LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 66
Chapter 66: Banquet Hall (Finale)
Hmm.
“Am I short-tempered?”
This thought struck me as I sat in the hospital waiting room.
Looking back, I realized…
“Yeah, maybe I was a bit rude from the start.”
Whether it was how I spoke to Lee Soo-rin or to that guy at the banquet, I’d instinctively drawn a line between myself and others.
“Tsk. I’ve always had a ‘my way or the highway’ attitude, but maybe it’s time for a change.”
Sometimes I even initiated the hostility. No wonder I didn’t have many friends.
So why was I suddenly reflecting on this?
“Hey, what are you looking at, huh? Eyes down!”
An older man, clearly drunk even in broad daylight, was yelling at a passing nurse.
All she’d done was glance at him, yet here he was, causing a scene.
“…Hmph.”
“What are you looking at?”
The memory of my own brusque words to Lee Soo-rin flashed through my mind. I made a mental note to apologize to her properly later.
As I scratched my head, deep in thought about my own attitude, Mom’s voice snapped me out of it.
“Son, let’s go.”
She gestured for me to follow her, holding the doctor’s report and the payment receipt.
“Tsk. Why do I end up in hospitals so often?”
Sighing, I got up from my seat.
“Guess I really made a mess of things this time.”
Feeling a sudden pang of regret, I almost laughed at myself.
“But wait, that guy was bothering my sister and Yehwa first.”
With that, my guilt conveniently faded. Classic Lee Ha-eun.
As I trailed behind Mom, lost in thought, my phone buzzed.
[Hong Yehwa: How’s your face? Are you okay?]
Yehwa’s message carried a hint of worry. For a moment, I considered replying with just an emoji or a single syllable, but…
“Hmm.”
[Me: The doctor said it’s fine except for the cut. Don’t worry.]
[Hong Yehwa: That’s a relief. But seriously, watch your mouth. Sometimes your words get you into trouble.]
“Maybe it’s time to work on my personality.”
If I didn’t, it might become a major obstacle when I entered society.
[Me: Isn’t this part of my charm?]
[Hong Yehwa: You sound like you have a middle school complex. You’re too much of a loner.]
[Me: …You think so?]
If even Yehwa thought so, then it was probably true. I’d need to address it sooner or later.
As I mulled this over, Mom interrupted my thoughts.
“Son, you’re sure you’re not hurt anywhere else, right?”
Her usual warmth had returned, replacing the pale-faced worry she’d shown earlier.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
“…?”
“What’s with that look?”
“Nothing, it’s just… Normally, you’d say ‘nope.’”
Mom blinked at me, her expression a mix of confusion and curiosity.
“Well, I thought I’d try to change a bit.”
“What are you saying? Pfft.”
Scratching the back of my head, I glanced up at the night sky.
Changing my personality on a whim? That was probably too much to hope for.
“Is this just my personality, or am I genuinely rude? Maybe fixing one would help.”
If I could manage that, maybe the conflicts I kept finding myself in would diminish.
“Come to think of it, most incidents seem to start with me.”
Sometimes I became an easy target, and sometimes I was the one picking fights.
“Hmm. Maybe giving up on human interaction would be quicker.”
Still, it felt necessary to adjust how I carried myself. My casual attitude and sharp words often seemed to invite trouble.
Back at the building with the banquet hall, Dad had gotten busy handling the aftermath of the earlier incident.
“Tsk. I should apologize when he gets back.”
After all, I was the one who started it.
Ha-yoon had apparently returned to her room and was waiting on the bed when we arrived.
“Brother!”
She rushed over and grabbed my face, turning it this way and that with a worried expression.
Her pouty face was so adorable that I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Ugh! How can you laugh in this situation?”
Her narrowed eyes bore into me as she scolded me.
“Sorry. But I’m not hurt too badly, so give me a break.”
“…?”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Well, you seem… really calm.”
Mom chimed in from the side, nodding enthusiastically. “Right? He’s acting so mature, isn’t he?”
“What’s my usual image for them to react like this?”
“Just earlier, you were like some reckless delinquent who doesn’t care about anything.”
“Hey, come on.”
I brushed off her comment with a laugh and patted her head.
“It’s only been a few hours, but you’ve changed so much…”
The two of them exchanged incredulous looks, mumbling about character consistency and suspension of disbelief.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped onto the room’s balcony.
I gazed at the stars that were barely visible in the night sky, letting my thoughts wander.
