Chapter 536: High School 1st Year Kim Seo-woo
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 536: High School 1st Year Kim Seo-woo
It was just before I entered elementary school when I realized something was off about my family.
Actually, I realized it was more than just "off." It was very strange.
I found out that in other houses, there was only one mom.
That’s right. In our house, there isn't just one mother.
There are six.
‘It’s not like we’re living in the Joseon Dynasty or something.’
Even in the Joseon Dynasty, could someone who wasn't the King have six wives?
I had my doubts, but regardless, that was my reality.
If you were to ask if there were any downsides to having six moms, the answer would be no.
Each of them has their own strengths and weaknesses, so I guess you could say they complement each other.
Anyway, there’s never a moment to feel lonely.
Whenever the family goes anywhere, we move in such a large group that it feels like we’re going on a picnic.
Are we short on money?
Surprisingly, our family is filthy rich.
We’re talking about one of those leading conglomerates in South Korea that everyone knows the name of.
Since Dad is the Chairman’s younger brother, he could just live a life of leisure, but the moms made him work, saying that living like that wouldn't set a good example for the children.
So, his daily routine consists of doing various odd jobs, acting like a manager for the moms.
For the record, the moms are all—
"Hey! Kim Seo-woo! What are you doing?! Come on, hurry up!"
"Pow! Pow! Pow!"
"..."
At the front door of the classroom.
My older sister and younger sister were waiting for me.
I call them my older and younger sisters, but we were all born in the same year.
They only act like that because they were born a few days earlier or later than me, so I’ve learned to just ignore them.
"What? I told you I have plans."
When I let out a sigh, my older sister, Kim Chae-rin, replied irritably.
"Plans? What plans?! Ugh, seriously. If you have something, you should've told us in advance! We waited for nothing."
"Pow! Pow! Pow!"
"I clearly sent it to the family group chat."
"What good does posting it in the family group chat do?! Right now is the time when the moms are all calling for Dad, so your message gets buried instantly!"
"Pow! Pow! Pow!"
"You should check it properly—ugh! Why is she acting like that?!"
I was looking at Kim Yu-na, who had learned something strange from somewhere and was busy throwing punches in a straight-punch stance.
She’s the youngest sister, and while even I, her brother, have to admit she’s pretty, she’s also the weirdest.
"Ugh, I don't know! Some weird guy confessed to her today, so she’s practicing her punches!"
"Pow! Pow! Yu-na Punch! Yu-na Punch!"
‘It’s a total madhouse.’
Kim Yu-na has received countless confessions from elementary school until now in high school.
They say there’s no tree that won't fall after ten axes, but Kim Yu-na has probably been hacked at a hundred times and hasn't budged an inch.
"Yu-na Punch! Yu-na Punch!"
"Ow! Ow! Why are you hitting me?!"
Chae-rin, who got hit by Yu-na’s punch, huffed and stepped away.
"Anyway, I have plans today, so I’m waiting. You guys go ahead."
"Geez, what a waste of time. Yu-na, let’s go."
"Yu-na Punch! Yu-na Punch!"
"Knock it off!"
Chae-rin dragged Yu-na away.
I let out a sigh and waited in the classroom for a moment.
"Haaa."
Inside the classroom at sunset.
I thought things might change a bit once I became a high schooler, but nothing feels particularly special.
‘She said she’d be here soon.’
Since sitting still felt like a waste of time, I pulled a book out of my bag.
Lately, I’ve been enjoying reading Korean classics. After reading foreign novels for a while, reading our own literature again made me appreciate the earthy vocabulary filled with our unique sense of han and spirit.
While I was focused on the book.
A female student entered the classroom.
With a fresh face and flushed cheeks.
It looked like she was finally ready to confess.
‘The moment she made me wait this long, it was already...’
I swallowed a bitter, awkward smile.
"Seo-woo! You waited, didn't you? I'm sorry. Actually, you see—"
I mentioned that Yu-na gets a lot of confessions, but I was also quite popular.
However, I had never accepted a confession either, and this time was no different.
