Chapter 173: Seo-Jun Meets A Cute Opponent
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After leaving his uncle's estate, Seo-Jun felt extremely exhausted, both mentally and physically. Undergoing a showdown with his uncle hadn't been an easy affair. And managing to get out of that house on his own two feet was an even greater achievement.
For a moment there Seo-Jun had been worried that President Kim would lose his mind and beat him half to death. Luckily, his aunt rushed downstairs just when the argument was at its peak and effectively put an end to it.
Seo-Jun knew that she did it more for her husband's sake, to prevent President Kim from getting an aneurysm due to anger. Even so, Seo-Jun had taken the chance to escape and ran out like he was hunted by a hoard of ghosts.
Even though both his mind and body were weary, he still didn't feel like going straight home.
At first, he thought of calling Ji-Won and asking his friend out for a drink. But immediately after that idea popped inside his head, he was reminded of yesterday's debacle. As well as the fact that he had left Su-Jin at Ji-Won's place last night.
He didn't know if anything happened between the two, but as a considerate person, he couldn't simply barge in Ji-Won's apartment without prior notice.
Besides, knowing Ji-Won's awful personality, Seo-Jun could easily imagine the carnage that might happen the moment he appears in front of his eyes. Although he managed to escape one beating, Seo-Jun was certain that he might not be able to do the same with Ji-Won.
Therefore, after carefully thinking about his options, Seo-Jun decided it was best to stay away from his friend for a while. They'd meet at work the next day anyway, so he should probably allow Ji-Won some time alone to sort his thoughts out. And besides, considering how terrible the visit to his family's place had been, Seo-Jun would not be a very good company anyway.
Hence, Seo-Jun drove to his apartment. After leaving his car at home, he then walked around aimlessly for a while. When he reached a large intersection, he began to hesitate, not sure which way to go next.
Just as he was contemplating whether he should go to his usual bar or try something else, something crashed against his legs.
The thing, or better said, the person, was barely tall enough to reach his knees. When Seo-Jun looked down, he saw a small boy rubbing his forehead, while looking up at him. Based on his height and small body, he couldn't have been older than seven, probably still in kindergarten.
The child didn't seem to be on the verge of tears, like some kids would be after bumping into someone that hard. Instead, he continued to rub at the place between his eyebrows, staring at Seo-Jun with mild curiosity.
Normally, Seo-Ju avoided children like the plague. He believed they were too rowdy and untamed, acting like a bunch of wild monkeys, always running around and screeching at the top of their lungs.
But this kid seemed different. The expressionless look he had on his face as he stared at Seo-Jun was quite unusual. It was like the man in front of him was merely an old exhibit in a museum. That blank expression seemed somehow different than that of all the children Seo-Jun had ever met. Well… Not that he had met many in the first place. Still, it managed to pique his interest for the kid.
Based on this reason alone, Seo-Jun felt inclined to show the kid some goodwill.
Suddenly feeling in a good mood, Seo-Jun crossed his arms and leaned his upper body forward. In order to look at the kid closely, though, he had to bend his knees, lowering himself slightly.
"Hey, brat, what are you doing running in the middle of the street without looking where you're going?"
After this introductory line, Seo-Jun straightened up and crossed his arms, waiting for the kid's reaction. His words had been sharp and spoken in a menacing tone. Any other child would have instantly felt intimidated.
'He'll probably start bawling his eyes out any second now.' Seo-Jun mused, feeling a strange satisfaction at the thought.
However, this little boy seemed unimpressed with Seo-Jun's threatening display. He merely gazed up at the man in front of him, looking utterly impassive.
Then, his lips parted and the little boy spoke in a childish, yet clear, voice.
"Sir, you're not a very good person, are you?"
The question came out of left field, rendering Seo-Jun completely speechless. The little boy's response stumped Seo-Jun even further, when he saw the kid taking a step back and crossing his arms in front of his chest. But his arms were so short that he struggled to keep them against his chest.
At the same time, though, the little kid was staring at Seo-Jun with a condemning look in his large, bright eyes.
For the first time in his almost thirty years of life Seo-Jun had found an opponent he didn't know how to deal with. The child's attempt at acting haughty was both funny and endearing.
