Chapter 84: Diss Battle
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 84: Diss Battle
“G-goodbye.”
Choi I-seo gave an awkward farewell.
The dark tear stains remaining around her eyes were proof that our emotions had reached a fever pitch just moments ago.
But as a little time passed, we naturally drifted back to reality.
I’d said there was no such thing as love like in the movies or dramas, so why the hell did I spout lines that sounded like they were ripped straight from one?
I was just a crazy bastard.
That was my honest feeling, but I wondered if I’d been too honest. I should have exercised some restraint.
I hurriedly called out to Choi I-seo as she turned to go inside.
“Hey, I-seo. We have to see each other again tomorrow, you know?”
We still had filming left to do.
If we parted ways like this when we had to meet for a shoot tomorrow, I felt like I’d be cringing and kicking my blankets all night until then.
“T-that’s true, right?”
Choi I-seo replied, her eyes darting around as if she hadn’t expected me to call her back.
I needed to clear the air somehow.
“It’s… I mean…”
But when it actually came time to speak, I had no idea how to change the mood.
As we stood there, just staring blankly at each other...
“Huh? What are you two doing?”
We ran right into Min-ji, who was coming out of the house. She was wearing pajama pants and carrying a trash bag.
“You’re dumping trash at this hour?”
Seizing the opportunity, I immediately threw a comment her way. Min-ji grumbled in response.
“It was originally I-seo’s turn, but she didn't come back, so I’m doing it… Wait, what’s this?”
She looked at us, sensing the strange atmosphere, and hesitated.
“Did something happen between you two? Am I… interrupting something?”
I wasn't sure whether to say yes or no. The fact that I couldn't decide showed just how confusing the situation was.
“Did I-seo cry?”
Min-ji, who had been about to head back inside with the trash bag, noticed the tear stains on Choi I-seo’s face. Her eyes widened, and she rushed over.
“What? What happened? What did you do to her?!”
Seeing Min-ji fussing over I-seo and shouting at me made the tension in my shoulders finally bleed away.
“I didn't do anything bad, so don't go calling your 'big brothers' again.”
“Hey, why are you rubbing salt in the wound…?”
“Min-ji, the trash smells.”
“I definitely came out here to take your side, so why are you attacking me…?”
When we both started ganging up on her, Min-ji’s shoulders slumped, and she pouted. Thanks to her, the atmosphere lightened up significantly.
“You guys are too much. I’m just going to throw this away and sit next to it. It’s combustible waste, so I guess I don't need to be sorted.”
Leaving Min-ji to trudge off toward the trash collection point, I looked back at Choi I-seo.
A faint, soft smile played on her lips. It seemed she also felt the tension had broken.
“She’s brightened up.”
Choi I-seo added, glancing toward Min-ji. She looked completely different from the girl who used to be swept away by her own delusions.
“It’s thanks to your help.”
“She was the one who found the courage.”
What did I really do?
Min-ji had committed a sin, received her punishment, and simply turned over a new leaf.
“I should get going. Don't take what I said today too seriously. Just let it go in one ear and out the other.”
It was a bit of a clumsy exit, but when I said that, Choi I-seo stared at me intently before letting out a little giggle.
“Don't you dare let what I said go in one ear and out the other.”
“…”
“Hold on to it, okay?”
I couldn't give her a definitive answer, but I nodded for now and turned around.
As I passed the trash area, I spotted Min-ji crouching next to the bags, but I pretended not to see her and kept walking.
I need to get home, wash up, and sleep.
I was stretching as I walked back when...
Vrrr!
My phone suddenly vibrated.
Since it was heading toward midnight, I assumed it was a Bamboo Forest notification and checked it without much thought.
— Yoo Ah-rin —
A rather unexpected person was calling me. We’d just parted ways after filming earlier; what could she possibly have to say?
I answered the phone with a disinterested tone.
— Where are you?
Yoo Ah-rin’s low, serious voice indirectly told me that the situation was grave.
“I’m on my way home after dropping Choi I-seo off. Why?”
— …Must have been nice. Since you were together until this hour, did you guys suck face under a streetlight or something?
“Can I hang up now?”
As I sighed and prepared to end the call, Yoo Ah-rin shouted urgently.
— No, no! I’m sorry! I’m really sorry, so just help me out this once.
“What is it?”
— I’ll text you the address. Come there.
With that, she hung up.
This girl… she should have just gone home after the assignment. What now?
Despite my thoughts, I headed toward the address she sent. Given the strange rumors I’d heard about her today, I figured it was best to check it out.
