Chapter 116
Is it really not obvious?
"Calm down, Seon Jae-gyu..."
I can just pick off the dog hair later. Come what may, let's just go for it.
"Hoo..."
Jae-gyu adjusted the rearview mirror up and down, checking his reflection.
'...Handsome.'
Having boosted his confidence by checking the mirror, Jae-gyu pressed the accelerator and drove towards Shinsu High.
"Whoa. Look at the snow. It's brutal."
The sound of snow hitting the car body was boisterous. The wipers were working diligently, but they couldn't clear the snow falling with terrifying force.
What's more, the road started to get jammed. It was due to the icy roads, frozen solid by the overlapping cold snap. Cars stretched in a long line on the congested road, moving at a snail's pace. This was unprecedented on the roads in this neighborhood.
'Even if it's frozen, can it really get this jammed?'
His question was soon answered. A few meters ahead, he saw a truck that had skidded. This was why the cars were stopped.
"Hmm. It won't take long."
While the stalled truck prepared to restart, the cars waited patiently without honking.
Since the car had stopped, Jae-gyu tapped his phone to turn on the screen and pressed the call button.
Riiing, riiing, riiing—
The call went through, but no one picked up. Is she still in class?
Hmm, if the weather's this bad, shouldn't they send them home early? I'll have to tell Han-gyeol to skip his tutoring today too.
Looking out the window, the truck driver was already finishing his inspection. They'd be able to leave soon.
"Hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm, hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm."
Jae-gyu held the steering wheel, tapping out a rhythm, and hummed a tune. It was the Wedding March.
'Groom Seon Jae-gyu, Bride Yoon Bom... I'll have to take tons of photos and videos too.'
It was then, completely swept up in his happy delusions.
Bom-sik, who had been watching the snow outside the window, suddenly lifted his rear and wagged his tail furiously.
Bom-sik didn't stop there; he started barking loudly, pawing the ground, and Jae-gyu turned his head to follow. His gaze landed on a car in the opposite lane.
[Mr. Jae-gyu, want to hear something funny?]
[What is it?]
[It's Bom-sik. Whenever he sees a boy in our school uniform, he goes wild trying to follow them. I think he mistakes them for Han-gyeol.]
Bom's words were true. An excited Bom-sik barked loudly towards the opposite lane.
"Hey now! Bom-sik, that's not your big brother."
Even when told no, he wouldn't listen. Bom-sik scrambled into Jae-gyu's lap, barking boisterously and pawing wildly.
"Hold still, now. Just stay in Dad's arms and stop barking. People will think I'm a dog thief."
It was true. He'd been mistaken for a dog thief a few times while walking Bom-sik tucked under his arm. Frightened, Jae-gyu grabbed Bom-sik by the armpits and turned him towards himself. Thump, thump, two paws landed on his firm chest.
"There, there. Good boy. Just be a little more dignified today."
He stroked his soft back and patted his plump rear, and Bom-sik finally calmed down.
Jae-gyu, who was about to put him back in the passenger seat and drive off, suddenly felt a chill. Ah, no way! He hastily lowered his chin and checked his shirt.
"..."
His pristine white shirt was dotted with black dog paw prints. He knew this would happen. He frantically rubbed it with his hand, but it wouldn't come off. What was that rascal getting on his paws?
"Phew, today's a bust. The heavens are telling me not to."
Otherwise, how could everything go so wrong?
Right, today isn't the only day, so I can just pick an auspicious day later. He thought this logically, but a lingering regret remained.
Bom might be leaving soon. He'd heard it was transfer season, and once the announcement was made, she'd be busy packing and preparing for life in Seoul.
He wanted to propose before that. As Bom's future husband, he wanted to discuss work and residency issues. More than anything, he wanted to become Bom's official family as soon as possible.
Of course, Bom accepting his proposal was the first step, but...
He'd been confident until he woke up this morning. But now, after experiencing one bitter setback after another, he felt that today wasn't the day.
Since school seemed to be over, he called Bom again.
But again, she didn't pick up. Jae-gyu tilted his head, puzzled, and called Han-gyeol. The call connected before it even rang a few times.
"-Oh, Uncle."
"Han-gyeol. Did your school end early?"
"-Yeah. Didn't you see the message I left? They shortened the day because of the snow."
Then what about Bom?
"What about Teacher?"
"-She said she probably wouldn't be able to meet you today, Uncle. Didn't you get her message?"
No, I didn't. And she's not picking up even when I keep calling...
"That's strange. Where are you?"
"-I'm almost home. Are you outside, Uncle?"
"Yeah, yeah, hang up for now. I have Bom-sik with me, so don't look for him."
After hanging up, he called Bom again, but still, only the signal went through; there was no answer. At this point, anxiety surged.
