Freshman Butt Champ (1)
Seonghwan had braced himself inwardly, but the confrontation with his father hit a snag right from the start.
“Don't even think about feeding me half-assed lies. Don't you dare imagine I don't know you inside out. Where the hell did you sleep last night?”
Under his father's piercing glare that screamed I know exactly what you did last night, Seonghwan had no choice but to neatly fold away all his rehearsed excuses.
Plan B. Gotta come clean if I wanna live.
“I was drinking with a club senior yesterday. We went so late that I ended up crashing at a nearby motel. I'm sorry.”
If he had to spill the truth anyway, better to confess quick and beg for mercy. But Seonghwan's father wasn't one to let it slide that easily.
“Was that senior a guy or a girl?”
Fuck? That wasn't in the plan!
Seonghwan swallowed hard, fighting to keep his face neutral as he met his father's eyes head-on.
“A guy...”
“I could have you call that senior right now.”
“...or rather, a girl.”
His father took it as wordplay from his son, his face flushing red as he vented his fury. Seonghwan's mother, sitting beside him, looked equally shocked, her mouth slightly agape as she stared at her son.
BAM!
“You little shit, after everything!”
Finally, his father's pent-up rage erupted. Seonghwan knew he had to calm him down before things escalated further.
“Dad! Nothing like what you're thinking happened. We just drank as senior and junior. She's a Korea University student too, and she has a boyfriend. Believe me. You can call her right here!!!”
“...”
His father just glared at Seonghwan, huffing, but made no further moves.
Gulp... Did it work?
There were limits to honesty. Saying I hooked up with a girl and stayed out would've gotten his mom clutching her neck and collapsing before he even got scolded.
It's not like Yumi-sunbae would pick up and tell Dad, 'Your son fucked me raw, bit me, chewed me up, and we had a blast.'
Seonghwan put extra force into his eyes, working hard on his expression. It must've paid off—his father dropped the interrogation.
But not quite.
“Fine. Then why the hell was that female senior going shot-for-shot with you? Till late at night, no less.”
Seonghwan knew he'd cleared the first hurdle. His father claimed to know him well, but Seonghwan knew his old man even better. He'd been reading his moods for over a decade since he was old enough to understand.
Seonghwan schooled his face again and answered.
“She's the senior who got me into the club. She knew I was struggling to fit in with my classmates after my third-year gap and looked out for me. Then I lost interest in club activities for a bit and started skipping. But the other day, I ran into her by chance, we caught up, it turned into drinks... and I ended up venting about my college struggles and worries. Time just flew by. I'm sorry.”
He spilled it all in one breath. Any pause, and his dad might poke holes in the story.
Peeking up slyly, Seonghwan saw his father still glaring silently. No explosion like before, but the tension in his clenched fist signaled more trouble ahead.
THUD!
His father slammed the table again, unleashing fresh anger.
“How goddamn out of it were you? How much of a pathetic loser? You think a girl pities you enough to spend a whole day listening to your crap? Are you even a man?”
Seonghwan bowed his head, avoiding his father's eyes. Deep down, he couldn't argue.
Honestly, no comeback. Yumi-sunbae even said at first she felt sorry for me and that's why she kept an eye out.
“I'm done putting up with you and waiting.”
Seonghwan's head snapped up at the ominous tone, like a death sentence.
“When you decided to take a third gap year, I told you it was your last chance and my final support. You remember. From now on, no more allowance. Earn your own spending money—part-time job, take a semester off to work, whatever.”
“Wha—?!”
The third gap year hadn't been Seonghwan's choice; it was basically his father's decree. Even after scraping into a top Seoul university on his second try, Dad wasn't satisfied. He'd dragged Seonghwan—who was thrilled and planning a trip with Yun-su before enlistment—and lectured him all day.
One-sidedly declaring it my last shot?
The one who could stop him...
Clink.
His mother set down her glass and quietly intervened.
