Chapter 7
Namgyu's butler arrived after a few minutes. Namgyu and Yejoon were now at the front entrance, being escorted out by Katsumi and Subin.
"Are you sure you want to stay here, Subin?" Namgyu asked, giving the boy one last chance before leaving. Subin nodded and smiled reassuringly.
"I'm sure; I finished all the books I bought last week, and weekends are usually boring without them."
"I see," Namgyu replied, concerned.
"Don't worry, Namgyu; I'll look after him," Katsumi said, patting her chest with a reassuring grin.
The boys were less concerned with Katsumi and more concerned with what Subin would do. He would frequently say and discuss inappropriate things, possibly exposing the two without their knowledge. When he feels at ease with the person he is with, he becomes a chatterbox, and once he begins, there is no stopping him.
Before leaving the unit, they all wished each other a good night. Once outside and on their way to their transportation vehicle, Namgyu and Yejoon had to pick up the pace.
Katsumi and Subin stood there, watching the two get into their car from the window. They breathed a sigh of relief as the car sped away.
When Katsumi was finally relieved, she smiled and turned to face the boy.
"So, are you hungry?"
Subin nodded.
Katsumi took whatever she could find in her refrigerator. When she opened the door, she was surprised to see a large takeout order of spicy rice cakes and jajangmyeon, along with four large packets of yellow pickled radish. In front of them lies a folded piece of paper with the words "Eat this. From Kento", written entirely in Kanji.
Kento may have anticipated someone staying with her overnight. So, excitedly, she got the meal out and heated it before bringing it up to her bedroom, where they'll be eating as Subin lends a helping hand.
They ate on the couch after placing their meal on the table. Katsumi has never seen somebody as pleased as Subin while they eat, and he makes it seem so tasty with the ecstatic expression he is making. And seeing him love the food made her smile.
It was like watching a completely different person than before. He was scared and nervous around her before in the cafeteria, but Subin suddenly seemed more at ease. It made Katsumi glad to see her bond with the boy improving.
She hopes to see more from him, as well as from Yejoon and Namgyu. But, remembering her furious conversation with Namgyu earlier, she realized it wouldn't be easy.
"Uhm, about earlier with Namgyu, please don't hate him. He had a traumatic past, and he let those memories get in the way."
"What do you mean?"
Subin didn't say anything further after that. He realized he shouldn't be discussing other people's painful experiences if they don't want to share them with others. He was going too far, so he came to a halt before his noisy mouth went any further.
"I'm afraid I can't tell you any more."
And Katsumi understood. If it were her, she wouldn't want anyone else hearing about her traumatic past if you weren't comfortable sharing them.
The mood began to become awkward, but Katsumi did not want this to happen. Subin seemed to become more aloof and silent. So she changed the subject and decided to take advantage of the chance to learn more about the boys individually. Which Subin gladly agreed to do.
And from this conversation they had, Katsumi learned so much about them. Subin was the oldest of the three, and Yejoon was the youngest.
And, being the oldest, he decided to begin introducing himself. Subin is the sole child in the family. His parents were frequently away on business, and as a result, he became bored at home. He developed a hobby and taught himself to cook, bake, sketch, play instruments, read, and maintain his personal hygiene. All of the lessons he taught himself provided him with one advantage: he was a very quick learner.
Yejoon, although the youngest in his group of friends, was the oldest child in his family. He lived with his mother and five siblings, but because they were impoverished, he had to be the bread winner. Because his mother is prone to illness and his siblings are still in primary school, he had no option but to care for his family while studying.
But because he was so independent, he taught himself everything, from how to pay the bills to basic survival housework. From learning to play an instrument to learning different languages. He does all of these things for his siblings in case they need assistance with them so that he can assist them.
Subin's final introduction was Namgyu. He begins by exaggerating by claiming Namgyu to have an IQ of more than 200. But of course Katsumi didn't believe him until Subin brought out his phone and showed her a picture of the SAT exam results, in which he came in first place with a perfect score. This boy was a genius, but there were some things Namgyu was very dumb about. Cooking, arts, and performance—he was generally inept at anything artistic.
