Chapter 69
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Wedding Photos and Tense Reunions
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“We’ll start with photos for the bride’s side, then move on to the groom’s side. Please wait off to one side.”
I fiddled with the meal ticket stuffed in my jacket pocket. Photo session… Do we really have to do this? Still, since I’d come all this way, I kind of wanted to leave some proof that I’d been here.
“What’re you doing here? Hurry up and go get your picture taken.”
That’s when it happened.
Out of nowhere, some guy—clearly one of the “hyung” types—shoved me from behind. Must’ve just come back from the bathroom or something. Damn it.
“Uh, y-yeah. Hana, can you wait here for me?”
“Sure.”
As I shuffled along awkwardly, Oh Hana’s lips pressed into a tight line. Her gaze didn’t even seem to be on me.
Meanwhile, as I scratched my cheek and approached, I spotted Choi Do-hyung chatting up Ji Sun-hye from afar. Seeing her head nod quietly up and down made my feet grind to a halt.
“Need to use the bathroom?”
“No.”
“Then let’s go already. We came all this way—might as well get a photo.”
Stop pushing me. My feet weren’t moving anyway. The closer I got, the more my head spun.
Meanwhile, Choi Do-hyung caught sight of me and smirked silently to himself. How could anyone be such a prick? I really wanted to slap him.
“Alright, let’s begin photos for the groom’s side right away. Company colleagues, please come up first.”
I must’ve been dragging my feet. I’d only walked from the entrance to the center of the hall, but the bride’s side was already done, and the groom’s side had started.
As I headed toward the cluster of my old college buddies, Ji Sun-hye approached first.
“Let’s talk later over food.”
“…Okay.”
At my fidgeting response to her words, the hyung who’d dragged me over tilted his head.
“What’s up with you and the TA? Did you confess or something?”
“Confess?”
I made a ridiculous face. Back in my far more pathetic college days, confessing would’ve been horrifying enough.
“A confession would’ve been better.”
At least that would’ve been somewhat “normal.” But what had happened between Ji Sun-hye and me was something I couldn’t even say out loud. For real.
Meanwhile, Choi Do-hyung slyly draped an arm over my shoulder and whispered in my ear.
“This guy’s been rotten from the start. No wonder you’re still a jobless bum.”
Sure, I was in a tough spot right now. But that didn’t mean I had to put up with it from this jerk too.
“I don’t get why you’re so obsessed with me. Maybe tone it down?”
“What?”
I clapped his stiff shoulders right back and said,
“What if I end up doing better than you someday? Think you could handle that? Oh, wait—looks like I’m already crushing it on the girlfriend front. You even have one?”
“You…!”
Whether he was shocked or pissed, Choi Do-hyung lunged to grab my shoulders on reflex.
“Alright! Groom’s side college friends, please come up!”
Right on cue, the photographer called out, and Choi flinched back. I walked past him coolly, without even a smirk. That’d probably irk him more.
“Ah. You there, with the great hairstyle—center, please. Yes, right there. Perfect image for photos.”
I pointed at myself just in case, and the photographer nodded.
“Yes! That’s right. Stand like that.”
Even though I’d arrived late, I ended up right next to the groom and bride.
The hyung who’d brought me got the same spot. I felt him glance at me from behind.
Just before the shot, he whispered,
“…You’re scarier than I thought. Or, well, no joke.”
I faced forward with a big smile.
“It’s nothing.”
Really. For a guy who’d holed up in a one-room like a gloomy hermit all this time, dealing with every kind of nightmare customer at the convenience store for over a year…
What just happened barely registered.
If anything,
“Still the same personality. Or maybe a bit more grown-up than before.”
Ji Sun-hye’s words, landing right beside me by chance, hit way harder. My lips twitched as I smiled for the photo.
How many shots do they need? Just end already. Damn it.
*
“Great job, everyone!”
After a few more shots, we left the groom and bride to change into hanbok and stepped down from the platform. Oh Hana was already rushing toward me.
“Oppa!”
She let out that cute, nasal whine she only used when she wanted something and threw herself at me. She’d been acting weird all day. What was up?
Nicotine withdrawal symptoms from quitting smoking?
“I’m hungry. Let’s hit the buffet. Buffet.”
“Yeah.”
Her soft chest rubbed hard against my arm, sending blood rushing south. I desperately recited the national anthem’s fourth verse at quadruple speed in my head to hold out.
I even thought about slipping away to the buffet just the two of us, using her as an excuse. But my college buddies, the hyungs, and even Ji Sun-hye had lined up beside me.
“Let’s talk over food at the restaurant.”
