#012
Me: ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Me: Want to eat dinner together tomorrow?
Me: They say I’ll arrive around 3 o’clock
Lee Jiwoon: See you at your place, I’ll skip evening study hall
Me: Want to eat and study before going?
Lee Jiwoon: You study ㅋㅋ I’ll look at the photos you took
Me: Okay, but don’t go hungry
Me: Yo
Me: That was a typo
Lee Jiwoon: Yes, oppa
Me: ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Soon, Yechan turned off his phone screen and focused on the stage. A male student breaking through what appeared to be fairly thick wooden boards stacked several layers high with a kick caught his eye.
Watching that scene reminded him of Jiwoon, who was supposedly excellent at taekwondo at the blue belt level. How many boards could hyung break? Judging by his broad shoulders, he’d probably be quite intimidating. A black belt would suit him perfectly too.
Yechan, who had drawn up his knees, rested his chin on them. The air in the auditorium packed with people was a bit stuffy and noisy.
The recreation ended precisely at 10 PM. The class presidents and vice presidents from each class were called to the teachers’ rooms.
Yechan, who had headed to his room, roughly organized his things and washed up. After finishing his shower, chicken had arrived as a recreation prize.
Minho, who had secured one chicken while pushing through the kids rushing forward saying they’d eat well, gestured to Yechan and said:
“Taehyun already left.”
On the way to Han Seungwoo’s room, Yechan and Minho ran into the class president who shared the same room as them. When the president asked where they were going, the two said they were going to another room to hang out and soon entered Seungwoo’s room.
“Oh, chicken! Pizza came to our class.”
Han Seungwoo’s room seemed to have received pizza as a talent show prize. In Han Seungwoo’s room were several members of their group, Choi Yeon, and Taehyun.
Taehyun pulled drinks from a black bag and said:
“They say there’s no alcohol this time since there’s no PE. Let’s get drunk on cola.”
“Ah, the alcohol that got confiscated on the bus, what a waste.”
Several of Seungwoo’s gang grumbled as if disappointed.
“I prefer sprite.”
“Hey hey, anything that’s not plain water is fine. I’m hungry. Pass around the cups however.”
At Minho’s words, Han Seungwoo poured sprite into a paper cup and handed it over. Someone brought ice from the refrigerator. Yechan put ice in his paper cup and poured cola into it.
“Should we call the girls too?”
“No, no. The teachers absolutely said not to hang out mixed together.”
Someone made a suggestion, which Taehyun waved off while discouraging.
“Let’s just hang out without them. Why create trouble for nothing? We’ll hang out with the girls tomorrow when we go up.”
Seungwoo said while holding a chicken leg. Choi Yeon, sitting in the corner, whispered with the friend next to him while quietly chewing pizza.
Of course, even while doing that, he occasionally glared at Yechan, but Yechan ignored it all. As several rounds of games went by and punishments followed, laughter echoed throughout.
At some point, the room became noisy with voices that had grown louder.
“Hey, now that I think about it, you dress well. Where do you buy your clothes? Excluding the shirt since that’s recognizable.”
Seungwoo, who had been giggling, suddenly asked. Today, Yechan was wearing a black short-sleeved t-shirt that Jiwoon had chosen for him, tucked into black jeans with a black belt.
Originally, Yechan had chosen a different t-shirt and jeans. He had no intention of tucking in the hem or wearing a belt, but Jiwoon was different.
And Jiwoon’s advice looked much cooler. People with sense really are different. The coordination that Jiwoon had picked out brought out the flowing lines from Yechan’s waist down to his pelvis and thighs like water.
Several girls had even come over to talk to him. Thanks to that, Yechan had received envious teasing from Taehyun. Of course, even so, Yechan’s interests were only focused on Cheomseongdae and royal tombs.
“Department store.”
“You didn’t just bring the whole coordinated outfit from there, did you?”
Yechan chuckled softly as he brought his drink to his lips. When the conversation topic turned to him, Choi Yeon began glaring again.
It was pathetic how he couldn’t say a word to his face but only cursed with his eyes. Yechan opened his mouth.
“Jiwoon hyung picked it out for me. Does it look like a department store coordinated set?”
“Jiwoon hyung?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow, then it’s way better than department store. That hyung dresses really well.”
Seungwoo nodded with a convinced expression while chewing snacks. Taehyun’s eyes widened as he asked:
“When does he pick out clothes for you?”
“On weekends.”
Taehyun and Seungwoo’s gazes became strange again. Minho filled his cup with cola.
And at that moment, Choi Yeon slammed down his chopsticks and strode out of the room.
What a pathetic bastard. Now that the glaring eyes that had been shooting at him were gone, Yechan finally smiled.
“Hey, Seo Yechan. You’re doing that on purpose, aren’t you?”
“What?”
“What do you mean what? That guy… Ah, ah!”
Taehyun and Minho, seeing Yechan’s expression, shook their heads while babbling something.
Yechan ignored them and pulled out his phone. He felt good with the mood appropriately lifted. Looking at the time, it was already close to midnight.
Me: Hyung, are you sleeping?
The reply came quickly.
Lee Jiwoon: No
Lee Jiwoon: What’s Yechan doing
Me: I ate chicken, pizza, and cola
Lee Jiwoon: ㅋㅋㅋㅋ No alcohol?
Me: No
Me: Han Seungwoo got his alcohol confiscated too
Lee Jiwoon: Good
Lee Jiwoon: That bastard deserved it
Me: Are you cursing Han Seungwoo right now, hyung?
Lee Jiwoon: What do you think of me
That’s right. What do I think of him? Yechan, who took a small breath, turned off the screen. Seungwoo was hanging his arm around Minho’s neck and shouting something noisily.