“Honey. Telling him to earn his own allowance is basically telling him to drop out. How's a kid his age supposed to make money while studying? And even if he does, how can he keep up with classes?”
“Of course we'd cover tuition. I'm just cutting his personal spending...”
“Didn't you hear him? He's struggling with friends, getting counseling. Cut his allowance and how's he supposed to buy them coffee or snacks to bond? You're the one always nagging him to make friends at school.”
“Urgh...”
His father clutched his head, unable to retort.
Mom. Nice one.
Seonghwan inwardly cheered. Used to Dad's scoldings balanced by Mom's comfort, he'd trusted her. But she betrayed him too.
“Here's the deal. Halve the allowance till the end of this semester. If he shows improvement, we acknowledge it and restore it after. Deal?”
Mom?
She fixed Seonghwan with a steady gaze, delivering the killing blow.
“Your dad's got a point. You're an adult now. You take allowance for granted. I won't stop you from working part-time while studying. But your grades can't drop. Not even a little. You say friends are tough, so if you need cash for group hangs, tell me separately. I'll think about it.”
The verdict was final. Mom always balanced coddling him with upholding Dad's authority—a perfect wife and mother. She walked the tightrope between Dad's stance and his pleas. No room to argue.
Allowance is already 400,000 won now. Minus transit and food, barely over 200,000 for fun. Halve that...
Basically 50,000 won a month. Coffee would make him tremble.
Guess I really gotta find a job.
****
After washing up and heading to his room, Seonghwan reviewed his plans.
First, get a part-time gig. Weekends still leave study time, so half-days—mornings or afternoons. Say 6 hours, 8 weekend days a month: 48 hours... close to 500,000 won. Gonna be rich?
Easy on paper, but Korea University's study grind meant extra weekday effort to cover those hours.
He needed to schedule study time per class.
Focus on majors if possible. Review Intro to Public Admin and Financial Admin during free slots... General ed? Advertising Techniques? Group participation class. Shit, that's out of my hands.
Group projects meant syncing with teammates' schedules and ideas. Solo plans wouldn't fly 100%.
Gu Hanjin, Park Young-hwan, Min Yu-ri, right? Male seniors pick the leader, I take roles minimizing outside errands, Yu-ri handles her part... Min Yu-ri... Min Yu-ri?
Then it hit him—the question about Min Yu-ri he'd pondered.
Gym Gallery. Freshman Butt Champ!!
Seonghwan yanked out his phone, diving into the Gym Gallery site for a search.
Nickname: Freshman Butt Champ
“Huff huff huff. Ah... fuck, already tense.”
A flood of posts under Freshman Butt Champ filled his screen.
“Not this, not that... Where? I definitely saw it. One with prominent shoulders and neck.”
Ten minutes of scrolling later, he found it.
“This is it!!”
The photo showed a woman with snow-white skin, face mosaicked, in a thin tank top and short denim shorts, hair in a ponytail, standing by flower beds. Nighttime dimness, but lighting perfectly highlighted her neck and shoulders, revealing a distinct crescent-moon shape in between.
Unlike flashier shots, this everyday vibe had been overlooked by gallery users, but Seonghwan had lingered on the familiar aura and elegant upper-body lines.
Hah... Not imagining it, right? But do normal scars like that even form easy?
No proof, no confirmation from her—what could he do? Just a thrilling maybe-she's-someone-I-know vibe.
Keep it locked in my chest? Exposing it makes me the perv. And shaming her for my curiosity? Not human.
Seonghwan steeled himself to shut off his phone. Then...
Wait, hold up!!
He zoomed in. Faint letters behind her ponytail, stylish flower beds, even part of a distant statue.
G, D? This...
Trembling, he recalled the sculpture in his school's quiet corner nook and searched it up.
H, G, D... Korea University's vowel-consonant sculpture, first president piecing them together...
Switching tabs, he checked Freshman Butt Champ's background pics, flipping between them.
Seonghwan let out a shrill scream.
“This is fucking our school!”