Proposal (2)
On the way home from school, my bag slung carelessly over one shoulder, I walked with a massive bulk of twitching muscles right beside me. Kim Charyeok, my one and only friend at school. This guy, cursed with baldness, a ripped physique, and a prematurely aged face, had one clear perk: no matter who it was, they parted like the Red Sea at the sight of him. Elementary kids swarming the sidewalk? They scattered. Even thugs gathering in a pack? They made way.
"Hanjun. You're dating the transfer student, right?"
Halfway down the road, Kim Charyeok tossed the question my way. I silently recalled what Miho had said in the art room today.
Will you stay with me from now on?
Even I, with zero dating experience, knew that question carried all sorts of implications. As I trudged along without a word, Charyeok let out a snickering laugh.
"Knew it. Just like I figured. Every lunch break ends, and bam—that transfer student's scent clings to you. Saw the same thing in a manga yesterday. The transfer girl sneaking off for a secret rendezvous with the protagonist during lunch..."
I slammed a kick into Charyeok's thigh for spewing such nonsense. Normally, my foot would throb from striking that rock-hard leg, leaving him unfazed. But this time...
"Hm...?"
His leg wobbled. Caught off guard by his own near-fall, he toppled over in some awkward pose.
"Wha...?!"
I hadn't expected this monster to trip either, so I panicked and bent down to grab his collar. But before I could reach, he pushed off the ground with his arms, rolled into a perfect tumble, and sprang back up.
"Freakin' insane..."
Monster-level athleticism, no matter how you sliced it. I'd witnessed his antics up close plenty of times—hell, I knew worse stunts—but it never got less shocking. Charyeok dusted off his hands and fixed me with a steady gaze.
"Hanjun."
Suddenly, his eyes darkened with uncharacteristic gravity. I hadn't seen him this serious in forever, and it made me flinch instinctively.
"Wh-what?"
I braced myself, ready to unleash Jin Gang Ri Ling if things got dicey. Then Charyeok spoke in a stern tone.
"Have you been training behind my back? Your strength's shot up ridiculously in just a few days."
Classic Charyeok. This maniac who bordered on obsession with iron-pumping and subculture didn't even register his near-mishap. He bombarded me with questions.
"Hanjun, spill it. What kinda workout you been doing?"
He dropped to his knees and started kneading my leg. A passing elementary school girl spotted it, shuddered, and bolted like hell.
I smacked his shiny bald dome and yelled.
"Let go, you psycho! I haven't done jack squat."
"No way. This muscle density, this growth... You definitely trained, Hanjun. Growth like that in days..."
I finally lied and said yeah, I worked out, and only then did he release my leg. Grinning with satisfaction, he muttered.
"Hm. Guess all that intense training over break paid off."
"Shut it, punk."
Bickering like always as we walked, Charyeok suddenly shoved something at me.
"Oh, right. Here, Hanjun—take this."
A plain white envelope, decently stuffed. When I asked what it was, he nodded for me to open it. Inside: ten 50,000-won bills. Seeing him hand over this wad of cash out of nowhere, all I could think was what crazy crap did this idiot pull now?
I glared at him, eyes wide. He pulled out another identical envelope and showed me—another 500,000 won.
"Your girlfriend gave it to me. Fair split, fifty-fifty—no worries."
"...Miho?"
I remembered her chatting me up after class. She'd seemed eager to stick around after school, but mentioned family stuff back home and parted ways reluctantly. Why the hell would Miho hand a million won to this guy?
Charyeok bared his teeth in a grin.
"Your pal realized I'm your one true buddy and shelled out a mil for intel on you. So, fair trade—I sold you out and split the profits, Hanjun."
"...?"
As I sat there dumbfounded, Charyeok roared with laughter.
"Rich and hot transfer babe? All thanks to those gym sessions with me over break, Hanjun."
"...What the actual fuck."
I stuffed the 500,000 won into my pocket with a sigh. Perfect boost for this month's living expenses. Then it hit me.
I handed the envelope back to him.
"Hm? What's up, Hanjun?"
