episode_0045

Before we knew it, fourth period was over, lunch time.

After eating lunch with the basketball kids, I sat quietly in my seat. The reason is simple.

This is because Aki said he had important business and asked him to wait in class for a moment.

‘It’s important business… .’

What is that?

I wondered if he was going to say that he would sleep over at my house again today. I soon realized that didn’t make sense.

Sleeping over at my house isn’t something to be proud of, so why bother doing it in front of everyone? It’s okay to do it when it’s just the two of us.

“Um.”

Yeah, no matter how much I think about it, it’s not like that.

But then what on earth… … .

“Major Universe. Aren’t you going to play basketball?”

While I was stroking my chin and thinking, someone came up to me and tapped my shoulder.

I turn around and see Jaehyun. Seongmin and Dongho were next to Jaehyun, and Dongho was holding a large basketball between his arms and torso.

All three of them look like they want to go outside right away, and it seems like they’re itching because they haven’t played basketball.

“Basketball? Now?”

“Uh, now. If you come to the main universe and one more person comes, it will be 3 to 3.”

“Oh, really? But I can’t do it now… . I have to wait for someone.”

“Wait? who. Oh, by any chance Fujiwara-san?”

“Fujiwara-san? What is that?”

“What is it, it’s Jooju’s girlfriend’s name.”

“Oh, that mixed-race kid’s name was Fujiwara-san? Last time, I thought you called me Aki.”

I was listening to a comical conversation between Jaehyun, Dongho, and Seongmin when I was interrupted.

“My last name is Fujiwa and my first name is Akiya. If you stick it, it’s Fujiwara Aki.”

“Ah, so Nam Jae-hyun was called Fujiwara-san, and Wooju you were called Aki?”

“Uh, right.”

“Really? But why does Nam Jaehyun call him by his last name? Usually foreigners call each other by their first names.”

“Hmm, that’s a bit complicated to explain… .”

Yoviste, Japan’s unique naming culture, is not something that can be explained in just one or two words, so it took some time to explain.

It was a bit long, but if I were to sum it up roughly, it would be something like, ‘In Japan, if you’re not close, it’s normal to call each other by your last name and honorific title.’

Friends who heard my explanation had different reactions.

“What, it’s really complicated. Can’t we just call everyone by their first name?”

This is Dongho.

“Ah, so Fujiwara-san told me to call him that… .”

This is Jaehyun.

“I have a question. I heard that you and Nam Jae-hyun went to the same kindergarten. But why does Nam Jaehyun still call your girlfriend by her last name?”

This was Seongmin.

I quietly listened to the three people, and only answered Seongmin’s last question.

“I’m not sure about that either… . Well, Aki has his own thoughts, right?”

I’m sure it’s not because I hate Jaehyun. If that had really been the case, I wouldn’t have even pretended to know.

“Ah, isn’t this something like this? I don’t like it when men other than my boyfriend call me by my name. Something like this?”

“Ah, no way… .”

“Couldn’t that be true? I think I could do that. There are a few girls in my class who don’t like it when a friend they don’t know calls them by their first name.”

“Really? I didn’t have anything like that… … .”

“What the fuck, what is this sudden surprise and deception?”

I listened to Dongho’s swearing with one ear, ignored it, and just thought to myself.

Come to think of it, I’ve never seen another boy call Aki by his first name except me.

‘Then it couldn’t be… .’

Is it really because of that reason?

Boyfriend, not yet.

You don’t like it when other men call you by your first name, so you’re asking Jaehyun, whom you’ve known for over 10 years, to call you Fujiwara-san… … ?

“No, it’s okay. So when is your girlfriend coming? If you have anything to do, go see it quickly. Let’s play some basketball before lunch ends.”

“… … Stay, it’s time to come soon.”

“Hey, it’s space.”

Someone’s voice came as soon as the words were finished.

For a moment, I thought Aki had come without me knowing, but the deep voice was not a woman’s.

When I turned around, there was an unexpected, or rather not unexpected, person standing there.

Seungwoo Kim is almost ready to adapt to our basketball family.

“Uh, why?”

“I’m sorry for saying this out of the blue, but you know I’m Ham Ji-eun, right? A girl in my class.”

“Um, well… . You know what you know, right?”

Although we are not close.

“Didn’t he ask you for something?”

“Please? … Oh right. It was like that.”

To be more precise, it was not a request, but a suggestion. An offer like that if you appear on an Instagram live broadcast or something and become a cosmetics model, you will get an additional incentive on top of your base salary of 50, or something like that.

Although I was still a high school student, the offer was so tempting that I was immediately tempted by it, so I didn’t forget it. However, if there is a problem, it is that I literally did not forget it. All I remember is that Aki told me I shouldn’t be a model, so I refused.

“Please? Well, what are you asking?”

“Seungwoo, can I tell you?”

“Uh, you can say it. It’s not important enough to keep secret anyway.”

“What, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing special, he just asked me to model for men’s cosmetics. If you do it, they will give you some money.”

“If you’re a model, don’t you get paid a lot? How much do you pay?”

“I think they said they would add a little more to the basic price of 50… .”

“No, what? 500,000 won? What did I hear wrong?”

“Wow, that’s a lot of money. But why don’t you do it?”

Seongmin and Dongho stare at me, each showing their own reactions, as if they really don’t understand.

‘Why, why, it’s because Aki told me not to do it… .’

I would have wished that those words had not been said. 500,000 won is a lot of money for me and the other kids.

“I also have a situation… . Ah, anyway. But why is that?”

