Childhood Friends Drawing Closer? A Long-Awaited One-on-One with Chae Serin
Could being childhood friends let us get a little closer? How long had it been since I'd had a one-on-one with Chae Serin?
When I was lying in that hospital bed, it was our second year of middle school...
So, about three years?
I was so excited to hear what kind of venomous words would spill from this girl's mouth that my heart felt like it might burst!
"What did you want to talk about?"
I looked at her with a straight face.
"W-Well..."
Strangely, instead of her usual sharp banter, she hemmed and hawed, dragging out the time.
Ah, could it be...?
"If it's about earlier, that was really just an accident. Minji slipped, so I grabbed her, and that's how it happened. I'm really sorry for causing any misunderstandings. I absolutely didn't do anything weird!"
I recited my pre-prepared excuse with all my might.
But...
"I see... That's a relief, but that's not what I wanted to say."
Chae Serin had something else on her mind.
What the heck could it be?
The only thing connected to her was the performance evaluation... and I'd even confirmed she wasn't worried about my skill level anymore, so it shouldn't be an issue.
She chewed her lower lip, hesitating, then...
"I'm sorry for everything up until now."
"Huh...?"
An answer I'd probably never hear from Chae Serin in my lifetime popped out of her mouth.
"Out of nowhere?"
"Yeah. I think I've been too harsh on you. I judged you without really knowing you and ruined the class mood whenever we got grouped because of me."
"No, it's fine..."
"You've shown you've changed so much... I realized treating you like this wasn't right. I've been such a jerk. I'm really sorry...!"
Chae Serin bowed at a perfect ninety degrees, apologizing from her waist.
An utterly unexpected situation.
I'd hoped we'd get closer, but I never dreamed she'd acknowledge it this quickly.
Wait... if this is happening...?
"So, is that middle school promise over now?"
"Huh? Promise?"
"Yeah, back at the hospital."
"Oh..."
Remembering her words and actions from back then, Chae Serin's ears turned bright red.
"Yeah, you don't have to keep it anymore."
She hung her head, as if she knew she wasn't in a position to say that.
But who am I?
Accepting such a sincere apology is the true mark of a reformed bad boy!
It wasn't forced by someone else, and look at her—genuinely regretting her mistakes and speaking from the heart.
Chae Serin pulling off something this tough so easily.
As expected of the original story's heroine!
"Yeah, suddenly acting all friendly would be weird anyway. Let's take it slow and get closer, okay?"
I flashed her a grin in response.
"Y-Yeah...!"
She nodded vigorously, twisting her hair around her finger.
"Alright, let's head home."
I'd never walked home alone with Chae Serin before.
But for some reason...
A memory from deep in Baek Haon's mind surfaced—of holding hands and walking home from school as kids.
"He remembers the promise..."
Back home, Chae Serin buried her face in her bed, lost in thought.
"Well, it was a promise from kindergarten... No way he'd remember."
For some reason, her heart felt all fluffy.
Was it because she'd gotten her old friend back?
Or because she'd confessed her wrongs to Baek Haon and been forgiven?
It felt like a massive weight had lifted from her chest, all the pent-up emotions draining away.
"Because we're childhood friends. Now we can get a bit..."
Recalling the hand of Baek Haon's she'd grabbed earlier, she fidgeted with her empty fist.
"...closer."
She was rolling around on the bed, lost in all sorts of fantasies without even changing clothes, when...
"Serin-ah, Mom and Dad are heading out for a bit. Wanna come~?"
Her parents asked as they got ready to go out.
"Honey, didn't Serin say she fought with Haon?"
"Oh, right. Yeah? Then we'll just go ourselves..."
She sprang up, slipped on her shoes, and said,
"What are you doing? I'm not going."
Her parents looked stunned but didn't show it.
No, they were gazing at her with pleased smiles.
Saturday evening.
Normally, I'd be previewing or reviewing lessons at home, then practicing drums.
My family too—Mom prepping dinner, Dad lounging on the sofa watching TV, and my gorilla sister filming TikToks in her room.
"Honey! I'll help today!"
"Don't bother me—go buy drinks or something. Hayeon, clean your room!"
Why was everyone bustling around so much?
Was there some surprise event I didn't know about?
Unable to contain my curiosity, I asked Mom...
"There's a family gathering today. Forgot?"
"Family gathering...?"
"Yeah, we used to do it regularly until elementary school, but it stopped for a while because of someone, and now we're starting again!"
Ah.
Mom's words triggered a flood of Baek Haon's memories.
Back in his jammin' elementary days—not exactly an angel, but a hundred, no, a thousand times better than middle school—Baek Haon might've worried his parents, but he wasn't embarrassing in public.
But after middle school, he turned into a total punk, so they skipped all the gatherings.
Most were parent meetups, after all...
"Mom... This humble son vows to live even harder!"
Tears streaming, I hugged her.
"Ew, creepy! You're already doing great, so keep it up!"
"Mom!!"
Mothers' love is the best!
To embrace such a worthless kid like this.
Emotions surging, I went in for a cheek kiss—
Clang!
—only to get whacked with the frying pan she was holding.
"Ugh... Anyway, it's been years since I got my act together. Why start the gatherings now?"
