Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Reunion with Park Ye-young
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Another week begins.
Now I really need to start studying for exams...
I wasted almost two full days filming with Yi Ju-ha.
One day was because of the afters, and the next I was just lost in the afterglow, unable to do a thing. It's an excuse, but still...
For now, I'll cram the other liberal arts subjects at the last minute.
I need to tackle math and physics somehow first.
"Hey. Yi Jun-hyeong?"
I was steeling myself and heading up with determination...
when someone called my name.
What is this? This uneasy feeling.
This sharp voice I hadn't heard in quite a while...
"It's Yi Jun-hyeong, right?"
...Kyaaak!
I turned around, and there was a face I hadn't seen in ages.
Park Ye-young...
She used to run with Yi Ju-ha and Yi Ju-ri's crew...
"You go here? Long time no see."
"Uh... y-yeah... long time no see."
Come to think of it, she was at this school too...
I think I'd vaguely heard it from others.
But since we'd never crossed paths here, I'd completely forgotten...
"What department are you in? Engineering?"
"Uh... y-yeah, engineering."
"Yeah? I'm in nursing."
Nursing? No way, does that even make sense?
It's a department for kids who actually study pretty hard...
And she got into nursing?
Did she ace the CSAT or something? I was stunned for a second.
"What's with that look like you don't believe me? Wanna die?"
"Ah... no. It's just... nursing was unexpected..."
"Everyone says that."
Park Ye-young chuckled and lit a cigarette.
Damn... smoking inside campus? For real?
Park Ye-young.
The type who loved picking on kids.
She wasn't the completely unhinged psycho who crossed every line...
But plenty of girls hated her guts.
A genius at wedgie pranks, totally reckless... and she'd even mouth off to teachers.
If you had to compare, she had a similar vibe to Yi Ju-ha.
Though Yi Ju-ha didn't really care enough about people to bully or ostracize them...
Park was pretty proactive about that stuff.
She didn't mess with guys much, so guys didn't badmouth her...
But among girls, she was the bitch incarnate.
Not quite Yi Ju-ri level, but in certain ways, she got called a total slut just like her.
Just seeing her smirk and laugh sleazily like that makes her look like a total delinquent...
She was like that in high school, but now it seems even worse... like she's about to go off the rails even more.
Park Ye-young used to hang with Yi Ju-ha and Yi Ju-ri's group back in the day.
She'd bicker with Yi Ju-ha sometimes... but they weren't on bad terms. Their vibes weren't that different.
But with Yi Ju-ri? Total opposites. They barely lasted a few months.
In the end, Park left the crew because of Yi Ju-ri. There were plenty of other delinquent groups, no reason to stick around.
Time heals all wounds, so probably no hard feelings left from back then...
But if those two crossed paths again, it wouldn't end well.
Anyway, she knew me back when I was Yi Ju-ha's personal loser, so she might still see me that way...
I didn't have much direct beef with her.
She didn't pay much attention unless you were hot shit or good-looking.
Of course, there were stories like her snatching phones and making guys carry them between their thighs...
Or hiding glasses somewhere...
Or locking glasses with a padlock and hiding the key between her boobs as a prank... Suddenly PTSD...
"You still talk to Yi Ju-ha?"
"Uh... yeah. We do."
"Still?"
Whoa— you're one to talk.
Park Ye-young clicked her tongue and blew out smoke.
Cough. Cigarette smoke... my nose...
"What do you even see in her? Didn't she skip college?"
"Just whenever the crew hangs out... you know."
If I said it was for OnlyFans lately, she'd faint. Obviously not telling her...
She'd probably laugh her ass off all day, calling Yi Ju-ha a total psycho.
"Yi Ju-ha, Yi Ju-ri, that whole posse? They still meet up?"
"Yeah. They do..."
It's not even been that long since high school graduation... of course they still hang.
Weird if they split right after seeing each other from first to third year straight.
Though lately, they meet less. Everyone's got school now.
"Damn, that's lame. What about you? You graduated—why're you still tagging along?"
...Hits the nail on the head. Yeah, why am I?
It's because they'd threaten to hunt me down at uni and spread rumors I was the ultimate loser bread shuttle...
I don't even know why they single me out.
Thinking about it, there were other bread shuttle guys—why just me?
Wait, shit, did the others just block them and bail while I idiotically went? Chills.
...Though I'm a special case. With two-plus in my uni, I can't just ghost...
"Are you actually retarded? Or is that your kink? Getting beat and running errands?"
"..."
