237 - After: Han Yeonho's Daughter and Lee Jueun
TL/Editor: looloo
Status: ongoing
Illustrations: posted in discord
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Here's the edited and improved English translation:
Although Jooeun now lives a bit farther away, she and Sarang have been childhood friends since they were one-year-old babies.
In her hazy mories, Sarang's father, Han Yeonho, was soone who made her think, 'I wish he was my dad.'
Of course, that didn't an she disliked her own father. It was just a childish feeling of envying her friend's dad, who only showed kindness, over her own father who nagged and interfered.
Moreover, her fondness for Han Yeonho was more like admiring an idol rather than wishing he was her father.
In her barely rembered kindergarten days, she felt a vague affection. In elentary school, when she was just beginning to understand things a bit more, she harbored secret feelings of liking him.
She had never honestly revealed those childish feelings to anyone, but once, during her sixth-grade school trip, in a mont of excitent, she confessed to Sarang.
Believing that her childhood friend, who was cuter, kinder, and brighter than anyone she had ever seen, would surely cheer her on with a smile.
But.
"Do you want to die?"
"S-Sarang?"
"My dad belongs to and mom! Don't even think about it!"
"What the hell! Why?! I'm gonna like him too!"
"I said no!"
"I'm gonna do it anyway!"
"Hey!!!"
Unlike her shy, fidgety behavior in front of Han Yeonho, Jooeun's usual deanor was closer to that of a boisterous tomboy. As a result, she ended up in a full-blown fight with Sarang, who had exploded upon hearing her confession.
And that was the first and last ti she ever fought with Sarang for real.
Generally, Sarang was gentle with most people, and this trait was even more pronounced with Jooeun, her closest friend. Jooeun, too, always had a soft spot for Sarang, her best friend with a pretty face. So, it was rare for things to escalate to a fight between them.
Anyway, although there was a cold war for a few days after that incident, childhood friends who had been inseparable since they were one year old weren't going to drift apart over one fight.
Above all, not being able to see Sarang's smiling face was incredibly devastating for Jooeun. Seeing that adorable face every day was the joy of her life.
So, Jooeun was the first to give in.
"I-I'll only like your dad a little bit. Is that okay?"
"...Hmph, you absolutely can't like him a lot. Got it? Dad belongs to and mom."
"I got it."
It didn't make sense to suddenly stop liking him overnight, and she didn't want to lie to her best friend about sothing like that. This was the best she could do. Fortunately, Sarang seed to understand her complicated feelings.
After reaching this dramatic compromise, she never again brought up her true feelings about Han Yeonho. After graduating from elentary school and entering middle school, she realized that it wasn't a romantic attraction.
However, whenever she visited Sarang's house and encountered Han Yeonho, she still invariably...
"I'm ho!"
"Hello, uncle..."
"Welco ho~ Oh? Jooeun ca too?"
"Yes..."
"It's been a while since you've been here. Should uncle buy you sothing delicious? You both liked pasta, right?"
"Oh, no! I really love what you make, uncle..."
"Really? Alright then... I'll have to show off my skills a bit."
"Thank you."
Han Yeonho worked from ho, so unless she was extrely unlucky, she would see his face every ti she visited. And every ti, Jooeun couldn't help but acknowledge her own shy behavior.
Honestly, it wasn't a romantic attraction. It wasn't that at all. It was just Han Yeonho's unique atmosphere that put her at ease, and while it wasn't a romantic attraction, she still felt a fondness for him as a person, which involuntarily made her feel shy.
However, whenever Jooeun showed such behavior, the 14-year-old Sarang would narrow her eyes and stare at her expressionlessly.
"......"
"W-what? What is it?"
"You rember what you said last year, right?"
"O-of course! And it's not like that anymore..."
"I'll believe you because it's you. But be careful."
"I know..."
On one hand, she felt wronged by such suspicion, and on the other hand, she felt a bit guilty. After all, she knew better than anyone how much Sarang loved her dad.
To the point where it was a bit concerning.
But even if she was under such suspicion, Jooeun always looked forward to visiting Sarang's house.
