Of Pocky and Pepero

SUMMARY: A South Korean transfer student is struggling to adjust to her new life here in Japan, that included getting used to the strange boy who she's been sitting next to for the past month. OC


Chapter 29: Indemnify

NOTE : "Italicized" is Korean speech.


"But forty-eight thousand yen is a bit excessive, don't you think?"

Soo-Jin didn't have the energy to retaliate anymore. After having Fukui make the purchase, all the boy did was look blankly at his near empty wallet while complain about it.

Murasakibara, in the end, did get an armful of snacks. However, he surprisingly handed her a few boxes of Pepero, exclaiming, "Soo-Jin-san, they had a wide assortment of flavors of these Korean Pocky."

Yui gave her a pointed look, in which Soo-Jin looked away and blushed.

When they left the store, Yui offered for them to eat at her father's restaurant at a discount, but Okamura and Himuro suddenly received calls and had business to attend to. Liu mentioned about having to run an errand that he forgot about doing. Even when the three left, the offer still stood, but Soo-Jin felt as though the day had been eventful enough, leading her to politely turn down the extended kindness.

Murasakibara, Fukui, and Soo-Jin boarded together on the train, with Fukui and Soo-Jin carrying the groceries and Murasakibara happily munching away, his long arm cradling his bags of packaged food. The Korean was so tired that she didn't care about the mild jabs that the oldest boy directed at her.

But the complaining had got to stop.

"I don't care," she grumbled. "It was a favor. Now your turn."

Fukui stilled and looked at her before falling into a thoughtful stance. "You're right. Hmm, what should I make you do?"

And Soo-Jin began to regret ever opening her mouth.

"Should I…" he paused for a dramatic effect, "eat your kimuchi stew?"

Her eyes widened. "What!"

"I'm just kidding—calm down." Fukui reclined heavily in his seat and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "As much as I think much retribution would be served if I ate whatever you made, I don't think I could stomach kimuchi very well, much less kimuchi stew."

She frowned. "You eat kimchi before?"

"Yeah. My family and I once went to a Korean restaurant. The waitress set out all these side dishes right after we made our order. We decided to try each of them, and once I got to the kimuchi I felt like upchucking it right back up. My parents and sister liked it to my amazement."

Figured that Fukui would be like that.

"The meals that the place had were spicy too," Fukui continued. "Do Koreans usually make their food spicy? My mom ordered mussel soup and they gave her one with hot green pepper slices floating in the broth."

"Uh…" Soo-Jin shrugged. "Usually? Sometimes? I…never thought about it."

"Hn."

Was Korean food usually spicy? Well, compared to the food here, she would say so. Korea probably leaned more towards beef while Japan towards fish. There was also the difference in the number of side dishes served per meal (while her first month was terrible, she eventually adjusted to the food that she was given from her host mother).

She gave her thoughts an inward shrug. She then tilted her head back to see Murasakibara nibbling the chocolate-coated end of a Pepero. Not having lunch, she proceeded following her classmate's example by opening one of the boxes that he gave her, not bothering to share with Fukui (ha ha). But Fukui filched a couple sticks from her (dang it).


Somewhere along the way, Soo-Jin must have nodded off because she found her eyes fluttering themselves open and being nudged and Fukui's voice urging her, "Wake up, it's our stop."

The first thing that she saw upon waking up was Fukui's crotch (because her eyes happened to land there—by no means was it intentional), and then she traced her gaze upwards until she was squinting at his bored (or irritated?—she couldn't tell) expression. "Just how long do you plan on drooling on my shoulder?" he drawled.

Shoulder? Soo-Jin lifted her head slightly and felt the pressure (that she hadn't noticed before until now) disappeared. Immediately, she jerked her body upright. Before she could orient herself or register the fact that she had been using his shoulder as a pillow, Fukui shoved two shopping bags into her arms and pushed her onto her feet by the small of her back, grabbing for the other groceries with his other hand.

As they walked out of the train, Soo-Jin noticed that they were missing someone. "Wh-where's Murasaraba?"

"He disembarked on the first stop," he said, "leaving me the responsibility to help you bring in your groceries."

"Oh." She looked down, unsure what to make out of the unexpected generosity. He didn't even sound resentful, just bored (and not irritated). "Thank you…"

Fukui grunted.

With the lampposts and houses starting to cast a short length of their shadows, Soo-Jin knew that it must be around two or three o'clock. She wasn't certain of the exact time she left with the boys, but she vaguely recalled getting a glimpse of a train passenger's watch reading 11:30. They had been out for awhile it seemed.

The two walked to the Fujioka residence in silence, but Soo-Jin found herself comfortable in it. Unlike with Yui, she didn't feel the hankering of having to talk to him. However, Fukui possessed the proclivity of initiating these random conversations all by himself. Like now.

"I found out what I want you to do for me."

She nearly tripped. "Uh…" she trailed off nervously.

"Don't worry; I already said that I won't eat your kimuchi stew."

That wasn't what she was worried about.

"Well, since we're almost at your place, I'll tell you." He looked at her in the eye and said, "On the day of the summer festival, I want you to go on a date with me."