My Brother's Friend Wasn't a Guy - Chapter 44

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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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44.

What he meant was simple: don’t do anything crazy.
“We’ll see.”
Kang Hyeon answered flatly. Which was his way of saying he’d do something crazy if the situation called for it.
Everyone’s skin crawled, and they stared at Kang Hyeon in stunned silence until Grandfather Moon Hui-chan appeared. That ended the conversation between the brothers.
After the meal, Kang Hyeon sat at a table in the garden and had tea with Moon Hui-chan.
Moon Hui-chan sensed something was amiss, troubled by the unusually tense atmosphere in the house, and asked about it.
“Is something the matter?”
“Something’s always the matter.”
At this evasive answer, Moon Hui-chan’s eyes narrowed.
“This brat is teasing his grandfather.”
“I apologize—not teasing, really. It’s just that ‘something the matter’ depends entirely on whose perspective you’re looking from. The story changes completely.”
“Then this grandfather is most curious about that decent woman’s position.”
Kang Hyeon flinched—he hadn’t expected Moon Hui-chan to bring up Lee Jin first.
And of all times, it had to be now, when she was suffering most. He’d have to speak on her behalf.
“You really are skilled, Grandfather.”
You know exactly how to ask the one question I least want to answer. Kang Hyeon exhaled a long sigh.
“What, haven’t you won that woman’s heart yet?”
“That’s what I’m saying. Her standards are impossibly high—even this face doesn’t make it easy.”
Kang Hyeon spoke with feigned cheer, and Moon Hui-chan burst out laughing.
“I haven’t even seen her, and already I like her. A steadfast heart that isn’t swayed by appearance—that’s rare indeed.”
When Moon Hui-chan defended Lee Jin, Kang Hyeon’s smile turned bitter.
He was glad she’d won his grandfather’s approval, yet nothing had gone according to his plan, and it gnawed at him.
“So when will you present that woman to me?”
At his grandfather’s urging, Kang Hyeon heaved a deep sigh and produced an envelope he’d prepared, holding it out.
“Meet her next time. But take this first.”
“What is this?”
When Moon Hui-chan opened the envelope, he found documents concerning the transfer of ownership of Cheong-juk-je.
“I’m transferring it to you a bit sooner than planned.”
“Hmm, I’m grateful, but is it right to hand it over so quickly?”
Now, whenever Kang Hyeon saw Cheong-juk-je, the memories he’d shared there with Lee Jin caused him pain.
He’d decided it was better to transfer it to his grandfather ahead of schedule than to leave the house empty.
“Yes, it’s fine. The ceramics we’ve displayed there are her handiwork, so keep that in mind.”
“Hah…”
Moon Hui-chan, watching his usually confident grandson appear somehow worn out, could only let out a hollow laugh.
If he’d known that his grandson had been tempted into harboring other thoughts after hearing Lee Jin praise Cheong-juk-je, he might not have felt such pity—but in his ignorance, Moon Hui-chan simply found his grandson pitiful.
“If there’s anything your grandfather can help with, just say so.”
At that, Kang Hyeon’s eyes suddenly lit up, as if he’d recovered his energy.
“If you say that, I won’t refuse. Actually, I do have a favor to ask.”
Seeing his grandson’s expression, Moon Hui-chan finally understood. Kang Hyeon had deliberately worn that defeated face to draw out the offer of help.
And when Moon Hui-chan heard what Kang Hyeon was asking, his eyebrows shot up sharply. The request was quite remarkable.
“You’re not going to take back what you said about helping, are you?”
Moon Hui-chan couldn’t bring himself to refuse for the sake of dignity, and he groaned instead.
Helping his grandson would damage his dignity just as much anyway, so it felt like a losing proposition either way.
In the end, Moon Hui-chan answered by glaring at his troublesome grandson.

