Sunshine Shower

Moon Seoyoon caught sight of a beer glass as he lowered his gaze. He forced a sigh down his throat. He had forgotten that there were many people living tiresome lives in the world.He hadn’t failed to anticipate that the freshman orientation would lead to a drinking session. In reality, most department events ended up as drinking gatherings. His questioning of Woo Yeonjae if he didn’t dislike such gatherings, despite agreeing to attend the orientation together, was for similar reasons.However, he hadn’t expected such a situation to arise.“Oh, he’s here again.”He should have recognized it from the moment Seo Jieun muttered irritably.“Don’t just sit at any table, stick close to me.”Or maybe it was when Woo Yeonjae casually offered this advice while they were moving from the department to the bar.It wasn’t Moon Seoyoon’s intention to end up sitting at a table full of returning students. He found himself led to this table by an unknown executive member while Woo Yeonjae briefly stepped away.Until then, Moon Seoyoon hadn’t thought much about it. Instead, he had entertained the whimsical thought that it might be better than mingling inexperienced freshmen girls with unfamiliar returning students. Besides, seeing these people regularly wasn’t bad, and most of them were familiar faces from the same year, making conversation easy.Above all, he hadn’t intended to stick close to Woo Yeonjae, as he hadn’t considered it necessary. It was rather okay since he wasn’t keen on following him around like a shadow. Being a grown adult, and a military man at that, it would seem absurd to follow a friend everywhere. Most people probably wouldn’t care, and once everyone got drunk, they’d probably forget everything. But he didn’t want Woo Yeonjae to feel responsible for him, especially in such a setting.“Woo Yeonjae asks if Moon Seoyoon could sell his face.”Whether it was sincere or a joke, Woo Yeonjae was busy going from table to table. To be precise, he was almost always on the move, sitting briefly before getting up due to being called from different places. Moon Seoyoon forcibly fixed his gaze on the table, trying to follow Woo Yeonjae, while drinking with his classmates.“Oh, damn. That guy looked this way.”The realization began when the classmate next to him muttered under his breath.“Why?”“That guy is such a weirdo. He’s a senior, but attending the freshman orientation says it all. How am I supposed to not hear rumors about me from him?”When Moon Seoyoon asked, not knowing English, a classmate pretended to clean his glasses and gave some relevant information, apparently the subject of Seo Ji-eun’s exasperated “he’s here again.”“So, the returning students are gathering here? How does it feel to be back at university after a long time?”A stranger’s hand nudged his shoulder as they squeezed into the neighboring seat. Moon Seoyoon was flustered but still politely lowered his head, unsure of how much he should bluff and how much he should just go along with it.Given his tendency to avoid interpersonal conflicts and clashes, adapting to others was, in its own way, the best approach. He had never clashed with anyone due to his personality, so he was somewhat optimistic that this time would also pass smoothly. Regardless of what it might seem, today’s gathering was just one of many drinking sessions. Laughing and chatting while drunk and then forgetting everything was the norm.“So, where did you serve?”Even when a senior he was meeting for the first time tapped his thigh and asked about the military, Moon Seoyoon responded politely.“Wow, this guy must have sucked up to someone. As for me…”Even when his classmates bantered with anecdotes from their military service, Moon Seoyoon managed to fit in somewhat awkwardly.“Drink, drink! Seniors never refuse a drink and always finish what’s given to them. Now that the discharged ones are already leaving… How are you planning to adjust to social life, huh?”Even when a glass, filled halfway with soju instead of beer, was handed over, he drank without a word of complaint.It was an atmosphere where everyone was accommodating to uninvited guests. Though uncomfortable, it wasn’t serious enough to call it verbal abuse, and it wasn’t a serious enough occasion to ruin the enjoyable atmosphere of the surrounding tables. Once the uncomfortable subject left the table, it was like chewing over some indigestible food—it would pass after a moment.“Pour for me.”The man next to him ordered, nudging the bottle of alcohol. Even though he was sitting right next to him with his body turned towards the table, Moon Seoyoon’s reddened face was clearly visible. Moon Seoyoon swallowed another sigh. Normally, he would have just poured another drink. It wasn’t difficult to pour a drink for a senior at a drinking gathering.