FreshmanButtQueen (6)
The prejudice ordinary people have about rap as a music genre is, "Fuck, I can't understand a damn word they're saying." But true rap listeners, the real fans who dig into actual rap musicians' tracks, listen once, twice, over and over, picking up the rhythm, savoring the lyrics, feeling the vibe. Rhymes, punchlines, flow—they're just skills, but for the average person, it's still a genre that's damn hard to keep up with.
Seonghwan had liked rap since his school days, humming along often and listening steadily, so he could sing along without lyrics or a karaoke machine most of the time.
'But that doesn't mean I'd ever dream of performing in front of this many people... Mom... fuck.'
He couldn't understand why he'd raised his hand or why he was up there, hesitantly mumbling lyrics in front of all these people. Maybe it was spite toward that punk senior with the mischievous eyes. Or maybe the rude bitch's distressed gaze had gotten under his skin... yeah, he couldn't deny that. But it wasn't some grand chivalrous knight bullshit—Seonghwan knew that much about himself.
"When my voice pierces your ears, that's when I become a rapper, my chapter complete as it echoes through this stage..."
He wasn't even feeling it, just spitting out lyrics willy-nilly, so what must the audience think? When he'd impulsively raised his hand despite the MC's urging and no one else stepping up, the seniors had given him those dumbfounded looks, still glaring at him on stage like, 'We'll see about this.'
'I'm so fucked.' Seonghwan thought, unbidden.
When he'd first gotten dragged up there on a whim, and the MC asked what he'd do after the previous act had been dance, he'd wanted to rip the guy's mouth off. Now, he wanted to sew his own rapping mouth shut. After the stage ended and he came down red-faced, the only cheers came from his teammate Seongbae—he wanted to punch that guy to shut him up.
That was how Seonghwan endured the worst orientation ever.
"Fuck, drink up... yeah? Seongbae, hyung's having bomb shots after ages."
With his ego in ruins, Seonghwan was slinging his arm around Seongbae, whining drunkenly.
"Haha. Yeah, hyung. But damn, you were awesome today. Your rap was seriously good?"
"Can you just shut up and drink? You wanna watch me collapse from shame before the booze even hits?"
The drinking session was winding down, many already wasted and crawling back to the dorms. Seonghwan, who held his liquor decently, clung to his glass till the end, and loyal Seongbae stuck it out for his pathetic hyung.
"Come on... drink, drink. The perfect soju-beer mix is an art. Fuck."
"Haha. Thanks, hyung."
As Seonghwan raised his tear-laced bomb shot for another swig—
"I'll have one too."
A hand reached out toward Seonghwan.
"Huh?"
A pale white hand blocked his view. Turning, he saw Min Yu-ri holding out her glass, staring at him.
"Whoa, fuck. You bratty bitch, using me till the end. Fine, since we're already fucked—college life ruined. This bomb of a man will mix you a proper one. Take it, you rude little shit."
"H-Hyung."
Seongbae glanced nervously at Yu-ri, trying to stop him, but Seonghwan was too drunk, reason numb, his inner thoughts spilling straight out.
"Here, drink up. Kim Seonghwan's special beer-soju, even my friends rave about it."
Yu-ri silently watched his drunken rambling, then downed her glass in one go.
"Kughhh."
"Heh, how's that? Good, right?"
"Bitter. Ptoo. Fucking bitter."
"What? You bitch?"
"Hyung, hyung. S-Stop."
"Hmph!"
Somehow, it ended up just Seonghwan, Seongbae, and Yu-ri left, tilting glasses together. And that was the last drinking session Seonghwan remembered from his department life.
'Right, yeah. I did mix her a bomb shot once... wait, didn't she say it tasted like shit?'
Seonghwan narrowed his eyes at Yu-ri, who coolly brushed it off and provocatively taunted him.
"You gonna fight customers right after starting your part-time?"