Seo-Jun's mouth twitched and he silently berated the boy's family.
'What kind of adult taught him to act like this? Weren't they worried that he might go around insulting people, resulting in him getting hurt? In a situation like this, a good child should only apologize and walk away, not hold a sermon.'
Still, as he was still in a good mood, Seo-Jun decided to spare the child for now. Instead, he leaned forward even more, his body looming over the child's small form.
"And how do you know that I am not a good person?"
Once again, the little boy was unimpressed with Seo-Jun's attempt to intimidate him. He stood his ground and, instead of stuttering or quivering, he replied loudly and clearly.
"My sister told me that people like you are usually bad and I should avoid them."
"And what are people like me?"
"Those who act high and mighty, wanting to impress."
The little kid answered with a deadpan face. Then seeing how Seo-Jun remained silent, he continued to speak in the same toneless manner as before.
"She also told me that bad people are like peacocks, always flaunting their tails in order to seek attention. The best way to deal with them is to ignore them."
Seo-Jun arched an eyebrow, a flash of amusement passing across his face. Soon, a tiny smile fluttered over his lips, somewhat thawing his menacing expression.
"Oh, is that so? I wonder who this sister of yours is. If she is so smart, how come she left a snotty brat like you all alone on the streets?" Seo-Jun sneered.
"She…"
The little boy began talking, but was suddenly interrupted by a female voice shouting from behind, followed by hurried footsteps.
"Lee Yeong-Cheol!"
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After leaving his uncle's estate, Seo-Jun felt extremely exhausted, both mentally and physically. Undergoing a showdown with his uncle hadn't been an easy affair. And managing to get out of that house on his own two feet was an even greater achievement.
For a moment there Seo-Jun had been worried that President Kim would lose his mind and beat him half to death. Luckily, his aunt rushed downstairs just when the argument was at its peak and effectively put an end to it.
Seo-Jun knew that she did it more for her husband's sake, to prevent President Kim from getting an aneurysm due to anger. Even so, Seo-Jun had taken the chance to escape and ran out like he was hunted by a hoard of ghosts.
Even though both his mind and body were weary, he still didn't feel like going straight home.
At first, he thought of calling Ji-Won and asking his friend out for a drink. But immediately after that idea popped inside his head, he was reminded of yesterday's debacle. As well as the fact that he had left Su-Jin at Ji-Won's place last night.
He didn't know if anything happened between the two, but as a considerate person, he couldn't simply barge in Ji-Won's apartment without prior notice.
Besides, knowing Ji-Won's awful personality, Seo-Jun could easily imagine the carnage that might happen the moment he appears in front of his eyes. Although he managed to escape one beating, Seo-Jun was certain that he might not be able to do the same with Ji-Won.
Therefore, after carefully thinking about his options, Seo-Jun decided it was best to stay away from his friend for a while. They'd meet at work the next day anyway, so he should probably allow Ji-Won some time alone to sort his thoughts out. And besides, considering how terrible the visit to his family's place had been, Seo-Jun would not be a very good company anyway.
Hence, Seo-Jun drove to his apartment. After leaving his car at home, he then walked around aimlessly for a while. When he reached a large intersection, he began to hesitate, not sure which way to go next.
Just as he was contemplating whether he should go to his usual bar or try something else, something crashed against his legs.
The thing, or better said, the person, was barely tall enough to reach his knees. When Seo-Jun looked down, he saw a small boy rubbing his forehead, while looking up at him. Based on his height and small body, he couldn't have been older than seven, probably still in kindergarten.
The child didn't seem to be on the verge of tears, like some kids would be after bumping into someone that hard. Instead, he continued to rub at the place between his eyebrows, staring at Seo-Jun with mild curiosity.
Normally, Seo-Ju avoided children like the plague. He believed they were too rowdy and untamed, acting like a bunch of wild monkeys, always running around and screeching at the top of their lungs.
But this kid seemed different. The expressionless look he had on his face as he stared at Seo-Jun was quite unusual. It was like the man in front of him was merely an old exhibit in a museum. That blank expression seemed somehow different than that of all the children Seo-Jun had ever met. Well… Not that he had met many in the first place. Still, it managed to pique his interest for the kid.
