My Brother's Friend Wasn't a Guy - Chapter 24

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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24.

Absurdly, Cha Ji-hun wanted to pin Lee Jin down and demand answers. What had he been to her? If this was going to happen anyway, why give him false hope? Why let him believe there was a chance?
‘I suppose I’ve already gone too far.’
A resolve born not of resentment but of something far colder filled his mind.
Low, vulgar imaginings—the kind that might crawl out of some third-rate pornography—bloomed endlessly in his thoughts. Rage came flooding in so violently the world went white.
And that expression on her face—as though she knew exactly what he was thinking. That man’s arrogant smile, the way he looked at her, lit a fire in Cha Ji-hun’s chest.
He was about to burst out with something, anything, when his Club juniors exchanged nervous glances and wheeled out the cake.
“Well, at least there’s something prepared.”
“Right, exactly. What’s a birthday party, really? Just blow out the candles and you’re done.”
They were bustling about, trying to shake off the discomfort of having interrupted her date.
In seconds, the birthday table was set and the candles lit.
Cha Ji-hun exhaled a long, shuddering breath and barely managed to compose himself.
In the old days, whenever the Club gathered like this, they’d belt out songs—school anthem parodies—until their throats burned raw.
Then the drinking and singing would naturally flow into the night. A birthday party was the perfect excuse to get legally drunk.
But that wasn’t possible now.
Not with that man standing there in an impossibly tailored suit that looked like it had walked straight out of a magazine spread, wearing that arrogant smile.
If he looked down on him with pity, Cha Ji-hun thought he might actually die.
“Hey, what song should we sing? Not the one from before—that doesn’t feel right.”
“No, absolutely not that one.”
“So what, then?”
A few of them murmured to one another, and they arrived at a conclusion: the birthday song. That melody everyone from childhood to old age knew by heart.
They exchanged awkward glances, and then began to sing in unison: “Happy birthday to you…”
Lee Jin, finding her Club members oddly stilted, laughed awkwardly, unsure how else to react.
But there was a certain magic to it—an unwritten National Rule that the birthday song always ended in applause and cheers.
As the applause washed over her, Lee Jin blew out the candles. Suddenly embarrassed, her face flushed warm.
“Thank you all so much for celebrating with me. I’ll treat everyone next time.”
As she thanked them, everyone’s eyes darted away from Kang Hyun, rolling nervously.
“Oh right, the presents—I almost forgot.”
Someone fumbled out a gift. Among the Club members, it was tradition: whenever someone had a birthday, they’d pool their dues to buy a gift.
But as they handed it over, they kept glancing at Cha Ji-hun. On Lee Jin’s birthday, he always prepared something separate from what the Club gave—his own gift.
Of course, he was careful to keep it modest, nothing that would make her uncomfortable.
But that gift was more than just a gesture—it was an unspoken declaration, a mark that said: she’s taken, don’t get ideas.
So even if the other guys had their eyes on Lee Jin, they wouldn’t dare make it obvious. And that gift made Cha Ji-hun seem like the considerate senior—a good guy.
As a result, he’d become the one person who could stay closest to her for the longest.
The way the others glanced at Ji-hun carried that weight. What would the senior bring this year?
What Cha Ji-hun had prepared this time was nothing like his university days—this was no light, casual gift. He’d deliberately chosen something that would burden her.
Of course, he hadn’t planned for Kang Hyun to be standing right there when he gave it.
But Cha Ji-hun was too far gone, too raw, to think about it rationally.
‘Maybe it’s better this way. I want him to know too.’
If the two of them fought over this, that would be better than anything. With his thoughts settled, Cha Ji-hun pulled out the gift he’d prepared.
“Here, this is my gift.”
The moment the Club members saw it, they let out gasps of admiration. And with good reason—Cha Ji-hun’s gift was famous for being expensive: perfume.
“Senior, this is too much…”
Lee Jin looked troubled, hesitating to accept it.
“You’ve been through a lot lately. I thought you could use a lift. Don’t make a big deal out of it—just take it.”
As if telling someone not to worry would actually make the worry vanish.
