Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Friends
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My new school life, which I was gradually getting used to, was racing toward the end of another day.
"Na-young. Na-young."
"Yeah?"
"Let's hang out after school today."
"Hang out...?"
From the very first day, there had been three girls who'd hit it off with her right away and grown close fast.
Mi-jin with her bob haircut, energetic Chae-yeon, and timid cutie Eun-bi. These three had become Na-young's inseparable besties, both in school and out.
Of the trio, Chae-yeon, who sat right in front of Na-young, turned around and suggested they all go out after classes ended.
Na-young desperately wanted to nod eagerly and say yes. But naturally, she snuck a glance at Ji-hoon in the seat next to her, propping his chin on his hand with a face full of exhaustion.
He must've been up late again last night messing with stocks and that FX Margin Trading stuff.
No wonder he couldn't focus in class and kept dozing off.
What could be so fun that he stayed up so late?
Still, Ji-hoon was fine.
He was smart enough to hold the top spot in school without even paying attention in class.
"You can go play."
Sensing her gaze, Ji-hoon readily gave permission.
But that wasn't the answer Na-young wanted.
"Not that... Can't Ji-hoon come too...?"
Hanging out with her new friends was a blast.
But no matter how fun it was, it didn't compare to time with Ji-hoon.
"Me too?"
"Yeah! Come with us!"
Ji-hoon's brow furrowed faintly.
"I'd love to, but I'm wiped out today..."
"No...? You really can't come...?"
She could understand—he had his reasons—but Na-young couldn't hide the disappointment bubbling up inside her.
"No way! You're seriously gonna turn down such a pretty, cute girlfriend begging to hang out?"
Chae-yeon gaped, hands over her mouth in shock.
"Why...? Why? If I were her boyfriend, I'd be on my knees begging to go out with Na-young!"
I get it.
I totally get how she feels.
Even so, Ji-hoon hesitated.
The stock market, battered by the subprime mortgage crisis, was staging a steep recovery.
That meant he'd been trading non-stop, skipping sleep entirely these past few nights.
He tried napping at school to catch up a bit, but it wasn't the same as a good night's rest in a comfy bed.
Even six straight hours from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. left him drained every day.
By the time he got home and crashed from exhaustion, he'd wake up again when the U.S. markets opened, but the fatigue still lingered.
"What's going on?"
Mi-jin and Eun-bi, drawn by the commotion, looked puzzled.
"No, listen up. A girlfriend as ridiculously pretty, sweet, pure, and cute as Na-young begs to hang out, and her boyfriend turns her down because he's tired? Come on."
Chae-yeon explained the situation in a flash, like she'd been waiting for this.
Mi-jin reacted with mock horror, openly glaring at Ji-hoon.
"What...? No way. What kind of trash does that?!"
"Even we'd get it if it was us, but Na-young...?"
A small, babyish voice chimed in.
"......"
"......"
"Eek...!"
Feeling Chae-yeon and Mi-jin's sharp stares, Eun-bi hurriedly hid her tiny frame behind Na-young.
"Hohoho. What're you saying, Eun-bi?"
"Yeah, what's that supposed to mean about us?"
Objectively, they were all pretty stunning too.
Anyone rating them out of ten would give straight 10s. The issue was the center of their group.
With overwhelmingly beautiful Na-young right there, even their good looks got overshadowed into "just cute."
"Ugh...! S-sorry...! Na-young, help meee...!"
She trembled like a leaf and burrowed into Na-young's arms.
They looked like an older sister and her scared little sibling, despite being only three years apart.
"See, Ji-hoon? Eun-bi wants to hang out with you too."
"Huh...? M-me?"
Eun-bi blinked in total shock.
"Can't you come just this once, for Eun-bi's sake?"
"Na-young...? I never said that...? And why for my sake?"
Clinging to Na-young, she asked in a daze, but got thoroughly ignored.
"Haa... Fine... Got it."
Truly exhausted but resigned, Ji-hoon let out a deep sigh and agreed.
"Yay! Eun-bi! Thank you so much!"
"Uh...? Uhhh?! N-no...! Na-young! I didn't do anything!"
Somehow, she'd become the MVP without even trying.
"Ooh, Eun-bi Lee. When'd you seduce Ji-hoon?"
"Oh my...! Competing with Na-young for Ji-hoon?"
"What're you two even talking about?!"
Who'd believe they'd only known each other for less than a month?
Staring at the four beauties, Ji-hoon sighed deeply again and muttered,
"Already feeling wiped."
He was tired enough already, and hanging with these girls would probably multiply it tenfold.
*
In the end, right after school let out as planned, he trailed after the four girls.
"Where to?"