It was a chance to hang out with Sarang, who always went straight ho after school, especially since she had moved away in sixth grade. Plus, she could et the ever-likable Han Yeonho, and...
"Noona!"
"Aww~ Were you playing well?"
"Kyaa! Hi, Somang!"
"Hi, Jooeun noona."
"This is insane, absolutely insane... What's with this cuteness... It's brand new every ti I see you..."
"Hehe, my little sister is cute, isn't she!"
She could also see Han Somang, who was so adorable it was hard to tell if she was human or a doll.
And on top of that...
"Oh my, Jooeun, you're here?"
"Hello!"
"Hi~ It's been a while since I've seen you. Auntie's been so busy~"
She could et Lee Heena, her role model. Though Heena naturally referred to herself as 'auntie', Jooeun thought it was absolutely ridiculous.
When Jooeun was 14, Heena was only 34. Moreover, her appearance looked even younger, so anyone seeing them side by side would likely think they were just sisters with a small age gap.
Anyway, if Jooeun's feelings for Han Yeonho were a vague affection, her feelings for Lee Heena were clear admiration. It couldn't be helped.
Jooeun, whose hobby was scrutinizing Sarang's face to the point of being a face-maniac, couldn't help but be srized by Heena's beauty. Moreover, the fact that she was a career woman flourishing in a large corporation was incredibly cool to her.
And yet, her always kind and gentle deanor, no less than Han Yeonho's, was also perfect.
"Keep getting along well with Sarang in the future, okay?"
-Smile- When Heena spoke to her with that gentle smile...
"Yes, yes!"
She couldn't help but blush, feeling her heart being pierced. She thought that face was really unfair. And this was also the reason why she couldn't help but have a soft spot for Sarang.
Jooeun liked Han Yeonho's warmth and Lee Heena's beauty and capability, and Sarang possessed all these traits, as if asserting that she was their daughter.
Of course, since they had been close friends from such a young age, Jooeun never felt her heart flutter for Sarang. Although sotis, when Sarang used her face to launch surprise attacks, her heart couldn't help but race.
Because of this, whenever she spent ti with this family, Jooeun felt as if she was with her favorite celebrities.
And this feeling continued even now, when she had beco a second-year high school student.
--
A few days after Sarang had broken their promise to go on a sudden date with her dad...
Jooeun left her house, grinning from ear to ear. Sarang had called her to a café, saying she would make up for last ti. Moreover, she had even told her that her family would be coming along.
Usually, spending ti with a friend's parents might be considered uncomfortable, but for Jooeun, it was absolutely not the case.
The ever-likable Han Yeonho, Lee Heena who was still her role model, her best friend Sarang, and the adorably cute Han Somang who had inherited all of Heena's beauty.
She was always welco.
"Jju! Over here!"
"Coming! Hello, uncle, auntie. Hi, Somang~"
"It's been a while, Jooeun. Want to choose what you'd like? Uncle will treat you."
"Ah, thank you!"
"Hehe, hello~ Somang, stop playing your ga and say hi to your noona."
"Hi, noona."
Really, they were such a warm family, no matter when you saw them. Just being in their presence made her feel a strange excitent and elation.
Han Yeonho sitting on the inside, with Han Somang leaning her head on his shoulder while playing a ga on her phone. And on the opposite side, Lee Heena and Sarang sitting face to face.
At that mont, Jooeun felt puzzled by this seating arrangent. Of course, there were only two seats beside Han Yeonho, so all three family mbers couldn't squeeze in, but still, from what she had seen over the past decade or so...
She was sure that either Sarang or auntie would have wanted to sit next to uncle, but only Somang was sitting beside him.
As she stood there montarily confused by this, Sarang got up from her seat and pointed to the inside.
"Jju, sit here in the middle!"
"Huh? Oh, okay."
"Jooeun, your outfit today is so cute and pretty~ I barely recognize you every ti I see you."
"Not at all. Auntie, you're always so beautiful..."
"Thank you."
