From Now On, A Marriage Proposal Is The Only Way To Survive - Chapter 74

Hwang Bo-Yoon opened his mouth with a serious expression.

“First, it’s best to report this to the student council. Shin-Yeon, it’s not your fault, so don’t blame yourself. Whatever someone wears, that’s their personal freedom. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Yeah. Those bastards are the ones in the wrong. So when they asked to borrow it, you told them no?”

While Park Kyung-Joo and Hwang Bo-Yoon were comforting Shin-Yeon, Han Tae-Young came back with the jacket that had been sprayed with deodorizer.

“There’s no pheromone or other smell left on it, so you can wear it. If you run into those bastards again, turn on a recorder first. And if you argue, stay in front of a CCTV or a car with a dashcam.”

“Mm. Thanks, everyone. If it weren’t for you guys, today would’ve been a lot harder. Let’s go to the after-party now.”

Shin-Yeon put on the jacket Han Tae-Young handed him and gave an embarrassed smile as he thanked them.

“Kim Shin-Yeon, no matter what you wear, what matters is being confident. And you don’t need to respond to rude attention. If you don’t feel it as kindness, then the other person is being rude. Just ignore that.”

“But… they’re seniors…”

At Shin-Yeon’s words, Park Kyung-Joo nodded in sympathy, while Hwang Bo-Yoon and Han Tae-Young sighed.

“Ha… Everyone knows guys like that are weird, even the other seniors. That’s why people keep their distance. Even if you end up in society, do you think you’d really end up working under guys like that?”

The clothes Shin-Yeon usually wore on a daily basis were in a price range that only the wealthy could easily afford.

And just from the chauffeured car used for commuting, you could tell how preciously he’d been raised.

While Han Tae-Young and Hwang Bo-Yoon, who didn’t know Shin-Yeon’s background, were offering comfort based on misunderstanding, Park Kyung-Joo spoke up.

“Shin-Yeon, can you still make it to the after-party?”

“Yeah, I saw online that freshmen are supposed to go to the after-party. So I should.”

Seeing Shin-Yeon give an awkward smile, Park Kyung-Joo then turned to Hwang Bo-Yoon and Han Tae-Young.

“I’m not going. I’ve got an important schedule right after this.”

Han Tae-Young was the first to say he wouldn’t attend. After hesitating, Hwang Bo-Yoon spoke.

“I wasn’t sure if I should go, but I don’t feel good letting you guys go alone. Let’s go together.”

“It’s a shame Tae-Young’s not coming.”

“Yeah.”

Since the four had ended up hanging out together, the reaction to one person leaving was naturally disappointment. Han Tae-Young answered flatly.

“Next time, let’s just have a drink together.”

When they left the lounge and stepped outside, most of the freshmen had already gone, and the seniors were tidying up while chatting.

“Hey, are you going to the after-party?”

“Why would we, at our year? Let the kids have fun. We’ll have a team-building soon anyway.”

Passing the seniors, the four went down to the first floor and headed for the parking lot.

After taking off his cap and mask, Han Tae-Young quickly put on his helmet, then looked around and spoke.

“Kim Shin-Yeon, Park Kyung-Joo. Don’t just drink everything the seniors give you. Tell them you can’t drink. Don’t follow along to the second or third rounds—just go home after the first. Hwang Bo-Yoon, you make sure they get home.”

“Got it. I’ll sneak out after the first round too.”

Han Tae-Young rode off first on his bike, while Hwang Bo-Yoon put an arm around Shin-Yeon and Park Kyung-Joo’s shoulders and guided them to his car.

“Whoa, Hwang Bo-Yoon, your car’s huge?”

As he opened the back door of a sleek black luxury SUV, Hwang Bo-Yoon gave a small smile.

“I’m using driving as my excuse not to drink.”

***

The pork restaurant Chamdon Myeongga, famous for handling large groups, was bustling with business school students.

Since it was the after-party following the semester-opening general assembly, most of the freshmen had shown up, along with some seniors, all crammed together around the tables.

“Let’s mix up the years so everyone can get closer. Oh, Bo-Yoon is here? Bo-Yoon, go to the third table, Kyung-Joo to the fifth table, and Shin-Yeon, come over here.”

The first-year class rep and a second-year class rep, who were on good terms, deliberately split up their usual friend groups and assigned everyone’s seats.

To encourage mingling, the second-year class rep ushered the hesitant Shin-Yeon to a table with some seniors.

“Hi, Shin-Yeon. We heard you had some trouble earlier? What happened?”

Because he was seated at a table with members of the student council, the seniors naturally asked about what had gone on before the assembly.

After hesitating, Shin-Yeon explained the situation. The senior who had been listening spoke up.

