Midterms Over. The School Festival Begins. (4)
After Children's Day passed, Jihyeok asked the school teachers about it. They explained that only professionals with a business license were normally allowed to enter the school grounds to help prepare for the festival. However, because of all the ways Jihyeok had contributed to the school, they made a special exception just this once. Yuna also succeeded in bringing her little sister, under the condition that she wouldn't cause any trouble.
With exams finally over, thinking of this as a preliminary scouting trip to properly enjoy the festival didn't feel bad at all. They looked at the origami guidebook Jihyeok had brought and tried assembling the models, but it seemed too difficult for elementary school kids after all. Seohee gave up midway and started folding paper to make her own parts, while Jina, perhaps fueled by a quiet stubborn streak, stuck with it until the end.
Watching Jina work so diligently, both Jihyeok and Yuna couldn't help but smile warmly.
"Jina's really going at it, huh?"
"Yeah. She's probably imagining her creation on display and getting praised for it."
"Hehe. You think so? But when outsiders come... there will probably be those kinds of people, right?"
"Hm? What kinds?"
"You know the type~ The ones who nitpick everything and start arguments for no reason..."
"Ah..."
If Yuna's radar picked them up, Jihyeok could step in himself, but there were also groups that banded together to cause trouble, so letting his guard down was dangerous.
But.
"For now, let's just focus on enjoying the festival. That'll be better for Jina and Seohee too."
"You're right. I'll trust my boyfriend's words and throw myself completely into festival prep!"
"That's the spirit. Alright! Let's get these made!"
"Yeah!"
They didn't need to make too many. Since the number of sheets used determined wildly different shapes, they just had to pick the most popular designs, create reference prototypes, and be done.
"Hey! Jihyeok! We're all done. Where should we put them?"
"There's a spot the kids prepared yesterday. Just count how many sheets you used and put them in the right place."
"Got it!"
About fifteen minutes after they started, Jina looked up with a satisfied expression.
"Jina's all done!"
"Really? Let me see."
Jihyeok checked the three-dimensional shape Jina had assembled. Thanks to Jihyeok, Yuna, and Seohee folding as neatly as possible, the result was flawless, without a single wrinkle. As expected, good materials really did lead to higher-quality finished products.
Jihyeok gently ruffled Jina's hair, who had worked so hard.
"It was pretty difficult, right? I can't believe you didn't give up and finished it all. That's really amazing."
"Really? Is Jina super amazing?"
"Of course. Even though we folded everything neatly, if the person assembling it isn't skilled, the final quality still suffers no matter how good the materials are."
"Like how Mom cooks?"
Jihyeok's mother had a god-given talent for making delicious food even when the ingredients weren't that great. Jina's comparison was so spot-on that Jihyeok chuckled softly.
"Pfft... Yeah. You did a really good job."
"Hehe. It's a collaborative masterpiece from all four of us!"
Seohee, curious about the finished product, came closer to take a look.
"Whoa... Our folded paper turned into this?"
"Yep! It's all thanks to you folding everything so cleanly, Seohee. We could make it this pretty because of you! Thank you!"
"No... I mean... I think it's because Jina assembled it so well..."
Apparently embarrassed by the praise, Seohee hid behind Jihyeok's back.
"Ugh... Can I borrow your back for a second, oppa?"
"You're hiding because you're shy about getting compliments?"
"...Yeah, that's it."
While Jihyeok and Yuna praised the two girls and picked out the next model to make, someone from the other side of the room spoke up.
"Hey. The report cards just went up on the school website."
"Oh, for real? Let's check it right now."
The grades had come out surprisingly fast.
"Jihyeok, aren't you going to look?"
"I should check. I already know the results, but still."
Just in case, Jihyeok took out his phone, entered his student number and personal information on the school homepage, and pulled up his report card. As expected of the king of memory, he had taken first place in the entire school.
"What rank did you get?"
"First in the school. I'm checking the scores too, just to be sure."
"Seriously? Whoa... You're incredible, as always."
"This test... I guess I got luckier than I expected."
"Hehe. So humble too?"
Listening to Yuna's praise, he checked the detailed scores.
"...Perfect scores across the board."
"...I'm so shocked I can't even speak. Is that even allowed?"
"...Probably? What about you, Yuna?"
"Huh? Should I check mine too?"
Yuna looked up her own results.
"Let's see~ Eighth in the whole school? Looks like I only missed one or two questions per subject!"
"You made it into the single digits. Good work."
"Thank you so muuuch~!"
Since Jihyeok was the one who had helped her achieve these grades, Yuna threw her arms around him tightly, even with Jina, Seohee, and all their classmates watching.
The classmates, who couldn't just ignore the couple's lovey-dovey moment, called out to them.
"Hey! What are you doing in front of your little sisters?!"
"This is bad for the kids' education, you two!"
Hearing the students' scolding, Jihyeok and Yuna weren't bothered at all. They knew the girls were already used to seeing this. After all, hugs were something families did too.
Thinking that way, Jina and Seohee spoke up.
"We're fine with it. It's not like we've only seen it once or twice."
