BCRD 6

Meanwhile, Kim Junho was at a loss, his face pale as if drained of blood, even though he hadn’t checked the contents. He probably had a rough guess about what was captured in the photos. Well, of course, he would know best where he’d been and what he’d been up to, so it was only natural.

“If you’re done reviewing, let’s move on to the settlement.”

“…….”

Kim Junho’s parents seemed unable to recover from the shock, remaining silent. Seizing the upper hand, he stated his demands first.

“My demands are fourfold. First, make your little brat return the card he stole from my nephew.”

“…….”

“Second, you’ll need to cover all the expenses that your brat recklessly racked up. Cleanly.”

“…….”

“Third, compensate for all the damages my nephew suffered because of your brat. For the record, I don’t accept verbal apologies. I’m the kind of person who only acknowledges material compensation.”

“…….”

“Lastly, keep that brat away from my nephew. Whether it’s a transfer or expulsion, handle it yourselves.”

“…….”

“That’s all. If you have any objections, feel free to speak. Not that I’m inclined to listen. By the way, you should have figured out by now who’d be screwed if this goes public.”

I wasn’t entirely sure, but judging by the reactions of Kim Junho’s parents and the way he was speaking, it seemed the scene captured in the photos was quite serious. Serious enough to screw someone over if it went public… What could it be? My guess was that this MVG place was probably a club. Given that Kim Junho’s crew occasionally bragged about partying all night at clubs, it seemed likely. If my guess was right and they were indeed at a club, the worst things they could have done there were… two possibilities. Sex or drugs. My gut leaned more toward the latter. There’d been rumors that you could easily get drugs with just a Telegram account these days, and a few months ago, there was a huge uproar when fentanyl1) was found in the second-year building’s bathroom.

Did they have a similar suspicion? The expressions of the homeroom teacher and the principal were also growing grim.

In response to Mr. Baek Sahyeon’s demands, Kim Junho’s parents offered only silence. A very long silence.

After tolerating the silence for a while, he checked the watch on his wrist, revealing that his patience had run out.

“I said I don’t like wasting time. You’ve got one minute to decide. Otherwise, I’ll handle it my way.”

It seemed the conclusion was already set. If my guess was correct, there was only one answer Kim Junho’s parents could give.

And sure enough.

“…Let’s do it your way.”

Kim Junho’s father declared defeat.

“But please… let this matter be settled quietly.”

The ones who had demanded apologies and compensation were now the ones pleading with him. The people who had threatened to throw me into a juvenile detention center were now asking to let it slide quietly. It was a startlingly drastic change.

“Fine by me.”

He readily accepted the other side’s sole request.

Kim Junho’s father, with a sigh of relief, put the documents and photos he was holding back into the envelope. His expression was utterly desolate. The mother had her head bowed low.

“Then we’re done here.”

Having easily secured his victory, he stood up without lingering. He then looked down at the principal and asked,

“Is there anything else you need me to take care of?”

The principal, who had been playing the mute all this time, flinched and finally spoke up after a long silence.

“N-No, nothing.”

“Then I trust you’ll handle the rest properly. I’ll take my leave now.”

“Yes, yes. Thank you for your efforts…”

“Let’s go.”

At his curt instruction, I instinctively stood up. Feeling dazed, I followed his lead as he walked ahead.

But then,

“Ah.”

He suddenly stopped as he was heading toward the door, turned around, and walked toward Kim Junho. Kim Junho looked up at him, his face a mix of fear and confusion.

“Stand up.”

He commanded.

Kim Junho hurriedly glanced at his parents, as if seeking help. But neither his mother nor father looked at him. It didn’t seem like they were scared of Mr. Baek Sahyeon; rather, they seemed too emotionally drained to offer any help.

He just stood there, silently looking down at Kim Junho. Though he said nothing, his piercing gaze was as good as a prompt.

Unable to hold out for long, Kim Junho reluctantly stood up. As his slouched body straightened—

Thwack!

In the blink of an eye, his hand struck Kim Junho’s cheek. The heavy sound of the impact attested to its force. Kim Junho’s body crumpled to the side like a falling leaf.

