Chapter 40
Translator - Zofu
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A pig-faced girl with slit eyes was glaring daggers at me.
Ugh, whatever.
What a fucking loser.
An angelic model was gazing at me with affectionate eyes.
Her eyes were practically dripping honey.
Looking around, women kept stealing glances at me.
I felt like a monkey in a zoo.
"That'll be 3,000 won."
The cashier told me the total.
"Huh? Isn't it 3,500 won?"
PC bang time is from my remaining flat rate, and ramen + kimbap should be 3,500 won.
"You ordered a lot, so I should give you a 500 won discount."
"Huh?"
But I only ordered ramen and kimbap.
I even got a free drink and hot bar, plus an hour of free PC time.
What's with this part-timer? Has she lost her mind since earlier?
If the owner saw this, she'd probably die from anger, right?
Anyway, it's a huge win for me.
I pulled out a 10,000 won bill to pay.
But the cute PC bang cashier kept stealing glances at me.
"Excuse me."
The cashier, handing me 7,000 won in change, flinched in surprise.
"Yes?"
Her face turned red.
"Is there something on my face?"
The cute PC bang cashier hesitated and said,
"Yes, your handsome face."
What? What did she say? Seriously.
Unbelievable.
The cashier, embarrassed by her own words, turned beet red.
Sigh, she's trying so hard to flirt with me.
Well, she must be embarrassed too.
I'll let it slide.
"You're good at jokes."
"It's not a joke......."
Wow, the cute PC bang cashier is pretty direct.
"Hey, what are you doing! Hurry up and pay so we can go."
Hyun-joon, standing behind me, was rushing me.
I smiled at the cute PC bang cashier and said,
"I'll contact you on Kakaotalk. See you next time."
"Okay, goodbye~ sexy oppa."
Ha, this cute PC bang cashier is bold to the very end!
* * * * *
Women's Gazes
Hong Yuri was anxiously waiting for her soybean-paste younger brother Hong Hyun-joon.
Because right in front of her, three Marine Corps seniors were pressuring her.
"Hong Yuri! You think you can lose your military discipline just because you're discharged? When the hell is your brother getting here?"
"Private Hong Yuri, have you forgotten your recruit days? You think your seniors are fucking easy now? Once you're out in society, you're still a Marine!"
"Ah, everyone calm down. Calm! Surely Yuri wouldn't screw us over? Hong Yuri, if that brother Hyun-joon you showed us pictures of doesn't show up, don't even think about walking home comfortably today. Got it!"
Hong Yuri snapped to attention and answered.
"Yes! Understood! Don't you worry! It's been an hour since I contacted him, so he'll be here soon! Naturally, handsome men take a long time to get ready! I won't disappoint you! Loyalty!"
Even though half a year had passed since her discharge from the Marines, Hong Yuri's military discipline snapped right back whenever she saw these three people she'd seen almost daily during her service.
Men who haven't served will never understand this unique female military culture.
-Ah, seriously. Hong Hyun-joon. Why aren't you coming? If you don't show up, I'm really screwed!
But then, the Starbucks door opened and a handsome young man walked in with bright sunlight and warm steps.
However, that man wasn't the awaited younger brother Hong Hyun-joon, but his best friend Yu Si-won.
He said if he couldn't come, he'd send Si-won.
Anyway, for now, she had to satisfy the desires of these seniors blinded by this man.
She put on a straight face and said,
"Loyalty! My handsome and cute younger brother Hong Hyun-joon has arrived!"
Seeing Hong Hyun-joon walking over with a bright smile, the three women sitting with Hong Yuri all rose to their feet.
"Is that a human? Sergeant Kim. An angel has descended from heaven!"
"Corporal Jung. Why are you standing up! I only stood up because you did."
"So why are you all standing up! Sit. I said sit. Don't be nervous."
"Actually, Seargent was the first to jump up! It's not like it's the first time you've seen a handsome man!"
The three women—Sergeant Kim, Corporal Jung, and Seargent—seeing Hong Hyun-joon, jumped up like wooden dolls, standing stiffly, tense and frozen.
"Hyun-joon, these are the military seniors Noona told you about. Greet them."
Yu Si-won, temporarily becoming Hong Hyun-joon, said with a manly face and a bright smile,
"Hello, Noonas. I heard a lot about you from my sister. She always said she was grateful that you took good care of her in the military."
"Sergeant Kim, the angel speaks human language!"
"Corporal Jung! Don't be embarrassing. It's not your first time seeing an angel!"
Hong Yuri forced the three stiff-frozen seniors to sit down and said to Yu Si-won,
"Hyun-joon, you want a Green Tea Frappuccino, right? Grande size?"
"Noona, I walked all the way here today, so I'm thirsty. Can I get Venti size?"
Yu Si-won playfully teased Hyun-joon's sister Hong Yuri.
