AR Ch 4 part 2

PR by neji

Summer. Despite being a member of the top 1% who could have his pick of any top university in Korea, Seokju turned his gaze to the police academy. When Jiwon’s father heard of this, he was as happy as if he’d caught a murder suspect.

As the wife of a detective, her mother worriedly asked him why it had to be the police. She told him he could be a prosecutor or a judge instead. Seokju reassured her worried mother that he did not plan on walking a path of thorns. He planned on joining the elite and told her not to worry. He told her he would repay her for everything she’s done for him with such sincerity that her mother began to tear up.

“Omo, if you graduate from the police academy, they’ll put you in a higher position right away? Seokju, if you get appointed to a position at the top, can you drag our Jiwon up a bit with you?”

Jiwon’s mother laughed happily as she placed a mouthwatering chicken leg with red seasoning on Seokju’s plate. The neighborhood pub was filled with noisy families. Whenever her father had the day off, they often came here.

“What do you mean by ‘drag her up’? I’m going to apply to the academy, too.”

As soon as Jiwon spit those words out, her mother gave her a fierce glare.

“You’re saying such nonsense again. Isn’t the police academy exam similar to the civil servant exam? Do you think it’s child’s play?”

Ever since she was young, Jiwon’s dream was to become a policewoman. She kept this dream alive as she watched her father, and after her kidnapping incident, she became even more determined. But whenever she talked about becoming a policewoman, her mother fiercely opposed it.

“If I can’t pass it, then I’ll just use Dad’s support and ask them to put me in the special-ops force as an employee. We’ll be a father-daughter cop team.”

“Jiwon, the world isn’t such an easy place.”

Her father chuckled as he poured more soju into his glass of beer before gulping it down. Her father usually supported her no matter what Jiwon attempted to try, but he was not giving her much conviction in this matter. As a frontline worker in various violent crime scenes, he had come across all sorts of dangers. Therefore, his behavior was not unexpected. However, Jiwon couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Jiwon’s mother sighed and slowly shook her head from side to side.

“Honestly, the fact that she doesn’t have a good head on her shoulders could be my fault, so I have nothing to say.”

Jiwon angrily chewed on her chicken drumstick in annoyance. What kind of parent took a shot at their own child in front of another kid?

“Ey, even if our Jiwon isn’t good at studying, she’s pretty because she takes after you, honey.”

Jiwon wasn’t sure if her parents were complimenting her or insulting her.

“I’m even more worried that she has good looks because of me. She might not care for boys just yet, but what if she gets interested in a weird guy and suffers later on?”

“Then do you think I’ll just stay put and let it happen? I would beat that guy up!”

Seokju was in the middle of gulping down his soda and burst into laughter. Jiwon glared at him.

“Hey, what’s so funny?”

“Please don’t worry too much. I will keep an eye on her.”

“Keep an eye on me… What am I, a criminal?”

Jiwon’s mother glared at her before saying, ‘Thank you, Seokju.’ Jiwon didn’t know what kind of magic Seokju had cast on her family, but it felt like he had basically become an adopted son of the household in half a year.

“You must be busy these days because of your studies, but you still come out to help me close my shop. Even though you’re in your senior year of high school, you took a part-time job and installed security cameras at the counters. And you still maintained your grades and got a perfect score on your physical exam. This ahjumma really thinks you’re amazing and praiseworthy.”

Jiwon’s mother was always weak to alcohol. It looked like she was growing emotional after drinking half a glass of beer. Jiwon’s father was already drunk as he sat next to her. His satisfied smile suddenly turned meaningful, and his eyes flashed.

“Seokju, you… Could it be that you have an interest in my daughter?!”

“What is this ahjussi saying? Dad, are you drunk?”

Jiwon startled and quickly lowered her voice. She felt as if other people’s eyes had turned to their booth inside this small pub.

“Is our daughter pretty? And she’s also kind. Honest. Affectionate. Ten out of ten. If you want to have my daughter, you must pass my, Park HeungSoo’s, strict test! Or else you can’t have her… Ah…”

This is crazy, seriously.

“I’ll be getting up first. Please spend some quality time as a family alone.”

Seokju finished the rest of his soda and stood up from his seat. He knew that the longer he stayed, the more embarrassing it would get.

“Hey, if you suddenly leave like this, it looks weird. What are you doing?”

When Jiwon stood up after him, her father continued on with his nonsense.

