Best Friend and Her (1)
“I’m gonna brush my teeth and head to school right away.”
As I got up, Minhwan shot me a baffled look.
“Don’t you have no morning classes today? What’s with the sudden burst of diligence?”
“Ah... Hyun’s starting school today, so I figured I’d walk her there and show her around a bit...”
Minhwan smirked like he’d seen it coming.
“Haha. Just let me take her. I’ve got class at 10:30, but I’ll drop her off on my way to the library. You sleep in more.”
“.........Yeah?”
That’s when Lee Hyun, who’d been eating next to me, jumped in to shoot him down.
“No thanks, oppa. If I go with you, I’ll be in hot water from day one. I’d rather go with Seonghwan... I mean, Seonghwan oppa.”
“Huh? Hot water? What’re you talking about?”
Lee Hyun gave him a deadpan stare, like you seriously don’t know?
“If I show up with you, what’ll the senior girls think? That I’m just your little sister? Or some tail-wagging vixen chasing you? Don’t ruin my college life. Just buy me a meal once in a blue moon and call it good.”
So I’m the easy mark here? Sigh... Do whatever you want.
I gave up and trudged into the bathroom.
“Our Minhwan’s just so popular, huh? Even on Valentine’s last year, he came home loaded with chocolates. Haha, like father, like son.”
“Aigoo, Dad, cut it out. Yeon and Hyun are right here.”
“Oh right. Don’t worry, Yeon. He gave all those chocolates to his little sister and only kept the one from you before heading to his room.”
Dad’s voice from behind stabbed at my heart.
I got chocolate from Yeon unnie too...
I pictured the big heart-shaped one she’d given me and took some small comfort in brushing my teeth. I decided not to dwell on the one she gave my brother. Obviously, she’d put even more love—and a fancier chocolate—into his.
“Hurry up! Hurry! Why’re you so slow?”
“Hey, our school’s just a 15-minute bus ride from here. Three stops, tops. We’ve got plenty of time—why the rush?”
“What if we go straight to the classroom? Don’t I need to get my bearings on the way?”
“You country bumpkin. Who calls university lecture halls ‘classrooms’? Say it with me: lecture hall. Lecture... hall... Agh!”
I teased her, and Lee Hyun kicked my shin without a second thought.
“Triple repeater acting all high and mighty over that. Funny?”
“Ow ow ow! You little shit.”
As we bickered, Lee Yeon appeared behind us.
“Lee Hyun!! What do you think you’re doing? Don’t be rude to oppa.”
“..........Tch.”
“I’m calling Seonghwan later to check on you. Don’t give him a hard time, or I’ll get really mad.”
“Fine, geez.”
“Seonghwan~”
I’d been grinning at Hyun’s pout when Yeon called my name. I quickly schooled my expression and turned.
She fished out her wallet and handed me six 50,000-won bills.
“Huh? Unnie, what’s this?”
“For waking up early on Hyun’s account. You know how scatterbrained she is—I was worried. But with you looking after her, I feel better. Buy her a meal or something. Treat yourselves to something nice.”
“Unnie! Cafeteria food’s cheap anyway. You know that. You’re overdoing it. Put it away—or just give it to me as allowance.”
“Lee Hyun, enough. He was gonna take care of you anyway. I’ve gotten pocket money from uncles and aunties before too. You have too, right?”
“Ugh... Fine.”
Yeon scolded her, then turned to me and forced the bills into my hand.
“...And Seonghwan. Forget everything Dad said this morning. Got it?”
“Huh? Unnie, it’s no big deal. Dad’s blunt as ever—it’s not new to me.”
“I said forget everything he said.”
“Yeah?”
Was there anything different from usual? Get up early. Exercise. Be more like your brother? Same old script. And she wasn’t even home then.
As I racked my brain, Yeon smiled softly and raised her hand.
Smooth...
“Eep?”
Her fingers brushed my cheek, then pinched it lightly.
“You know you’re my favorite little brother, right? I’ve been watching over you for over 20 years. I can read your face like a book.”
“Uh-heh?”
My face had already gone red from the caress, but her sudden mind-reading claim sent me into a fluster.
“No... What do you think I was thinking...? Eek?”
“Pfft. Kidding.”
She burst into a playful grin and waved us off one last time.
“You’ll be late. Go on. I’ve gotta get ready for work.”
