#52_Friend: One soul inhabiting many bodies - Season 3_Jang Ma-eum, an orphan with a family of 13

“Wow, Ma-eum, it’s been a really long time since I’ve seen you…”

As soon as he saw her happy face, Subin sighed. It had been so long since he'd seen her, he couldn't argue back, and he didn't want to, so he just smiled and responded nicely.

“Right? You were living with Seventeen at that time.

“Besides the contact I made, we barely kept in touch…”

“Oh, last time you auditioned

When I said I was transferring to a pre-school

Aren't you being bullied at that time?

“You called because you were suspicious, right?”

I was really reckless back then. But I guess you can always worry about your friends.

What, you're getting angry by yourself, drawing conclusions by yourself, rationalizing by yourself, what are you doing?

“Really? This kid would never get bullied, right?”

Subin and Jeongyeon must have become close friends, because they immediately defended him, and I just chuckled.

Seungsik, Subin, Jeongyeon, and Seungwoo… Jeongyeon and my male friends, of course, had different methods and times, but they were all precious friends who ultimately helped me get to where I am today.

I felt a tingle in my nose as I thought about whether I could have endured this without any of these.

“Anyway, what happened after that?

Can you not give me a single call?

“I really have to see your news in the news!”

It was true that I felt a little awkward about Subin's words. I'd never wanted my people to hear about me in the news, but I felt sorry because it was actually happening.

“Hey, I wasn’t worried though.

They say no news is good news.

I believed you would be fine,

In fact, at least your outward appearance in the article is

I was so relieved to see that you were doing well.

“I was really worried about you.”

“Hey Seungwoo.

When you start talking and when you end talking

“Don’t you think what I’m saying is a bit contradictory?”

Jeongyeon listened to him and then spoke. It seemed like Jeongyeon's sociability would make her friends with my male friends very quickly. That's fortunate. It's good for everyone to be friends.

“Let me start by saying I wasn’t worried.

Let me end by saying that I was very worried.

“Your words lack credibility and persuasiveness at the same time, Seungwoo.”

Soobin put her hand on his shoulder and spoke humbly, and Seungwoo thought back on what he had said and said, “Ah,” as if he had realized something.

"Oh, really? I didn't know."

Perhaps he meant it when he said he was worried. After all, worry is a byproduct of love and affection.

“Still, thank you so much for your words, Seungwoo.

You are a true friend. That bastard Lee Chan…

Jeongyeon reacted to my words with a fit of rage. How on earth did Chan-i treat Jeongyeon that she hates him so much? If he treated me even half as well as I do, Jeongyeon would probably fall for him…?

“Still, let’s get along well.

“Aren’t we going to be friends for the rest of our lives anyway?”

Subin was right. Whether you like it or not, you'll see each other for the rest of your life. If that's the case, it's better to cultivate a loving relationship.

And I didn't hate him because I knew that the pranks he played on me were actually filled with deep affection and love.

“What time do you register for classes?”

“You’re really good at talking, Kang Seung-sik.

“It’s 9 o’clock.”

“Wow! Hey, you only have 10 minutes left!”

Jeongyeon was making a fuss. Still, Jeongyeon's university had already applied for classes early, so I thought it might be of some help to me.

“I have eyes too, Yoon Jeong-yeon.”

I picked a fight with Jeongyeon for no reason. She grumbled and took my prank lightly.

“Of course. You need to play with girls too.

“Don’t hang out with only boys.”

Seungwoo expressed his concern, which wasn't really a concern, and I responded with a smile. Since there wasn't much time left before the course registration period, I quickly refreshed the site.

“What class did you sign up for?”

Subin asked and I answered.

“Majoring in Eastern and Western narrative arts,

Image and Story Creation Basics 1 and 2,

Sentence style practice, Korean literature seminar.

“Copyright classes as liberal arts, understanding and appreciating modern art.”

I didn't memorize it for the sake of memorizing it, but I kept checking the classes I was signing up for to make sure they fit my schedule, and before I knew it, they were ingrained in my head and memorized. Of course, if I told them this, they'd probably hit me with the punches and call me unlucky.

