chapter 194
194 – Side Story – Class Reunion (2)
The reunion was held at a pub a little distance from my house.
Since it was a gathering of only friends who were in the same class at the end of high school, it wasn’t as noisy and chaotic as I had expected. Still, it was clear that everyone was excited, perhaps because they were happy to see their old friends again after such a long time.
“Hey, the water lord is here! Hurry up and go out and get him a coat!”
As I opened the door to the pub and walked towards the group of friends gathered around a long table, a familiar face suddenly jumped up from its seat and shouted loudly.
It was none other than Choi Min-seong.
Like the mood makers that existed in the class back then and now, the atmosphere became noisy in an instant under the guy’s leadership.
“Oh my, the water lord is here! Please give me the coat!”
“The best seats are ready! Please come sit here!”
The two people who stepped forward to match Choi Min-seong’s words were Kim Hyung-seok and Ahn Jae-hyung. They were the guys who participated in the e-sports competition with Choi Min-seong at the school festival in the third year, so perhaps that’s why they got along so well.
I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of him rubbing his palms together like a prankster and holding out his hand.
If it were me as usual, I would have just said something to her, telling her not to overdo it, and hung up my coat myself, but Yuna noticed and poked my waist with her elbow, nodding at me, saying, “Just give it to me,” so I couldn’t do that.
I guess he meant to ask me to hang out with him since it was a rare class reunion. Anyway, my wife is quick to catch on in strange places.
“Okay, show me where to go.”
When I nodded and held out my coat, Kim Hyung-seok quickly took it and hung it on the hanger next to him. He offered to hang Yuna’s coat too, but Yuna hung her own clothes herself.
“Come this way! Guys, set the table!”
Ahn Jae-hyung shouts coolly while looking to the back even though the table is already set with drinks.
As if he thought the moment was right, Choi Min-seong got up from his seat, pretended to wipe the two empty chairs, and waved his hands noisily as if to tell them to hurry over.
What’s the big deal? These guys are the same whether they’re in their teens or in their 30s.
“Wow, Yuna, it’s been a really long time! How have you been?”
As soon as she sat down, the woman sitting next to Yuna spoke to her. Her name was definitely Park Soo-young. I don’t remember her well because we didn’t interact much, but I vaguely remember her because she was exceptionally tall among the women.
“I’m always the same. I do my schedule, come home, take care of the kids… What about you?”
“I got married and became independent about 3 months ago. Come visit me later when you have time.”
“Chuppo? Did you quit exercising?”
By the way, Park Soo-young, she was in the sports world. I remember telling Yuna a story about her before, and I think she said that her dream was to be a volleyball player.
But I’m a bit surprised that you got a job.
“Yeah, it was a bit tough. That’s why I got a decent job first. The job suits my aptitude, so I like it.”
“That’s great. Which one do you work on?”
“It’s the trade industry where my father worked… .”
It seemed like the story would be long on their end, so I was about to turn my head and talk to my friends whom I hadn’t seen in a while.
“You haven’t gotten your beer yet? Here.”
“Oh, okay… Thank you.”
A soft voice came from next to me, and a large glass filled with refreshing draft beer was handed to me.
Her name was definitely… Yoon Seo-ah. I remember her as someone who was just as popular in class as Yuna. No, in some ways, you could say she was even more popular than Yuna.
At that time, Yuna was treated like a celebrity whose debut was almost certain, so men couldn’t dare look down on her. On the other hand, Yoon Seo-ah had the image of a pretty girl who would definitely be in the class.
She has a kind personality, and when the boys are having a silly conversation, and the topic is ‘Who do you like in class?’, she is the girl who is always mentioned.
I wasn’t really interested because I was single-mindedly devoted to Yuna then and now.
“I heard you got married? Congratulations. I received the invitation, but I couldn’t go because something happened. Sorry.”
“That could be true. What do you have to be sorry about?”
There are more than a few people who received an invitation but couldn’t come. Of course, you may want to come and celebrate the happy day, but how can you ask for that in modern society where people are busy taking care of their own lives?
When I shook my head with a bitter smile as if to say that it was okay, Yoon Seo-ah smiled as if she knew it.
I don’t know why, but I feel a bit uncomfortable.
“Okay, it looks like everyone has had their drinks, so let’s all have a toast and start the real reunion!”
