AR Ch 1 part 2

PR by neji

 11 years ago, Winter.

That year was quite unique for Jiwon’s family. Her father’s cold murder case had been solved that year, and the family had finally purchased the villa they had been renting in full.

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Jiwon felt a bit pressured because she was going to become a high school senior this upcoming school year, but because she knew that being unable to get into college wasn’t the end of the world, she wasn’t too stressed out. And like that, Seokju dropped into her peaceful world out of the blue.

“Honey, who…?”

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Jiwon’s mother had been in the middle of preparing a hearty meal because her father was coming home for the first time in a while. Her eyes widened. This was because an unfamiliar male was entering through the front door with Jiwon’s father. Jiwon, who had been sitting at the table and scrolling through her phone, looked up. When their eyes met, she couldn’t help but gulp. At the time, she thought it was because the guy was incredibly handsome. As soon as she saw him, her heart began to race inside her chest.

“Well, you know. My friend Youngkyun’s son. I thought I’d let him stay over at our home for the time being. His name is Shin Seokju. This girl here is my daughter, Jiwon. It’s cold out, so why aren’t you coming inside?”

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After Jiwon’s father called out, Seokju closed the door and stood still. He took off his worn sneakers and placed them to the side of the foyer before walking further inside. As soon as he walked in, the low ceilings seemed even lower. This guy seemed to be a head taller than her large dad.

“What are you talking about, Honey?”

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Her mother spoke in an uncharacteristically formal tone that slightly trembled at the end. Her mother had often endured the consequences of her husband’s eccentricity, but that did not mean she was immune to it. Her father looked at her mother and grinned.

“Youngkyun said he’s going to go to the Philippines for a bit for some work.”

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“So…?”

Her mother did her best to remain calm, but her pale face expressed her bewilderment all the same.

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“So what? Honey, let’s eat some dinner first. Hey, Seokju. Once you’ve gotten a taste of our house’s food, you won’t be able to go out and eat anything else. Sit down, sit down.”

Jiwon’s dad pulled at Seokju. Seokju put his backpack on the floor and pulled out a chair before sitting down. Jiwon glanced at her mother and opened her mouth.

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“Dad, I don’t think this is it…”

“Talk to me first, Honey. Jiwon, bring Seokju something warm to drink.”

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The door to the master bedroom slammed shut. Jiwon did as her mother asked and put some water into the electric kettle. Then she pulled out a packet of green tea and placed it in a cup before tying the string onto the cup’s handle. During the one minute it took for the kettle to boil the water, Jiwon felt a tingling sensation on the back of her head.

“It’s… really cold outside, right?”

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After placing the cup on the table, Jiwon began talking in order to dispel the awkwardness.

“Do you know me?”

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Seokju broke his silence and spoke for the first time. He was wearing glasses, and it seemed to reinforce his neat, sharp appearance. Once she saw his eyes staring back at her through the spotless lens, Jiwon unconsciously gulped. Why am I so tense? No, why has my heart been racing since before?

“…Huh? N-no.”

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“You don’t know me?”

“Of course I don’t.”

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Jiwon laughed awkwardly, and Seokju frowned.

“Then why are you acting so familiar with me?”

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What the hell was wrong with him? Jiwon was unable to hide her expression and bit her lips.

“I can’t believe this…!! I can’t live because of you!”

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Her mother’s seemingly hushed voice flowed out through the crack of the door. Her father’s cunning voice followed thereafter.

“Haha, I can’t live if you’re not here. It’s all thanks to my reliable wife that I…! Ouch!”

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“Get out. I’d rather you just get out and not come back!”

They heard a loud smack. Even though she couldn’t see them, Jiwon knew that her mother was slapping her father on his back.

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“Are they deliberately raising their voices so that I can hear?”

Seokju murmured after taking a sip of his tea. Jiwon stared at him in disbelief. The more his proper-looking mouth continued to spew out such disagreeable things, the more she grew to dislike him.

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“The walls are pretty thin at our house.”

“Ah, it’s probably because it’s so old.”

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His spotless glasses slightly fogged up before becoming clear once again. Jiwon did her best to remain calm. She held back the urge to splash the hot tea he was drinking on his face and dragged her lips up into a smile.

