Chapter 553: Different Way of Thinking
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 553: Different Way of Thinking
A sudden thought occurred to me.
Isn't this a incredibly rare moment?
Choi Jin-ah—a world-class violinist born with a diamond spoon in her mouth as a chaebol heiress.
The fact that she once mentioned her performance fees start at a minimum of $60,000 was still deeply etched into my brain.
“Wh-why are you looking at me like that?”
That very woman was now standing in front of me, fretting because she didn't have bus fare.
I couldn't shake the feeling that she looked both adorable and a bit like a dummy.
“It—it was a mistake. You know that, right?”
“...”
“Answer me. Hurry.”
Without saying a word, I simply pulled out my wallet. But apparently, that didn't sit well with her, as Choi Jin-ah tugged on my sleeve and pressed for an answer.
“H-hurry up and say it. Say you understand. That it’s a mistake anyone could make because we’re only human.”
“...”
When I silently held out a ten-thousand-won bill, Choi Jin-ah didn't take it. Instead, she glared at me and continued her demands.
“Hurry! Say it! Say, ‘Ah! Anyone could do that! Jin-ah, you’re cuter than I thought!’ Say it like that!”
You’re even more of a dummy than I thought.
How do you even read sheet music?
Those words were on the tip of my tongue, but I smiled and decided to tell a little white lie.
“Don’t go buying snacks with this and losing your bus fare again, okay?”
“Wow, you really think I’m a total idiot, don’t you?! I’m not! Do you really think I’d suddenly go buy junk food with money I got for bus fare?!”
Honestly, I thought she would.
“But where did Senior Ju-hee go? If you were together, she would’ve given you a ride.”
I’d heard that while I was in class, Senior Ju-hee usually didn't have much to do and mostly rested.
When I asked her if that wasn't a total jackpot of a job, Senior Ju-hee just gave a playful smile and said nothing.
That meant it was a total jackpot.
Honestly, where else would you find a workplace like this?
She drops me off at school in the morning and then rests.
She kills time until my lectures are over, then quietly shows up to pick me up again.
If she wants to eat lunch separately, she can, and our meal expenses are naturally covered.
And if there’s a moment where her libido suddenly goes into overdrive, we can even have sex in the car once.
It really is a crazy workplace.
I think I understand a little why Senior Ju-hee calls me "Young Master."
If she’s getting paid that much for doing that, she might as well use a respectful title.
Of course, I also know that for a bodyguard, the best-case scenario is actually the moments when they aren't "earning their keep" by dealing with danger.
“Ju-hee Unni left,” Choi Jin-ah replied grumpily.
But she left?
“Where to?”
“She said some seniors called her and she’d be right back, but she hasn't come back since. Thanks to that, I’m all alone right now.”
“...Is a bodyguard allowed to just leave their post like that?”
“Are you in any danger, Woo-jin?”
“...No.”
“Then isn't it fine?”
But in all likelihood, there was another bodyguard waiting nearby without Jin-ah knowing.
It was probably just Senior Ju-hee who stepped out, and another guard likely stayed behind like they were passing a baton.
Unfortunately, Choi Jin-ah was the only one who didn't know.
“Ju-hee Unni just abandoned me like this!”
“I bet Senior Ju-hee didn't expect you to be a total pauper, Jin-ah.”
“...”
I mean, was I wrong?
Who would expect a world-class violinist to not even have bus fare?
“Don’t you have a payment app on your phone?”
“Th-those things are a hassle.”
Not very trendy for someone of the new generation.
“Did you do it, Woo-jin?”
“No, I carry a wallet.”
“Whatever...”
I snorted at Choi Jin-ah’s grumbling.
“'Whatever'? Did you just say 'whatever' to me?”
I pulled the arm holding the ten thousand won back toward my body. When I made it so she couldn't take it, Choi Jin-ah’s expression stiffened.
“N-no, I didn't.”
“Liar. Hurry up and apologize.”
“You want an apology for something like that?”
“Don’t you know that in a relationship, you’re supposed to apologize immediately when you do something wrong?”
“R-relationship...”
Look at her face softening as her cheeks turn red. She really is cute when she acts like this.
“Ahem! Fine! Since we’re in a relationship, I’ll apologize! I’m really sor—”
“Apologize while oinking.”
“...You want to fight?”
I don't know if she’s challenging me to an IRL fight because she’s confident she can win. With a smirk, I shrugged my shoulders at her.
“Hurry up. Apologize while oinking. Say, ‘Piggy Jjin-ah is sorry.’”
“I’m telling you this just in case you forgot, but I am Choi Jin-ah, a world-renowned violinist.”
“I haven't forgotten. I also remember you stuffing three French fries into your mouth at once this morning.”
“...”
“...”
A brief standoff ensued.
Eventually, Choi Jin-ah opened her mouth while trembling.
“O-oink... please forgive me. Oink.”
“...”
“G-give me the money. Oink.”
Ah, I should have recorded that.
I handed over the ten thousand won while covering my mouth with my hand to hide my growing grin.
Snatch!
Choi Jin-ah grabbed it as fast as a hawk.
She glared at me as she crumpled the bill into her pocket.
“ I’m going to remember this. Just you wait.”