Who the hell has a kink like that...
I didn't bother answering. Explaining would just tire my mouth. And in the end... things turned out pretty good with Yi Ju-ha. No need to spell it out.
Wow, this guy's tastes are wild.
Park Ye-young muttered and flicked her cigarette away.
Sizzle sizzle... Doesn't she need to stomp that out?
"Whatever, your kink's your business."
Still hanging with her, huh. Damn.
She muttered, sweeping her hair back.
Adidas track top, short shorts... cleavage practically to her navel. Dressing like that on campus? Insane. Don't the seniors say anything? Nursing's supposed to be strict.
"You studying for exams?"
"Studying?"
Hah... yeah, sorta.
Didn't expect "studying" from her mouth.
We weren't that close, so I don't remember if she studied or not.
I just assumed delinquents like her didn't...
But seeing her now, maybe she does? Explains nursing.
"Yeah... Been doing assignments first since there're so many."
"Engineering's brutal, they say. As bad as nursing."
Hmm... Sounds about right.
Nursing's killer on memorization.
Engineering's more about understanding than rote. Both tough in their own ways.
"Everyone thinks their major's the worst..."
"Fair."
Park Ye-young seemed bored with the chat now, trudging along.
Damn. Somehow we ended up at the nursing building... Engineering's right ahead, almost at the top floor...
"Well, study hard."
She waved lazily like she was leaving.
Uh... yeah. Let's not run into each other much...
I turned to go, but suddenly she spun back with an "Ah."
Park Ye-young's lips were smirking.
What? This is unsettling.
"Hey. Let's study together."
"...Together?"
What... what the hell? Different majors—how?
"Yeah. I'll explain what you don't get. You suck at studying."
"..."
Damn, that's old news...
Back in high school, yeah, I was bad.
She must remember. I was never good...
"I can study alone fine."
"Ah. Teaching you counts as practice for me too..."
Park Ye-young trailed off.
...Knew there was an angle. No way she'd offer for nothing.
Practice? What kind? Nursing practice sounds ominous. Blood draws or something? No thanks.
I stood there silent, and she got impatient.
"Ugh— no one's available for practice. Come on! Do I have to beg, shit?"
"I can study alone. Nothing's that hard..."
"Bullshit. How's it not hard for you? You don't know jack."
True...
She'd think so. Guy who barely scraped into engineering—what do I know?
But explaining Texas Hold'em leveled up my brain? She'd never buy it. Too lazy anyway.
Seeing I wasn't biting, her face soured.
That "ugh, you asshole" look. Her real personality peeking out.
No real reason to study together... Nursing can't teach math or physics. Waste of time.
My lukewarm vibe made her lips pout.
She can't pull the high school "bitch, follow me" crap... Not long-time like Yi Ju-ha.
She knows she can't force it. If it were her old crew, maybe. But nah, just casual alumni.
"Fine, whatever, fuck off..."
I've got exams too.
No time to get dragged around anymore...
Park Ye-young ruffled her hair and turned, muttering grumpily. Looked kinda pitiful.
"..."
Should I just peek...? Nah, shook my head.
No good getting tangled up here.
Not mutually beneficial. Better walk away.
I slowly started moving.
"..."
But something felt like she was still behind me.
I stopped and glanced back casually.
...Sh-shit. She really is. I whipped my head forward quick. P-pretend I didn't see.
"Hey!"
Park Ye-young laughed and came running up.
Damn it, why'd I look back!
"Why'd you look? Huh? Why?"
"No, just on instinct—"
"Bull. You wanna do it, right? Studying together's better. Ugh, why play hard to get."
"No, really, just looked—"
"Pleeease. Do it. I'll snag a library spot. Engineering seats are a bitch to get."
"I'm doing it in the engineering library anyway—"
"Shut up shut up. Just do it."
Damn it, shouldn't have looked!
She clung on and dragged me.
Why's she so strong too?
"Just once. Promise it'll help you focus. With me?"
Focus with you? How?!
I inwardly wailed as she pulled me along.
Damn... this nosiness... She had that kicked-puppy look earlier, so I hesitated... Figures.
"Ah. I'll buy you cafeteria food. C'mon, cheer up. When else you gonna study with a girl?"
"Buying makes me more anxious..."
"Hey. Study with me, and my department girls'll grill you outta curiosity.
It's a girl-heavy major—guys show up, eyes pop.
I'll vouch. Say you were a total stud in high school."
"They'll buy that...?"
"Ugh, just follow."
Screw it... One day won't hurt.