Chapter 228: Ju-hee's Dream
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 228: Ju-hee's Dream
A group of hulking men sat huddled together in the tiny cafe.
Some were clearly thugs—the type who looked like they’d be knocking back soju with spicy fish stew for dinner.
On the other hand, there were those dressed in more composed attire.
Black suits, sunglasses despite being indoors, and large earpieces...
They looked like characters straight out of a spy movie.
"So..."
The police officer who had responded to the call double-checked to see if he understood correctly.
"You're saying everyone here just came in for coffee, but someone mistook it for a fight and reported it?"
"Yes. Just look at them now. Everyone's just sitting there drinking coffee."
They were all drinking nothing but iced Americanos, but hey, they were drinking them with gusto.
"Right, well... I see. But who are you exactly? The one explaining all this?"
"I'm a customer too."
When I stared back as if asking what was so strange about that, the officer blinked a few times before asking again.
"Then why are you the one explaining the situation? I mean, where is the cafe owner?"
"Making coffee."
The officer looked like he was about to snap, frustrated by the way the conversation was flowing.
I quickly continued.
"The reason I'm the one explaining is because there's something much more important than this."
It was time to inform the officer that we had caught a very despicable little thief.
* * *
Skipping over all the complicated procedures...
The police investigation ended quickly.
The incident involving the thugs and bodyguards was naturally buried thanks to the bicycle thief.
For the record, the bicycle thief was a student from Gahyeon University's Security Department.
He claimed he sold the other bikes through second-hand markets, and his method was surprisingly crude yet effective.
He had a friend who did custom paint jobs, so they would completely change the color of the bikes before selling them.
This meant that even if a victim saw the same model, they’d assume it wasn't theirs and move on.
As for mine, it was originally slated for sale, but since it was the highest-performing and best-maintained of the stolen goods, he had planned to paint it and keep it for himself.
The bastard certainly has an eye for bikes.
The fact that he thought he wouldn't get caught as long as he rode it outside the campus area where he stole it showed he was quite the character.
With the investigation over, I was now on my way to my part-time job. I was a bit late, but the owner was understanding since I told him I was at the police station.
I felt like today had been an incredibly productive day.
I attended an early lecture, ate, watched a movie, went to a cafe, found my stolen bike, kissed Ah-rin, kissed Ye-rin, and even bought coffee for a bunch of bodyguards and thugs.
And finally, I was here for my shift.
Man, I honestly hope there are no customers today.
From the owner's perspective, that would be a treacherous thought, but honestly, today had been exhausting.
I just wanted to lie down and do nothing.
However, I was someone who worked for a paycheck.
As I sat there staring blankly at the ceiling, I heard the sound of the door opening.
"Welcome."
I greeted the customer, trying my best to hide my fatigue.
I was worried they might be looking for a consultation, but surprisingly, the person who walked in was a familiar face.
"Ju-hee Sunbae?"
"Hey."
Ju-hee Sunbae walked in hesitantly, wearing her usual Dragon Padded Jacket and a cap, giving me an awkward greeting.
She had been to the shop several times already, so there was no reason for her to be shy.
The awkwardness was likely because of what happened earlier today.
"Is something wrong? Or did you come to buy something else?"
When I asked with a forced smile, she handed me a cup of coffee.
It wasn't just a simple iced Americano; it looked incredibly sweet.
With a cookie placed on top as the crowning touch, it looked far too luxurious for a mere cup of coffee.
"I thought you'd be really tired today. I got this to-go for you."
"Wow, thank you. I really was exhausted."
I took a long sip. The sweetness hit my tongue with almost violent intensity.
But thanks to that, I felt a surge of energy as if I were entering a state of total alertness.
Sugar really is the best when you're struggling.
"I'm glad you found your bike."
She gave a small smile, pointing to the bicycle leaning behind me.
I decided to keep it indoors now, fearing someone might steal it again if I left it outside.
The dormitory room is a bit cramped, but I plan to squeeze it in somehow.
"But Sunbae, isn't your shift over? You started early today."
It seemed her cafe shift hours fluctuated depending on her lectures.
Today, she hadn't started at the same time as me; she had gone in earlier.
"It ended a while ago. I just waited at the cafe for a bit to see if you were heading to work, then came over."
"Aha."
She probably had a lot of questions about today's events. I shrugged my shoulders, trying to lighten the mood.
"It's true that I'm a chaebol's son. You probably figured that out if you saw the Bamboo Forest."
"..."
"But I don't get any money from them right now, and I only found out about the bodyguards today too."
Why did I sound like I was making excuses?
It was probably because I knew about Ju-hee Sunbae's family situation.
Being well-off isn't a sin.
Yet, strangely, I felt like I had to hide it.
Perhaps she sensed my concern.
Ju-hee Sunbae let out a smirk as if my worrying was pathetic.
"A guy who gets a big allowance from home wouldn't be working part-time at an adult goods store."
"Right?"
"I just... I came to say thank you for today."
Thank you?
Was there something I needed to be thanked for?
Sensing the question on my face, Ju-hee Sunbae continued with a longer explanation.
"The people who came today... they're thugs I had a bad history with in the past."
"You were involved with thugs in high school?"
