VDN Ch 71

It’s been three days. Nam-woon has been closely observing Seo-oh’s every move at home, but there’s been no sign of contact from Kwon Sang-moon. When will he reach out? Lost in thought, Nam-woon walks past Namnam Supermarket and heads to the front door.

Just then, a message arrived.

[Bring cucumbers when you come.]

Nam-woon changed course, heading toward the wooden table instead of the front door.

“Ma’am, I’m here to get the cucumbers!”

“Oh, my goodness. Just a moment.”

Mrs. Soon-i, who was sitting on the table watching a drama on her phone and eating grapes one by one, went into the house. When she came back out to the yard, she was holding a large plastic bag. Inside were a bunch of oddly shaped cucumbers.

“They may look strange, but they grew really well. So, you’re making cucumber kimchi?”

“Yes. Seo-oh suggested we make it.”

“Do you know how?”

“YouTube is really helpful these days.”

She laughed heartily and said she also cooks by watching YouTube these days. Seo-oh had attempted pickled lettuce a few days ago, even borrowing some from Soon-i’s garden since they ran out. In fact, Soon-i had lent Seo-oh ingredients to make side dishes. Once, Nam-woon had offered to help but he received a gentle reminder to stay put.

Soon-i asked curiously.

“Has Seo-oh been successful with cooking lately? Is he trying out new dishes?”

“Yes.”

Se-han’s dining table, which used to revolve around kimchi, has become more diverse. Seo-oh has been diligently experimenting with new recipes inspired by the YouTube channel “Harmonious Family, Warm Table.”

“Why the sudden interest? Is something going on between the two of you?”

“Between us?”

Soon-i nodded with her eyes shining and Nam-woon’s mind flashed back to when he had been doing naughty things with Seo-oh, but he shook his head, saying that nothing was wrong going on.

After getting the cucumbers, Nam-woon went home and soaked them in the sink and washed them thoroughly. He wanted to have all the ingredients ready before Seo-oh arrived.

“Is rinsing them with water enough?”

Seo-oh hasn’t returned yet. He was busy with school and part-time work. Se-han, too, hasn’t come back from taekwondo practice. Perhaps he’s playing with his taekwondo classmate after class.

Speaking of which, where is Jin Hae-geon? Nam-woon narrowed his eyes and brought up a topic that had been in the back of his mind for a while. Honestly, he didn’t want to think about Jin Hae-geon that much, but imagining the main character, who is undoubtedly much better than him doesn’t make me feel good.

Do I really have to meet Jin Hae-geon? Can’t I just live like this…?”

At first, I didn’t think much of it, but now, thinking about him and Seo-oh standing side by side makes him feel as if he became the villain Seok Nam-woon. According to the novel, Kwon Sang-moon will be found by Jin Hae-geon. If Seo-oh and I can’t find Kwon Sang-moon, they’ll have no choice but to rely on Jin Hae-geon.

Seo-oh needed him, not Nam-woon.

Feeling slightly down, Nam-woon was chopping cucumbers when the door opened. Seo-oh entered, carrying bags in both hands, having stopped at the grocery store. Nam-woon quickly took the bags from him and set them on the floor.

“If you’re going to the grocery store, take my card.”

“It’s fine.”

Seo-oh, having put his backpack down against the wall, approached the sink. He glanced over at the counter, his expression darkening as he looked back at Nam-woon.

“Hyung, I told you I was going to make cucumber kimchi.”

“Hmm? Oh.”

“How could you cut them like this?”

Nam-woon looked down at the cutting board. The cucumbers were sliced into thin, round pieces, as if for a facial mask. When did I cut them like this? As he hesitated in confusion, Seo-oh frowned.

“Just stay still. Don’t touch anything else.”

“Okay…”

As Seo-oh heads toward the bathroom, Nam-woon calls after him.

“Hey, Seo-oh.”

Nam-woon hesitated before asking quietly,

“Have you heard from your dad?”

“…No, why?”

“You left the request at the errand center. Just checking.”

“No calls.”

Seo-oh’s face looked slightly downcast.

“If he calls, let me know. Oh, and…”

Nam-woon hesitates again, then asks, “

“Do you go to school with anyone named Jin Hae–“

[Warning! Mentioning the main character violates fair play. The character’s perception may change. (Don’t ask questions using initials or other methods to ask about the character!)]