“Junho!”

Kim Junho’s mother cried out. Parents are parents, after all—despite their disappointment, seeing their child struck seemed to tear at their hearts.

Watching this, I suddenly thought of my late mother. I felt like my mom would have reacted the same way if she’d seen me in such a state yesterday.

“Ugh…”

Kim Junho, clutching his cheek in pain, let out a groan as blood and tears dripped, drip, drip. It looked like he’d taken a solid hit.

“You…!”

Kim Junho’s mother glared at him, her eyes brimming with tears. If she could, she looked like she’d curse him out and slap him just as he’d done to her son.

Meeting her venomous gaze calmly, he said with a voice tinged with amusement,

“No need to feel wronged. Things are a bit fairer now.”

I understood what he meant. He was saying that Kim Junho’s state now resembled mine. In other words, not only had he resolved my problem, but he’d also taken revenge on my behalf.

“How’s that? Feel like it’s enough?”

His words felt familiar. When we first met, he’d asked me the same thing after dealing with hyung. It was his way of saying he’d take care of more retaliation if I wanted.

I looked down at the sobbing Kim Junho. His image overlapped with hyung’s. Seeing them like this, I couldn’t help but think they were strikingly similar. Maybe that’s why I disliked Kim Junho even more.

The pity I couldn’t feel for hyung didn’t surface for Kim Junho either. All I could think was how pathetic, pitiful, and wretched he looked.

But I didn’t feel like crushing him further either. He was already broken. Adding more pressure to a collapsed structure would only produce more debris—nothing more meaningful would come of it. In the same vein, having him hit a few more times through Mr. Baek Sahyeon’s hand didn’t seem like it would matter much. So,

“Yeah.”

This felt like enough.

I followed him closely, walking hurriedly. Strangely, even though I was rushing and he was walking slowly, the distance between us didn’t close. It was probably because of the difference in our strides.

Before I knew it, we were outside the building. A car was parked right in front of the main gate. The car was unfamiliar, but I instinctively knew it was Mr. Baek Sahyeon’s.

Instead of getting in right away, he stopped and turned to look at me. Caught off guard by his sudden gaze, I couldn’t help but tense up.

He took out his wallet from the inner pocket of his coat, pulled out a card, and handed it to me.

“Here.”

It was a black card, almost identical to the one I used to have. I hesitated before carefully taking it.

“Thank… you.”

I felt embarrassed for losing it due to my carelessness and for accepting it so readily without even a pretense of refusal… but I had no choice. I couldn’t get by without it.

“Don’t lose it this time.”

“Yes.”

“If it gets taken, tell me again.”

Maybe it was my imagination, but his tone sounded playful. There seemed to be a silent chuckle at the end too. For some reason, it felt like he was teasing me, and my face flushed.

“I-I’ll try not to let it get taken.”

Honestly, if someone like Kim Junho was determined to take it, I wouldn’t be able to stop them. There was no guarantee this wouldn’t happen again. Still, having been through it once, I planned to be more careful with it.

“Just try. Don’t go overboard.”

“…Sorry?”

Out of nowhere, he reached toward me. Before I could dodge, his fingers touched my lips. His long, thick fingers brushed against the cut at the corner of my mouth.

“Don’t do things that’ll get you hurt like this.”

For a moment, a heavy sensation surged through my chest. The cut he touched felt like it was burning.

Gulp. I swallowed dryly, loudly.

He chuckled. Was he laughing because of my reaction? Or because of my expression? I was suddenly curious about how I looked in his eyes.

His fingers pulled away quickly. Somehow, I felt a twinge of regret. As if echoing that feeling, a short sigh, like a lament, slipped through my lips.

He put his hand back in his pocket and tilted his head.

“Go on in.”

It was his way of saying our business here was done. If we parted now, I’d likely not see him again for a long time. This meeting was, after all, a year in the making. And it wouldn’t have happened if not for this unfortunate incident. Thinking about it, the regret swelled endlessly.

I should’ve said, “Thank you so much for today, take care,” but… my voice wouldn’t come out. I didn’t want to say goodbye. The regret seemed to clog my throat.