“oooh, slow, slow!”
“The organizer is such a snail!”
At that very moment, Choi Min-seong stood up from his seat again and raised his beer glass high.
At the moment when the atmosphere was starting to ripen with the conversation, it was like pouring ice water on them, and although there were screams from those around them, Choi Min-seong opened his mouth with a determined expression.
“Now, the toast will be given by Han Yu-na, the center of Armo, who was transformed from an idol in our third-year class 1 to a real idol! The pride of the Republic of Korea!”
“Huh, huh? Me?”
Then, Yuna, who was chosen to lead the toast, looked around with a blank expression and pointed at herself. It seemed as if Koragseonni had never discussed it with Yuna at all.
As expected, it’s Choi Min-seong’s typical spirit.
“Go and say something nice. There must be a lot of people who want to see you.”
As I spoke to Yuna, who was looking at me with her eyes wide open as if asking for help, as if pushing her back, she pouts and taps my arm.
“… Bad. You know I’m not good at this.”
“So what? Do I have to do it well?”
I know that although I am strong on stage, I am weak when I am pushed aside in places like this.
But aside from that, I knew that there were probably a lot of guys who were secretly hoping to see Yuna at the reunion today, so I thought it would be okay to lead the toast to show my face, so I secretly pushed her back.
If this is a type of fan service, then isn’t it fan service?
“Ugh… .”
As everyone’s eyes gathered around her, Yuna decided that it was no longer possible to refuse and quietly got up from her seat. But she didn’t forget to glare at me.
And then he slowly walked towards where Choi Min-seong was standing, suddenly raised his hand, and made a fist… Huh?
Phew!
He threw a straight punch at Choi Min-seong’s arm with all his might.
Wow, that might hurt a little.
“Ahh!”
“Hey, Siyoon has become so kind, but you are still like that…!”
“That’s because he’s your husband…! Ouch! The idol here is catching people!”
Thud! Thud!
Oh my, Choi Min-seong is just like that.
If I had just kept my mouth shut, I would have gotten hit less often, but I opened my mouth and got hit harder. Has that guy been good at beating people since long ago? At this point, I wonder if he’s doing it on purpose.
Puhahahahaha!
Thanks to the two’s unexpected banter, laughter broke out all around.
Even Kim Soo-bin, who could be said to be the only one who understands Choi Min-seong, is not stopping him, saying, “Hit him more, Yuna!”, but rather livening up the atmosphere, which says it all.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Choi Min-seong, who takes on the role of a sandbag, so it’s really fun.
I guess I should say that the guys I was friends with in high school don’t feel awkward even when I meet them after a long time. Even though they may look like adults on the outside, they still seem to be the same fools they were back then.
“Ah, anyway, I’ll make a toast, so don’t laugh at me and say it’s weird! I’ll remember it all!?”
“… Foot.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of my wife, who used to act quite mature in front of me, returning to the innocent high school girl she was back then.
“As expected, she’s hot! Han Yuna!”
“We’ll punish those who laugh, Yuna!”
Meanwhile, the audience waiting for the toasts applauded and livened up the atmosphere by threatening to hold those who were doing such evil things accountable.
However, as expected of a heavenly idol, Yuna quickly got used to the attention of people, and quickly hid her blushing face and cleared her throat, saying, “Kkeumkkeum.” To anyone who saw her, it seemed like she was giving an end-of-year acceptance speech.
“huh?”
Then he glanced in my direction and then stared at the long table again. It happened so quickly that I almost thought it was my imagination.
Then he smiled triumphantly, raised his beer glass high, and shouted loudly.
“Today, my husband is paying, so let’s drink to our hearts’ content! Cheers!”
“Ohhh!”
“Park Si-yoon! Park Si-yoon!”
I was dumbfounded by the sight of my wife spouting out such nonsense when the money actually came out of her own wallet.
In the room that had become so noisy in an instant, only my name was being called, and amidst all that, Yuna winked one eye at me cutely.
Kaang!
As soon as the toast ended, a cool sound echoed from the beer glasses clinking in the air.
Yuna came back next to me and leaned her head on my shoulder with a look in her eyes that seemed to ask, ‘Did you do well?’
Anyway, it’s the players who surprise people, the players.