The system, which had appeared after a long time, was talking about fair play. It was ridiculous. The system and fair play didn’t go together like oil and water. Knowing that he couldn’t directly ask about Jin Hae-geon, Nam-woon tried to ask indirectly.

“Just curious if there’s anyone handsome at your school.”

At that, Seo-oh’s face crumpled.

“I told you not to pay attention to anyone at school.”

“I’m just curious.”

“Why are you curious about that?”

Seo-oh tilted his head, and the atmosphere changed instantly. Nam-woon chose his words carefully in response to Seo-oh’s thug-like demeanor, as if he were a bully in an alley.

“I was just wondering if there’s anyone as handsome as you.”

“…As handsome as me?”

Suddenly, Seo-oh’s expression changed. He pouted his lips, looked at the ground, and sighed. Then he spoke.

“Am I handsome?”

Nam-woon didn’t respond to the sudden question. Seo-oh urged him on,

“Why aren’t you answering? Or am I ugly?”

“No, you’re handsome.”

Nam-woon replied hastily, but Seo-oh’s expression wasn’t good, as if he thought Nam-woon was just saying it to appease him.

“Forget it. You think I’m ugly.”

“What? Why do you think that?”

“You said it last time. You said my face was just so-so.”

Did I ever say that? I don’t even remember saying it, but he remembers something like that? Nam-woon responded with a laugh.

“Oh, don’t be silly. I think you’re pretty.”

“Huh?”

“…….”

Crazy. He blurted out his true feelings without realizing it, and to say ‘pretty’ instead of ‘handsome’. Is that something a guy would say to another guy? Since his level has increased, the system was quiet, so there was no one to stop him. Nam-woon screamed internally in embarrassment. Seo-oh looked at Nam-woon with surprised eyes and then blurted out a question.

“Pretty?”

“…….”

Well, since it’s out there, he might as well stick to it. Correcting it now would only make things weirder. Nam-woon pretended to be joking and teasing as he usually did and said it nonchalantly.

“Why be surprised? Anyone younger than me is just cute.”

He intentionally used the broad term “cute.”

Nam-woon changes the direction of the conversation. After all, Seo-oh, as the main character, is naturally good-looking. As he himself said, he was not only handsome but also pretty. He was taller than most people and had a strong frame. He’s got it all. Nam-woon’s words made Kwon Seo-oh’s face turn bright red. He was trying to lighten the mood, but his reaction made it even stranger.

“…You like pretty?”

“Who doesn’t like that?”

He did his best to act as if it wasn’t an issue. Seo-oh then asked.

“So you like pretty and big, then?”

Can it really be like that? Nam-woon nodded with a hesitant expression, and Seo-oh suddenly covered his mouth with his hand and lowered his head. It sounded like he mumbled, “It’s me.” through the gap of his lips.

After a moment, Seo-oh lowered his hand and looked down at the floor without meeting Nam-woon’s gaze. He quickly said,

“You’re so greedy. How can you have such high standards? Most people won’t be good enough for you.”

As he said, it was a real problem. After living with Seo-oh and Se-han every day, his standards have naturally gotten higher. He hasn’t met anyone else before, and if he doesn’t meet anyone in the future, that would be too sad.

“Just don’t think about meeting other people.”

“Why?” 

Nam-woon stared at him, and Seo-oh added.

“You’ll just waste time looking for someone at your level. You might meet someone who doesn’t even catch your eye and break up quickly.”

“What? What’s my level?”

“Do I really have to say it?”

“Do you think I’m not good enough?”

“That’s what you think. And don’t go on blind dates. Even if you go on a hundred, they say it’s hard to meet your ideal partner.”

I hadn’t even thought about blind dates, but Seo-oh brought it up first. When he didn’t reply, Seo-oh asked again.

“Right? You understand, Hyung?”

“Come on. Then you shouldn’t do it either. If you go on a blind date and start dating someone after telling me not to, you’d be really disloyal…”

“Okay, I won’t do it either.” 

Seo-oh replied before Nam-woon even finished speaking. Nam-woon regretted it afterward. Should he not have said that? The conversation felt a bit strange, as if they were policing each other.

Seo-oh, with a red face, turned to leave, saying he was going to wash up, but then turned back and added,

“Hyung, just so you know, there’s no one at school more handsome or prettier than me. I’m the best. I’m also the tallest.”

It was a bold declaration of self-confidence.