Back to Normalcy
After my conversation with the student council president, I headed home without any particular incidents.
"I'm home."
I opened the door and gave my usual greeting. Normally, there'd be no response because everyone was busy with their own things, but today was different.
"Welcome back?"
My father's fiancée, Lee Na-eun, was home. She stood up and approached me.
"Give me your bag. I'll put it away for you."
"No, it's fine. I'm not some young master from a rich family."
I refused her gesture. It wasn't like I was the heir to some wealthy household, and it felt burdensome anyway.
"...I see."
Na-eun stepped back when I turned her down. This was always the distance between us—awkward, yet not awkwardly so. Maybe this relationship was natural in its own way. Stepbrother and stepmother. Who wouldn't find that a bit off? Still, I thought this was pretty good. As long as it wasn't some dramatic feud like in movies or dramas, it was fine.
I looked at Na-eun with those thoughts in mind. Her expression was as easy to read as ever, just like when we first met when I was a kid. Regret. Awkwardness. A touch of distance. But things had improved a bit now. Only someone as sensitive as me could pick up on these subtle vibes—like lingering residue in my heart.
She probably felt like we were getting really close by now. Whatever, small stuff like that didn't matter.
"Is Da-eun in her room right now?"
I cut straight to the point. Na-eun nodded with a serious look, like we were plotting some secret operation.
"She's in there. Want me to call her?"
"No, I'll get her myself."
I turned down her offer and headed to Da-eun's room, knocking on the door.
Knock, knock knock.
"Who is it?"
A reply came right away. Good, she wasn't wearing headphones. Her voice sounded normal too.
"It's me. Come out for a sec."
Soon, I heard some fumbling around, and Da-eun cautiously opened the door.
"What... do you want?"
"I need to talk. It's pretty important."
Da-eun rolled her eyes as she listened, glancing toward where her mom was. At the same time, I caught a peek of her room beyond her—total chaos.
She'd definitely get an earful if her mom saw this.
"Can't it wait?"
She tried to bail, but this was important to me too, so I wedged my foot in the door.
"If you don't listen now, I'll tell on you."
"...That's dirty! How could you?!"
"If you get it, tidy up quick and come out."
I brushed off her protest. A few minutes later, the door creaked open, and Da-eun emerged.
"So? What do you wanna say, bro?"
Da-eun shot me a sulky glare, full of attitude. From the way she mentioned her game, she was pissed I'd interrupted.
I let it slide. Knowing her personality, if it was a real important game, she wouldn't even hear me. So this one wasn't a big deal—probably just chasing all-perfects on some rhythm game, I figured.
Looking at her pout, I got to the point.
"The student council president wants to meet you."
"The president... why all of a sudden?"
"Not from your school. The one you and I know."
The student council president we both knew. Kang Eun-seo. It didn't take long for the name to click in Da-eun's head.
"...Ugh."
A reflexive groan escaped her. But her body didn't tremble like a leaf anymore.
She's improved since before.
Compared to two years ago, she was doing way better. Back then, even tiny things would have her silently bawling.
"H-how... did you run into her?"
Da-eun asked cautiously. I told her everything—from how the president at my high school turned out to be Eun-seo, to all our run-ins so far, up to today's chat.
"She said she has something to tell you."
"...What do you think she wants, bro?"
"No comment."
"You're such a jerk. You're always so quick on the uptake, but you dodge stuff like this."
Da-eun puffed her cheeks. But the dark tone in her voice had lightened a bit.
She took a deep breath.
"Give me a sec to think. Bro."
"Take all the time you need. You don't even have to tell me."
"Why...?"
"Even if you don't go, I can handle it on my end."
Eun-seo was in the weaker position here. Me and Da-eun were the top dogs—we could do whatever. I made sure Da-eun knew that, planning to remind her again later just in case.
"If you do go, text me on the day."
"Got it. I'll do what you say, bro."
