Chapter 132
Chapter 132
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 132
Chapter Title: Differing Opinions
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"What do you do when you have differing opinions with a friend?"
"Ideally?"
"Yes."
"Talk it out. Exchange opinions, understand the pros and cons of each other's arguments, accept them, and find a compromise. All based on the mindset that I might be wrong."
"And in reality?"
"We curse each other out—you fucking idiot, what the hell are you talking about, no matter what you say, I'm right—and fight to the death until we cut ties."
"……."
"Ah, cutting ties is a bit much?"
"Yes."
A lot much.
"Then."
"Then?"
"On the surface, act like you're listening attentively and agreeing, but inside, curse the idiot out. Only have serious discussions on that topic with friends who already agree with me."
"Oh…."
Confirmation bias…?
"This is the best way to keep loyalty. Blindly agreeing without question."
"Haha."
Even an adult from 11 years ago in the past isn't much different from my time.
The student teacher noticed my dejected expression and asked.
"Why, do you have differing opinions with a friend?"
"Yes."
A lot different. To the point where finding common ground seems impossible.
And that makes me sad.
"There are no friends in the world whose opinions match perfectly on everything, right? You bump into each other and work through it, refining the edges of your thinking."
"It's an area where that's impossible."
"Or just say, 'Oh, that's how you think. I don't,' and move on?"
"It's an area where that's impossible……."
I didn't want to use that expression for Ji-su, but no matter how I thought about it, it felt like a chosen-people complex.
To me, it didn't feel like a differing opinion—it felt like a wrong one. Hard to just ignore and brush off.
'Ji-su had been thinking like that.'
Why didn't I know?
Well...
'Before regression, there was no chance for Ji-su's true feelings to come out.'
Or maybe I heard it but brushed it off carelessly.
To my 18-year-old self who hadn't experienced failure, the way Ji-su subtly let her mindset slip probably didn't hurt as much.
"Haaa…."
The student teacher smiled at me sighing deeply over and over.
"Think positively. Worrying like this now is proof that your heart is still young."
"Don't you worry about this stuff when you get older?"
My mental age was higher than the student teacher's, but I asked anyway.
"Those who do, do. Even in their 50s or 60s, some people will. Only those kinds of people…."
"Stay youthful regardless of their physical age."
"Exactly. Eternal youth is constantly agonizing over what's right."
"What's this conversation?"
Seo Jae-kyeom, tray in hand, climbed the stairs and joined in.
As soon as Seo Jae-kyeom appeared, the student teacher quickly backed away, putting distance between us. Seo Jae-kyeom looked down at the student teacher displeased, widening the already not-so-close gap even more, and scolded him.
"Teacher, isn't your shirt too revealing?"
"Sorry. Next time I come for tutoring, I'll wear proper gentlemanly clothes that go up to the neck."
"Yes. Good idea."
"……."
By the way, the student teacher's current outfit was a plain T-shirt you could see anywhere.
If Confucian style suddenly became trendy without me knowing, let me know.
"Kang Da-hye, banana milk."
"Thanks."
"No sugar."
"Okay. Thanks."
You must have secretly taken Jeong Eun-seong's picnic sugar bomb criticism to heart from last time.
"Iced ssanghwacha."
"Thanks!"
"Seo Jae-kyeom, what do you want to drink?"
"Wanna try? It's an ade."
"What flavor?"
"Pineapple."
"Then it's fine. I'm fine."
"……."
"……."
It wasn't that rotten a pun, but the student teacher and Seo Jae-kyeom both straightened up and stared at me. The student teacher said.
"Da-hye's pun makes me not fine."
"Teacher, you're wearing fine clothes."
"Right. Then I'm not fine, but my clothes are fine."
"……."
"……."
"Shall we study?"
"Yes."
?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "You fought with Han Ji-su."
"It wasn't a fight."
After tutoring ended and I was heading home, Seo Jae-kyeom grabbed me. He asked if I wanted to see the cat, saying he'd found the spot where that romantic cat from before appeared.
How could I pass up a chance to pet a cat? That was why I was walking through this neighborhood park with Seo Jae-kyeom right now.
"Just… a slight difference of opinion."
