IRLPLBIO Chapter 24 Part 1

The Jae-gu Han Ga-yeon knew was a guy who relied solely on his fists and lived for his own self-satisfaction. While not major incidents, there were numerous minor ones, so she paid more attention to him than to Kwang-cheol. She even thought that if Jae-gu had trouble finding a job after he came to his senses later, she should hand over this cafe to him.

But the recent Jae-gu had changed. The change wasn’t just that he started studying or that he didn’t smell like cigarettes anymore. Jae-gu sometimes wore a very mature expression, and he gritted his teeth as if suppressing his anger. Sometimes, his eyes blazed as if holding a fireball.

Although not his birth mother, to Han Ga-yeon, who had decided to become his mother, everything Jae-gu tried to hide was visible. Perhaps Jae-gu held a secret that was difficult for him to share.

Ding-dong!

The bell hanging on the cafe door rang. Han Ga-yeon, who was about to reflexively say, “Welcome,” smiled as she saw the visitor.

“Jae-gu, is that you?”

“Yes, Aunt. And a tag-along too.”

Jae-gu pointed behind him. Joo Hae-jun, who followed Jae-gu in, quickly bowed and greeted loudly.

“Hello, Jae-gu’s aunt! I’m Joo Hae-jun! I’m here to eat something delicious! With Yang Jae-gu’s money!”

“Oh? Then how about the most expensive one? Since high schoolers eat a lot at that age, I think you could even eat a 4-person set.”

“Auntie…”

“Alright, alright. I’ll give you a discount.”

Han Ga-yeon smiled and took out sandwiches. It was very characteristic of her not to say she wouldn’t accept any money.

Meanwhile, Hae-jun joined Kwang-cheol at his table. He was as friendly as he was noisy. Kwang-cheol also believed that Hae-jun’s cheerfulness was good for Jae-gu.

“Looks like Jae-gu hyung is treating today. Did something good happen?”

Kwang-cheol asked lightly, clearing his books to make space for a tray on the table. Hae-jun grinned as if he had been waiting for those words.

“Because Yang Jae-gu wouldn’t accept the results of our bet. I told him to buy some drinks, and this conscience-torn bastard brought back ones that were all dented, didn’t he?”

“…I told you, it’s not my fault. Someone else dented them.”

“Seriously, Yang Jae-gu, are you shitting me? Are you the kind of guy who would just let someone else mess with your stuff?”

That was true. Kwang-cheol agreed with Hae-jun.

“But what was the bet about?”

“Kwang-cheol, you know, don’t you? A grades bet! That idiot Yang Jae-gu bragged that he’d score higher than me, and he only got an average of fifty… Mmph, mmph!”

Even with his mouth covered, Hae-jun kept snickering. Jae-gu cursed with “son of a bitch,” “son of a cow,” “son of a horse” and everything in between, trying to prevent his grades from reaching Kwang-cheol’s ears.

Jae-gu quickly glanced at Kwang-cheol, gauging his reaction. Even though he pretended not to hear, Jae-gu noticed Kwang-cheol was faintly smiling, and his earlobes slowly turned red.

Ah. If I were to suck it, it would probably taste like a ripe, red cherry.

With that unwitting thought, Kwang-cheol reached out and lightly touched Jae-gu’s ear. Seeing the fine hairs stand up slightly, Kwang-cheol’s face inexplicably flushed as well.

A message came to Kwang-cheol’s cell phone as the sun was setting. Hae-jun had long gone home, and Jae-gu, who had been sitting with Kwang-cheol looking at his textbook, was squirming around.

It was an unsaved number, but Kwang-cheol answered the phone. It was because someone had given him their number earlier today.

“Hello?”

“Uh, Kwang-cheol. It’s Min-jae…”

Sure enough, it was Kim Min-jae.

Kwang-cheol’s body tensed up with an instinctive feeling of apprehension. Today wasn’t over yet. Perhaps another problem had arisen besides those thugs.

Seeing Kwang-cheol’s grip tighten on his phone, Jae-gu mouthed, “Why? What is it?”

“Your mother runs a cafe, right? Can we just head over there for a bit? Na-eun and I.”

“Sure. Is there a problem, though?”

“Oh, no, it’s not like that! Thanks! We’ll be there soon!”

Not long after the call ended, ding-dong, the bell rang. It seemed they had called after arriving nearby.

Kim Min-jae was smiling awkwardly, and Na-eun was pouting. It didn’t seem like there was a big problem.

Kwang-cheol was about to relax a little, but Jae-gu, who had been turning his head away ever since they entered, bothered him.

“Hyung, what are you doing?”

“Huh, what?”

“Why are you only looking over there?”

“Uh, just… I thought the decorations were pretty…”

The cafe’s decorations hadn’t changed for half a year. Seeing him spout nonsense, it seemed Jae-gu wasn’t doing well at all.

Kwang-cheol tilted his head, then quickly understood.

Na-eun, who was jutting out her lower lip, approached their table directly instead of looking around the cafe. She then sat down at Kwang-cheol’s table even before Kim Min-jae, who was fumbling with his order. From the start until now, her gaze had been fixed on Jae-gu, not Kwang-cheol.

“You’re him, right, oppa? That thug I saw earlier.”

“What? What thug? I’m living a good life!”

“See, I knew it. But why are you here, oppa?”

Jae-gu, startled, jumped up and revealed his face to Na-eun. Soon after, he muttered, “Ah, this isn’t right,” and scratched the back of his head. He glanced nervously at Kwang-cheol, then shot a look at Na-eun, but neither of them reacted.

Kwang-cheol lightly rubbed under his nose. The ‘scent’ he had sensed from Jae-gu earlier was not his imagination. Although others might not know, he could detect Jae-gu’s gradually ripening scent.

Meanwhile, Kim Min-jae arrived with the ordered drinks and placed the tray down. A strawberry smoothie, made generously with fresh fruit, was Na-eun’s. Kim Min-jae’s was a green grape smoothie, and there was one more glass.

“This… is herb tea. Your mother said you like this one when I asked her.”

“I’ll drink it well.”

Jae-gu clicked his tongue from the side. He wasn’t so tactless as to interrupt the scene of heartwarming friendship between peers with “What about mine?!”

But shouldn’t you usually get something for everyone in these situations? Park Kwang-cheol’s friend, Kim Min-jae, you tactless bastard.

Jae-gu glared with wide eyes. “Hieek,” Kim Min-jae let out a deflated sound and wiped the trickling sweat from his forehead.

“Hyung-nim’s… they said it would take a little longer.”

“Oh? I have one too?”