“You two, what’s going on… There can’t be any silly business going on between you two. You must remember that you two are members of the opposite gender…!”

“Aigoo, just be quiet. Do you really think I wouldn’t have noticed if something happened already?”

Jiwon’s mother slapped her father’s back before taking a napkin and cleaning his mouth as she clicked her tongue.

“Stop being so messy and eat properly. Excuse me! Can you bring one more plate of salad, please?”

The pub owner was putting more salad on a plate and looked up when he heard the bell ring. He glanced at the door as he continued to scoop.

“It seems that your handsome son-in-law left early.”

“I can’t believe this. Ahjumma, it’s not like that at all, okay?”

“What do you mean? The word is all over the neighborhood.”

Did all adults secretly pair young people together whenever they saw them? Jiwon made an ‘X’ with her arms at the snickering ahjumma before leaving the pub. Seokju must have heard everything that was said inside, but he didn’t seem to care.

“Why is the weather like this today?”

“They said it would rain tonight.”

Last spring, after taking a walk with Seokju that one night, their relationship had changed. For starters, they began walking to school together. Seokju claimed that there was a high possibility that the bullies would be back to retaliate, so he coaxed her into walking with him. Whenever she protested, he claimed that he needed someone next to him who could blow a whistle, and she didn’t have a rebuttal for that argument.

“Then why didn’t you bring an umbrella?”

“It doesn’t matter if I get rained on.”

In the end, they began to move forward and speak to each other. More accurately, she was the only one Seokju would approach to begin a conversation. However, that didn’t mean they had a particularly good relationship either.

“What’s with your hair?”

It was because he was always like this. Jiwon blinked in confusion when Seokju suddenly spoke up after staring at her for a while.

“What?”

She had stopped by the salon before heading over to the pub. The hairdresser asked her what she thought about airing out her neck since it was the summertime, so Jiwon had decided to get her hair cut into a short bob. She had even gotten bangs, so she felt a bit awkward about it and couldn’t stop fretting over her new hairstyle.

“Never mind.”

Seokju one-sidedly ended the conversation and looked forward as he began to walk.

“What is it? If it’s weird, just curse at me and tell me it’s weird!”

“Why don’t you just go around naked while you’re at it?”

What was he talking about? Jiwon was used to getting enraged at Seokju’s ridiculous words from time to time.

“What’s with those clothes?”

“Why are you snickering like an idiot while looking at your phone when we’re on the subway?”

“Just what did you smear on your lips?”

“Don’t drowse with your mouth open when we’re at school. You seriously look like an idiot.”

The numerous instances of Shin Seokju getting her riled up and angry flashed through her head. Stay calm. If she got angry in this humid weather, she’d be the only one to suffer. Jiwon decided to ignore him, but Seokju kept bothering her.

“Don’t underestimate the exam. There are thousands of people who study for many years before passing it, just like the civil servant exam.”

“You don’t have to tell me. I already know, future sheriff-nim.”

“If you want, I can help you study. You can pay the tutoring fees later.”

Jiwon looked at Seokju and sighed. She had a feeling that Seokju had a disease that made him beat around the bush. For example, right now. He could have just asked her to study together, but he was saying it in a way that irked her. Just how was his brain wired?

“What are you looking at?”

When Jiwon stared blankly at him, Seokju frowned. Judging by the way his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down above the neckline of his t-shirt, it looked like he was affected by the hot weather as well.

“No, I was just thankful for your help. It’s an honor.”

“Don’t be sarcastic. Then let’s go to the library this weekend. We can’t focus at home.”

“Okay.”

After giving her reply, Jiwon suddenly remembered that she already had something planned this weekend.

“Ah, I can’t do this weekend. Can we start next weekend?”

Seokju’s brow flinched before gathering into a frown.

“Never mind. There is no second chance.”

After giving her such an unpleasant response, Seokju stopped walking. Jiwon could see that the pedestrians on the other side of the crosswalk were starting to stare at him.

Seokju always caught people’s eyes. Whether he was wearing a white t-shirt and black pants like now or whether he was in his school uniform, it was all the same. She noticed this more once she began to walk with him, but the thought of Seokju’s popularity made her feel strangely angry.

“People need to see your true nature.”

Jiwon suddenly began to pick a fight with him. Instead of bristling at her remark, Seokju snorted and said something unexpected.

“If we’re going to talk about one’s true nature, then I’d say that your parents don’t know about yours.”

