you still in a cold war with your daughter?”

I glanced at him, matching the delivery receipt and the bill. There was no answer.

“What does your daughter like?”

“It’s all useless.”

​

 

what? I looked up and he explained.

“I’ve bought my daughter everything she likes, but she’s so reckless. She just wants to go back to work.”

“Then you will accept it.”

“......I guess so. With the scars.”

Does your wound look bigger?

“Yesterday, my daughter heard that her favorite idol singer was performing, so I took her there on purpose. But instead of right in front of the concert hall, she asked me to drop her off somewhere far away. She said her friends shouldn’t see me. Ugh... “Sigh!”

"............."

“When I was young, I said my dad was the best thing in the world... ugh. With me. He said he would marry me...”

I comforted him by offering him tissues.

“It is immoral to marry your father.”

“Who really said that? I’m just saying....Keuheung~!”

He blew his nose and hunched his shoulders.

“I’m sorry. Because of this, President Kwon took care of me and extended my day off by an extra day.”

“You just need to know.”

He lowered his head further. As I was looking at him, I remembered the hotel meal ticket Woo Min-jae had given me and took it out from the drawer.

“By the way, Woo Min-jae gave me this. I guess it’s a family meal ticket.”

“Minjae? This is expensive, but I don’t know if I can take it.”

“Take it. I’m telling you to give it to all organic members because you got a lot for free.”

“You got this for free?”

He was surprised and asked again to check the meal ticket.

“Who on earth would give something worth hundreds of thousands of won for free?”

The hotel must have given it to me. They may have given it to me since I stayed there for several months.

“Woo Min-jae was in that hotel........”

“Ah. You said you were a designated driver and a customer gave it to you? Is he an extremely rich customer?”

"I don't drive for a designated driver. And the car I was driving in was smashed......"

“Smashed? Oh my. So, you’re not acting as an agent. Then, since you won’t be able to make a living these days, can I take this?”

Why don't you believe me? That kid has a lot of money. My mouth hurt when I tried to explain, so I gave up. I still had some doubts. Surely it's not like you're spending a lot of money on a negative account?

“Take it. I said I’d throw it away if you didn’t.”

“Then I have to accept it. That’s good. Next week is our wedding anniversary, so I was thinking of going out to dinner with my family over the weekend. Please tell me I appreciate it.”

“Yes. I hope your daughter follows along well this time.”

“.............Keuheuk!”

My father burst into tears again. It's a shame to share happiness with others.

Let’s watch my mouth. shit.

For a week, I intentionally tried not to make an exact appointment with Woo Min-jae. What time will I be there? But I might not be able to go. I always added this. It seemed like he had sensed my intention and was smiling, but it was better for him to be embarrassed than to hide his anxiety. Fortunately, nothing much happened for a week. Saturday is back again. Rolling around with Woo Min-jae all day and waking up in the afternoon has now become a normal part of my daily life. This time, when I opened my eyes, I heard him talking on the phone.

“No. Just watch. We don’t have enough evidence yet, so let’s see what happens... Even though it’s risky, it’s worth it, so don’t worry.”

I waited for him to hang up the phone and then he asked.

“What’s dangerous?”

As soon as he saw me, a smile appeared on his expressionless face.

“Are you hungry?”

“What’s the danger?”

not a big deal. When he answered, he actually tried to raise his fist. But the guy took a moment and easily got his words out.

“When I returned to Korea after going to Canada for a few days, I saw a car being followed a few times. I thought it was strange, so I checked the license plate number on the blackback and it turned out to be some sort of errand center. They are ex-convicts who do anything for money.”

“You don’t know who ordered it?”

“I have a guess, but I have no physical evidence.”

"who?"

“Little father.”

"............."

“I’m not sure.”

okay. If you're not sure, probably not.

“Maybe it’s your aunt or uncle.”

I have nothing to say.

“Surely someone didn’t cause the motorcycle accident on purpose?”

The guy didn't answer right away, just looked at me and shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, because motorcyclists don’t say anything.”

