episode_0062

I opened my eyes.

The sunlight was streaming in through the window. It was already morning.

“Today is the day we go back….”

We had a great time at the pool yesterday and returned to the annex, feeling exhausted, quickly falling asleep. When I left the room and went downstairs, there was no one else around except for me.

As I yawned and started boiling water for four cups in the pot, I heard a voice from the entrance.

“Is anyone in the living room?”

It was Kim Namsu’s voice.

“Yes, it’s Maru.”

When I came out of the kitchen, I saw Kim Namsu’s face.

“It’s already 10 o’clock, and no one seems to be up yet.”

“Ah… I think we were too tired from swimming yesterday. I’m not as tired since I did relatively less.”

“Well, I was going to help everyone pack.”

Kim Namsu sat on the couch as if waiting for the girls to wake up. I made two cups of coffee and gave one to Kim Namsu.

“Thank you.”

After taking a sip of coffee, he spoke.

“Did you enjoy your time at the villa?”

“Yes. It will be an unforgettable vacation.”

This was sincere. A lot had happened during our stay here.

In particular, the deepening relationship with Handoa was reassuring.

Now, when she wields her sword, she doesn’t get lost in the past. That alone has greatly enhanced her strength.

“At least Ji-Hye should be able to win now.”

“Handoa looks very different. She used to look so grim when she arrived here, but now you can’t find any worry on her face.”

“That’s fortunate.”

“It’s thanks to Maru.”

There was no need for false modesty. It was the truth. I just quietly drank my coffee.

“It’s sad to part like this, but there may not be another chance. You’re welcome to come back later.”

“I’ll come back when I have the time.”

Perhaps you subtly received a suggestion to come back during winter break, but to accept that offer, you would have to resolve the Ojakgyo issue first.

“In the end, it’s about Ojakgyo.”

As I sighed, I heard the sound of the girls coming down the stairs.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning.”

“Are you coughing, Father?”

The three girls each sat on the sofa, chasing away their sleepiness.

“You’re all leaving today. I brought some gifts so you wouldn’t leave empty-handed.”

Kim Namsu finally got to the point and placed a box the size of our faces on the table.

“Thank you.”

“What’s this?”

Beside Kim Noeul, expressing gratitude, Nayuna asked. Kim Namsu waved his hand as if it was nothing special and explained.

“It’s just air fresheners and perfumes. Leave the former in the room and spray the latter when you miss it.”

It was clearly not an ordinary gift. The three of us gratefully accepted it.

After receiving the gifts, the three of us started packing. With the help of the servants, we finished quickly.

Kim Noeul, Nayuna, and I finished getting ready and went to the main entrance. Waiting there were the driver and Handoa.

“Oh? Handoa, are you coming too?”

“I should see you off. It’s proper etiquette.”

Handoa seemed to be planning to follow us to Gangneung Station. As we loaded our luggage into the trunk and prepared to get into the car, Handoa stopped walking and looked in one direction.

“Why is that, senior?”

To my question, Handoa shrugged. When we looked where she was pointing, Hando Young was staring at us from a distance.

As we nodded our heads in acknowledgment, Hando Young turned without saying a word and went back inside.

“He’s quite blunt.”

Kim Noeul blinked at Handoa’s explanation. After finishing the conversation, we all got into the car as the driver started the engine.

“Then let’s depart.”

As we got into the car, the accumulated fatigue hit me, and I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, we had already arrived at Gangneung Station.

Handoa helped us unload our luggage and bid us farewell.

“Thank you for accepting the invitation. See you in the second semester.”

“Thanks to you, I’ve been enjoying my summer break.”

Kim Noeul smiled and shook hands with Han Doa.

“Doa, I’ll come visit again next time!”

Nayuna lightly embraced Han Doa.

After bidding farewell to the two women, Han Doa silently gazed at me. I met her gaze.

“Thanks to Maru junior, I had a truly special summer vacation.”

“I feel the same way.”

