Extra Story (12)
How should I describe this atmosphere?
Hmm, like oxygen had disappeared from the world?
An atmosphere where it's hard to breathe?
"...Why did you come to our house, unnie?"
"W-well, the teacher told me to deliver the performance evaluation test paper..."
"Really? Is that all? You don't have any other intentions, right?"
The homeroom teacher apparently sent a performance evaluation test paper for me since I wasn't attending school.
The female student who brought the test paper was named Lee Min-chae.
I remembered her as the girl who often tried to talk to me.
However, she looked like she regretted coming to my house.
"You could've used a delivery service! Why would you come to a house where a guy lives alone!?"
"D-delivery services aren't for that... I-I didn't even know you lived alone..."
"Is ignorance innocence!? If not knowing makes you innocent, why do police stations exist!?"
"S-sorry... I-I was wrong..."
Grrr—
Luna sat uncomfortably on the floor, tapping Lee Min-chae with her knee and picking a fight for no reason.
I had absolutely nothing going on with her, so I felt sorry for her.
"Luna, stop it now. I told you not to bully people."
"Don't treat me like a dog! I have free will too!"
"Instead of bullying her, go eat the ice cream in the fridge."
"Hmph, I'll let it slide just this once! Consider yourself lucky, Min-chae!"
Only then did Luna leave her spot and head to the refrigerator.
Three people remained.
I sat down in front of the trembling Lee Min-chae and said:
"Sorry, there are some kids in the house who don't listen."
"I-it's okay... C-can you just solve the test paper...? I need to go home after that..."
Just like taking a test at school.
Solve the performance evaluation test paper within 50 minutes. Then Lee Min-chae would collect it and submit it tomorrow.
*So that's why she looked so desperate.*
The faster I solved it, the faster she could leave the house.
I nodded at Lee Min-chae's reasonable thinking.
"Alright, I'll solve it as quickly as possible."
"Th-thanks... But, can you say something to them...? Their stares are too close..."
Estia and Hare were sitting next to Lee Min-chae.
They were silently staring at Lee Min-chae without saying a word.
I couldn't understand at all what they were thinking.
*They're like carnivores defending their territory...*
Anyway.
For Lee Min-chae to survive, the only way was for me to solve the problems quickly.
"Hang in there. Fighting."
"Th-that's irresponsible."
"What do you know about ahjussi to call him irresponsible...? I saw it at school last time... You blushing and talking to ahjussi..."
Did that happen?
No, that's not what's important right now.
Let's focus on the problems first.
I turned my gaze to the test paper to check what kind of test it was.
*Subject is literature. Read a scene from a short story and write your impressions.*
Of all things, I can't even guess on this one.
This is going to take a while.
I started reading the short story with concentration.
However, I couldn't easily block out the sounds flowing from in front of me.
It meant I couldn't concentrate well.
"What's your relationship with ahjussi, unnie! Do you like ahjussi?"
"N-no! I'm just a classmate! I-I definitely don't like him!"
Saten, who had been glaring at Lee Min-chae from behind, spoke.
"There are many people skilled in psychology on the internet. I saw it there. Strong denial is strong affirmation. Right now, you've affirmed in front of us that you like ahjussi."
"N-no! What are you talking about! M-more importantly!"
Gulp—
Lee Min-chae gathered her courage and shouted.
"Even if that were true...! What does it have to do with you guys!? I heard at school...! That Lee Jun-woo is resting for a while because his cousin came from abroad...! I-interfering in a cousin's love life is meddling...! It's obsession and control...!"
Lee Min-chae shouted loudly enough to echo through the house.
At that outcry, I worried about noise complaints while thinking this was serious.
"Ah, where was I reading?"
"H-hurry up and read again, Lee Jun-woo! And write quickly!"
"..."
After hearing Lee Min-chae's courageous outcry, Hare sat silently for a moment.
She was looking down so her expression wasn't visible, but I felt the atmosphere becoming strange.
And I knew the identity of this feeling.
*This feeling is when Hare's about to explode...?*
On the outside, Hare seems to have a cold heart. But as if to represent that cold heart, she has a very hot head.
When her head starts heating up and getting hot, beginning to emit heat.
She starts running wild like a steam engine emitting smoke.
Just like when she saw something strange on the internet and tried to pounce on me.
At that moment, Hare jumped up from her seat and opened her mouth.
"D-don't order ahjussi around...! M-me and ahjussi aren't even cousins...!! We're going to get married soon...!! Don't talk to ahjussi as you please...!!"
Hiss— Hiss—
Hare declared while emitting faint killing intent.
Most of the content was nothing but fabrication.
But perhaps because the appeal was too strong.
Lee Min-chae, an ordinary student, took it as truth and gaped.