I kept my head down, fidgeting with my feet, stalling. Whether he didn’t notice my feelings or not, he soon turned without hesitation and walked toward the car.

One of his subordinates, standing near the car, quickly opened the door. As he bent to get into the back seat—

“Hey, wait!”

I shouted, driven by impulse.

Thankfully, he turned back. His gaze asked what I wanted.

“Um… I mean…”

I’d called out to him, but I didn’t have anything prepared to say. I racked my brain to come up with a reason for stopping him.

“So?”

Mr. Baek Sahyeon tilted his head, urging me to continue.

“Uh, I mean…”

Nervousness dried out my lips. I licked them and fidgeted with my fingers.

“Um… if you’re not too busy.”

“If I’m not busy?”

What should I say?

I needed a good reason to spend more time with him. But what?

“If you’re not busy, maybe… with me…”

“Yeah, with you.”

“With me… maybe have… dinner?”

My brain, frozen with nerves, barely managed to produce that reason. Dinner.

“…….”

He frowned slightly and fell silent. His reaction read to me as:

That’s it?

My heart sank. It didn’t feel like a positive response. I hurriedly added an excuse-like explanation.

“No, I mean, I’m so grateful for today! Since you helped me, I feel like I should repay you somehow as a decent person, but I don’t have much to offer right now… So I thought maybe I could treat you to dinner… Of course, I’d have to use the card you gave me, so it’s a bit awkward, but… it’s, um, the thought? I want to show my gratitude. Of course, you can say no if you want. But I’d really prefer if you didn’t…”

“…….”

“And there’s this barbecue place I’ve always wanted to try. They don’t allow solo diners, so I thought maybe this could be a chance to go… together…”

Ugh, that’s lame. So pathetic.

The more I talked, the less convincing it sounded. It sounded absurd even to me—how must it sound to him? I felt doomed. But the words were already out; I couldn’t take them back.

“…Would that be okay?”

I glanced up at him, expecting rejection.

But surprisingly, he gave an unexpected response.

“No reason it wouldn’t be.”

With a faint smile.

And as if that wasn’t enough…

“That’s the most exciting offer I’ve gotten lately.”

He said it like a joke.

Words that were bad for my heart.

The dinner I’d mustered all my courage for, even skipping school to arrange…

“Is this the place you were so eager to try?”

It took place at an old-school barbecue restaurant.

From the outside, it had looked decent when I passed by… but maybe only the exterior was remodeled, because the interior—furniture and all—screamed old. It clearly had some years on it.

Embarrassed by the unexpected interior, I scratched my head without answering. Truthfully, I’d had second thoughts the moment we walked in. But the owner’s warm welcome and quick seating threw off my chance to back out.

He looked at me, flustered, and chuckled. He didn’t seem upset or uncomfortable, which was a relief… but just in case, I cautiously asked,

“Um, should we go somewhere else?”

“Why?”

“Well, it’s a bit… not what I expected.”

I spoke vaguely, worried the owner might overhear, and glanced around nervously.

He raised an eyebrow, questioning further.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to come here?”

“Well… yeah, that’s true.”

It was true that I’d wanted to visit. The restaurant was on my route home from school, and I’d often catch the smell of grilling meat. Sometimes, I’d even stop and linger by the door. But I’d never had the nerve to eat alone at a barbecue place, so I always gave up.

“Then why go somewhere else?”

“It just… doesn’t seem to suit you, sir.”

Honestly, I was fine with it. It looked old but wasn’t dirty. Frankly, it was better than my place. The issue was that it didn’t seem to match him. The combination of his sharp suit and the meat-scented, old-fashioned restaurant felt jarring to me.

At my honest sentiment, he let out a dry laugh.

“Then what kind of place do you think suits me?”

A place that suits him…

“Hm…”

I pondered with a hum.

“Maybe… a restaurant? Like one that serves steak or something.”

“Aha.”

The smile at the corner of his mouth deepened. Was it my imagination, or did it feel a bit… mocking?

“I see how you view me, kid.”

