Same Old Scum

"H-hey, Min-chul? I-I-if we make a b-b-baby, will you leave me?"

That bombshell of a question was suddenly dropped onto my brain city. If we were in a real war, she just carpet bombed my thought production factory and halted everything.

I was stunned.

Who wouldn't be? One of my friends just asked if I would leave them if I made a baby with them and to add to that...WE ARE 7 YEARS OLD!

It's quite shocking, even for me where I've heard countless pillow talk from women.

"H-hey...w-why are you staring so m-much? W-w-will you l-leave?"

After hearing her slightly shaky and nervous voice calling out, I snap out of my daze and finally refocus my eyes on her.

'Uuuuhhhh, how do you even respond to this? Say I won't leave her?'

Getting confused by how to answer, she is still looking at me, expecting an answer. She starts blushing the longer I take and if I don't respond in a bit, she might blow up like some sort of bomb.

Currently, she's at the tomato stage and is about to get to the firetruck stage.

After a long time deliberating on the best answer, I finally come up with a suitable answer that would make Ji-woo and I happy.

"Ummm, yeah. I will never leave even if we have kids together!"

This is the perfect answer to the question without saying no.

Yes, I will stay if we have kids but I added that "if", meaning, she will think that SHE is that one that wants kids instead of both of us.

I'm sure she remembers the kissing part in baby making and most likely, she will think she wants to kiss me.

My genius it's...it's almost frightening. Seriously, if you listen closely enough, you may even be able to hear my genius.

'Wordplay? More like wordplayboy...ehhh? Ehhh? Feelie?'

[ha...ha...ha. A very entertaining string of English words you have constructed there, Min-chul. The mastery of the English language and your wit make it all funnier]

'...why does this sound sarcastic?'

[because it is!]

'Awwwww'

Hearing my answer and my resolute face, she looks straight at me with determined eyes, as if she is wanting to win a championship or beat her mortal enemy.

"I-I-I-I see..."

Despite all of this bravery and bravado, she averts her eyes to the ground as fast as lightning. Like she just saw her worst nightmare.

Seriously, her mood swings are immense!

Looking at her rack her brain thinking about us having kids, I start smiling down at her. It's very cute, honestly.

Her reactions and personality is the same but right now, she is much softer than I thought.

...maybe I don't mind soft Ji-woo. Yeah, I guess I like this version of her much more.

(Ji-woo POV)

'AHHHHHH!!! What the hell am I doing?!?!?!'

Honestly, I really am stupid.

Asking Min-chul, a friend I have known for less than 2 days, if he would leave after having a baby with me and..i-i-i-inserting his p-p-p...PEEPEE INSIDE OF ME!

KYAAAA!!! I'm such a stupid idiot dumdum stupid person!

How embarrassing for me and for Min-chul!...I wanna hide and never come out of my shell. Please turn me into a turtle!

I can't even bare to look into his eyes because I know that he is already quite uncomfortable. Oh no no no no...

What if he hates me? What he doesn't want kids? Wait! Why do I want kids with him! What the hell am I saying?!?!

'Ughhh, what am I saying? I want kids with him? I want to...k-k-kiss him?!?! I thought we are friends? Doesn't mom and dad kiss? Are they friends? Is there something more than friends?'

After asking that question to Min-chul, a million more are swirling around my head, wanting answers. As I'm trying to answer these questions myself, I finally gather the courage to look into his eyes.

Yes! Maybe I'll find the answers in his eyes since I can't seem to stop looking at them.

"Ummm, yeah. I will never leave even if we have kids together!"

'A-a-ahh..and that's my resolve gone'

His answer immediately breaks that courage I previously gathered up. Right now, my brain is in a mess trying to comprehend his answer.

'So, he won't leave if I have a baby with him? Wait! So I want a baby with him? Kyaaaa! I need answers for this stupid question!'

Wait! I can't leave him without an affirmation! Hmmmm, let's be confident! He's my friend and friends are confident with each other!

"I-I-I-I see..."

'...again! Nailed it! I'm too dang good with this acting thing, it's unbelievable'

As Min-chul looks at me with those eyes that just catch you and trap you inside them, he lightens his gaze on me and smiles gently.

'Kuh!...eh? What the hell? I can't breathe properly and my heart feels all thump-y...'

Realizing that this is the same thing that happened when I ate lunch with Min-chul and when he started eating that So-young's food.