I guess that's right. It felt strange. Then, it means that he not only followed you, but attempted to kill you. Boom, my heart sank loudly. Goosebumps ran down my spine as if my body was truly falling.

“Then we have to come up with a plan.”

“Before that, we’ll get some solid evidence first.”

"how?"

The guy didn't answer and just grinned. I didn't like it. It seemed like he had no intention of saying anything this time. Even when I glared at it, it didn’t move.

“How about your store?”

No matter how much you talk about it, it's okay. Both are low pressure. It was so low that it stuck to the floor.

"Jeong Chung-yeon thought the moon would clear up soon, but it lasted surprisingly long. He still hasn't said a word to his father. It seems that Moon Ji-yong decided not to settle and file a lawsuit, perhaps because the lawyer you introduced gave him good advice. But the other party called and said, I guess they keep harassing me.”

Even if you block a number, you can try calling from a different number again. Now, whenever I receive a phone call I don't recognize, my expression becomes stiff. I think I did a good job of deciding to go hard, but I thought I might get hurt again in the process. Fortunately, Jiyong said that the lawyer was a very kind and capable person, so the other party was wary of the lawyer's name. Chungyeon also looked at the company the lawyer belonged to and was surprised to see that it was a large company. They say the fees are enormous. As Chung-yeon worries, aren’t the fees going to be a disaster?

“But Jiyong’s lawyer fees...”

“It’s free.”

“Is it really free? Why is it free?”

“He said he would just do it because I entrust him with a lot of work. I have quite a few lawsuits.”

It must be a lot of work since every relative has filed a lawsuit. Still, if you have a lot of work, why not just give one thing away for free? But he soon agreed.

“Well, if you buy a lot, you get a bonus.”

“That’s right. It’s a bonus.”

The guy grinned and looked at his watch.

“Didn’t you say you were going to meet Jiyong?”

huh. I answered and looked at my watch. It was after 8pm. I don't want to spend my Saturday night with my coworker, though. I decided to sacrifice just this once. I decided to go somewhere with Jiyong just once for his little happiness. I still don't know where he's going. Anyway, I guess I should get up soon. But Woo Min-jae grabbed my arm tightly as I turned around. Unlike his strong hands, his voice was ordinary.

“To be honest, I don’t want you to go.”

“To be honest, I don’t feel like it either.”

Sigh. He curled his lips and let go of her arm. He smiled as if he was reassured by that, but then said this.

“If you don’t answer my phone, I will come and kill you all.”

The hotel where Woo Min-jae stays has a dedicated staff member. Most employees come to the dorm when necessary, but today Woo Min-jae came to the lobby together, saying he needed to check something. While I was standing there waiting for two people, someone called me.

“Huh? Chief Kwon.”

When I heard a familiar voice, I turned around and saw Chungyeon approaching me with startled eyes.

“What are you doing here? Are you here to eat?”

rice? Oh, by the way, they gave me a meal ticket. They said they would come over the weekend because it was their wedding anniversary, but I guess it was today.

“Are you here to eat?”

“Yes. With my family.”

Then he pointed to the back. About 10 meters away, there was a short woman who appeared to be her wife and her daughter, who was in elementary school.

My son was standing with me. I bowed my head in greeting, and my wife was surprised and bowed her head as well. And as I was about to turn around, I realized something. for a moment. A daughter?! I quickly looked at Chungyeon’s daughter. It's you! You are the one who tormented her father and made the atmosphere in the store so gloomy! Suddenly, resentment and sadness rose from her chest. You don’t know how much our store pays! I work so hard to pay your dad every month! How hard do you work to manage your business in case even one of your business partners is cut off? How many times have you tried to break even to get the best item at an auction? Something hot rose up my throat. Her daughter seemed startled when her eyes met mine and she snuggled up next to her mother. Yes, it must be scary. I look at you with such sorrowful eyes. If it weren't for Chungyeon who was next to her asking, she would have walked up to her daughter and almost grabbed her by the collar.

“Isn’t my daughter pretty?”

“.............”

"Yes why?"

“No. Because it’s really pretty.”

