The Difference Between You and Me (2)
I had a pretty good time messing around at the arcade with Lee Yu-ri and Choi Su-yeon, but Gong Yeong-bae didn't seem to find any real interest in the place from the start. Whether we were playing DDR, racing games, or anything else, even when we sang in the coin karaoke booth, he never really jumped in with any enthusiasm.
"Hey, dude. Not having fun?" I walked over to Gong Yeong-bae, lightly smacked his shoulder like we were buddies, and asked.
"Huh? No, it's not that I'm not having fun... It's just... I've never really done stuff like this before, and it doesn't seem to match my personality."
"Not everything's gonna be to everyone's taste. Still, you said you'd come when we asked, so at least try to match the vibe a little. Those two are having a blast. If you're just standing there sulking, it kills the whole mood."
"R-right..."
Even so, Gong Yeong-bae couldn't muster any real interest in playing at a place like this. After about an hour of going wild, we followed the strong opinions of Lee Yu-ri and Choi Su-yeon and headed to a dupbap restaurant for a meal. Since our school and the other academies had all finished their April exams today, the place was packed with kids our age even though it was only one in the afternoon.
"It's pretty noisy in here," Gong Yeong-bae muttered, frowning slightly at the chaotic atmosphere around us while we ate.
"Dude, tons of academies finished their April tests today. Of course it's gonna be crowded at this hour. If we waited until it got quieter, we'd all be starving by then. Either that or the restaurants would be closed for their afternoon break."
"W-well... that's true."
"You can't always go only to places you like. Sometimes you just have to put up with a little inconvenience. Let's just eat."
Meanwhile, Lee Yu-ri ate in silence, listening to the two of us talk without saying a word.
After the meal, I patted my nicely full stomach.
"Haa, now that I've finally eaten like a real person, I feel like I might actually live."
"Then maybe you should try living like a real person from now on," Lee Yu-ri said, narrowing her eyes at me.
"Yeah, you're right. My paycheck just came in, so I should start living properly now. Oh, right, Yuri. Thanks for making me lunch boxes every morning all this time. They were seriously delicious."
At those words, Gong Yeong-bae's face twisted with obvious discomfort as he looked back and forth between me and Lee Yu-ri. But Lee Yu-ri didn't pay him any attention and kept her eyes fixed only on me.
"R-really? I'm glad you liked them. Seriously, you would've starved to death without me. You should be grateful."
"That's why I'm saying thank you right now. Still, it's a shame. I was starting to get used to it. I won't get to eat any more of those handmade lunch boxes full of your love."
"W-well... if it's just once in a while, I could make them for you ag—"
But Lee Yu-ri's words were cut off by Gong Yeong-bae butting in. With a somewhat fearful yet determined expression, he opened his mouth.
"Han Seong-jin... I don't know why you've been getting lunch boxes from Yuri, but you just said your paycheck came in. Whatever the reason was, you shouldn't ask someone else to wake up early in the morning to make you lunch. That's just being a nuisance."
......
For a split second, Lee Yu-ri shot him a look that could kill, but Gong Yeong-bae was too busy staring at me to notice. Choi Su-yeon didn't miss the chance to jump in.
"Then should I make them for you instead? It wouldn't be a nuisance for me at all."
Seeing Choi Su-yeon's cutesy act, Lee Yu-ri's eyes sharpened as she cut in.
"I haven't even said anything yet. So... I-I can make them sometimes... if you want."
"Yuri, even if you say that, with academy work and student council duties, it'll be too much for you—"
"If it's too hard, I'll stop on my own. Why are you butting in and meddling?"
Lee Yu-ri's reply to Gong Yeong-bae was ice-cold. He stared at her with a stunned, speechless expression.
"Oh, really? The ones you made for me were incredibly delicious. So... can I ask you to make them once in a while when I crave them?"
"......Fine. But you can't leave any behind."
Even with Gong Yeong-bae sitting right there, Lee Yu-ri nodded and promised to make me lunch boxes from time to time. The look on Gong Yeong-bae's face as he watched... was a real spectacle. Was this what a man who'd lost his country looked like?
If only you'd eaten the lunch boxes she made properly before and told her they tasted good. That's the difference between you and me, Yeong-bae. Paying attention to how the girls feel, understanding their hearts, and above all, not taking advantage of their feelings but showing them clearly and honestly.
Even if you realize it now, it's already too late.
A little more time passed, and as three o'clock approached, Han Seong-jin and Choi Su-yeon headed home. Lee Yu-ri was getting ready to head straight home too, but once the two of them were alone, Gong Yeong-bae grabbed her.
"What do you want?"
"Yuri, can we talk for a second? Please?"
"I said I have nothing to say to you."
"I was wrong!"
At Gong Yeong-bae's apology, Lee Yu-ri paused for a moment. She stared at him coldly before asking in a frosty voice.
