Chapter 26
As everything was perfectly resolved, Ji-won felt a sense of calm settle over him, along with a wave of fatigue that hit him belatedly. He apologized and exited the game. Kwon-ju seemed to have logged off too, so Ji-won opened KakaoTalk to continue their conversation. Come to think of it, didn’t he mention earlier that he hadn’t found a place to rent yet?
[Did you find a place to rent?]
[You said before that you hadn’t found one yet]
Since his school was nearby, Ji-won was familiar with the rental market in the area. Even when he had urgently looked for someone to take his place before his military service, he’d received countless messages within hours. And just now, among his classmates returning to school this semester, one friend who didn’t get into the dorm had to commute three hours by bus each way because he couldn’t find a place.
[Yes, I did]
[Which area? Near the main gate?]
[Yes, near the main gate]
Ah, right. This kid is rich. Ji-won sighed quietly at his stupid brain that kept forgetting what he’d known just moments ago. He didn’t know the details, but Kwon-ju probably wasn’t living in some cheap, old one-room apartment with low monthly rent.
[Are you coming to school on Monday?]
[Yes]
[Want to meet if you’re free? Let me know when you have time]
There was too much to discuss over KakaoTalk alone. He wanted to talk face-to-face about what they had both thought when they realized who each other was. And he wanted to chat about things they couldn’t discuss at the opening ceremony because they’d been talking about the game the whole time.
[Sounds good]
[Great ㅎㅎ I want to talk more but it’s getting late]
[Sleep well ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
While his junior on the other side of the screen was capturing that warm greeting and saving it to his gallery with a sense of self-loathing, Ji-won lay down on his bed feeling much more at ease than before.
He had thought returning to school would be boring, but he never imagined such an interesting coincidence would occur at the opening ceremony he’d been reluctantly forced to attend. Kwon-ju was really a good kid. He felt excited like the night before a school trip, knowing that he’d be continuing this good relationship.
For Ji-won, who loved both gaming and meeting people, reconnecting with his junior felt extremely special. Just as Kwon-ju had wanted.
* * *
After not responding at all during the entire weekend, Mingyu sent a KakaoTalk message early Monday morning. Ji-won had been gaming with Kwon-ju until late last evening and was now up at 7 AM for his first class, quickly eating a piece of bread when he checked the message.
[How do you know that freshman??]
After taking a taxi and practically collapsing at home, then disappearing for two days, Mingyu now led with this unexpected question. If he was asking about a freshman Ji-won knew, it could only be Kwon-ju. Before Ji-won could ask if he meant Kwon-ju, Mingyu sent a string of messages.
[I mean that student who took the college entrance exam three times that I mentioned during orientation]
[I thought he was a legit social misfit]
[Are you close?]
What is he saying? Other than being a bit shy, Kwon-ju didn’t seem strange at all. He wasn’t someone who rudely acted on impulse either. Noticing an X-Man and not getting familiar didn’t warrant being called a social misfit, so Ji-won quickly defended his junior.
Come to think of it, it probably wouldn’t matter if he did act like a social misfit. Ji-won wasn’t sure exactly how wealthy Kwon-ju was, but from what his friends and juniors had gossiped about, he definitely wasn’t from an ordinary family. For people to gossip about someone they weren’t even close to, he must be really rich.
[He’s just quiet, but he’s nice once you get to know him]
[And he took the exam twice, not three times]
Ji-won also corrected the misinformation. Mistaking a second attempt for a third one… Actually, if he’d stated clearly from the beginning that it was his second try, Ji-won might have suspected something… No, he still wouldn’t have thought they were the same person.
[That’s not the important part now]
[What were you doing all weekend? Not answering calls]
[It’s a long story..ㅅㅂㅠ]
Apparently, after getting out of the taxi Ji-won had called for him, instead of going home, Mingyu had collapsed right there on the ground and fallen asleep. A security guard doing morning cleaning found him and he eventually made it home, but he caught a bad cold and was sick in bed for two days. It was a shocking story just to hear. In this winter weather, sleeping on the ground was bound to cause a fever.
[Are you really okay now?]
[Yeah ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ super healthy did you pay for my taxi?]
[Forget it, your hospital bill would’ve been more]
[It’s fine how much?]