Hong Yuri sighed and said to Si-won,
"Hey! Just drink a Grande. Why Venti size?"
But Seargent Han Jihye, who had been listening to Hong Hyun-joon and Hong Yuri's conversation, suddenly stood up and walked briskly to the Starbucks counter.
"Seargent Han Jihye! What are you doing!"
As Hong Yuri shouted at Seargent Han Jihye, Seargent Han Jihye said with a stiff, expressionless face,
"What do you mean! I'm just buying Starbucks coffee like usual! What's with the fuss! Hyun-joon will have a Green Tea Frappuccino Venti size! The rest will be Iced Americano smallest size, right!"
Hong Yuri's eyes widened in shock.
-What the hell. Did Seargent Han Jihye lose her mind? She who never even bought PX ice cream is buying Starbucks! And the most expensive Green Tea Frappuccino Venti size menu?
"Seargent. I want the same Green Tea Frappuccino as Hong Hyun-joon................."
There's always someone without tact in society.
The same goes for the military—there exist people called 'Soldiers of Interest' who have no tact whatsoever.
As Corporal Jung mentioned Green Tea Frappuccino, her eyes met the fiery gaze of Seargent Han Jihye burning like a tiger.
"What! Iced Americano Tall size!?"
Despite her small, cute frame, her voice was booming and commanding.
Even the tactless Soldier of Interest Corporal Jung understood this much.
"Yes! Correct! Iced Americano Tall size! I definitely want Tall size!"
Seargent Han Jihye, who paid with a card she probably never used in her life, called Hong Yuri.
"Come here for a moment. Miss Hong Yuri."
Before she knew it, the address had changed from Private Hong Yuri to Miss Hong Yuri. Her voice was also soft and gentle, unlike anything she'd heard before. Could a person change this much?
Hong Yuri walked toward Seargent Han Jihye, bewildered.
"Miss Hong Yuri. Could you help me? I ordered quite a bit........"
"Yes? You ordered a lot?"
"Now, drop the 'sirs' and speak casually. If your brother sees, he might misunderstand and think you're still enforcing military discipline even after discharge."
Hong Yuri felt wronged.
Before the handsome younger brother's friend Si-won appeared, she was getting chewed out with 'Once a Marine, always a Marine' and would've had to crawl home. With just one handsome younger brother's friend, the whole situation completely flipped.
This is exactly why men should be born handsome, and why having one handsome younger brother makes military life easier.
"Understood. Seargent."
"Han Jihye! Just call me Jihye unnie."
"Huh? Yes. Jihye unnie."
The words 'Jihye unnie' felt awkward, something she'd never said in her life. Even though they'd drunk together many times, she'd never once called her 'Jihye unnie,' nor even 'unnie.'
Soon after, the ordered coffees arrived along with a load of cake and bread.
Seargent Han Jihye, proudly carrying the ordered coffee and cake, said to Yu Si-won,
"Since I didn't know what Hyun-joon-ssi likes, I ordered one of each kind. Don't feel pressured and eat a lot~"
Hong Yuri, Corporal Jung, and Sergeant Kim couldn't close their gaping mouths.
That stingy Seargent Han Jihye had spent all her allowance on bread and coffee.
Yu Si-won bowed his head and said,
"Thank you. But I don't know how to address you Noonas......"
"Ah, just comfortably call me Jihye, Han Jihye-noona."
"Yes, then thank you. Jihye noona. Your heart is as pretty as your face."
In the previous world, he was a wallflower, but in this gender-reversed world, Yu Si-won was a skilled tamer who knew how to make women show off their talents.
Seargent Han Jihye's face turned as red as an apple.
"If there's anything lacking, order everything."
Kim Joohee Byeongjang, who had been watching this, suddenly interjected.
"Wow, you're way more handsome and manly in person than in photos. Usually, many guys edit their faces so much on apps that they're unrecognizable in real life. You could totally be an idol. No, you're much more handsome and cooler than idols. I'm a BlackBlue fan and I've actually been to a fan signing, and even Jennik, the most popular member of BlackBlue, pales in comparison to your looks. Seriously."
It seemed like she was afraid of losing face to Seargent Han Jihye later, so she was trying to win Hong Hyun-joon's favor with flattery.
"Come on, there's no way I'm better looking than a celebrity. You're exaggerating too much. But men do like kind and fun women, so you must be popular."
Truthfully, there's no man who dislikes being called handsome.
And there's no woman who dislikes being called fun.
To become a popular people-person woman, the essential virtue is being fun. The saying that a woman with good talk gets the handsome man isn't just empty words.
"Hyun-joon-ssi, not only is your face handsome, but your heart is even more beautiful. I should really make a fan club for you."
Corporal Jung Risa, who had been quietly watching, suddenly cut in without even turning on her blinker.
"Hyun-joon-ssi, do you have a girlfriend?"