“Can you do it while working on your schedule?”

“I need to take a good look at the empty space.

“This is a field that cannot be covered by the credit bank system.”

The Credit Bank System recognizes credit for hours spent on actual work related to my major. However, what I'm currently doing isn't literature, but singing and acting, so there's no way I'll get credit.

“Yeah, you’re 24 hours a day, every second

“You know how to quit, don’t you?”

“Is that a compliment, Seungwoo?”

Seungwoo nodded with a look of obviousness. His face was tinged with doubt, wondering if he could do it, and concern for my health.

"Hey, mind. There's not much time left. Get ready!"

While I was talking to my male friends whom I hadn't seen in a long time, Jeongyeon checked the time, and as she said, I sat down in front of the computer again and refreshed the page to register for classes.

And then the madness began. I'd never even done this with concert tickets, but now I'm doing it because of class registration.

“Wow, awesome. I’m all-kill!”

“Oh~ Good luck~ in the first semester~?”

Jeongyeon immediately raised her thumb and showed it to me, and I was busy laughing at her appearance.

Maybe it's just so wonderful that I, an introvert, have such an extroverted friend. She can do things I can't.

“Oh, but are you going to drink?

“They say that when you enter college, you drink until your nose gets crooked.”

Seungsik asked. I hesitated for a moment and then answered.

“No. I’m 19 now.

“It’s not legal to drink it, and I don’t even want to drink it.”

"Good idea. That's not good for your health."

Seungwoo answered affectionately. It seemed as if Seungwoo and Jeongyeon had become close, as Jeongyeon pretended to gag at Seungwoo's flirtatious remark.

“Have you ever lived in such a disgusting place?

“You are my proud friend.”

Jeongyeon's words made me chuckle. Her tone was so endearing, no matter how many times I listened to it.

“Yes, I lived here, and I love it~”

Jeongyeon watched me with a gentle smile, as if she were watching someone she'd wished for be happy say so.

Ah, this isn't a metaphor, it's reality. Because everyone gathered here right now is contributing to my happiness.

“Hey, aren’t you here to play a game?

“If I do this, there’s no point in coming here…”

“Kang Seung-sik!”

It means a lot to me just to see Jang Ma-eum's face!

“I haven’t seen you guys in years!”

Jeongyeon hit Seungsik without a second thought.

Although Jeongyeon was much smaller than Seungsik, it felt like an elementary school student hitting his older brother, but I was still grateful that Jeongyeon said that to me.

Of course, it was possible because Seungsik knew that what he said wasn't sincere.

“What game are you going to play?

Oh, I can't play any game.”

Jeongyeon almost spit out the cola she was drinking as she watched me humbly raise my right hand and declare.

“I’ll teach you. Just keep saying that and you’ll grow.”

Seungwoo continued, sounding a little flustered, but I was being sincere. I couldn't even move my character in the game; all I could do was look around with the mouse.

“Hey, heart. You…”

Subin held up a finger to me, indicating what he was about to say. I resisted the urge to bite it, waiting for his next words.

“Just play Minesweeper.”

"Wow, Soobin. I can't even find mines."

“Your heart is serious…”

Those friends who said that kept harassing me and teaching me how to play, but I still enjoyed it and was happy. As a result, a smile never left my face.

“Oh, when I went for a college interview a while ago,

“Did you meet your biological mother then?”

I just threw out a fact, and it was like lighting a fuse for them, and they got really angry and took my side.

“Damn it, what kind of face do you have?”

Jeongyeon spat out a curse with a cold expression that seemed to freeze even the sandy desert she had never seen before.

They say that the scariest thing is when someone who doesn't get angry gets angry, and honestly, I was a little scared even though I wasn't the target of her anger.

"I wonder if he's a conscientious bastard."

“No, isn’t it just a conscience and a beast?”

“Hey, isn’t that too much to say to an animal?

“Sometimes even animals fulfill their duty of care.”