When Lee Jin still wouldn’t readily accept, Kim Eun-byul—the one who always stepped in at moments like these—quickly snatched the gift from Cha Ji-hun’s hands and pressed it into Lee Jin’s.
“Take it. Show some appreciation for his effort.”
Kim Eun-byul was a pragmatist. Why refuse a gift when someone had bothered to give one? That was her philosophy, so she often found herself stepping in where Lee Jin—frustratingly scrupulous about boundaries—would hesitate.
Having placed Cha Ji-hun’s gift in Lee Jin’s hands, Kim Eun-byul turned to Kang Hyun with eyes full of curiosity. She couldn’t help herself and asked:
“Um… you prepared a gift too, didn’t you?”
She wanted to know what Kang Hyun had brought. A man so polished, so perfect—what could he possibly have chosen?
If it turned out to be worse than Cha Ji-hun’s gift, that’d be gold—something to tease him about forever. And if it was better, well, then she could congratulate him on showing his true feelings.
Kang Hyun, reading the intent behind the question, smiled with cryptic amusement.
Even watching Cha Ji-hun present that expensive perfume, his easy smile never wavered.
“Well, since we’re having a birthday party, I should give a gift too. I had planned a surprise, actually.”
With that—tactfully implying ‘but you lot ruined that plan for me’—Kang Hyun excused himself to fetch his gift from the car.
Once he left, the female classmates erupted with curiosity.
“Did you know him before?”
“How long have you two been dating?”
“What does he do?”
Lee Jin, overwhelmed by their insistence, stammered out answers: an older friend she’d known for years, dating for about a month now, works in architecture. As she spoke, Kang Hyun returned.
“Whoa, what is that?”
The first thing to catch their eyes was the flower basket. But this wasn’t an ordinary-sized arrangement—it was enormous, likely the largest size any florist could prepare.
As he stepped into the workshop, the fragrance of flowers swept through the space.
“Um, what about that?”
At someone else’s exclamation, all eyes shifted from the basket to what Kang Hyun held in his other hand.
The moment the women glimpsed the luxury brand logo, their eyes lit up with unmistakable gleam.
“Happy birthday.”
Kang Hyun offered his congratulations in a honeyed voice, presenting the gift to Lee Jin.
“Thank you. When did you even prepare this?”
Lee Jin accepted the gift with a bewildered expression.
“Come on, let’s see what it is. Okay?”
Her female classmates urged her on eagerly. The moment she opened the package, excited voices erupted.
“Didn’t they say only ten of these Limited Edition items came to the country?!”
“The color is absolutely gorgeous!”
As the women’s voices grew louder, the faces of the men nearby darkened visibly. Cha Ji-hun in particular trembled under the weight of profound defeat.
“If there are too many people, we’ll just be in the way. Let’s head out.”
One of them, reading the mood, hurriedly gathered their things. He practically herded the chattering women out of the workshop.
“Thanks everyone for coming today. Safe travels.”
“Yeah, see you next time.”
“Lucky girl.”
After seeing off her club members, Lee Jin stepped back inside. Her mind felt emptied, as if the tide had suddenly rushed out.
The traces left behind by the club members lay scattered across the table—evidence that all of this was real, not a dream.
“Sorry about that. Things got pretty hectic, didn’t they?”
Hearing her apology, Kang Hyun tilted his lips upward in a wry smile.
“What do you have to apologize for? You didn’t even know I was coming.”
“Still.”
He said nothing further and helped her tidy up the mess. When they finished, only the gifts remained on the table.
Kang Hyun picked up the perfume, and he could sense Cha Ji-hun’s questionable intentions all too clearly.
‘Perfume for someone else’s girlfriend…’
His expression twisted unbidden. How was he supposed to dispose of this? He had no right to throw away someone else’s gift.
“Perfume is hard to use if the scent doesn’t match. Is this one you normally wear?”
“No, I don’t usually wear perfume.”
Lee Jin shook her head.
Kang Hyun smiled. He knew better than anyone that she didn’t wear perfume—he’d asked the question knowing exactly what her answer would be.
The purpose of the perfume crystallized in Kang Hyun’s mind. The sewer stench had been unbearable lately; it would be perfect for neutralizing that.
Though he’d phrased it with mocking irony—neutralize, purify, and so on—the meaning was clear: he intended to pour this outrageously expensive perfume straight down the drain.
Kang Hyun concealed such thoughts as he spoke.

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