# [Young Master] Episode 1
“Hey, did you see him?”
“Who?”
“Park Wonbin.”
In the week after classes started, I must’ve heard Park Wonbin’s name more than twenty times.
At first I thought there must be some freshman like that. But weirdly, I kept hearing his name every single day.
“He was seriously so damn handsome.”
“But they say his personality’s kinda bad.”
“Why?”
“Jihye tried talking to him, but he didn’t even answer properly.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. Guess he just wants to hang out with people like him.”
And then, as always, something similar followed at the end.
Young Master.
When I first heard that nickname, I thought, why would you call some college kid a young master? But after seeing him in person, I kind of understood why people said that.
Black hair and a pale face. Even from far away, he was strikingly handsome, and his clothes were always obviously expensive-looking.
The problem was that he was always alone.
Eating alone in the cafeteria, alone in class.
I’d never seen him have a long conversation with anyone, even if someone tried talking to him.
“I heard he didn’t even come to the drinking party last time.”
“Yeah. They asked him and he said he wasn’t going.”
“He’s so prickly.”
I thought there’d be no chance Park Wonbin and I would ever get mixed up with each other.
I’m a sophomore, and he’s a freshman.
“Alright, I’ve posted the buddy pairings, so check them!”
……at least until today.
*
“What the hell.”
The moment Sujin, who was next to me, saw the list posted in the group chat, she snatched my phone away.
“Hey, Kim Yeoju, that’s insane.”
“Why.”
“You got Park Wonbin.”
“What?”
“Your junior buddy.”
I looked at the screen again.
Kim Yeoju - Park Wonbin.
It was real.
“Wow, I’m jealous.”
“What’s there to be jealous of.”
“His face.”
“What are you even going to do with your buddy’s face.”
“You eat together every week, don’t you?”
Buddy pairings.
Literally, it was a program in our department that paired one senior and one junior together. Until freshmen adjusted to college, seniors were supposed to help them with various things, but our department liked this sort of thing so much that we had to eat together and do missions all semester.
“But still, that’s rough for you.”
Sujin said as she handed my phone back.
“Why?”
“Because it’s Park Wonbin.”
“And why is that a problem.”
“You haven’t heard the rumors?”
As if I hadn’t.
“All the girls who tried talking to him first gave up. He doesn’t answer.”
“Not at all?”
“Yeah. I heard he barely even makes eye contact.”
I looked back down at the list.
Kim Yeoju - Park Wonbin.
……I was already tired.
*
The first buddy meeting was on Friday.
I got to the cafe about ten minutes early, and Wonbin was already there.
At the seat by the window.
He was wearing a black hoodie and earbuds, looking at his phone, and up close he was even more uncomfortably handsome.
“Park Wonbin?”
He looked up.
“……Yes.”
“Hi. I’m Kim Yeoju. Your senior buddy.”
“Ah, yes.”
That was it.
……What is this?
“I can sit here, right?”
“Yes.”
I sat across from him, and I felt like I was going to die from how awkward it was.
Usually I can start talking within ten minutes even with someone I’m meeting for the first time, but there was no opening with him.
“Wonbin, what do you want to drink?”
“I’m fine.”
“Still, we came to a cafe, so get something. I’ll buy.”
“I’m really fine.”
“……Alright.”
Another silence.
I fiddled with my straw for no reason.
This was the first time I’d ever met someone I couldn’t talk to like this.
“How’s school been?”
“Fine.”
“Classes?”
“Fine.”
“Have you gotten close with your classmates?”
This time, the answer didn’t come right away.
Wonbin looked down at the table.
“……Just sort of.”
Oh.
Now I finally understood why the others had given up.
“If there’s anything you don’t know, you can ask me. Like course registration or assignments.”
“Yes.”
“I did start a year earlier than you, after all.”
“Yes.”
“…….”
“…….”
Help me.
In the end, I didn’t even stay for the full hour I’d planned and got up from my seat.
“Then I’ll see you next time.”
“Yes.”
“Take care on your way home.”
“You too, noona…….”
My foot stopped as I was about to turn away.
Huh?
When I turned back, Wonbin had his mouth tightly shut.
He must have just said something.
“What did you say?”
“……Nothing.”
“Huh?”
“See you next time.”
And then he bowed his head.
As soon as I left the cafe, I sent my friend a KakaoTalk message.
[Hey]
[I met Park Wonbin]
The reply came right away.
[How was he????]
I thought for a moment, then typed.
[He’s handsome]truly[He’s seriously damn handsome]
[I think the rumors might be true]
That was what I really thought at the time.
Park Wonbin was just,
I thought he was a young master who didn’t hang out with people like us.
