What Do You Think About Tattoos?
The next morning.
A voice woke me at the crack of dawn.
"Cheol-jin, get up."
"Mmm...."
"I said get up."
"Noona... no matter how good the sex is... just let me sleep...."
I hadn't been sleeping much lately, so fatigue had piled up. And I'd exerted myself so much yesterday. Let me sleep in on the weekend....
That was what I was mumbling in my sleep.
Kwok!
My cock was grabbed.
"Ugghk?! Wh-what are you doing!"
She didn't even touch it gently, just straight-up grabbed it. Having my weak point caught by surprise like that made me feel a genuine threat to my life.
"Cut the nonsense and get up right now. We're going for our morning workout."
Seora noona glared at me, eyes fierce and wide, and growled. A phone screen was shoved right in front of my face. It was time to head out for our run.
"Ah...."
"Don't make dumb noises, hurry up. Here, get dressed. Wash your face too."
Now that I looked, noona was already fully dressed. She must have been just as tired as I was.
'So this is how she maintains that body.'
That toned physique didn't just happen on its own. No matter how drained or worn out she was, she never skipped a workout.
I dragged myself out of bed, washed my face, and changed clothes. In the meantime, noona filled a shaker bottle with water.
The streamside path near Cheonggwang University.
Out at Cheonggaecheon, we started running like we always did. Was it because this had been a routine for months now? Once I actually started running, energy returned to my body.
Then suddenly, Seora noona, running beside me, spoke in a slightly surprised voice.
"Cheol-jin, you didn't put your cover sheet on?"
"What? Oh, you're right."
When I touched the nape of my neck, I could feel the scar exactly as it was. I really hadn't put the cover sheet on.
'Come to think of it, even when I was with noona yesterday....'
I'd been at home, so I didn't have the cover sheet on. Noona's visit was sudden too, and my eyes had been fixed on the fried chicken we hadn't had in so long, so I just didn't think about it.
Noona asked with concern.
"Should we go back?"
"Mm... it's fine. It's not very noticeable, right?"
"Yeah. Unless you're actively looking for it."
The starting point of my scar was relatively low on my neck. Like noona said, it was in a spot that wasn't very visible unless you were paying close attention. That was also why hardly anyone had ever asked about the cover sheet.
"Sorry. This is because of me...."
"Nah, how is this your fault? I'm the one who forgot."
"I rushed you to get ready, that's why."
"I said it's fine. And it's barely noticeable."
I scratched at my neck before forcing my hand back down.
'Honestly, it bothers me... but if I say that, noona will feel even more sorry.'
I didn't want to see that. And this really wasn't noona's fault anyway.
I started running again and changed the subject.
"Now that I think about it, why didn't you say anything yesterday?"
"Huh?"
"From the moment you came over yesterday, I wasn't wearing it."
"Well, that was because I figured you'd be self-conscious about it. You don't want it seen, right."
So she was being considerate after all.
I forced a grin and said jokingly.
"Kinda touching, honestly."
"Everything's touching to you. Anyway, are you really okay?"
"I'm really fine. I was planning on taking it off for good soon anyway...."
"Huh? Really?"
Whoops. In my attempt to put noona at ease, I'd carelessly blurted out something I'd only been mulling over.
"Well, I've been debating getting a tattoo on my neck and collarbone...."
"A tattoo?"
Seora noona's eyes widened.
'Since I've already brought it up, should I ask what she thinks?'
I'd been meaning to hear what people around me thought anyway. Even though I was leaning toward getting one, I was still worried about how others would see it.
"I'm thinking of covering the scar with a tattoo... what do you think?"
"Hmm. A tattoo could definitely be one way to go. It'd be a pain to keep covering it up forever."
We kept running even while talking. In the old days, I would've been too out of breath and just wheezing, but it occurred to me how much better my stamina had gotten.
Seora noona patted my back and said,
"But no way you're getting anything like an irezumi, right?"
"Ah, I won't. I'm not a gangster; why would I get an irezumi."
"Ahaha. Okay, let's pick up the pace."
"Yep."
I thought as I jogged along.
Should I ask the others about it too?
*
After that, I asked my friends what they thought about getting a tattoo.
Bam noona said this.
- Tattoos? Back home, tattoos are an absolute no-go. The stigma is really bad—worse than in Korea. If you asked me to get one, it'd be a definite no.
"R-really?"
- Yes. Ah, but I don't mind if other people get them. I don't think it's bad if Saebyeok or Cheol-jin get one... you're not misunderstanding me, right?
