My Lord, Don’t Break That Wall (4)

Seeing my hardened face, Han Sumin’s expression turned ashen.

“No, it’s really a misunderstanding!”

I picked up the condom that had fallen on the floor. My hand trembled as I picked it up.

“You, this…”

For a moment, my mind went blank.

I pondered what to say next.

Should I get angry here, or should I praise her?

I don’t know where I heard it, but I heard there are parents who give condoms as a gift when their daughter has her first period. I even heard some schools have condom vending machines.

…Am I the one who’s closed-minded?

I prided myself on having a fairly open mindset.

But facing this situation in reality, the inner turmoil was worse than I expected.

Conflicting thoughts clashed endlessly like opposing winds.

Should I scold her sternly as a father, or pat her on the back saying “well done” as a mother?

I have no idea.

This is my first time playing the parent role too.

After much deliberation, I barely managed to organize my thoughts.

Still…

Still…

Middle school is too early!

It seems I was an unavoidable Confucian when it came to sexual matters after all.

So.

“Han Sumin! You’re dead today, for real!”

“W-wait a moment! Unni!”

My insides churning, harsh words flew out and my hand shot out roughly.

As my hand approached Han Sumin’s hair with fierce momentum.

Han Suho, who was standing next to her, shouted urgently:

“Noona! We got this during sex education class!”

Hearing those words, my hand slowly stopped.

“…Huh?”

I stared at the two with blank eyes.

“I-it’s true! Some youth sexual culture center or something, those people came to our school to lecture and gave out one each after teaching about contraception. I got one too.”

Han Suho fumbled to take out a condom wrapped in the same packaging.

“If you don’t believe me, check the school website. Or you can ask our homeroom teacher.”

Han Sumin added with a tearful expression:

“That’s right! No matter how much of an art disease I have, I can still distinguish right from wrong!”

Looking at the two’s eyes, it doesn’t seem to be a lie.

I didn’t know Korea’s youth sex education had become this progressive.

I cleared my throat awkwardly.

“…Ahem, Sumin-ah.”

“Hmph.”

Han Sumin turned her head sharply, seemingly upset by my suspicion.

Still, just in case.

“…Can I just check your bag once?”

“Wow, really! I’m so hurt. Don’t you trust me even now?”

Han Sumin handed over her bag with pursed lips. As soon as I opened the zipper with the cute keyring attached, I checked the smell first.

…At least there’s no cigarette smell.

The inside of the bag is outrageous in a different way.

I’m not sure if this is a student’s bag or a beauty YouTuber’s bag.

Tail comb, pouch, perfume, hand cream, lip balm, artificial tears, hand mirror, student ID.

There are so many snacks neatly packed by type.

Looking at this, her dream seems more like a bakery owner than a rock star.

Bread, candy, and…

What’s this?

Han Sumin, sensing my thoughts, jumped in eagerly:

“What? Did you think there would be marijuana or something?”

“No, it’s not that…”

As I answered in a crawling voice, Han Sumin thumped her chest as if frustrated:

“That’s the Bacchus-flavored jelly you advertise!”

“Huh?”

“I buy and eat only that every day in case it might help you somehow. You don’t even recognize my deep affection, really!”

It really was the jelly I advertise.

I let out another embarrassed cough.

Anyway…

The most important thing isn’t here!

“Where’s your pencil case?”

“I don’t have one. It’s heavy.”

“If it’s heavy, you can take out other things.”

“No way! The other things are essential items.”

Han Sumin responded shamelessly, as if saying “I don’t care.”

“There are no printouts or workbooks either?”

Han Sumin raised the corner of her mouth, blowing air through her nose.

“But at least I’m not smoking.”

“…”

“Have a drink.”

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at this.

After finishing the belongings check, I apologized while trying to calm my churning insides.

“I’m sorry for misunderstanding. I was just worried about you…”

“It’s okay. You must have been shocked from your position. As long as the misunderstanding is cleared up, it’s fine.”

Han Sumin nodded as if she didn’t mind.

Whew, as expected.

