Gratitude Is Gratitude
The current location was Hye-ji’s house. I was in the middle of an uncomfortable meeting with her father, Kim Baekhong (three stars—not a rating). He kept glaring at me with eyes full of clear displeasure.
He’s staring like he wants to kill me.
No, I just came as a guest. Why am I already worrying about getting shot?
In the middle of that awkward silence, Kim Baekhong suddenly bowed his head to me.
“Thank you.”
“Huh?????”
What did I even do???
Who would lend money to whom? If anything, I’d be the one borrowing.
I couldn’t say a word until Kim Baekhong finally lifted his head. His sharp eyes hadn’t changed, yet thanks to that earlier expression of gratitude, the mood felt much softer than before.
“Thanks to you, I was able to talk with my daughter again.”
“Ah.”
The moment I heard that, I remembered Hye-ji complaining in the hospital room about how bad things were with her dad. I’d probably just told her to say anything at all.
Guess things worked out after that?
Why am I unlike myself?
That made me snap.
Don’t slander our Falcon Punch. Falcon Punch has his reasons for everything he does.
Meanwhile, Kim Baekhong kept talking, his tone noticeably lighter.
“In the past I pushed my daughter too hard, so we couldn’t speak properly for a long time.”
“And after I gave Hye-ji some advice, things improved again?”
“Yes. Honestly, I never imagined a day like this would come.”
“That’s a relief. Still, I think you should be thanking Hye-ji instead of me.”
At that, doubt flickered in Kim Baekhong’s eyes, as if he couldn’t understand why I’d say such a thing.
“...Why do you think that?”
“I only gave her advice. The one who actually took action was Hye-ji herself.”
“I see. Understood.”
In the end, father and daughter really were alike. Neither could express their feelings properly and just kept everything bottled up inside.
So what if they’re clumsy? They’re family. That just means they should cherish each other even more.
The atmosphere had grown quite warm. It started a little awkward, but now it felt all right.
“So there are a few things I’d like to ask you.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
At least until the next sentence came out.
“Tell me in detail what your relationship with my daughter is.”
“......”
It was no longer all right. The warm atmosphere from moments ago melted away like snow under spring sun. The current mood had become winter—a biting, ice-cold winter that completely ignored the proper order of seasons. As if reflecting that, Kim Baekhong’s eyes grew even colder than when I first saw them.
Fuck. This is terrifying.
I kept my composure as best I could and answered Kim Baekhong.
“What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said. What is your current relationship with Hye-ji?”
He seemed wary of the possibility that I was her boyfriend. Since we were simply friends, I felt a little less pressure and continued.
“We’re just friends. We only became friends after meeting at the Academy.”
“Then are you saying my Hye-ji has no charm?”
I had relieved one burden only to gain a heavier one.
No, fuck. Why is this old man suddenly flooring it?
I hurriedly began listing Hye-ji’s positive traits.
“No, first of all Hye-ji is quite cute.”
“Mm-hmm. That’s true.”
“And at the same time she has a truly cool side and incredible strength.”
“You know her well.”
Kim Baekhong wore a very satisfied expression. Everything I said was the unexaggerated truth.
I’m screwed. Just thinking about the power balance makes my head feel like it’s going to explode.
It seemed like I was managing to get through it somehow. At this rate, my defense could be considered a partial success.
“Then what kind of feminine charm do you see in Hye-ji?”
Mom...
I had defended and he brought out a spear instead. I was done for.
“Uh… well, she’s small and slender, so it brings out protective instincts?”
“Then are you a pedophile who feels lust toward my Hye-ji’s body?”
“No! Absolutely not! My preference is for mature adult figures with everything in the right places! Not childlike bodies!”
“So in the end you’re saying Hye-ji has no feminine charm?”
The pattern was genuinely fucked. There was no winning answer. When I stayed silent, Kim Baekhong spoke calmly.
“Anyway, now that I’ve seen you in person, your appearance is acceptable, but in other areas you don’t seem to match our Hye-ji at all.”
“......Ahaha.”
I wanted to say something in response to Kim Baekhong, but—
“From the start, Hye-ji probably never had you in mind, so I wasn’t particularly worried.”
“......”
I couldn’t say anything.
“You’re not a bad person, but… well. It’s difficult to see you as someone who would suit our Hye-ji.”
“Uh.....”
Because—
“Don’t misunderstand. It doesn’t mean you lack charm. It simply means you aren’t right for Hye-ji.”
“Excuse me…”
Behind Kim Baekhong.
“Just because you don’t suit our Hye-ji, don’t be too discouraged. Someday you’ll meet someone who will recognize your charm, won’t you?”
“Father…?”
Hye-ji had been listening to the entire conversation with a bright smile on her face.
