Chapter 65: The Assailant

 

“Don’t be sorry. And don’t force yourself to be so strong.”

 

With just one sentence from Eun-ha, my heart sank with a heavy thud.

 

A part of my heart began to ache incessantly.

 

It was probably just a word of comfort for not being able to achieve the target...

 

Just that, and yet, my heart was in constant turmoil.

 

At the same time, it was hard to suppress the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside.

 

I bit my teeth hard, trying to endure, but it wasn’t easy.

 

I struggled to escape the words Eun-ha had spoken, but the more I tried, the deeper I seemed to be drawn in.

 

I knew my current emotions were utterly unexpected.

 

But it felt like I’d longed to hear these words from someone for a very long time.

 

“You worked hard. Let’s take a break.”

 

Eun-ha snuggled into my embrace and said.

 

I hugged her tighter, wanting to feel more of Eun-ha’s warmth.

 

“Thank you for saying that.”

 

“Han-gyeol seems a bit tired, should I carry you home?”

 

“How could Eun-ha carry me? It’s not okay, you’ll get hurt.”

 

“Ah- you never know until you try. I’ll carry you!”

 

Eun-ha stepped out of my arms and swung her bag to the front.

 

Then, showing me her small back, she told me to get on.

 

“Han-gyeol, hop on.”

 

“It seems like you will collapse immediately.”

 

“Don’t worry. I’ve gotten stronger lately.”

 

Eun-ha was so confident that I cautiously wrapped my arms around her neck.

 

Due to the height difference, she couldn’t fully carry me, but Eun-ha struggled forward, grunting.

 

I was dragged along but we collapsed without even making it a meter.

 

“Ugh- it’s indeed too much.”

 

“I told you so.”

 

“Ah- I wish I could carry Han-gyeol around like this too. Should I start doing strength training?”

 

“Why go to such lengths.”

 

At my words, Eun-ha adjusted her bag again and said to me.

 

“But still, I want to be able to give Han-gyeol a ride on my bicycle when he’s tired, or carry him like this.”

 

“Huh? Just hugging me like now is enough. That’s plenty of strength for me.”

 

“Still, I want to do for Han-gyeol what he does for me.”

 

“Really? Then don’t carry me, just do something else.”

 

“Just say it. I’ll even pluck the stars from the sky for you!”

 

I couldn’t help but laugh at Eun-ha’s spirited behavior.

 

“Let’s go out and have fun, considering we’ve been buried in studies lately.”

 

“Where do you want to go? The movies? Karaoke? A PC room?”

 

“I want to hang out at Eun-ha’s place, eating delicious food till late.”

 

“Really? What do you want to eat? Chicken? Pizza? Pork? Bossam? Spicy pork? Tonkatsu?”

 

“Hmm- I want both chicken and pizza.”

 

“Okay. Let’s have a party today since the June mock exams are over. Party.”

 

Eun-ha was trying her best to lighten my mood.

 

Normally, I would have said it was okay, but today, I decided to just go with it.

 

“Right. Let’s party today.”

 

“Let’s go quickly, not to waste time. We’ll order food when we get home.”

 

Eun-ha and I headed straight for her house.

 

As we got on the elevator, I suddenly wondered if someone was at home.

 

“But is anyone at your place?”

 

“My brother might be. He hasn’t been going out lately.”

 

“I see. We can order various foods and share.”

 

“Yeah, let’s do that. But we’re claiming the chicken legs.”

 

We got off the elevator and pressed the door lock code.

 

When we opened the door and entered, there were no shoes to be seen.

 

“What? Looks like he’s out, seeing there are no shoes.”

 

“Just change clothes and then call to check.”

 

“Yeah, yeah. Han-gyeol, your clothes are in my brother’s room, right? Change and come out.”

 

“Okay. Eun-ha, no peeking~”

 

“Who, who’s peeking-!”

 

“Just kidding~”

 

I teased Eun-ha and headed towards Eunwoo Hyung’s room.

 

The moment I opened the door and stepped in, something startled me.

 

“Wow!”

 

When someone suddenly screamed, my first thought amidst the shock was to protect Eun-ha.

 

Overcoming the stiffness that gripped my body, I immediately grabbed the unidentified assailant by the chest.

 

I placed my foot in front of the assailant’s and used my right foot as a pivot to rotate my left foot.

 

As I pulled the assailant’s arm, their feet lifted off the ground.

 

“Uh-?”

 

The assailant uttered briefly, suspended in mid-air.

 

Then with a loud bang, I threw them onto the floor.

 

The noise must have been loud, as Eun-ha quickly burst out of the room.

 

“Han-gyeol-! What was that noise?!”

 

“Eun-ha! Call the police...! The police...!”

 

“Ugh...”

 

Despite feeling scared and anxious, I held onto the assailant’s arm tightly.

 

“Dad! What are you doing over there?!”

 

“Where?! Where is your father-?!”

 

I couldn’t comprehend the situation and looked around.

 

But other than me, Eun-ha, and the assailant, there was no one else.