“You… Your personality is quite twisted, isn’t it? It’s the complete opposite of how you look.”

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Seokju seemed unbothered by her attack and looked up at her with an indifferent expression.

“You don’t have to tell me I’m handsome. I already know.”

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Jiwon’s expression gradually twisted into a scowl. It was true that this jerk’s narcissism was well deserved. His face didn’t seem to hold anything in excess, and he had a sharp, tall nose. His long eyes behind the lens of his glasses were cold, and the rest of his facial features made him look intelligent. If one had to think of an apt comparison, he looked like the student president of a school.

“Yeah, your parents sure gave birth to you very well. Hey, I’m jealous.”

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Jiwon sneered as sarcasm dripped from her voice. Seokju’s brows flinched. When Jiwon saw how his eyes gradually turned cold, she instantly regretted it and bit her lips. Not that long ago, she had heard that Youngkyun’s wife had passed away. She recalled this piece of information too late. Did I poke a sore spot?

“…Sorry. That was my bad.”

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Jiwon quickly acknowledged her mistake. Seokju was still a jerk, but she shouldn’t have brought his parents into it. She could still hear her mother’s grumblings flowing out from the master bedroom.

“You don’t even think about me or Jiwon at all, do you? How long has it been since you co-signed something for your colleague, and we lost the apartment…? Now you’re asking me to raise someone else’s son? Ah… What did I do to deserve this…”

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Seokju silently stared at Jiwon and gestured to the master bedroom.

“You don’t have to give me your half-hearted apology. I’d rather receive that kind of response. It’s a lot more honest.”

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Jiwon clenched her fists underneath the table, and she could hear her heartbeats pounding in her ears. If she started a fight with him, would she be overwhelmed by their difference in size?

“We’ll only be taking care of him while Youngkyun goes out for a bit. Okay? We all live by helping each other out.”

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Youngkyun-ahjussi was her dad’s childhood friend. When her dad had lost their house after co-signing someone’s debt, Youngkyun-ahjussi had generously helped them pay the security deposit for their apartment. However, after his wife grew ill and passed away, he lost all of his money and had to find some work overseas. Although it was unfortunate that Seokju had to relive these memories due to the lack of soundproofing in their walls, his behavior made Jiwon grow angrier and angrier.

“You only have two bedrooms?”

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Jiwon didn’t answer his question. He looked around the room like an appraiser and seemed to be calculating a score in his head. Jiwon knew that if she opened her mouth, she’d start shouting curses at him.

“His extended family are all saying it’s none of their business, but how is this any of that kid’s fault? The adults are the problem.”

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“Aigoo… Aigoo…! I’d rather die than suffer. I knew things were going too well these days. Jeez!”

Her mother’s distressed voice grew louder. Jiwon could easily understand her mother’s pent-up anger. Her father basically lived at the police station, and whenever he did come home, he would bring some kind of big accident with him.

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“It sounds like things like this happen often. Your mother married the wrong man and must have suffered a lot.”

“Don’t say such ominous things, alright?”

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Ultimately, Jiwon couldn’t endure it anymore and opened her mouth. Even though she knew what kind of situation Seokju was in, this was a matter of principle. But Seokju’s response was quite dumbfounding all the same.

“I wasn’t saying something ominous. I was only telling the truth.”

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“What…?”

“It’s not like you guys have the luxury of bringing someone else into your home. You’re already struggling to feed three people as it is. But if the husband suddenly brings home someone else’s son to raise, it can’t be called a successful marriage, can it?”

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Jiwon’s expression didn’t change. She glared at Seokju as he continued to speak as if they were discussing a stranger’s circumstance. It must be because of guys like this that society deemed one’s personality to be the most important characteristic in a person. She came to this realization all at once.

“You’re right. Our household isn’t well-off. But my dad still insisted on helping out his friend. I don’t think you have the right to be such an asshole about it. You’re seriously a piece of trash, aren’t you?”

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Jiwon had grown accustomed to witnessing crime scenes for over a decade as the daughter of a detective. To put it bluntly, she couldn’t insult her father in this way either.

“Why can’t I?”

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Seokju asked back. At a loss for words, Jiwon scowled before answering him.