"Huh? What are you talking about? We've been meeting again since the year before last, but you always skipped saying you were busy."
"What?"
I stared at Mom in confusion...
"Your dad always said that, didn't he?"
"Ahem..."
Dad cleared his throat awkwardly the moment Mom spoke.
"Dad...!"
Was your son that embarrassing?
I'm trying so hard, but if even Dad doesn't believe in me... I'll have no choice but to go dark...!
Tears welling, I lunged at him.
"Couldn't be helped, son... When you kids are around, us adults can't have fun."
He sighed wistfully.
"Eh?"
"The old gatherings... They were the picture of wholesomeness. No booze because it was bad for kids' minds, snacks turned into full meals... Sob... Hiding drinks from your mom is sad enough, but if I could just carve out legal drinking time. I'd sell you out in a heartbeat for that freedom!"
Hmm.
Dad... You've got more pent-up frustration than I thought.
If that's it, I understand a hundred—no, a thousand times over, but...
"D-Dad...?"
"What is it, son? I know I sound like I have two mouths, but adults have our circumstances!"
"No, your voice is too loud..."
I subtly nodded toward Mom.
"Well, looks like I'll be sleeping out for a while."
Mom approached slowly, frying pan in both hands.
Dad! Good luck!
I bolted to my room.
"Gahhhhhh!"
A tragic scream echoed from the living room.
"Come on in."
About thirty minutes later, guests started arriving one by one.
Dad looked perfectly fine, no matter who saw him.
He must've gotten an earful from Mom.
I glanced at her slyly.
"Hmph."
She snorted, dusting off her fists.
Hmm, looks like Baek Haon's fighting skills came from Mom, not Dad.
Inflicting pain invisible to others...
A true master's realm!
No wonder Baek Haon's head was programmed to avoid Mom at all costs, no matter how rowdy he got.
So that's what it meant.
If even Mom had given up on such a kid, I must've been one hell of a trash back then!
"Everyone'll be here soon."
Mom served the waiting guests at the table one by one.
A feast fit for kings.
Some ordered food, but most was handmade by Mom.
Braised short ribs, japchae, seafood galore, topped with top-grade Hanwoo beef...!
Damn, family perks.
"You must be Su-young! You've grown so much."
"Hello."
Three families so far.
Started as a parent meetup, so kids my age sat awkwardly.
By high school, those old memories fade, leaving just stiff vibes—normal.
The Su-young Dad mentioned? A guy my age. Last name... Lee Su-young?
Smart kid, from what I recall.
Heard he got into a foreign language high school.
Next, the girl next to him staring blankly at her phone...
Who was she?
Digging through memories, it was three guys and one girl before.
If there'd been a pretty girl like this, she'd have stuck in Baek Haon's mind!
"Ji-won, right...?"
Dad greeted her uncertainly too.
"Hahaha! Changed a lot, huh? Makes sense you wouldn't recognize. Back then, I was all sports like the boys."
"Dad! What kinda talk is that!"
Ji-won's dad spoke for her, and she flushed, snapping at him.
Did she just glance at me? Nah.
Wait, if so...?
"Soccer team captain...?"
"...Yeah."
She avoided my eyes as she answered.
Holy crap.
I'd never seen her myself, but memories clearly said guy.
Baek Haon couldn't keep up with his skills and lost captaincy.
A girl?
Everyone at the table, me included, went silent for a while.
The awkward quiet was turning tense when—
Ding-dong!
The last family rang the bell.
"Long time no see?"
"Hello."
A familiar face smiled softly at me.
"Oh my, Serin! It's been ages!"
"Grown into such a lady."
"That pretty face hasn't changed a bit."
The adults showered Chae Serin with praise the moment she entered.
"Thank you."
She bowed politely, the picture of grace.
As expected of the heroine.
All attention shifted to her instantly, and she handled the overwhelming praise with witty, courteous responses.
The composure of a born model student!
"Alright, everyone's here—let's eat!"
Dad said, heart pounding...
"By the way, no drinks today?"
He dangled the bait casually.
"Nah, bro! Gotta have some today!"
"Moderation's fine, right?"
"Can't have this spread without booze~"
The dads from each family appealed like their mouths were on fire. Guess Dad wasn't the only one eyeing the gatherings that way.
The moms shot them looks, but...
"Ugh, fine, fine."
Mom headed to the fridge, resigned.
"W-Wait, honey, that's...!"
"No way... Valenton...?"
Huh, weird?
Mom's face, which had been full of disdain moments ago...
Was beaming with smiles for some reason.
"We can open such expensive stuff?"
Lee Su-young's dad asked.
"Of course~ Thanks to our son, we've got some spare cash~"
"Spare cash?"
"Well, he got first place in the high school entrance exams and gave us all the scholarship money, see? We weren't gonna use it, but he begged so much to buy it~"
Ah, got it.
This was definitely it.
The real start...
The unavoidable part of these family gatherings...
Parent bragging.
Poor Mom... She'd been silent through others' boasts all this time, feeling so wronged!
This lowly son has tears blurring his vision...
Unleash it all today, vent those bottled-up feelings!
And so, Mom's child-bragging continued straight through till the end of dinner.