"Why? Did she finally cross the line?"
"Not really."
No matter what, I wouldn't run to you tattling and asking you to badmouth Ji-su. I brushed it off vaguely.
"Ji-su didn't do anything wrong to me."
She did wrong to Bang Eun-ji. But Seo Jae-kyeom still looked displeased.
Come to think of it, it had been a while since Seo Jae-kyeom openly showed he didn't like Ji-su.
Had something happened between them?
Seeing him like this made last spring—when he chased after Ji-su saying he liked her—feel like a previous life.
In two months, would he do this to me too?
"We need to go up here."
"Okay."
Walking along the smoothly paved walkway lit up like daytime even at night with many streetlamps, Seo Jae-kyeom suddenly asked.
"Why do you like Han Ji-su so much?"
"Huh? Well…."
Because she's my friend.
"What made you two close?"
"Now?"
We were just always close. I tried to laugh it off, but Seo Jae-kyeom was serious. His words made me ponder it too.
When did Ji-su and I become friends?
"…Our first year of middle school."
"First year?"
"Yeah. April, on the field trip to the National Cemetery. What was it? A sketching contest?"
It was the first time after entering middle school that we met schoolmates in casual clothes.
"Before that, we all wore uniforms, so it wasn't obvious… but in casual clothes, it stood out."
It's hard to dress pretty when you're poor. No money for clothes meant little experience dressing up.
Inevitably, my appearance looked shabby, and people treated the contents—me—as shabby too.
Some kids openly mocked me, whispered, boys snickered. You, Seo Jae-kyeom, just scanned me up and down and said nothing.
I was so embarrassed I even thought.
If only my family were average, the start of my middle school life would have been different.
"But Ji-su hung out with me then."
She didn't mock my embarrassing state, didn't add a single word.
"Later, Ji-su's mom said I studied well and had a good birth chart, so she told Ji-su to be friends with someone like me if she wanted friends."
"It wasn't Han Ji-su's own will?"
"No. But it didn't matter."
No matter the reason, I was grateful.
"Ji-su is precious to me. So I want to tell her when she's wrong. Even if it drives a wedge between us."
That I'm disappointed in you, that you're heading down the wrong path. I want to say it without closing my eyes.
"Like a loyal retainer risking their neck to speak truth to power?"
I added it jokingly. Seo Jae-kyeom, who had been watching me quietly, said.
"Don't say that. Why would you be Han Ji-su's retainer?"
"It's just a metaphor."
"Don't use metaphors either. It bothers me."
"Okay. Got it. I won't."
"Yeah."
Seo Jae-kyeom nodded, clenched and unclenched his fist once. He hesitated, then asked.
"Is it okay if I comfort you? Between friends."
"Of course."
Going to pat my shoulder? I smiled. But Seo Jae-kyeom didn't smile.
His hand approached carefully and lifted me up. Startled, I was hoisted onto a bench I hadn't even noticed. Standing on the bench, I faced him. My eye level shot up.
Our eyes met. While gripping his shoulder.
Seo Jae-kyeom, who had placed me higher than himself, said.
"To me, Kang Da-hye, you're up here."
"……."
"Among the people around me, you're in the highest place. So everything you say falls down on my head."
"……."
"Han Ji-su will realize it too. She can't ignore the laws of physics all by herself."
The feelings conveyed through our locked gazes were sincere.
Ones I couldn't carelessly belittle.
"…Thanks."
Even if you end up ignoring me again someday, I won't forget what you said to me today.
I gripped his shoulder tighter.
"I'm really okay."
Between my friendship with Ji-su and the values I believe are right, I chose.
I'll keep giving my all to Ji-su from now on too, but if she never acknowledges this as wrong, we can't remain friends.
That would be sad, but I can't pretend not to see it.
So I'm okay.
I'm fine.
"There are footprints on the bench."
"I'll wipe them with my clothes."
"But where's the cat?"
"Well… it should have shown up around now."
"Did you make an appointment with the cat? To meet here?"
"No… I saw it here last time I was out walking. Turns out it lives super regularly. But it's not here today……. Why not? It should be."
"Oh, there it comes!"