Bring It On! - Chapter 93

Chapter 93.

I received the crumpled bills from Suho’s little blue coin purse with both hands. What an embarrassment. I felt so ashamed. 

But just before paying, I luckily found my own wallet, which I had shoved into my coat and forgotten to take out. Suho’s allowance money could safely return to its rightful owner.

After sending Suho off, I didn’t even have time to stop by home. I got straight on the bus. Cha Yoon must have gone back already. I wanted to at least contact him, but without my phone it was hopeless. 

I really shouldn’t have let him into the house in the first place. I always regret it afterward and swear to myself I won’t do it again, but when the moment comes, somehow, I find myself letting Cha Yoon back in.

“Phew.”

The memory of nearly being caught by Suho, tangled up in Cha Yoon’s arms, made cold sweat prickle at my skin. Thank goodness I had locked the door the night before. If not…

Leaning my head against the window, I felt the bus rattle and shake. After such a stormy morning, a wave of exhaustion washed over me. The day had barely begun, and yet I already wondered how I’d endure the hours ahead. My body felt heavy and drained.

***

After finishing my morning classes and a short lunch break, afternoon group sessions began right away. Having spent the last five months cut off from civilization, I wasn’t sure if I could handle it. 

But with Suho’s hospital bills and our immediate living expenses pressing on me, hesitation wasn’t an option. With the mindset of “I’ll take whatever work comes my way,” I accepted the job. 

Thankfully, the lessons were for middle schoolers, so the preparation wasn’t too difficult. The hard part was facing people, which still felt a little awkward and uncomfortable.

Still, being kept so busy, almost chased by the clock, I adjusted to working life without even realizing it.

Only after two rounds of back-to-back classes did I finally regain my freedom. My body felt utterly worn out as I shuffled to the lobby and poured myself a cup of hot water from the dispenser.

“Teacher!”

Before I could even take a sip, the front desk staff called out to me. Still holding the cup, I turned around.

“Yes?”

“You got a phone call.”

“From where?”

“Hanbit Academy. Isn’t that where your younger brother goes?”

At the mention of Suho, my nerves immediately went taut. Setting the cup down, I borrowed the phone at the desk. As the dial tone rang, anxious thoughts raced through my head. 

It was the first time the academy had called me directly. Normally, any notices for parents came by text message, or Suho would bring home flyers.

For them to call me at work, it had to be something urgent. I prayed it wasn’t serious, but in my mind’s eye I saw Suho collapsing in class, being rushed to the hospital. 

No, the test results said nothing was wrong. He’ll be fine. He’ll be fine. I tried to calm myself, but my heart thudded with uncontrollable fear.

“Hello? I’m Lee Suho’s sister.”

As soon as the call connected, I blurted it out in a rush. But what I heard from the academy was completely unexpected. Suho had gotten into a fight with his friends. My eyes nearly popped out of my head. 

Not just an argument, a physical fight? Only a week ago he was close enough with those same friends to hang out at their homes.

I had a private tutoring session scheduled that evening, and a café shift after that, but nothing mattered anymore. I rushed out of work and flagged a taxi. 

The academy said they had already called the parents of the other boys. By now, every parent but me would already be there. The thought of Suho sitting alone among a crowd of adults made guilt and suffocating pressure tighten in my chest. I bit down on my lip.

‘If only I had remembered to bring my phone.’

The roads, usually so empty, were jammed with cars today. I arrived a full thirty minutes later than I’d hoped. As soon as I got out of the taxi, I ran straight to the first-floor counseling office.

“Suho!”

I flung open the door without even knocking, gasping for breath. But the scene before me was nothing like what I had imagined.

“Noona!”

Suho beamed and raised a hand high in greeting. I had pictured him sitting stiffly under the judgmental gazes of other parents, but instead….

“Hey.”

Cha Yoon was there. He glanced at me and greeted me casually, as if nothing were strange. Why are you here…? I froze, speechless.

The atmosphere was anything but tense. It felt more like a fan meet-and-greet than a disciplinary meeting. The other kids were happily licking ice creams, while the parents crowded around Cha Yoon, chatting and laughing.

“You must hear this all the time, but you look just like that chaebol heir, Cha Yoon, don’t you?”

“I’m better looking than him.”

“Right? He looks kind of mean, anyway. But seriously. Aren’t you an actor? You look so familiar.”

“I just stay home, supporting my wife. Cooking, cleaning, doing the dishes.”

With a sly, uncharacteristically smooth tone, Cha Yoon kept the conversation flowing. How he could lie so brazenly, face never changing, was beyond me. 

To insult himself while pretending to be someone else, to act like a househusband when he’d never lifted a finger around the house….It was absurd.

I stood there, stunned, unable to process what was happening. Suho, who had always clung to me like a shadow, was glued to Cha Yoon’s side, hardly sparing me a glance since I’d arrived.

Pressing my hand against my mouth, I struggled to speak.

“Uh… how… what is going on?”

The teacher guided me to a seat and explained.

