Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Strange Person
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I'd made up the excuse, but I still had to keep my relationship with Si-eun hidden.
The story about living next door was just another fabrication in the end. Lies pile up until they're impossible to control. Better to avoid suspicion altogether.
So, to keep the fact that Si-eun worked as my housekeeper under wraps, I needed to watch my own behavior, too.
For example, not greeting her even if we bumped into each other on the way. Or waiting a bit after she left the lecture hall before heading out myself once class ended.
It was better for me to stay cautious than for Si-eun, who already had plenty on her plate. I'd have to put up with it.
That's what I'd thought.
"Hey."
A few days later, after class ended, Si-eun called out to me.
The lecture hall was still full of people packing up to leave. She was seriously lacking in caution.
To avoid drawing any suspicion, I answered in the most casual tone possible.
"What?"
Si-eun gave a faint smile at my question.
"Don't you think we should start on the group project soon?"
"Oh, that."
Fortunately, it was about the assignment. Nothing to raise eyebrows.
Some might wonder why Si-eun and I were teamed up, but they could just assume she'd kindly included me since I hadn't formed a group. That seemed natural enough.
"I figured it'd be easier to talk after class without making special time for it."
"True."
I nodded in agreement with Si-eun and glanced to my left.
So-hye, our other teammate, was dozing off in the seat two spots away.
They say you should keep your ears open even while sleeping. Did she miss the professor announcing the end of class?
I turned back to Si-eun and asked,
"You got another class next?"
"I did, but it got canceled today."
Si-eun answered businesslike, even as she smiled. It was different from how she acted at home. She was being careful, too.
This was my last class, Si-eun's next one was canceled, and one person was out cold—we didn't know about her schedule, but like Si-eun said, now was a good time for a meeting.
I stretched out my arm and tapped on the head of the slumped-over So-hye.
"Class is over. Wake up."
"Mm... five more minutes..."
"This isn't your bed."
"Huh? Why are you in my bed, sunbae?"
"I said it's not a bed..."
After that bizarre exchange, So-hye rubbed her sleepy eyes and sat up. She stretched leisurely, then noticed Si-eun standing in front of her and bowed her head politely.
"Ah, Si-eun sunbae. Hello."
"Yeah. Hi."
Si-eun waved with a bright smile.
"We're doing the group project together, right?"
"Yes! Oh, and you can use casual speech with me if you want."
"Okay then... We're gonna have a quick meeting about it. You got time?"
"Yes! Totally!"
If she didn't, that'd be the real surprise, considering she'd been asleep.
So-hye crossed her arms and spoke up.
"Mm~ So, first off, about the assignment... Did you read it, sunbae?"
"Yeah, I did."
Si-eun pulled a single A4 sheet from her bag and read it as she replied. It wasn't clear from here, but it looked like a printout of the assignment from the course website.
"We can use what we learned in class. It shouldn't be too hard."
"You think? I always sleep through lectures, so I never hear anything."
"That's not something to brag about."
At my fair point, So-hye pouted.
"You just tap away on your laptop every class anyway, sunbae."
"Well, yeah, but..."
"Your keyboard clacking wakes me up sometimes. Be careful from now on, sunbae."
What a conversation—no wonder we both lacked the face to look the professor in the eye.
"Anyway."
I decided to get back on track.
I hadn't listened to the lectures, but I'd already read the assignment. I knew what it entailed, how long it'd take, and the general approach.
I laid out the plan I'd mapped out in my head.
"I read the assignment and sketched a rough plan. Like it says on the page, we need to implement an API and use it for a simple webpage. We'll need DB and API design, so I'll draft that and send it over. We can review it together and get started."
Then I took a notebook from my bag and opened to a certain page. It was a rough DB structure outline. My handwriting was a mess, though.
"Something like this. I'll clean it up and send it."
That was the end of my explanation.
I looked up, wondering if they'd gotten it, and found Si-eun and So-hye staring at me blankly.
"What?"
I asked with a look, and So-hye let out an impressed "Ooh~," looking surprised.
"I've never seen you talk this much, sunbae."
"How many times have we even talked?"
"Ahaha. True. But still, how do I put it? You have this quiet image."
I didn't care about my image, but I wasn't particularly quiet. Kids just didn't talk to me much. Unfortunate, but whatever.
Soon, Si-eun blinked beside me and chimed in.
"You're surprisingly meticulous and smart, huh?"
"Uh... thanks."
I wasn't sure if it was genuine praise or her expectations had been low. Either way, I'd take it positively.
Truth be told, I had experience with this kind of work. I'd done freelance web development to earn investment money. It was familiar.