'I need mom's help with this! Ahhhhh, I can't believe I messed up just on the first day of school...'

(MC POV)

Seeing the troubled expression of soft Ji-woo somewhat makes a hole in my heart that only swimming will fix!

Just before she runs off, I grab her hand and try to make her not feel too bad about the baby-making question.

"Hey...wanna go to the swimming pool with me this week?"

"S-s-swimming pool?"

Hearing her asking a question to confirm if I really want to hang out with her, her eyes goes from "I'm sorry, please forgive me" to "really?!?!". Jeez, she really is like a puppy.

"Yeah! We can go to the swimming pool here all the time as long as our parents are there"

She puts her finger on her chin as if thinking about something. Her face goes flush with excitement and her smile is brighter than the sun.

...this is a good Ji-woo.

"Oh! How about you come over to my house instead? We can swim in there!"

'Haah? You got a swimming pool in your house? Why not blow up'

I hide my envy behind my face but I'm sure that my mouth visibly crumpled once she mentioned her personal swimming. Oh how wonderful it would be to have a swimming pool at home.

"E-ehehehe...yeah, that sounds...FUN!"

'Damn it! My teeth were unconsciously clenching while talking'

"Then it's a deal! On Saturday, you can come over!"

After leaving the classroom and reaching her mom, I see her mom leading her to the parking lot where...oh, oh that's cool. That's just great.

Waiting for them is a modified, fully blacked out van with two other cars surrounding the van as an escort. Hahaha, just blow up, please?

Bottling up my envy and jealousy, I finally start packing my bags and when I look up...

"Hmmm~ ♪ hmmmhmmm ♪~~ GAHH! oh, it's just you So-young. Do you wan- oh yeah..."

Right in front of my desk is a one So-young, tightly gripping her skirt until it's crumpled. There is a massive difference with this So-young however.

She is crying.

She was scary, she was calm and she was happy. That the only three emotions I saw her with. Damn it...I'm really going to ruin my relationships for some damn coins?

...well, yes, but I won't forget So-young. Ever.

Aside from Mi-young, she was one of the few women that was kind to Jung and I and eventually, she married Jung.

Well, it's a shame that we never got closer, but I'm sure she doesn't deserve me as a friend.

"You...why?"

A simple question that can be interpreted as I please. I can answer this in many ways.

Why I'm so hot? That's from dad and mom.

Why I'm so sociable? That's because I'm a 40 year old man.

Why I exist? Dad thought mom had a curvy body and took her to a love hotel.

Even though I joke, I know she is really upset. This question is the deciding factor of our friendship and the future of it.

I know that she likes me and I know that from all of her advancements...I just don't know if I like her back.

"I...she has no other friends"

'Ughhh, what kind of answer was that? No other friends? Am I jesus? If I did this to everyone, I'd have more friends than there are people on earth'

Even though I try my best to give an absolute answer, it gets stuck in my throat and a very ambiguous and stupid answer reveals itself.

She looks at me slightly confused and decides to drop it for now. I guess for now, I shouldn't try and redo my answer.

'Damn it...am I still the same selfish bastard as before?'

I dejectedly follow her to the pool and as we arrive, Coach Kwan can see that something is up with the both of us.

Usually, we are talking and laughing about random things, but now? He can tell that So-young was crying about something while I seemed out of it.

'Damn it...I guess old habits die hard?'

In the changing room with the other kids, I self-depreciatingly chuckle. I'm seriously the worst.

Even now, I know that if I leave this alone and not address it again, So-young will forgive me with her personality. It may take a couple years, but it'll happen.

'Haah...how the hell do I handle this? I may be able to read women, but can I really read women? Isn't this why Mi-young left?'

With all that has happened today, I realize something truly horrifying.

...I'm still the same bastard as before.

Maybe I don't want to be the bad guy anymore!

'Again. There's still time. I'm still seven and I have many years ahead'

Indeed, change takes time and especially for humans when adjusting their disposition.

I just want it to happen right now.

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(A.N) yo! So right now, I know it was a slightly more depressing chapter, but as Min-chul said, change takes time. There will be some chapters like this where it's Min-chul trying to change his past ways.

So, with that out of the way and you finishing this chapter, please do support this novel with commenting on chapters, voting with powerstones, reviewing the book and saying your thoughts and adding this book to library so you can get the quickest updates!

It really helps and encourages me so much, thank you to those who vote my book and you have my eternal gratitude! Thanks and peace ✌️!