OMH Chapter 63

Oh My Hero – Episode 63

63. Guide (8)

Thankfully, I wasn’t late like last time. And there were definitely more kids going home later than Cha Wooreen today.

However, Cha Wooreen greeted us with a bad mood again today.

No matter how much Woojin tried to soothe her, Cha Wooreen didn’t say a word until we got in the car and started driving.

In that awkward silence, Cha Wooreen finally opened her mouth.

“Hana *oppa*.”

‘Ugh, why me? Woojin is right next to her.’

With uneasy feelings, I glanced at Cha Wooreen’s face in the rearview mirror.

“Um… why did you call me, Wooreen?”

“Are you stupid if you can’t read?”

“I guess I am, in a way?”

Upon hearing my answer, Cha Wooreen suddenly started tearing up.

‘What’s wrong? Why is she crying? I just told the truth. Did I do something wrong?’

Flustered, I kept glancing at the rearview mirror while driving. The mirror showed Woojin comforting Cha Wooreen.

“What’s wrong? Did someone at kindergarten tease you for not being able to read?”

“Kim Wonyoung, sob. Said I can’t read my name, sob. Called me stupid…”

Kim Wonyoung was a kindergarten friend who was the same age as Cha Wooreen. He’s the kid Cha Wooreen hit on her first day of kindergarten.

“Isn’t he just retaliating for getting beat up on the first day?”

Thinking it was just kids fighting, I relaxed.

“Those things are best settled with a fistfight. Since Wooreen won last time, she’ll win next time too. Nothing to worry about.”

However, upon hearing Kim Wonyoung’s name, Woojin’s expression became serious.

“So, Kim Wonyoung can read?”

“Yeah…”

Woojin’s expression became even more serious after hearing Cha Wooreen’s answer.

*

As soon as we arrived at the room, Woojin took out all the Korean alphabet and number study books he had bought for Cha Wooreen.

He had been putting it off because he was busy and Cha Wooreen wasn’t interested yet, but it seemed like he was going to start in earnest now.

“Cha Wooreen. Sit here. You have to study from today.”

“No. *Oppa* said I didn’t have to.”

“No. You have to now. Kim Wonyoung knows how to read, right? You need to know too now. You’re turning seven tomorrow.”

Ah, now that I think about it, it’s New Year’s Day tomorrow. I forgot.

“I’m turning seven tomorrow?”

“Yes. Since you’re turning seven, you have to know how to read now.”

“Then I’ll do it when I turn seven.”

“……”

Woojin was speechless at Cha Wooreen’s answer for a moment, but he shrugged once and said okay.

“Okay. New Year’s Day is a holiday, so you can rest. But you’ll study when you turn seven. Got it?”

“Yeah~”

Cha Wooreen smiled brightly and hugged Woojin.

Woojin hugged Cha Wooreen, who barely reached his thigh.

Woojin, who was having a warm time with his younger sister, asked me.

“Now that I think about it, will they ring the New Year’s bell today? There’s no Bosingak anymore… Seeing Christmas decorations here makes me wonder.”

‘Uh… what’s the New Year’s bell? I think I’ve heard of it… But does the Association have a bell? I don’t think I’ve seen one.’

The Association hasn’t been seriously celebrating these annual events for very long.

It’s been three years, or rather four years now, but this is only the third time they’re seriously celebrating January 1st.

Last year and the year before, I only remember the kids calling me to drink with them. Besides, Lee Hwayoung and Kim Sanghyuk fought at last year’s drinking session, so we’ve made a tacit vow not to gather anymore.

But did I hear the New Year’s bell sound then? I’m not sure.

While I was trying to recall my memories, someone knocked on the door.

“Hey, Gang Hana! Are you in there?”

It was Kim Sanghyuk again.

*

“Wow~ this is a nice family. Right? A person who only knew training or missions is now living a life that smells like people.”

“Shut up. Why did you come?”

“It’s New Year’s, New Year’s. When the year changes like this, you drink to erase the regrets of the past year, and you drink to look forward to the new year. That’s how you should drink.”

Judging by his words, he probably came to drink with me because the drinking session fell apart because of him.

“But I’m not going outside.”

“I thought you’d say that, so I brought this! Let’s drink here. Cha Woojin, join us!”

That guy Sanghyuk was planning to set up a serious drinking table, bringing not only alcohol but also cooking ingredients in a frying pan.

I thought his bag was too big and strange, but I didn’t expect him to bring that stuff.

“Today, I’ll let you taste Kim Sanghyuk’s special *pajeon*.”

Even though I hadn’t given him permission, Kim Sanghyuk eagerly took out the ingredients and started preparing.

‘Why did he bring so much alcohol? Woojin can’t drink.’

“Me too! I want to eat too!”

Cha Wooreen was infected by Kim Sanghyuk’s excitement and got excited too.

“Okay! Wooreen, you have a drink too!”

No. Cha Wooreen can’t drink either. She’s a kid.

“You seem to be good at cooking?”

Even Woojin showed interest in Kim Sanghyuk.

Well, hearing Kim Sanghyuk’s fancy setup and flashy knife skills would make anyone want to take a look.

Come to think of it, Kim Sanghyuk was originally good at cooking and cleaning. But he’s too obsessed with cleanliness and hates the smell of food in his room.

