Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Manly Brothers (4)
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"Song Joo-hyun! Are you really doing this?"
"What are you talking about out of nowhere?"
"Even if you're close with Teacher, do you think she'll come rUnnieng to the restaurant every time just because you call her like you're threatening her?"
"It wasn't a threat—it was a deal. Start by looking at Yoon-seul right next to me."
"Pass."
"Yeah, perfect."
Teacher's reaction was a pass, and Yu-min-i's was perfect. All because of Yoon-seul's outfit.
"Hm?"
Yoon-seul tilted her head with a confused look on her face. She was wearing the blouse and skirt that Mi-jeong Sam had picked out for her at the department store last time.
The thin, flowing blouse with black frills on top added a neat vibe to Yoon-seul's cute appearance.
Exaggerating a bit, she was the cutest in the universe.
Someone on asteroid B-612 would be fangirling her with a telescope and a massive camera.
That had been the condition for getting Teacher to come to the restaurant.
I'd dress Yoon-seul in the clothes we'd bought last time.
[Me: Teacher, swing by our place for dinner tomorrow.]
[Kim Mi-jeong: Gotta crash at Yu-min-i's house for home-cooked meals sometimes. Otherwise, he'll forget his mom's cooking entirely.]
[Me: I talked to Yu-min-i last time, and he said my food's tastier than his mom's. He even asked if I could teach you how to cook. Should we hear his side too?]
[Kim Mi-jeong: ?? He said that? Looks like I need a heart-to-heart with my boy.]
I'd accidentally snitched on him without meaning to.
It wasn't some calculated move to turn people against her for showing too much interest in Yoon-seul.
[Me: Just something I wanted to ask about. One time only.]
[Kim Mi-jeong: Nope. I need time for a real talk with my son now.]
[Me: Put that off for later. In exchange, I'll dress Yoon-seul in that blouse and skirt we bought together last time. Come check it out?]
[Kim Mi-jeong: You've always known me too well—it's scary. How could Teacher say no to that?]
That's how I'd convinced her to come.
Which is why Yoon-seul was dressed like that today. She'd grumbled a little when I made her put it on that morning.
"Eung, this is kinda too flashy... Oppa."
"Yeah? But you looked totally like the final boss in it."
"Final boss? What's that?"
"The strongest, coolest boss. The toughest in the world—no one can beat her."
"The... strongest and coolest?! No one can beat me?! Then what should I do? I gotta wear it!"
The title "final boss" worked wonders.
Yoon-seul changed clothes twice as fast as usual.
Once she was in her final boss outfit, she spotted subordinate No. 1 and toddled over—pop pop pop—like she wanted to show off.
Yu-min-i looked conflicted watching her.
Because he'd unintentionally couple-matched with Yoon-seul by wearing the same red T-shirt today.
His expression was like it had "Matching shirts are great, but Yoon-seul looks so pretty in that outfit too!" written on his forehead.
"Yu-mini, this is awesome. Yunseul-i final boss is super cool."
"Final boss?"
"Yeah, the strongest and coolest. Oppa said so."
"Yeah. The coolest right now."
"Hee-heeng—right?"
Yu-min-i showered her with praise, probably to hype her up.
The outfit lacked a bit of the intimidating vibe for a final boss, but whatever. Dreams come true through interpretation anyway.
Teacher took her usual spot at the bar table like it was reserved.
The two kids gathered in front of Boong-boong No. 3 as always, deep in some incomprehensible, heated debate.
"So, what'd you want to ask?"
"That person I saw walking by with Su-young-i in the alley last time."
"Hey now, what do you take me for? This teacher values her students' privacy above all. You know how upright I am—you've even relied on me a few times back in the day."
"Just hear me out first. That person ate at our restaurant a few days ago."
"Really? How'd that happen?"
" Ran into them right in front of the shop by chance."
I didn't go into the details of that day.
"Name was Kwon Su-an-ssi, I think? We talked a bunch, and they seemed like a really nice person."
"Hmm, really? I don't know them that well."
"Anyway, right as they were finishing up and about to leave, Su-young-i came into the restaurant."
"So that's when you figured out she was his sister."
"Yeah, but Su-young-i seemed off. Way more calm? Or kinda deflated, weirdly subdued."
"Hmm..."
Teacher pondered what I said.
I couldn't tell exactly what she was thinking, but she clearly knew something.
"Su-young-i didn't say anything?"
"To Su-an-ssi? Nah, not really."
She'd scolded him plenty, though.
"She was a little worried since he's her brother. Said it'd be better if she went along when he takes the dog for walks."
"No, I mean, didn't she say anything to you?"
"Not really to me."
Her tone implied there was some big confession coming.
Teacher took a sip of water and explained.
About Kwon Su-young's school life.
