Thanks to Ra-Eun’s savage cheers, the Seo Yi-Jun & Kang Ra-Eun pair had survived even after more than half of the teams had been eliminated. There were only five teams left.

Yi-Jun was getting dizzy. His arms were shaking, and he felt like he was about to pass out. He checked out the strongest winning candidate next to him.

He was a square-jawed man wearing a black tank top to show off his massive muscles. The woman being held by him kept motivating him with rosy cheers such as “You’re the best, honey!” and “Do your best, my love~!”

On the other hand, Ra-Eun was yawning, seemingly bored by this game.

‘I’m so damn jealous!’

Even if it wasn’t to that extent, Yi-Jun would be able to muster up some more strength if Ra-Eun cheered him on at least a little. He felt that it was a shame, but after holding on as best as he could...

“Now! There are only two teams left! Let’s give a round of applause and cheers to the two pairs having a heated battle!”

The audience cheered even louder in response. It was the muscly man couple versus the Ra-Eun & Yi-Jun pair. They had been off to a great start because Yi-Jun worked out and Ra-Eun was lighter than expected, but...

‘I can’t hold on any longer...!’

This seemed to be as far as he could go. Cold sweats started forming on Yi-Jun’s forehead as if to show that he had reached his limit. Seeing that, Ra-Eun stretched out her sleeve and used it to wipe off his sweat for him.

“Are you tired? Men shouldn’t be sweating over something this simple.”

“No, noona! I’m not tired in the slightest!”

Thanks to the first warm gesture that Ra-Eun had ever given him, Yi-Jun slightly threw her up, either to fix his posture or to show her that he was still fine.

He caught Ra-Eun and asked with a smile on his face, “Noona, why are you so light?”

“I’m 48 kg.”

Ra-Eun blatantly revealed her weight. Women were usually reluctant to reveal their weight in front of men, but that wasn’t the case for Ra-Eun. Yi-Jun once again flashed a smile toward Ra-Eun.

“You’re as light as a feather,” he expressed.

'Would you look at him?' Ra-Eun thought as she smirked at his absurd joke.

Yi-Jun was able to last ten more minutes thanks to Ra-Eun’s warm gesture, but it was not enough for him to overcome his physical limits.

“The high schooler couple’s posture is breaking!” the host exclaimed.

Yi-Jun had tried to hold on to the very end, but it was difficult to go on any further. But still, he held Ra-Eun with the resolve to last using any means necessary. He had tenacity, if anything else.

“...”

Ra-Eun silently stared at Yi-Jun with a contorted face, and then...

“Forget it, that’s enough,” Ra-Eun said.

“What?” Yi-Jun asked.

Ra-Eun did something unexpected.

Tap.

She had gotten off of Yi-Jun of her own accord.

“N-Noona!” Yi-Jun exclaimed in confusion.

However, Ra-Eun’s expression was as calm as it could be. As soon as both of her feet touch the ground...

“We have a winner! Congratulations!”

Their loss had been settled.

***

The couples placed from first to fifth were presented awards and prizes. While the host was interviewing the other couples, Yi-Jun looked as if he was about to cry. Seeing that, Ra-Eun poked at him with her elbow.

“Why are you making that kind of face? Are you still tired?” she asked.

“It’s not that...”

There was only one reason why Yi-Jun was making such a face.

“I’m sorry, noona, I really wanted to get first place.”

He could not let down his frustration. However, Ra-Eun answered in a cool manner, “Don’t worry about it. Our opponent was just too strong.”

There was no way a normal first-year high school student like Yi-Jun could beat a guy who obviously looked like the only three places that he went to were his home, the gym and his home gym. There was already a huge difference in their arm strength, so Ra-Eun didn’t really have her hopes up at the start either.

“Good job,” Ra-Eun said.

Yi-Jun’s mood didn’t change despite Ra-Eun's short encouragement.

“No, I’m really sorry, noona.”

“I said it’s fine. I’d already accomplished my goal anyway,” Ra-Eun said.

“What? What do you mean?”

At that moment, the host handed the Ra-Eun & Yi-Jun couple the second-place prize.

“Congratulations on second place,” the host said.

“Thank you,” Ra-Eun replied as she received the second-place prize from the host with a fake bright smile.

“I was aiming for this from the beginning,” she remarked to Yi-Jun.

The prize in her hands was the blue automatic wristwatch.

***

Yi-Jun asked Ra-Eun with a dispirited face on their way home, “Then... you were aiming for second place from the very beginning?”

“Yup, exactly,” Ra-Eun answered.

Yi-Jun was beyond dumbfounded.

“I didn’t know that. I challenged it as if my life depended on it to get first place...” Yi-Jun muttered.

His arms were still numb from the aftereffects. He thought that she could have at least told him. His legs were about to give out, thinking that it was all for nothing.

“But why didn’t you tell me in advance?” he asked.

“I wanted to see if you had backbone or not,” Ra-Eun replied.

