Chapter 188: Uninvited Guest
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 188: Uninvited Guest
Everyone has a side they don't want to show their family, don't they?
For example.
When you're getting chewed out by your boss.
When you're being bullied by your friends.
Or any situation that's embarrassing or humiliating.
Because the relationship is closer than with anyone else, there are things you'd rather they didn't know.
For me, that moment was right now.
"…I heard rumors that people get quite promiscuous once they move into a college dorm, but still."
My mom was currently clicking her tongue, looking back and forth between me and the two girls in my room.
For some reason, Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin were both kneeling on the floor, casting wary glances at each other.
I was the only one who could step up here.
"Mom, what are you doing here? You should've told me you were coming."
"It was a surprise. I thought my son's room might smell a bit musty, so I came to spray some perfume and make it smell nice—"
She casually pulled a bottle of deodorant in a transparent plastic bottle out of her handbag.
"I bought this too… but I guess there's no need to spray it. Just look at the fresh scent coming off these girls. Which one of you smells like fruit?"
If it's fruit, it's Yoo Ah-rin.
No, that's not what's important right now.
"Isn't there a manager in front of the dorm? How did you get in?"
Actually, I wanted to ask the girls behind me that too.
I have no idea what the manager is doing, letting people who aren't even residents just wander in like this.
"I told him I was the mother of a student living here. He seemed suspicious because I look so young, but he was quite happy once I gave him some health drinks."
She probably gave him something ridiculously expensive.
Putting the deodorant back, Mom pulled out a pack of herbal medicine this time.
"I bought some herbal medicine for you too—tsk, I guess I shouldn't give you this. At this rate, you'll become a father before you even go to the military."
"Mom! How can you say things like that in front of them?!"
"What? You're college students; you've done everything there is to do. You should be grateful to me. When I was raising you, the nannies said you were general material and that you'd make many girls cry—"
"Mom, seriously!"
"What do you mean, 'lady'?! Have you ever seen a lady as well-maintained and beautiful as me?"
"The way you talk is exactly like a middle-aged lady!"
My head was spinning.
The topic of conversation kept changing, yet the flow felt like it was stuck in a loop.
"More importantly, which of the two is your girlfriend?"
I slowly turned my head.
My eyes met Seo Ye-rin's and Yoo Ah-rin's; both seemed to be contemplating for a moment.
"Neither of them."
If I said I was dating one of them, she'd definitely start prying into every little detail.
Besides, I'd already been rejected and beaten up after confessing.
Though things with Seo Ye-rin were a bit ambiguous right now.
Did she have the same thought as me?
Seo Ye-rin puffed out her cheeks and glared at me.
Come to think of it, I was supposed to meet Seo Ye-rin's mother too….
"Hmm? Then why are they both here?"
"They asked for some advice, so I was listening to them. The one who just showered was playing basketball, and since there are no showers there, she just borrowed the bathroom."
"…Aha?"
Then, Mom suddenly pulled a palm-sized box out of her pocket.
It was a condom.
"Then who brought this? I found it dropped in the entryway."
"…."
"…."
The moment I saw the unopened condom, I bit my lip hard.
Since I didn't buy it, it meant one of the two had bought it on their way here.
"I bought it."
But I needed to protect them here.
As I snatched the condom from Mom's hand with an annoyed look, she covered her mouth in mock surprise.
"You?"
"Yeah, I bought it."
"Hmm."
She didn't look like she believed me at all.
However, she nodded as if she'd let it slide for now.
She turned her gaze toward the two girls and gestured with a gentle smile.
"Oh, please, sit comfortably. It's a bit cramped, but you're Woo-jin's friends, after all."
"Ah, yes."
"Thank you."
The two of them sat down.
Mom's eyes immediately began to sparkle as she asked Seo Ye-rin.
"What is your name? And what is your relationship with our Woo-jin?"
"Hello, Mother. My name is Seo Ye-rin. I believe Woo-jin and I are very close to being a couple."
"Oh my, oh my!"
Mom immediately started making a fuss, playfully hitting my shoulder.
"Such a beautiful young lady is my daughter-in-law? You could be an actress!"
Encouraged by the positive reaction, Seo Ye-rin puffed out her chest and gave a refined smile.
I wondered if this was the same girl who, until just a moment ago, had been whining to me about losing her spot as the Sex Master.
"I am actually an aspiring actress. I even signed a contract with YS Ent last winter."
"YS? Ah, then that's Min-cheol's company?"
Jung Min-cheol.
The CEO of YS.
"Wait a second. Let me make a call—!"
Mom started to pull out her phone, but Seo Ye-rin jumped up and grabbed her hand.
"No, Mother. It's fine. I want to succeed on my own merit, and I'm confident I can."
What's with her?
Who are you?
The Seo Ye-rin who was always talking about sex was gone, replaced by a brightly smiling Seo Ye-rin. It was incredibly awkward.
I knew she had this image around others, but seeing it in person was bewildering.
"My, look at that confidence. I like it, I like it. And the young lady next to her?"