I did think she seemed way too used to it when she was dealing with President Hwang.
"Back then... what was it? There was a trend where if you were getting bullied, you'd pay gangsters to go beat up the perpetrators."
No way.
"It's not that I was a bully. On the contrary, the bullies lied to the thugs and put in a request, pretending they were the ones being harassed by me."
I shouldn't say this to Ju-hee Sunbae, but this was surprisingly gripping. I almost wanted some popcorn.
Since I didn't have any, I settled for listening intently while sipping the sweet coffee she bought me.
"So, well..."
She scratched her chin awkwardly and spoke as if it were no big deal.
"I beat them up."
Of course.
Ju-hee Sunbae, who thrashed actual active gangsters, truly is the best.
"Since then, they've been coming around like that every once in a while. Not to pick a fight... but to ask if I'm interested in working with them."
Huh.
Those thugs actually have an eye for talent.
Instead of stubbornly coming back for revenge after losing, they were trying to bring her over to their side.
Come to think of it, when they entered the cafe, they asked her to step outside for a chat.
At the time, I thought they were going out to fight, but I guess they were trying to recruit her.
"After you left, they approached me again. To work together."
"..."
"They said I could work while attending university and that I could earn way more than I thought. Apparently, several times more than what I make at the cafe."
For Ju-hee Sunbae, who was desperate for money, it was an offer that was hard to refuse outright.
As I sat there wondering if I should try to stop her even if she said she’d accepted...
"I turned them down."
Ju-hee Sunbae smiled, looking relieved.
"I told them no. Because I found something I want to do."
"Something you want to do?"
"A bodyguard."
"..."
My mouth hung open involuntarily.
I felt like I knew exactly where her dream had started.
"I want to be a bodyguard. I know I'm good at fighting, but I never thought it would be useful for anything unless I became a professional athlete."
Clenching and unclenching her fists, she had an expression that suggested she had finally found a path.
"Woo-jin, you often call me 'Captain' and all that."
Since the start of my second year...
I had been seeing many different sides of Ju-hee Sunbae. Today, I was facing yet another version of her.
"Surprisingly, I'm quite indecisive. Even when I entered the English Department, I just figured I'd be able to do something as long as I was good at English."
"..."
"During the semester, I realized the English Department doesn't lead to much money, so I thought about opening a restaurant."
I suddenly remembered how she had joined the culinary team at Gold One, unlike the rest of us.
"And now, I'm trying to go into security, where I can somewhat utilize my talent. I'm always wavering like this. I don't know when it might change again."
"..."
Just...
Just because.
Ju-hee Sunbae finished quietly.
"The reason I'm telling you this is... I guess I had this greedy desire for you to see the real me."
She wore a refreshed expression and was about to head out.
"Sunbae."
I called out to her and pulled a business card from my pocket.
It was the card I had received from the manager in charge of the security team I met earlier.
"Quit the cafe during the break. I can talk to them and help you at least learn the ropes."
"...Isn't this kind of cheating?"
She tried to refuse with a bitter smile, but I strode over and pressed the card into her hand.
"What's wrong with a little cheating? You've had it so rough all this time; why not learn a bit using the pull of a major corporation chairman's son?"
"..."
"I'm not saying I'll just parachute you into a high position. I don't have that kind of power anyway. I'm just saying I can let you see and learn what the job is like. As a part-time gig."
"..."
"Who knows? Later on, if you really don't give up on that path and become a bodyguard..."
A slight smile spread across my face at the thought of a future that was funny just to imagine.
"Protect me. I'm always getting into so much trouble, you know."
Hearing my words, Ju-hee Sunbae stared at me blankly before nodding, clutching the business card tightly.
"Forever."
"..."
"If that's what you want, I will."
Emotions have colors too.
Ju-hee Sunbae's words just now were so transparent that they were incredibly reliable.
I sincerely found myself wishing this person would stay by my side.
After a brief moment of eye contact...
She said she really had to go and stepped outside.
"Today is seriously busy."
I hesitated for a moment before running back out.
I shouted toward her retreating figure, as she walked away with a slightly more energetic stride.
"Sunbae! Also, I don't think what you said earlier is right!"
"Hmm?"
Ju-hee Sunbae turned back toward me, looking surprised by the sudden outburst.
"Constantly changing your goals isn't being indecisive!"
"..."
"That's called making an effort! It's about struggling and trying your hardest to get the best possible result, constantly questioning the conclusions you've already reached!"
There was always a reason when her resolutions changed.
Choosing the English Department was because English is useful anywhere as a foundation.
Switching to the restaurant business was because she realized the English Department wasn't as lucrative as she thought.
And choosing to be a bodyguard now was because she judged it to be what she was best at.
"You're not wavering; on the contrary, you're great at making decisions!"
"Ha... haha."
She let out a hollow laugh.
Seeing her smile, which was brighter than I expected, I smiled back and shouted.
"You'll always be my Captain Ju! Salute!"
When I snapped a salute, Ju-hee Sunbae shouted back with the most radiant smile I'd ever seen.
"You salute with your right hand, you un-enlisted brat!"
Watching Ju-hee Sunbae walk away with a refreshed laugh, it was a night that made me feel just as good.