His tone suggested he was dismissing my impression. Was he saying I got it wrong? Or that he didn’t prefer such places? I was a bit confused about what exactly he was denying.

Without adding more, he handed me the menu that was propped up on the table.

“Order what you want.”

He didn’t seem inclined to go elsewhere. Honestly, if he’d agreed to leave, I would’ve felt bad for the owner, so it was probably for the best.

Relieved, I looked at the menu. Samgyeopsal, moksal, hangjeongsal, gabrisal… The menu was similar to other barbecue places, but the prices seemed a bit cheaper compared to today’s rates. After a brief consideration, I ordered the safest choice—samgyeopsal—and a doenjang jjigae.

“Any drinks? Care for a shot?”

The owner, taking our order, casually suggested alcohol. He waved it off lightly, declining. The owner made a “tsk” sound, openly showing disappointment, but thankfully didn’t push further.

“You could drink…”

I mumbled, wondering if he was holding back because of me.

He took off his coat, draped it over the back of the chair next to him, and answered casually,

“Better not to. For me and for you.”

Sure, alcohol isn’t great for health, so I agreed that not drinking was better, but I didn’t get why it was better for me too. Did my confusion show on my face? He added, half-joking,

“I’ve got bad drinking habits.”

That was unexpected. Bad drinking habits meant he got rowdy when drunk, right? Mr. Baek Sahyeon with a drinking problem… I couldn’t imagine it at all. Which only made me more curious.

But I couldn’t exactly ask him to drink just to satisfy my curiosity. Swallowing my curiosity, I took out the utensils from the holder and neatly placed them in front of him. I poured water into his cup too. He watched me quietly with his arms crossed, then tossed out a compliment in a voice laced with amusement.

“Polite, aren’t you?”

It wasn’t anything special, but my heart tickled. Unable to stop my lips from curving up, I lowered my head slightly and scratched my chin, feeling shy.

“So.”

After watching me quietly for a moment, he suddenly spoke up. What was he about to say? He even shifted his posture, placing one arm on the table and resting his chin on his hand. The slight—very slight—closing of the distance made me flinch.

“Is that how you usually are?”

The question lacked a subject, so I didn’t understand.

“Huh?”

Puzzled, I asked back, and he rephrased more clearly.

“Are you usually that shy?”

Shy? Me?

That was a first.

I’d been called reserved a few times, but shy? Never, as far as I could recall. I didn’t even think of myself as that kind of person.

Sure, I had a bit of a timid side. I didn’t like standing out, and I was pretty reserved around strangers. If I were to assess myself objectively, I wouldn’t say I had a personality that easily won people over. The fact that I didn’t have any close friends was probably proof of that. But being shy? That wasn’t me. Being timid and being shy were clearly different things. So, I denied it.

“I don’t think so…”

“I didn’t think so either. In fact, I thought the opposite.”

“Huh? The opposite?”

“Yeah. To be precise, I thought you were more on the reckless side.”

“Reckless… Me?”

Being called reckless was also a first for me.

“You didn’t even flinch while watching your only family get beaten up by a bad guy, did you? And you didn’t shed a single tear when that family member ended up dying.”

Ah.

“And you went as far as to charge at the guy who messed with you, armed with just a pen.”

…How did he know about that?

“And now you’ve lured the bad guy who killed your family here, saying you’ll treat him to dinner.”

…He wasn’t exactly wrong.

“Isn’t that enough reason for me to think you’re reckless?”

…But was that a compliment?

“Yet now I’m confused. Should I say you don’t seem like a reckless kid but more like a shy little baby?”

I wasn’t sure about the rest, but the terms “kid” and “baby” definitely grated on my nerves. Earlier, he had called me by my name just fine…

“I can’t tell which one’s your real personality. So, tell me. Which one is it?”

It was a tough question. I had never really thought deeply about my personality, nor had I ever considered myself reckless or shy. But if I had to pick one… I suppose reckless felt closer to the truth.

“Well, I’m definitely not the shy type.”

“Really? So you’re not being shy right now?”

“Right now?”

Right now?

Was I not being shy… right now?