After persistent demands, Ji-won sent his account number and the amount, and the money was deposited almost immediately. Then Mingyu said he’d buy him a meal today as promised for accompanying him to the opening ceremony, since he’d paid back the taxi fare anyway. Ji-won tried to decline, saying it wasn’t necessary since he had met Kwon-ju there and hadn’t even sat at the table for long, but Mingyu insisted until Ji-won finally agreed to let him treat him to cafeteria food.
Fortunately, Monday was an easy day with only morning classes, so it wasn’t burdensome. He could have lunch with Mingyu, then meet Kwon-ju in the afternoon. As soon as class ended, Ji-won contacted Mingyu.
[Where r u?]
[1st floor]
He must already be at the building. Knowing Mingyu never scheduled morning classes on Mondays, Ji-won bounded down the stairs. Just as he reached the last step, a KakaoTalk message arrived. Thinking “I’m almost there, why so impatient,” he was about to reply “look behind you” when he noticed the sender wasn’t Mingyu but Kwon-ju.
[Hyung, are you at school now by any chance?]
“Hey.”
Ji-won had just stepped onto the first floor when Mingyu spotted him, walked over, and patted his shoulder. He had this pre-arranged lunch appointment with Mingyu, and he hadn’t set a specific time to meet with Kwon-ju, so it seemed they couldn’t meet now. I’m sorry, I told him I’d contact him when I was free.
[Yeah I’m here]
[But I have a lunch appointment ㅋㅋㅋ can we meet after I eat?]
[Do you have afternoon classes?]
[No, let’s meet after lunch]
Suggesting they meet at the campus cafe, Ji-won sent Kwon-ju a map of the campus and looked up.
“Hey, let’s go.”
“Why the rush?”
Ji-won dragged Mingyu to the student cafeteria without hesitation, quickly picked a menu item, and started eating. Did he skip breakfast…? Mingyu made a wry face watching Ji-won, who usually ate slowly, taking unusually large spoonfuls.
“Were you really that hungry?”
“I have an appointment after lunch. But this is actually good.”
“Today’s menu is decent.”
It felt nice to have a warm meal after making do with whatever was at home. The taste wasn’t bad today either. While eating his side dishes and briefly checking his phone, Ji-won felt Mingyu staring at him. He’s not usually one to look at his phone while eating.
“By the way, what appointment?”
“With that freshman you asked about this morning.”
“Ah, right! So how do you know him? I mean, during orientation—”
“I got it, I got it. He’s my high school junior.”
After finishing the meal and brushing off Mingyu’s persistent questions, Ji-won headed to the campus cafe where they’d agreed to meet, planning to arrive early and wait. From a distance, he spotted a familiar face. He really stands out. Though he wasn’t dressed flashily, his tall height and movie-star looks drew attention. Staring blankly into space without looking at his phone, he looked like he could be in the middle of a photoshoot.
“You came really early, did you wait long?”
“No. I just got here.”
Kwon-ju had actually been standing there for almost 30 minutes, but Ji-won had just arrived and had no way of knowing. Kwon-ju quickly told a white lie to the sheepishly smiling Ji-won and started walking. As they entered the cafe side by side, Kwon-ju immediately checked the menu, and Ji-won, glancing at his profile, asked while standing in front of the kiosk:
“What are you drinking?”
“I’ll have a chocolatte.”
“Okay.”
Thinking Ji-won was just asking, Kwon-ju answered, but seeing that Ji-won had already paid for both of them, he awkwardly put away the wallet he was holding. This was already the second time he was being treated since their reunion – first ice cream, now this drink.
Ji-won comfortably took a seat at a window table, and Kwon-ju followed, sitting across from him. Feeling nervous, Kwon-ju glanced out the window. On the opening ceremony day, standing side by side had been okay, but facing each other like this made their reunion after three years suddenly feel real, and he couldn’t bring himself to speak. He wasn’t usually this speechless, but what if his hyung felt uncomfortable?
However, making Kwon-ju’s concerns seem pointless, Ji-won started the conversation with a completely natural expression.
“What did you have for lunch?”
“I ate at the cafeteria.”
“Today’s cafeteria menu was pretty good. What did you eat?”
“……”
…Does he not want to tell me?
Kwon-ju, who hadn’t eaten lunch and had been waiting, couldn’t possibly know what was on the cafeteria menu. He thought it would be better to keep his mouth shut than admit he’d lied, but seeing Ji-won’s seemingly bewildered face made him feel guilty. Feeling like he needed to clear this situation somehow, Kwon-ju blurted out what he had been rehearsing during his wait, without any preparation:
“Um, hyung, could you show me your class schedule?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