Based on this reason alone, Seo-Jun felt inclined to show the kid some goodwill.
Suddenly feeling in a good mood, Seo-Jun crossed his arms and leaned his upper body forward. In order to look at the kid closely, though, he had to bend his knees, lowering himself slightly.
"Hey, brat, what are you doing running in the middle of the street without looking where you're going?"
After this introductory line, Seo-Jun straightened up and crossed his arms, waiting for the kid's reaction. His words had been sharp and spoken in a menacing tone. Any other child would have instantly felt intimidated.
'He'll probably start bawling his eyes out any second now.' Seo-Jun mused, feeling a strange satisfaction at the thought.
However, this little boy seemed unimpressed with Seo-Jun's threatening display. He merely gazed up at the man in front of him, looking utterly impassive.
Then, his lips parted and the little boy spoke in a childish, yet clear, voice.
"Sir, you're not a very good person, are you?"
The question came out of left field, rendering Seo-Jun completely speechless. The little boy's response stumped Seo-Jun even further, when he saw the kid taking a step back and crossing his arms in front of his chest. But his arms were so short that he struggled to keep them against his chest.
At the same time, though, the little kid was staring at Seo-Jun with a condemning look in his large, bright eyes.
For the first time in his almost thirty years of life Seo-Jun had found an opponent he didn't know how to deal with. The child's attempt at acting haughty was both funny and endearing.
Seo-Jun's mouth twitched and he silently berated the boy's family.
'What kind of adult taught him to act like this? Weren't they worried that he might go around insulting people, resulting in him getting hurt? In a situation like this, a good child should only apologize and walk away, not hold a sermon.'
Still, as he was still in a good mood, Seo-Jun decided to spare the child for now. Instead, he leaned forward even more, his body looming over the child's small form.
"And how do you know that I am not a good person?"
Once again, the little boy was unimpressed with Seo-Jun's attempt to intimidate him. He stood his ground and, instead of stuttering or quivering, he replied loudly and clearly.
"My sister told me that people like you are usually bad and I should avoid them."
"And what are people like me?"
"Those who act high and mighty, wanting to impress."
The little kid answered with a deadpan face. Then seeing how Seo-Jun remained silent, he continued to speak in the same toneless manner as before.
"She also told me that bad people are like peacocks, always flaunting their tails in order to seek attention. The best way to deal with them is to ignore them."
Seo-Jun arched an eyebrow, a flash of amusement passing across his face. Soon, a tiny smile fluttered over his lips, somewhat thawing his menacing expression.
"Oh, is that so? I wonder who this sister of yours is. If she is so smart, how come she left a snotty brat like you all alone on the streets?" Seo-Jun sneered.
"She…"
The little boy began talking, but was suddenly interrupted by a female voice shouting from behind, followed by hurried footsteps.
"Lee Yeong-Cheol!"
After leaving his uncle's estate, Seo-Jun felt extremely exhausted, both mentally and physically. Undergoing a showdown with his uncle hadn't been an easy affair. And managing to get out of that house on his own two feet was an even greater achievement. For a moment there Seo-Jun had been worried that President Kim would lose his mind and beat him half to death. Luckily, his aunt rushed downstairs just when the argument was at its peak and effectively put an end to it. Seo-Jun knew that she did it more for her husband's sake, to prevent President Kim from getting an aneurysm due to anger. Even so, Seo-Jun had taken the chance to escape and ran out like he was hunted by a hoard of ghosts.Even though both his mind and body were weary, he still didn't feel like going straight home. At first, he thought of calling Ji-Won and asking his friend out for a drink. But immediately after that idea popped inside his head, he was reminded of yesterday's debacle. As well as the fact that he had left Su-Jin at Ji-Won's place last night. He didn't know if anything happened between the two, but as a considerate person, he couldn't simply barge in Ji-Won's apartment without prior notice. Besides, knowing Ji-Won's awful personality, Seo-Jun could easily imagine the carnage that might happen the moment he appears in front of his eyes. Although he managed to escape one beating, Seo-Jun was certain that he might not be able to do the same with Ji-Won.Therefore, after carefully thinking about his options, Seo-Jun decided it was best to stay away from his friend for a while. They'd meet at work the next day