“Haha~ President Kwon has an eye for people.”

It's good. Even though I was bullied by my daughter, it's okay.

“When I was young, I was like a doll, so they even told me to make myself a celebrity.”

“It’s not that bad.”

“No. It’s true. Did everyone around you say that?”

“Who is around?”

“My parents, father-in-law, and mother-in-law.”

That's an objective eye. Very objective.

“Everyone says that. I, too, have heard a lot of people telling me to become a celebrity.”

“It’s President Kwon........”

“You know that you don’t have to come to the soccer game tomorrow, right?”

“That’s right. What happened to that? I was surprised when I received a text message from the chairman. Could it be... I was fired?”

"no."

.........I guess not?

“Then why don’t you come out? Didn’t you say it’s an important match tomorrow? I heard that the team put so much effort into making the match happen that they didn’t even tell me which team the opponent was.”

“You’re not going to play with that team tomorrow, are you? I told the cheaters last week to come back to the playground.”

“Huh? You told me you were working with a new team?”

no way. You must have heard wrong. The soccer field is not a triangle, but three teams come together and play a game.

“Maybe it would be right to meet up with those cheaters from last week again. I said the reason I even trained last week was purely because I wanted to win as a member of my team.”

“Then why did you leave me out? Minjae is not originally from the market, so I understand that he was left out. Why me?”

“Because you can’t?”

"............"

"just joke."

He laughed lightly, but the other person's expression was already that of a corpse. I quickly revealed the truth.

“Starting this week, Jung Chung-yeon and Moon Ji-yong said they would be off work five days a week. Then, they said they would skip soccer just this week to mean that both of them could rest.”

Ah~ Chungyeon finally breathed a sigh of relief. And just then Woo Min-jae appeared.

“Minjae was there too.”

Chungyeon seemed happy to see one more familiar face and asked the same question as the first time.

“Are you two coming to eat together?”

“No. Woo Min-jae’s dorm is here.”

I answered by pointing at Woo Min-jae with my thumb, but Chung-yeon's reaction was a bit late.

“Here? This is... a hotel.”

“Yes. I told you so. He lives at Woo Minjae Hotel.”

“......Was this a hotel?”

“To be exact, I live in the villa behind there.”

"......Villa?"

Why do you keep asking? When I was puzzled, an employee came over and said something to Woo Min-jae. It looked like a car key. At that time, Chungyeon quietly called me. why? When I turned around, he asked with a nervous look on his face.

“Minjae……are you rich?”

“Yes. I’ve told you so many times.”

I asked Woo Min-jae, who approached me, as if to confirm.

“Hey. Jeong Chung-yeon is asking if you are rich. Are you rich?”

Chungyeon's face turned into that of a corpse again. Woo Min-jae looked at me and Chung-yeon in turn and nodded lightly.

“You’re rich.”

“Look. He’s rich.”

I confirmed it, but he didn't respond as if he didn't believe it. At that time, Woo Min-jae asked the employee for something, and the employee nodded and quickly disappeared somewhere.

“There are cosmetics given as a gift at the hotel, but they are for women, so I don’t need them. If you don’t mind, can I give them to your wife?”

"Yeah............"

I asked in place of Chungyeon, who couldn't answer.

“How much does it cost? Is it expensive?”

“It’s free.”

“If it’s free, I’ll take it.”

It's free. Shortly after speaking to Mr. Chungyeon, an employee appeared holding several large envelopes in his hands. As I was leaving the hotel with Woo Min-jae, I glanced and saw Chung-yeon's wife checking the inside of the envelope and covering her mouth with her hand in surprise. They said it was free, but they only included a few samples, right?

Saturday night. The city was filled with people wanting to enjoy the weekend. When I was young, it was exciting and nice to see a lot of people, but as I got older, places with a lot of people were just noisy. If it weren't for Moon Ji-yong, he wouldn't have come again. The good news was that Moon Ji-yong was on the same page as me.

“Why do I have to meet the boss again on my day off?”

“Should we just break up like this and never see each other again?”

“Ah. You’re pouting again.”

what?