“Just now, you even told your father that you don’t think this is it. So why do I have to sit here and let you attack my character just because I spoke the truth?”

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This son of a bitch. He was quite formidable.

Every time Seokju took a sip of his tea, his glasses fogged up. His empty, cold eyes disappeared and reappeared. Jiwon began to stutter due to the overwhelming rage.

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“I-I don’t know about anyone else, but you of all people don’t have the right to insult my dad.”

“Why not?”

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Their conversation continued to circle back around over and over again. Ultimately, unable to hold back any longer, Jiwon couldn’t help but raise her voice.

“Because my dad is over there and acting like that to help you. Are you a psychopath?”

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“I think you’re mistaken about something, so I’ll tell you this. Your father is the one who dragged me over here even though I told him I didn’t want to come. And as for being a psychopath, I’m way too good of an empath to be one.”

He was a crazy bastard. Jiwon completely lost any attachment she felt for him. The master bedroom was quiet, meaning her mother had either relented or fainted. Even if her mother decided this was okay, Jiwon planned on grabbing him by the scruff of his neck and throwing him out of the house.

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“An act of kindness given against one’s will… In other words, it’s troublesome. And the most annoying thing about nosy people like that is that they want credit for their good deeds. At the very least, I don’t do things like that.”

Seokju fanned the flames that were raging inside Jiwon’s heart. Jiwon glared at him and grit her teeth.

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“Hey.”

The scorching heat sparked inside her heart and spread throughout her veins.

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“If your dad comes back and wants credit, then fine. I understand. But what’s up with you? Who are you to tell me what to do?”

“…You fucking son of a bitch. Shut your mouth.”

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Despite her threat, Seokju didn’t even bat an eye. Instead, he looked her dead in the eye and merely replied.

“Are you the type of person who starts cursing as soon as your logic and reasoning is shattered? Don’t do that. It makes you look stupid.”

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As he picked up the cup of tea to take another sip, his movements were graceful as if he were in the middle of a tea ceremony. As soon as Jiwon heard the boy’s personal attack against her, she burst out of her seat. She could hear her dad’s pleas through the master bedroom door.

“Just for six months. No longer than eight, probably? They say he got into the top 1% of the mock national college entrance exams. Remember how upset you were that we couldn’t afford to enroll our daughter into some tutoring sessions? We can just ask that kid to pay for himself by tutoring Jiwon. Hm?”

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Even if this jerk was in the top 0.1%, she didn’t care. She didn’t want to spend a single moment more with this twisted guy. Jiwon let out a scorching breath and murmured.

“What ridiculous nonsense is my dad saying?”

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“I know, right? I have no intention of offering my services. All this fuss for nothing.”

“Get out of here right now, you bastard.”

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She felt like her head was going to explode. Jiwon began to grind her teeth as she spit out her command. Seokju ignored her and sipped his tea. In the end, Jiwon stomped over and stood in front of him.

“Didn’t you hear me? I told you to get out of our house right this instant.”

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As soon as she spit out her fierce order, Seokju looked up at her with unaffected eyes.

“Who are you to decide that?”

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Jiwon drew in a deep breath. She felt that she could drag him out of here herself if she just grit her teeth and gathered all her strength. He had made it to the top 1% of the mock exams, so he probably only knew how to roll a pencil around. He wouldn’t know how to use his fists. Jiwon felt that she could land at least one blow on him if she tried.

“…So my words won’t work on you, is that it?”

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Ultimately, Jiwon grabbed onto the collar of his school uniform. She felt that all her experience of following her father around the police precinct had prepared her for this very moment. Seokju’s face, which had remained apathetic until now, began to twist into a scowl as he stood up.

Her right arm followed him up as her hand tightened on his shirt. This damned height difference. Jiwon flinched, but she did not let go. Even when Seokju slowly lowered his head towards her… Even when his eyes grew impossibly cold behind the clean lens of his glasses… Jiwon did not back down.

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Seokju slowly grabbed her wrist. The strength of his grasp made her gulp, but Jiwon continued to hold onto his collar. She didn’t want to back down. She couldn’t. Her heart began to race inside her chest.

“Are you scared?”

