Chapter 54: The Day with the Bandages

Sensing the large shadow standing at the entrance, the woman turned her head.

Ji-tae reflexively lowered his head in greeting.

“Ah, ma’am, he’s someone who came here with me a few times back then……”

“It’s Ji-tae, right?!”

The owner clapped her hands loudly and rushed over to him.

Just like she had done to Woo-joo, she grabbed Ji-tae’s hand and shook it enthusiastically, saying how long it had been.

Woo-joo, who had been about to explain, decided against it.

There seemed to be no need.

“But Ji-tae, it’s really been a long time.

First time since high school, right?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know how shocked I was when I saw you on that drama?

Oh, don’t just stand there.

Sit down, sit down.”

Since it was quite late for a neighborhood shop, fortunately there weren’t many customers inside.

Ji-tae and Woo-joo naturally walked to the second table by the window and sat facing each other.

They didn’t exchange words like, “Where should we sit?”

“So this was the place you had in mind?”

“Yeah.

Quiet and not crowded.”

It wasn’t wrong.

Most customers here were neighborhood residents, and at this hour, they were probably eating dinner at home.

The chances of a sudden rush were slim.

“So what should I make for you?”

The woman came out from the back, now wearing a headscarf properly tied.

“Ah, I’ll have tteokbokki, and Won Ji-tae, you……”

“I’ll have pork cutlet.”

The woman broke into a wide smile.

“Still ordering what you used to eat.

Wait.

I’ll make it delicious.”

Woo-joo glanced at Ji-tae, slightly surprised that he ordered without even looking at the menu.

Strictly speaking, this snack bar had been Woo-joo’s regular spot.

His house was located in the neighborhood right next to this residential area.

Back in school, when his parents’ business trips overlapped, he often ate dinner here.

It wasn’t that his mother hadn’t left food at home.

It was just that, at that age, outside food tasted better.

Even aside from that, whenever he felt like it, he would come here and devour food like he was starving.

He had been growing rapidly and training intensely, so his appetite had been enormous.

School lunches were never enough.

As a teenager, he felt oddly proud of having a “secret” favorite spot.

The owner was generous and always took good care of him.

Aside from home and the gym, this had been one of the places he frequented most.

“Here you go, eat up.”

Soon, steaming dishes were set on the table.

A huge pork cutlet, a mountain-sized portion of tteokbokki, and even tuna kimbap they hadn’t ordered.

The woman chuckled, saying she added plenty of extras.

Woo-joo and Ji-tae picked up their utensils at the same time.

The rich aroma made their mouths water.

Woo-joo grabbed a red rice cake.

Ji-tae neatly cut a piece of pork cutlet and put it into his mouth.

“……”

And in that instant, without either of them saying a word, they began moving their hands like mad.

The sweet, salty, spicy flavors awakened a hunger they hadn’t even realized they had.

More than that, the taste carried memories.

Pork cutlet and tteokbokki could be found anywhere.

But taste wasn’t that simple.

The same flavor meant different things depending on who you ate it with, how often you had eaten it, and how much you had loved it.

For Woo-joo, this was the only place that revived those memories.

Watching them eat heartily, the owner smiled warmly.

“Seeing you eat like that reminds me of old times.”

“Old times?”

Woo-joo asked with his mouth full of rice cake.

“That day when you first brought Ji-tae here.

I remember how shocked I was.

A tall boy like a pole, with bandages plastered all over his face.”

At her words, Woo-joo and Ji-tae’s gazes met in midair as if planned.

It was early in their third year of high school.

Around that time, students naturally grew solemn.

College entrance exams loomed, and it was a tense, sensitive period.

The sports teams were no different.

It wasn’t just club activity anymore.

Their futures were approaching fast, and even the volleyball team carried a layer of tension.

“Hey, Kang Woo-joo.

Why are you so excited?”

Hyun-jin, aiming for a four-year university, had been on edge lately.

But Woo-joo wasn’t delicate enough to tread carefully around him.

“Why?

We’ve got a practice match with Wonjang High today.

First time facing Won Ji-tae since becoming seniors.

How could I not be pumped?”

“You must’ve been a volleyball in your past life.”

“What nonsense.”

If there was anyone unaffected by senior-year anxiety, it was probably Woo-joo.

He warmed up enthusiastically, glancing around Wonjang High’s gym.

“Man, this school must have money.

Their gym’s amazing.”

“They actually do.

We can compete with them in volleyball, but outside of that, we don’t even compare.”

Woo-joo knew that.

Wonjang High was a prestigious private school known for sending many students to top universities.

There were rumors about wealthy sponsors backing it.

It had once been labeled a school for the rich.

Not as extreme now, but still.

Woo-joo had chosen Daehyeon High mainly because it was close to home.

Even if Wonjang had been closer, he probably wouldn’t have easily enrolled.

“Alright, line up.”

At the coach’s command, Hyun-jin and Woo-joo gathered quickly.

Even though it was just a practice match, they were told to treat it like the real thing.

Wonjang High was a constant rival in official competitions.

The rivalry ran deep.

Daehyeon’s coach grew especially sharp whenever facing Wonjang.

Losing to them meant harsher punishment than losing to any other school.

Woo-joo stepped onto the court.

He was ready to shout something across at his usual counterpart.

But the familiar figure who always stood there—Won Ji-tae—was nowhere to be seen.

Another senior filled his position.

Was he not a starter?

Woo-joo scanned the bench.

Ji-tae wasn’t there either.

“Hyun-jin.”

“What.”

“Ji-tae’s not here. Why?”

“How would I know?

I’m a Daehyeon High student, same as you.”

The whistle blew.

Woo-joo kept waiting, thinking maybe Ji-tae was late.

But even after all three sets ended, he never appeared.

“Why’s your face like that?”

After the match, Hyun-jin approached Woo-joo, who was packing up irritably.

“What about my face?”

“We won.

Why do you look so scary?”

Woo-joo didn’t even realize what expression he was making.

As he brushed off the comment, he suddenly spotted a familiar face in the distance.

“Hyun-jin, wait a sec.”

He strode toward the Wonjang students cleaning up the gym.

Some recognized him and quietly stepped aside.

“Yoon Jae-yeon.”

“Huh? Oh, Kang Woo-joo.

What’s up? You’re talking to me?”

“Where’s Won Ji-tae?

Did he not come to school today?”

“No, he came.”

He came?

Woo-joo had assumed Ji-tae must have skipped school.

Otherwise, why wouldn’t he be here?

“But why isn’t he here?

He didn’t play.”

“Hmm……”

Yoon Jae-yeon paused, a faint grin on his face despite losing.

“Technically, it’s not that he didn’t play.

He couldn’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s busy right now.

Getting scolded by teachers, called to the principal’s office, writing a reflection letter.”

“Why?”

“Because he beat up a classmate half to death.”

Woo-joo’s eyes widened.

Won Ji-tae? Fighting?

It took a moment to process.

The words didn’t fit together.

“I saw it myself.

Man, when he hits someone, it’s scary.

His eyes just……”

“Where is he?”

“Huh?”

Yoon Jae-yeon froze mid-story.

“Is he still at school?

Where can I find Won Ji-tae?”