"Do you even know why I'm acting like this?"
Gong Yeong-bae stayed silent for a second before answering.
"Yeah. I kept criticizing you for hanging out with Han Seong-jin and acting all superior, meddling in everything you do. I'm sorry. I won't do it anymore. So... can't you accept my apology...?"
It wasn't a perfect answer, but it seemed like he at least understood a few of the reasons. Hearing that, Lee Yu-ri felt her anger ease just a little. Unlike Choi Su-yeon, she had known Gong Yeong-bae for over ten years, and the time she'd liked him had been long. So for a moment, she actually considered forgiving him.
At least until his next words came out.
"I'm really sorry. From now on, even if you hang out with Han Seong-jin or go to places like that, I won't say anything. So can you please stop being mad at me?"
......
Hang out with Han Seong-jin? Go to places like that?
Lee Yu-ri's insides started boiling again. The way he phrased it made it sound like she was doing something she shouldn't. Like going to arcades and enjoying herself was wrong, but he wouldn't make an issue of it anymore. Once her anger flared up, even the things he'd said while apologizing started pissing her off again.
At first she'd thought she could understand and forgive him, but after hearing the rest, she realized he hadn't understood the real reason she was angry at all. The way he took her affection and attention for granted. The way he never gave any of that back to her. And on top of that, when it seemed like she was drifting away, he even badmouthed Han Seong-jin, who had actually treated her well.
As those images flashed through her mind, the volcanic rage that had been burning inside her suddenly cooled off as if someone had poured cold water over it. And then she answered in a voice so calm it surprised even herself.
"Yeah. I got it."
Only then did the dark shadow finally lift from Gong Yeong-bae's face.
"R-really? Thank you, Yuri. I won't do anything to upset you again. I'm really sorry."
"Good. As long as you understand."
"Then... are we back to how we used to be... right?"
"After the test and eating all that food, I'm sleepy. I'm going home first. You should head back too."
"Huh? Oh, yeah. It is about that time when you get sleepy. Take care on your way home, Yuri."
"...Yeah."
On the surface, it looked like she'd accepted his apology and their relationship had gone back to normal. But Lee Yu-ri's heart had gone completely cold. After hearing Gong Yeong-bae's self-righteous comments, even the tiny bit of lingering affection and attachment she'd still held onto had been completely wiped away. Strangely enough, her heart actually felt lighter now.
She no longer felt angry even when she looked at Gong Yeong-bae. She had reached the same state as Choi Su-yeon.
Letting out a light sigh as she organized all her feelings, Lee Yu-ri took out her phone.
On my way home for my last part-time shift of the week, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and pulled it out. There was a message from Lee Yu-ri.
After that, Lee Yu-ri didn't say anything for a while. Then suddenly, she started a video call.
"Video call out of nowhere? Did you miss me that much?"
"...Just because."
Lee Yu-ri's mood seemed similar to usual, but there was something subtly different about it. Something must have happened with Gong Yeong-bae after Su-yeon and I left.
"Your vibe feels a bit different. Like you've reached enlightenment or something. Or maybe detachment."
"...Did I seem that way?"
"Just saying that's how it looks. Don't overthink it. But why the sudden video call? You could've just kept texting."
"I don't know... I don't know why I called either. My hand just moved on its own."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean? The way you said it makes it sound like you really just wanted to see my face."
"......Hey, Han Seong-jin."
"What?"
"Do you remember the promise I made last time? That I'd come over to your house later and cook for you."
"Of course I remember. That time you lied about being sick, so I went all the way to your house early Saturday morning with medicine and porridge."
"About not being able to go then... Can I come this Saturday instead?"
I took a quiet deep breath so I wouldn't sound too excited. If she'd come to my house back then, her emotional walls were still so high that she probably would've just cooked and left. But if she came over in this current situation, even she wasn't stupid enough not to know what would happen afterward. And yet she was still saying she'd come to my house. I decided not to say anything more about it.
"Sure, come over. Dress up nice. Wait, you're always pretty, so maybe you don't need to try?"
"There you go again with that mouth... Then send me your address."
"Ah, the neighborhood I live in is a bit... rough. I don't feel good about letting you come alone, so I'll come pick you up in front of your house that day. Around 11:30 in the morning?"
"You'll really do that?"
"Look at that touched expression on your face."
"...No, I'm not."
"Anyway, I'll come get you, so keep that in mind. But there probably aren't many ingredients at my place to cook with."
"That's fine."
"Alright. See you at the academy tomorrow then."
"Okay. And... thank you."
Even through the screen, I could see her face turning bright red. In a much smaller voice than before, she added one more thing.
"......Seong-jin-ah."
Then she hurriedly ended the video call. I could've teased her about what she'd just said through text, but I decided to give her some time to be embarrassed all by herself.