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Seokju broke the silence with his low voice. Jiwon couldn’t help but gasp before drawing in a deep breath. As soon as she looked into Seokju’s pitch black eyes, a strange, unpleasant feeling began to creep up the back of her neck. She felt like her heart was going to burst out of her throat, and she heard the rumble of thunder and the sound of rain in her head. Her hands grew cold. Her fists trembled as they clenched around Seokju’s collar.

“Are you scared? Of me?”

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When Seokju asked again in a low voice, Jiwon bit her lips. Her eyes grew bloodshot. Her legs felt limp and on the verge of collapse. As if her heart had traveled to her wrist that was in Seokju’s grasp, it began to thump wildly. Slivers of memories began to pierce through her mind. She closed her eyes and raised her voice.

“Yeah, right!!”

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With her thumb tucked inside her fist, Jiwon threw a fierce punch at Seokju’s left cheek. As soon as her fist made contact with his face, the door to the master bedroom burst open.

“Jiwon, what’s going on?!”

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The moment she heard her mother’s voice, Jiwon drew in a deep breath and returned to her senses. The heavy rain that had fogged up her head had disappeared.

“Daughter, is everything okay?”

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Her father’s expression was grave. Jiwon nodded her head to soothe their worries, but her mother grew startled when she saw Seokju.

“Omo, what do we do? He’s bleeding.”

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Her mother wrapped some tissue around her hand and began to gently dab Seokju’s busted lip. Jiwon was still quite worked up. Her clenched fists slightly trembled as she glared at Seokju. In the end, she gave him a good punch, but she still didn’t feel refreshed. Instead of feeling better, something hot began to spread out from within and was starting to boil over. She wanted to cry.

“Don’t you think we should apply some medicine? I’m sorry. She could have just used her words, so why did she raise her hand…”

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“Dad, take that bastard and leave.”

Jiwon spoke in a loud voice so that she could hide the tremors.

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“Jiwon, I know you’re surprised, but remember what I always told you? If you do good, good will come back to…”

“Enough with the nonsense! It’s one thing to trust Mom and get into all kinds of trouble. Seriously, what’s wrong with you, Dad? Are you trying to get revenge on Mom for something?”

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Jiwon barked out as tears filled her eyes.

“Why is she acting like this all of a sudden? How can you speak to your father like that?!”

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Her mother scolded her in a sharp voice. Jiwon frowned and turned her head to meet her mother’s eyes. The moment she looked into her eyes, Jiwon realized that her mother had lost to her father once again.

She heard that her mother surrendered to her father’s persistent attempts to win her love, but there was never a time when Mrs. Lee Jungsook had won an argument with Jiwon’s father. And as her daughter, Jiwon knew just how softhearted her mother was. The moment Seokju entered through the threshold of their front door, her mother saw his worn school uniform and his old, dirty sneakers. The moment she took all this in, it was probably decided.

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“Mom… I’m a high school senior now.”

“Since when did you concern yourself with your studies?”

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Jiwon had to resist the urge to collapse and throw a tantrum. If only they didn’t have a guest present, she really would have done it.

“Your name is Seokju, right? I heard you’re really good at studying. Try to raise our Jiwon’s grades. I’ll leave her in your care.”

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Her mother had always been terrifyingly good at adapting. She was already asking Seokju for favors.

“I’m not sure about that. I don’t think it’s something that can be done no matter how hard I try.”

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“H-Hm?”

In front of Jiwon’s bewildered mother, Seokju seemed to be going on a power trip.

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“I just think that her animosity towards me is a bit overwhelming. No matter how much I try, isn’t the student’s will the most important factor?”

His lip wasn’t even that busted, but he swept his thumb across it as he glanced at Jiwon. Jiwon suddenly felt the urge to throw another punch at him.

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“Hahaha, Honey. It seems that this kid has been tutoring other students to earn some pocket money. He’s quite talented and amazing.”

In that moment, when her father shamelessly took Seokju’s side, Jiwon hated him to death.

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“Dad, you’re really… How come you don’t consider my feelings at all?”