Beeeep.

Once the sign alerted them that it was safe to cross, Seokju finished talking and began to walk across the street. Jiwon quickly followed after him.

“What are you talking about? Hey, wait up!”

After crossing the street, Seokju slowed his pace to match hers. As they entered the alleyway that led them home, he continued to speak.

“Ahjumma said it a while ago. That you’re not interested in guys yet.”

Her mother believed that because of her childhood trauma, Jiwon was keeping her distance from boys. She was even more convinced of this because she had seen how her daughter used to freeze up whenever she got near a man who was in the same age group as her kidnapper.

“My mom might think that way because I go around looking like this.”

Jiwon swept her hand through her short hair.

“But I’m not a weak woman who lets some trauma hold her back.”

Although she couldn’t grow her hair out after that incident, she could still clearly recall the way it felt when her long hair had been grabbed by the kidnapper, and her emotions dampened at the thought. Just as Seokju said, the skies were filled with clouds, and it looked like it would start raining at any moment. The way the humid air was sticking to her skin was a clearer omen of rain.

“So is that why you date anyone who confesses to you?”

“What?”

Jiwon came to a halt under an old telephone pole. Seokju met her eyes and gave her a condescending look.

“It looks like your heart moved to receive an earnest confession. Don’t you know that the method playboys use the most is seduction? Not to mention the inability to spell the most basic of words.”

Not that long ago, a boy from another classroom confessed to her. He had left her a handwritten letter filled with emotion, and Jiwon couldn’t help but feel moved by it. Therefore, she hung out with him on weekends. They had agreed to see a movie together this weekend, and it looked like Seokju had caught on.

“Rather than a guy who acts shady and secretly reads my letters, isn’t it better to hang around a guy with a good personality who has many friends around him?”

“I only saw the letter because you were careless and dropped it by the front door. As for that guy’s friends, I’ve declined to hang out with them.”

Ha, I’m sure that’s the case. Jiwon looked at Seokju and clicked her tongue.

“Seokju, is that why you don’t have friends?”

“Why don’t I have friends?”

Seokju stared at her and brazenly asked back. Jiwon looked back at him in shock before pointing to herself.

“You’re not talking about me, are you? Excuse me, sir…”

Just as she was about to tell him that he was being delusional, Seokju shook his head.

“Stop making a fuss.”

“Then who is it? Tell me their name.”

She had never seen a single person hang out with him at school. She was certain that Seokju’s contact list on his phone was empty.

“Park HeungSoo.”

“…That’s my dad.”

“Is age important when it comes to making friends? Your father and I scratch each other’s backs.”

Jiwon didn’t care to hear about the stories about her dad and Seokju at the public bath, neither did she want to know.

“Whatever. Just mind your own business and stay out of my personal life.”

Did he think that he was her oppa just because her mother regarded him as a son? The more she thought about it, the angrier she felt. She began to walk faster. Due to the weather, she was already in a sour mood without Seokju’s help.

“Park Jiwon.”

“I told you to mind your own business.”

“About your friend. The one who eats with you at school. The one with long hair.”

Jiwon gave him an odd look. What about Minjung? Seokju seemed to be pondering something before he opened his mouth.

“She confessed to me. She wanted us to go out.”

Jiwon’s fast footsteps came to a halt in front of an old fence wall.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

It wasn’t very surprising. Ever since Seokju had transferred to their school, Minjung spoke about him very often. She had never specifically said she liked him. Jiwon suddenly felt strange.

“So…?”

Seokju would have reacted just as he always did. With indifference. ‘Yeah, okay. Thanks.’ He would definitely have said those words and turned around. And that meant Minjung would be hurt…

“I plan on dating her.”

Jiwon reflexively frowned and gasped when she heard Seokju’s reply. Shin Seokju was… going to date a girl? Of course, whether he dated someone or not, it was none of Jiwon’s business. And more so if it was with her friend, this was a better result than her friend being dumped.

So why did she feel like this? Why did a strange feeling seep into her heart at the thought of those two together?

Jiwon couldn’t believe that she felt disappointed and betrayed.

“Really…?”

Seokju silently gazed at Jiwon as if she were an idiot.

“Of course not. I’m not crazy. We’re seniors, so how is dating a good idea?”

The moment he broke the silence, Jiwon felt as if something snapped inside her head. As if the ground underneath her feet was heating up, she felt the warmth seep up her legs.