So, he used to come to my room to cook. When I wasn’t there, he’d come and go through the window.

This is the first time since Woojin started living with us, though.

*

The dish that Kim Sanghyuk prepared with a lot of fuss was seafood *pajeon* with cheese.

We set up the 15 bottles of *makgeolli* and rice drinks that Kim Sanghyuk brought and ate together.

While we were eating, Woojin asked Kim Sanghyuk the question he had asked me earlier.

“In two hours, it’ll be twelve o’clock, will they ring the New Year’s bell?”

“The New Year’s bell? Ah~ we can’t ring it because there’s no bell~ But they play the bell sound that was recorded a long time ago. They’re restoring the Bosingak site in Downtown, but it’s still a long way off. If you want to hear the bell sound, just turn on the TV in the room~”

“There’s a Bosingak in Downtown?”

Woojin asked again, surprised. I don’t know what Bosingak is, but it must have been important information for Woojin.

“The Bosingak site is there. It’s near Patrol Station-D. Is it a bit far to call it nearby? Anyway, that building is the closest landmark.”

There was such a place there. I searched every corner of the area near Station-D to find Woojin, but I didn’t know. I probably wouldn’t have known even if I saw it, though.

Woojin and Kim Sanghyuk continued to have an incomprehensible conversation, talking about Jongno and Gwanghwamun. The only thing I understood from their conversation was the subway. I’ve never ridden the subway either, though.

Anyway, I want to join the conversation too.

Clang- splash

While I was wondering how to kick Kim Sanghyuk out right now without Woojin noticing, I heard the sound of liquid spilling from a cup.

Cha Wooreen dropped the cup filled with juice.

But Cha Wooreen’s condition was strange.

Even though she always was sensitive, she only bowed her head even though she spilled the juice.

“Cha Wooreen? What’s wrong?”

Woojin immediately reacted to Cha Wooreen’s unusual behavior.

“Ah, she’s asleep.”

Woojin looked at Cha Wooreen worriedly and then relaxed.

Well, it’s already well past 11 o’clock. It’s too late for Cha Wooreen to be awake when there’s no one playing with her.

Woojin picked up Cha Wooreen and took her to bed.

Seeing that he now had the strength to lift a six-year-old child was touching.

While I was resolving to take better care of Woojin’s strength and physical training in the future, Kim Sanghyuk muttered to himself.

“He’s really handsome.”

Kim Sanghyuk’s gaze was naturally directed at Woojin.

It was an immutable and absolute truth that Woojin was handsome, but I felt bad that Kim Sanghyuk was looking at Woojin like that.

“Hey, take my cup before twelve o’clock.”

“Huh? Oh, okay.”

I decided to quickly make Kim Sanghyuk drunk and put him to sleep.

Woojin, who had put Cha Wooreen to bed and even changed her clothes, sat down again.

Kim Sanghyuk was on my right and Woojin on my left, but Kim Sanghyuk acted as if I in the middle wasn’t bothering him at all.

“Woojin~ssi! Finally, you’ve come! Ja, come and sit down. Receive my cup~”

Kim Sanghyuk grabbed any remaining cup and poured *makgeolli* into it. As a drunk would do, the *makgeolli* that Kim Sanghyuk poured was all spilled and messy.

Woojin was shocked by the drunk’s behavior.

“Oh my… Kim Sanghyuk-ssi, aren’t you too drunk?”

“Ayy~ I’m not! It’s almost twelve o’clock. Turn on the TV, Hana.”

As Kim Sanghyuk requested, I turned on the TV. The TV screen showed a countdown screen until 12 o’clock. I never knew there was such a thing.

“Look at this! 1 minute left! Everyone, raise your glasses quickly!”

I replaced Woojin’s cup with the rice drink that I had set aside under the table, and then poured as Kim Sanghyuk said.

Kim Sanghyuk, who was making a fuss about having to drink the last glass of the year, one-shotted that glass and gloriously fell asleep.

‘Phew, I finally achieved my goal.’

Looking at the TV screen, there were now 5 seconds left until twelve o’clock.

Woojin, seeing the drunk who had fallen asleep right before the New Year, said.

“Kim Sanghyuk-ssi seems to be weak with alcohol.”

‘No. You’re the one who’s weak with alcohol, Woojin. You’re fine now because I kept switching your glasses.’

But I couldn’t reveal this truth to Woojin, so I decided to keep it a secret.

I skillfully changed the subject.

“How about we have a drink together now that the bell is ringing, Woojin-ssi?”

“Shall we?”

Woojin responded with a smile.

Cha Wooreen had gone to sleep, so the lights were turned off and only the TV was on, but suddenly it felt like the room had become brighter.

They say your memory deteriorates when you see something too beautiful.

So, I forgot to switch Woojin’s glass.

On the TV screen, a picture of a wooden building with a green ceiling and a large bell was shown, and the sound of the bell rang out.

Woojin, who had overestimated his alcohol tolerance, one-shotted the *makgeolli* and fell fast asleep next to me.

I lent my shoulder to Woojin, who was asleep, but because Woojin was tall, he ended up leaning his head on my head.

I moved closer so that Woojin could take a more comfortable position.

I could almost hear Woojin’s heartbeat with my face against Woojin’s neck.

‘I hope I can keep being with Woojin like this.’

The sound of the New Year’s bell was still ringing on the TV screen.

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