That was because his parents were analytical people who wanted their son to be the same. He was allowed to do anything other than work in the arts. He did it as a child because it delighted his parents. But because his parents were usually working, he had to teach himself most of the time. That's where he discovered music. It was incredibly soothing to him, and it helped him focus better on his schoolwork.
As a result, he was enrolled at San-Ib High School. He persuaded his parents that he could remain at the top while still listening to music, and the SAT exam result proved it.
According to Subin, despite his scary and frigid demeanor, Namgyu is actually an extremely kind, loving, and compassionate child.
Katsumi recognized one thing they all had in common while listening to their varied personalities. That is how they obtained their knowledge. They all take self-taught lessons, and while having varied motivations, they all manage to be at the top of their school with the knowledge they have.
And Katsumi thought they were very cool for that.
They got ready for bed after their dinner. Katsumi prepares his clothing as Subin showers. She couldn't locate any pajamas that fit the boy, so she grabbed some big shorts and hoodies from her closet. Fortunately, they all fit Subin.
"So, where should I sleep?" he inquired.
Katsumi converted the couch where they sat while eating their lunch into a comfortable bed. It was the perfect size for the man to sleep on.
Katsumi awakens the next morning to discover Subin missing in bed. It was ten o'clock in the morning. As a result, she assumed he had departed early in the morning while she was still sleeping. But when she walked down, she noticed Subin cooking.
"Good morning, Katsumi."
Seeing Subin cook a meal perplexed Katsumi, because since when had she done her grocery shopping when the only food she had was already eaten yesterday?
"If you don't mind, I'm making an omelet for our breakfast."
"Where did you get these eggs and sausages?" she inquired.
"They were already in your fridge."
"They were?"
"Yeah, perhaps your butler bought it; there was also a letter inside, but I couldn't understand it, so I just left it for you to read."
Katsumi's eyes widened as she became anxious. She swiftly took the letter from the fridge, and it was, as she had predicted, from Kento. He purchased it and instructed her to use it for their meal.
"It's from your butler, right?" Subin inquired.
"Yeah, yeah, it was," Katsumi lied as she quietly ripped the paper and threw it away, erasing any trace of her true identity.
Katsumi cleaned her bed and washed her face while waiting. When she finished her morning routine, she was greeted with the aroma of freshly cooked eggs.
"Breakfast is ready! Let's eat!" Subin said as he set their plate of food on the living room table for them to eat while watching television.
Katsumi was pleasantly surprised by the omelet's appearance and flavor. The egg was precisely seasoned and cooked, and the fried rice tasted like it came from a well-known restaurant.
It was like Subin brought gourmet food into the apartment. Katsumi wondered if Subin could cook like this more often after eating such a delicacy.
In the middle of their breakfast, a sudden phone notification sounded, which surprised Subin. He noticed the noise coming from his phone, and he quickly checked it, realizing it was a message from Namgyu.
It was the boy notifying Subin that he was going to the café Yejoon was working at to conceal his safety. Jiwoon knew where the youngster worked, so there was a possibility he'd bother him, make a mess for Yejoon to clean up, and possibly get him fired.
It was an immature thing to do to someone who was simply concerned with his family's well-being, but Jiwoon was that type. When Subin told Katsumi about the message and his plan to join Namgyu in order to safeguard Yejoon, she was eager to get involved as well.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure! Subin, you're all my friends, and I wouldn't want you to suffer because of someone who does. Your problem is now my problem, and we're all in this together."
There are no words to convey how moved and grateful Subin was at that moment. Although he was still in disbelief at what seemed like something he had always witnessed in his dreams, he was thrilled that their conversation was taking place in reality.
He hadn't felt this happy in a long time. The joy of discovering someone and being their friend. The joy and relief of having someone on whom to rely. And the joy of having to share these various emotions with someone else.