Ji-su's Almost-Boyfriend
I heard someone shout her name.
“Ji-su!”
Three people—two guys and a girl—came running straight toward her. Her friends, I guess? Yeah, that makes sense. She mentioned her house and school were both around here.
I remembered hearing that Ji-su had taken a leave from college and started working part-time at the PC bang. Of course, I didn’t hear it from her directly. I’d just eavesdropped on her conversations with Seong-man.
While I was thinking, the girl who reached Ji-su first threw her arms around her and burst into tears.
“Ji-su! You’re alive! You’re really alive!!”
The girl clung to her, sobbing uncontrollably. The two guys stood there with tears glistening in their eyes, staring at Ji-su. I frowned, feeling awkward as hell, and just watched the whole scene unfold.
Ji-su, for her part, simply stared back at the three of them with that same blank, empty look in her eyes.
“Ji-su…? Are you okay? It’s me. Yun Chang-su.”
“Ji-su…?”
Even the girl who was hugging her seemed to finally notice something was off. She pulled back and looked at Ji-su with a puzzled expression.
Damn it. Looks like I have to step in. I really hated getting involved with strangers.
“Ah… you must be Ji-su’s friends. Nice to meet you. I’m Kang Min-gu.”
The three of them turned to look at me as I stepped forward. This is so fucking awkward.
“Ji-su’s not in great shape right now. The first time she ran into those monsters, the shock was pretty severe. She’s developed mutism and her mental state isn’t exactly stable either.”
Hmm. I just made that up, but it sounds pretty believable. In this crazy world, staying sane was the real miracle.
The girl looked at me and asked, “Then… who are you?”
“Oh, right. I worked part-time with Ji-su at the PC bang.”
“I… I see.”
She didn’t seem to have any more questions about me. The girl turned back to Ji-su, gently stroking her face.
“Ji-su. Are you really okay? You don’t recognize me? It’s me, Ji-yun. Jeong Ji-yun. Don’t you remember? Oh god… and all these wounds…”
The girl named Ji-yun kept caressing Ji-su’s face with a heartbroken look. When she saw the puncture mark on Ji-su’s neck from the poison needle, she broke down sobbing again.
From the way she was acting, it was clear they’d been really close. And then there was the guy staring at Ji-su like he was about to cry any second.
“Ji-su… It’s me… Jeong-hyun… You really don’t recognize me…?”
Whoa. The vibe here is weird. That wasn’t the look you gave a regular friend. There was way too much affection in those eyes and that voice. It gave me the creeps.
Don’t tell me he was her almost-boyfriend? Or actual boyfriend? Even if he was, they probably hadn’t gotten very far. After all, I was the one who took her virginity.
While I was feeling smug about that, the guy named Jeong-hyun reached out and stroked Ji-su’s face again.
“Ji-su… It’s me, Jeong-hyun… Why don’t you recognize me…?”
Okay, now I’m pissed. Why the hell was he touching what wasn’t his?
I gave Ji-su a mental command. She immediately slapped Jeong-hyun’s hand away, then scampered over to me, hiding behind my back and clutching my shirt while staring blankly at the three of them.
Kehehehehehehehe.
I was cackling like a goblin on the inside, but on the outside I put on an awkward, troubled expression.
“Sorry about this. Ever since that day, it seems like Ji-su only opens up to me. She follows me around like this now. Ji-su, these are your friends. They’re worried about you. Go on over to them.”
Absolutely do not go. Stay glued behind me.
I made a show of trying to peel her off my back and send her toward her friends, but Ji-su clung to me even tighter, refusing to budge. The three of them watched our little performance with twisted expressions. Jeong-hyun’s face was especially satisfying to look at.
“Ji-su…” he called out pitifully.
I barely held back the laughter threatening to burst out of me and said, “I’d love to let you all catch up, but Ji-su’s being really stubborn. I’m sorry.”
Ji-yun looked downcast as she replied, “Why would you apologize? This is all because the world has gone insane…”
“J-Ji-su.”
Maybe Jeong-hyun was afraid he’d lose her if he didn’t act fast. He called her name desperately and strode right up to us, speaking to Ji-su who was still hiding behind me.
