Chapter 464: Those Who Left, Those Who Stayed(6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 464: Those Who Left, Those Who Stayed(6)
Back in the barracks after religious services.
I wasn't sure if I was just being sensitive or if it was actually happening.
It feels unusually quiet.
In fact, it felt like everyone was stealing glances at me more than usual.
Wondering if I was just imagining things, I nudged Kim Young-ho and whispered.
"Doesn't it seem a bit quiet? Or is it just me?"
"It’s not just you."
"Right? And it feels like they’re all staring at me."
"They’re not just stealing glances; they’re staring openly. You’re surprisingly unfazed."
Kim Young-ho added that I must have nerves of steel. I’d been the center of attention so often lately that I just assumed they were glancing, but from a third-party perspective, it apparently looked like they were gawking.
"It’s probably because of the video message, right?"
"Duh. What else could it be? Honestly, even I was a bit shocked."
"Hmm."
I nodded.
Last time, the guys had been whispering and badmouthing me, saying I was making a fuss over celebrity photos. But now that those "celebrity photos" turned out to be pictures of my actual acquaintances, it was bound to become the talk of the town.
Now that I look closer, they aren't just staring.
Their gazes were thick with envy and jealousy.
If you asked me if receiving such looks made me feel good, the answer was obviously no. I was long past the age of getting a thrill out of that kind of thing. At this point, the only thing that could truly satisfy me was actually seeing the girls in person.
"U-Um..."
Just then, a trainee approached me.
It was the guy who had rummaged through my locker with the gangster last time. He shuffled over hesitantly and offered a sincere apology.
"I'm sorry."
"Hmm?"
"You know, saying those things about your friends... calling them 'material' and stuff. I didn't mean it, really."
"..."
"I mean it. I'm sorry."
I glanced behind him.
I was silently asking if the others had anything to say. Once one person started, they came swarming over in a group, bowing their heads.
"Sorry."
"We didn't know they were your friends."
"We just thought you had some celebrity photos. We're really sorry."
Receiving the apology made me feel a bit better.
"Fine, fine. Honestly, it pissed me off, but there’s not much I can do about it here, so I’ll let it slide."
I honestly wanted to tear them apart for calling the girls "material," but they hadn't known they were my girlfriends. Besides, I could empathize with how guys in this environment go crazy over pretty women. I decided to chalk it up to the circumstances and move on.
The gangster watched me from a distance but didn't say a word.
Whatever.
I’d already given him a real beating. There was no point in bringing up that incident again; it wouldn't do either of us any good. It was better to just let it fade away like this.
"I accept all your apologies. But there’s one thing I need to make clear."
I’d accept the apologies, but I had to set a boundary.
"Don't mention them to me. Don't ask for introductions, and don't ask to meet them at the completion ceremony. None of that is happening."
I spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear. Some nodded as if it were obvious, but others couldn't hide their disappointment.
"C-Can't I just get an autograph? I'm a huge fan of actress Seo Ye-rin."
"You're a fan of Ye-rin?"
One of the bigger guys slunk over and asked. His buzz cut was particularly striking. Well, everyone here had a buzz cut, but his was exceptionally short. These days, I felt a strange sense of kinship with anyone whose hair was shorter than mine.
"Yeah, I'm a real, real fan. You know the movie Casino? I've been a fan since she played that supporting role."
"Hmm. Tell me five things you like about Seo Ye-rin."
I decided to test him. The guy immediately switched to formal speech and started pouring his heart out.
"First of all, she's incredibly pretty, right?! Calling her a goddess isn't even enough. But on top of that, she has so much aegyo, and her acting is amazing. Her range is so wide, it's incredible. I guarantee she’s going to win a major award soon."
"Whoa, watch the spit."
Look at him go, spraying spit everywhere. I told him to name five things, but he was reciting a whole book report. It was ridiculous.
"Hmm, okay. But I still can't let you meet her."
"Aw, come on, Hyung!"
Suddenly, I was "Hyung."
But of course, I couldn't let him meet her.
"Think about it. Why do you think Seo Ye-rin wore a mask in the video? It’s because she doesn't want people to know. She wants to keep it private."
"..."
"I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do."
"Sigh... Then just tell me one thing."
"What."
He looked at me with trembling eyes and asked cautiously.
"You and Seo Ye-rin are just friends, right?"
"Of course. We just happen to be in the same department. We got close because of a group project, and that's it."
"Phew."
"I told you guys before. I'm a virgin, remember? And Seo Ye-rin is a total professional, so she keeps her distance from guys. She probably only filmed that video because her other friends talked her into it."
The guy beamed at my words.
Ignorance is bliss. I wasn't trying to deceive him for fun; I had to lie to protect Ye-rin's image.
"But if you're a true fan, shouldn't you be able to accept it even if she was dating?"
I asked just in case, and surprisingly, he nodded coolly.
"I could accept it. Of course I should. She's an actress, not an idol, so they're a bit more free when it comes to dating."
"Right."
"But not you."
"..."