He looked puzzled, pushing it back like take it already.
"You keep it."
I shoved the 500,000 won back at him. Sure, he was a handful, but he'd been a solid bro. Now that I was heading to the otherworld—where Korean cash meant zilch—I figured this was my last gift to him.
"I'm leaving for overseas study next week outta nowhere. Won't need Korean money anymore—you take it."
Charyeok stared at me flatly.
"For real, Hanjun?"
"Yeah. Kinda threw me too... but yeah."
"...Why didn't you say sooner?"
"Just got decided yesterday... awkward, right? Turns out my folks are abroad, and their contacts pushed me to head over."
"......"
Silent, he took the envelope and said,
"Hanjun. You free after this?"
"Nothing pressing."
Figured he'd drag me to train. Last time, might as well play along. But instead,
"Got it. Then let's drink at your place, Hanjun."
"Drink...?"
He nodded solemnly.
"A man's farewell demands fire and fury, Hanjun. I'll grab the booze—wait up."
He lumbered off toward the convenience store near my place.
"Got your ID?"
"Hm? Forgot."
Bald and weathered as he looked, the guy was barely legal. Pointing that out, he nodded vigorously, stripped off his shirt, and crammed it into his bag.
"...?"
Too absurd for words as I gawked, he flashed his signature toothy grin.
"This works. Like tree rings tell age, my muscles scream 'adult.'"
With that, he dashed into the store. Through the glass, I saw him sweeping bottles from the liquor aisle. The part-timer's eyes bulged—probably thinking robber—as his phone shook in his hand. Charyeok, arms loaded with booze, slapped cash on the counter. His muscles rippled nonstop. Spooked by the savage build, the clerk rang him up at warp speed, bagged it all. Moments later, Charyeok emerged, booze stashed in his bag.
"C'mon, let's drink, Hanjun."
The dude was straight-up nuts.
I'd never touched booze before, but today I'd roll with his plan. First day as transfer, I'd pushed everyone away—except this persistent lug. Sure, his angle was gym bros forever, but thanks to him, I wasn't a total loner. Now that I actually liked the guy enough to call him a friend, I'd send him off with a blaze too.
"Hanjun, we're drinking till the end tonight."
At my front door, Charyeok grinned, teeth gleaming.
I shot back with gusto.
"Hell yeah—last one standing wins."
We kicked off our shoes and stepped inside. Eager to crack open the booze, he yanked the bag out—then froze, sniffing the air.
"Hanjun, you smoke in here or what? Smells like cigs."
"As if I'd touch that crap."
I shot back, but he sniffed harder.
"Nah, definite smoke. Someone puffed one here just now."
Right on cue, a figure strolled out from the living room, cig dangling from her lips.
"Yeah, me."
Black suit, dark circles hanging low—a stunning woman. Kim Jihye, head sorcerer of the Seoul branch. Leaning against the wall, she eyed the booze bag and tsked.
"Kids these days... such damn rush jobs..."
"Secret girlfriend?!"
Charyeok gaped at me. I frantically waved it off and asked her,
"What brings you here?"
She snapped her fingers—cig gone in a puff—and sighed.
"What else? Carving out time for your mess."
"H-hanjun! She's a magician or what...?!"
Charyeok's eyes sparkled at her finger-snap trick. Panicking—could I use sorcery in front of him?—Jihye read my mind and said flatly,
"Relax. Your buddy won't remember me after today."
Snap. She vanished in a blink, reappearing right in front of Charyeok. In that split second, she reached for his forehead. But...
Charyeok whipped his head aside faster, dodging her fingers.
"...?"
Jihye blinked in confusion, hand still outstretched. Charyeok stared at the sudden intruder, equally baffled.
"Haa..."
She sighed irritably and snapped again. Now behind him, hand extended. But Charyeok rolled forward like a pro, evading her fingertips.
Once more, Jihye and Charyeok faced off, eyes bulging.
"What the hell's this punk?"
"H-hanjun! She's got superpowers!"
Both yelled at me in unison. Caught in this ridiculous mess, all I could do was stare blankly at them.