Ch.48Tutoring a Peer (5)

After my mother’s departure, the daily life that had briefly risen settled back down gradually.

Though I say it settled down, it would be more accurate to say it returned to what I had been accustomed to.

And as this routine continued,

it made the passage of time felt in my body both monotonous and rapidly accelerating.

“Ah, Doyoung. You’re here. No tardiness today.”

“Mom told me not to be late before she left, so I should keep that promise for at least three days.”

“Oh, the aunt effect is definitely working. I thought you’d only keep it up for three days and quit, but you’re extending it to four.”

“Choi Sahyang, three days is three days.”

“Eh? That’s what it means? First time knowing that.”

Though it wasn’t entirely by choice, since I was in the position of a student,

I diligently attended classes while commuting between school and home.

It was a request from my mother, who could be considered my primary textbook in this world.

Yeah, if I keep it up well for three days, Dad probably won’t call Mom separately.

“Come to think of it, yesterday was when your aunt left. How was it? Living with your mom after so long.”

“You two weren’t awkward with each other because of past stuff, right? Like not being able to make eye contact.”

“Definitely. All I could see was her chest.”

“Are you bragging about your genetics now?”

“Heh heh heh.”

After meeting with Ban Doyoung’s mother, Chuk Junsook, and gradually learning more about Ban Doyoung’s past,

the misalignments that occurred due to memory inconsistencies in conversations with Sahyang and Hyerang, who had been close friends since childhood, decreased.

Fortunately, the original Ban Doyoung’s character was cheerful and didn’t care about trivial things,

and Doyoung’s close friends were understanding of that personality,

but there were still occasional gaps due to differences in their shared memories.

That’s why while staying with my mother,

I made an effort to learn more about the past Ban Doyoung.

“Yo. Good morning, model student.”

“Ah, hello. Good morning indeed.”

“What’s wrong? The area around your eyes looks a bit dark. Couldn’t sleep?”

“Ah, I fell asleep late yesterday. Fortunately, I wasn’t late.”

“Hehe, seeing that you couldn’t sleep, I guess you used it.”

“W-what…?”

“The fresh thing I gave you yesterday.”

So I sent one treasure I found while searching for traces of the past to that guy Do Hamin.

Photos from a time he doesn’t know about are really good items for raising likability.

It’s nice to learn things about each other that we don’t know, right?

“…I didn’t use it! I didn’t!”

“What? Was it not good?”

However, it seems I was the only one who thought of that photo as a treasure.

“Sigh… No matter how much I search, there are only swimsuit photos up to the second year of middle school… Should I send you photos of my mom instead?”

“Don’t you dare!”

“What’s with those two this early in the morning?”

“Dunno.”

There were exactly two times when time seemed to flow slowly.

One was in the morning when I teased Do Hamin as if it were a daily quest along with greeting him.

‘I need to show my true feelings properly at least once.’

However, whenever I teased Do Hamin like this,

I was reminded of the advice from my textbook, Sergeant Chuk.

‘Sorry, Mom. But this guy’s reactions are so damn entertaining, what can I do?’

I couldn’t stop because I genuinely enjoyed teasing him from the bottom of my heart.

If that’s sincere, then perhaps it could be called sincerity.

“Attention, salute.”

“Thank you for your hard work!”

“Everyone worked hard in today’s class too. Let’s be more energetic tomorrow! Those who have evening self-study, don’t skip it!”

After the classes that rushed by as if pulled by inertia ended,

I would either go straight home or, when Sahyang and Hyerang didn’t have other plans, meet up with them to wander around the station area.

Trying new menu items at newly opened cafes, browsing nearby clothing stores,

on days when I hung out with those two, we would visit places typical for kids our age.

Today, Sahyang said a dessert cafe she frequents had released a new menu item,

so Hyerang and I followed Sahyang downtown without even putting down our bags.

“This rum tiramisu is delicious.”

“Right? That’s ‘Cafe Ninja Kakashi’ for you. They quickly follow trends and release new menu items, but strangely, they’re always delicious. Especially today, it seems even more delicious since Doyoung is treating us.”

“I’m eating since you’re buying, but Doyoung, didn’t you say you were out of money? It’s not your allowance day yet.”

“Hehehe… Behold. This glorious golden form that Mom stole from Dad’s wallet and gave me before she left…!”

“Oh, Shin Saimdang! Two of them!”

“Hahaha, do you see? Two moms right here.”

-Buzz

-Buzz

As we were chatting away, losing track of time,

the alarm I had set on my phone vibrated on the table, indicating it was time.

“Ah, it’s already time. I’ll get going first.”

“What, already? Stay a little longer.”

“I made a promise with that model student. He said he’d teach me kendo during dinner time. And I can’t miss it.”

“Ah, now that you mention it, you did talk about that. Seems like you’ve taken quite a liking to Hamin. Seeing as you’re doing kendo again when you said you never would.”

“It’s fun. Watching that model student’s reactions. Ah, does this mean I’m ignoring Hyerang’s advice to keep my distance?”

“When have you ever listened to me and not done things your own way? It’s nothing new.”

“That’s a relief. Because I usually don’t listen to Hyerang.”

Hyerang no longer viewed my close association with Do Hamin negatively.

