Ch.188Wherever You Are (1)

Looking back, it was quite an enjoyable vacation.

A trip to the sea with Do Hamin.

Celebrating Ms. Miso’s wedding with Do Hamin.

Starting a modeling part-time job because of photos taken with Do Hamin.

And the meeting between my mom and Hami-chan.

Even within the schedule I didn’t specifically mention, there were plenty of enjoyable moments.

The reason I don’t mention them separately is because they weren’t as fun as the time spent with Do Hamin.

Thanks to the special nature of vacation time, even though school wasn’t the backdrop,

Looking back, there were quite a few events that involved Do Hamin during the break.

Usually, when vacation ends and the second semester begins,

Even classmates can feel slightly awkward due to the considerable gap in time.

But at least with Do Hamin, I didn’t think I’d feel any such awkwardness.

Huh? Why am I suddenly writing in this memoir format?

“Ban Doyoung, get up now. It’s already 7:30, you fool.”

“Ugh… at least let me sleep in on a Monday morning during vacation. I’m planning to prepare for kendo class with Do Hamin later, so I’ll wake up by 10 at the latest.”

“What are you talking about? Don’t you know today is the start of the second semester? Are you planning to be late on the first day?”

“…What the fuck?”

Do you know why high school students’ vacations are smaller and more precious than college students’?

It’s because high school vacations are overwhelmingly shorter.

.

.

.

“Yawn… ah. My drool has dried around my mouth.”

“Good morning, my daughter. Need some morning coffee?”

“No, do you have Morning Zero Lime?”

“Cola with toast doesn’t seem right. If you don’t want coffee, how about milk?”

“Yeah, give me milk. Momma.”

“Yes, yes, my daughter.”

It might be childish for my age, but we’re family, so who cares?

It’s not like I’m showing this to others.

I took the glass of milk my mom poured for me and headed to the dining table.

“What are you doing? The toast will get cold. Come and eat quickly.”

“After you finish eating, wash up quickly. Don’t make me and Hamin oppa late waiting for Ban-thief unnie.”

“Yeah, yeah. I got it, so stop nagging, both Scarlet-chan and Hamin… Wait, Hamin?”

“Ah, Doyoung. Good morning.”

“…Oh.”

When I came down to the second-floor living room, I saw Do Hamin sitting in our family’s eldest son’s seat, eating breakfast.

With the TV news playing loudly in the background, I hadn’t even realized Do Hamin had come into our house until he directly called out to me.

“Oh right… during the school term, we agreed that when you couldn’t eat breakfast at home, you’d eat at our place.”

It was a promise we made around the end of the first semester, after the final exams.

Since we made it right before vacation started, I had practically forgotten about it.

During the supplementary class period, the school start time was more relaxed than during the regular semester,

and since I didn’t have supplementary classes, Do Hamin didn’t visit our house in the morning.

The fact that this guy was sitting in our living room again

confirmed that today was indeed the start of the second semester.

“Sorry, there was a lot going on during the vacation. I completely forgot.”

“I was thinking of just going without you in case you’d forgotten… but the master called me this morning. Since the second semester starts today, he asked me to make sure you eat breakfast and go to school with me so you won’t be late…”

“During the end of the first semester, even though it was brief, you were never late on days when you went to school with Hamin. That’s what came to mind.”

“Dad, you had it all planned out, huh?”

“Of course, I have plans for everything. Plans for running the dojang during the semester, the dojang’s winter ski camp, and I’m even already planning our family trip for next year.”

“For someone so meticulous with planning, why did you rush into having child—”

“AHEM AHEM! Must be the changing seasons. This cough…! AHEM AHEM!”

He’s openly admitting it’s a fake cough.

“Still, I’m glad my eyes opened right away when I realized it was the second semester. Habits are scary, you know. Even during vacation, there were times when I felt like I should sleep more. I went to bed early last night in case I’d wake up like during the supplementary period.”

“…Well, during supplementary classes, you only needed to make it to class, not the morning assembly.”

As I approached the dining table, Do Hamin turned his head toward where I was standing, following the sound of my movement.

However, he still didn’t make eye contact with me.

“…Huh?”

Do Hamin had turned his head toward me following the sound,

but he had removed his thick glasses and kept his eyelids firmly shut, avoiding eye contact.

“What’s this? Do Hamin, why are you closing your eyes? And taking off your glasses too.”

“Last time, you seemed like you didn’t want me to see you right after waking up. You asked me to keep my eyes closed until you finished washing up.”

“…This kid. You still remember that?”

Even the improvised words I had hastily thrown out to prevent momentary embarrassment

were faithfully remembered and put into practice by Do Hamin.