The location she sent was a bit random—a neighborhood playground.
Lately, it wasn't a place where kids hung out, but rather a spot where delinquent students gathered when they had nowhere else to go. The setting itself gave off an ominous vibe.
And I was right.
Yoo Ah-rin’s hair was so bright that I could recognize her from a distance even at night.
But standing across from her was a large, hulking man.
He had tried to dress up, but it looked awkward on him. He was the type of guy who radiated an aura that screamed, "Don't make eye contact if you value your life."
“Woo-jiiin!”
Recognizing me, Yoo Ah-rin immediately waved and ran over. The way she greeted me so affectionately with a rising lilt at the end was a dead giveaway that she was acting.
When she reached me and linked her arm with mine, I reflexively furrowed my brows.
“What are you doing?”
When I whispered the question, Yoo Ah-rin immediately pinched my thigh while maintaining her smile.
“Shut up and just play along. Seriously, please.”
“…”
Seeing her this desperate, I knew something was definitely up. I had a feeling I knew exactly what this was, and my body instinctively tensed.
Yoo Ah-rin led me in front of the man and said with a bright smile.
“Oppa, you see? This is my boyf—”
“I’m not her boyfriend. I’m just a friend from the same department.”
I cut her off immediately.
Yoo Ah-rin’s expression soured as she glared at me, and the man she called 'Oppa' also looked at me with a bizarre expression.
Maintaining the most pleasant smile possible, I immediately offered my hand to the man.
“Hello. I’m Kim Woo-jin, a friend from Yoo Ah-rin’s department.”
Since I acted so confidently, the man looked dazed and blankly accepted the handshake.
“Uh, I’m Pyo Jin-ho. Ah-rin and I… we’ve known each other since high school.”
So this was Pyo Jin-ho.
I’d heard the name, but seeing him in person, I could see why the other kids were intimidated.
“Aha, I see. Could I ask what’s going on here?”
As I continued to ask with a smile plastered on my face, Pyo Jin-ho got swept up in my pace and continued talking.
“I’ve been interested in Ah-rin for a long time. So I reached out to her again this time, but…”
“Aha, and that’s why this piece of trash called me out here to pretend to be her boyfriend?”
Yoo Ah-rin started punching me in the back. It actually hurt, and I wanted to tell her to stop.
“But don't worry. I am not her boyfriend.”
“…”
“You don't need to be jealous of me, curse at me, or try to jump me from behind. Not at all.”
He was a man surrounded by nasty rumors.
There was no point in getting involved. I didn't even want to imagine what kind of trouble I’d be in if I’d claimed to be her boyfriend.
“Agh! You jerk! I asked you to play along just once! Is that! Is that! Is that so hard?!”
Yoo Ah-rin kept thumping my back.
Unable to take it anymore, I spun around and grabbed her wrists.
“Your intention to use me as a fake boyfriend was rotten to begin with!”
Was it not?
“If you’re not interested, you should just tell him straight! What are you so afraid of that you’d resort to a lie like this?!”
“No, that’s…! Hah, seriously!”
“Maybe you went around throwing punches in high school! You’ve certainly got the build for it!”
I shouted while pointing at Pyo Jin-ho, and the man flinched.
“But how old are you now?! How old are you, man?!”
“T-twenty-two.”
“Wow, you’re the same age as Ju-hee Noona. You’re that age, and you’re still going to live your life throwing punches?! You’ve surely retired from that life long ago!”
“What do you know, you crazy bastard! You just met him today!”
I didn't know anything.
I was just talking out of my ass.
“But my heart goes out to the man! If he stepped up like a man to confess, shouldn't you answer honestly like a woman? Why are you trying to cheat your way out by pretending to have a boyfriend!”
“Agh! I seriously want to kill you!”
Yoo Ah-rin was so agitated she was stomping her feet on the ground. If I got hit by one of those kicks, I might actually die.
“Tell him the truth! I’m sure he’s ready to accept it! Right? A real man like you wants an honest answer, don't you?”
“Huh? Uh, yeah…”
I walked over to Jin-ho, who was completely caught in the flow, and patted him on the back.
“Go ahead. Confess to this bitch.”
“Ah! I said I don't want to!”
Yoo Ah-rin finally exploded, her emotions pouring out in a scream.
“I hate it! I hate you, Senior! It pisses me off that my relationship with Ye-rin got ruined because of you! I hate myself for getting jealous of her! I hate that that asshole Jeong Chan-woo rejected my confession!”