“…Yes, TA.”
“I’m a researcher now. So, uh, just call me sunbae. Junior.”
“Got it.”
I nodded, desperate for even a moment’s escape.
But heading to the seventh-floor buffet, we had to walk side by side. No choice—everyone was flooding to the buffet right after the meal. Stopping awkwardly would just annoy the crowd behind us.
“Oppa, don’t worry. I’m here.”
Her reassuring words were nice. But on the stairs, stop rubbing your chest against me. It’s dangerous in all sorts of ways.
[No re-entry to banquet hall]
[2 hours free parking]
Honestly, the buffet had its own bathrooms, so unless there was some extreme situation, who’d cause a scene even here?
But seeing it emphasized in blood-red letters like that, maybe such people did exist.
Makes sense. Working at the convenience store, I’d learned that news-level crazies were surprisingly common.
Choi Do-hyung from today’s one of them.
If everyone just got along, yielded when they should, showed consideration… the whole world could be happy.
But that didn’t happen because of people like Choi—self-centered types who needed to shine, plus all sorts of other ideologies. Couldn’t be helped.
To survive in that world, I couldn’t play the fool forever.
“Please wait a moment. We’re guiding guests due to the crowd.”
“Okay.”
We all nodded politely. What else could we do? Even a quick glance showed the place packed to bursting. The ceremony hall had been short on seats—what about the buffet?
I’d been to a wedding with few guests once. Even then, the buffet was jammed.
“Hey, you nailed it. Spot on.”
“What?”
“The real star of a wedding is the buffet. Look at those hungry eyes.”
“Obviously. After the time passes, the most memorable thing is the best dish from the buffet.”
Oh Hana and I whispered and giggled to each other. How was this so fun?
Then our eyes met Ji Sun-hye’s as she glanced over, and my body froze. Oh Hana responded by rubbing her chest against me even more.
I had no idea why she was doing it so much today, but it wasn’t a bad feeling.
“No point regretting it now. Too late.”
“Huh? What?”
“Nothing.”
I thought she’d locked eyes with Ji Sun-hye just now. Was it my imagination? Checking again, Oh Hana was already scanning the buffet for the optimal route and top dishes.
“Right this way, please. We’ll head to Room 6-B.”
These staff were no joke.
Navigating the soccer-stadium-level crowd like it was nothing, guiding us smoothly like immortals. I followed like I was possessed, and suddenly we were at a neatly set table in a bustling room.
“Enjoy your meal. If you need anything, just ask nearby staff. Thank you.”
“Thanks.”
The staff left.
We carefully hung our hanbok outer jackets—similar to mai—on chairs and muttered in our dress shirts.
“At least three years here minimum.”
“These days, two years gets you that level.”
“Crazy.”
I was impressed too.
But more importantly,
“Smaller than that buffet I went to before. Fewer dishes too.”
Across from me sat Choi Do-hyung and the girl from the fellatio earlier.
“Oppa, let’s go quick.”
Naturally, Oh Hana was on my left.
“Pretty crowded. Better to make multiple trips than overload and waste food.”
“Ah. Yeah.”
Ji Sun-hye sat on my right. Damn it.
The staff had seated us, so no intent, but how’d the seating end up like this? God’s prank or what.
“Oppa, let’s go!”
“Yeah.”
Obviously, the most popular food at a wedding buffet? Sushi. You learn that naturally.
Why? Because the line’s insane.
“Plates.”
“Got it.”
Sushi, yukhoe, LA ribs.
“But loading up on mains gets boring fast.”
“True.”
I added salad and cream pasta. Pizza and takoyaki in the distance looked tempting.
But start light first time.
…Feels less like a wedding and more like just hitting a buffet.
Especially watching Oh Hana pile her plate artistically full. How’d she make that look so pretty? Mine was embarrassing even to look at.
Plating food nicely is a talent. Damn.
“Drinks are zero Mountain Dew mandatory!”
“Can’t resist Mountain Dew at a buffet. Zero though?”
“Nope! Drinking it like it’s zero.”
Silly laughs kept bubbling up. Driving me crazy. Being with Oh Hana was always like this. Had picking buffet food ever been this fun?
Someone next to me stared oddly while plating. Wondering why I was grinning over drinks. Not thinking I’m nuts, right?
“Where’re the drinks? Can’t find them.”
“Ah, over there…”
Back at the table, seeing Ji Sun-hye already seated snapped me alert. More than that.
I shuffled awkwardly behind her chair to sit.
She looked at me steadily and spoke.
“You might not remember, but about something from our college days—senior year.”
At the same time, stinging gazes latched onto me.