As expected, she has the coolest personality among our siblings…

“Ah, but being misunderstood makes me feel empty and depressed somehow. If someone bought me an amp, I feel like this depression would completely disappear.”

…Like hell she does!

She’s trying to milk my misunderstanding to get something even bigger.

“Do I look like money to you?”

“Huh? Are you doubting and suspecting me again? Am I being discriminated against now? I might just become twisted…”

“Hey, hey! Okay! I’m sorry.”

I took out 100,000 won and handed it to Han Sumin.

“Is this enough?”

“Can’t you give a little more? I want to buy a Yamaha amp.”

…This girl, really!

At this rate, it seems like extorting money is the Han family’s specialty. If nothing else, their skill at extracting money is truly artistic. Even the merchants of Venice probably weren’t this ruthless, surely.

Only after I took out another 100,000 won did Han Sumin’s chattering tongue stop.

“Anyway, I’m confiscating these.”

I pocketed the condoms the twins had been holding.

Han Sumin went upstairs with an expression like she’d hit the jackpot.

“Yes! I need to order right away.”

“Han Sumin. Since I helped clear up the misunderstanding, split it with me.”

“What are you talking about. Just take 50,000 won.”

“Oh, sweet.”

I feel like I’ve been played by those little devils somehow.

This deflated feeling of being a sucker at a gambling table, completely fleeced by hustlers.

Still, I considered it fortunate that it wasn’t the worst-case scenario of my world crumbling.

Just then,

My phone rang.

A familiar name was displayed on the screen.

I answered the phone in a bright, lively voice:

“Boss~! It’s been a while!”

It was the owner of the bar where I worked. And the father of my childhood friend, Sung Dojun.

-What do you mean boss. Call me uncle again.

“Yes, uncle. What’s the sudden occasion?”

-Ah, well… Uncle has a favor to ask.

“A favor?”

Sung Dojun’s father was a benefactor who had helped our family in various ways whenever we were struggling.

So I was inclined to grant any reasonable request.

“Please feel free to ask. Do you need a part-time replacement?”

I hadn’t heard that Sung Dojun or Jung Sehee had quit.

-No, it’s not that, it’s just that that brat Sung Dojun has caught a bad cold and…

Sung Dojun’s father continued after sighing:

-Could you possibly take care of that kid for a while?

I entered the house after inputting the passcode I had received in advance. The sound of coughing could be heard from the entrance.

When I went to the room, Sung Dojun was lying down with a haggard appearance.

He was already tall and skinny, but now with the flu on top of that, the shadows on his face seemed especially pronounced today.

Sung Dojun blinked at me with open eyes.

“…HaYoo-jin. What are you doing here?”

“Your father asked me to take care of you.”

Sung Dojun waved his hand dismissively.

“I don’t need it, so leave.”

“I’d like to do that too, but I’m staying because of your father.”

“Ah, I said get out!”

“Ah, just shut up!”

Before entering Sung Dojun’s room, I did a thorough safety check.

Putting on a mask, spraying hand sanitizer.

I even swallowed the vitamins I had brought to boost immunity.

“…Am I some kind of zombie?”

“It’s not that, I’m not just on my own anymore.”

Sung Dojun was startled by my casually thrown words.

“…What? Are you pregnant?”

At that moment,

The urge to play a prank welled up in my lower abdomen.

I said with a gloomy expression:

“Yeah. When I used the test kit, two lines showed up.”

Sung Dojun let out a single groan. Half of his face turned pale blue.

“…Don’t joke around.”

“It’s true.”

Sung Dojun lowered his head as if in shock. A trembling breath could be heard from his frozen lips.

“…Who’s the other party?”

“The other party is…”

I was about to speak but glanced at Sung Dojun’s expression. His face was twisted as if his internal organs had been flipped.

Sensing the atmosphere was about to turn serious, I stopped the prank.

“…It’s a joke. My agent said that I have a string of contracts lined up like candy now, so I need to be careful with my body.”

“Ah, really annoying. What kind of joke is that for a girl to make?”

