23 – Graduation Ceremony (5)

Song Soo-yeon couldn’t understand why she did that.

Why did I want to be stroked?

She had never been in contact with any men before, but she couldn’t stand the momentary urge.

I wanted to be stroked and comforted.

If it was her usual way, she wouldn’t have said such a thing even if she died.

But everything fit so perfectly.

I entered the room hoping for compliments on my hair.

There he recognized the pain more quickly than his changed appearance.

Song Soo-yeon couldn’t help but be embarrassed to say nothing.

It was hundreds of times warmer than the comfort she expected.

Others always only care about her appearance. No one cared about the inside.

It was only one person, Jeong-gyeom, that every word he said resonated in his heart.

I wanted to feel that warmth even more.

However, he turned around and Song Soo-yeon had to feel regret.

Song Soo-yeon didn’t miss the fact that his hand approached her cheek and stopped.

Also, it was embarrassing to have compliments about her hair buried in worries about herself.

This combination of reasons made her want to be stroked.

I wondered what his touch would feel like, and I wanted to embed the changed hairstyle into his brain. I also hoped for insufficient praise.

In the end, by tricking him with sharp words, Song Soo-yeon eventually made him touch herself.

Her body’s reaction was astonishing.

Song Soo-yeon did not know that she would feel such feelings.

His hand touched the top of her head, and as if by magic, her hair turned white.

My heart was pounding like it was about to explode, and heat ran up my face.

It seemed that he was directly touching his heart and comforting him.

As expected, he was Song Soo-yeon, who wanted to be different in many things.

The other man’s touch was disgusting, but he couldn’t feel it at all.

“So, until what time tomorrow?”

Jeong-gyeom asked Song Su-yeon while making food in the kitchen.

Song Soo-yeon, who was still imagining the touch, breaks her thoughts.

“…..It starts at 10.”

“I see.”

I hear the sound of frying food in the kitchen again.

Hearing that peaceful sound, the stress that Song Su-yeon had received all day seemed to melt away like snow.

This was her resting place. She couldn’t deny it.

If I could work here for the rest of my life, I would.

The ordinary life he had been searching for so long was here.

Jeong-gyeom soon comes out with jajangmyeon.

He put down the bowls one by one in the place Song Soo-yeon had prepared.

“Now, I tried harder today. Eat and cheer up.”

Even with the light words, Song Soo-yeon felt empowered. Because he said to be strong.

At that moment, Jeong-gyeom pulled the chair back.

“……”

Feeling as if she was avoiding herself, a feeling of displeasure came over Song Soo-yeon for no reason.

“…..What are you doing?”

“….yes?”

“…I eat salty noodles. Why do you go back?”

“…Aren’t you taking pictures today?”

“ah.”

Knowing that she was not avoiding her, Song Soo-yeon’s awkwardness subsides.

I didn’t really want to take pictures today. However, given the choice, Song Soo-yeon began to worry.

“……..”

Then he swallows his saliva. Then he got up and walked towards Jeonggyeom.

Jeong-gyeom tilted his head curiously as he saw her standing up.

“… stick to the man’s food.”

“…Like this?”

And Song Soo-yeon bent her knees and stuck close to Jeong-gyeom.

“What are you doing?”

“…look at it.”

Song Soo-yeon takes out her smartphone and stretches out her arm. He turned on the camera and captured everything, including himself, Jung-gyeom, and the food.

Her shoulder touched him for a moment and then dropped again.

Song Soo-yeon acted as if nothing was wrong, but whenever she felt that light touch, her heart felt like a wave.

Song Soo-yeon orders Jung-gyeom, who is also flustered.

“Ah, smile, a little. Are you still going to be so awkward after taking so many pictures?”

“…..Swing.”

Jeong-gyeom hesitated for a while and looked at the camera with an awkward smile.

Seeing her smiling face through the camera, Song Soo-yeon had a natural smile.

Jeong-gyeom sees this and makes a surprised expression.

“Oh, are you laughing now?”

“Ah, it’s because you have to take a picture…! Please stay still.”

Song Soo-yeon hides the reason she laughs. I was still ashamed to be honest.

Also, there were things she didn’t want to admit because she didn’t understand why she was laughing.

It was just that the situation tickled and it was fun, so my body reacted first, so it was the same that I was surprised by his smile like Jeong-gyeom.

-click!

As soon as the picture was taken, Song Soo-yeon jumped up from her seat.

Then, as if nothing had happened, he went back to his seat and sat down.

“Okay, now eat.”

“……..”

She just hoped the situation would pass like water, but Jeong-gyeom raised one eyebrow and looked at himself.

Song Soo-yeon looked at him for a long time, and eventually chose to break through head-on.

“why.”

“…..no..”

“We’ve known each other for several months now, are you reacting that way to taking a picture?”