…I wasn’t sure. I couldn’t meet his eyes properly, I was constantly nervous, I was hyper-aware of his expressions, and I was stumbling over my words. How should I describe this state I was in—feeling awkward, embarrassed, flustered, and at a loss? This feeling…

Oh, I see. This must be what being shy feels like.

Yeah, I think I was being shy.

The late realization made my face heat up. I could feel it turning red without even looking, so I covered my cheeks with the back of my hand and coughed awkwardly.

“Not shy, huh?”

His voice, pressing for confirmation, felt particularly teasing. I chewed on my lips helplessly before finally admitting it.

“It’s not… not true…”

“Not not true, huh. So, you’re not usually shy, but you are right now?”

Exactly. I wasn’t usually like this, but right now, I was.

“…Yeah.”

“Why?”

The reason was clear. It was because of the person sitting in front of me. The unfamiliar tension brought on by Mr. Baek Sahyeon’s presence was likely the cause of my unusual behavior. Come to think of it, it had been like this from the start. For some reason, I was always like this around him. Well, “always” was only three times, including this one… but still, it was the same a year ago, and it was the same now. I turned into a stuttering idiot who couldn’t speak properly. I wasn’t like this in front of my classmates or even my homeroom teacher.

Anyway, I knew the reason. But saying it outright was hard. I couldn’t predict how he’d take it if I said I was only like this around him.

“Just… you know…”

I mumbled, my eyes darting around.

“…”

Instead of pressing for more, he just stared at me. His gaze felt a bit relentless, almost piercing. It was like a blade trying to slice through my head, giving me chills.

Just then, the food we ordered arrived. Side dishes and meat were placed on the table one by one. I quickly grabbed the tongs. As I placed the meat on the sizzling stone plate, it made a satisfying hiss. I neatly arranged some kimchi and bean sprouts on the side.

Silence fell as we waited for the meat to cook. Thankfully, there was no sign of the awkward conversation topic resurfacing. But his intense gaze kept boring into me.

The silence, the gaze… It felt like the weight behind them was growing heavier. My stomach churned with unease, unable to digest the tension. As I struggled to endure it, a thought suddenly popped into my head—something I hadn’t yet said. Seizing the moment, I blurted it out.

“Oh, right. Um… thank you for helping me out today.”

It wasn’t just a throwaway line to break the awkward atmosphere. Well, maybe that was part of it… but my gratitude was one hundred percent genuine. The fact that a situation that could’ve ended with my expulsion was resolved in my favor was largely thanks to Mr. Baek Sahyeon. Above all, I was most grateful that he came in person instead of sending a proxy.

“I didn’t expect you to come yourself.”

When he appeared behind that unfamiliar man, when I saw his face in person after a year of only recalling it through memories, the pleasant shock I felt was still vivid. It was all the more intense because I hadn’t expected it, and it was even a bit overwhelming. That moment felt like something I’d never forget, no matter how long I lived.

“Yeah, I didn’t expect to be going to a school at my age either.”

There was a hint of bite in his joking tone. I hadn’t asked him to come, but I felt guilty knowing he’d taken time out of his schedule to show up for me.

“S-Sorry… But why did you come in person?”

Last year, when I got hurt and contacted him, he sent Hyunki hyung to handle things. I thought it’d be the same this time, so I was curious why he came himself. Gratitude aside, the question finally hit me.

“You were crying so pitifully.”

“Oh…”

“To my ears, it sounded like a plea for me to come.”

“…”

“So I felt like I had to go check on you.”

So that’s how my crying sounded to him. It was just me unable to hold back my overwhelming emotions, letting out a wail. I hadn’t meant anything by it. But to him, it must’ve sounded like a call for help.

I didn’t feel like denying it, saying that’s not what I meant. I didn’t regret it either. Because he took it as an SOS, things worked out well, and I got to see him again. But looking back now, crying like a little kid out in the open was… kind of embarrassing. I scratched my head and let out a sheepish laugh.

But then, out of nowhere.

“By the way, why haven’t you grown?”

His sudden, grating comment hit my ears.

What? Haven’t grown? Was he talking about my height? If so, that was an unfair assessment.