Probably after the incident with Ahn Sungkyung, Hyerang also started to see that I had an interest in Do Hamin.

“I’m only allowing it because it’s Do Hamin. Being alone with him.”

“True, if it were the delinquent honor student, I’d probably object too. But with Hamin, learning kendo doesn’t seem that scary. He doesn’t seem like the type to misuse what he learns.”

Thanks to having directly heard Do Hamin say he would take my side back then,

the positive change in Sahyang and Hyerang’s evaluation of Do Hamin certainly plays a part in their current attitude.

“Then I should go too. My boyfriend’s study room is nearby, so I should at least see his face before leaving.”

“Tsk, everyone’s hanging out with guys except me. Maybe I should quickly find one too.”

“Hey, if someone hears you, they’ll think the model student is my boyfriend.”

“Maybe he is, maybe he isn’t.”

“Tsk… Ah, I should buy one more rum tiramisu to take to the model student. Owner, please pack one more of these!”

As they say, generosity flows when the storehouse is full.

I ordered one more dessert from the cafe, had it packed, and returned to the dojo.

When I said I was buying dessert for Do Hamin too, Sahyang and Hyerang’s expressions seemed strangely mocking,

but I decided to get my revenge later when those two show off being lovey-dovey with their boyfriends in front of me.

.

.

.

“That’s right. Your posture has improved. Your arms are shaking less too.”

“Yeah. I’m starting to understand how to do it bit by bit.”

The second moment when time flowed slowly during the day

was when I was teaching kendo to Do Hamin who came to the dojo after classes.

Today was a continuation of the previous lesson, focusing on fixing posture and building core strength.

I was holding a can of Zero Lime in my right hand while sticking close to him to correct his posture, in lieu of tuition fees.

-Gulp

“The tip of the bamboo sword should be in the center of your vision. That’s right. For a shorty model student of your height, that should be about right.”

“I-I’m not that short.”

Of course, I couldn’t rely solely on Ban Doyoung’s body memory to teach theory,

so in my left hand, which wasn’t holding the Zero Lime, I held a textbook I received from my dad for the lesson.

Learning kendo, which the young Ban Doyoung had devoted herself to,

was also part of the process of learning about Ban Doyoung’s past, so I couldn’t just rely on hazy memories.

“Let’s lift the bottom part slightly. Right now, the handle’s bottom is pressed right against your body.”

“Ah, you’re right. How much should I lift it?”

“Let me see… It says there should be enough space for a fist to move back and forth between them?”

I put down the textbook for a moment,

lowered my knee, and slipped my left hand between Do Hamin and the bamboo sword handle.

-Thud

My left hand couldn’t pass through, hitting the bamboo sword handle instead.

The gap between Do Hamin and the sword was too narrow even for Ban Doyoung’s delicate hand to pass through.

“My my, it’s too tight. How could my fist possibly go back and forth inside you like this? Stand it up a bit more.”

“Ah, I got it.”

“Oh, but don’t stand up anything else, okay? It’ll make the gap even tighter.”

“Damn it! You deliberately meant that ‘stand up’ in that way!”

“Of course I did, hehehe. Let’s finish a bit early today. I bought tiramisu for us to eat.”

Indeed, even though I thought I should act as Ban Doyoung,

I couldn’t resist teasing this guy whose reactions came so quickly.

By now, it had firmly established itself as one of my daily patterns.

“Ugh, seeing the scrambled eggs my dad made this morning really made me feel Mom’s absence. I might as well just make rolled eggs myself every morning, at least that much.”

“Sometimes you can’t help it when there’s no time.”

“That’s what came out after my dad put in time and effort.”

After finishing the evening lesson,

I shared the tiramisu I had packed from the cafe with Do Hamin while having a casual conversation inside the dojo.

“Hey, model student, eat more.”

“Huh? No, I’m good.”

“Take it while I’m offering. This makes us both accomplices. Mom said not to eat food in the dojo, and since I didn’t bring any for Dad, we can’t eat in the office.”

“T-then why don’t we just give this to the master too?”

“I don’t want to because the scrambled eggs I ate this morning were particularly tasteless. Besides, what would my dad, who’s all grown up and doesn’t have Mom at home, do with delicious food? So you eat more.”

“It’s not like I have any particular use for it either.”

“That remains to be seen.”

I scooped half of the tiramisu I had brought for myself onto Do Hamin’s plate.

“Or should I put some saliva on it like yesterday? Bleh.”

“Stop it. I don’t want to keep yelling at you.”

“Heheh. You don’t know what to do with yourself.”

Do Hamin didn’t particularly refuse the tiramisu I offered.

Since I had been eating it by cutting it into pieces with a fork, there wasn’t much of “me” left in the tiramisu anyway.

“Ah, or should I quickly teach the master how to make rolled eggs? Then you could eat something reasonably tasty in the morning without having to cook yourself.”

“No. Not that.”

“Why, why…?”

Do Hamin tilted his head and looked at me.

This guy is really making a face like he doesn’t know.

“You said the master makes breakfast on weekdays. Wouldn’t it be more convenient if the master knew how to cook too?”

“Are you asking because you don’t understand what I mean?”

“I-I really don’t get it.”

“…Don’t teach anyone but me such things.”