Love for Love’s Sake - Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Cha Yeowoon’s father swung his arm widely, pulling open the drawers.

Items neatly arranged inside spilled out, glinting metallic as they cascaded down.

He hurriedly inspected the belongings. A nearly empty paper banknote was swiftly discarded, a ceramic piggy bank found its way into his hands. The bills Cha Yeowoon had put in an envelope also went into his pocket.

Finally, what was lifted up all at once with a pull of the string was Cha Yeowoon’s medals. These were from the track and field competitions since middle school until now.

Medals of silver and gold collided mid-air with a clinking sound.

“Give them to me.”

Cha Yeowoon blocked his father who was about to leave the room.

His father pushed past, ignoring him. Cha Yeowoon staggered but caught up with his father.

“Give me! Those belong to Grandma, and I’ve never touched them before. Besides, there are only coins inside.”

What Cha Yeowoon grabbed wasn’t the medals but the piggy bank. His father violently pushed him away.

The piggy bank, knocked to the floor with Cha Yeowoon, made a loud crashing sound and shattered, sending the coins inside spilling in all directions.

Boom, Boom–

Sounds of stomping faded away. His father left the door without closing it properly, letting in the wind.

Cha Yeowoon collapsed, fumbling in the messy room.

Old coins were scattered on the floor like tiny medals.

There was no thought of picking up the scattered coins as he buried his head on the dusty floor.

He wanted to stand up.

His knees were throbbing. His body was too heavy to stand.

It was always like this.

No matter how much he tried to run, it was like this.

Borrowed hope spilled all over the floor. The worn-out coins looked pathetic. 5, 20, 40 cents. That was all.

What could he change by collecting such things?

It wasn’t like life could be changed.

“Heuk…”

His throat trembled. Something hot welled up and he found it hard to breathe.

He wanted to give up on everything. At times like this, when everything collapsed.

Everything.

“Cha Yeowoon, are you crying, dude?”

It was that moment.

Someone softly called his name.

A person he never expected to appear.

The only person who always found him.

“…Why is senior here?”

Cha Yeowoon couldn’t believe it and wanted to clench his thighs. He would have done that if his body could move properly. A faint tremor, like static electricity, was binding his muscles.

Tae Myeongha shook the plastic bag hanging from his wrist.

“I heard you came to my house yesterday. That’s why I’m here. To give you a lunchbox.”

“Lunchbox?”

“From the lunchbox shop where I work part-time. Hey, Yeowoon.”

Tae Myeongha placed the lunchbox next to the sink and returned to Cha Yeowoon.

“Yeowoon, buy this lunch for 40 cents.”

“40 cents?”

“Ehm. Buy it.”

It was a strange request. Tae Myeongha always had an inexplicable aspect to him, but it didn’t suit him to insist forcefully like this. Despite Cha Yeowoon’s confusion, he nodded his head.

He couldn’t refuse what Tae Myeongha wanted. It seemed to be his destiny now. After Tae Myeongha barged into his despair like a god playing with fate, it was as if he had come to possess him.

Tae Myeongha smiled as he picked up the scattered coins from the floor.

* * *

I grasped the 40 cents that had come into my hand.

[ Sub-Mission: $2250 ($2250) ]

[ Sub-Mission cleared. ]

[ Reward triggered. ]

[ You can see what is causing Cha Yeowoon the most difficulty right now. ]

[ Would you like to check now? ]

Next, I checked the messages that appeared one after another and answered to myself. Yes.

Suddenly there was a terrible smell of odor and alcohol.

* * *

There was a round coin mark when I opened my palm. Looking at the bright red and round imprint, I began picking up the remaining coins.

“Let’s tidy up the place and take out the trash together.”

“Just leave. I can clean up alone later.”

“It’s faster if we do it together.”

“I don’t want to…”

“Yeowoon.”

“…”

“Don’t be stubborn and trust me.”

Cha Yeowoon quickly became obedient. He cleaned the room diligently, collecting the broken and scattered items into a bag.

With both of us, cleaning was quickly finished.

After wiping the floor and putting the drawer with the coins back, I walked down to the garbage disposal with Cha Yeowoon.

“Why is your home like this?”

I finally spoke after coming down. We hadn’t spoken earlier while cleaning.

“It’s because of my father.”

“He’s still around?”

“I don’t know, that’s…”

It was an impolite answer, but I knew everything. There was a reason why Cha Yeowoon had left his house and was walking aimlessly the day we were together in front of the convenience store.

Why couldn’t we choose our families?

I often thought about it. The idea that people who lived together, without having chosen each other, getting along and loving one another might be novel.

Cha Yeowoon was a good child, so it would have been great if he could have lived with more love in his life.

I climbed the stairs slowly and paused. Cha Yeowoon was following behind me.

“Yeowoon, if you need money…”

“Senior.”

I couldn’t get the words out. Cha Yeowoon seemed to have anticipated how I would approach the topic.

“I’m asking because I thought it might be a difficult situation. Not out of pity or sympathy.”

