Chapter 372: Competent Bodyguard
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 372: Competent Bodyguard
Watching the two of them climb into the off-road vehicle, a sudden wave of bittersweet emotion washed over us.
The two men, who had been a mess of tears just moments ago, were now letting out sighs of relief as they prepared to say their goodbyes.
"Good luck, you guys. Work hard."
"And you lot, don't cause any trouble. Make sure you enlist properly when your time comes."
Kang Han-gang and Pyo Jin-ho.
They were idiots, and they were jerks.
But still, as friends, we had managed to get along well enough in our own way.
Now that we were actually parting like this, my heart felt a bit heavy.
"I'll come back a changed man!"
"You bastards! You better come visit! We’re drinking the second we get out on leave!"
Jeong Chan-woo, Ahn Hyun-ho, and I stepped forward to shake hands with the seniors one last time.
"The friendship of men... truly a beautiful thing."
I ignored the bald man behind the wheel as he muttered to himself.
We had been bonded by a sense of camaraderie just a second ago, but his comment somehow made the atmosphere feel incredibly awkward.
"Take care of yourself."
"You look great!"
"Salute!"
The three of us cheered them on and moved to close the car door. However, Han-gang and Jin-ho both shoved their hands through the gap at the same time, blocking it.
"Move aside."
"You think you're the only ones we're saying goodbye to?"
"..."
Look at these guys, wanting to say goodbye to the girls until the very last second.
Didn't they say they were running late?
It’ll take at least three hours to get there even if they leave right now.
The two of them pushed us aside and climbed back out of the car, despite having just gotten in.
"Ye-rin, when I get discharged—"
Han-gang tried to rush toward Seo Ye-rin.
But Senior Ju-hee blocked his path.
She grabbed Han-gang’s hand firmly, smiled, and jerked her chin toward the car.
"Get going. Don't be pathetic until the very end."
"U-Uh, right."
Han-gang slunk back into the car.
Since they were in the same year, Ju-hee was looking out for him in her own way, telling him not to make a fool of himself at the finish line.
Pyo Jin-ho also glanced toward Yoo Ah-rin, but when he saw her glaring back at him, he lowered his eyes and followed Han-gang back inside.
'Did those guys actually still have feelings for them?'
I doubted it.
They had spent plenty of time playing around with other women, after all. I knew better than anyone how much they had been hitting on girls right up until the moment they had to leave.
"We're off!"
"Make sure you end up as our juniors in the unit!"
The two of them waved.
And just like that.
Two of the idiots were gone.
* * *
"What the hell are we supposed to do about this?"
It had only been an hour since I felt that lump in my throat from the farewell.
It was a strange experience, feeling the urge to start hurling curses at Kang Han-gang and Pyo Jin-ho so soon.
"You sons of bitches!"
In fact, Senior Ju-hee was already on the phone with Han-gang, who was likely still on the road, screaming insults at him.
"How am I supposed to explain this to everyone?! I can't just tell them to go home!"
What was the reason we gathered at this pension today?
It was supposed to be a farewell party for Han-gang and Jin-ho’s enlistment.
But now, it had become a farewell party without the guests of honor.
As classes ended and evening approached, people began swarming the pension. The numbers were getting out of hand.
"Just how many people are coming?"
Yoo Ah-rin marveled, shaking her head.
I had to give it to them; their ability to gather this many people was actually impressive.
Choi I-seo was already out in the parking lot, helping people park or explaining the situation and sending them away.
As for Seo Ye-rin?
She was surrounded by the models Bong-geun had brought along. They were all making a huge fuss over her looks.
"Look at her skin, not a single blemish."
"You're an actress, right? I saw your movie. You were so pretty, but you look even better in person."
"Could you maybe help me get an interview at your agency?"
"Um, well, that's not really something I can decide..."
Ye-rin glanced my way, signaling for help.
However, the models didn't seem jealous; they seemed genuinely, purely interested in her, so I decided to leave her be.
"Don't people usually get jealous? It's a total cliché in dramas."
At my question, Yoo Ah-rin crossed her arms and answered.
"That only happens when you're in the same league. When someone is as overwhelmingly beautiful as Seo Ye-rin, people just accept that she's a different species and move on."
I guess that made sense.
As I nodded, Senior Ju-hee approached us, huffing after finishing her call.
"I've sorted it out for now. Han-gang and Jin-ho said they'd send out a mass text saying the party is canceled. From what I can see, about half the people are already here."
"This is only half...?"
"And they only booked one room at the pension with this many people?"
If it weren't for Bong-geun, we might have been kicked out by the owner today.
Since the group had grown so large, it seemed Bong-geun had stepped up and paid for extra space.
There were quite a few people who insisted on staying for the party even without Han-gang and Jin-ho.
For those people, Bong-geun and Jin-ah were busy sourcing alcohol and food.
"But can't we just send them all home? Do we really need to take responsibility for this?"
Senior Ju-hee asked, looking a bit awkward.
Honestly, I was thinking the same thing, but it seemed Bong-geun just really liked parties.
He was currently wearing a satisfied smile as he watched people drink the alcohol he had provided.
"Ah, the people from the Taekwondo dojang are here. Hey, I'm going to go look after them."
"Oh, okay. Go ahead."
