Omega Complex Novel (Completed) - Chapter 75

Jealousy

The festival was suddenly upon us. Park Sungjae, who I thought would bother me throughout the preparations, surprisingly didn’t ask for anything once he confirmed he’d help. He did ask once if I had a driver’s license (he said he was going to a large supermarket nearby for groceries), but that too was resolved thanks to a club member who owned a car.

Because of that, Choi Taegyeom and I didn’t even know the name of our pub until the day of the festival. How we would promote it, what the food would be, what the break-even point was. All we contributed, without asking anything, was 50,000 won that they collected, claiming the subsidy was insufficient.

Park Sungjae: [Be here by two o’clock!!!! Don’t forget!!!!] 05:21 am

And on the day the pub opened, Park Sungjae left a message from 5 AM, telling us not to forget to come. Had he woken up early, or had he stayed up all night? That useless curiosity was completely resolved the moment I arrived at school. It was because footprint-shaped stickers, which hadn’t been there yesterday, were plastered all the way from the main gate to the parking lot. It was clear he had painstakingly put them there himself, crouching on the ground.

Following the footprints, I saw a carefully crafted signboard on a blue tent.

[Romantic Pub]

Other places had just scrawled something on a blackboard-like surface, but here, it was made of a wooden board, like a real signboard. I thought it would have really caught the eye if the location wasn’t just a desolate parking lot.

“Move the tables closer together!”

“What song should we play?”

“Hey, who bought so much fruit soju?”

“Where are the sausages?”

“Hyung! You came early!”

Park Sungjae waved his hand widely as soon as he saw me. The hat he wore on his head had “Leader” written on it in 궁서체 (Gungseoche, a traditional Korean calligraphic font). Some were called “senior,” others “sold out.” The busy club members also wore hats similar to Park Sungjae’s.

“What’s with the hats?”

“These are our pub uniforms. There are ones for you and Taegyeom hyung too.”

Park Sungjae, with sparkling eyes, rummaged through a box next to him. I let out a silly laugh as I took the hat he offered.

“Good idea, but…”

God of Men. The clearly written words were ridiculous. I didn’t even need to ask to know who the hat was for.

“Choi Taegyeom will never wear this.”

It was a word that perfectly described Choi Taegyeom, but he would surely be appalled if he saw it. I guarantee he’d either frown deeply or pretend not to see it and walk out of the tent.

“This is yours, Hyung.”

Park Sungjae ignored my words and handed me another hat. This time, it said “Handsome Man.” It was better than “God of Men,” but it was still just as burdensome. No, was it even better?

“…Couldn’t the phrase have been more ordinary?”

“Why, it is ordinary.”

“Where on earth?”

I let out a hollow laugh and took both “God of Men” and “Handsome Man.” It seemed there were no hats left, so refusing wouldn’t get me out of it. And I was a little curious about Choi Taegyeom’s reaction.

“Hyung, if you haven’t had lunch, should I make you something? Look at the menu and choose what you want to eat.”

“It’s okay, I’ve already eaten roughly.”

Where Park Sungjae pointed, the menu was indeed written on a wooden board. Pajeon (savory pancake), gyeran-mari (rolled omelet), odeng-tang (fish cake soup) and tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), jeyuk-bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork) with jumeokbap (rice balls). Among the common pub menus, the most striking was definitely mala tang.

“How are you going to make mala tang?”

“There’s always a way.”

Park Sungjae smiled ominously and pulled me inside. Inside the tent, there was a makeshift kitchen covered with translucent plastic. Seeing the two portable gas stoves and various kitchen utensils, it seemed reasonably well-equipped.

“Oppa, you’re here?”

Minjeong, who was checking ingredients, looked my way. She was also wearing a black hat, but unlike the others, there was no writing on it.

“Why doesn’t your hat have writing?”

“Oh, this?”

Minjeong smiled stylishly and pointed to her hat. Her raised lips revealed even teeth.

“I placed the order.”

It was a very valid reason. As expected, Kim Minjeong is smart. As I nodded in understanding, she shrugged and added,

“Anyway, I’m not going to be serving, so it’s fine.”

“Hey, Hyung is curious about how you make mala tang.”

“Ah, then I’ll have to show him.”

Minjeong, who had spoken playfully, put down the bowl and squatted. The ice boxes lined up seemed to contain various food ingredients. When she opened the smallest ice box, ingredients clearly for mala tang were visible.

“We asked the pub we frequent if they could sell us some ingredients. When we told them we’d be selling mala tang at the festival, they readily agreed.”