"Hm... How about we decide at a café?"
Mi-jin replied to Chae-yeon.
"Starbucks?"
The only café Na-young knew was the famous chain Starbucks.
"Oh yeah! They have a new cake out—let's go try it!"
Famous chain or indie spot, café food was all about the same anyway.
But a new menu item? That changed everything.
"Cake! Yes! Starbucks it is!"
No way a big chain would release a new item that tasted like crap.
Na-young's eyes sparkled with eagerness to stuff the new cake in her mouth ASAP, urging her friends along.
Playful-faced Chae-yeon glanced back at the lone guy tagging along behind them. Me.
"Mr. Wallet. Starbucks cool with you?"
"Mr. Wallet?"
"No way! Such a pretty, sweet, pure, cute girlfriend—and her friends—want to hit Starbucks for cake, and you won't buy it?!"
"Lies!"
"No way!"
They really were soulmates.
Pretty girls stuck together, as the saying went—and sure enough, three cuties clung to Na-young's side.
But who knew their personalities matched so perfectly too?
It started with Chae-yeon, Mi-jin backing her up like always, and even shy, timid Eun-bi jumping in this time.
They knew I was loaded, so no malice there—but mooching off me every day? Hard to approve of.
Easier to think of it as payment for hanging out with Na-young.
This level of spending wouldn't even dent my assets anyway.
"Fine, fine. Mr. Wallet's buying."
I'd prepared a debit card just for this.
Loaded it with about five million won.
How much could kids blow? This'd last a year easy.
"Five chocolate lattes, three of the new cakes, two Baumkuchen! And... Na-young, what do you want?"
"Blueberry cheesecake for me!"
"Three blueberry cheesecakes too!"
Yeah, the order was hefty.
Probably another ten or twelve million gone by tonight.
They'd already slotted me as wallet-guy, so they'd drag me everywhere from now on.
Girls were ruthless.
No wonder pre-regression me avoided them on purpose.
"Mr. Wallet. Time to pay!"
Chae-yeon shoved me from behind toward the counter.
"52,700 won."
I'd overheard their monthly allowances averaged 50,000 won—that was a full month's worth.
Even accounting for prices, it felt like highway robbery.
"Buy that one! Pretty please!"
Mi-jin, at least with some conscience, acted cute as she begged.
"Ooh, good call! Mr. Wallet! Buy that too!"
Chae-yeon parroted her instantly. Good or bad? Hard to say.
Still, dropping 50k on a niece-level cutie for some aegyo wasn't the worst.
"Come on, Eun-bi. Your turn."
"Eek?! Me too?"
"Gotta have some conscience. Right, Na-young?"
Na-young, already hugging my arm and rubbing her soft cheek against it, nodded without thinking.
"Ughhh...! B-buy... buy it... pleeease..."
Her voice trailed off to a crawl, but still cute—satisfied!
"Here you go."
"We'll process your 52,700 won payment. Need a receipt?"
"Nah."
The part-timer watching us fondly finished up with a smile.
We grabbed our stuff and picked a table.
"So, Mr. Wallet. How much money you got anyway?"
"Money?"
"Yeah. Just popped into my head. You paid 50k without blinking. I was gonna ask to cut back if it was too much, or chip in."
"Same."
Mi-jin nodded like she was proud of herself for even thinking it.
"So, what's your monthly allowance, Mr. Wallet?"
"What if it's a lot?"
"Well... lots is lots?"
Why's she licking her lips like that?
"Mom said that emerald...? Diamond ring you gave Na-young was super expensive. Must get a ton if you're wearing that."
"100,000 won...?"
"Pfft, too low, Eun-bi."
"Then... a million!"
"Gasp!"
Mi-jin stuck out her tongue in shock.
But.
"Don't take it."
"Huh...?"
"Eh...?"
"N-no...? Then where's the money from...?"
I grinned at Chae-yeon's follow-up.
"Earn it myself."
The unexpected answer shut all three up tight.
They knew kids our age couldn't even work part-time.
How much could I make on my own?
They fidgeted awkwardly, like they were on pins and needles.
Definitely not bad kids.
Bad ones would've demanded I teach them how to make money too. These ones just felt sorry right away—good eggs.
"Eh, I make more than enough, so don't worry. You think I'd blow it with no plan?"
"Right...?"
"Top of the school's gotta be."
"W-whoa!"
Top of the school... I gave a wry smile at their praise.
Entrance exams? I just busted my ass digging up answers on the future smartphone and memorized 'em.
Real skill? I'd barely scrape top ranks.
"Looks like it's ready. I'll grab it."
The bell for my order rang.
I pushed the girls back down as they started to stand and headed to the counter.