Fired up, I immediately protested.

“I’ve grown a lot!”

At sixteen, I was shorter than average, true. But not anymore. I’d grown 13 centimeters since then and was now around 173. I wasn’t considered tall, but I wasn’t teased for being short either. Sure, to someone who looked well over 190, I might seem small… but I had grown a lot. That wasn’t subjective bravado; it was an objective fact.

“Hmm. You still look like a baby to me.”

Ugh, again.

My face instinctively scrunched up. I could let “kid” slide, but “baby”? That really rubbed me the wrong way. I was almost scared someone might overhear.

“I bet you’re the only one who’d call a seventeen-year-old high schooler a baby.”

My voice and tone turned curt despite myself.

He raised one corner of his mouth, responding teasingly.

“Seventeen, or just barely seventeen?”

“I’m eighteen by social age.”

“That’s the same thing. The first digit’s the same.”

“If you put it like that, ten and nineteen have the same first digit, so they’re the same too.”

“By my standards, they’re pretty close.”

Wow, he sounded like such a boomer just now.

“…By my standards, I’m not at an age to be called a baby.”

“Then why do you look like one?”

“…I think that’s just how you see it.”

“Is it?”

“Yeah, probably.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well… maybe because you’re too much of an old man?”

Oh. I went too far.

Realizing it after the words slipped out, I gasped and studied his face. Sure enough, his wide eyes clearly showed his disbelief.

“Mister?”

He slowly repeated the word I’d let slip, his brow furrowing.

Feeling guilty and embarrassed, I bit my lips and looked away.

“Not just an Mister, but too much of an Mister.”

Even I thought… that was harsh. Not too much, really. Really not.

“No, I mean, it’s not that you’re…! I mean, sir! You kept calling me a baby and stuff, so I got defensive and just…”

My stammering excuse sounded lame even to me.

“Sorry. I’ll take back the ‘too much’ part.”

“So, not too much of an Mister, but still an Mister?”

Honestly, just looking at him, I felt bad calling him an Mister. Judging by his reaction, it seemed like he’d never been called that before. But I was in the same boat. No one but Mr. Baek Sahyeon had ever called me a kid or treated me like a baby. So I wasn’t the only one at fault… right?

“Well, you’re older than me, aren’t you? If I’m a baby… then you’re an Mister, right?”

But now I was curious.

How old was this guy, anyway?

He didn’t seem like he was in his twenties, not because of his looks but because of his vibe. Plus, the title on his business card didn’t suit someone in their twenties. And most importantly, even Hyunki hyung, who looked pretty old, called him “hyungnim.” I figured he was at least twelve years older than me.

“Um, sorry, but… how old are you?”

Unable to hold back my curiosity, I asked outright. He gave a vague look, as if debating whether to answer, before giving a noncommittal response.

“Well, old enough that I can’t complain about being called an Mister by a kid.”

What’s that supposed to mean?

“How old exactly?”

“Hmm?”

“…Are you, like, super old?”

I wondered if he was avoiding the question because he was way older than I imagined, despite looking young. I tested the waters cautiously, and he raised an eyebrow.

“Do I look it?”

“No, not super old.”

At most, mid-thirties. Just based on his face, he could pass for late twenties. He definitely didn’t look over forty. That’s how it seemed to me, at least.

“Well, that’s a relief.”

It seemed he had no intention of telling me his exact age.

Not wanting to push further, I swallowed the question rising in my throat and pursed my lips. Maybe he thought I was upset, because he added in a soothing tone,

“I’ll tell you when we get closer, so don’t sulk.”

His tone was conciliatory, but the words felt like they were drawing a line. Like, we’re not close enough yet. That reminded me of something he said a year ago, in a similar context.

“Aren’t we a bit too distant to be calling each other by name?”

Thinking about it, it hit me that nothing had changed. To Mr. Baek Sahyeon, my value as a person hadn’t progressed at all since a year ago.

“Then… we still can’t call each other by name, huh?”

We’d only met three times now. This meeting was after a whole year. Objectively and subjectively, we weren’t close enough to call it friendly. Knowing that, I still felt oddly disappointed and muttered under my breath.