“We just have to put everything in and boil it!”

Her proud expression made me feel good too. It seemed they had gained some know-how from opening a pub every year. Seeing her open the other ice boxes one by one, I felt quite proud of them.

“Noona, I found the T-shirts…”

Someone lifted the plastic, and Kim Dohyun came in carrying a large box. He casually turned his gaze and paused as soon as our eyes met. The hat he wore on his head said “Youngest.”

“…Everyone was here?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. I had heard Park Sungjae call him “youngest” a few times, but seeing it with my own eyes felt different. Kim Dohyun glared at me with dagger eyes at my muffled laugh.

“Senior, you just laughed at me, didn’t you?”

“No.”

Anyway, they play cutely. It was good that I joined the club. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to witness this scene.

“Oh! Youngest is here!”

“Youngest, who told you to open your eyes like that?”

“Ah, Noona, why are you doing this too?”

Kim Dohyun grumbled, expressing his dissatisfaction and frowning. “Oh, really?” Minjeong, raising her head, gestured with her chin at the box he was holding.

“Are the T-shirt counts correct?”

“Yes, I checked, and they’re exact.”

Hats and T-shirts. It was very serious for a final touch.

“Give the biggest one to Park Sungjae, and tell the others to pick their size. I’ll wear whatever is left at the very end.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to set aside yours first, Noona?”

“I did specify sizes, but just in case, give them to the kids with a bit more flesh first. A big one can just be worn, but a small one can’t.”

Kim Dohyun nodded without a word. The way he supported the box with one hand and rummaged inside with the other seemed surprisingly stable. Since the contents were T-shirts, they seemed to be only bulky but light.

“Oh, Oppa, take Taegyeom senior’s first too. You wear M, and he wears L. I bought them without asking for sizes because I was busy, so just wear them even if they don’t fit.”

“Okay, good job.”

Kim Dohyun quickly took out two T-shirts. The black T-shirts, still in their plastic packaging, had “Romantic Pub” printed on them. I playfully poked Kim Dohyun’s shoulder with the hat I was holding and said,

“Thanks, youngest.”

“…Handsome Senior, you too.”

Minjeong, who had been quietly listening, chuckled, stifling her laughter. She seemed quite pleased with her creation. With a happy smile, she winked at Park Sungjae.

“Now, Leader, go out and work.”

Choi Taegyeom arrived about five minutes before 2 PM. He was dressed casually in a comfortable T-shirt and jeans, but for some reason, he shone brightly today. Park Sungjae seemed to feel a similar impression, muttering as he watched the figure approaching from afar.

“Our pub is going to be a huge hit today.”

“Why are both of you out here?”

Choi Taegyeom, who had approached closer, casually looked around the pub. His gaze passed the tent and the signboard, reaching Park Sungjae’s hat. For a moment, I clearly saw his eyes waver.

“…What’s with the hat?”

It was exactly what I had asked. Park Sungjae’s proud smile was perfect.

“There’s one for you and me too. Here.”

I held out the hats to Choi Taegyeom so the phrases would be clearly visible. Choi Taegyeom looked at the hats in his hands alternately and instantly made a face like he’d bitten into a bug.

“Of course, you’re the God of Men.”

He let out a hollow laugh and took the hats. His face seemed full of a desire to deny it, but he apparently didn’t have the confidence to insist he wouldn’t wear them.

“Lee Yoonwoo is Handsome Man… and I’m God of Men, and you’re Leader?”

“Yes! Don’t they fit perfectly?”

That familiar sparkling gaze turned towards Choi Taegyeom. His expectant expression made it difficult for even the most stoic person to refuse. Choi Taegyeom looked at me as if asking for help, then let out a deep sigh when I pretended not to know and turned my head. Soon, Choi Taegyeom was called Park Sungjae.

“Sungjae.”

Park Sungjae, with wide eyes, nodded, telling him to speak. Choi Taegyeom awkwardly winked and reached out his hand to Park Sungjae’s head.

“…Ah!”

In a flash, Park Sungjae’s hat was snatched off. Choi Taegyeom, who had easily taken the hat, put the “God of Men” hat on Park Sungjae. The hat, pulled down firmly, covered his pretty eyes.

“Senior, this…”

Park Sungjae belatedly raised his head, but the “Leader” hat was already on Choi Taegyeom. Choi Taegyeom straightened the hat and smiled brightly. Park Sungjae’s mouth hung open at his meltingly radiant smile.

