* * *
Jihoon, who had seemed momentarily dazed as if entranced, snapped back to his senses and hurriedly chased after Yeongdeok.
“Hey, wait a minute. What do you mean by that?”
“Back to calling me ‘hey’ instead of hyung?”
“No, I mean, what do you mean by that?”
“There’s no hidden meaning. I was just stating what I felt.”
Yeongdeok revised his opinion of Jihoon once more, thinking of him as an annoying yet strangely irresistible guy.
Come to think of it, wasn’t it around this time of day when he received that lollipop from that kid?
Yeongdeok recalled the peculiar feeling he had when Eungyeol handed him a lollipop, saying that cigarettes were bad for him.
He realized that the emotion he felt then was quite similar to what he was feeling now.
The wind might have been as harsh as a blade slicing through the air.
Yet, it felt as gentle as a caress on his cheek. Yeongdeok thought that maybe, just maybe, spring was on its way.
ꔚ
The next day.
-Meeting Pot
-Seo Jihoon has left the chat room.
-Cha Yeongdeok has left the chat room.
[??? What’s going on?]
[They said they were meeting up, so what’s happening…]
-Park Haemin has left the chat room.
[Seriously, what’s going on? Why are you guys leaving me out?]
Dalsu was convinced that the two of them were teaming up to exclude him.
He had been brooding for about a week on how to confront those jerks when suddenly, another chat notification popped up in a different room.
[Jeon Yeongheon: http://www.facenovel.com/daehandae_kr]
[Jeon Yeongheon: Hey guys, have you seen the post on the Daehan University Bamboo Forest? There’s a bombshell dropped.]
[Kang Inseong: They’re publicly calling out that 2nd-year Management student ㅂㅎㅁ for hitting on female students?]
[Jeon Yeongheon: If it’s the 2nd-year Management student ㅂㅎㅁ, isn’t that Park Haemin?]
[Lee Jinhyuk: LOL, honestly, I always thought he gave off a sleazy vibe, but since everyone else was hanging out with him, I just went along with it.]
[Kang Inseong: Oh, really? You felt the same way too? LOL]
[Was I the only one who didn’t know?]
[Shin Jaehyun: Of course, Kim Dalsu didn’t know. He’s such a loser who doesn’t even have a single female friend.]
[ㅗ]
[Jeon Yeongheon: This guy Park Haemin even took a leave of absence for the military, LOL. If this scandal blows up, he might have to take another break.]
[Kang Inseong: LOL, with the new semester starting soon, he’s totally screwed, huh?]
ꔚ
“Park Haemin, it’s all over for him.”
Jihoon, who was sitting next to Yeongdeok, showed him the phone screen filled with the posts about Haemin’s scandal.
Yeongdeok, who couldn’t care less about what happened to someone like Park Haemin, gave it a quick glance before turning his attention back to his own phone.
[Rose: YeongdeokChicken, would you be available for the meetup in early February?]
After a long time, Choa had messaged him directly in the café chat. And it was about the Beautiful Life gathering.
ꔚ
It all started after Gwak Dupal and DaerimdongFist visited Yeongdeok’s store at the start of the new year.
The two were thinking about how they could help Seonwoo get closer to Yeongdeok.
Believing that the power of collective wisdom was the best for these situations, they posted in a chat room that excluded only Yeongdeok and Seonwoo.
[Gwak Dupal: I visited Yeongdeok Chicken’s place today with DaerimdongFist, and, you know, Yeongdeok Chicken… I thought he’d be the type who wouldn’t be close with anyone, but he seemed to get along with the part-timer there!]
[Gwak Dupal: So, I thought there might be a chance for Seonwoo too.]
[Gwak Dupal: Honestly, aren’t we all tired of seeing them fight all the time? Let’s help them get along!]
All the cafe members, except for the senior in high school ‘Earth destroyer,’ thought it sounded like fun and were excited about it.
[Earth destroyer: Please count me out, I’m a senior now ㅠㅠ]
[Earth destroyer: I’ll keep the other chat room open and put this one on hold for nowㅠ]
-Earth destroyer has left the chat room.
[DaerimdongFist: There’s nothing we can do for a senior.]
[Natsuyama Soseki: But how are you planning to get them closer?]
[Gwak Dupal: Let’s start thinking about that now.]
The girls brainstormed for a long time (although they each ended up getting distracted and forgetting about it).
Finally, the most plausible conclusion they came to was…
[DaerimdongFist: How about we organize a meetup and then secretly leave so that only the two of them meet?]
[Natsuyama Soseki: Wow, that sounds fun!]
[Gwak Dupal: But what happens afterward? Won’t they just look at each other and go home right away?]
[Hmm… I’ll try to come up with a convincing threat for Seonwoo.]