“…”
“I hated it when you’d sneak up on me during Taekwondo because you smelled like sweat! It was annoying how you’d warn the other kids that I was 'yours' behind my back!”
“…”
“It’s fucking annoying how you keep telling me to come to the dojang! It’s fucking annoying how you call everyone around me looking for me!”
“…”
“I’m pretty sure I rejected you, so I fucking hate how you keep pestering me! It’s disgusting how you follow me around talking about 'first love' or whatever!”
“…”
“Don't you think it’s too much to do this to me after you brutally crushed my first love?”
“…”
“I hate your clothes because you look like a total meathead thug! I hate your walk because you’re bow-legged! I hate your perfume because you spray way too much of it!”
“…”
“I hate that you smell like sweat all the time! I hate how you try to act like a drill sergeant with the other kids! I hate that you came looking for me at night like this! I hate the way you look at me all 'intently' while saying you waited for me!”
“…”
“I hate how arrogant you are! I hate how you act tough in front of me! I hate your texts! I hate your calls! I hate having to walk on eggshells because of other people!”
“…”
“I hate thinking about how you’ll gather the other kids or take your anger out on them just because I dumped you! I hate how you brag about money when you got it by extorting others!”
“…”
“I hate that you smoke! I hate it especially when you spit phlegm! Your sexual harassment is fucking disgusting! And it’s repulsive how you’re constantly thirsting after other women anyway!”
“…”
“I just! I just hate you! I mean, how could I ever like you?! That total loser Jeong Chan-woo rejected my confession because he was terrified of you! Huh?! You tried to force Chan-woo and Ye-rin together just to 'protect' me?!”
“…”
“What? Confess? Confess? Eat shit, you asshole! My high school years were ruined because of you! If I were still an active athlete, I’d have beaten you so hard you’d be in the hospital sipping through a straw with all your teeth shattered!”
“…”
“Agh! And let me tell you one thing. The kids only let you win when you sparred with them, you son of a bitch! That’s why you couldn't even place in a real competition! You acted all big like you were going to be a pro, but what the hell are you doing 'leading' at twenty-two? Did you change your mind after getting thrashed at a tournament and peeing the bed?”
“…”
“You regret it, don't you? In high school, you strutted around like you owned the world, but once you got out, oops? Turns out you’re just a nobody?”
“…”
“You acted like such a prick to the teachers! Such a prick at school! But guess what? Do you realize now that the people and the place you were so shitty to were actually the ones protecting you?”
“…”
“Fix your damn personality first, you prick! Or you’re going to get the shit beaten out of you in the military! Why? Are you going to tell your seniors to take off their rank insignia and fight? I heard you did that to the seniors in your second year! To people who were studying for the CSAT!”
“…”
“That would be quite a sight. They use phones in the army now, so give me a video call. I’ll be waiting with popcorn! Summon the company commander! Summon the battalion commander! Summon the regimental commander! If you keep fighting everyone after taking off their rank, you’ll end up fighting the President!”
“…”
“You little shit! Congratulations! You took off the rank insignia and conquered South Korea! Come back to me then, and I’ll spread my legs for you if I have to, you motherfucker!”
Was it finally over?
Yoo Ah-rin glared at Pyo Jin-ho, panting heavily. I slowly approached her and made a gesture as if handing her something.
“The 'Pass' necklace is awarded to Yoo Ah-rin.”
“…Thank you.”
I didn't have anything to give, so I just mimed it, but she surprisingly played along.
I wondered if Pyo Jin-ho would fly into a rage and charge at us, but his shoulders were slumped as if he’d already been murdered by her words.
“You’re impressive, man. You confessed like a man and got rejected like a man.”
“…”
Pyo Jin-ho, looking quite shell-shocked, began to trudge away. I patted his shoulder and held out my phone.
“Let’s grab a drink sometime.”
“…”
His tongue seemed paralyzed; he didn't say a word and just punched his number into my phone.
As he seemed to calm down a bit, he stole a glance at Yoo Ah-rin.
“If you say something like 'I loved you, you bitch,' I’ll kill you, you bastard.”
“Hey! He’s already out of the ring, why are you still hitting him! Stop it!”
The man finally left for good.
Only Yoo Ah-rin and I remained.
“Honestly, I was a little scared of him. But once I started talking, it all just poured out.”
Seeing her breathing heavily after talking so much, I gave her a smirk.
“Feel relieved?”
At my question, Yoo Ah-rin smiled and held out her fist.
“So fucking relieved I’m practically wet.”
I bumped her fist with mine and let out a disbelieving laugh.
“You crazy bitch.”