“I’ll wear this, Hyung. Is that okay?”

It was a smile that would make it okay even if it wasn’t. If he had acted like that earlier, I would have been able to refuse his request for help with the pub. That’s cheating. I thought so, but Park Sungjae was already nodding, mesmerized.

“Yes, yes! Hyung should be the leader!”

Choi Taegyeom gently stroked Park Sungjae’s head. I thought that if Park Sungjae had a tail, it would be spinning like a propeller. What a simple guy. Minjeong would have ignored him with a look that said, “Don’t play tricks.”

“Sungjae Hyung! What should I do with this?”

“Oh, oh, just a moment!”

Park Sungjae was soon called away by another club member. He was wearing the “God of Men” hat on his head, but he didn’t seem to mind at all. No, to be precise, he probably didn’t even notice.

“You’re cunning.”

I said to Choi Taegyeom, offering him the T-shirt. He put his arm around my shoulder and rubbed his cheek against my hair, replying slyly.

“It’s a polite request.”

If only he couldn’t talk. It was a request in name only, wasn’t it half a threat? A hollow laugh was about to escape my throat when a good idea suddenly popped into my head.

“Taegyeom.”

“Huh?”

Before he could raise his head, I snatched off his hat. Choi Taegyeom, who had been looking at me in bewilderment, widened his eyes in surprise. I smiled broadly as I put the “Handsome Man” hat on Choi Taegyeom’s head.

“I’ll wear this for a bit. Is that okay?”

“…Huh.”

His face looked like he had been robbed blind. His face, gradually tinged with absurdity, soon burst into a hollow laugh. Choi Taegyeom fiddled with the brim of the hat and uttered the words I had just said.

“You’re really cunning.”

“You said it was a polite request.”

“Oh, you would, wouldn’t you?”

A large hand ruffled my hair. As I pressed down my messy hair with the hat, he shook his head with a sigh. He said that, but he didn’t seem to have any intention of taking it back.

“Come here.”

He adjusted the back of the hat with a gentle touch. The loose hat tightened to fit perfectly. His hand, resting on the crown of my head, pressed down firmly.

“Such a small head.”

“Still, ‘Handsome Man’ is better than ‘God of Men,’ isn’t it?”

“I hate both.”

His grumbling voice was both pitiful and cute. It was no wonder he felt deflated after having the “Leader” hat, which he had just acquired, snatched away.

“It’s okay, it suits you well.”

I shamelessly pointed to Choi Taegyeom’s hat. The way he shook his head showed that he had resigned himself. Choi Taegyeom, muttering “How can I win against you?” and “You only learned bad things,” flapped the T-shirt I had just given him.

“Hats, T-shirts… they seem really serious about this.”

“The menu is no joke either. They even sell mala tang.”

“They sell mala tang?”

“Yeah, they said they bought ingredients from some pub.”

As we stepped inside, we saw busy club members. Choi Taegyeom looked at the menu with interest and then asked, puzzled,

“There’s no alcohol on the menu?”

“Selling alcohol is illegal, isn’t it?”

The answer came from behind. Kim Dohyun, who had naturally joined the conversation, continued in a casual tone,

“Everyone’s overlooking it, but we can’t openly sell it, so we just removed alcohol from the menu.”

“…The pub is illegal?”

“Didn’t you know?”

Kim Dohyun looked surprised in return. Did you know? I looked back at Choi Taegyeom with that thought, but Choi Taegyeom was staring intently at Kim Dohyun’s hat. He must have felt a similar impression to mine upon seeing the word “Youngest.”

“They say it’s been changed for quite a while… Senior, pay more attention to school.”

“I don’t know. It wasn’t illegal when I was a freshman.”

“How long ago was that?”

“About four years ago…”

“You’re a real fossil,” I clearly heard him mutter. I shrugged, having nothing to refute, when Choi Taegyeom, who had been quiet all along, began to speak with a hint of laughter in his voice.

“From the youngest’s perspective, you are a fossil.”

“…”

Kim Dohyun frowned irritably. His pheromones sharply subsided, as if he didn’t want to deal with us. Seeing his reaction, I could tell how much he must have been tormented by Minjeong and Park Sungjae calling him “youngest” all day.

“Seniors, stop playing around exchanging hats and go change your clothes. If you’re free, help out a bit too.”

Saying that, he quickly went inside. Choi Taegyeom and I exchanged glances and laughed at his cold reaction. We shouldn’t, but even his sulking look was so youngest-like.