Jiwon was certain. She was going to turn twenty in no time. If her father had even an ounce of consideration for her, he would not have dragged such a black-hearted jerk into their house. He should be trembling with anxiety at the possibility of a certain kind of trouble resulting from bringing a member of the opposite sex into their home. Of course, as things stood now, a different kind of trouble was far more likely. 

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“What do you mean? I always think about my little princess every moment of every day. That’s why I decided to do this.”

Her father looked at her with narrow eyes that looked nothing like hers. Whenever her father acted like this, Jiwon’s eyes filled with tears.

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“I was worried our Jiwon would be stranded and left alone like this if your mom and I ever disappeared.”

“Why would you and mom disappear? Don’t say such a strange thing.”

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Jiwon wiped the tears that finally trickled down her cheeks with the back of her hand. Her father ruffled her short hair.

“Are you crying? I thought you were all grown up, but I guess not yet, baby.”

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“Stop. I said stop it!”

“Okay, now make up.”

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Jiwon’s father dragged her by the hand and stood her in front of Seokju. She felt like she had turned into an elementary school student who was being coaxed into reconciling with another child. When she merely stared at Seokju in silence, Jiwon’s mother cleared her throat and broke the silence first.

“Seokju, our Jiwon isn’t such a bad kid.”

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“Mom.”

Jiwon interrupted her mother, but her mother didn’t stop.

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“Her voice is loud, but she’s actually quite timid… Actually, she really likes people, so she is affectionate and kind. I’m not just saying this because she’s my daughter. She’s really like that.”

“Yes, I’m sure she is.”

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Seokju replied curtly, but his expression seemed to say that he didn’t believe a word of it. They said that even a hedgehog treasured their offspring. Jiwon could tell that he was sneering at her.

“It’s not a difficult thing for us to add another set of chopsticks at the table. But our Jiwon and you are both at an age where your studies are the most important thing, so I’m sure that there are… more than one thing that you two need to be careful about.”

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“Mom, what are you saying?”

Jiwon whipped her head around and felt an ominous feeling spread throughout her heart.

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“Even though she acts like such a tomboy, she’s still a girl, right…?”

“Mom!”

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Jiwon raised her voice when she heard such a ridiculous notion, but her father tugged on the hem of her clothes and brought his finger to his lips.

“We’re only saying this from a concerned adult’s point of view, so don’t take it to heart.”

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“I understand your worries. Let me be clear.”

Seokju slightly raised his voice and looked at Jiwon.

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“An ignorant girl isn’t my type.”

His sharp remark made Jiwon’s face stiffen. Seokju stared deep into her eyes as his words pierced into her head.

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“And if I can’t tell if they’re a female or a male, I definitely don’t see them as the opposite gender.”

Jiwon’s face grew warm, and she was at a loss for words. Was he saying these things because her hair was short? In today’s society? She felt incredibly wronged. Completely enraged, Jiwon could only say one thing.

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“Same here, okay?”

“Then that settles it. There’s no need for the adults to worry. Let’s get along from now on.”

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Jiwon grabbed his hand and squeezed. Seokju’s large hand slowly squeezed back before pushing her hand away. It was such a quick movement that it was almost as if he was trying to escape her grasp. She didn’t miss the sudden spark of electricity that seemed to have struck them when their hands touched. Their eyes met.

“Then I’ll… stay in the living room. Is that okay?”

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“O-Okay.”

Jiwon’s mother blinked and was unable to hide her bewilderment. Although she always criticized Jiwon because of her lack of studying, she didn’t like hearing someone else call her daughter ignorant. On one hand, she felt relieved that her daughter wasn’t viewed as a member of the opposite gender for Seokju, but she also didn’t like hearing it.

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“But you know, there were a lot of kids who followed Jiwon around because they liked her. Because she takes after me, she isn’t the prettiest, so it’s quite strange…”

“Mom, seriously!!”

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Jiwon tilted her head and gestured to Seokju. Her face was red as she cried out, but her mother continued to brag about her daughter.

Seokju listened to her mother and silently glanced at Jiwon. Jiwon could clearly see the sneer in his dull eyes. She was so embarrassed that she wanted the ground to swallow her up. Seokju firmly pursed his lips to hide the smile that threatened to form. If her parents weren’t here, he would definitely have laughed out loud.

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