Jaeyoon opened his eyes in a daze, blinking slowly before raising his upper body. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he brushed his messy bangs back and turned on his phone.
[Are you up?]
[Let’s go eat breakfast together]
Jaeyoon’s eyes narrowed into crescents and his lips curved into a smile as he read the messages. He replied with a quick “sure,” then sent additional messages about when and where to meet before getting up from his bed.
“Better wash up quickly.”
His heart fluttered at the thought of meeting Jung Jinhoo first thing in the morning. After quickly washing up, Jaeyoon put on his school uniform and checked his appearance in the mirror from different angles. He awkwardly fiddled with his bangs before letting out a self-deprecating laugh.
‘It’s not even a date, why am I so nervous? Just act natural! Like usual!’
Nodding to himself, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and was about to leave when he hurriedly checked the mirror one last time. Is anything out of place? After quickly scanning himself from head to toe with his eyes, he took a deep breath and finally opened the door.
“Jaeyoon.”
“Huh…?”
Though Jung Jinhoo greeted Jaeyoon with a smile, Jaeyoon couldn’t return the greeting. His blue eyes widened in surprise. Standing there with his mouth agape, he flustered as he called out to Jinhoo.
“S-sunbae, y-your…!!”
Seeing Jaeyoon point at his own head with trembling hands, Jinhoo awkwardly smiled while touching his bangs.
“Ah, I got it trimmed. Does it look weird…?”
As if it could ever look weird!! Jaeyoon inwardly shouted as he stared at Jinhoo’s shortened bangs. His bangs, which used to cover his eyes completely, now barely covered his eyebrows. Thanks to this, his stunning looks, which had been hidden behind those long bangs, were now revealed. Jaeyoon’s heart had already been racing when he could only see glimpses through the bangs, but now with no barrier blocking his view, his heart pounded as if it was malfunctioning.
“W-what happened…?”
“I wanted… to look good for you…”
Jinhoo’s blushing cheeks and small mumbling voice were so cute that Jaeyoon almost pulled him into a hug right there in the dormitory hallway. Mentally praising himself for controlling the impulse, he smiled brightly.
“It really suits you. You look handsome.”
“Th-thanks…”
Jinhoo’s face turned as red as an apple. Ah, he’s so cute… While struggling to suppress the urge to hug him, just as they were about to head out for breakfast, the door of the adjacent room opened and Kim Yeonwoo appeared. He closed the door with a somewhat gloomy expression, and when his eyes met Jaeyoon’s, he immediately frowned.
‘Now he scowls just from seeing my face…?’
As Jaeyoon slightly furrowed his brows, Kim Yeonwoo immediately turned his head away and quickly brushed past him. As he passed by Jinhoo, he rolled his brown eyes to glance at Jinhoo’s face. Jaeyoon’s brow furrowed automatically.
‘What’s that about? Why is he looking at sunbae like that…?’
Why…? Jaeyoon’s eyes narrowed. The unsettling feeling in his chest was unpleasant. Noticing Jaeyoon’s mood, Jinhoo bent slightly at the waist to meet his eyes. His golden eyes crinkled into a smile.
“Jaeyoon, let’s go eat.”
At Jinhoo’s beaming smile, Jaeyoon’s earlier bad mood vanished, and the corners of his lips automatically turned up.
“Shall we? It’ll get crowded if we go late.”
“Yeah.”
Jaeyoon felt a vague tightness in his chest but deliberately ignored it.
‘It must be my imagination…’
***
Tap, tap, tap, crack…
Lee Heejun stared at the broken mechanical pencil lead on his notebook. How many times had this happened already? The black mark on the pristine white notebook was getting darker and bigger as time passed. Heejun looked up at Jaeyoon. Lost in thought with his brows deeply furrowed, he suddenly narrowed his eyes and stopped tapping his pencil on the notebook. Then he let out a heavy sigh.
“You don’t need to worry so much, things will go back to normal soon.”
“Huh?”
Seeing Jaeyoon look up with round, startled eyes, Heejun gave a small shrug.
“This is about Jinhoo sunbae, right?”
At Heejun’s words, Jaeyoon wrinkled his eyebrows and smiled bitterly. Haah, a sigh escaped his lips. He had been sighing so much today that he’d lost count.
“I don’t understand why this is happening all of a sudden… Should cutting his bangs really cause all this?”
“It’s not just bangs. Those long bangs gave him that unapproachable image, but now that he’s cut them, suddenly there’s this pretty boy who’s appeared.”
Jaeyoon frowned and mussed up his hair roughly. The trouble had started as soon as he and Jinhoo went to the cafeteria for breakfast. The moment he stepped through the entrance, Jaeyoon felt everyone’s eyes on them. What’s going on? Before he could even wonder, an art club junior hesitantly approached them and greeted Jinhoo. Usually, they would just exchange a small nod when passing each other, but today, they deliberately came over to greet Jinhoo as he was getting his meal.
And the art club junior wasn’t the only one with a sudden change in attitude. Third-years who appeared to be the same grade as Jinhoo would randomly come up and act familiar, trying desperately to strike up a conversation with him. Their plan to have a leisurely breakfast while chatting was completely ruined.