Ah-rin gave me a quick pat on the chest and ran off.
Once she left, only Senior Ju-hee and I were left standing there.
'What should I say?'
Things had been a bit awkward between us lately, so I was debating how to start a conversation.
"When are you going to the military?"
Ju-hee asked, her arms crossed as she stared toward the parking lot.
"Me? Probably next year?"
I figured I should at least finish my second year first.
I didn't have any plans to delay it further than that.
"Really? Then this year is the last time I'll be with you."
Senior Ju-hee gave a bitter smile.
Hearing that, I frowned instinctively and retorted.
"What are you talking about? You agreed to join our security team, Senior."
"Hmm..."
"I've already told the Team Leader everything. I told him I'm getting you in no matter what. You absolutely have to come work for our security team."
Most college students are buried in worries about employment as they get older, but she didn't need to worry about that.
Plus, our security team pays well. If she guards me—a member of the owner's family—she’ll get plenty of extra incentives.
"..."
But Senior Ju-hee didn't give a direct answer.
At this point, I started to feel a bit anxious, so I pushed a little harder.
"Are you... thinking about doing something else?"
She had changed her career path a few times before.
Back at Gold One, she had considered going into the food service industry.
At the time, she called herself indecisive, but from my perspective, she was just someone who agonized and worked hard to find the best possible future.
It was the same this time.
If she was changing her path again, it meant she had put that much thought into it and saw a better possibility.
A choice better than the Uju Group security team.
"No."
But she shook her head.
She said there was no such choice.
"It's just... I feel like my presence would make you uncomfortable."
The words she spoke were uncharacteristically timid.
"I promised to protect you. But I'm worried that having me around will just make things awkward for you."
"..."
"How many times have we had this conversation? When I show my feelings, you reject them. I try to hide them, but somehow, you always find out."
It had been a while since I'd seen her like this.
She looked fragile.
Perhaps because she looked like she might collapse at any moment, I responded urgently.
"What does that matter?! You've been doing a great job of hiding it! Those weird comments lately were only because of Oh Yun-ji!"
"..."
"Uncomfortable? Not at all! If anything, I'm incredibly grateful that someone like you thinks so highly of me!"
I meant it.
Having someone like Senior Ju-hee like me was nothing short of an honor.
However.
"It's just that there are already so many people by my side. Truly, that is the only reason I can't accept your feelings."
I already had people I loved.
Three of them, in fact.
Adding more would be uncomfortable for me, and it wouldn't be fair to the others.
"By the time I get back from the military, you'll have plenty of time to move on. You might even meet a much better man than me!"
"..."
"So please, don't throw away this opportunity because of me. If you're giving up because it's too hard or you don't think you can do it, that's one thing. But if you're just worried about me being uncomfortable—"
I don't need that kind of consideration.
She stared at me intently for a moment, then let out a short laugh.
"Fine. I get it."
'Huh?'
What was that?
The "fragile, about-to-wither-away" vibe she had just a second ago was gone.
Just as I felt a strange sense that I had been tricked—
Thud!
She suddenly snatched my hand, pulled me toward her, and pinned me against the pension wall.
"Whoa."
My back hit the wall.
Her arms were on either side of my face, blocking any path of escape.
Bam!
A textbook "wall-slam."
She asked with a smirk.
"This kind of thing could happen, right? While I'm guarding you."
"W-Wouldn't that be unlikely?"
I tried to slide down by bending my knees to escape underneath her arms.
But that was a mistake.
She pressed in even closer, looking down at me as I crouched.
"Thanks for telling me you're not uncomfortable."
"S-Senior?"
"And thanks for confirming that you have good feelings toward me."
"Captain?!"
As her face drew closer, I frantically tried to cover my face with both hands.
Grip!
She grabbed my wrists and forced my guard open with sheer strength.
"Ow?!"
Her grip was incredible!
I was shocked that she could pin both of my wrists with just one of her hands.
She leaned in further.
In a final act of resistance, I turned my head away, but her free hand caught my chin and forced me back to center.
Then, our lips met.
It was the first time I had tasted her since Hawaii.
Amidst the faint scent of cigarettes was the sweetness unique to the woman named Min Ju-hee.
Her tongue was stiff at first, but because of that, she claimed my lips with a semi-forceful hunger.
Why so suddenly?
Was it because of Oh Yun-ji?
Or was it something else?
Or maybe.
She had just been waiting.
Waiting for someone to give her a push.
Even if it wasn't a massive shove—even if it was just a tiny nudge with a finger.
I realized she might have been waiting for exactly that.
"Phew..."
She pulled her lips away.
I stared at her with wide eyes, completely stunned. She gave a playful smirk.
"I decided that if I'm just going to keep going in circles anyway, I might as well live honestly."
"W-Wait a minute. This isn't being honest, this is being crazy!"
I wondered how she planned to handle the other girls, but she continued.
"Your friend told me. Sometimes, female bodyguards have... 'unspeakable' relationships with their masters."
"I have no intention of—"
"It's alright, Young Master. You don't have to say a word. I'll take care of everything."
Her mischievous smile made me imagine the days to come.
"Because I'm a competent bodyguard."
Once I'm discharged from the military.
She’ll become my personal bodyguard.
We’ll be alone together so often.
When that time comes...
Will I be able to stop her?