"I'm sorry."
When I apologized and rejected the confession, the girl hung her head low and left.
"Haaa."
It wasn't that I was particularly dissatisfied with anything.
But on the flip side, there wasn't anything I particularly liked either.
I suspect the reason I’ve become so picky is probably due to my father's influence.
[Seo-woo, as a man, when you feel like she’s the one, you must never let her go.]
‘Is that why you caught all six of them, Dad?’
[...]
‘Dad?’
[This kid takes after his mother; he only says the most correct things.]
‘I’m not going to become a womanizer like you, Dad.’
[Hey! Your dad is a womanizer?! I'm a romantic of this era! A GOAT who simply doesn't dodge responsibility! You were born because your dad has so much love!]
[Cut the crap. Hey, Seo-woo. Don't learn a single thing from your father.]
[No, Ah-rin! My authority as the head of the household—!]
Anyway.
I wanted to put more weight on the concept of romance.
That’s not to say I find the way Dad loves the moms uncomfortable.
It’s a family structure that could easily become confusing.
The fact that he maintains such a good balance and lives peacefully, even though it could fall apart at any moment, was truly a testament to his ability as the head of the household.
‘I guess it was true that Dad almost became the Chairman.’
It wasn't that he lacked ability.
It was just that he had a lot of... strange parts.
I packed my bag to go home.
I felt somewhat satisfied that I had shown at least the minimum amount of consideration for someone who said they liked me.
On the way to the school gate.
A group of seniors who looked like school bullies were kicking a ball on the field, and the ball came rolling toward me.
"Hm?"
They hadn't lost the ball while playing soccer.
They had clearly kicked it toward me on purpose.
The seniors swarmed over.
Among them, a large-framed senior approached and asked.
"Are you Kim Seo-woo?"
"Yes, that's me."
"I heard you're the one who dumped our Gyu-min? Gyu-min was crying when she left earlier."
"..."
So the girl who confessed to me was named Gyu-min. I felt a bit bad for only finding out now.
"I see. I'm sorry to hear that."
"Hey, is 'sorry' all you've got, you piece of shit? Then why do the police exist?"
"To uphold the law."
When I answered calmly, the senior snorted.
"Look at this punk. Do you think I'm playing word games with you right now?"
"...Senior, I'm very grateful that Gyu-min confessed to me. But I don't have any intention of dating anyone yet."
"Ha, this kid is really putting on airs, isn't he?"
"Fuck, I always feel like beating the crap out of guys like this."
"Piece of shit. You led Gyu-min on so much."
Me?
It was absurd, but the atmosphere was turning sour.
‘Oh boy.’
This was the kind of situation where I’d get dragged somewhere and beaten up.
What did the moms say to do at times like this?
[Seo-woo, you throw a punch too! Shall I teach you?!]
No, not that one.
[What? A fight? F-u-u-ck, first, aim for the crotch—!]
Not that one either.
[Fighting is not good. Try to resolve it through dialogue if possible.]
Mom, I want to do that too, but I don't think reality is going to let me.
‘This is really bad.’
If I go home after getting beaten up, the school will be turned upside down.
While I was worrying about how to break through this predicament.
"Hey! You sons of bitches!"
A thunderous curse echoed from the main gate.
There stood Chae-rin, glaring this way with her hands on her hips.
"Do you want to die?! What are you doing to our brother!"
"You guys are dead!"
Behind Chae-rin, Yu-na was also threatening them by swinging her fists in the air.
It was honestly pathetic.
"Hey! What are you guys doing!"
When I shouted, asking what they were doing in such a dangerous situation, Chae-rin shrugged and sneered.
"Kim Seo-woo, you really are sneaky, aren't you? If you were getting a confession, you should've told your sister."
"Agreed! It would've been a total blast to watch!"
Those lunatics.
But was the problem that they were pretty lunatics?
"Hey, aren't those the girls Ho-jung was keeping an eye on?"
"I heard some pretty girls joined the 1st year this time, and it was true."