“Above all, when compared to our Hye-ji, someone of your style just doesn’t do it for me.”
“Behind you…”
Hye-ji’s appearance was truly grotesque. She was smiling, yet it wasn’t a smile at all. The pupils visible between her eyes were far too dark and cold as frost. At the same time, veins bulged on both her hands. The beverage can she gripped looked like its life was hanging by a thread. She must have come to bring drinks and happened to overhear everything.
And that razor-sharp gaze of hers was focused on a single point—exactly on the back of Kim Baekhong’s head. She wasn’t looking at me. But my instincts were screaming. Do not look. Do not get involved. Just run.
Save me save me save me.
Kim Baekhong, still completely unaware of the situation, kept talking. Even though his next words might become his last words.
“Still, you never know. Right now you don’t match at all, but if you put in bone-carving effort, maybe someday you’ll—”
- BOOM!!!!!
What cut off Kim Baekhong wasn’t human speech. It was the sound of something exploding. The source was Hye-ji’s hand. She had finally crushed the beverage can with pure grip strength.
The liquid inside was instantly freed and splashed across the floor. Of course, Hye-ji had no intention of cleaning it up. She simply glared at Kim Baekhong.
Only then did Kim Baekhong notice her presence and turn around.
“Hm? Oh, it’s you, Hye-ji. You’ve come at a good time. I was just telling Shin-woo the reality of the situation.”
“What are you doing?”
One single sentence from Hye-ji. With just that, the oppressive atmosphere Kim Baekhong had wrapped around me vanished. At the same time, his intimidating presence crumpled instantly—like the beverage can that had met its end in Hye-ji’s hand earlier.
“......Hye-ji? Are you angry?”
“Dad. Come with me for a second.”
Sensing the dangerous mood, Kim Baekhong attempted to escape.
“That’s it, Hye-ji. Dad’s a little busy right now, so I think I need to step away for a bit?”
“Come. With me.”
It failed. Hye-ji kept smiling as if she were completely harmless. However, the pressure she emitted was anything but harmless. It was so heavy that even I, who was only watching, felt my breathing become obstructed.
As long as it’s not me, as long as it’s not me.
Hye-ji half-dragged the now-docile Kim Baekhong toward the inner room. I couldn’t tell how big the room was, but its purpose was crystal clear. The words “Training Room” were written on it.
Whether they were actually going to train or if it was just assault wearing the mask of training, I didn’t know.
The forced silence Hye-ji created was broken only by the sound of the training room door opening and then closing. The room must have been well soundproofed; no noise came from inside. The only things that could be faintly heard were occasional bursting sounds, heavy impact noises, and the rough curses Hye-ji spat out.
“Fuck!! Why the hell are you ruining everything!!!!”
“Hye-ji!! I’m sorry! I was just trying to establish a little dominance—!”
“Shut the fuck up!! It’s all ruined!!!”
I couldn’t hear it. Of course, I had zero desire to listen. It was too scary.
It’s not like she’s inheriting a throne. She wouldn’t actually stab her dad, right?
She’ll do it in moderation. Let’s not get involved for no reason.
The father and daughter’s fiery reunion continued nonstop for a full thirty minutes. Leaving a guest alone for thirty minutes could certainly be called a breach of etiquette. But I had no intention of interrupting that touching moment. Family conversations were important, after all.
Instead, I wiped up the spilled drink on the floor and took a sip from what remained in the crushed can.
Oh. It’s Pepsi Zero. Hye-ji really knows her stuff.
Before long the faint sounds coming from the training room began to change. The bursting noises and heavy thuds gradually subsided, like a spinning top that had lost its power source slowly winding down to a stop.
Finally the training room door flew open violently. Two people had gone in, but only one came out. Yes—it was Hye-ji. She was still radiating fighting spirit from every inch of her body. It looked like her anger hadn’t been fully vented yet.
I’d better behave myself. If I mess up I might actually die.
Soon Hye-ji’s gaze turned toward me.
“Shin-woo.”
“...Yes, go ahead.”
“Don’t pay any attention to what Dad said.”
“Since he meant it in a good way—”
But Hye-ji’s murderous tone cut me off, as if my opinion didn’t matter in the slightest.
“Don’t. Pay attention.”
“Yes ma’am.”
Once she finished speaking, Hye-ji returned to her room. The moment she was out of sight, I quietly peeked into the training room. Kim Baekhong was in the center. Unlike when I first saw him, he was now half-unconscious and sprawled out in a rather pathetic manner. It was honestly a little heartbreaking.
Since it’s not PongPong-level suffering, I’d say this is acceptable.
I pretended I hadn’t seen anything and quietly closed the training room door.