"Yeah! Jina too! Everyone hugs, right?"
At Jina's use of the word "everyone," the students let out deep sighs, realizing that aside from family, none of them had ever received a hug from that particular "everyone."
"...Well, they are at that age where they're growing up on love."
"That's Jihyeok's little sister? Ha. She's nothing like mine."
The students, their motivation thoroughly drained, finished making all the prototypes not long after. They immediately stood up, cleaned up the area, and headed home.
"We're all done. We'll head out first. Good work."
"Yeah. You too."
Glancing sideways at what the other students had made, Jihyeok saw that they had done a pretty clean job. They clearly understood that sloppy work would mean doing it over.
Since Jihyeok's group had also wrapped things up to a decent point, they started getting ready to head home too.
"Looks like we're mostly finished. At this level, even someone seeing it for the first time should be able to do it."
"It's been a while since I folded paper... That was fun."
"Jina thought assembling was fun too!"
Maybe because they'd been sitting for so long, when Jihyeok stretched, his whole body cracked loudly.
"Oppa, your bones are making so much noise..."
"That's what happens when you sit for a long time... Are you two okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Jina too!"
Maybe it was because they were still young. Jihyeok once again realized just how incredible his sisters' stamina was.
"Haaauung~♡"
"...What kind of sound is that?"
"Mmm~? I'm just stretching? Uuht... Huaaang♡"
"Can you please stop making those weird noises?!"
Hearing Yuna make sounds that sounded far too suggestive to be called stretching—sounds that would probably make the teachers burst in the moment they heard them—Jihyeok quickly covered her mouth with his hand.
"Mmm?"
"Don't make weird sounds. I'm begging you."
When Yuna nodded as if to say she understood, Jihyeok pulled his hand away, only to see her sticking her tongue out at him.
"You were trying to lick my hand."
"No~? I was just teasing you with a blep~"
"...Fine, I get it."
Before heading home, they swept the workspace with a broom for one last cleanup. Looking at the spot now returned to its original clean state, Jihyeok spoke to the group that had worked so hard.
"Everyone worked really hard today. You must be tired, so I'll ask Mom and prepare something delicious."
"Huh? You're going to cook it yourself, oppa?"
"...I'll have Mom make it."
"I know Mom's food is delicious, but Jina thinks oppa's cooking would be good too!"
"...Studying and cooking are different. Studying ends once you memorize it, but cooking depends on technique. You know that, right?"
"Hmm~ Even if it doesn't taste good, I'm confident I can eat it~"
When things didn't go the way Jihyeok had imagined, he looked flustered. But the three of them pressed him as if his excuses meant nothing, clearly determined not to miss this chance to eat Jihyeok's cooking.
Jihyeok couldn't bear to ignore the three of them and go to a restaurant after seeing the disappointment on his sisters' and girlfriend's faces. They were looking forward to it so much. He was too kind to let them down.
"...Alright. I'll try making something. But don't complain if it doesn't taste good."
"Jina will eat anything oppa makes and think it's delicious!"
"Food made by my friend's oppa? I can brag about it openly to my school friends."
"If my boyfriend made it, anything would taste good~"
When he reluctantly agreed to cook, they answered with expressions full of joy. Since he had never cooked before, Jihyeok could only hope his mother was home.
***
"Yes, that's how you do it. You're picking it up fast."
"It's easier than I thought. Maybe it's because you're such a good teacher."
"Our son's just a quick learner~"
When Jihyeok brought Yuna, Seohee, and Jina home, his mother was the first person they saw. Yuna greeted her politely. He'd been worried she might be startled by the sudden guests, but there was no need for concern. His mother naturally welcomed Yuna and Seohee with kindness. When Jihyeok asked for her help, she skillfully seated the visitors at the dining table, then brought two aprons and led him into the kitchen.
The dish Jihyeok was learning from his mother was fried rice. It was a simple recipe: finely chop various ingredients, heat oil in a pan, add the rice and ingredients, season, and stir-fry. Thanks to his excellent memory, Jihyeok remembered every word his mother said and began moving based on that information. Even though it was his first time cooking, he moved as naturally as someone who had done it many times before.
Before long, Jihyeok completed his very first dish: Jihyeok-style ham and cheese fried rice.
"I made Yuna's favorite. Since we have guests over, I figured I should make something tailored to them."
"Whoa~ My boyfriend's actually good at cooking?"
"...I need to take a picture. I have to capture this...!"
"Oppa, you said this is your first time cooking... Jina can't believe it."
"...Yeah, it really is my first time."
"Jihyeok learned so quickly that Mom might have gotten a little carried away. Hehe... Everyone, eat up~ It's all thanks to Jihyeok~"
"I definitely won't leave a single grain, ma'am!"
Excluding his mother, the four of them finished their pre-meal greetings at the table and began eating the fried rice. Seeing their positive reactions, Jihyeok smiled in relief. Even though he had made it himself, watching them enjoy it so much made him feel full without even eating. It gave him a moment to reflect on the feelings his mother must have had all this time.