Grit. Sick of getting dragged in, Seonghwan bit back and turned away.
"Well, if we ever grab drinks just us, come to Don Doni Ne. Save on Seonghwan's prayers too."
"Hm? Yeah, if it's someone you brought, boss might hook you up with a bonus."
Feeling good about his sunbaes basically offering connections, Seonghwan grinned.
"Haha, if you do that, I'd be grateful. Boss mentioned something similar—Korea Uni kids' friends always drop by once."
His smiling face got spat on.
"Then shouldn't you give service? Others pay, why just us?"
'This...'
Seonghwan ground his teeth, forcing a smile at Yu-ri.
"Ah... no need for you to come. I'm just starting, so service would be overstepping. Really, don't come. Got it?"
"Hmph. Boss would've loved hearing that."
".............."
As his patience neared breaking, the instructor entered. Turning with the class greeting, Seonghwan steeled himself.
'Thinking about it, I started it. I was the gentleman. Just wait. I'll expose your true colors to the world.'
With grim resolve, he nurtured his revenge against Yu-ri.
"Two more pork belly servings here. And refill the soybean paste stew, please."
"Yes, one moment."
"I ordered zero cola, but regular came?"
"Ah... sorry. I'll swap it right away."
Seonghwan's first day at the pork belly joint was hell. No time to sit, not even stand still. He'd barely memorized table numbers before customers flooded in, no review time—just straight to the fire.
"Seonghwan-ssi, cold noodles to table 3."
"Huh? Table 3? Ah, yes, got it."
"Egg custard to table 6."
"Table 6..."
Customers leave? Quick cleanup, floor mop. Side dish bar empty? Replenish nonstop. Amid that, take orders, serve food.
'M-My thighs...'
From 7 PM to 9 PM, Seonghwan never stopped. Move. Move more. Spinning like a top.
"Seonghwan-ssi, customers thinning out—tidy up a bit, then help ajumma with dishes."
"Yes......"
Dishwashing wasn't sitting, but standing still felt like bliss.
"How's it? Tough? First day and slammed like this—proper hazing. Hohoho."
The kitchen ajumma joked; Seonghwan smiled back.
"Haha... yeah, earning money's no joke. Thought studying was hard, but this? Studying was easy."
"Oh? Sharp thinking, Korea Uni style. But folks like us avoid studying 'cause it's tough, end up here older. Job's hard, sure, but don't call your real duty—studying—easy."
"Ooh, that's profound."
"Profound? Hohoho. Hang in there to finish. Body adapts, tricks come. Just endure a bit."
"Yes, I'll do my best."
Tough, but chatting while working was fun for Seonghwan.
'Body's dying, but this ajumma's kinda fun. I suck at small talk with strangers, but she's got the gift.'
She looked mid-30s by face and skin.
"How long you been doing this?"
"Me? Little over three years?"
"Three years? Longish, shortish?"
"Short. Other kitchen sisters? Near ten. I switched jobs urgently, part-time here."
"Part-time?"
"Yeah. Started like you, serving. Meant peak seasons only, but job hunting sucked. Boss helped me go full kitchen."
'Huh... boss has that side?'
"Alright, almost done. Nearly 10—wait back there, tell boss and go."
"Eh? Still tons left?"
Ajumma smiled, patted his arm, pointed back.
"Just rinse these. Grills done, rest rinse—I got it. Rest."
"Ah... but still..."
"Hehe, fine. Even office workers get breaks. You hit peak nonstop. Go rest."
'Oh... world's still warm. Worried about bullying, but this makes part-time bearable.'
No more refusing, Seonghwan slipped out the back door. Small metal chair there. He sat, stared blankly at the sky, stretched.
"Whoa, still chilly for March. Night's pitch black."
Huuuuaaa. Cupped hands, blew breath to warm face and hands briefly.
Idly, he checked his phone, searched the site, incoming DMs.
'Heh. No reason to freak. Got cold feet for nothing...'
