#9
“Self-study…”
In response to my question, Hee-ae replied while burying his gaze back into his workbook.
“It was supposed to be P.E.”
Hee-ae, who enjoys physical education, mumbled glumly. Looking at his fluffy, bouncy brown hair, I thought:
‘I should have hot chocolate tonight.’
Whenever I see Hee-ae’s brown hair, hot chocolate comes to mind. Thanks to you, I’m drinking hot chocolate in spring when I didn’t even drink it in winter.
Clunk.
After the noisy commotion, when I hear a door opening, I now habitually turn around. Sure enough, it was the Five Great Kings and Cho-yeon. By now, even if I just give a half-hearted clap, no one pays attention. And honestly, there’s no real need to do it at all.
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
“Seeing the Five Great Kings during exam period is truly the only respite for my soul…”
“Sir Ban Eun-gyeol, Knight of Blood and Iron, please slap me once to help me focus!”
The students were reacting even more intensely than before. They say distractions while studying are the most fun—fan activities seem to be included in that. I clapped in rhythm with someone’s high-pitched screaming.
When Cho-yeon and Nam-hwi sit in the seats behind us, the students gradually quiet down. Something about not wanting to disturb the conversation between the Five Great Kings nim and Cho-yeon. I thought as I crammed the textbook contents into my head:
‘What event happens after the exams are over?’
I fell deep into thought.
‘Ah, the school trip…’
That’s right, after the exams, we’re supposed to go on a school trip. In novels, isn’t a school trip generally the starting point of everything?
‘Well, that should be interesting.’
That’s all I thought about it. Actually, the upcoming exams were more urgent. Beyond the silence, the sound of Hee-ae writing seemed especially loud. Scratch, scratch.
***
“I’m Yu Shi-dan from Class 1-1. I injured my knee.”
The school nurse in a white coat took medicine from one of the neatly arranged drawers.
“We should disinfect it first.”
After applying a bandage as the final step, the teacher straightened up from her bent position. I thanked her for the treatment and got up from the chair.
With a slightly limping gait, I opened the infirmary door and stepped out. The wound from falling occasionally throbbed with pain. In-sae, whom I met in the hallway, asked with surprised eyes:
“You hurt your knee?”
“I fell on the playground.”
“Why were you even at the playground? Where’s Nam Hee-ae?”
“You know the cafeteria is in the annex building, right? I was wandering around the playground after lunch and my legs got tangled. Hee-ae said he’s not eating lunch.”
In-sae naturally attached himself to my side, as if he had also been on his way to the classroom.
“I should have gone to eat lunch with you.”
In-sae muttered to himself. I just smiled quietly. Hee-ae, who had been studying diligently, looked up at my presence.
“This guy hurt his knee. Says he fell.”
Hee-ae made a distressed face at In-sae’s words.
“It’s nothing. Just a small injury.”
“But you were limping.”
“Are you hurt badly?”
“No. I said I’m not.”
I adamantly denied it. It was just a wound from falling.
“But he said you were limping.”
Hee-ae said with wide eyes.
“It’s not that bad.”
I tried to comfort Hee-ae. After I repeatedly assured him I was fine, Hee-ae resumed studying with an expression that suggested he still didn’t quite believe me.
“Shi-dan.”
As if still concerned, In-sae called me and said:
“Next time, let’s eat lunch together.”
***
I can’t even go home on time anymore. All because of one kid standing firmly in front of the school gate.
“Han Yeo-wol, I challenge you to a ranking battle!”
“You dare challenge Han Yeo-wol nim now?”
“He’s been waiting to fight the Five Great Kings for 30 minutes already.”
Today again, the surrounding kids explained while whispering. Thanks for always explaining, guys. Since he was blocking the way, I had no choice but to blend into the crowd and wait for the Five Great Kings.
Still, they say the most entertaining thing in the world is watching a fight. Finally, with the erupting cheers of the crowd, the Five Great Kings with their colorful hair appeared.
“He’s no match for our Midnight Emperor, Han Yeo-wol nim!”
“Emperor nim, show mercy to this commoner who doesn’t know his place!”
I joined in and shouted:
“A toast to the honor of the Five Great Kings nim, who are like the sun in the sky, never to set! I’ve seen the future—the retreating back of that fool who dared not even speak to the Five Great Kings nim before leaving.”
Having heard my words, the boy glared at me, making his already narrow eyes even more frightening. Sensing his anger, I quietly lowered my gaze and avoided eye contact.
Han Yeo-wol, whose expression could be represented by the emoticon -_-^, stepped forward. He raised one eyebrow (how can he move just one like that?) and smiled condescendingly.
“Hmph.”
