The front door swung open much later than usual, the evening air following Jae-Hyun into the small restaurant below their home. His mother looked up from wiping the counter, surprised.
"Why are you so late?" she asked, half worried, half curious.
His sister, Eun-Ji, peeked around from the kitchen doorway, eyes narrowing. "Did you get into trouble?"
Jae-Hyun shook his head, his usual calm face softening into a smile that caught them both off guard. "No. I… made friends today."
The words hung in the air for a moment. His mom blinked as though she hadn't heard right.
"Friends?" his mother repeated, as if testing the word.
"Yes," he replied, already heading upstairs. "Jae-Suk and Tae-ho."
He disappeared upstairs, leaving a silence in his wake. Eun-Ji blinked at their mom. "Did he just say friends?"
Her mother laughed softly. "He did. Guess the world's ending."
Five minutes later, the three of them were gathered around the dinner table, steaming plates of rice and beef bulgogi with kimchi, kkakdugi, gamja jorim and gyeran-mari between them. Eun-ji leaned forward.
"Oppa, Tell us everything." she said. "Who are these guys?"
Jae-Hyun gave her a flat look. "People from my class."
"Wow. Detailed."
Their mother smiled. "Go on, Jae-Hyun. Tell us."
He hesitated a moment, then sighed. "They came up to me during break. Said they noticed I was always alone. We ended up getting tteokbokki after school."
Eun-Ji's eyes widened. "You actually went somewhere? With people?"
He ignored her. "There was this street stall near the bus stop. The ajumma running it wouldn't stop refilling our plates. Said 'growing boys need to eat.'"
His mother chuckled. "Sounds like her."
"Then Jae-Suk said he could handle any spice level," Jae-Hyun continued, a faint grin tugging at his mouth. "Five minutes later he was begging for water. Tae-Ho wouldn't stop laughing. Then he dragged us to karaoke."
Eun-Ji perked up. "Oh no, don't tell me—"
"He sang like a dying blender," Jae-Hyun said.
That did it. His mom laughed so hard she had to cover her mouth. "You should've recorded it."
"Next time, bring them here," she added, shaking her head. "I'll make something better than street food."
Eun-Ji leaned toward her brother with a grin. "Look at you, Mr. Social Life."
He tried not to smile but failed. "Can we just eat?"
The next day at school, as soon as Jae-Hyun stepped into the classroom, Jae-Suk and Tae-Ho swooped in like seagulls spotting food.
"Yah, did you have fun yesterday?" Jae-Suk grinned, leaning casually on Jae-Hyun's desk.
"It was okay," Jae-Hyun replied, slipping his bag off his shoulder.
"Okay? That's it?!" Tae-Ho exclaimed, pretending to clutch his chest. "we delivered deluxe-level good times and gave you the Grand tour of fun, and you call it okay?!"
Jae-Hyun smirked faintly. "Should I have said it was the best day of my life?"
"Yes!" the two chorused in perfect unison, making Jae-Hyun shake his head in amusement.
They chatted for a few more minutes — random things about class gossip, what they planned to eat for lunch, and Tae-Ho's terrible attempt at a joke that earned him a flick on the forehead from Jae-Suk.
Later, during a free period, Jae-Hyun picked up his notebook and started heading out.
"Where are you going?" Tae-Ho called.
"Library," Jae-Hyun said without looking back.
The two exchanged glances and immediately got up. "We're coming too."
In the library, the quiet atmosphere was a relief compared to the chaos of their classroom. Jae-Hyun found his usual corner seat, leaning back in his chair with his arms folded.
Jae-Suk, however, sprawled across his desk like someone who'd been through war. Tae-Ho was already flipping through a thick chemistry workbook, his eyebrows knitted together.
Before long, the sound of rustling pages was joined by sighs. Then whispers. Then groans.
"This part makes no sense," Tae-Ho muttered.
"Tell me about it," Jae-Suk mumbled, tapping his pen on the desk.
They went back and forth, occasionally whispering questions to each other — but to Jae-Hyun, it was all just noise disturbing his peace.
"Both of you are loud," Jae-Hyun said without looking up.
More sighs. More rustling pages. More groans of frustration.
Finally, Jae-Hyun let out a long sigh and sat up. "Fine. I'll help you guys… only if you promise to stop sighing like dying old men."
Their faces lit up instantly.
"Deal!" Tae-Ho beamed.
Jae-Suk grinned. "I knew you couldn't resist our charm."
