If I Don’t Earn 1 Trillion Won, My Regression Ends - Chapter 49

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 49

 

December 20, 1999.

 

Since it was a Monday after the weekend, Gangnam Express Bus Terminal was quieter than usual.

 

But Bang Suk-yeong didn’t let her guard down. After all, she was a mother who had experienced losing a child once.

 

“I only have one free hand because of the bag, so you two need to hold each other tight. Sing-a, no matter what happens, you absolutely cannot let go of Hyeon-hye’s hand. Got it?”

 

“Mom, she won’t hold on!”

 

“Jeong Hyeon-hye. You need to listen to auntie, okay? Come on!”

 

A mother from the countryside doesn’t coddle other people’s children.

 

Startled by the stern scolding, Jeong Hyeon-hye reflexively grabbed Seosing-a’s hand tightly.

 

No wonder she was surprised. Having grown up sheltered under refined parents, when had she ever experienced such toughness?

 

Seosing-a chuckled.

 

Jeong Hyeon-hye glared and loosened her grip.

 

She had mild mysophobia.

 

The thought of holding another person’s dirty hand was disgusting, but strangely, this time it seemed somewhat okay.

 

“Oh my~ Are they sisters? They’re both so pretty.”

 

The Eun Yeon-ju couple was still absent, so today Jeong Hyeon-hye was dressed from head to toe by Bang Suk-yeong’s hands.

 

Bang Suk-yeong, who had been in the clothing business since her hometown, had more than enough children’s clothes.

 

Dressed like a matching set with her daughter, the two children looked like sisters to anyone.

 

“Yes. These are my daughters. They’re twins, but fraternal, so they look a bit different.”

 

Bang Suk-yeong, feeling mischievous, not only didn’t deny it but went even further.

 

At the mention of twins, surrounding passengers gathered closer to look.

 

Jeong Hyeon-hye glanced sideways. She thought Seosing-a would surely be disgusted, but surprisingly, she was smiling.

 

‘What’s she plotting?’

 

Since they first met at age six, they had always been on bad terms.

 

They only pretended to be friends in front of school friends, and had stopped even that act long ago after Seosing-a’s CF became a hit.

 

Seosing-a’s fame had overwhelmed Jeong Hyeon-hye’s schemes. Everyone wanted to stick close to Seosing-a, not make enemies of her.

 

Jeong Hyeon-hye had clearly felt that Seosing-a had slipped from her grasp at some point.

 

She couldn’t harm, deceive, or slander her, so all she could do was just watch…

 

In fact, it was questionable whether her schemes had ever worked before.

 

No matter how much she bullied and isolated Seosing-a, Jeong Hyeon-hye always felt like she was beating clouds with a stick.

 

Seosing-a was the only peer who made her feel this powerless. Only Seosing-a, Jeong Hyeon-hye thought.

 

“Seo Hyeon-hye. Why are you spacing out?”

 

“…Seo Hyeon-hye?”

 

“Mom said you and I are sisters. Jeong Sing-a is a bit… too much, isn’t it? Just be Seo Hyeon-hye for me.”

 

“Really stupid. Who said I’m your sister?”

 

“It’s just a joke. Why are you getting angry again? You really have a bad personality.”

 

“If you know it’s bad, then get lost. Do you think yours is good? You only pretend to be friendly in front of adults. How are you any different from me? Let go of my hand.”

 

“No.”

 

Seosing-a firmly held onto Jeong Hyeon-hye’s hand as she tried to shake it off.

 

She had no idea why this pretty-faced viper was being spiteful again.

 

But the Jeong family was going through a sensitive time, and Jeong Hyeon-hye was a more sensitive child.

 

There was no reason she couldn’t be generous.

 

Seosing-a spoke soothingly.

 

“Did you forget what mom said? No matter what happens, don’t let go of your hand. I’ll never let go. Bear with it even if you don’t like it.”

 

“…”

 

Seosing-a’s eyes curved like crescents when she smiled, with typical fox-like features.

 

When she set her mind to soothing someone, there was nothing she couldn’t handle with that face.

 

Clever Jeong Hyeon-hye wasn’t unaware.

 

‘These are just empty, soothing words.’

 

But in the end, she couldn’t let go of the hand, and Jeong Hyeon-hye boarded the bus to Samcheok while still firmly held.

 

From Seoul to Samcheok, Gangwon-do takes over 5 hours. There was no direct tunnel through the Daegwallyeong section at that time.

 

Unable to avoid the infamous ninety-nine curves of Daegwallyeong, many passengers suffered from motion sickness.

 

The two ‘city bumpkin’ children were no exception.