“No, I received more. This favor is something I will never forget in my life.”

“Is it really that significant?”

“Of course. I imparted the enlightenment of swordsmanship to a swordsman… Maru junior is nothing short of a senior in my life.”

I couldn’t say anything in response to Han Doa’s warm smile. Even if I were to deny being that person here, it would only hurt Han Doa’s feelings.

“Now that the senior has changed, I’ll return in the second semester as a changed person too.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

After a brief post-summer break chat, we distanced ourselves from Han Doa, who waved goodbye. Boarding the train, we settled in our seats.

“Ah~ Finally heading home.”

Kim Noeul murmured lazily as she took out her phone.

“Oh, a call from my younger sibling.”

“Ga-euli? Seems like she was quite lonely.”

At my response, Kim Noeul chuckled.

“Lonely? Not at all, she tries to stay out as late as possible. Quite the social butterfly.”

Beside the mumbling Kim Noeul, Nayuna glanced uneasily at a magazine.

“It’s SC Magazine.”

SC, operated by Representative Im Ju-hee, is famous for publishing its own magazine, which has gained immense popularity among students.

Looking closely at the cover, I recognized a familiar face.

“Jegal Yeonhwa.”

As the undisputed top model in the school, she likely dominated not just the cover but also most pages inside.

I could guess what Nayuna might be thinking as she looked at it.

“She must be feeling anxious.”

However, just like with Han Doa, rushing too much wouldn’t be beneficial. She, too, needed to gradually build her reputation through careful photo shoots during the break.

“Senior Yuna, no photo shoots during the break?”

When I asked, Nayuna looked up.

“Well, there are some… but not that many…”

“How many exactly?”

“…Twice.”

Only twice during the break…

“Not bad for a beginner.”

New models sometimes struggle to land a single proper gig even after months. Compared to that, Nayuna had clearly made an impression on Representative Im Ju-hee.

“Senior Yuna must be busy preparing for shoots during the break. I wanted to meet up occasionally.”

Kim Noeul, who was nearby, leaned in, engrossed in the conversation. The screen of the grip strength meter showed a number around 60-70.

“She doesn’t seem to be exerting much force.”

While Kim Noeul continued to squeeze the grip strength meter, she calmly conversed with Nayuna.

“Oh, Maru.”

“Yes?”

“I’ve got the volunteer date set for Angel’s House. It’s the second round, and it overlaps with you for a few days.”

“Is that so?”

That meant Kim Noeul would arrive around the time I left for Angel’s House. In one way or another, I was deeply involved with Kim Noeul even during the break.

Time flew by as we chatted, and the train stopped near the school. After getting off, we parted ways towards our respective homes.

“Take care, everyone.”

Kim Noeul walked towards her home direction. Nayuna and I walked together in the same direction for a while.

As Nayuna walked beside me, she seemed to hesitate as if she had something to say.

“If you have something to say, go ahead.”

“I-I know it’s shameless to ask but…”

“Just say it.”

I was willing to listen as long as it wasn’t completely unreasonable.

“To be honest… going to shoots alone feels a bit daunting… It’s tough to prepare alone, and SC isn’t a company where everything is handed to you on a silver platter, especially for rookie models…”

“That makes sense.”

Getting scouted by the representative is just the beginning. Now that she’s a model for the company, she needs to build her skills through legitimate means.

“Considering Im Ju-hee’s character, she’s not someone to show favoritism to Nayuna either.”

Due to Yu-na’s incomplete social phobia recovery, this summer shoot would be a challenging task for her.

“So, I was thinking… Huh, what if I help out like a manager only during the shoot? It might be comforting to have someone familiar around.”

“……”

“…But that wouldn’t work, right? You must have plans during the break too.”

“Can you tell me the location?”

“Of course! I’ll send it to you via phone.”

Looking at the phone, it wasn’t too far. It was a distance manageable even while staying at the orphanage.

“I’ll help. It’s not a difficult task.”