“Kid still rolls off the tongue better.”

His light tone felt cold to me.

Back in the principal’s office, he’d called me Haejin just fine… even “our Haejin.” But now he acted like he’d never done that. Honestly, I was hurt. And a bit annoyed.

“Calling you sir doesn’t exactly roll off my tongue either.”

My tone turned curt again, fueled by defiance.

Thankfully, he didn’t seem offended and replied with a hint of amusement.

“I’m not used to being called sir either.”

“Then what should I call you? Hyungnim?”

His subordinates, including Hyunki hyung, all called him that. He was probably more used to it than “sir.” But surprisingly, he frowned, looking uncomfortable.

“Then, Director?”

His business card listed him as an executive director. Technically, “Director” was more accurate than “sir.” But he didn’t seem thrilled about that either.

Sir, hyungnim, director. If none of those worked, then what… Oh.

“Mister?”

That’s it.

I tested it out, calling him that immediately.

“Mister.”

Hmm. It felt right. It rolled off the tongue perfectly.

“Should I go with Mister?”

“…”

“It feels kinda nice…”

As expected, he showed his displeasure with a frown. His reaction was even worse than when I’d called him hyungnim—his furrowed brow was proof. But despite that, I didn’t feel like switching to another term. He called me kid and baby all he wanted, didn’t he? Maybe it was defiance, but I really liked the sound of “Mister.”

“I’ll go with Mister.”

I declared it without switching or asking for permission. It felt a bit cheeky, but strangely, I wasn’t afraid of how he’d react. He didn’t seem like the type to take offense over something like a name, and… I didn’t have solid reasoning, but I just didn’t think he’d harm me, no matter the reason.

Luckily, my gut was right.

After a moment, his tightly closed lips curved into a smooth arc.

“It’s definitely… unique.”

He didn’t like it, but he was accepting it.

“Thank you for allowing it, Mister.”

He let out a dry laugh at my deliberate use of “Mister.” Then, narrowing his long eyes, he murmured,

“You’re definitely reckless.”

This time, I couldn’t deny it. Even I thought what I’d just done was pretty bold.

“By the way, do you like charred meat?”

“Huh?”

“Otherwise, we should flip it.”

Following his finger, I looked down and saw the samgyeopsal sizzling—no, burning—on the grill, giving off a scorched smell.

“Argh!”

I yelped and flipped the meat with the tongs. But it was too late. The underside was completely blackened.

“Ugh…”

Burning perfectly good meat like that. What a waste. It wasn’t cheap, either.

A despairing sigh escaped me. I felt like crying over the loss. Was my dejected figure holding the charred meat funny? He burst out laughing, haha!, the first time he’d laughed out loud in front of me.

As his laughter finally died down, he suddenly unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves to his elbows. His thick forearms were naturally revealed.

I was shocked. Not just because of his unexpectedly fair skin, the prominent veins, or the well-defined arm muscles. Tattoos… Unique tattoos covered both forearms.

The black ink formed Chinese characters of different shapes and sizes, etched from his elbows to his wrists. A quick count suggested about five characters.

Given his line of work, I’d figured he might have tattoos, but these were completely different from what I’d imagined. Maybe that’s why they were surprising yet intriguing. I wondered what those characters meant…

“Give it here.”

He held out his hand. I blinked dumbly, unsure what he wanted.

“I’d better take over. If I leave it to you, we’ll only eat charred meat.”

Oh, the tongs.

I thought about protesting that it was just one mistake, but after burning the meat so badly, I had no confidence.

“Okay…”

I handed over the tongs obediently.

And in conclusion, giving him the tongs was a great decision.

After dinner, he drove me home.

The path to my place was narrow and steep, so I told him he could just drop me off at the entrance to avoid scratching his expensive car, but he drove all the way to my front door.

During the ride, he seemed to be looking out the window at the scenery. After arriving, he looked up at the villa building where I lived and let out a brief comment.

“This place hasn’t changed either.”

He must’ve been recalling the first time he came here a year ago. As he said, nothing much had changed since then. Just a few different tenants downstairs.