“Can’t you just say that you will do that?”

“Huh? I already rejected it?”

“Yes, I heard it too. But Ji-eun kept saying that. They said they couldn’t run the advertisement yet because it was so hard to find a model, and if they lost the contract like this, they would have to pay a penalty. ”

“Ah. I see… .”

I trailed off and stared at Kim Seung-woo.

Slightly shorter than me, close to 180 cm tall.

Although his appearance is a bit raw, he is good-looking, and if you get to know his personality, he is quite nice.

Well, you don’t need to have a good or bad personality to work as a model, but… . Anyway, overall, she seems like a good candidate for a cosmetics model, right?

Besides, Ham Ji-eun and this guy are childhood friends.

“Speaking of that, Seungwoo, can’t you do it?”

“Yes, I can’t do that. You can’t carelessly show your face anywhere other than the one designated by the company.”

“Company?”

“It’s a bit difficult to explain in detail… . You can roughly think of it as a confidentiality clause or something like that.”

“Ah, I see… .”

I’m not sure what company it refers to or what secret it needs to keep, but it seems like there’s some reason.

“Yes, that’s what I mean. Can you help Ji-eun just once? I usually don’t ask for requests like this, but it was a really difficult situation. From what I heard, the penalty that has to be paid if the advertisement falls over is almost hundreds of hundreds, and the deadline is until tomorrow.”

“Wow, sand tomorrow? Then the period is almost over.”

“Hey, universe. Can’t you do something like saving someone’s life?”

“Okay, please do it if there is no special reason. They say they give you a lot of money anyway? It’s not free, but it’s worth doing even though they give you money.”

“… … Umm.”

My heart was slightly shaken.

The amount of the penalty is a reasonable amount, and recommendations from friends around you are also recommended.

In fact, what is more important than that is the loyalty with Kim Seung-woo.

It’s not that it’s not, but Seungwoo Kim is the friend who helped Aki and I kiss at Jamsil Stadium.

The weight of this request is completely different from that of a friend who I don’t even know, who is like a stranger.

Even though Aki told me not to do it, I was able to convince him to help me at least once.

“Okay, okay.”

“… … uh? Really?”

My mother always said that you should return favors with favors, and it is right to grant Kim Seung-woo’s favor, not someone else’s favor.

I nodded coolly.

“Yes, really.”

“Ah, thank you. Thank you so much… !”

“How can I be thankful for something like this… . Oh, but I already told her I won’t do it. Is that okay?”

“Then, of course it’s okay. I’ll tell the author directly later. Since sand is due tomorrow, I’ll probably ask you to meet me right after school today.”

“After school? okay. I’ll save some time.”

* * *

10 minutes later, classroom.

After the conversation with Seungwoo Kim, Aki came to our class. The reason Aki came to see me was because of 5th period physical education. Since I didn’t bring my gym clothes after washing them, I have nothing to wear, so I’ll borrow mine instead.

So I willingly gave it up.

Our first-year physical education classes are held only twice a week, so only Monday classes are joint physical education sessions for both classes, and the other class is held by each class alone, so it is possible to borrow gym clothes from each other like this.

“Now, here.”

“Ah, thank you~! Uju~chan, I’ll wear it well… !”

Aki smiles happily while holding my gym clothes in her arms.

If the classes were the same, renting clothes like this would have been unthinkable, but being in separate classes has its own advantages.

Well, even if there are advantages, they are all overshadowed by the big disadvantage of not being able to see each other during class every day… … .

“I will wash your clothes well and return them to you! … Oh, and Uju~chan.”

“Yes, why?”

“I have time later, after school… ?”

Wrinkle.

Aki looks at me with his cheeks turning slightly red.

“Atashi (me), I’m planning to buy something later… . Ooh, I thought it would be good if Uju~chan went with me… .”

“Really? What do you want to buy?”

“… … Yes, swimsuit. … The one I wore last year was too tight and wouldn’t fit in.”

“Ah.”

You’re buying a swimsuit.

Yes, it is cheaper if you buy it around this time.

If you choose a swimsuit when the summer vacation season is over, the price will skyrocket.

‘swimsuit… .’

Come to think of it, I also received a water park ticket.

I imagined it without realizing it.

A scene where Aki, wearing a swimsuit, goes to the water park with me and plays in the water in front of me.

“… … .”

and.

It feels so good just to imagine it… … .

Will “ go with you? If you go, I can show you a little bit to Uju~chan… .”

“Yes, of course we should go together. When are you going?”

It would be foolish to miss this opportunity.

I answered immediately without hesitation.

It was a decision that made me forget about the embarrassment a long time ago, and Aki glanced at me, perhaps a little embarrassed.

“… … Heh, okay. I’ll go later after school.”

“Okay, after school, can I wait until then?”

“Ugh, but don’t expect too much, right? I’ve gained a little weight, so the swimsuit will fit a little weird… .”

“It’s okay, Aki is pretty no matter what she wears.”

“… … Ah, Atashi, I’m going!”

Aki must have been embarrassed by the overt praise, so his face got red and he ran out the back door.

I quietly looked at that cute back.

A thought suddenly occurred to me.

Aki just said that he was going to buy a swimsuit after school today.

However, 10 minutes ago, Seungwoo Kim said, ‘I’ll tell Ji-eun in person later, and she’ll probably ask me to meet her right after school today.’

That is to say.

The promise I made with Aki, the promise I made with Seungwoo Kim… Aren’t the dates overlapping?

“… … Huh?”