He snorted with surprisingly accurate pronunciation. In real-time, Cho-yeon’s expression was souring. Sure enough, upon facing Han Yeo-wol, the boy shouted with a trembling voice:
“Han, Yeo-wol. A ranking, battle.”
He cleared his throat and continued:
“I, ch-challenge you.”
“I, ch-challenge youuu~ Baaaaa… are you a goat?”
In the midst of silence, someone mocked with a trembling voice. The boy remained quiet, seemingly not having heard due to the distance. Though he heard what I said just fine, I suddenly felt sad.
Han Yeo-wol folded his arms with an arrogant attitude. His bluish hair seemed especially blue today.
“Hmm, do I really need to bother?”
“Are you a coward? W-Why. Why. Are you avoiding it.”
Why are you avoiding iiit~ I suppressed the urge to mock. I was starting to get annoyed that my way home was being blocked.
The students laughed lightly. It was because the boy who was taunting Han Yeo-wol as a coward was actually the one trembling with fear.
“I don’t have time to waste on someone like you.”
Han Yeo-wol spat out in a slow tone. The students nodded in agreement.
“It’s funny that some guy we’ve never seen before just shows up and acts like this.”
Similarly, a short boy I’d never seen before spoke to me in a friendly manner. I thought we’d been friends for over three years… I brushed off the boy’s words.
The boy who had been trembling in front of Han Yeo-wol looked in my direction again and spoke. Why are you making eye contact with me? I didn’t say that just now.
“I am Baek Chan from Choegang High School. Will you still say you’ve never seen me before?”
He spoke with his head held high arrogantly, as if mimicking Han Yeo-wol. His voice trembled less than before. The surrounding students began to stir.
“Did he say Baek Chan?”
“My goodness, why did I only recognize him now?”
“Now accept the ranking battle, Han Yeo-wol!”
“Kyaa! He even introduced himself like that, Yeo-wolll, just try it once, try iiiit! >ㅁ<“
One of the twins spoke with sparkling eyes. Even in this situation, they maintained bright expressions. The one with a mole near his eye, ah. It’s Lee Ye-gyeol. Ye-gyeol also clung to Han Yeo-wol and said:
“Just do it as a change of pace!”
Ye-gyeol made an extremely cute sound. The surrounding students clutched their hearts with exclamations of “Oh.”
Han Yeo-wol briefly wiggled his folded fingers and said:
“Tch, I accept.”
Tch, tch. My cringing fingers ache. Han Yeo-wol unfolded his arms and approached the challenger. Suddenly, the fan club president popped out from somewhere and shouted:
“The ranking battle will now commence! The battle continues until one opponent surrenders or faints. If challenger Baek Chan wins, the rank 1 position will change from Han Yeo-wol to Baek Chan.”
The students stepped back, creating space. The fan club president also retreated and shouted:
“Three, two, one! Let the ranking battle begin!”
A sharp whistle sound was heard from somewhere. It was a sound effect made by the fan club members. Baek Chan stared sharply at Han Yeo-wol, measuring the distance.
And as soon as his first attack was blocked, the challenger stepped back three steps and shouted:
“Tsk. As expected, you’re not easy to deal with, Han Yeo-wol!”
He shouted like that after making just one attack. I looked at him with an incredulous expression. Then when Han Yeo-wol kicked him once, he screamed.
“Ugh…”
Baek Chan bit his lip and slumped down.
“Is that all? Boring.”
Agreed. You disrupted my precious way home and then provided a boring fight.
“I surrender. To think you’re this strong…”
“How many seconds was it this time?”
“6.4 seconds, but Han Yeo-wol nim was going easy on him this time.”
“Still better than the guy who lost in 2 seconds last time.”
There was someone who lost in 2 seconds? Why did he even pick a fight then?
“As expected, it was all bluster…”
The students spoke as if they knew it would happen. I also agree that he was just putting on airs. The fan club president, without much reaction, shouted:
“Han Yeo-wol nim has won the ranking battle. The rankings remain unchanged.”
“I’ll come back stronger, Ban Yeo-wol… heh, heh heh, heh.”
I watched the challenger who turned away after leaving words about getting stronger, like in a boy’s manga. And I muttered in bewilderment:
“Is he crazy?”
He even got the name wrong. It’s Han Yeo-wol, not Ban Yeo-wol.
“In-sae!”
I called for In-sae, who was mixed in with the crowd. In-sae, who stands out due to his height, made his way through the crowd.
“Let’s go.”
I pulled him along as I spoke. The students were already crowding to leave, making it difficult to stand still. In-sae looked down at me silently before taking the lead himself. This way, the path cleared even better.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