I smiled awkwardly at his stern glare.

“Hey, it’s just a joke between us, why so serious?”

“…Ah, forget it.”

“Huh?”

“…I don’t know.”

The room became awkwardly quiet.

Trying to change the atmosphere, I shifted the topic of conversation.

“I heard you’re doing fitting modeling these days?”

“Yeah. A senior I know recommended me.”

“Well. Your pale and gaunt look is just like what you often see in Hongdae.”

Long arms and legs, decent mask face, dark circles under white skin.

He had the typical sickly model look that girls these days like.

I took out the porridge I had bought outside. I placed the warm porridge in a plastic container on the bedside table along with a spoon.

But Sung Dojun was just staring down at the porridge without touching it.

“Aren’t you eating?”

“I can’t eat alone. My hands are like this.”

Sung Dojun sheepishly raised his hands, which were wrapped in white bandages.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You’ve been so busy lately. There was no need to say anything painful.”

“Did you get cut while gambling?”

“Just…! I got hurt while working.”

I touched my earlobe and said:

“So what do you want me to do?”

“…”

“You want me to feed you?”

Sung Dojun nodded.

“Is your other hand just for decoration?”

“I have hands. But I don’t have the strength. The strength to hold a spoon.”

I sat on the bed with a fierce glare. I scooped up a spoonful of porridge and brought it to Sung Dojun’s mouth.

Sung Dojun frowned without opening his closed lips.

“Eat nicely. Don’t grumble about the carrots.”

“It’s hot. I’ll eat after you cool it down.”

…Be patient, Yujin. He’s a patient.

I pulled my mask down to my chin and blew on the porridge to cool it.

Sung Dojun ate well, like a cat that hadn’t eaten for two days receiving milk. So far.

Suddenly Sung Dojun snickered unpleasantly.

“Can’t you do that for me too?”

“…What?”

“You know, that thing. Moe moe kyun or whatever. I saw it on your broadcast the other day and it was hilarious.”

“I’ve used up my patience twice. One more time and you get a red card.”

After just a few spoonfuls, Sung Dojun furrowed his brow and tapped his throat.

“My throat’s blocked. Water.”

“Just eat.”

“Water.”

“I’ll give you some after you finish eating…”

“Water.”

Should I just kill him, really!

Barely suppressing my anger, I went to the water purifier and brought back cold water.

I put the water down on the bedside table and said:

“This time, eat nicely. I’m really not going to hold back and will beat you to death…”

“Hey.”

A dry, desolate voice like sand.

Sung Dojun’s sharply extended eyebrows twitched subtly. Then he grabbed my shoulder tightly.

“…What is this?”

Sung Dojun held up the wrapped condoms. Not one, but two condoms.

Wearing pants with small pockets was the problem. They must have fallen out of the pocket gap when I stood up to get water.

I raised both hands in surprise.

“W-wait a moment! This is a misunderstanding! You’re misunderstanding right now!”

“Misunderstanding my ass.”

Sung Dojun laughed through his nose.

…But, wait a minute.

Why am I acting exactly like Han Sumin?

Anyway, anyway.

Let’s think about that later.

What I needed now was an accurate explanation.

I had no intention whatsoever of being treated like a woman who mingles with men.

“This isn’t something I bought, Han Sumin…”

Sung Dojun bit his lip and cut me off:

“Ah, forget it. You’re an adult too, you can do those things.”

It’s not like that, you idiot!

“No, listen. Han Sumin and Han Suho at school…”

“I thought something was off earlier. Even making that pregnancy joke.”

“Ah, this is frustrating. That’s not it…”

“Still, shouldn’t you have told me first as a matter of courtesy?”

My boiling point that had been bubbling up,

Finally broke through its limit.

A sharp shout burst from my mouth:

“Hey!”

Surprised, Sung Dojun flinched, arching his back.

My insides, having used up my patience three times,

Finally erupted like an active volcano.

“Ah, damn it! I’ve never had sexual intercourse in my life, you crazy bas…!”

…tard.

……Huh?

The room fell silent.