Chapter 23

Chapter 23: I Agree to a Date and Somehow Don't Die of Embarrassment

You know you're living a semi-normal life again when you come home, and instead of dodging flying fists or explosive ki blasts, you're dodging... your mom's stern questions about why you're late for dinner.

It was weird.

Nice. But weird.

When I walked through the door, Mom was waiting like a ninja—but the warm, cardigan-wearing kind that smelled like ginger tea and disappointment.

"You're late," she said, arms crossed, like I'd been out clubbing and not, you know, teaching teenage martial artists not to fall on their faces.

"I was with friends," I told her honestly.

She raised an eyebrow. "You have friends?"

Rude. Accurate, but rude.

After I explained the night (with only mild edits for dramatic flair and fewer bruises), she nodded, gave me a small smile, and sent me off to bed. We had an early start in the morning, after all. That's code for: "Don't make me chase you out of bed with cold water, Jaegu."

The next morning was typical.

Alarm. Regret. Teeth brushed in a sleep-deprived daze. Breakfast inhaled.

Except today, we had a guest tagging along.

Shi Woon joined me, his hair still half-wild, like he'd just lost a pillow fight to a bear and somehow survived.

He met my family, which was... honestly not as awkward as expected. He was polite, a little shy, but surprisingly well-mannered.

I would've invited him to eat with us, but there was one problem:

Shi Woon's father.

Not that he was a bad guy or anything. He was just... there. Every morning. Like a military presence guarding the family toast.

"Maybe lunch or dinner," I told him. "If you survive the school day."

Spoiler: He barely did.

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Time at school moved fast, like someone pressed the x2 playback speed. I sat next to Lee Go during class—yes, that Lee Go. The one with the quiet smile and bright eyes that saw more than most people said.

We chatted when the teacher wasn't looking, about small things, normal things.

You know—earthquakes, martial arts, family trauma. The usual teenage conversation.

She was pure, in that "not-an-idiot" kind of way. Smart. Thoughtful. The kind of girl who made you want to sit up straighter and brush your hair more often. Her only flaw?

Blind loyalty to her sister.

I wasn't sure if it was real belief or just love making her biased. Either way, I wasn't about to pick that fight.

Then, right before the teacher arrived, she leaned toward me and asked the most dangerous question of the day:

"Jaegu, would you like to meet after school?"

My brain: Red alert. Romantic invitation detected.

She continued, "I didn't have time for friends before, so I thought we could do friend stuff."

Oh. Friend stuff.

Phew.

...Wait. What is friend stuff?

"Just us two or all of us?" I asked, trying to sound normal and not like a guy internally flipping through a panic dictionary.

"Hmm, I think for now just two of us," she said, smiling cutely. "I get overwhelmed when I am with too many people. Is that ok?"

Okay? Girl, that's better than okay. That's karaoke with a crepe dessert level okay.

"Sure," I said, smiling and reaching out to pinch her cheek lightly. "You look really cute, you know. And as for the meet, we can go out nearby for an hour."

She flushed a little, but it was the good kind of blush—not the "I'm going to throw my desk at you" kind I usually got from other girls.

"Thanks. I'm looking forward to it," she said with a gentle grin.

It hit different. Her expression, her words. No flirtatious traps or dirty undertones. Just… sweet. Sincere.

The kind of thing I wasn't used to, but kinda wished I was.

"You want me to plan something?" I asked, leaning back and staring at the ceiling like the answer was hidden in the ventilation system.

"I was thinking we can go to karaoke today and have some crepe after finishing up," she replied. "There's one I saw on the way here, so it shouldn't take long."

I blinked.

"That's actually a really good idea. I haven't done that before."

"Then I'll make sure it's fun for both of us," she said, nodding like it was a solemn vow.

"Those are my words," I chuckled. "It's my duty as a gentleman to make sure my companion has a great time."

She beamed at that. Seriously. Her smile could power a small city.

I don't think she even realized how happy the small things made her.

And maybe that was the most charming thing of all.

Just as I was about to ask what songs she liked, the classroom door creaked open, and the teacher entered, battle-ready with a stack of quizzes and a soul-crushing aura.

We both sat up straight like soldiers being inspected.

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Okay, real talk?

Break time was never really "break" for me. Not in this school. Not with girls like Dal Dal roaming the halls like affectionate heat-seeking missiles.

I was halfway to the door when I heard a familiar voice that usually meant I was about to get surprise-tackled by 5 feet of glittery determination.

"Jaegu! I couldn't wait to see you. You don't mind, do you?"

Before I could say anything—or, you know, breathe—Dal Dal flung her arms around me like a human-sized ribbon. I knew she'd been reading those How to Be a Proper Lady™ books recently. Her hugs were softer. She even smelled like lavender today. That was new.

Now, normally I'm not the kind of guy who gets flustered by hugs—mostly because I don't get them—but I've got to say: when a girl who could probably dropkick a truck into orbit starts acting all cute and bashful, it does things to your brain. Weird things.

I smiled a little and hugged her back. "I don't mind. We're friends, so you can always visit."

Boom. Instant blush. Her face went red like I'd just complimented her on national TV. I forgot how new this was for her. Dal Dal was a fighter first and a girl second—or at least she used to be. Now, she was blurring the lines faster than I could keep track.

As we walked down the hall, she clung to my arm like she was on some kind of adorable mission. I didn't hate it. I also didn't quite understand it.

"I was thinking…" she said, sounding way too casual for how tightly she was holding my arm. "You could come to my house for dinner today. I'll cook something nice, and then maybe we could watch a movie after?"

Let me tell you something about girls at this school: they don't play. Even their "friendly" invitations feel like boss battles.

Still, I didn't want to leave my family hanging. "Would you mind if I brought my mom and siblings? We just moved in, and they're still getting used to the area."

Dal Dal blinked—surprised, probably, that I hadn't assumed it would just be the two of us—but then she smiled so warmly I could've sworn the hallway temperature rose five degrees.

"Of course! I'd love to meet them."

And just like that, she locked in ten bonus points in the 'good friend' column. Or maybe the 'future girlfriend' column, if she had anything to say about it. I couldn't tell anymore.

We kept walking together until—plot twist—Leego appeared on my left, looking like she'd just stepped out of a sunshine commercial.

"If your family's new here," she said sweetly, "maybe they'd like to meet my grandpa and sister too. They're really kind and love meeting new people."

Dal Dal gave her a look. The kind of look that said, Back off, sparkle princess. This one's mine.

Of course, Leego didn't notice—or pretended not to. Honestly, she might have just been being nice. Or maybe she was trying to earn some friendship points of her own. This school made it really hard to tell the difference between kindness and a stealth competition.

"Thank you," I said, managing to not sound completely overwhelmed. "And… if we're all playing nice, here's my address too. You guys can visit when you want. Just call first—I might be out."

I didn't expect them to actually show up often. But if they did… at least my family wouldn't be so alone anymore. Friends were strange like that. You never knew what kind of chaos—or warmth—they'd bring to your life.

And here I thought break time was for snacks.