“I know.”

“You don’t have to handle everything alone if there’s someone who can help.”

“I know what you’re trying to say.”

Did Cha Yeowoon really know? Didn’t it sound too condescending? Didn’t it hurt him? I was worried. A 19-year-old might not accept it properly. It might hurt his pride.

“I understand that you’re worried.”

But Cha Yeowoon was better than me at 19.

“You’re worried that I might be hurt.”

Ding.

Like tapping a full cup of water, a clear sound rang out.

[ Buff triggered due to positive favorability. ]

A subtle ripple spread from Cha Yeowoon’s feet. I saw a faint circle of light that was visible only to me.

There was no clearer answer than that.

“Senior is kind and can’t pass by someone who needs help.”

Behind Cha Yeowoon standing on the stairs, the night sky spread.

The rising blue night and the golden hue of sunset mixed to create a purple band. A multitude of colors cascaded beneath Cha Yeowoon’s feet. Colors flowed like water down the stone steps leading to the rooftop.

“But senior…me too.”

Beneath Cha Yeowoon’s feet, it seemed as if the Milky Way was cascading. It was difficult to tell where the night sky began and where the ground ended. His feet sparkled brilliantly, giving the impression that the sky had been turned upside down.

It was an overwhelming sight.

“I also want to be kind to senior.”

The wavelengths ascending the dull dark gray stone staircase permeated my toes.

Just like the tides washing over a person’s feet.

“Because senior has done so much for me, I also want to do something for senior.”

My heart moistened.

As if being drawn, my feet slid down.

The staircase leading up and down was narrowed. I caught Cha Yeowoon.

Our lips lightly touched. Electricity flowed through my skin. My chest tightened.

My center of gravity was pulled. I fell. I couldn’t think of anything.

I had lost.

The trembling spread through my lips. Cha Yeowoon held his breath. Even after pulling away, he kept his lips pressed together for a moment before taking a deep breath, like a person released from paralysis.

“How long were you going to endure it?”

“Huu…Haa.”

“Yeowoon.”

“Ha-Haa… Yes.”

“Relax your lips.”

“…Yes.”

“I told you to smile. Anyway, I’m going to let go.”

After pulling away, Cha Yeowoon continued to shiver. Judging by his reaction alone, it seemed like I had done something terribly wrong. In reality, it was just a kiss.

I pulled his hand to tell him to go up, but he didn’t move. Instead, my arm was pulled. Our lips touched again.

The peck on the corner of my lips tickled.

Ah–

There was a sense of disappointment from Cha Yeowoon’s brief moan.

I laughed, but he didn’t. He just buried his hot face on my shoulder.

“Don’t laugh.”

“I didn’t.”

“You’re still laughing. Don’t laugh…It’s my first time.”

“First time? Really?”

“Everything is the first for me with senior. Even liking someone.”

Cha Yeowoon’s whisper was barely audible, like the sound of a gentle wind.

“Touching too.”

His tone when he said that felt itchy.

“I can do better if I learn.”

His lips rubbed against the nape of my neck. He came up at an angle along my chin and stopped right at my ear, causing his heavy breathing to be heard in my ear.

This time, the one who became stiff was me. Was this his first time? What kind of unexpected point was this?

“I’ll do well.”

It was chilling but pleasant to hear. The 18-year-old, who I was his first in everything, was extraordinary.

* * *

I had to admit it. I liked Cha Yeowoon.

It felt good that he was close to me. It was good that he prioritized me. It was good that he cared about me.

I was satisfied with the fact that I had monopolized his first love.

[ Time Remaining: 222 days ]

However, no matter how I thought about it, I was the worst choice for his first love.

“I’ve lost my mind.”

People said hearts never go as planned, but how did things end up like this? I might go crazy.

I pressed my forehead against the school exterior wall. It hurt. Even if Cha Yeowoon could be like that, shouldn’t I be different? Was I trash?

“Why have you lost your mind?”

The cause of my delirium was walking down to the lobby.

Cha Yeowoon, who came after changing out of his sweaty gym clothes into a white T-shirt, looked refreshing again today. That was a summer boy for you.

“Did you wait long?”

“No, not really.”

“Did you lose your mind waiting for me?”

“I’ve lost my mind because of you.”

Indeed, I had a moment for self-reflection in the school lobby this afternoon after classes concluded, as I waited for Cha Yeowoon to finish his training.

“I also wanted to see senior.”

Although it was far from the sugary reasons Cha Yeowoon had imagined.

He held my hand as if it was natural. Tension ran through my muscles where he held.

This…anyone would think that we were dating, right?

Since that night’s kiss, Cha Yeowoon’s attitude had become noticeably sweet. Not only was he stuck closer to me than before, but naturally there was skinship.

It seemed he thought we were officially a couple now. Given that there was a confession and a kiss, it wasn’t unreasonable.

As we passed the school gate, I subtly slipped my hand away. It was uncomfortable.

What the hell was I supposed to do about this?