“That’s…isn’t it…?”

“There is a first time in anything. You can take a picture. Why are you so embarrassed? Did I do anything wrong?”

“No… no.”

The more he pushed, the more he was pushed away, but Song Soo-yeon did not miss the flow.

“…And, do you know that you did it for me? Did you do it for your uncle?”

“Me?”

“I will send this picture to Mr. That’s good.”

Song Soo-yeon knows that Jeong-gyeom likes her. I had told him about that fact.

Jung-gyeom’s questionable expression dissolves and laughter intervenes.

“…It’s good, it’s good.”

“I don’t understand why he reacted this way in the first place.”

“No… it’s because I’m confused. Now then, you took a picture of the two of us, not the food, right?”

“Can’t you even take a picture of it?”

A bigger smile spreads across his face.

“Ah, so you took it to mean we’re close?”

“……”

He started laughing louder. I was feeling blatant happiness.

“Ahaha, no, if it’s like that, say it like that. Suddenly, I was surprised. Of course I like it.”

“Weird-“

“I don’t have any strange illusions. It’s because I’m happy that we became close enough to take a picture.”

“…….”

Song Soo-yeon’s joy has been contagious. She put her head close to the jajangmyeon bowl to hide her expression.

And then I say it to hide the shame.

“…Because it’s Hogu, that’s right. Uncle just says everything is good.”

Jeong-gyeom let her words flow through the back of his ear, and started rubbing the jajangmyeon while humming.

Song Soo-yeon suddenly had a desire to know him more.

This was also a good opportunity.

“…First of all, is there anything you hate? I just smile and smile every day.”

“Me? Of course, there are things I hate.”

Song Soo-yeon is surprised inside. I thought he wouldn’t have anything like that.

He, who was rubbing jajangmyeon, looked at her and smiled.

“I hate people who call me Hogu, Jjinta, Asshole, Pervert, etc.”

It was an outright joke. I could tell just by looking at his smiling face.

However, Song Soo-yeon’s heart froze for a moment at the prank.

…..Is this really a joke? Or is it sincere?

But soon, she calms down.

“……”

Come to think of it, there’s nothing wrong with that.

He does all the things he hates, but he still cherishes and takes care of himself.

He comforts himself after returning from a wound, strokes his hair, and cooks food for him.

Rather, it was a part that showed how much he liked himself.

I like it even when I do things I hate.

It was Song Soo-yeon who felt weak pride in that fact.

“Of course you’re joking?”

After Jeong-gyeom laughs briefly, he speaks. Song Soo-yeon shrugged.

“So what do you hate?”

“Well……”

He thought for a while.

Song Soo-yeon pretended not to be interested and put the black bean noodles in her mouth and started chewing.

“ah.”

Jeonggyeom hardened his expression.

Laughter disappears. Soon he said seriously.

“I hate villains.”

“……”

“This is sincere.”

“…why?”

Jeonggyeom made a complicated expression. Song Soo-yeon was gradually interested in his words.

“Well, is there anyone who likes villains in the first place?”

“…..That’s right. But sometimes, when you go there, don’t there be times when the villains look cool?”

“…………okay?”

In response to Jeong-gyeom’s serious voice, Song Su-yeon hurriedly added an explanation.

Strangely, when he lowered his voice, he became nervous.

“Better than heroes who are hypocrites. You don’t like the old man or the hero very much.”

“Seriously, who is it?”

Once again, Jeonggyeom regained his smile.

Relieved, Song Soo-yeon put the jajangmyeon in her mouth. It definitely tasted better today.

She put the food in her mouth as she could chew and looked up.

Wanting to focus on the conversation again, she covered her mouth with her hand and continued.

“…Didn’t you hate it? They share the same views on heroes as I do… and they get so angry when they go to the Hero Association…”

“ah. There are annoying heroes. That doesn’t mean I hate heroes.”

“okay?”

“You said it before. When you meet a real hero, you can’t hate a hero.”

“…ah.”

Song Soo-yeon looked at Jeong-gyeom. Yes, she knew the meaning of that too.

After seeing Jung-gyeom, I learned what a true hero is.

Song Soo-yeon continued to look at Jeong-gyeom as he put the jajangmyeon in his mouth.

Just like before, another momentary question came to mind.

“…But who is the real hero you are talking about?”

“…….”

Jeong-gyeom smiled and snorted softly, but did not answer.

Song Soo-yeon seemed to have a strange come-on.

“…Who are you? I have to see if I am a true hero or not.”

“…….”

Jeong-gyeom continued to look at Song Soo-yeon while chewing on his food with a relaxed smile.

“Oh, who are you-”

“-secret.”

jeonggyeom says

It was a firm answer.

Song Soo-yeon muttered.