“C-come with us. We’re all gathered at the school. Jun-woo, Mi-young, An-gi, Hyun-ah, Ji-eun—they’re all there. If we stay together and you rest, your mind will come back. Then we can go back to how things used to be…”
Suddenly Ji-su clutched her head and collapsed to the ground. She grimaced in apparent agony, her whole body trembling violently.
Of course, I was the one making her do it. Our Ji-su’s such a good actress.
I wrapped my arms around her with an angry expression and shouted, “Stop it! What the hell do you think you’re doing?! Back off! She’s already unstable from the trauma…”
At my outburst, Jeong-hyun stumbled backward, his face turning pale. Ji-yun shot him a look full of resentment.
Why is this so entertaining? I could get addicted to this.
I gently patted Ji-su’s back and spoke in a low voice.
“Once Ji-su recovers mentally, I’ll make sure she goes to see all of you even if she doesn’t want to. So for now, please leave her with me and go on your way.”
Jeong-hyun’s face crumpled like he was on the verge of tears. Serves you right for touching another man’s woman. Annoying bastard.
That’s when Chang-su, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up.
“Kang… Min-gu?”
So he finally recognized me. I tilted my head and looked at him.
“Yes, I’m Kang Min-gu. Why…?”
“It really is you, right? Kang Min-gu from Class 2 of the first year at Se-yeon High?!”
I frowned, pretending to search my memory, then said, “Yun… Chang-su?”
Chang-su’s face lit up as he stepped closer.
“Yeah, man! It’s Yun Chang-su! Wow, it really is you, Kang Min-gu?”
“Uh, yeah. Good to see you, Yun Chang-su.”
I put on a slightly dazed expression and returned his greeting. Ji-yun asked if we knew each other, and Chang-su explained.
“Yeah, we were high school classmates. He was always really quiet so we didn’t talk much, but… it’s nice to run into him even in a situation like this.”
Huh. The guy who used to be the most popular kid in school was actually happy to see a loser like me. He seemed like a pretty decent dude. Back in high school, there were plenty of assholes who bullied the outcasts. The fact that he never messed with me was proof enough that he wasn’t one of the bad ones.
Chang-su asked with a bright expression, “So what happened? How did you and Ji-su end up together…?”
I shrugged. “Ji-su and I worked the same part-time shift at the PC bang. The day the monster outbreak happened, those things broke into our shop. We somehow managed to kill the goblins, but one of the other male part-timers died right in front of us. Ji-su saw it all and… well, she ended up like this. Ever since then she’s been stuck to me like I’m her mom or something. She won’t let go.”
Yeah, this story sounds solid.
Chang-su looked shocked. “You killed goblins? Then that means…”
“Yeah. Both Ji-su and I activated our classes.”
“That explains it… I thought it was weird how easily she was taking down those goblins. Her level must be pretty high, huh?”
I nodded. “Well, her level is high, and my class effect helps too…”
My class effect is definitely the biggest factor. Just thinking about that night was making me hard again… Whoops. Can’t get like this in front of other people.
“Class effect?”
“Ah, it’s like a buff. My class lets me give her a pretty strong stat buff.”
“Wow, that’s amazing. So the way you suddenly appeared was also from your class?”
“That’s right. I have a skill that lets me hide my presence. Haven’t you guys activated your classes yet?”
Chang-su shook his head at my question. “No, we all activated ours too. It’s just… we’re still scared to fight…”
Tsk tsk. With that kind of mindset, they wouldn’t last long. Well, not my problem.
I nodded like I understood. Chang-su hesitated for a moment, then said, “If you don’t have any other plans, why don’t you come with us? We’re all gathered at the school with our classmates and upperclassmen. In a world like this, sticking together with people you know has to increase our chances of survival, right? If you and Ji-su joined us, it would be a huge help…”
At his words, both Ji-yun and Jeong-hyun looked at us with sparkling eyes. Jeong-hyun’s gaze on Ji-su was especially bright and it really pissed me off.
Are you crazy? Why the hell would I go there?
I put on a regretful expression and told Chang-su, “Sorry, but I’m actually on my way to find my parents… so that’s going to be difficult.”
“Y-your parents are still alive?”
Of course they were. Alive and well inside my heart forever. Wait, isn’t that what people usually say when someone’s dead? Anyway, he couldn’t exactly stop me if I said I was going to look for my parents.