“Did Minjung really confess to you?”

“Her personal life is none of your business.”

She felt like the warmth had now transformed into a scorching heat. She felt the rage boil up to the top of her head, but she wasn’t sure why. She felt the heat surge through her the moment she found out Seokju had lied.

“How do you feel?”

“Just shut up. You’re annoying me.”

“That’s how I felt.”

Boom. They heard a clap of thunder rumble through the cloudy sky. A drop of rain fell down next to her eye. 

“…What?”

Seokju scowled and rested his piercing eyes on her. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down once again as he continued.

“When you went out to meet someone, I felt exactly like how you’re feeling now.”

Drip, drip. The rain began to fall down faster by the moment. At this rate, it was going to turn into a downpour. However, Jiwon couldn’t move.

“It’s upsetting and annoying. Because it doesn’t make any sense.”

As the raindrops grew bigger, Jiwon’s heart began to beat faster. She was suddenly afraid of the meaning behind Seokju’s words. Afraid of realizing what situation they were in now…

“What doesn’t make sense…?!”

They didn’t have an umbrella, and she wanted to go home as soon as possible. At this rate, they were going to be drenched in no time. She was about to hurry home and walk away when Seokju’s words grabbed her by the ankle.

“Why? Are you running away again?”

Jiwon froze and turned her head around. The rain was drenching Seokju’s black hair and dripping down his face. She glared at his eyes that were distorted behind his wet glasses.

“…Who’s running away?”

Who did he think he was? How dare he brand someone as a coward? Seokju continued to speak in a sharp voice.

“Do you want me to tell you what that bastard said? He said he’d sleep with you within a month. He was making bets with his friends. Are you still going to take that bastard’s side even after knowing this?”

“Watch your mouth.”

“Just be glad I didn’t say all the vulgar things he said word for word.”

Seokju’s voice sounded cruel and cold. Jiwon’s breaths hitched as the freezing rain drenched through her clothes. The boy who had been acting innocent in front of her was actually blabbing about stuff like that behind her back. It angered her to no end. However, rather than the fact that she had been fooled, she was even more incensed that Seokju had been the one to tell her. Jiwon’s eyes grew warm as she glared at him. Then she raised her voice.

“…Don’t all sons of bitches think like that? What, are you any different?”

Boom. The sky turned pitch black as the rain began to pour. Jiwon’s body began to tremble due to the sound of thunder. However, the only thing that filled her head was not the fear that came from the horrible weather.

“I am different. Obviously.”

Seokju took off his wet glasses and took a step towards her. The wall was at her back, and there was nowhere Jiwon could escape to. No, she didn’t want to escape. Even though he was struggling underneath the surface of the water, he acted as if he were in control. She was curious as to what this kind of guy was going to say.

“Are you comparing me to those idiotic bastards?”

A raindrop traveled down his sharp jawline, and Jiwon’s heart began to race.

“And what’s so different about you for you to be acting all high and mighty?”

He lowered his head and looked into her eyes. He was so close that a raindrop could trickle down his face and drip onto her lips.

“At the very least, I don’t go around the whole school talking about how much I want to have sex. That’s vulgar. And laughable that it’s all bark and no bite.”

Jiwon bit her lip. The fat raindrops fell on Seokju’s shoulders and splattered on his white t-shirt.

Jiwon felt a bit relieved that it was raining. If not for the rain, she would not have been able to withstand the heat that was rising throughout her body. Seokju drew closer until the tips of their noses were almost touching. No one was walking around due to the pouring rain.

“When your body can’t take it anymore, isn’t it better to just let the person responsible know? Right now, you and I…”

Jiwon stared into Seokju’s piercing eyes and covered his mouth with her hand. She felt like she shouldn’t hear more of it. Her thumping heart felt like it was going to burst at any minute.

“D-Don’t say anything.”

Her voice trembled as she warned him. Like an idiot.

Seokju gazed down at her. His ragged breaths tickled her palm. His soft lips felt so hot against her skin that she felt like they were branding her. Seokju’s hand slowly grabbed her trembling one and pulled it down.

“I told you not to say any—…!”

Whoosh. The moment Jiwon’s body was pulled against his, Seokju’s lips swallowed hers. That summer in the rain… Jiwon felt like she was melting under the raindrops. From that day on, whenever it rained, the first thing that popped into her head was this kiss.