“The court stuff? That’ll resolve itself quickly. As for that guy… well, sorry to say, but Dad will probably handle it.”
The man was in the wrong for hitting me first, so I wasn’t too concerned.
Hmm.
“I guess I did speak first in a way that could rile someone up.”
Still, that was one thing, and getting physical was another.
It was clear that I, Lee Ha-eun, still had some maturing to do.
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“How do I do this part?”
“Start curving from the right, slowly. Okay, perfect.”
Not long after the incident, peace returned.
“Though calling it an incident might be an exaggeration.”
With a newfound focus on reevaluating my attitude and behavior, I found myself as full of complaints as ever.
As the victim, I had the opportunity to meet the guy who’d punched me in court.
“Let’s settle this. I admit I wasn’t entirely in the right either.”
For the first time, my selfish and arrogant self acknowledged a mistake.
Dad, who had been helping me with the case, looked at me in surprise but nodded in understanding.
Later, while browsing YouTube, I came across a few comments criticizing me. Some called me elitist, saying I carried an obnoxious sense of superiority.
Though the comments were few, they weren’t entirely baseless.
“Even I can admit there’s some truth to that.”
Looking back, I realized my personality had always been tinged with arrogance. Perhaps it stemmed from my reincarnation.
Being born with memories of a past life, I couldn’t help but outperform my peers.
That sense of superiority had gradually inflated my ego.
“At this point, who’d believe me if I said I was trying to change? Still, I should make an effort.”
“Ha-eun, what should I do next—”
“Hey! It’s my turn now!”
“No, it’s mine!”
The bickering voices of girls snapped me out of my musings.
Red, yellow, and black hair.
“These three never change.”
While I was wrestling with self-reflection, they remained exactly the same.
As summer vacation neared its end, Choi Yeseo had roped the others into one last outing, dragging me along to a painting café.
“…And Ha Soyeol carried me on her back all the way here, drawing every gaze in the neighborhood.”
But honestly, it was relaxing to be out like this.
At the moment, I was helping the three with their drawings, passing the time.
“Ugh! So annoying! Why are there only three days of summer vacation left?”
Choi Yeseo stretched with an exasperated groan, her expression sour.
The other two tilted their heads, confused.
“Most schools went back two weeks ago.”
“Yeseo’s so greedy.”
Criticized, Yeseo turned her gaze to me, looking defeated.
I scratched my cheek, avoiding her eyes.
“I’d say you’ve had plenty of fun already.”
She’d gone to America and had the time of her life—what more could she want?
“But it still feels like something’s missing!”
When no one took her side, she finally burst out in frustration.
“Poor thing. I guess it wasn’t enough for her.”
“And you, Ha-eun! You’re the weirdest of all!”
“That stung a little.”
“Ah, no! That’s not what I meant!”
What was wrong with her today? Was it that time of the month?
“Normally, you’d have this grumpy face, complaining, ‘I don’t want to go out today~’ or saying ‘This is such a hassle.’”
“Noted. Thanks for the critique.”
I gave her a faint smile, but the room fell silent.
“…Wow. That’s the first time I’ve seen him smile so genuinely.”
“Yeah. Usually, his smiles look exhausted.”
“Smile like that more often.”
The three took turns marveling, while Soyeol in particular gave me an intense, piercing look paired with a soft smile.
“What’s with her? Did I smile differently this time?”
I touched my lips to check, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
“Well, if they’re happy, that’s what matters.”
We spent the rest of the day productively, making the most of the last stretch of summer vacation.
The days passed, bringing a semblance of routine.
My art lessons with Ms. Lee A-reum continued, though they were more “energy-draining” than “heart-pounding.”
She was quite the chatterbox, capable of talking nonstop through an entire session.
Yet strangely, I didn’t mind it much. Her voice reminded me of chirping chicks—not unpleasant, but mismatched with her frame.
As for Yehwa’s art lessons, those were now scheduled for weekends, as it was hard to find free time otherwise.
Lastly, I focused on the thing that had been nagging at me recently: my personality.
I couldn’t deny that my arrogance and pride had been deeply ingrained.
While my parents’ personalities were warm and kind, I’d somehow turned out the opposite.
“Perhaps… Did my last masterpiece influence me?”
I glanced at my phone screen, where an image of my past-life painting, [Angel], stared back at me.
The painting depicted the fallen angel Lucifer, also known by another name:
“The Demon of Pride.”
A strange feeling washed over me.