Yoo Ah-rin, who had also stood up, scratched her head awkwardly.
"Uh, I'm Yoo Ah-rin. As for me and Kim Woo-jin—"
Yoo Ah-rin glanced at me.
As she hesitated, realizing it was difficult to define our relationship.
"This one's a daughter-in-law candidate too."
Mom seemed to have caught on as she crossed her arms and clicked her tongue.
"I did too good a job giving birth to him. Look at him, wavering between such precious and beautiful girls. He's my son, but he's such a brat."
"…."
"I like both of you. So don't fight and figure it out amongst yourselves, okay?"
With that, Mom headed toward the refrigerator.
"Are you eating properly? You're not just ordering delivery every day, are you?"
"I'm eating fine."
"Hmm? What's this?"
That's when Mom discovered the lunchbox.
It was the one Choi I-seo had left behind. Mom tilted her head and opened it without hesitation.
"A note."
She handed me the post-it note inside.
— Good luck with your studies! (੭•̀ᴗ•̀)੭
It seemed Choi I-seo had attached it.
While I was feeling touched by it, Mom had already picked up a spoon and taken a bite of the pilaf inside.
And then.
"Pass. Which of you two made this?"
She immediately started tapping the lunchbox with the spoon as she approached the two girls.
"Who made this? My son loves rice just like his father, and this was made perfectly to his taste."
"…."
"…."
Both of them kept their mouths shut.
They looked at each other, checking if the other had made it, but obviously, there was no answer.
"Hmm?"
Sensing the strange atmosphere, Mom turned back to look at me.
"Who gave this to you?"
"That… another girl."
A brief silence followed.
Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin seemed to have realized that the person who made the pilaf was Choi I-seo.
Mom stared blankly back and forth between me and the two girls before asking again.
"Is she a girl too?"
Well, would I have received it from a guy?
"Yeah."
As I answered while scratching my cheek, Mom immediately pulled out her phone and made a call.
The person on the other end picked up before it even finished the first ring.
"Yes, Driver Yoon? Could you please go find a thick tree branch nearby and bring it to me? Something that would work well as a cane."
"…."
"Yes, yes. Please do."
Click.
The moment she hung up, Mom spoke directly to the two girls.
"I'm sorry, but from here on, it's family time. Would you mind leaving?"
"It was a very meaningful time today, Mother. I hope to see you again under better circumstances next time."
"…Uh, please don't hit him too hard."
Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin practically fled the room.
"Even so, I'm in my twenties. I'm not at an age where I should be getting hit by my mom."
As I replied while standing tall with my shoulders back, Mom let out a smirk.
"Your little hyung got the cane from me until he was twenty-five."
…That was news to me.
* * *
I didn't think I'd actually end up getting hit on the calves.
Mom, who was applying an ice pack to my red, swollen legs, let out a sigh.
"It's my fault. It's my fault for giving birth to such a handsome son. That's why the girls fall for you."
"…."
"Those girls were quite nice. The one who wants to be an actress is pretty and sharp. She reminds me of myself when I was young."
What is she talking about?
"I only spoke a few words to the blonde girl, but it's obvious she has a lot of heart. You saw how she was worried about you even as she was leaving, right?"
"Sigh, she's the one who hits me the most."
"That's all affection. It's just like me picking up the cane."
I'd taken the beating first to tell her that I'd confessed to all three of them.
But the words wouldn't come out.
"Uh, you know."
Knock, knock.
Just then, a knock came from outside the door.
"Woo-jin, it's I-seo."
It was Choi I-seo.
"I made some tea earlier but forgot to give it to you. I'm here to drop it off."
"Is she the lunchbox girl?"
Mom asked with a glint in her eye and was about to bolt out, so I grabbed her shoulder to stop her.
"I'll go."
But despite my resistance, Mom was already at the front door, opening it.
"…Hello?"
Choi I-seo was flustered.
Nevertheless, she bowed in greeting first and then checked the room number on the door.
"This is the right place…."
"Hello, I'm Woo-jin's mother."
"…!"
Startled, Choi I-seo immediately bowed her head low.
"Hello! I'm Choi I-seo, a classmate in the same department as Woo-jin!"
"Thank you for looking after Woo-jin. You made the pilaf yourself, didn't you? I tried a bite, and it was delicious."
"Oh, really? Thank you."
As if her experience dealing with professors hadn't gone anywhere, Choi I-seo smoothly continued her conversation with Mom.
"Then please continue to get along well with our Woo-jin. I'm counting on you."
"Yes, of course."
After the conversation ended.
Mom came back inside, handed me the thermos Choi I-seo had brought, and let out a sigh.
"Anyway, you're just like your father when it comes to judging people. How is it that every single one of these girls is so lovely and refined? It must be hard to choose."
"…Right?"
"I don't know what to tell you, so you figure it out. Just don't go making someone else's precious child cry."
I kept my mouth shut.
There were things I wanted to say, but….
"Of course."
I swallowed my words and steeled my resolve.