“But really, why did you call me here? Even my friend. Are you even going to buy me a drink?”

"that's right."

Really? After hearing the question, the two got excited and started running around.

“Wow. It’s no joke. Let’s drink as much as we want today. Shall we have some liquor? I’ve never tried cognac before. Should I drink that?”

I'm not talking about selling cognac. liquor? Who are these people trying to rip off?

“Two bottles of beer each and only one snack. No more than that.”

The two people who were following stopped behind them.

“Why aren’t you coming?”

“Eat four bottles of beer and one snack by yourself.”

“.......Three bottles of beer and two snacks.”

Hehehe~ The two of them followed suit again, shaking their heads. When I looked at the two bright faces, I felt agony. That guy is already happy enough, so is there any reason for me to step forward? I think you can find happiness on your own, right? I was about to turn around after telling him to just give me money and have a drink, but Jiyong, who was excited, flinched and took out his cell phone. He just looked without receiving.

"What?"

“I don’t know. I don’t know the number.”

“Then hang up.”

But I couldn't stop and just watched like an idiot. I took his cell phone and answered the call. I could hear the other person talking quickly with my ears. As I listened to the contents, my expression hardened. The two guys who were looking at me also darkened.

I hung up the phone without listening to everything the other person said. Jiyong asked seriously as I handed over the phone without saying a word.

“Why? What do you say?”

“I’m telling you to change your phone because it’s broken.”

"............"

How on earth do the spam callers know whose cell phone is old? Are you just poking me? He grumbled as he left, but unlike his friend, Jiyong's face still looked tense. So I don't think I knew where I stopped.

"uh?"

My friend reacted first. Only then did Jiyong raise his head and see the destination sign.

'Club Iviza'

“W-this place!!!”

“Yeah. It’s this club.”

Jiyong's face was distorted for a moment, but soon changed to cheering.

“W-wow! Are you coming here with me? Really?”

“If you don’t like it, don’t.”

“No! I want to go! I want to go!”

His ears tingled. But whether I was impressed or not, Moon Ji-yong held hands with his friend and ran around because he was happy. But it soon stopped.

“Huh? It’s Saturday night so there won’t be any seats? What if only the boss hyung goes in but we can’t?”

“I made a reservation.”

I really did. Woo Min-jae said he knew someone who owned the club and made a reservation. However, he added one condition as if he didn't want me to go. Take pictures and send them every 10 minutes after arrival. And already the cell phone in my pocket was ringing and a text message arrived.

[where are you?]

In front of the club. I answered the question and entered the club, dragging the two half-crazed idiots with me. When I took out my reservation form from the staff at the entrance, I asked for my name. He spoke confidently while receiving the twinkling gazes of the two people next to him.

“Kwon Hee-chan.”

​

 

“I have no such reservations.”

what? I was embarrassed and said my name again.

“Not Kwon Hee-seon, but Kwon. Hee. Chan.”

"doesn't exist."

It's not? I heard Woo Min-jae made a reservation?

“......President hehe.”

A weak voice called to me. I smiled while looking at Jiyong and his friend who were drooping.

“Hey, no. You can go in. Woo Min-jae is clearly booked... Oh, is it by any chance that it was made under the name of Woo Min-jae?”

"no."

“Woo Min-soon?”

"..........no."

I had no choice but to call Woo Min-jae on my cell phone and ask him just in case.

“What about Moon Ji-yong?”

Stop. The employee checked something and nodded.

“Yes. I will guide you, Moon Ji-yong.”

The main character, Jiyong Moon, took the lead and entered the club. With his heart pounding and nervous, the guy went up to the second floor as the staff guided him and stopped at the entrance to the room. Inside the open door, the table was filled with alcohol and snacks. I went inside, leaving behind the employee who told me to have fun, but the two didn't come in. what's the matter? The moment I turned around, I heard Jiyong's admiration.

“Ooh. Ooh. Wow!!!!!”

I chuckled, took a picture of the sumptuous feast on the table, and sent it to Woo Min-jae.