“It seems the boys really wanted to play soccer with Suho. Since Suho isn’t supposed to play strenuous sports, he refused, and the other kids misunderstood, thinking he didn’t want to play with them.”

That misunderstanding had escalated from an argument into a scuffle. Suho wasn’t hurt, and one of the other boys only had a minor scratch on his arm.

“Haah… I’m so sorry about this.”

I wiped the cold sweat off my forehead as I spoke, but the teacher quietly shook her head.

“Your boyfriend helped calm things down.”

“M-my boyfriend….”

There was no way the parent, already hypersensitive about her child’s injury, could have really heard the teacher’s explanation. She had been raising her voice at the height of her emotions, but when Cha Yoon appeared, the atmosphere shifted completely. She even scolded her own child on the spot.

I watched the situation unfold in a daze. How…? Compared to what I feared, everything had been resolved far too easily.

Still dumbfounded, I listened to the teacher’s token reminders and then left the academy. Looking at Suho and Cha Yoon walking side by side in front of me, I let out a hollow breath.

“Lee Suho.”

When I called out, Suho finally turned to look at me, though his hand still clung tightly to Cha Yoon’s sleeve. I frowned slightly and jerked my chin for him to come over. Reluctantly, Suho walked to me.

“You didn’t get hurt anywhere?”

“No. But, Noona… I think Hyung can come see me all the time now.”

Suho whispered excitedly. The more delighted his face looked, the heavier my heart felt. What on earth was Cha Yoon thinking? Before I could stop him, Suho had already run back to him.

Even though Cha Yoon knew Suho was mistaking him for Jay, he said nothing. He even played along with the boy’s silly chatter as if it were natural. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I must have squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again several times.

Still in a daze, I found myself already standing in front of my house. Just as Cha Yoon was about to step inside as if it were natural, I quickly grabbed him. Pulled back by his shirt, he turned with a brazen, “What?”

“What? You’re asking ‘what’ right now?”

“Why not? What else am I supposed to say?”

“I don’t know what this is, but stop it. Don’t stir up Suho when you’re not going to take responsibility. Just leave.”

“I’m hungry.”

“……”

“I haven’t had a single meal today.”

There wasn’t a shred of seriousness in his tone. Watching him speak so carelessly, I felt my insides twist.

“Suho, go wash your hands and change your clothes first.”

Suho nodded obediently. Just before stepping inside, he waved brightly. 

“Hyung, come quick!”

After Suho went in, I whispered at Cha Yoon, almost accusingly.

“How did you even know where the academy was?”

He casually pulled my phone from his back pocket and waved it. I snatched it from him instantly.

“It sounded urgent.”

“Who asked you to play guardian in my place?”

“That’s cold. And who do you think smoothed things over so nothing serious happened?”

I had no comeback for that. At least for today, it was a relief that he’d arrived at the academy in time. I couldn’t imagine how distressed Suho would have been if he’d been left to cry alone among all those cold adults. 

But in the long run, Cha Yoon’s sudden appearance was the last thing I wanted. Just like when he’d barged into our house, he was bound to disappear again once his whim ran dry.

For me, he could be cursed at and forgotten. But not Suho. I was already aching at the thought that Suho might believe Jay had abandoned him. That was why I’d been so careful to keep them from crossing paths.

“Haa…”

I sighed and dropped my gaze, only for his large, muscular frame to bend closer. He tilted his head down further than mine, peering into my face. His soft black hair brushed his forehead as it shifted slightly to the side.

“Are you crying?”

“I want to. Really.”

“Don’t cry over a bastard like me.”

His big hand cupped my cheeks. Lifting my face, his jaded expression came into view. He twitched one eyebrow, then pressed my cheeks tighter. My lips puckered from the pressure. I grimaced and slapped his hand away.

“Cut it out. Go home.”

“Fine, fine. If you say so, I’ll go.”

I’d expected him to dig his heels in, but surprisingly, he backed off right away. I thought we’d argue much longer, well, lucky me. Now I just had to figure out what to say to Suho once Cha Yoon left….

“Hey kiddo, I’m heading out!”

His sudden loud shout made my eyes nearly pop out. Of course, I heard rapid footsteps, and then Suho came dashing out like a bullet, throwing his arms tight around Cha Yoon’s waist.

“What? Why? Why are you leaving?! Why?!”

I stared at Cha Yoon in shock. Why on earth would he announce it instead of slipping out quietly? He gave me a mock-helpless look, as if to say there was nothing he could do.

“Your Noona told me to go.”

“But aren’t you living with us now? No! Don’t go!”

“Right? You don’t want me to leave either?”

“Yeah! Don’t listen to Noona!”

All I could do was let out breath after breath in disbelief. Suho, worried, glanced back at me again and again before tugging Cha Yoon’s arm and dragging him back into the house. With his eyes crinkled like a man reluctantly being pulled along, Cha Yoon followed faithfully.

Bang! The door slammed shut in my face like a barrier. I squeezed my eyes shut. What on earth was happening? My head spun.