IRLPLBIO Chapter 24 Part 2

“Yes, yes… blueberry yogurt… there was something longer after that… I can’t quite remember…”

Kim Min-jae’s voice trembled like a goat’s bleat. He seemed to be lacking energy.

To help the trembling Kim Min-jae, Kwang-cheol changed the subject.

“Did you check the train schedule carefully? You need to calculate enough time to get you to the station. It’s rush hour, so traffic will be bad.”

“That is, Na-eun said she lost her train ticket.”

Kim Min-jae recounted exactly what he had heard.

Kwang-cheol, who had paused, felt genuine relief that it was nothing serious. A train ticket could simply be bought again. Problems that could be solved with money were, among all problems, the easiest to resolve.

Jae-gu narrowed his eyes and glanced at Na-eun. Then, he subtly cupped his hand over his mouth and whispered, muffling his voice.

“You’re bluffing, aren’t you?”

“…What are you talking about?”

“You’re lying to such a naive kid? You’re so cheeky, you little thing.”

“…”

“You like that goody-two-shoes type, so you wanted to stay with him longer, didn’t you? But he couldn’t catch on, so you got annoyed, right? Isn’t that it?”

A hint of a smile was audible at the end of Jae-gu’s whispering voice.

Na-eun, who had also lowered her posture and opened her ears, glared fiercely at Jae-gu. But she not only met Jae-gu’s eyes, but also Kwang-cheol’s, who had been following Jae-gu’s gaze in their direction.

Before she could properly decipher his subtle expression, Na-eun’s mouth mumbled first.

“This is why I hate delinquents.”

“You hate it because I spoke the truth, don’t you?”

Jae-gu, who had finally gotten a jab in at Na-eun, giggled.

Jae-gu was also relieved that nothing had happened to Na-eun. Now Na-eun would live, Kim Min-jae would live, and Na-eun’s father would be at ease, so everything had turned out well.

“So, is your father coming to pick you up?”

“Excuse me, do you know my dad?”

“Huh? Of course, I do.”

Jae-gu nodded without much thought. Failing to read the sudden sharp glint in Na-eun’s eyes, he continued.

“Lee Young Construction… Agh?!”

Na-eun knocked over her cup. Once she was sure Jae-gu really knew, her first thought was to shut him up.

The half-full strawberry smoothie spilled with loud splattering noises. It was a scene sufficient to silence Jae-gu and capture the attention of others.

“Oh dear. What ever shall we do. Your clothes got wet. I think we need to wipe it with water. I’ll help you, oppa.”

Na-eun put on a very awkward act. Even her formal, textbook-like speech, something out of an elementary school textbook, was incredibly unnatural.

Na-eun quickly widened her eyes. Her lips twitched at Jae-gu, signaling him to agree quickly. Jae-gu looked at Na-eun with a bewildered expression.

“Acting score 0 points, effort score minus 10 points. No sincerity, none at all.”

“Hurry. Come out.”

Na-eun, grinding her teeth, urged him to come out quickly.

Right next to them, Kim Min-jae awkwardly rolled his eyes, wondering how to pretend he hadn’t heard. Kwang-cheol naturally looked in the opposite direction, wearing a face that suggested he hadn’t heard anything.

One should learn such boldness and composure. Kim Min-jae swiftly turned his head in the same direction as Kwang-cheol, pretending not to know anything.

Under their pretense of ignorance, the other two headed to the cafe restroom. Click, Jae-gu awkwardly spoke to Na-eun as she locked the door.

“This… is the women’s restroom…”

“So, should I go to the men’s restroom instead?”

Why did her words suddenly sound curt?

Before Jae-gu could finish his thought, Na-eun swept her hair back decisively, then glared at Jae-gu and asked.

“Now I get it. You’re trying to make a good impression on my dad, aren’t you?”

“Huh?”

“What’s with that dumbfounded look? You even looked into me.”

“No, it’s not that…”

“Then you must have thought you could catch my dad’s eye, but you, you’re so completely, truly, utterly mistaken. What my dad did to the people who investigated me…”

At Na-eun’s words, which she rattled off almost without breathing, Jae-gu became even more dazed.