From then on, study sessions became a thing. Whenever the others had study academy — which happened three times a week — they would part ways after school. But on free days, they'd hit the arcade, sing terribly at karaoke, or grab snacks from street stalls, laughing until their stomachs hurt.
Even lunchtime at school changed. Jae-Hyun, who used to eat alone, now had Jae-Suk and Tae-Ho dragging their trays to his table without asking, filling the air with their chatter.
One Friday afternoon, Jae-Hyun casually said, "Want to come over to my place today?"
They agreed without hesitation. That day marked the beginning of their rotating visits— sometimes to Jae-Hyun's home, sometimes to Jae-Suk's, sometimes to Tae-Ho's.
Over time, their parents got to know each other. Jae-Suk and Tae-Ho's mothers often visited Jae-Hyun's mom, warmly thanking her for helping their sons improve. Even though Jae-Suk had always been at the top of his class, he wasn't topping his study academy — until he started studying with Jae-Hyun.
Despite Jae-Hyun's family's modest means, the others never looked down on them. In fact, the parents welcomed Jae-Hyun like their own son.
Through these visits, Jae-Hyun learned something new — that Jae-Suk's father was skilled in business management, project organization, cybersecurity, and administrative assistance. He didn't hold a high corporate rank, but his expertise was impressive.
One lazy Saturday, at Jae-Suk's house, the boys sprawled across the living room floor, controllers in hand, the TV flashing with neon racetracks and roaring engines. Tae-Ho shouted every time he crashed, Jae-Suk accused everyone of cheating, and Jae-Hyun — who had never played the game before — kept winning every round without even breaking a sweat.
"Alright, this round," Tae-Ho declared, "no mercy."
"When have you ever had mercy?" Jae-Suk shot back.
Jae-Hyun only smiled faintly, settling into the couch. His fingers hovered over the buttons — relaxed, confident. The countdown started: 3, 2, 1—GO!
Tires screeched. Tae-Ho sped ahead recklessly, Jae-Suk tailed close behind, both shouting as they jostled for the lead. But within seconds, Jae-Hyun's car slid smoothly past them — no collisions, no hesitation.
"Yah, how—?!" Tae-Ho gawked at the screen. "You said you've never played this before!"
"I haven't," Jae-Hyun said calmly, eyes still on the track.
"Then how are you—!?"
"Patterns," he replied simply. "Once you understand how the track curves, it's easy."
He crossed the finish line with half a lap's lead.
Jae-Suk tossed his controller onto the couch. "This guy's not human."
"Seriously," Tae-Ho groaned. "You're good at everything. It's annoying."
Jae-Hyun only shrugged, picking up the empty snack bowl. "It's just a game."
"Yeah, and you just destroyed us," Jae-Suk muttered. "At least pretend to struggle next time."
Jae-Hyun smirked as he stood. "Maybe if you both stop crashing into walls."
"Excuse me?" Tae-Ho grabbed a cushion and hurled it at him.
Jae-Hyun caught it effortlessly, tossed it back, and headed for the kitchen.
"Bring ice cream!" Tae-Ho shouted after him.
"Chocolate milk for me!" Jae-Suk added.
Jae-Hyun's voice drifted from the hallway, smooth and amused. "You're both spoiled, get it yourself."
The noise of laughter faded as he reached the kitchen. It was quiet here, sunlight filtering through the blinds. The faint smell of coffee lingered. Jae-Suk's father stood at the counter, rinsing a mug.
He turned as Jae-Hyun entered. "Hey, Jae-Hyun. Need something?"
"Just snacks," he said, opening the fridge.
"Help yourself," the man said. "Those two still yelling at the game?"
"As always."
The man chuckled. "Good. Means they're not breaking anything."
Jae-Hyun smiled faintly, setting a few drinks on the counter. The moment stretched. Jae-Suk's father looked calm, approachable. Maybe it was the easy way he smiled, or the warmth in his tone.
"Sir," Jae-Hyun said suddenly.
"Hmm?"
"Can I… have a private discussion with you?"
Jae-Suk's father paused, towel in hand, eyes softening in curiosity. "Of course," he said, nodding slowly. "What's on your mind?"
- - -
Note;
•Yah— an informal way to get someone's attention, meaning 'hey' in English
•Oppa— a term used by a female to address an older male sibling or older male friend/boyfriend. It conveys familiarity, affection and respect.
•Beef Bulgogi— thinly sliced beef, marinated in a sweet and savory sauce.
•Kimchi— fermented napa cabbage in a thick spicy sauce
•Kkakdugi— cubed radish kimchi
•Gamja jorim— soy-braised potatoes
•Gyeran-mari— Korean rolled omelette