Hahaha...

Yi-Jun laughed awkwardly. He was relieved that they managed to obtain what they wanted. Yi-Jun sighed deeply as Ra-Eun checked the watch that they had won. It was all good, but he felt that something was lacking.

Ra-Eun knew what Yi-Jun was thinking about. He wanted a reward.

“Should I treat you to something delicious next time?” she asked.

“You will?”

“Yeah. Let me know if there’s anything you want to eat. It doesn’t matter even if it’s expensive.”

The gears in Yi-Jun’s head turned rapidly. Treating food meant a lunch or dinner plan. In other words...

‘Doesn’t it mean that I can have another date with noona?’

After coming to such a conclusion on his own, Yi-Jun brightened up considerably.

“Okay, sure! When are you free? I’ll match your schedule,” Yi-Jun remarked.

“You have work at the cafe. Shouldn’t I be matching up to you?”

“I just help when I have time, so it’s not a big problem. And you know we don’t have that many customers, don’t you?”

“Well... yeah.”

To be honest, Ra-Eun didn’t see the need for Yi-Seo’s father, Yi-Seo and Yi-Jun to work simultaneously, since it really was an empty cafe.

“Okay, then. I have a drama shoot next week, so let’s meet next Saturday after I’m done with it,” Ra-Eun said.

“Understood!”

He had been complaining about the things he had to suffer through today inside his head at first, but he was rewarded for all of his hardships at once.

***

Ra-Eun went straight to Kang Ra-Hyuk as soon as she got home.

“Where’s Dad?” she asked.

“In the bathroom. Did you get a gift?”

“Yeah. You haven’t mentioned the money to him yet, right?”

“I was waiting until you got home,” Ra-Hyuk remarked.

“Really?”

“What do you wanna do? Should we do it a little later? Or tomorrow?”

“No, let’s just get everything over with. We’ll give him the gift in advance as well,” Ra-Eun expressed.

Their father, Kang Ji-Hun, had said that he would not be able to come home early on his birthday because of delivery work, so the siblings had decided to hold an early birthday party.

Ra-Hyuk and Ra-Eun immersed themselves into the birthday party preparations before their father came out of the bathroom. They placed the birthday cake that they had secretly bought in the living room, and hid away the gift and the passbook with the money that they had taken out of their stock trading account.

Moments later, Ji-Hun came out of the bathroom and stared at the birthday cake with an astonished expression.

“My God, what’s this?” he asked.

Waiting for this moment, they cracked the party poppers.

Crack! Pop—!

“Happy birthday, Dad!”

“Happy birthday.”

Ra-Hyuk and Ra-Eun congratulated their father in order. Ra-Hyuk waved at the blank-faced Ji-Hun, signaling him to come quickly.

“What are you doing, Dad? Come and blow out these candles!” Ra-Hyuk exclaimed.

“O-Okay,” Ji-Hun said.

Blow—!

All the candles were blown out from a single breath. Ji-Hun still couldn’t hold in his astonishment, never expecting such a surprise to have been waiting for him after just coming back from the bathroom.

This wasn’t the end of it.

“Dad,” Ra-Hyuk said while handing him something.

It was the passbook that they had hidden earlier.

“What’s this?” Ji-Hun asked.

“I worked hard to earn that money,” Ra-Hyuk expressed.

It was actually earned by Ra-Eun, but she had said to leave her out of it on purpose, because she did not want their father to know that even his daughter had dabbled in stock trading. Things would turn out to be a pain that way.

“Ten, hundred, thousand... 300 million? H-How did you earn this much money?!” Ji-Hun asked, astounded.

“I scored really big in stock trades,” Ra-Hyuk answered.

Ji-Hun’s face stiffened.

“How long have you been doing stock trading?”

“Since half a year ago. I’m sorry, Dad. But isn’t it fine since I earned this much?” Ra-Hyuk protested.

He wasn’t wrong, since in terms of results, Ra-Hyuk had earned enough money to pay off the family’s debts and more. However, as a father, Ji-Hun felt uneasy.

“Don’t dabble in stock trading anymore. It could ruin our entire family,” Ji-Hun said.

“Okay, Dad,” Ra-Hyuk replied.

Of course, it was a lie. Next up...

“Dad, take this as well,” Ra-Eun said.

It was a gift from his daughter this time. The moment Ji-Hun saw the high-class automatic skeleton watch as he opened the small box, he started to tear up.

“It’s the same brand as what your mother first bought for me. Thank you, Ra-Eun.”

Ji-Hun extended his arms and hugged Ra-Eun because he was able to recall old memories thanks to her.

Ra-Hyuk, who was astonished, gave Ra-Eun a thumbs-up.

“Ra-Eun, how did you know that this watch brand was the first one that Dad had received from Mom? That’s awesome!”

Of course she didn’t know. It was purely by coincidence, but...

“Anyone should be able to do at least this.”

...She wanted to put on airs.