"She has to meet someone amazing. Someone really incredible. If a guy who looks just like me, sitting right next to me, was dating Seo Ye-rin? I'd literally kill him."
Well, I guess I almost died.
"What do you mean by 'someone amazing'? Give me an example."
He thought for a moment at my question, then nodded.
"A second-generation chaebol? Something like that. Like the son of Uju Group, for example."
"Hmm, I see."
Then I guess I'm safe. What a likable fellow.
"I'll get you an autograph instead. Just for you, as a special favor."
The other guys were about to ask for one too, but they stopped immediately at my words. I barely had any time to spend with Ye-rin as it was; the last thing I wanted to do was spend it collecting autographs for these guys.
"Really?! Thank you, Hyung-nim!"
Look at him switching back to "Hyung-nim" instantly.
Anyway, as we kept talking, the whole situation naturally fizzled out.
Or so I thought.
* * *
"Yawn."
That night.
I was on night guard duty from midnight to 1:30 AM when a teaching assistant, who seemed to be on duty, approached me.
"Trainee 29?"
"Trainee 29, Kim Woo-jin."
As soon as I answered, the TA told me to keep it down and gestured for me to follow.
"Come here for a second."
"...I'm currently on guard duty."
"I know, I know. It's fine. Just come here."
I glanced at the other trainee on guard duty with me and followed the duty TA. Naturally, he led me to the duty office.
"Loyalty."
"Yeah, loyalty."
The company duty officer received my salute briefly and rushed over to me. I thought all officers would have a certain gravity to them, but this guy looked like he wasn't much older than me.
The duty officer held out a smartphone. It had been so long since I'd seen one. On the screen was a paused video from Yoo Ah-rin's Neutube channel.
It was the video I’d filmed to help her out a long time ago. Back then, we’d filmed content where she taught me Taekwondo after I’d caught a voyeur.
And then, I’d spent the rest of the time in the men's locker room giving it to her.
Good memories.
"Is this... is this really you?"
The duty officer looked back and forth between the screen and me with wide eyes.
I almost sighed, but since I was still a trainee, I just gave an awkward nod.
"Yes, it is."
"Whoa, no way! No way! No way! Hey, then—"
He scrolled down slightly, and a string of comments appeared. Comments from Gahyeon University students identifying who I was had been selected as the top comments.
Specifically, the part about me being the youngest son of Uju Group.
"Is... is this true?"
Look at him waiting for an answer he already knows. I nodded awkwardly.
"It's true."
"Gasp!"
"Holy crap, that's insane."
The duty officer and the duty TA exclaimed in unison, slapping their foreheads. Watching them make such a fuss, I realized once again how truly powerful the Uju Group name was.
"I mean, someone said Yoo Ah-rin appeared in a video message at church today. So I looked it up. And then..."
The duty officer began a long-winded explanation of how he’d tracked me down. He seemed to think he’d performed some incredible feat of deduction to find me.
"Um, Sir. If it's alright, could you please pretend you don't know?"
When I made the polite request, the duty officer paused, then thumped his chest and nodded.
"Of course! Trust me! And don't call me 'Sir.' Call me 'Hyung.' We're brothers now."
"That's a bit much..."
He wasn't even listening to me anymore.
"Hey, private. We have some leftovers from what we ordered earlier, right? Let's feed him. The kid looks like he's lost weight."
"I'll go heat it up right away!"
I wondered what they’d ordered, and soon the TA brought back two slices of pizza heated in the microwave. It wasn't a pizza bun or frozen pizza; it was real pizza from a proper pizza place.
"..."
Could anything be more moving than this? I guess being the youngest son of Uju Group means you get to eat pizza even as a trainee.
The moment I took a bite, the cheese melted in my mouth. It was pure ecstasy. I’d thought the mess hall food had been getting better lately, but I was wrong. I’d just gotten used to it. Compared to the braised boneless mackerel we had this morning, this was heaven.
"Wow."
When I let out an involuntary exclamation, the two of them whispered to each other.
"I guess even chaebols are the same."
"Right? He's only human."
My father eats ramyeon sometimes, too. We don't only eat expensive things.
"Wow, but... it's really impressive."
The duty officer looked at me with admiration.
"Usually, chaebols find a way out. I don't know how they do it, but they pull strings and dodge the military."
He seemed amazed that the youngest of Uju Group had actually enlisted.
"My father doesn't compromise on these things. My oldest brother is a Marine Corps veteran as well."
"That's why people say 'Uju Group, Uju Group,' I guess."
"Major corporations really are different."
"I should go buy some Uju stocks."
As I listened to their chatter, I finished the pizza. Honestly, I hadn't been that hungry, but now that it was gone, I felt a bit sad.
"That was delicious. Thank you."
"No problem, no problem. If you need anything, just tell Hyung. Is the march next? If it's too hard, let me know."
"Understood!"
Tomorrow was the night march.
Actually, not tomorrow. Since they said we were leaving in the early hours, we’d be heading out in about four hours.
The final and greatest hurdle of the training center remained.