Subin, who I had been friends with for less than five years, and Seungsik and Seungwoo, who I had been friends with for a long time, they were all on my side.

They cursed at me when I couldn't, and they vented their anger when I couldn't.

“First, calm down.

“If you don’t calm down, I won’t listen to you.”

“…Are you serious now, Ma-eum?

Because of those kids

How hard a life you've lived

I know…”

Seungwoo, who'd been by my side the longest, since the beginning of my memory. He'd always be amazed at how I'd managed to hold on.

“That’s true…”

There have been many things. I don't deny it, because I'm the one who lived that difficult life.

In fact, I'm not denying almost anything. After all, I was an adult from a young age, and I survived on my own at an age when it was difficult to live on my own.

“…What kind of person was he?”

Jeongyeon, who had finally calmed down, asked in a relatively calm voice.

“He was the CEO of SG Enterprise.”

I was so dumbfounded that I couldn't help but snort. The four precious people before me all had the same shocked expression on their faces.

“If it was going to be so good, why did you throw your heart away?”

Seungwoo's tone was sharp. He spoke with sarcasm, as if they weren't even human, and with warm empathy, taking my side. I was grateful to him once again for that.

“When I earnestly seek

Even though I died, he didn't show up.

“I don’t know why it suddenly appeared when I was doing well.”

I swirled the straw of the peach iced tea I ordered, my gaze lowered. Why do I feel embarrassed when I say this to you all?

“I thought you came here to get money,

“When you say moving, I don’t think that’s right…”

Seungsik hesitated for a while and then gathered his thoughts.

I want to be honest with you guys, but I haven't been honest with myself yet, so I don't know what to do.

“…Maybe he really missed me.

“It could be that you really, truly wanted to find me…”

Looking at her, who was so wrapped up in pretense, I thought that it was impossible, but now that I think about it, it was actually something I didn't know.

My mother might have, but my father might not have, and there's no guarantee that my entire immediate family wouldn't have wanted to find me.

“Well, I wonder what you said to him.”

Seungwoo gently held my hand. There was no pressure or coercion, just gentle understanding, respect, and empathy.

“I have my real family,

I said I didn't want to go. But…

Four different people, each with a single thought for me, focused more on me than my words.

But I knew that if I said I didn't want to answer, they would just let it go, so I opened my mouth.

“My parents are my real family.

What if you came here because you wanted to help?

“Then what should I do…?”

Objectification was necessary. Because it was my own business, I was so emotionally invested that I couldn't make a choice and was floundering.

“Oh my, what are you doing now?

Seventeen, we may not be related by blood, but we are family to you.”

Instead of using the expression ‘like family,’ Seungwoo used the expression ‘family.’

Seungwoo knew. Now, Seventeen wasn't just family to him, they were just family.

“That’s right… thanks to Seventeen, you got your name back.

Let's say you came to play the role of family, even if I make a hundred concessions.

“What are we going to do about the inevitable 16-year gap?”

Did Seungsik really speak this well? It felt like his speaking skills had improved just for me, and I felt like he cared about me that much, and I felt a lump in my throat.

“What about you? Do you want to break that 16-year gap?

After all, it's your choice...

I'm sure you guys will all understand.

Of course we keep in touch

It would be possible under some assumptions”

I knew Jeongyeon was right. Seventeen loved me, they cherished me, and I knew they would respect any choice I made.

Because the ultimate goal they were pursuing was my happiness.

I shook my head at Jeongyeon's question. They weren't dear enough to me to warrant breaking the 16-year gap.

Because they weren't people with enough potential to develop in the future to justify abandoning Seventeen.

“Then just live like this.

If you gave me your phone number, please change that too.

And don't answer the phone when it comes to the company."

Jeongyeon grabbed my shoulder and made me look straight at her. I put my hand on her shoulder and answered.

“Thank you, my friends.”

"Thank you. I just helped you see things objectively."

Since that was what I needed most, I couldn't help but feel even more grateful for Seungwoo's words.

I'm sorry... I'm really into Han Seung-woo, so I think his character is unnecessarily attractive and there are too many gifs...