"This wasn't the time to be singing about my proposal."
She wouldn't have driven in the snow before. Ha, did she take the bus? Did she drop her phone somewhere while rushing home?
Where should I go now? Shinsu High? Bom's house in Cheongseol-eup?
While he wavered in indecision, the truck blocking the road was finally starting to move.
"...The school."
It was just a feeling. Given Bom's personality, it wasn't likely she'd have left school quickly on a day like this. She'd probably have waited for all the kids to leave and even tidied up, so she'd be late, and she might be stuck because of her car.
"Bom-sik, let's go with Dad's gut feeling."
Before moving the car, Jae-gyu pulled off his tie, unbuttoned his shirt, and completely took it off. The air inside the car, with its broken heater, was cool, but his body was heating up with worry over Bom's unconfirmed safety, and the shirt constricting his chest felt suffocating.
It's already dirty anyway, so I'll just go like this.
Jae-gyu drove towards Shinsu High, his body tense.
"Ugh, it's cold."
Should I have turned on the heater before leaving? On the way out of the parking lot towards the school gate, Bom kept her eyes on the road ahead, repeatedly pressing the brake pedal.
It was already a downhill slope, and with the ground frozen, she drastically reduced her speed. Once past the school gate up ahead, it would be flat ground, so driving shouldn't be too difficult.
"Ha, this weather is really something."
The dark sky was clearing up again in the meantime. The wind was still fierce, and the snow flurries hadn't stopped. But judging by their intensity, she had a feeling they would cease soon.
It needs to clear up quickly. Mr. Jae-gyu might be worried right now.
Where could that important place be that he said he'd take me? Did he perhaps manage to get a reservation at some hard-to-book place? Given the implication that I should pay attention to my attire, that might be it.
Usually, he's the type to discuss things with me and decide together, so keeping it a secret was a bit strange. He might have prepared a surprise. Anyway, he really loves events.
But no matter what surprise he had, what I'd prepared today would be even more impactful.
[Teacher Yoon Bom, I heard you want to stay at Shinsu High. Actually, after giving birth here, I've been doing a lot of thinking...]
The teacher I'd exchanged with wanted to settle in Seoul permanently. So, she officially applied for an inter-provincial transfer, and according to the Vice Principal, there was a high probability I'd continue working at Shinsu High.
[It's settled, it's settled! I'm practically in tears. I was so sad thinking our Teacher Yoon Bom would leave like this, but things have worked out smoothly, ahem!]
Even the Vice Principal was as happy as if it were his own news, so how happy would Mr. Jae-gyu be?
"He'll be so surprised he'll flip... Ack!"
Bom, who had been lost in thought for a moment, abruptly stopped the car. What was that? Did she see it wrong? She leaned forward, gripping the steering wheel tightly, and stared straight ahead.
'No way.'
The person just entering the school gate was clearly Jae-gyu. How did he know to come here when she hadn't even contacted him?
At Jae-gyu's sudden appearance, Bom hastily unbuckled her seatbelt, got out, and slammed the car door shut.
"Mr. Jae-gyu?"
"..."
Jae-gyu was striding towards her from a distance. She should have run to him too, but why couldn't she? It was as if her feet were glued to the ground.
And for good reason; at first glance, something seemed off about him.
'Isn't he cold...?'
Jae-gyu was wearing nothing but a thin, white, short-sleeved athletic shirt. It had been a long time since she'd seen him in such a tight-fitting tee.
Why was he dressed like that now, in the middle of winter? Especially after saying they were going somewhere important today. And why did he bring Bom-sik in this weather?
Bom-sik, who had been nestled comfortably in his broad chest, spotted her and struggled, wanting to be put down. As soon as Jae-gyu set him down, he flattened his ears and quickly ran over, pressing himself against her leg.
"What happened, Bom-sik? Huh?"
Bom scratched the excited Bom-sik's scruff, not even noticing his fur was damp.
"How did you get all the way here with Dad?"
After a moment, a large shadow fell over her and Bom-sik from behind.
"...Bom."
Bom immediately turned at the welcome voice that resonated behind her, facing him. She'd guessed it from a distance, but up close, he was a mess.
He looked as if he'd walked all the way from Shinsu-eup without a car, just himself. Come to think of it, Jae-gyu's car wasn't visible either.
"Where's your car?"
"...It's a bit complicated, but for now, it broke down, so I parked it nearby."
So that's why he looked like this. It wasn't easy to understand how a perfectly fine car suddenly broke down, but that wasn't what was important right now.
"I'm sorry. You called a lot, didn't you? My phone's in the faculty office, but the door's locked. How did you know I was at school? Did Han-gyeol get home? Did you come because you were worried about me?"
She poured out apologies and questions to Jae-gyu, who must have been worried. Jae-gyu's answer was simple.