So as I watched him, who was clearly reacting to my movements by perking up his ears, wanting to see me,

while desperately keeping his eyes shut to keep his promise to me…

“Sigh.”

A chuckle mixed with a sigh escaped my lips.

Things like dried drool on my face, hair that looked like it had been hit by a bomb,

or my upper body bouncing with each step down the stairs because I wasn’t wearing a bra—

I realized I didn’t really care anymore.

It didn’t seem like Do Hamin’s feelings for me would diminish

just because he saw me in this state.

“Just open your eyes and put your glasses on. You might accidentally touch the coffee cup and burn yourself. I’ll wash up after breakfast today.”

I pulled out a chair with a creaking sound and sat down next to Do Hamin.

“…Is that okay?”

“Yeah, it’s okay for you, Do Hamin. Just get used to it now. Even Ban Doyoung’s face at her ugliest.”

“U-ugly Ban Doyoung… I can’t really imagine that.”

Do Hamin said this as he slowly opened his eyes.

“So, what’s your impression after seeing Ban Doyoung at her ugliest up close?”

“Don’t set the bar for ‘ugly’ so high. For people like me, your self-deprecating jokes about being ugly are more hurtful.”

“Hehe… Really? Then instead of ‘ugly Ban Doyoung,’ why don’t you give me some other appropriate modifier?”

“Modifier…? Hmm…”

Do Hamin looked carefully once more at Ban Doyoung who had just woken up.

As he gazed intently at Ban Doyoung, who had transformed from her usual world-class beauty

into a more human and natural state, a subtle, indecipherable smile formed on his face.

“H-how about… Ban Doyoung at her most adorable…?”

“…”

-Screech!

I was about to take a bite of the freshly made toast, but upon hearing Do Hamin’s words, I stood up, dragging my chair across the floor.

“D-Doyoung…? Why so sudden?”

“I suddenly need to wash up.”

“WOAAH!”

“Why is Dad surprised?”

“Doyoung. You shouldn’t casually tell others you’re going to wash up.”

Feeling déjà vu at the familiar line, Dad jumped in surprise and dropped the toast he was holding.

Naturally, the toast fell jam-side down on the floor.

“W-was the modifier I gave you that bad? Did you dislike being called adorable so much that you immediately wanted to wash up to get rid of that modifier?”

“Anyway, I’m going to take a shower. Watch if you want.”

“A-as if I would…!”

Without giving any grace period, I entered the bathroom while removing my bottoms.

There was no way I’d let the panties I had happily changed into after showering last night get wet because of that guy’s single comment.

“My daughter. You know you shouldn’t do that even after washing up.”

“I know, because we’ll be late.”

“Hmm, you understand well.”

“That’s not the only reason why you shouldn’t do it!”

“That’s not the only reason why you shouldn’t do it!”

“That’s not the only reason why you shouldn’t do it!”

I could hear Dad, Siyoung, and Do Hamin shouting in unison from beyond the bathroom.

.

.

.

“Ah, that feels refreshing. Hey, Do Hamin, is my underwear safe? I’m going to wear it again this morning, so don’t mess with it.”

“…”

“Huh, why so quiet? Usually, this would be when you’d get angry like before and raise your voice saying, ‘I might have done it in my head, but never in reality!'”

After finishing my refreshing morning shower.

The panties and bra I had changed into yesterday were still lying on the bathroom floor exactly as I had left them.

“Tsk, there’s gold on the floor and no one’s picking it up. Today’s protagonists must all be well-fed.”

After drying off completely, I put my clothes back on and headed to the living room.

My family, including Do Hamin, had left the dining table and gathered in front of the television.

The TV was tuned to a news channel, the kind that was constantly playing in the command center during my military days.

It was unusual.

Dad was one thing, but Mom and Siyoung,

and even Do Hamin couldn’t take their eyes off the news.

“That photo… even though it’s pixelated… it’s right, isn’t it?”

“I think so. When someone you know appears on the news, you can see through the censoring…”

“What is it? What? Did news finally break that Ban Doyoung has been designated as a Korean beauty cultural heritage?”

“Stop talking nonsense and come see this, Ban-thief unnie.”

Thanks to Siyoung moving aside briefly, the broadcast came into my view.

“Science High School entrance exam corruption exposed… That’s the school where Do Hamin was the second alternate and got rejected, right? What is this, the unfair disqualification of an additional successful candidate…?”

The announcer was making a big fuss as if a serious incident had occurred.

And for some reason, on the heavily pixelated news broadcast screen…

“That’s… Do Hamin, right?”

Do Hamin’s student ID photo was displayed.