I thought about my parents who had passed away when I was young and put on the most somber expression I could manage.
“Yeah. They’re not here—they’re in another area… Honestly, I don’t even know if they’re still alive. There’s no way to contact them… But as their son, I can’t just sit still, can I? No matter where they are, I have to go look for them.”
At my resolute words, Chang-su nodded.
“…Yeah. I hope you find them.”
At that, Ji-yun suddenly burst into tears. When I looked at her curiously, Chang-su bit his lip and said, “We… we don’t know if our parents are alive either. Once we grow stronger with our activated classes, we’re planning to go look for them too. Ji-yun probably got emotional thinking about her parents…”
The mood’s getting way too heavy. Time to get out of here.
I patted Chang-su on the shoulder and said, “Yeah. Let’s all do our best. Take care of yourselves.”
When I showed signs of leaving, Ji-yun approached Ji-su, wiped her tears, and said her goodbyes. Then Jeong-hyun stepped forward. He looked at me with pitiful eyes and said,
“I-isn’t it a bit much to drag Ji-su along on a journey to confirm your parents’ uncertain survival? She has nothing to do with your parents…”
“Park Jeong-hyun!!”
Before I could even get angry, Chang-su exploded first.
“What the hell are you saying right now? No matter how close you were with Ji-su—”
“N-no, but it’s true! It’s natural for him to go look for his parents, but why does Ji-su have to go with him on such a dangerous road?!”
Jeong-hyun shouted in agitation, then grabbed Ji-su’s hand and pleaded desperately.
“J-Ji-su. Please don’t do this. Come with us. It’s okay if you’re sick. I’ll stay by your side and take care of you until you get better. Just give it a little time and surely—”
“Kyaaaaaaaah!!!”
Ji-su let out a loud scream, clutching her head. Her body shook violently before she collapsed.
Of course, I was the one directing her again. I caught the collapsing Ji-su—who honestly deserved an acting award—and shouted,
“Back off!”
I thrust my palm out toward Jeong-hyun to stop him from coming closer and continued,
“How can you say something like that about my parents’ uncertain survival? And I feel terrible about dragging Ji-su along this dangerous path too. But what can I do?! She refuses to leave my side…”
Huh. My acting’s pretty good too. Who knew I had this kind of talent? If I’d known earlier, I might have tried to get into the entertainment industry… Nah, that wouldn’t have worked. You need to be good-looking for that.
While my mind was filled with random nonsense, my face maintained a heartbroken expression with bitten lips. Seeing that, Ji-yun and Chang-su glared at Jeong-hyun and growled.
“Oppa… how could you say something like that? Is only your feelings important? Other people’s feelings don’t matter at all?”
“Just stop already. I’m really disappointed in you right now.”
At their cold words, Jeong-hyun staggered back, then hung his head low.
Chang-su came over to me and said quietly, “…Sorry. He’s not usually like this. It’s just… he had that kind of relationship with Ji-su. Like… a situationship? Something like that. So… I hope you can understand.”
I nodded with an understanding look. “I see. Then I guess it makes sense he’d act that way. Honestly, I’d like to send Ji-su with you if I could. But you saw it. She absolutely refuses to leave my side…”
“Yeah, I get it. It’s not like you want it this way either. Must be tough having to take care of Ji-su when she’s not even mentally sound. Hang in there.”
I looked at Chang-su with grateful eyes.
We parted ways at the mart. Since I knew which direction their school was, I just said I was heading the opposite way. As we were leaving, I remembered what Jeong-hyun had said.
He asked me to take good care of Ji-su. Since she wasn’t mentally sound, he hoped I’d treat her well… He phrased it indirectly, but I could roughly guess what he really meant. He was worried about his girl’s chastity.
But what could he do? I was fucking her senseless every single night.
Still, I looked at him with clear, wholesome eyes and told him not to worry at all. I even added that once Ji-su recovered mentally, I would definitely send her back. Jeong-hyun gave me a grateful look and shook my hand.
After parting ways with Chang-su’s group, I looked at Ji-su with a tired face and said,
“Hey, Oppa’s exhausted. Dealing with people is seriously not easy, right?”
I recalled Jeong-hyun’s face and smiled.
“…But it was fucking fun.”