These spare moments? Scouring the net was life's joy. No more overthinking others' eyes.
Deep breath, checked DMs.
They say a glimpse of pale flesh can excite a man beyond imagination? The photo on Seonghwan's screen was exactly that fantasy made real.
"Guhk?!!"
A stunning pale beauty in sheer see-through camisole, proudly showing her soft skin, paired with tiny hot pants.
Net's full of worse; his phone brimmed with hotter saves. But who the subject is? Brain goes wild.
'Mi... Min Yu-ri? This blatant?'
"FreshmanButtQueen" always mosaicked her face heavily, any level. But this? No mosaic. Special.
Big hat brim hid most, but lips and jawline bare.
'Any Korea Uni student with eyes would clock her.'
Utterly baffling DM left him in chaos.
'What's her game? Fuck it all since I'm exposed? Or wrong recipient?'
Swallowed dry, sent DM to Min Yu-ri.
No reply after 5 minutes. Short wait, unknown thrill chased cold away, glued to phone. Then acceptance.
'Not like she's Chunhyang waiting. Normal. Shift ending soon—pretend tidy up?'
As he dimmed screen—DM light flashed.
'Oh! Fuck, fast as ever.'
Eyes fixed, tapped carefully.
Mouth agape, reread her message.
'This bitch... nuts? Study stress broke her?'
Flash.
'Huh?'
Another DM alert from FreshmanButtQueen.
'Wh-What?'
No face, casual clothes close-up from neck down. Emphasized chest angle.
Clothes not issue—outfit was.
'White Hula tee. Black short padding over. Fuck, what she's wearing today?'
Exact "Advertising Expression Techniques" class fit. Background: dark night, faint light.
'No way... pic from school now?'
Shiver. Felt his junk stiffen.
School 10 mins away. Yu-ri maybe sneaking selfies in dark campus corners.
'Ohhh. Just thinking... kugh.'
Spine tingled, shuddered again.
Flash.
'Ack? Again?'
Another from FreshmanButtQueen.
Anticipation high, clicked.
'No. Fuck, this for real?!'
Of course he did. Desperately.
Gulp.
'More more more... please.'
Typed, sent.
Hands clasped prayer-like, typing humbly.
Flash.
'Here!!!'
Clicked instantly.
"This fucking bitch?"
Yelled loud, flinched, checked around—alone. Reread: no pic, just mocking line.
'Born to troll men. Only innate to humiliate like this.'
Yu-ri's unmatched campus beauty? Seonghwan admitted. Beyond Korea Uni even.
Club senior Jo Yu-mi stunning, but with that voluptuous body. Friend Yoon Yesul eye-catching, pure high-teen vibe, but objectively loses to Yu-ri's face.
Closest rival...
'Lee Hyun?'
Face soured.
'Fuck. Why pretty faces all twisted personalities? No, Yesul and Yu-mi-sunbae aren't.'
Lumping Hyun and Yu-ri, about to chuck phone—but that perky chest outline over white Hula tee...
'...really snapping from school now?'
Throat parched.
Gulp. Pride stepped back briefly.
'Just bend pride a little...'
Last send, anxiety ruled senses.
'Fuck fuck what if? Right move? Or "fuck off"? Shit, shame'd make me drop Advertising class, not just blanket kick.'
Flash. Near 10 PM, checked.
'If text only, shut off, home, porn. Yu-ri'd mock, not send on demand. Just check.'
'Photo?!!!!!!'
Clicked. Neck-down, same outfit/angle as last. White Hula, black padding unchanged.
Changed: Hula hiked from navel, white bra and plump pale breasts captured.
'Gaaaaaaah. Heart eyes!!'
As Seonghwan arms-raised victory to night sky over pic—another flash, unnoticed in ecstasy.
After cracking her as FreshmanButtQueen, gloating over leverage—Seonghwan was unwittingly tamed by Min Yu-ri.