 

“That’s why I told you to put on motion sickness patches! The pharmacy said you have to put them on the night before for them to work, but what good does it do to put them on now? This is what happens when you don’t listen to adults.”

 

“…Do I really have to drink this?”

 

“Drink it! When your stomach feels bad, you’re supposed to have plum juice.”

 

Seosing-a looked down weakly at the green plum drink Bang Suk-yeong handed her.

 

When was Jo Seong-mo’s green plum commercial? She just hoped it wasn’t her mother’s taste preference because she liked Jo Seong-mo.

 

She passed the half-finished bottle to the seat next to her. But Jeong Hyeon-hye shook her head in disgust.

 

“I didn’t put my mouth on it. You really won’t drink it?”

 

‘Such a clean freak.’

 

Seosing-a was internally annoyed but wiped the bottle opening with a tissue and offered it again, but Jeong Hyeon-hye still refused.

 

“Your face is really pale. Plum juice really does help digestion. If you drink it, your stomach will settle down.”

 

“…Forget it. Put it away. Stop talking to me.”

 

Jeong Hyeon-hye irritably swatted away Seosing-a’s hand.

 

Her stomach was churning like waves. She felt eyes on her profile, but Jeong Hyeon-hye ignored it and squeezed her eyes shut.

 

“Oh my, driver! Please drive more gently! I’m dying! My stomach is turning upside down!”

 

“Can’t help it going over Daegwallyeong! Open the windows!”

 

“Who keeps eating squid?”

 

The road following the mountain terrain became increasingly rough.

 

The characteristic smell of old bus seats, strong heater air, leftover rest stop squid smell, passengers’ mixed voices…

 

“Hey. Jeong Hyeon-hye. Jeong Hyeon-hye? Are you okay?”

 

“…Ah, call auntie-”

 

She couldn’t bear it anymore.

 

Before she could finish asking for a bag, asking to call auntie, Jeong Hyeon-hye covered her mouth but couldn’t hold back any longer and vomited right onto Seosing-a’s lap.

 

The bus had departed early in the morning.

 

She had only eaten a few bites of sandwich for breakfast, so the vomit was mostly water. But the stench was unbearably strong.

 

“Hyeon-hye threw up?! Oh my, what do we do!”

 

“Mom, tissues.”

 

“Ugh, the smell~! Hey! Open the window, quickly!”

 

Passengers in the front and back seats cursed. Jeong Hyeon-hye trembled convulsively at the harsh voices.

 

‘What do I do?’

 

Her stomach still felt uncomfortable, but shame overwhelmed everything.

 

Tears welled up in Jeong Hyeon-hye’s reddened eyes.

 

Her mind went blank, and she didn’t even notice that someone next to her was calmly cleaning up.

 

Only when the cold wind from the wide-open window touched her cheek did Jeong Hyeon-hye come to her senses.

 

“Feeling a bit better now?”

 

“…”

 

“Since you threw up, it should be better than before. Drink this. It’s not plum juice, it’s Pocari. You’re breaking out in cold sweat, so even if you don’t want to, you have to drink this.”

 

The hand brushing her cold, sweat-dampened forehead was soft and warm.

 

Jeong Hyeon-hye stared blankly at that hand.

 

Long and slender bones.

 

Delicately shaped knuckles.

 

Though still immature, you could tell at a glance that it would grow into a very beautiful hand. The fingertips, white and fine as white jade, even had a peachy glow that made them look fresh.

 

Jeong Hyeon-hye could easily recall from memory how this hand had playfully touched the teacher’s piano at ballet academy.

 

It was a clean and beautiful hand.

 

Fitting for Seosing-a.

 

“Don’t cry. This isn’t such a big deal. It can happen.”

 

“….”

 

“If you get carsick, throwing up is a natural bodily function. Don’t make a big deal out of it. You’re smart, class president. Why are you acting like this?”

 

“….”

 

“Oh, are you embarrassed? Geez. Unlike certain people, I’m nice, so I don’t spread malicious rumors about stuff like this, you know?”

 

Seosing-a kept chattering without stopping.

 

But Jeong Hyeon-hye’s tears wouldn’t stop.

 

She couldn’t even tell why she was crying anymore.

 

Was it because of this messed-up family consisting of a heartless father, hypocritical mother, and distant siblings, or because of the winding, nauseating Daegwallyeong Pass on the Yeongdong Expressway?

 

Or maybe….

 

Was it jealousy toward this kind-hearted tenderness that didn’t utter a single curse word despite having her clothes completely ruined, wiping her hands and tears, and lending her shoulder for support?

 

Jeong Hyeon-hye swallowed the Pocari that Seosing-a fed her along with her tears.

 

It was salty. Salty enough to never forget for the rest of her life.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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