anyway, so he should probably allow Ji-Won some time alone to sort his thoughts out. And besides, considering how terrible the visit to his family's place had been, Seo-Jun would not be a very good company anyway.Hence, Seo-Jun drove to his apartment. After leaving his car at home, he then walked around aimlessly for a while. When he reached a large intersection, he began to hesitate, not sure which way to go next.Just as he was contemplating whether he should go to his usual bar or try something else, something crashed against his legs. The thing, or better said, the person, was barely tall enough to reach his knees. When Seo-Jun looked down, he saw a small boy rubbing his forehead, while looking up at him. Based on his height and small body, he couldn't have been older than seven, probably still in kindergarten. The child didn't seem to be on the verge of tears, like some kids would be after bumping into someone that hard. Instead, he continued to rub at the place between his eyebrows, staring at Seo-Jun with mild curiosity. Normally, Seo-Ju avoided children like the plague. He believed they were too rowdy and untamed, acting like a bunch of wild monkeys, always running around and screeching at the top of their lungs. But this kid seemed different. The expressionless look he had on his face as he stared at Seo-Jun was quite unusual. It was like the man in front of him was merely an old exhibit in a museum. That blank expression seemed somehow different than that of all the children Seo-Jun had ever met. Well Not that he had met many in the first place. Still, it managed to pique his interest for the kid.Based on this reason alone, Seo-Jun felt inclined to show the kid some goodwill. Suddenly feeling in a good mood, Seo-Jun crossed his arms and leaned his upper body forward. In order to look at the kid closely, though, he had to bend his knees, lowering himself slightly."Hey, brat, what are you doing running in the middle of the street without looking where you're going?"After this introductory line, Seo-Jun straightened up and crossed his arms, waiting for the kid's reaction. His words had been sharp and spoken in a menacing tone. Any other child would have instantly felt intimidated.'He'll probably start bawling his eyes out any second now.' Seo-Jun mused, feeling a strange satisfaction at the thought.However, this little boy seemed unimpressed with Seo-Jun's threatening display. He merely gazed up at the man in front of him, looking utterly impassive. Then, his lips parted and the little boy spoke in a childish, yet clear, voice."Sir, you're not a very good person, are you?" The question came out of left field, rendering Seo-Jun completely speechless. The little boy's response stumped Seo-Jun even further, when he saw the kid taking a step back and crossing his arms in front of his chest. But his arms were so short that he struggled to keep them against his chest. At the same time, though, the little kid was staring at Seo-Jun with a condemning look in his large, bright eyes.For the first time in his almost thirty years of life Seo-Jun had found an opponent he didn't know how to deal with. The child's attempt at acting haughty was both funny and endearing.Seo-Jun's mouth twitched and he silently berated the boy's family. 'What kind of adult taught him to act like this? Weren't they worried that he might go around insulting people, resulting in him getting hurt? In a situation like this, a good child should only apologize and walk away, not hold a sermon.' Still, as he was still in a good mood, Seo-Jun decided to spare the child for now. Instead, he leaned forward even more, his body looming over the child's small form."And how do you know that I am not a good person?"Once again, the little boy was unimpressed with Seo-Jun's attempt to intimidate him. He stood his ground and, instead of stuttering or quivering, he replied loudly and clearly."My sister told me that people like you are usually bad and I should avoid them.""And what are people like me?" "Those who act high and mighty, wanting to impress." The little kid answered with a deadpan face. Then seeing how Seo-Jun remained silent, he continued to speak in the same toneless manner as before."She also told me that bad people are like peacocks, always flaunting their tails in order to seek attention. The best way to deal with them is to ignore them." Seo-Jun arched an eyebrow, a flash of amusement passing across his face. Soon, a tiny smile fluttered over his lips, somewhat thawing his menacing expression. "Oh, is that so? I wonder who this sister of yours is. If she is so smart, how come she left a snotty brat like you all alone on the streets?" Seo-Jun sneered."She" The little boy began talking, but was suddenly interrupted by a female voice shouting from behind, followed by hurried footsteps. "Lee Yeong-Cheol!"