[Natsuyama Soseki: Then what about Yeongdeok Chicken?]
All the girls, while holding their phones, thought of how Yeongdeok might react if he met Seonwoo alone and fell silent.
[Gwak Dupal: He’d probably just walk straight home without a backward glance, lol.]
[Natsuyama Soseki: The next day, our lives might be in danger ㅇㅇ.]
[Do you think so? From what I’ve seen, Yeongdeok Chicken… might have a soft side too.]
Recalling how Yeongdeok had once apologized to her and the other cafe members and had even joined in their silly Christmas gift exchange, Choa typed into the chat again.
[I think if we sincerely ask Yeongdeok Chicken, he might actually agree.]
[Natsuyama Soseki: Huh? Really? Do you think so?]
Soseki looked doubtful, but Gwak Dupal and DaerimdongFist nodded in agreement with Choa’s words.
[Gwak Dupal: Ah, I get it, Yeongdeok Chicken seems like the type to grumble but still do everything for you.]
[DaerimdongFist: Exactly, haha. When we visited his store, he took care of everything for us. Total tsundere.]
[Natsuyama Soseki: Maybe he just treated you well because you were customers…]
[Yeah, plus Yeongdeok Chicken has a personality similar to Roimond’s.]
Choa thought of her favorite idol, Roimond, who always grumbled but still looked out for his people wholeheartedly, and nodded.
[That seems like the best plan.]
[Gwak Dupal: So, where should the meetup be…]
The discussion continued about the meetup location to inform Yeongdeok and Seonwoo.
Knowing that Seonwoo would be attending Chairman Cha Heeseok’s party on January 18th, Choa kept asking Seonwoo if he could join the meetup after that.
However, Seonwoo kept refusing.
[Baek Seonwoo: I’m busy that day.]
[Baek Seonwoo: And that day too…]
[Baek Seonwoo: Sorry, I have a concert, so I’m tied up…]
That’s strange?
Even if he’s busy with concert preparations lately, normally if Yeongdeok Chicken was coming, he’d make a point to attend no matter what.
Noticing something odd, Choa changed tactics and asked without mentioning the meetup.
[Hey, can’t you watch a movie with me?]
[There’s this new movie out… It might be nice to get some fresh air.]
[You’ve been cooped up in the rehearsal room too much lately, and I’m worried.]
A moment later, Seonwoo’s reply arrived.
Seeing his answer, Choa realized he had been purposely avoiding the meetup.
[Baek Seonwoo: Okay.]
Did something happen between him and Yeongdeok?
Although curious, Choa hoped that they’d have a good time and sort things out on their own now that they were meeting one-on-one.
After getting Seonwoo’s agreement, Choa also messaged Yeongdeok in the cafe chat.
[Yeongdeok Chicken, would you be available for a meetup on February 14th?]
Yeongdeok stared at the message from Choa carefully.
A meetup. It had been a long time since he’d heard that term—probably not since Christmas Eve.
[Rose: After winter break, school will start again, and Gwak Dupal and DaerimdongFist will be busy with their first year of college.]
[Rose: So, we thought it’d be nice to have a meetup before then.]
Yeongdeok was about to ask if Baek Seonwoo was coming, but as if reading his mind, Choa sent a follow-up message.
[Rose: Oh, by the way, my brother said he was too busy to come.]
[Alright.]
Accepting it without hesitation, he heard a customer asking for water.
Jihoon, who was nearby, quickly responded, and Yeongdeok put his phone in his pocket and returned to work.
* * *
A rival has appeared
Awww
Seonwoo better buckle up…
Zero chance, ain’t no way!
They wanted to build a ship
nah they wrong fr
kids… kidssss please… please be more mindful
Choa, my girl… Seonwoo almost kissed Yeondeok while drunk haha he’ll probably not appreciate this gesture
I think if they meet,he will run away 😭🤧🤣
I wonder is seonwoo will have any progress
Thanks for the chapter
I think Seonwoo is going to realize his feelings towards Yeondeok in the next ch
Aw, he’s growing fond feelings for Jihoon
después de ese casi beso ya quiero ver sus reacciones😋
Ooh, parece que nosso protagonista está começando a perceber seus sentimentos..ainda que seja no ritmo de uma lesma 🩷
thanks for the chapterr
Thanks
Eu prevejo o caos…. eu eu gostei
Sé que no lo hacen por maldad pero lo que quieren hacer las chicas está muy mal, cómo se nota que son adolescentes…
Now that Jihoon has figured out his feelings lets see how things will change! Ah and Seonwoo is still embarassed about what he did the last time so this next meeting will be fun!
very convenient that he’s a villain but i love jihoon’s awareness of his feelings
Yeongdeok is catching feelings