"I didn't misunderstand, don't worry."
Where exactly was Bam noona's home country? I knew that in parts of Europe, tattoos were considered a form of art or personal expression. Ah, was Eastern Europe more negative about it?
I gave Ahn Seong-hyeon a call too.
- A tattoo... if you asked me to get one, there's no way in hell I would.
"Yeah?"
- Yeah. I've never understood paying money to have something carved into your body like that. Honestly, it just gives me bad associations.
"Hmm. I feel the same way."
- I hear a lot of people regret it and get them removed later. Costs a ton of money, and it hurts like a bitch, apparently.
Ahn Seong-hyeon added this too.
- But, like, in your situation with the scar, then... wouldn't it be okay? You hate showing the scar more than you would a tattoo. The real problem is you can't keep explaining it to everyone you meet....
Ahn Seong-hyeon's voice sounded bitter as he said that.
- I'm sorry. Back then, if I had just told people around us... you wouldn't even have that scar....
Flustered, I cut Ahn Seong-hyeon off. This bastard was spiraling again.
"Hey hey, stop. I didn't ask because I wanted to hear an apology. How is that your fault?"
- I just... have regrets, that's all.
"Anyway, thanks for your thoughts. I'm hanging up now."
Ahn Seong-hyeon ignoring me in the past had definitely been a shock, but blaming the scar on Ahn Seong-hyeon wasn't right. Even I, who it happened to, was too scared to tell anyone—so how was it Ahn Seong-hyeon's fault?
Anyway, opinions on tattoos were mostly similar to Ahn Seong-hyeon's. Everyone found it hard to view tattoos themselves positively, but if I was going to get one, they wouldn't exactly stop me. Probably because they knew about my burn scar.
What was surprising was that even Seong-ju hyung, who had tattoos himself, wasn't unconditionally positive about it.
Seong-ju hyung said this.
- Well, since I have tattoos myself, I don't really have an aversion to them. But I hate getting them without any meaning. And I'm not a fan of anything too flashy either.
"Really?"
- Yeah. Especially people who do it just to look tough—that's genuinely pathetic. And there are surprisingly a lot of them, you know?
"Ugh, I hadn't even thought of that."
- Right. Anyway, think about it hard. I think it's fine, but the stigma is real.
"Got it. Uh, you seem busy, so I'll let you go...."
I ended the call quickly because I'd caught the faint sound of a woman moaning. It didn't sound like just one person, either....
Anyway, in the process of gathering opinions, I learned a few interesting facts and also developed a new curiosity.
The interesting facts I learned were about tattoo designs and placements. Hana told me about it.
- Y-you have to be careful with tattoos. The design and placement can carry specific meanings... I've heard of people getting into serious trouble because they didn't know.
"For example?"
- Like a teardrop tattoo, or a spade....
Teardrop tattoos are generally associated with murder, revenge, and other crimes. People now sometimes get them with more sentimental meanings, like overcoming sadness or not hiding your emotions, but they can still cause misunderstandings, so it's better to avoid them.
Spade tattoos didn't have a good reputation either. Some spade designs are linked to American gangs, and a spade queen, for example, apparently signifies a specific sexual preference.
'I need to think carefully about the design and placement. I'm glad I found that out.'
If I were to get one, what kind of tattoo would be good? Since it would be etched into my skin, it'd be nice if it had its own meaning.
'Come to think of it, what does Saebyeok noona's tattoo mean?'
I suddenly got curious. Did her tattoo have a special meaning too?
I'd been about to call Areum last. Brrr, my phone vibrated before I could even dial.
"Mother?"
- Yes, son. Are you running low on kimchi? Should I bring you some?
Now that I thought about it, my kimchi supply was gradually running out.
I picked up my car keys.
"I'll come home. I want to see you too, it's been a while."
- Hoho. That's exactly what I was hoping you'd say. I'll make something delicious.
"Ah, I'm on a diet though...."
- We can just make it a diet-friendly meal then. Cut down on carbs, focus on protein! Use less seasoning! And make sure to include lots of fiber!
"Huh? H-how do you know all that?"
Carbs, protein, dietary fiber.
It didn't sound like she was just throwing around the term "diet meal"—she really seemed to know what she was talking about.
- Hoho. Of course I know that much. When your dad was young, I was the one who managed his meal plans~.
"Whoa...."
My mother is amazing.
*
I got an earful of nagging while we ate.
"You never even come by unless Mom calls first. Is college life really that fun?"