[Are you telling me to eat it and explode and die?]

I left the club early alone and went home. Although I only use it once a day. It felt like it had been a long time since I had been hanging out with Woo Min-jae all week. It was midnight as I cleaned the house and put out the laundry, which I had put off. When I ran out of things to do, one thing naturally came to mind. Shall we go to Woo Min-jae? But he also said he had plans to drink today. He said he met college classmates with whom he worked out in Korea. Since it was my first time drinking in a while, I thought I shouldn't disturb him, so I put down my phone. And then I sat in the living room blankly and thought. I felt awkward alone. I was always alone before, but now I don't know what to do on my own. Moreover, it is my home. I need to sleep now to go to the soccer game tomorrow, but strangely I couldn't sleep.

I laid down in the living room, trying to force myself to sleep, but the late heat that persisted even in August made me feel more awake. I guess I was too used to Woo Min-jae’s new accommodation.

“Ash. It’s hot.”

I had no choice but to get up and move my body. I thought I would be so tired that I wouldn't be able to sleep. So I decided to do something I had been putting off for a long time. Sorting out my mom's remaining luggage. The room I currently use as my clothing room was originally the room my mother used. Although most of her mom's things were taken with her when she moved. There were still some left. Her mother, Maro, said she would use it someday, but it seemed unnecessary to me. The contents include a dryer with a broken handle, a jewelry box with a dented side, etc. She says she'll fix it later and use it all up, but when? Are you planning to release a repair to celebrate your 100th birthday? okay? Let's organize it. Because there are several boxes of these. I went into the room and took out her mom's box. Then I chose what to send to her mom and put the rest in a trash bag. As I was doing this, I got a fever, so I turned on the fan and opened the third box. Inside were mostly used clothes or fabrics. I frowned as I took out a pair of red underwear with a hole in them. Why didn't you just throw this away? how. He grumbled and stopped holding an old cushion cover. uh? Isn’t this what mom made? Sure enough, I opened it and saw that it was a cushion cover made with cross-stitch. I saw this when I was young. Her mother made it for her as a birthday present when she was dating her father. As proof, my father's initials were sewn in large capital letters on the front of the cover. My mom said at the time.

'It took me over a month to make this and my fingers got blisters. But your dad didn't even like it when he got it.'

Of course. What man in the world would be happy to receive a cushion cover as a birthday present? Namsu might like it. Anyway, this was proof that her mother loved her father. But why did you keep it instead of throwing it away? Did you forget to throw it away? You won't like it. It must be painful to see my father's initials engraved on it. I was puzzled and put it in my pocket, then took it out and opened it again.

I can't imagine how much thread went into making this. However, considering it took over a month, the shape was crooked and the color was too flashy, so honestly, it wasn't pretty. But it must have been a difficult yet good memory for her mother. It suddenly occurred to her that this was something she only had for nothing when it came to her own love. That time when I worked so hard for someone else, I am proud and satisfied, and it is a good memory. And now I understand how her mother feels. I also wanted to do something for Woo Min-jae. My love for him was so overflowing that I wanted to sew something like this and give it to him. just. I want to give it all. The conclusion is Woo Min-jae again. I packed up my things to forget about him, but it seems like all my mind was thinking about was him.

I miss you even though I'm only away for one night. I really missed you. I vaguely knew that the love I had begun had already deviated greatly from what I had expected. I realized this when I began to suspect that I was giving Woo Min-jae both bad luck and good luck. At that moment, I had a creepy thought. If it's true, wouldn't Woo Min-jae stay by my side for the rest of his life? I saw my selfish and greedy half. I was scared of myself thinking like this. Perhaps that's why Jihong's words were not easily forgotten.

'It's because I'm afraid I might be too careful and end up letting go of the person I really like.'

The rest of my devilish half was not an angel, but a coward. Ji-ing~ A short vibration rang. I checked the text message on my phone.

[Do well in tomorrow’s game. I'll call you at the end of the first half.]

I kept reading the text over and over again. I lay down on the floor holding my cell phone. Somehow, I felt like I could sleep now.