“……Why are you so serious?”

But she lost the will to ask more.

****

After the dishes were finished, Jeong-gyeom approached Song Soo-yeon, who was watching TV.

As usual, he would have been seated a table far away.

But today he sat across the table from Song Soo-yeon.

like when eating.

As he sat down beside her, Song Soo-yeon calmed her startled heart.

“….why?”

Jeong-gyeom then turned off the TV.

“…mister. There are plenty of seats elsewhere. go sit over there I mistakenly thought I took a picture earlier-”

“-I’m not mistaken. I have something to say.”

“……”

Song Soo-yeon, who was only paying attention to the awkward atmosphere, realized that this was not a joke.

Something was coming.

Jeong-gyeom tells Song Soo-yeon, who is anxious.

“……Is there anything you want as a graduation present?”

“…A graduation present?”

“Tell me anything. As a graduation gift plus a commemoration of becoming an adult.”

Song Soo-yeon, who was anxious, was presented with a warm feeling again.

Actually, she didn’t need anything. Right now, I was so happy.

“…..why? I don’t need anything.”

“You know why. tell me.”

He was doing his parents’ job.

Maybe it was because he heard his grievous complaint that he wanted to live a normal life. He was trying to present himself somehow normal.

“…really…it’s fine.”

Song Soo-yeon was also at this point, so she couldn’t go out to him sharply. She too had shame.

Her usual sharp tone was all just to hide her shame, not without shame.

She receives shelter, food, and a part-time job from him. It was hard to get anything more than this.

“Uh huh.”

However, Jeong-gyeom pretended to be solemn and spoke.

Song Soo-yeon laughed at that appearance. Not only was it too clumsy, but in fact, as he said, the age difference isn’t that great.

Now she’s 20 and he’s 23.

….Actually, wouldn’t it be time to change the name?

Song Soo-yeon shook her head.

And back to the topic again. Since he seemed to be thinking of giving him any gift, I wondered if there was a gift that he could receive lightly without burdening him.

“……ah.”

Then, an idea came to me.

“Yes, tell me.”

Jeong-gyeom seemed to sense that she was thinking of something.

Song Soo-yeon asked cautiously.

“…Then…I want to go to the amusement park.”

“……Is it an amusement park?”

Song Soo-yeon was angry before he could say anything.

“……If you make fun of me for being childish, I will die, really.”

“…I didn’t think so.”

“…Uh…anyway. I’ve never been to an amusement park. I know why.”

“……”

“So I’m curious… I want to go see it.”

Jeonggyeom just nodded without saying a word. Even if he wasn’t expressing it, he was showing his pity for her through his smile.

“So good.”

he says.

Song Soo-yeon felt proud because she thought her idea was okay.

“…..If I ask you before drinking kimchi soup, you mean let’s go together, right?”

Jeong-gyeom asks for sure.

Song Soo-yeon turned her head. Of course, I meant to go with you, but it wasn’t that easy to admit it. I was ashamed.

“……I’m just curious about the amusement park. It doesn’t matter if you’re not an old man… but I don’t want to go alone.”

“Well. Then we will go together.”

Song Soo-yeon smiled inwardly.

Jeonggyeom said.

“that is great. In fact, I’ve never been there.”

“Uncle too…?”

“Well, for reasons similar to Suyeon’s.”

“…….”

“So I was curious.”

Song Soo-yeon was being healed every moment she was with him. I didn’t know that having someone who looked like me by my side would be so powerful.

That’s why Solas’ consolation may not be helpful.

No matter how much the flowers in the greenhouse that grew up with a lot of love pretend to be on their side, it looks like deception and hypocrisy.

There must be someone who has been put in his position to be able to say anything.

Jeong-gyeom said he was lonely because he had no parents and no friends.

There were many parts similar to you.

I really wanted to be like this all my life.

“Now, then, that’s a graduation present….

“……?”

“Well……”

Unlike his usual appearance, Jung-gyeom looked up for a while and dragged his words.

You can also shake your body slightly. He seemed hesitant to say anything.

“…What is it?”

“So…how am I supposed to say this?”

Song Soo-yeon swallowed. Song Soo-yeon warns that the atmosphere is starting to tickle for no reason.

“… Mister, he said that confession is not fun.”

“Ahaha, it’s not like that…”

Song Soo-yeon also laughed along with Jeong-gyeom.

I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve laughed honestly.

Jeong-gyeom clicked his tongue as if he had made up his mind. And look straight at Song Soo-yeon.

“Well, you probably already know… but I think I need to make sure I go.”

“……..yes.”

“……After I graduate, I’ll look for another part-time job.”

Song Soo-yeon’s expression gradually hardened. She doubted her ears.

“………..yes……?”

My chest tightened so tightly that it was difficult to breathe.