"That's it for now. I'm heading to my room."
I left Da-eun there and went to my room. She stared blankly at her desk, lost in thought, mumbling to herself.
"...I dunno."
She looked seriously conflicted. But I'd decided not to meddle in her dilemma. It was all hers to figure out—she had to choose and decide for herself.
"I can't do anything about it anyway."
I muttered that as I slipped into my room.
The next day, I went to school as usual and sat at my desk. Right on cue, Ha-yoon came over.
"How'd the counseling go?"
"...Counseling?"
"Didn't you say you were going to see the student council president yesterday?"
Ha-yoon gave me a puzzled look. Oh yeah, I'd mentioned going to Eun-seo under the pretense of counseling.
"Yeah. I did it."
"That sounds totally like a lie..."
"You saw me go into the student council room yesterday."
"Well... true."
Ha-yoon accepted it, even if she didn't fully get it. She had no clue about my past, so she couldn't guess anyway. She just shrugged it off.
Then a smile spread across her face.
"So, any results?"
"Kinda? I've got a rough idea now."
What Ha-yoon meant was simple: the theme of love for our play. I'd supposedly gone for counseling to figure that out.
I hadn't actually talked love with the president. But after mulling it over alone in my room last night, I'd grasped something.
Her eyes lit up with curiosity.
"Tell me! I'm dying to know!"
"Nah, watch the play when it's done."
I turned her down. I planned to share the script only with my group.
"Boo, you're no fun."
"Pouting won't change my mind."
I shut her down firmly. My script didn't quite fit a typical play, in a way. Better to keep it secret. If it leaked, I'd get pushback, and that'd be a hassle.
Of course, there were easy outs—like ripping off a love story from a book or tweaking the script. But I didn't want that. It was my debut stage; I wanted it original, all mine.
As I thought that...
"You two are getting awfully chummy lately?"
Seol-ah butted in. Maybe she felt left out. A sulky vibe wafted off her.
Ha-yoon noticed too.
"Pfft! Me and Seol-ah are a package deal!"
Ha-yoon sidled behind Seol-ah and pinched her cheeks like mochi.
"Eeeek..."
"How could I leave this squishy goodness all alone?"
"Lea' go... it hur's...!"
Ha-yoon let go when Seol-ah's words got through. Like in a cartoon, Seol-ah's cheeks boinged back to normal.
"Anyway? What were you talking about?"
Her mood perked up. Maybe this was her real issue. I answered.
"Theater club. We're doing a play."
"Already?! You two got talent or something?"
"Hope so, but it's all the newbies pitching in this time."
Seol-ah smacked her lips. Curious, I asked her back.
"What about your clubs?"
"Us? Counseling club's doing psych tests... Board games club too, I think?"
Counseling: quick psych tests for visitors. Board games: opening their room to play.
"They're adding a snack bar, selling simple food."
A concession stand too, carried over from last festival. Most profits go to charity.
"And the non-charity part?"
"End-of-festival party funds, I guess?"
The rest covers partying. School allowed that much.
We chatted like that. After a few minutes, Seol-ah snapped her fingers.
"Oh yeah! Sung-hoon, you turned that in?"
"Huh? Turned in what?"
What was she on about? Anything I needed to submit?
I racked my brain. Dug through dusty memories and found it.
"The interview video?"
"Yup! Career teacher said hurry up."
Totally slipped my mind. Been so busy lately, it got buried.
I rummaged in my bag. Lucky—USB with the interview video was there.
"I'll submit it quick."
As I stood, Seol-ah and Ha-yoon naturally tagged along.
"You two coming too?"
"Yup, we're a team."
"Gotta stick together for this."
They said it awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. Obvious lies. I'd clocked it already.
"Real reason?"
"Staff room's super chilly."
"Sneak some snacks."
Figures. Separate motives. I sighed lightly and moved. It'd been a while since I felt this slice-of-life normal.