"Hey! Over here, over here."
It was lunchti already, and when I went to the restaurant near the company where I was supposed to et Seonghyeon, I found him already sitting and waiting.
I approached him, smiling slightly as I greeted him. His expression clearly showed how happy he was to see .
"Hey, it's been a while."
"Yeah, it's really been a while. How have you been?"
"I've been good. It’s been what, six months since the reunion?"
"Six months? Has it been that long? Wow, I really wish I could join you guys more often when you all et up, but it's tough finding the ti. Sorry about that."
"Co on, no one expects that from a married man. Just show your face when you can, like today. By the way, kimchi stew sounds good, right?"
"Yeah. It’s prepaid here, right? Excuse , boss! Two orders of kimchi stew, please. And put it on this card."
Seonghyeon naturally ordered our food and asked the owner to charge his card. I pulled out a 5,000-won bill from my wallet and handed it to him.
Seeing the bill, Seonghyeon looked at with an exasperated expression.
"Wow… You’re still the sa. It's just 5,000 won for so kimchi stew. Can’t you just let treat you for once? You never let anything slide. And by the way, I don’t even carry cash anymore."
"Want to transfer the money?"
When I said that, Seonghyeon shook his head in disbelief, then took the bill and shoved it into his back pocket.
A mont later, we both burst out laughing at the sa ti.
Seonghyeon cos from a pretty well-off family. I kind of figured that out back in elentary school when he used to bring chicken for the class during events like field trips. Later, I found out that his parents are well-known in the area.
Because of that, whenever we went sowhere to hang out, Seonghyeon would naturally pay, like today. But I would always gather up so money to pay him back for what he’d treated to.
At first, he didn’t say much about it, maybe because of pride or because we were just guys, but after a while, he got frustrated and asked why I couldn’t just accept a free al when I wasn’t exactly rich.
It could’ve turned into a fight, touching on such a sensitive issue, but I knew why he was mad. He had always taken along when we went out with friends, knowing about my family's financial situation, so he could treat to als.
So I explained everything to him, about my situation and how I felt uneasy if I didn’t pay back what I owed.
When he heard that, he lowered his head, trying not to cry, but eventually, a few tears slipped out. It was the first and last ti I ever saw him cry, even though he was always the leader of our group.
After that, he stopped insisting on paying for . Even when he did, he quietly accepted the money I gave back.
But from then on, he started bringing more and more stuff like ga consoles and comic books to school, saying it was for everyone to enjoy.
He always claid it was for the group, but I knew he would only take them ho after I had my turn.
Because of him, I got to enjoy gas and comics even though I couldn’t afford them back then.
He was, and still is, a good friend to .
"Oh, looks like the stew is ready. Let’s eat. You must be hungry after work."
While reminiscing, I saw that the kimchi stew had arrived. As I spooned so into my bowl, I spoke to Seonghyeon.
"Hey, by the way, is your wife taking really good care of you? Every ti I see you, you look better and better."
"Hehe, you’ve got a good eye. I really hit the jackpot with marriage. I swear, there’s no one like my wife. She’s sweet and kind, a real angel. ...But hey, who gave you permission to call her 'your sister-in-law'? Call her 'sister-in-law,' got it?"
"Sister-in-law? Please, if you wanted that, you should’ve been born before ."
"Hah, if only my parents had been a little quicker."
Seonghyeon’s wife really was as angelic as he claid. It wasn’t just her looks—she had this warmth, like a cozy blanket dried in the spring sun. Just being around her made everything feel more relaxed.
They had been engaged since they were young, or so I heard, but I only saw her for the first ti at their wedding. My friends and I all gave him a hard ti, calling him a lucky bastard with wealth, looks, and now, a perfect wife.
As I was chuckling to myself, recalling that mory, I noticed Seonghyeon had suddenly gone quiet.
He was awkwardly glancing at , and I realized it was because of his earlier ntion of his parents.
Even though it wasn’t about my parents, and I was fine with it now, it was still a sensitive subject for the people around . Seonghyeon had been a huge help when my mom passed, so I didn’t want him to feel bad about it.
Quickly, I changed the subject.
"Anyway, you're really lucky. I need to find a great girl like you did and get married soon."
"...Yeah, I hope you find soone sweet and gentle like my wife. But... it might be impossible for you, you poor guy."
What the hell? After all that consideration, he hits with this?
As soone who’s never even dated, that comnt stung. I looked at Seonghyeon with a hurt expression.
"...Hey, Seonghyeon. Just because you're doing well doesn’t an you should talk like that. It’s not fair to assu I can’t et soone good. I could get married to soone great too, right?"
"...What? No, wait. That’s not what I ant—"
"Sure, from your perspective, maybe I seem like a guy who’s lacking—a regular office worker without parents. But saying stuff like that can hurt, even if we’re friends."
"I said that’s not what I ant!!"
Bang!
Seonghyeon slamd the table, his voice echoing throughout the restaurant. Everyone turned to look at us, making him bow apologetically. Then he sighed deeply and spoke again.
"...Listen, I didn’t an it like that. Don’t get the wrong idea. I don’t think you’re inferior to . In fact, it’s the opposite."
He said this with a serious expression, and for a mont, I wasn’t sure what he was getting at. But his eyes seed sincere, so I stayed quiet and listened.
"What made you think I’m better than you? Is it because my family has money? Or because I look decent? Sure, those things might seem like advantages. But those are just lucky breaks, things I was born with. That doesn’t make a better person."
"......"
"I’ve seen a lot of people who were born with all the right advantages but ended up being awful. They think their money or looks make them special, but it doesn’t. Most of the ti, it just makes them worse, because people only want to be around them for what they have, not who they are."
"......"
"Honestly, if it wasn’t for one particular person, I probably would’ve turned out like one of those people too."
Seonghyeon laughed bitterly, as if confessing.
"...You always used to tell I had a good personality, right? But I wasn’t always like this. I used to be just a brat, throwing money around because I liked the power trip. But then I t this one person who was totally different. Poor but not pitiful, mild-mannered but strong-willed. Nothing like the people who usually hung around just for scraps."
For so reason, I had a feeling I knew who he was talking about.
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