Jin-wook and I headed to the second student cafeteria to fill our stomachs. Since there were many physical education buildings in this area, there were unusually many underclassmen greeting Jin-wook. The military-like culture of the physical education department, where the senior-junior relationship was strict, meant that the freshmen would bow deeply and shout, “Hello, sunbae!”—a sight I would never get used to no matter how many times I saw it.
As soon as we sat down after getting our meal tickets, a group of cute freshmen swarmed us as if they had been waiting. Where did they hear the news? It was a familiar sight, but Jin-wook, who was rarely seen in the engineering department, looked right at home. He naturally accepted their affectionate greetings and even offered them the seat next to him.
He was so popular, so why couldn’t he get a girlfriend? Maybe that was why people suspected he wasn’t interested in women. Could he really not be my stalker? Maybe he liked men and that was why he couldn’t date women? Maybe he was lying to me. The doubts that had subsided rose again.
Even as we ate and went to the convenience store afterward, the girls followed us, openly showing their affection for Jin-wook. “We really love basketball.”
“Then come watch.”
“Wow, oppa, that’s so cool.”
“Why would I back down?”
“I actually really like you, oppa.”
“I like you too.”
“……Hehe.”
Looking at the flow of the conversation, I sighed. Even after such a direct confession, he naturally shut them down. It wasn’t a sigh of relief from suspecting him as my stalker, but a sigh of frustration at his cluelessness. It was annoying that such an oblivious guy might be my stalker.
I watched the back of Jin-wook’s head, surrounded by girls, lost in thought. Why was Jin-wook so popular? Because he was in physical education, played basketball, was tall, had a refreshing, handsome face, and despite his looks, had an innocent, naive reaction? But above all, wasn’t it because of his natural showmanship?
Jin-wook was good at magic. Not that he had taken special classes, but his father had been a famous magician, and Jin-wook had picked up the basics from him as a child. Over time, he had become quite skilled. He often showed off simple magic tricks using his dexterity, and it seemed to have a remarkable effect on attracting women.
When we arrived at the convenience store, he pretended to drop a coin, hiding it behind his finger, then pulled it from behind the ear of a girl standing next to him, grinning. Any girl who saw that up close would fall for him.
Now I understood why only Sunbae Baseok had seen Jin-wook touching my phone in the crowded gym. If he had deliberately hidden it, there was no way I could have seen it from my blind spot.
“Hey, what do you want?”
Jin-wook turned around in front of the ice cream freezer and asked. “Shark Bar,” I said, smiling slightly. As he turned away to rummage through the ice cream box, I frowned again. I’d have to keep an eye on him for a while.
***
Just having a lightbulb installed made the room feel peaceful, as if someone had calmed my pounding heart. It wasn’t like I was locked up anymore; it was as if I was in a peaceful place, and even my anxiety disappeared.
The man cleaned the room thoroughly after installing the lightbulb. The pillowcase and blanket were replaced with new ones, and the dirty urine stains on the walls and floor were wiped away with a wet rag. I quietly watched him clean.
He turned to me, sensing my gaze. His face was still hidden behind the distorted, sparking space like a broken TV screen, but I could tell he was smiling. Facing his smile made my stomach twist, and I avoided his eyes.
The man brought a white towel soaked in lukewarm water and wiped my hands and feet, then stared at me before carefully wiping my legs, thighs, and even the more intimate crevice between my buttocks, as if handling something precious. For once, I let him do as he pleased.
As he pulled up my pants, he asked, “How is it?”
“……What?”
“Now that there’s light. Do you feel better?”
“…….”
Did he know I was finding not just comfort but a sense of security? I hardened my expression to hide my thoughts and answered, “No. I hate it. I hate this house, and I hate you.”
“…….”
Was it because of the light? Or was it the gentle, warm atmosphere? I had forgotten again that he disliked the word “hate.” Hearing my answer, the man raised his hand and stroked my cheek. I turned my head to avoid it, but with my body bound, I couldn’t escape his touch completely. He moved his hand to match my avoidance, caressing me as if to soothe, but then, contrary to the gentle mood, he slapped my cheek hard.
—Slap!
The sound was deafening, and my head jerked to the side. I held my breath, then exhaled sharply, wincing. It stung.
“I told you not to say that. Don’t say ‘no,’ ‘don’t,’ or ‘I hate it,’ didn’t I?”
“Why don’t you just gag me? You said you were curious why I kept saying I hated it. Do you need a reason to hate something? Do you need one?”
The man’s tone turned cold. He seemed angry. I glared at him fearlessly. He raised a finger and pointed at the ceiling, saying, “……Should I turn off the light?”
“What?”
“I’ll turn it off.”
“……What, no. Wait.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