"Since you already know her brother is visually impaired, I guess I can explain it plainly enough. From what I've seen, Su-young-i pours a ton of affection into you siblings, even if she doesn't say it outright."
"Really?"
"Yeah, definitely. Her image at school and here is night and day. In class, she only hangs out with Ji-ah. She's not on bad terms with the others, but it's like she keeps a wall up? Or maintains distance. She talks to them, but doesn't try to get close."
"That's surprising for Su-young-i."
She was always bright here at the restaurant.
Playful, great with people.
If our place grew a bit, it'd be perfect to have a part-timer like Su-young-i.
"Yeah? But there's a reason. Early in the semester, she was walking her brother, and ran into some classmates. Their reaction was pretty bad, she said."
"I see."
"Yeah, so she was disappointed in them. Su-young-i treasures her brother so much, but the other kids were staring at him weird."
"Totally understandable. I'd be upset too if I were her."
Teacher snorted at my words.
"Heh, Su-young-i would love hearing that. That's why she's close with Ji-ah too—Ji-ah's met her brother and gets along with him fine."
Su-young-i and Ji-ah really are great kids.
School skipping aside.
It just hit me—maybe that's why Su-young-i ditches school so often. She hates being in that atmosphere.
"Now it makes sense. She must've been worried we'd look at her brother weird too, like her classmates."
"High chance of that. She's super attached to this place. She's probably hoping you won't—and thinks you won't."
Even so, thoughts and feelings don't always align. Especially if trauma's involved, emotions toy with logic like a plaything.
Experience overrides reason.
"If she'd just come back to the restaurant, we could clear up the misunderstanding. Such a shame."
"Huh? She hasn't been coming lately?"
"Nope, neither her nor Ji-ah."
"Oh, that tracks."
"Why?"
"I've been making those two stay for evening self-study. Exams."
There was backstory like that.
Digging into my school memories, yeah, this time of year was exam season.
"They've got great personalities and are good kids, but their grades are te~rrible! Their scores affect my performance too, so I'm desperate."
If my memory's right, Mi-jeong Sam was pretty lenient about grades. Must be bad if even she's like this.
"Today, specially because I saw your face, I'll let them eat dinner here. Tell Su-young-i. Now make me food. And my son's too."
"Extra special with tons of meat for you."
"You know it! Kim Mi-jeong lives for meat. Cha Yu-min too."
"Yeah?"
Yu-min-i whipped around when he heard his name.
"Yu-mini like meat?"
"Yeah. I like meat."
"Oppa makes the best meat. You know that, right?"
"Yeah, the best. Ah... that's right!"
Yu-min-i walked calmly over to his mom.
"Mom."
"What is it, son?"
"Let's go learn cooking from Yoon-seul's Oppa. The food's super tasty."
"Son..."
Teacher Kim Mi-jeong's pupils shook.
"So Mom's food isn't tasty?"
"Uh... no! Mom's is tasty too, but this place's food is tastier. Yoon-seul's Oppa is really good at cooking."
"Hmm, okay."
The 30-something PE teacher puffed her cheeks in a way that didn't match her age. She shot me a resentful glare and sighed.
"Joo-hyun-ah, can you teach Teacher how to cook?"
"I can share the recipe."
In the end, I texted her a simple pork stir-fry recipe. Even if she tried, she probably couldn't replicate my taste, so I didn't worry about losing customers over it.
**
Evening came, and Su-young-i showed up.
Coincidentally, customers were sparse—just the occasional one.
Felt like the dinner crowd had mostly come at lunch.
"O...! Long time no see! Su-young Noona."
"Yeah! Hi, Yoon-seul. Noona's here."
For once, she was properly in uniform with a fat backpack slung over her shoulder, looking every bit the student.
"What, Kwon Su-young? Thought you'd ghosted us for good since you hadn't come in ages."
"How could I? I'm already hooked on Joo-hyun Oppa's cooking. It was exam time, and Teacher was watching, so I had to study."
"Ji-ah too?"
"Yeah. Unlike me, Ji-ah's got dreams—she's gotta work hard."
"Got it. Anyway, thanks for coming back. Food'll be ready soon."
"Yay! Joo-hyun Oppa's food after so long."
Totally different from how she'd been in front of Kwon Su-an-ssi last time.
This was the Kwon Su-young-i I knew.
Bright and cheerful.
For today, I served her usual—rice with eggplant fritters. Her most-ordered dish so far.
"Ooh, eggplant fritters! That's the one... Can't quit this, so I keep coming back."
"Sounds like some 40-year-old uncle at a street food stall. And Mi-jeong Sam already paid, so eat up without worry."
"Huh? Teacher paid?"
"Yeah, she stopped by earlier."
"Ohh! No wonder she ditched us and left first. She wanted Joo-hyun Oppa's food. Gotta respect that."
I kept it secret that I'd called her.