“Thank you! Thanks to you, I feel relieved…”

“But you haven’t contacted Jung So-yeon?”

Usually, consulting with Jung So-yeon about this would be good, so I found it strange that she asked me instead.

“So-yeon went back to her hometown for the break and won’t be active for a while. Her mind must be in turmoil after that incident.”

By “that incident,” it refers to the event where Jegal Hwa-rin dragged Yu-na into a scandal. Since Seo-yoon intervened towards the end of the incident, she must have met with Jung So-yeon.

“Maybe she needs time to sort things out.”

“She hasn’t been responsive either.”

“It should be nothing serious. Anyway, we just need to meet on the date you provided, right?”

“Yes. I’ll explain more details later.”

Yu-na spoke as if reading from a textbook.

“But since you’re helping me so much, I’d like to treat you to a meal or something…”

Hearing Yu-na’s offer for a meal made me proud.

“She has grown up a lot… I should offer first…”

Feeling touched, I accepted graciously.

“Sure. Rejecting might make the senior uncomfortable too.”

After a brief conversation, we parted ways. Later, I took the train to the place where I spent my childhood.

Entering the familiar yet shabby alleyways, memories of daily life with a certain blonde girl flooded back.

Feeling a mix of emotions, I gazed at the Sunshine Nursery building.

Unlike a typical nursery, it was a stylish building that wouldn’t look out of place among modern homes.

Considering this building was erected through Alice’s sacrifice, it didn’t evoke pure joy from my perspective.

Pressing the doorbell, I heard a familiar voice from inside.

“Oh, Maru! Since the door is open, come in.”

Upon hearing the director’s voice, I entered the building. The director greeted me while holding a young child.

“Let’s say hi to Maru oppa~.”

“…Hello.”

The young girl greeted me with a giggle. When I patted her head, she giggled even more.

“You must have had a long journey. Unpack and rest. Dinner?”

“I’ve eaten. I’ll go upstairs then.”

“Alright. Rest early tonight.”

Heading upstairs, I opened the door to the room I missed dearly. It felt nostalgic as it was where I stayed before transferring schools.

After unpacking and showering, I sat down on a chair. Glancing at the shelf on the desk, I saw various textbooks related to studies, non-literary books bought for interest, and exercise equipment.

“Until I help Senior Yu-na, I should study and exercise a bit.”

I couldn’t afford to slack off during the break. If I did, my second semester would be bleak.

I took out a collection of Korean texts from the shelf and started reading reluctantly.

And the night grew deeper.

*

*

*

It was the day of Yu-na’s shoot. I went to the location she had informed me of beforehand.

It was near the school, and the scenery by the river behind the park was impressive. It was perfect for a summer magazine backdrop.

Some staff members were already busy with preparations. Some recognized me.

“Oh? You’re the manager who came with Yu-na, right?”

“Yes, hello.”

“Yu-na is talented. They say she found such a handsome manager.”

Some older staff members praised me, making small talk.

Among those staff members, a familiar face of a woman appeared.

“That’s right. It’s hard to find such a handsome manager.”

Approaching with her brown, wavy hair and a flirtatious expression, the woman came towards me.

“Long time no see, Maru. Did you miss me, noona?”

“….”

“Isn’t it the first time we’ve met since we parted ways at the rotary? It’s nice to see you like this. Let’s shake hands.”

Trying to act friendly towards me, Jegal Yeonhwa extended her hand. There was no reason for me to accept it.

“You’re being cold… You could at least try to get along with me once.”

“Just quietly do the shoot and leave, okay? I don’t want any unnecessary trouble.”

“Oh, come on. I said that because I was glad to see you, knowing each other and all.”

Sneakily, she placed her hand on my shoulder. As I stepped back, the expressions of the staff members hardened.

“W-What… What’s going on between you two?”

One of the female staff members asked, alternating her gaze between us.

“It’s complicated.”

“It’s just business.”

Maru and Jegal Yeonhwa’s responses differed.