Minho was smacking Seungwoo’s back. The other kids also seemed busy playing games among themselves. Taehyun, who had somehow moved to sit next to Yechan, asked in a small voice:
“Are you really trying to mess with Choi Yeon?”
“Mess with what? I’m just mildly tormenting him.”
“Can’t you just get along peacefully?”
“He started it first. He keeps acting like a dog.”
“I know, I know. I know Seo Yechan was staying still. But isn’t that method a bit much, is what I’m saying.”
“What is?”
“You’re using Lee Jiwoon sunbae, aren’t you?”
“I’m not using him. I’m just stating facts, so why is that using him?”
“Hey. You’re fucked if you get caught doing that. I told you, didn’t I? That Choi Yeon’s older brother is close with Lee Jiwoon sunbae? Their families are close too, I said. Even if Lee Jiwoon sunbae is nice to you now, you don’t know when he might screw you over.”
“Do you think I’m doing this because I trust that hyung?”
“No? You always act up trusting only yourself… That’s not it, we’re just worried you’ll get involved in dirty rumors. Look at the fucked up rumors. Do you think Lee Jiwoon hyung will stay still? It’ll be a catastrophe!”
“The gay bastard is someone else, so why would I get rumors?”
“No, fuck… This is frustrating. Why don’t you understand?”
“You’re more frustrating to me. Just send that one away and it’s over, but why do me and that hyung get involved?”
“Ah… You’re going to pin it all on Choi Yeon? You’re confident?”
“When have I not been?”
“Fuck… Scary bastard. Oh Taehyun’s life is so fucking lucky that you’re not his enemy. Really.”
Taehyun, who had failed at persuasion and was heartbroken, quietly moved to Minho’s side. Then he bumped his head against Minho’s shoulder and said:
“Right, Kim Minho?”
“What?”
“It’s lucky we’re friends with Seo Yechan.”
“Yeah, Yechan is nice.”
Then Han Seungwoo suddenly butted in. Han Seungwoo wrapped both arms around Taehyun and Minho’s heads and hugged them tightly.
“Bastards, I’m nice too! Hey, Seo Yechan. Let’s be friends with me too!”
“I decline such aggressive friendship.”
“Uhaha!”
The air in the room full of people was stale and stuffy. Yechan, who had escaped from the seat that was starting to go crazy, went into the bathroom and locked the door.
After splashing cold water on his face several times and wiping the moisture with a towel, he finally felt like he could live. After thinking for a moment, Yechan soon picked up his phone and made a call. For some reason, he wanted to hear Jiwoon’s voice.
“Hello.”
After several dial tones, a much lower and huskier voice than usual came through.
At that, Yechan suddenly realized this was the first time he was talking on the phone with Jiwoon. His face was reflected in the mirror as he stood leaning against the bathroom door.
“Hyung, are you still not sleeping?”
“Not sleeping.”
“Haha. What are you doing?”
His mouth in the mirror drew a gentle arc. His face seemed to have reddened a bit too. Yechan stared at the mirror while patting his cheeks with his palms.
“I’m lying down. What are you doing?”
“I was hanging out and then escaped.”
“Why did you escape?”
“The kids were bothering me.”
Shit… The sound of quietly cursing came from the other end of the receiver.
At hearing Jiwoon curse for the first time, his expression in the mirror changed. The face that looked interested was somehow unfamiliar to him. He felt an itchy sensation somewhere deep in his back, along his spine.
“Hyung, did you just curse?”
“Who cursed? I can’t do that.”
“Do it again.”
“I said I didn’t curse.”
“You did. Do it.”
“Hah… Fuck, Yechan.”
Jiwoon, who let out a sigh-like groan, spat out the curse word more clearly than before this time. For a moment, he got slight goosebumps.
Yechan’s mouth in the mirror fell open. What is this?
“Are you angry?”
“No. Why would I be angry?”
“Haha. I suddenly miss you, hyung.”
“I miss you too. If you were next to me right now, you’d be dead.”
“Why?”
“Making hyung curse like that.”
“Hyung can make me do it too.”
“You’re good at talking back too. Yechan, you shouldn’t curse. Okay?”
“Then let’s both not curse.”
“Depends on how you act.”
“I’ll do well. Right?”
“Stop nagging for now. If you keep whining, you’ll get scolded when I come tomorrow.”
“Yes. Please scold me.”
Yechan said while hanging his head and chuckling. After being silent for a while, Jiwoon let out a long sigh.
What does this crazy bastard know to be doing this, what the hell. Yechan doesn’t know, but right now Jiwoon is lying down kicking the blanket repeatedly.
“Hey, Seo Yechan, is that you? Come out!”
At that moment, Taehyun banged on the bathroom door making loud noises. Yechan kicked the door a couple times and said:
“Hyung, I’ll see you tomorrow. I’m going to sleep now. I should listen well.”
“Listen to what. Play as much as you want and sleep.”
“I’m sleepy. I’m going to sleep. Sleep well, hyung.”
“Yeah.”
Yechan hung up and opened the door. In just a few minutes, something must have happened because Taehyun, whose face had turned bright red, rushed into the bathroom.
Yechan, avoiding Taehyun, came out of the bathroom and went through the noisy living room into the room. After spreading out the blanket and turning off the lights, the only thing left to do was set an alarm for early morning.
Despite the noise outside, drowsiness quickly overcame him.
And the next day, Yechan, who had jumped up at the alarm sound, woke up Minho and Taehyun and returned to their original room.
“Guys, look at this…”
As soon as they returned to the room, Minho, who had gone into the bathroom saying he would wash up, spoke with the bathroom door open. His face was deathly pale.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