“Weren’t those guys making a fuss about changing majors? They still haven’t done it?”

“You think switching majors here is easy? They said they’d switch to fashion, but now they’re saying fashion is still business-related, so they’ll just stay in business administration.”

“Ugh, I wish those punks would just embarrass themselves, get rejected, and run off to the army or take a leave of absence. Haa… Have you ever done a group project with them?”

The seniors, frowning as they spoke, continued sharing their experiences.

Caught off guard, Shin-Yeon ended up listening in on stories about the second-year “villains” of the business school.

The first type of villains were the ones who always tried to flirt by buying food and drinks.

“Freshmen shouldn’t just follow any senior around because they’re buying meals or drinks. Later, you’ll get ambushed with confessions and won’t hear the end of it. Do you know how clingy they get? They’ll message you at 2 a.m.”

At that, Shin-Yeon flinched, remembering how he had once messaged Kyo-Shin at 2 a.m. and been scolded for it.

“Well… I heard 2 a.m. is when people are the most emotional…”

At Shin-Yeon’s little mutter, the seniors—already wearied by the thought of upcoming group project hell—replied dryly.

“At 2 a.m. you’re suffering from group projects, not getting emotional. Anyway, the second type of villains are those fashion types.”

The so-called “fashion crowd,” mostly in their early twenties, had originally gathered out of a shared interest in fashion.

At first, they stuck to the purpose: sharing daily fashion ideas, seasonal trends, going shopping or browsing together.

“But wherever people gather, there’s always someone who stirs up trouble like a muddy loach. They poisoned the fashion club.”

Those “muddy loaches” were people more obsessed with luxury goods and limited editions than fashion itself.

“Last year, some of them got caught doing limited-edition reselling. The worst part was they forced unwilling members into it, saddling them with debt.”

“Wow… that’s really awful.”

They even tried to shift the blame onto the victims, saying it was their responsibility for going along.

After that scandal, they stopped pressuring others to become resellers.

But instead, they began pushing club members and classmates to buy luxury items.

“They’ll make someone buy an expensive item they can’t afford themselves. Then they’ll ask to borrow it ‘just for a bit,’ but won’t return it for ages, and when they do, it’s damaged.”

Shin-Yeon stiffened, remembering how some seniors had once forced his jacket off him, saying they’d only borrow it for a few days.

So it wasn’t just him—they did it habitually.

“If they ever try that again, be firm and say no. Then come straight to the student council.”

“Y-Yes…”

When the conversation wrapped up, Shin-Yeon pulled out his phone, snapped a picture of the table, and sent it to Kyo-Shin.

[Shin-Yeon: (photo) I’m at Chamdon Myeongga near campus for the after-party. Looks like I’ll be drinking today.]

[My Husband ♥: The grill’s still empty. Baby, eat first, and if you drink, just have a little beer. Or buy some hangover medicine from a pharmacy or convenience store before you drink.]

Shin-Yeon tenderly stroked the message that Kyo-Shin had replied with almost instantly, just as if he’d been waiting.

He wanted to be in his husband’s arms, to confess that something hard had happened today.

But if he did, wouldn’t it only make him worry…? He was already so busy.

“Shin-Yeon, do you drink? Have you tried before?”

A senior lifted a bottle as he asked. Memories of drinking with Kyo-Shin flashed through Shin-Yeon’s mind.

And every time, the nights after drinking had turned heated.

‘Baby has such bad drinking habits, you really shouldn’t drink outside…’

Shin-Yeon darted his eyes, then shook his head quickly.

“I can’t really drink. I’ve only tried a little beer.”

“Then don’t give him soju—give him beer. Here, take this and cheers! Cheers!”

Accepting the glass from a senior, Shin-Yeon looked at the golden liquid topped with frothy foam.

Beer should be fine… right?

“Alright, nice to meet you! Chaaaan~!”

“Cheers…”

One of the seniors with the highest energy livened up the atmosphere at the table.

Before long, plates of meat arrived at every table, and seniors began grilling the pork.

“Shin-Yeon, should I order you some rice? Eat first. Drink slowly, and have plenty of water so you don’t get too drunk.”

Thanks to the second-year class rep, Shin-Yeon ended up enjoying a pleasant meal with kind seniors while chatting happily.

Other tables were just as lively, with everyone eating meat and drinking.

Then, from the inner seats, the business school student council president stood up, his cheerful expression drawing attention.

“Thank you so much to all the returning and new students who came to today’s general assembly!”

Waaaahhh!

In the middle of the cheers, the president cracked open a fresh bottle of soju on the spot and shouted.

“When I shout ‘Business School,’ you shout ‘Eat and die!’ Here we go! Business School!”

“Eat and die!!!”