Si-eun mulled over my briefing for a moment, then nodded slightly.
"Yeah. Sounds good like you said."
"Should be fine for now. Worst case, we pull an all-nighter."
So-hye nodded along.
"Then let's do that. I'll trust you, sunbae, and work hard."
"Work hard without sleeping."
"Hey, you do better anyway. I won't help much. I'll just get in the way."
"Hearing you say that, maybe..."
"So if it flops, you buy a meal, and I'll just follow along."
"No. Not buying."
"Aww~"
Aww~ what?
I'd thought she was off from the start when she first talked to me. But this So-hye girl was way stranger than I'd expected.
As I eyed Si-eun with that worry in mind,
"......"
Si-eun was watching So-hye and me talk with a peculiar gaze.
I couldn't even guess what that look meant.
◎
After the meeting, I let Si-eun go first and headed home slowly.
She'd said her next class was canceled. Walking home together would've looked suspicious. So I'd pretended to go to the bathroom and left with a delay.
As I walked along, step by step, I spotted someone standing near the back gate in the distance.
A somewhat familiar silhouette. I wasn't sure at first, but it became clear as I got closer.
Sure enough, Si-eun was waiting at the back gate when I arrived.
She was staring blankly into space. Guys passing by glanced her way, but it was like she didn't notice.
Should I ignore her? I considered it, but greeting someone I knew wasn't wrong. As long as I didn't say anything stupid.
I called out to her back.
"Waiting for someone?"
At my question, Si-eun's shoulders flinched for a second before she turned and looked up at me.
"You."
"What?"
"I was waiting for you."
Hm. Guess I heard right.
"Why?"
"We go the same way."
Even the destination was the same. I knew that well.
I took one more step closer and lowered my voice to continue.
"Don't you want to keep it hidden that you work at my place?"
"True, but living next door and going separately would be weirder, right?"
Was it? Hard to say. I'd never walked home with a friend.
If Si-eun, the person involved, was fine with it, no need to keep distance.
"Whatever, then."
I answered offhand and started walking ahead. Si-eun followed lightly, keeping a bit of space as she walked beside me.
From the back gate to home took about ten minutes. Not long, not short—we ended up strolling together.
Thinking about it, it had been since that first shopping trip for kitchen tools that we'd walked outside together.
I hated going out, our school schedules differed, and we ignored each other if we met on campus. Opportunities were rare.
"You and that So-hye girl seem close."
As I walked silently, urging my steps, Si-eun suddenly spoke up.
"Not really. Why?"
"You two were chatting so animatedly earlier. I thought you were friends. Not many people get chummy with you."
"Not at school, but there are more in the world..."
That aside.
"She's the weird one."
"Weird how?"
"Not many people keep talking to me steadily. There were two at school before, now one more."
"Not that weird."
"True. If anything, I'm the weird one."
My behavior, my speech—all outside the norm. I knew, but couldn't fix it.
So I had no complaints when others treated me as strange and kept me at arm's length. Uncomfortable, sure. Made it hard to even form project groups.
Nothing I could do about it anyway.
I tried to laugh it off and keep walking, but Si-eun said quietly,
"If they actually talked to you properly, they'd see you're not that bad."
"Bad or not, I don't think I'm a bad person."
I replied jokingly, but Si-eun looked serious from the corner of my eye.
Seeing her like that for the first time threw me off a bit.
We walked in silence after that.
Si-eun spoke again only when we were almost home.
"Any food you're craving today?"
"For dinner?"
"Yeah. I'm gonna stop by the store on the way."
"Pick whatever you want like usual and make it."
Si-eun furrowed her brow at my answer.
"No."
"No?"
"Today, I'll make something you like."
She put her hands on her hips as she said it. Random words, random pose. No clue what had gotten into her.
Still...
"Just checking, but you're not trying to cheer me up, are you?"
I had a hunch.
If she felt bad about the earlier talk of me having no friends or being weird, it made sense. Questionable if she'd do that, though.
Si-eun's eyes widened at my guess.
"...No."
"Okay?"
"Yeah. Not at all. This is just... me doing my housekeeper duties."
"If you say so."
Guess my theory missed. A bit embarrassing.
Anyway, food I liked? No reason to refuse.
"Ramen's my favorite."
"Ramen again..."
"It's true. What can I do?"
She sighed deeply at my retort.
But only for a moment. Soon, Si-eun lifted the corner of her mouth and replied,
"Got it. Ramen for tonight."
Then she turned right away and headed to the mart.
I thought about following for a second but stopped. No one goes grocery shopping with their neighbor. This distance was perfect for our relationship.
So I just snorted and turned away.