Yeon watched me clutch the money in embarrassment and Hyun glare at me beside me, then turned away.
“Your grin’s ear to ear. Happy about your pocket money from an older lady?”
“Duh. Who wouldn’t be thrilled to get cash?”
It wasn’t just the money. Knowing Yeon unnie cared was enough to get me through the day, even if Murphy’s Law kicked in full force. That was plenty for me. I wasn’t greedy for more.
Whatever bugged Hyun about my dopey grin, she kicked at the ground and stormed ahead.
“What’re you doing, idiot? Hurry up—the bus is coming.”
Feisty little thing.
I strolled to the stop, gazing fondly at her back.
Personality aside, that body...
Her jeans hugged her rear so perfectly that guys at the stop kept stealing glances. The slim waist peeking from under her short padding jacket contrasted with wide hips and plump cheeks that clung provocatively to the skinny fabric.
I wanted to trash-talk her in my head, but I couldn’t deny her figure was top 1% slender.
Her face too... if only her personality wasn’t so damn rotten...
As I shook my head, downplaying her looks due to her attitude, someone tapped my shoulder.
“Huh?”
“Hey, Seonghwan. Eager beaver for the new semester, huh?”
“Ah~ Yesul. Long time no... wait, no it hasn’t been.”
“We hung out at the billiards hall the day before yesterday?”
“I know, I know. It’s just a ‘how ya doin’?’ greeting. Where’s Yun-su?”
“Behind you.”
“Waaah!!”
As I whipped around, someone grabbed my shoulders hard and yelled in my ear. Every eye at the stop turned our way—especially the women’s, sparkling with curiosity.
“...Funny?”
“You bastard. After I waited five whole minutes in this freezing cold, shouldn’t you at least pretend to be startled out of friendship?”
This goofy prankster with the devilish grin was my buddy of six years, Jeong Yun-su. We weren’t alike in high school, but ended up in the same class three years running by sheer coincidence, and our easygoing vibes made us inseparable best friends.
And damn, did Yun-su live up to his “perfect guy” rep. He was a flower boy so handsome that drawing stares from girls at a bus stop was routine. I’d bet my life he’d sweep any dating show.
Looks alone didn’t make him perfect, though. The bastard went to Korea University—the country’s top school—on his first try. The one I clawed my way into after three years of hell.
He was my senior by two years, but military service put us in the same grade. Still different student numbers, but overlapping classes meant I was thrilled when he got discharged.
“You came all the way here in this flower-blossom freeze to wait?”
“The stop here or by my place—same difference.”
“Morning class?”
“Hell no. You know I never schedule before 10 even if I take mornings.”
“Dumbass. Don’t you remember our first college days together?”
As we bantered, Yesul—the one who’d tapped me—sidled up.
“You two gonna pretend it’s just you guys?”
Yoon Yesul, 23. My friend of three years and Yun-su’s girlfriend. Her long black hair cascaded past her neck, thick and glossy enough to outshine any shampoo ad. Her innocent beauty—straight nose, starry eyes, fragile pale skin—had made her a department legend. It triggered every guy’s protective instincts, and she got confessions galore as a freshman. But when it turned out she was dating the standout flower boy Yun-su, everyone backed off with “congrats.”
I knew better—they were too chicken to interfere. They still asked if they were still together.
Plus, she waited out his 18 months in service like a loyal rubber shoe, earning her nicknames: Chaste Rapunzel for her long-haired purity, and Saint Yoon Yesul for her grace and thoughtfulness. Like a romance novel heroine. They suited her perfectly.
I glanced at her, then scolded Yun-su.
“Why would I worry about you? I’m worried about Yesul suffering in this cold for your sake.”
“I didn’t wanna get up early for you either. But Yesul said you seemed motivated for the new semester and wanted to cheer you on by coming early together.”
“Huh? Me?”
I blinked in confusion, and Yesul smiled shyly, elaborating.
“You posted in our group chat this morning that you were heading to school early. First class in the afternoon, but you’d grab a library seat and study...”
Damn...
We had a three-way group chat. The day before, Hyun had strong-armed me into early school, and right then Yesul messaged about lunch outside tomorrow. No way was I explaining Hyun or a much-younger underclassman’s demands, so I’d bullshitted about library-studying.
And she spun it like that? Truly the saint they call her.