Jooeun was inwardly flustered by their attempt to seat her in the middle, but at the sa ti, she felt happy. Where else could she find a more perfect seat than sitting between two beauties while facing Han Yeonho and Han Somang?
After everyone was seated and they received their drinks and desserts, they began chatting about various topics and recent happenings.
"Really? You got another confession?"
"Yeah... I even wrote 'please don't confess' on my profile picture like Sarang did..."
"It's because Jju is so cute, can't be helped~"
"Wow, Jooeun is still popular, huh? What about you, Sarang? Not interested in having a boyfriend?"
"Not interested~ I prefer hanging out with dad!"
"Hmm, is that so?"
At Sarang's resolute words, Han Yeonho couldn't hide his delight. After briefly grinning and relishing the mont, he seed to feel a bit awkward about showing such a reaction in front of his daughter's friend. He stood up, holding Somang's hand.
"I'll take Somang to the restroom for a bit."
"Okay~"
As she watched them disappear inside, Jooeun felt a smile tugging at her lips. It had been an incredibly fun ti for her.
It was great to chat with her best friend after so long, and she was thrilled to be complinted by Lee Heena on her carefully chosen outfit.
Feeling upbeat, she was thinking about asking if she could follow them ho later and hang out so more. She was even considering the idea of staying overnight, grinning as she sipped her drink.
However, her happiness ended there.
"So, Jooeun?"
"Eep! Y-yes? Auntie?"
Lee Heena's sudden call.
Startled, she turned her head to find Lee Heena's face right next to her, having sohow moved closer. At the sa ti, she felt her body pressed against hers. Jooeun's heart began to race. Moreover, it wasn't just Lee Heena; Sarang was also pressing her body against her from the other side.
No matter where she rolled her eyes, there was a pretty face, a nice scent, and because of this, she couldn't move an inch, like a middle school boy.
And to her, Lee Heena, her role model and the original face genius, whispered:
"I heard that Jooeun still likes our husband... Is that true~?"
"...Huh? What do you an..."
"Jju. Be honest."
"No, no! It's not like that!! It's not!"
"Hmm, really?"
"It's a lie, mom. I told you, right? She always wants to tag along when I say I'm going to et dad."
"That's... not... it's not like that, but it's also not not like that!"
While desperately denying it, Jooeun couldn't regain her senses as the two kept getting closer and closer. If it weren't for the interrogation-like conversation, it might have been a happy situation.
But knowing how much this mother and daughter loved the head of the family, Han Yeonho, she thought her life might be in danger. Moreover, she absolutely didn't want her role model, Lee Heena, to misunderstand her like this.
And now Jooeun finally understood the aning of this seating arrangent. They had planned to corner her in the middle and gang up on her.
"Our Jooeun, did you dress up so prettily today to show off to our husband?"
"One hundred percent. She never dresses like this usually!"
"I dress like this when it's just the two of us too!"
"...Oh yeah, I guess you did?"
"Auntie, you know it's not like that, right? I like you, Sarang, and Somang too!"
"Can auntie believe that?"
"Of course!"
With their faces so close that she could feel their breath, she felt suffocated and hastily replied.
This was heaven and hell at the sa ti. eting the eyes of two face geniuses at such close proximity was more challenging for her ntal state than this interrogation-like conversation.
At that mont, fortunately, the two who had gone to the restroom returned to their seats.
"Wow, it must be a new place because even the restroom was super clean."
"Really? I liked this place because the interior is neat and the coffee is delicious. Let's co here often."
"This cream is so good too! Thanks for telling us about it, Jju~"
"Y-yeah..."
As soon as Han Yeonho returned to his seat, the two imdiately straightened up and continued their conversation as if nothing had happened. Seeing their instant change in attitude, Jooeun inwardly sighed.
They were her beloved friend and admired auntie, but...
They loved uncle a bit too much.
"Jooeun. Want to stay for dinner too? Uncle has prepared a lot of things you like."
"I'll stay... Thank you... Hehe."
Of course, she understood those feelings all too well.
Author's Note
In response to comnts curious about Jooeun's perspective, I suddenly felt like writing it... so here's a quick episode...
---
enjoy! :)
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