***

When Lee Jin returned from the Workshop late that evening, her eyes widened at the sharp, spicy aroma filling the house.
“Welcome home. You’ve worked hard. Come sit.”
Go Myeong-suk greeted her daughter’s arrival with a wave.
“Mom, what is all this?”
Surprised, Lee Jin approached and saw a hot pot bubbling on the table. It was Nakgopsal topped with a special sauce—one of Go Myeong-suk’s signature dishes.
“What’s the occasion?”
Lee Jin washed her hands in the kitchen and hurried to the table.
Several bottles of Soju sat beside the table, making clear this wasn’t just a simple late-night snack.
“No special occasion. I just thought you might want a drink tonight.”
Go Myeong-suk spoke in an offhand tone, but Lee Jin could see through it—she cared deeply about her daughter’s heartbreak.
Mother and daughter filled each other’s glasses without uttering a single word about Kang Hyeon.
“I’ve decided to start training as a Long-term Care Worker next week. I’m going to get certified.”
“Mom…….”
Lee Jin set down her chopsticks and stared at Go Myeong-suk with startled eyes.
Since Lee Hwan’s death, Go Myeong-suk’s time had stood still. That she would now choose to begin something on her own meant something deeper—that she was determined to overcome the loss of her son.
“I think I’ve been too caught up in my own grief. For your sake, I should have been stronger as your mother. I failed you worse than you failed yourself.”
The day Lee Jin wept quietly, Go Myeong-suk’s eyes snapped open. The thought that she might lose her daughter too jolted her back to her senses.
Years ago, she’d been so absorbed in supporting her son that nothing else registered. Her daughter, always so capable, always managed on her own—and so fell to the back of her mind.
Even after saying goodbye to her son, grief had consumed her so completely that she’d never thought to care for her daughter.
If something happened to Lee Jin too, what would be the point of living? So the moment clarity returned, she knew she had to do something—anything.
She’d raised two children alone before, and in those years, she’d taken whatever work came her way.
This time, she was wondering whether to find some restaurant and wash dishes, when Jin Ae-ran’s face came to mind—that composed, confident face.
Thinking of her daughter’s future, she realized she couldn’t just drift into restaurant work. She needed to learn something, to build something real.
It was with the thought that she must not become a stumbling block in her daughter’s path that she resolved to earn her Long-term Care Worker certification.
“Mom, that’s amazing. You’re incredible.”
Lee Jin wiped her stinging nose as she spoke.
A sudden thought struck her: misfortune and happiness were like two sides of the same coin. Now that Kang Hyeon, who had sustained her, was gone, wasn’t her mother becoming her anchor instead?
When she’d left him, she thought she would die. But people always find a way to keep living. Today, Lee Jin felt that truth so keenly that she found herself alone, brimming with gratitude.
“I won’t give up either, Mom. I’ll work hard too. So don’t torment yourself—just shake it all off.”
“Yeah, let’s stay strong together.”
Mother and daughter lingered over their drinks late into the evening, finally sharing the things they’d left unsaid all this time.

***

Not long after, Lee Jin attended a Club meeting. Today’s gathering was meant to encourage those preparing for the Competition.
Most such meetings were dominated by food and drink, so they’d gathered at a Meat Restaurant. The mix of seniors and juniors made the place boisterous.
“I thought you were gonna skip the Competition since you’ve been so scarce!”
Kim Eun-byeol’s voice was loud, flushed with alcohol.
“Why? Were you secretly hoping I wouldn’t participate?”
Lee Jin laughed and asked, prompting Kim Eun-byeol to shake her head vigorously.
“No way! When am I ever gonna get to compete in something with Lee Jin again?”
One of the seniors noticed Kim Eun-byeol’s tongue beginning to tangle and pushed her glass away.
“Hey, stop drinking.”
The forceful tone drew cheers from the crowd.
“Ooh, are you two a thing?”
“Are you two dating?”
Both of them spoke up at once.
“What kind of bullshit is that?”
“We’re just heading the same direction, so I’m giving her a ride.”
The senior’s eyebrow twitched at being dismissed as “bullshit” by Kim Eun-byeol. Those who saw it burst out laughing.
“Come on, you two look perfect together. Why don’t you give it a try?”
“Date her! Date her!”
The thoroughly drunk crowd descended like vultures once they’d spotted an opening. Soon the restaurant filled with chanting—”Date her! Date her!”—like a round song, punctuated by applause.
“Shut up! Close your mouths! Do you all want to get kicked out?”
Kim Eun-byeol growled, but nobody paid her any mind—they were too busy giggling. Meanwhile, the senior being discussed said nothing. To anyone watching, it was obvious where his heart lay.
The proverb was right: a Buddhist monk can’t shave his own head. Kim Eun-byeol, sharp enough to pick up on others’ romantic signals, was hopelessly blind to her own.
Lee Jin was about to sigh when her eyes met another pair of eyes staring directly at her.
It was Cha Ji-hoon. This was the first time seeing him since he’d confessed his feelings to her, and the awkwardness was palpable.
Lee Jin looked away. But his gaze was persistent, refusing to leave her face.
She tried to appear oblivious, picking at the snacks in front of her, when Cha Ji-hoon rose from his seat and came to stand beside her.
“Let’s talk for a moment.”
She’d received a confession; she owed him some kind of answer.
Lee Jin wasn’t eager, but she swallowed her sigh and stood.

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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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