“They say the taste of alcohol is better when a pretty girl pours it for you.”Even if teasing and mockery didn’t resonate in his voice, Moon Seoyoon might have considered it inconsequential.“Excuse me, Sunbae. Would you like some water?”“Are you trying to butt in?”In the chilling atmosphere, one of the classmates spoke up, but the response that followed was just sarcasm. Moon Seoyoon, having bitten his tongue, reluctantly reached for the bottle. The situation of being complimented for being pretty while pouring alcohol was extremely uncomfortable, but it was easier to just move on quickly.He now seemed to understand why this person was infamous. It was evident that he would have caused trouble at other tables too.“Hey, what was your name again?”As Moon Seoyoon hurriedly poured the drink and tried to finish, his wrist was suddenly grabbed. Moon Seoyoon glanced down at the grabbed wrist and then calmly replied.“My name is Moon Seoyoon, Sunbae.”“Ah, Moon Seoyoon. Your name sounds so girly for a fucking guy.”The classmate, who had been sneaking glances, left to fetch water. It was a signal to call the enforcers.“So, your face looks pretty girly too?”Moon Seoyoon pursed his lips. Dealing with unwarranted comments about appearance was tricky. If he said no, it would seem like he wasn’t confident, and if he said thank you, it would sound like he was taking it as a compliment. It was a lose-lose situation.“What kind of name is that for a guy? Men should have solid names like mine. Han Cheolmin. How solid is that? Huh?”“Oh. What Hanja character is used?”When a jovial classmate changed the subject, Han Cheolmin began a lengthy speech about his name after letting go of Moon Seoyoon’s wrist. With him turned away, Moon Seoyoon could openly furrow his brows. It had been a long time since he felt so uncomfortable because of someone, making it difficult to control his expression.“Hey. Did you say you played the violin?”As Han Cheolmin came back for another round of banter, taking advantage of the moment when Moon Seoyoon’s attention had shifted, Moon Seoyoon answered calmly.“I played the piano.”“Piano? If you played the piano with that face, wouldn’t girls line up for you? People were saying guys like you should play the piano.”Moon Seoyoon couldn’t understand the connection between piano, girls, and appearance. Regardless of how he answered, it was clear that he would offend the other person, so he chose his words carefully.“There wasn’t such a situation.”“There’s always something. Come on, be honest now that you’re back to school. Are you picking and choosing who to date now that you’re back? Going for twenty-year-old kids? But with your pretty face, girls might not like you. Look at that fair skin, and those damn long eyelashes. How was military service?”Kim Hyunseung’s advice about facing those trying to intimidate him echoed in Moon Seoyoon’s ears. Although he didn’t have an extremely fragile personality that would be shattered by blatant personal attacks, a sense of discomfort crept in. It had been a while since he had been openly attacked about his appearance, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth.“I did the same as everyone else.”“Whatever. Just pour a drink anyway. I’m curious how different it tastes when a pretty boy like you pours it.”Now, beyond annoyance, exhaustion swept over him. Thinking it wouldn’t be too difficult, he reached for the beer bottle to pour a drink. But just as he did, a hand suddenly grabbed his cheek from behind.“You’re blushing, looks like you’re drunk.”Reactively turning to look, Moon Seoyoon found Woo Yeonjae standing there with a mischievous grin.“Oh… am I really blushing?”“Yeah. Looks like you need some fresh air.”As if suggesting he should leave for a bit, Woo Yeonjae gestured towards the exit behind him. Feeling the need for an excuse to leave, Moon Seoyoon slowly stood up.“I’ll go get some water and get some fresh air.”Surprised by Woo Yeonjae’s sudden appearance, Han Cheolmin blinked. Moon Seoyoon nodded politely, seeking understanding, then walked towards the exit.As the seat became vacant, Woo Yeonjae naturally took the seat where Moon Seoyoon had been sitting. After smiling and greeting his classmates, he turned his head towards the man next to him. A face of discomfort caught his eye. Moon Seoyoon didn’t bother remembering the name of the unnecessary person, but the face was familiar. He was a Sunbae, well-known for pestering pretty freshmen. It was hard not to recognize him.“Nice to see you again, Sunbae.”Moon Seoyoon didn’t expect to encounter this nonsense here, away from the executive members who fiercely protected freshmen. He had worried about being forced to drink by some idiot, only to find someone even more idiotic tagging along.–T/N:



The word the Sunbae used was 기생오라비처럼, which is usually said with a bad intent, to describe guys who are pretty looking; to imply that they look like a girl.