"Wow, no wonder that entertainment agency was waiting at the front gate the other day."
the seniors muttered, looking at the two of them with greedy eyes.
I suddenly felt disgusted and, without realizing it, smacked the back of the head of the guy standing in front.
Smack!
"Who do you think you're looking at my sisters with those eyes!"
"Agh!? You crazy bastard!"
"Who are you calling a sister, you punk! I'm your Noona!"
If you're a Noona, you should act like one.
Ignoring Chae-rin’s grumbling, I immediately shouted.
"Run! Go get a teacher or the police—!"
"Listen to him talk about running."
Kim Chae-rin and Kim Yu-na smirked and split to the left and right.
A woman walked steadily between them.
With the setting sun at her back, a woman in a black suit with a tall, slender figure walked in through the main gate.
The moment I saw the person with her hair tied in a ponytail and wearing sunglasses.
"R-Run! Seniors, run away!"
I immediately changed my target.
If they get caught here, these seniors are dead!
"What?"
"What are you talking about?"
The seniors didn't seem to understand the situation, but things were very serious right now.
"Those idiots are bringing a nuclear bomb to a kids' fight!"
Adjusting her sunglasses slightly with her finger, Mom Ju-hee asked with a tilt of her head.
"Seo-woo, what did you just say?"
"Mom—I mean, Auntie! I, I just spoke without thinking..."
"Brats, don't touch Seo-woo. I'll let it slide this time, so just leave."
Calling herself a "Noona" when she has kids.
But since her appearance was enough to justify being called a Noona, no one pointed it out.
Though the seniors didn't seem to have any intention of backing down in the first place.
"Ha, she's a crazy bitch."
"Fuck, Seo-woo. Were you so embarrassed that you called your aunt instead of your mom?"
"What a loser."
"N-No... she is my mom, but—"
I call her Auntie in public.
Of all people, they had to run into the most dangerous one.
I prayed for the souls of the seniors and ran over to the girls.
"Hey, why did you bring Mom Ju-hee?"
"We didn't bring her. Yu-na said she wanted to eat udon yesterday, so we were going to go eat together."
Udon?
"What? Why didn't you tell me?"
"That's why I said we waited, geez."
I shut my mouth at Chae-rin’s irritable tone. She has a bad temper, so it’s exhausting to get caught up in an argument with her.
Judging by the screams of the seniors behind me, a gruesome scene was likely unfolding.
Mom’s skills were so outstanding that she usually didn't beat people up; she just suppressed them.
I guess you could say she doesn't use a butcher's knife to kill a chicken.
"Wow, awesome."
Yu-na watched with a wide grin.
In less than a minute, Mom came walking back.
"Let’s go. Seo-woo, you're having udon too, right?"
"Yes..."
I wasn't really in the mood, but I felt like I’d end up like them if I refused, so I just nodded.
"Get in the car."
She pointed to the car she arrived in with a smirk.
"Oh yeah! Udon! Fried toppings!"
"I didn't even eat school lunch for this!"
The two of them ran to the car excitedly. As I followed them, my phone rang.
— Mom 1 -
"Hello?"
— Yes, Seo-woo. Chae-rin called saying you were in danger.
It was Mom’s intelligent and calm voice.
She likely already had a rough idea of the situation.
"Yeah, it's okay. It's all settled."
— I see, that's a relief.
Mom plays the role of the pillar in our family.
She always settles situations calmly and keeps everyone centered.
— If anything happens, tell Mom. Okay?
"Yeah, I will. Thanks, Mom."
— Okay, see you at—
— Is that I-seo? Is that our eldest son?! Hey! Who bullied you?
"Was Dad there too?"
— My son, in times like that, you have to throw the first punch...!
— You're teaching the child great things.
Having seemingly dealt with Dad’s interruption, Mom let out a sigh and spoke.
— Enjoy your udon, and I'll see you at home.
"Okay, Mom."
I hung up the phone.
Well, honestly, it’s not normal.
It’s far from a typical family, but I still love this family of ours—
"Hey, hurry up, Kim Seo-woo!"
"That's why he gets picked on!"
"..."