But the situation didn’t end there. When Jaeyoon returned to the classroom, he had to listen to his classmates whispering about Jinhoo. Some even came up to Jaeyoon to ask if he was close with Jinhoo and whether he could introduce them.
“When sunbae used to visit before, they showed no interest at all…”
“It’s not that they weren’t interested.”
Jaeyoon frowned and looked up at Heejun’s words.
“What then?”
“He’s a chaebol like Han Doyoon, the student council president. Of course everyone’s desperate to build connections with him. But unlike the student council president, he gives off a hard-to-approach vibe for different reasons.”
Hard to approach? Jaeyoon pictured Jinhoo in his mind. Then, with a puzzled expression, he tilted his head slightly. How so? Seeing Jaeyoon’s reaction, Heejun nodded with a smile.
“Everyone except you finds him hard to approach.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. But now that he’s cut his bangs, his image has completely changed. Plus, when he’s with you, he gives off a softer vibe.”
“But sunbae always has a gentle atmosphere?”
“Well, yes. Anyway, that’s why everyone’s desperate to try and talk to him, seizing this opportunity.”
“Hmm…”
Jaeyoon’s eyes narrowed. Seeing his sulky expression, Heejun twirled his mechanical pencil in his hand and said:
“Don’t worry. It’ll die down soon. Besides, that sunbae isn’t interested in anyone but you.”
“Yeah…”
‘While it’s nice that everyone likes and admires Jinhoo sunbae, I still have this selfish wish that I could be the only one by his side…’
I’m an adult, I need to be careful not to act like a kid… Jaeyoon took a deep breath. Heejun patted him on the shoulder. Hang in there. Not forgetting his message of support, Heejun turned around as the teacher entered the classroom.
Even though the bell hadn’t rung yet, the teacher, who had been standing at the desk since break time just to make students uncomfortable, looked around and caught Jaeyoon’s eye.
“Lee Jaeyoon!”
“Yes…?”
Puzzled by the sudden call, Jaeyoon looked up, and the teacher smiled, pulling up the corners of his mouth. Somehow disliking that smile, Jaeyoon slightly furrowed his brow.
“Go to the staff room and bring the test papers.”
“What?”
“We’re having a pop quiz today. You know where my desk is, right?”
“…”
‘Why doesn’t he bring them himself, why ask me…?’
Jaeyoon was reminded of a university professor from years ago who used to push his work onto class representatives and students while doing nothing himself. Jaeyoon shook his head from side to side. Then he stood up.
“Class is starting, so bring them quickly.”
Ignoring the teacher’s words, Jaeyoon let out a deep sigh and left the classroom. High school teachers or university professors, they all act the same.
As Jaeyoon opened the door to the staff room, he frowned sharply at an unwelcome face. We just met this morning, why again… Pretending not to notice Kim Yeonwoo, whose brown eyes were trembling rapidly as if startled, he picked up the test papers placed on the messy science teacher’s desk and quickly left the staff room.
‘I don’t even want to see him once a day…’
Being next-door neighbors in the dormitory meant they inevitably ran into each other even when they didn’t want to. He couldn’t ask to change rooms either. No point thinking about things that can’t be changed… Shrugging his shoulders, Jaeyoon was about to return to the classroom when he sharply furrowed his brow at the person before him. Why is my luck so bad today?
“Running errands, I see?”
Han Doyoon stared at the test papers in Jaeyoon’s hands, then his eyes curved into a smile. Then he approached Jaeyoon slowly, one step at a time.
‘Two faces I didn’t want to see, one after another…’
Han Doyoon stopped right in front of Jaeyoon and smiled, narrowing his red eyes.
“The school is quite noisy today.”
Sensing what Han Doyoon was about to say, Jaeyoon looked up at him. Despite the smiling lips, there was something unpleasant in his gaze.
‘Since last time, he really bares his teeth when it comes to Jinhoo sunbae… Is it because they’re both chaebols? Some kind of pride competition?’
If so, I’m on Jinhoo sunbae’s side.
“I wonder what caused this change of heart in someone who’s been playing the lone wolf.”
What is he saying? Who’s a lone wolf? As Jaeyoon frowned, Han Doyoon smiled, lifting his lips, then raised his hand to Jaeyoon’s cheek.
“Is it because of you?”
Jaeyoon wanted to immediately swat away the hand touching his cheek, but with both hands holding the test papers, he couldn’t. His expression naturally crumpled at the unpleasant contact.
“And if it is because of me, what are you going to do about it?”
“…Well, I wonder what I should do…?”
Han Doyoon’s hand moved from Jaeyoon’s cheek down to caress his neck. Feeling a chill run down his spine, Jaeyoon backed away from his touch.
“The teacher said to come back quickly before class starts, so I’ll be going now.”
Who knew the teacher’s words would be helpful in this situation. Of course, it was also the teacher’s fault that he was in this situation to begin with… Jaeyoon gave a slight nod and walked past Han Doyoon. Then, a large hand firmly grabbed his arm.
“…What is it?”
Red eyes stared down at Jaeyoon. Under that gaze, which felt like it was restraining his entire body, Jaeyoon’s expression twisted and his mouth opened—at that moment, Kim Yeonwoo came out from the staff room.
‘Ah, the worst…’
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