 

“Han-gyeol...! That, that man is my dad-!”

 

“Excuse me?!”

 

Oh no. This is bad.

 

“Is that your father...?”

 

“Could you, could you let go of him first...?”

 

***

 

Eun-ha was applying a plaster to her father’s back as he lay on the sofa.

 

“Ow! What the! Dad, why were you scaring Han-gyeol like that?!”

 

“I was just curious to see how strong your boyfriend’s heart is. Didn’t expect him to be this strong.”

 

“I’m so sorry-! I didn’t realize and...! Are you hurt badly?”

 

I apologized sincerely from the center of the living room, bowing deeply.

 

“Your name is Han-gyeol, right? Do you know what my dream was when I was young?”

 

“No. What was your childhood dream...?”

 

“You see, ever since I was young, I used to look up at the sky whenever things got tough.”

 

“Yes, yes.”

 

“Looking at the vast sky, it felt like my mind was clearing up. It was comforting.”

 

“I see.”

 

“So, as a child, I dreamed of being a pilot, soaring in the sky. But my parents insisted that a pilot was out of the question and sent me to engineering. Nevertheless, I always kept the unfulfilled dream of being a pilot hidden in a corner of my heart.”

 

Suddenly, what is he talking about?

 

“Thanks to Han-gyeol, I finally fulfilled that dream today. Even if it was just for a moment, I flew.”

 

“I’m so sorryyy!”

 

It was a buildup.

 

“Don’t say things that would trouble Han-gyeol! Don’t mind it, Han-gyeol. My dad’s childhood dream changes every day.”

 

“But still, I’m worried if you’re seriously hurt.”

 

“Hahahaha! It’s okay! It’s okay! I’m actually happy that my daughter’s boyfriend is a strong man! Isn’t this what young people these days call a huge win?”

 

“Huge win, what? I’m dying here-! How did you know we were coming and why were you hiding there?!”

 

“I casually asked my son about the return time~ But you came later than I thought? Emptied the shoe rack and waited.”

 

“Dad. Why go to such lengths?”

 

“Just for fun~”

 

He had the same personality as Eunwoo Hyung...

 

“I’m still sorry, though.”

 

“Don’t be. If anyone should apologize, it’s me. Sorry for the mischievous prank. So, how is it dating my daughter?”

 

“Ah, it’s incredibly happy! I receive a lot of help from Eun-ha. We spend every day laughing.”

 

“Oh~ My daughter is that good?”

 

“Yes. She’s very kind and gentle.”

 

“Eh? We don’t have such a person at home- Aaack! Daughter! Dad is hurting!”

 

Eun-ha pinched her father’s waist.

 

“Just say nice things...”

 

“I see you were right. My daughter is kind and gentle. Although she mercilessly pinches her father’s waist.”

 

“Yes. I’m learning a lot while dating her.”

 

“That’s good to hear. Ah, you haven’t eaten dinner, right? Buy something with this.”

 

Eun-ha’s father laboriously took out a card from his trouser pocket.

 

“We’ll gratefully have it.”

 

“But when did you come, Dad?”

 

“Came this afternoon. I’ll be here for a few days.”

 

“Is the project you were working on finished?”

 

“Well, it’s finished for now.”

 

I was simply listening to the father-daughter conversation.

 

Eun-ha kindly explained for my benefit.

 

“Ah, my dad’s a developer.”

 

“How about it? Want to work under me, my daughter’s boyfriend? I’ll treat you well.”

 

“Thank you for the offer, but programming doesn’t seem to be my calling.”

 

“Is that so? That’s a pity. Well, spending all day with your father-in-law can be a bit much, right?! Hahaha! But it’s the son-in-law who should feel uncomfortable, not me, right?”

 

“You’re getting ahead of yourself...! We haven’t even been dating for a year. We’re still students.”

 

“So what? Love either ends in marriage or break-up. If you’re going to do it, better do it early.”

 

The tension was so high, it wasn’t easy to keep up.

 

But then, Eun-ha looked at me with a slightly expectant look.

 

Should I respond? What if she thought I was presumptuous?

 

“If you give your permission... I’d like to.”

 

“Wow, straightforward, I like that. How many kids are you thinking?”

 

That far?

 

Even Eun-ha seemed to think this question was a bit too soon.

 

She pressed her father’s waist with her finger.

 

“What are you talking about?!”

 

“Ouch! Daughter. You’ll break your dad’s back.”

 

“Don’t say things like that to Han-gyeol. Children...! We’re still high school students.”

 

“Just asking, that’s all.”

 

Her father chuckled.

 

Still, if Eun-ha and I were to marry soon...

 

“How about one daughter and one son?”

 

At my remark, Eun-ha and her father just looked at me silently.

 

Maybe that was too much. But then her father burst into laughter.

 

“Hahahaha! Yes! Have a daughter and a son! Will the first be a girl?”

 

“What are you saying, Han-gyeol?!”

 

Eun-ha’s exasperated reaction echoed alongside her father’s laughter.

--- The End OF The Chapter ---

 

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