“You’re not scary at all.”
“...”
At my blunt response, Choi Jin-ah wore a dazed expression for a moment before clenching her fists and muttering.
“I’m going to have to ask Ju-hee Unni to teach me how to fight.”
* * *
“Yawn.”
The campus cafe.
After Choi Jin-ah gave me a headbutt and left, I was sitting alone in the cafe, staring blankly.
I tried to coax her into hanging out, but she ditched me, saying it was time for her to go practice.
I’m a junior, and here I am.
Usually, by junior year, don't you have a more relaxed schedule?
I suppose people are busy preparing for jobs, but since employment has nothing to do with me anyway, shouldn't I have a relaxed schedule?
Why is my schedule like this?
I tilted my head as I looked at the one-hour free period I had.
I’d been careless when registering for classes, but now that it was a reality, it was boring.
Usually, this is when I’d spend some "quality time" with Senior Ju-hee in the car to pass the time.
But since Senior Ju-hee was called away, I was just sitting here vacantly.
“Hey, if you’re a chaebol, drink something expensive. You’re drinking Iced Americanos every single day.”
“This guy is a total cheapskate.”
Just then, two people walked into the cafe and immediately hurled messy insults at me.
Ahn Hyun-ho and Kang Han-gang.
The guys rumored to be the handsome ones of the English Department, but ultimately just average Joes compared to Jeong Chan-woo.
“What are you guys doing?”
It wasn't common for the two of them to be together like this, so I asked, and they both answered listlessly.
“I just ran into him while coming to the cafe to grab a coffee.”
“Why do you guys come to school so diligently? Skip once in a while. So I don't have to see you as much.”
I understood Ahn Hyun-ho, but I immediately fired back at Kang Han-gang’s bullshit.
“You’re the one who should show up less. Why does a senior come to school so often?”
“The kids like me. They asked if I could go with them on a trip the freshmen are taking after finals and summer break starts.”
“Wow, that’s actually disgusting.”
Why on earth is a senior tagging along on a freshmen trip?
“Seriously. Don’t go and ruin the atmosphere for them, you idiot.”
As I pointed my finger and argued, Ahn Hyun-ho, who was listening beside us, chimed in.
“I agree. Senior, honestly, going on that is really not it. Why are you turning the kids’ fun youth trip into a matchmaking reality show, you fucker?”
Why did this guy suddenly go into overdrive?
I was a bit surprised by Ahn Hyun-ho’s sudden outburst, but I agreed nonetheless.
“Yeah, you fucker, why are you trying to turn the kids’ playground into a matchmaking show?”
When I joined in on the cursing, Kang Han-gang replied with a gentle smile.
“Only guys are going, you assholes.”
Why is he saying something like that with such a gentle smile?
No, more importantly.
“...Why are you going there?”
The Kang Han-gang I knew didn't go on trips with just guys.
Wondering why he was acting like this, I asked, and Kang Han-gang explained, still wearing that smile.
“There were originally girls too. But when I said I was joining, they all made various excuses and dropped out.”
“...”
“...”
“One girl even said she couldn't go because she was going to do 108 prostrations every day during break.”
“...”
“...”
“Ha, how did Kang Han-gang end up like this? He used to be so popular.”
It’s even more chilling that he doesn't know how he ended up like this.
“It’s because you hit on girls so damn much that they spread bad rumors about you, Senior.”
“I bet they didn't even have to force themselves to find flaws to spread rumors. They probably just spread the truth about your behavior, and that’s how it ended up like this.”
“Yeah, thanks, you shits. You guys want to go on the trip too?”
This is absurd.
“Why would we go?”
“But seriously, why are you going? I thought you’d definitely not go.”
The moment the women dropped out, hadn't Kang Han-gang already lost his reason for going?
I slapped away Kang Han-gang’s hand as he naturally tried to take a sip of my coffee.
“Well, because if I say I’m not going, the girls will probably join again.”
“...”
“...”
“I don't want to see that. And I’ll just hunt for girls at the destination. They said they’re going to a water park.”
Ugh, for fuck’s sake.
“This guy is Satan.”
“Living like that is exactly why those bad rumors are circulating.”
“We have a huge cross at my house; I want to use it to exorcise him.”
“Senior Han-gang, just let the kids play on their own.”
“...Hey, you guys are only saying that because you have girlfriends. For a guy like me, this is the last of my college life, so I should spend it enjoyably—”
Mid-sentence, Kang Han-gang’s eyes suddenly widened.
“Wait a minute.”
This guy just had another weird thought.
“Don’t. I’m telling you right now. Whatever you just thought of is one hundred percent stupid, so don't do it.”
Despite my advice, Kang Han-gang ignored me and spoke.
“Why was I trying to finish up this year as my last?”
“Huh?”
Wait, is this guy planning to be buried at this university?
If he’s a senior, shouldn't he graduate?
“That’s right... It didn't seem like I’d find a job easily anyway. I can just stay.”
Is this guy a chaebol too?
He’s having thoughts even I don't have.
Is he expecting his ancestors to earn money for him?
“Stay? You’re not going to graduate?”
“I can just become a grad student.”
This guy has definitely been drinking.
Either that, or he’s on drugs.