"Uh, uhh... Th-then... these 4 people... a-aren't all cousins...?"
"Well, they're not cousins."
"Th-then you're currently c-cohabiting with 4 foreign women...? Even though you're a student...?"
"That's right."
"Uh, uhh... Huh...?"
Lee Min-chae blinked and spoke in a dazed voice.
Hare seemed to have calmed down at that sight and cooled her anger, sitting back down.
She even snorted as if the other person was no longer her rival.
I couldn't understand women's fights at all.
*Hmm, is this enough writing?*
Eight lines.
I wrote just enough to match the required length and handed over the test paper.
Only then did Lee Min-chae seem to come to her senses and snatched the test paper.
"I-I didn't know you were such a promiscuous person! I-I'm leaving!"
Lee Min-chae immediately put the test paper in her bag and ran toward the entrance.
Estia made a regretful expression, as if she wanted to give the holy water flowing in her hands as a gift.
Still, I followed Lee Min-chae to the entrance to see off the guest.
"Thanks for coming anyway. Even if I don't attend school, I can still get points."
"Forget it, I just did it because the teacher told me to..."
Lee Min-chae answered with a somewhat sad expression.
I felt too heartless to send her back like this.
So I also put on my shoes next to Lee Min-chae.
"W-what are you doing?"
"I'll see you off to the front."
"It's not even far! I-it's okay...!"
Lee Min-chae's face turned bright red.
I didn't care about her refusal and left the entrance.
Lee Min-chae got on the elevator with me with a very tense expression.
"..."
Silence filled the inside of the elevator.
She looked like she wanted to say something to me.
But perhaps lacking courage, she sighed and withdrew her words.
It was the appearance I always saw in class.
"By the way, you."
"Y-yes?"
"I've been curious since the beginning of the semester, but why do you always try to talk to me and then stop?"
If you want to talk, just talk freely, right?
"Am I intimidating?"
Am I intimidating?
At that question, Lee Min-chae frowned.
"You are... But you became even more intimidating today..."
"Ah, because of those kids."
"N-no...! It's your fault too!"
Ding—
Along with Lee Min-chae's outcry, the elevator arrived at the first floor.
But I was curious about that answer, so I decided to walk a bit more with her.
"It's my fault that I'm intimidating?"
"Of course! You always just sleep in class! You always answered like it was boring when I talked to you!"
"What can I do if I talk boringly? Should I force myself to laugh?"
"That's the problem! Y-you have no social skills at all!"
She's talking harshly.
Had she accumulated too much stress at my house?
She poured out words like a burst dam.
"You always look unmotivated! You move like a mummy during PE class! You eat your food in tiny bites! And when class ends, you go straight home! You don't do any cultural activities! I always have to be careful when trying to talk to you first!"
"...You must have watched me a lot."
"Of course I was curious! About how someone with dull eyes like you lives! So to check, I raised my hand and went to your house..."
Droop—
Where did the Lee Min-chae who was jumping around like a monkey just now go?
She suddenly muttered in a low-pressure state.
"Seeing you living well with lively eyes... only made me feel bad... What are those girls anyway? Threatening people with force! Did they do something to you?"
"They did forcibly occupy my house. But basically they're good-hearted kids. They have their own pasts."
"...If you say so, I understand."
While having such a lively conversation with Lee Min-chae, I had reached the subway station.
Today's conversation was about four times more than the conversations we had at school.
Lee Min-chae got on the subway and said her last words to me.
"Still, come to school sometimes. The teacher was worried."
"I'll go sometimes. And about what you saw today..."
"I won't spread rumors. And even though it wasn't good at your house, I'm glad I met you today. I feel relieved."
With those words, Lee Min-chae waved her hand and disappeared on the subway.
What exactly did she want to do?
The moment I had that thought, I heard Saten's voice from behind me.
"That woman probably liked ahjussi."
"Wh-what, why are you here?"
"I secretly followed you. That woman might have kidnapped ahjussi."
"In this world, classmates don't usually attempt kidnapping, Saten."
"You never know, ahjussi was actually kidnapped by us, right?"
"..."
That's true.
That aside, was Saten right that Lee Min-chae liked me?
After thinking that, I immediately dismissed thoughts about Lee Min-chae.
Four people were already overwhelming, I couldn't think about one more person on top of that.
"Should we buy something to eat on the way back?"
"Good idea, ahjussi. I want to eat pork after a long time."
"Then let's buy some pork belly at the mart and go back. About..."
"You'll need to buy more than 10 servings because of Luna."
I took out a card from my pocket.
*Mom, sorry. I'm going to spend some money today...*
Mom's going to send me a text before I go to sleep tonight.
I felt fear and anticipation at the same time.
I was quite liking this harmonious life.