Her major was metal design, so she had a hobby of collecting leather chokers. I also found out that the black leather choker with a star-shaped charm around her neck was her own creation.
As we talked about various things, I told her how I started playing basketball and how much I loved sports. She wanted to see the firm muscles on my stomach, so I lifted my shirt for a moment to show her.
Before I knew it, we had been talking for quite a while. We got along so well that the meeting lasted longer than expected. Since I didn’t have a car, I couldn’t give her a ride, but we took the bus together to near her house. When it was time to say goodbye, I finally asked her the question I had practiced countless times in my head. She answered “perfect” to my question, “How about being my girlfriend?” and I naturally asked her out. Just like that, we started dating after only two days of knowing each other.
I realized my world was being painted in soft pink. A new love had found me. How hard it had been, unintentionally caught up in a homosexual relationship. Ever since the stalking began, it had felt sticky and unpleasant, like something that couldn’t be erased no matter how hard I tried. But now, it felt like that was finally being cut off. This was where I belonged—a normal world, loving a woman.
Now that I had started this love with her, I thought I could forget all the useless things related to the stalking.
***
“At least make the basic parts yourself. Even without a blueprint, it’s simple enough to model using the methods you learned in class.”
……
“I’ll handle the power transmission and jigs. Hey.”
……
“Baek Siwoo, are you listening?”
“Hm? Ah, yes. I’ll make the basic parts.”
After hearing from Hae-joon that he was the stalker, I started avoiding him intentionally. But since we had one class together every week, I couldn’t avoid running into him in the hallway on that day. Anyway, there was still half a semester left, and getting a good grade as his partner was important.
I ignored his intense gaze. After a brief pause, he spoke in a lower voice.
“……Where are you going to work on it?”
“In the workshop.”
“Want to do it together?”
He already knew what my answer would be, but he asked anyway. It was obvious—since I, who had never cared whether Hae-joon was gay or not, suddenly started avoiding him, it would be strange if he didn’t notice. I still avoided his gaze and stammered out a reply.
“Ah…… I, um…… I’ve been busy lately, so I’m not sure when I’ll have time.”
Hae-joon’s eyebrow twitched when he heard my answer. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but he took off his thick glasses, rubbed the bridge of his nose, and leaned back lazily.
“Siwoo.”
“……Yes.”
“If I’m not mistaken, you’ve been avoiding me lately.”
“……No, it’s not like that. Um.”
“I already knew you were homophobic, so I’ll let that pass. But shouldn’t you separate school from personal life?”
“……That’s……”
“Anyway, we’re in the same boat. We’re partners. Even if it’s just a contractual relationship, you should at least do your part on the surface. Other groups are all working together in the workshop, so how would it look if we’re the only ones working separately? I didn’t even ask you to do the hard parts—I just said to make the basic parts. Actually, I could make the basic parts myself in 10 minutes, but I picked that for you so people wouldn’t talk.”
I hadn’t thought of that. This was a required course, and to rent the workshop, we had to put our names on the rental list. No one would care if my name was on it or not, but being in the same group as Hae-joon, the top of the department, already drew some attention. Since the maximum number of people who could rent a lecture room at the same time was about 15, if we were seen working separately despite being partners, people would gossip. Most of it would probably be about me—how I was leeching off Hae-joon and barely showing up in the workshop.
If word got back to the professor, who emphasized group projects, it could seriously affect my scholarship. But Hae-joon was still creepy and unsettling as a stalker and a gay man. I lowered my eyes and mumbled an excuse.
“It’s not that…… I, um, I have a girlfriend now.”
“A girlfriend?”
“Yes. For the midterm project, I came in for three weeks straight to prepare. But this time, I don’t think I’ll have that much time……”
“Oh, I see. That’s what it is. Ah…… A girlfriend, huh.”
The conversation stopped abruptly. I looked up to gauge his reaction. Hae-joon, who had been leaning back in his chair, rubbing his chin in thought, muttered absentmindedly.
“You’re popular. Or should I say you’re talented?”
“……Ah, what do you……?”
“You and the TA, too—you were like that with her.”
“The TA…… Hyeyeong noona?”
The only TA I had been close to was Hyeyeong noona. It had been about six months since we were like that. We had a long fling, and just after we started dating, I invited her to my place—but after she saw the semen all over my bed from the stalker, things got awkward, and she stopped talking to me. After that, Hyeyeong noona quit her TA job and left the school. I didn’t even know if that incident was shocking enough for her to quit her job and leave. I was in a panic at the time.
But it was a secret relationship. The risk of exposing a relationship between a TA and a student was too high, and since it happened just a week after we started dating, it was never officially recognized as dating—just a short fling. So, apart from the people involved, no one should have known about it.
“You’re the type who gets a lot of love. I’m jealous. Really jealous.”
“It’s nothing. I’m straight.”
I wanted to ask, “How did you know I was dating Hyeyeong noona?” My lips tingled. Maybe I was caught back then. Is that why she left school in such a hurry?
“It’s not that kind of issue. People who are loved have a certain aura about them. When I see that, I feel like my throat is burning.”
A burning throat? Hae-joon’s words were strange. His response to my casual mention of having a girlfriend was unusually bitter and spiteful. But more than that, I was curious about how he knew about my relationship with Hyeyeong noona.
“Um, sunbae, but how—”
“Hm?”
“How did you find out?”
“……Ah.”
The conversation stopped, and for a moment, his face stiffened. Hae-joon quickly composed himself and smiled awkwardly. He rested his chin on his hand and spoke playfully.
“Was that a secret relationship? I thought it was obvious since you were so open about it.”
“Was it that obvious?”
“It wasn’t just obvious—it was like an advertisement. You were openly going home together.”
Ah, was that it? It seemed he had seen us meeting outside the school gate and enjoying dates.
“Anyway, dating is good, but you should at least set aside days to work on the project together. You’re not incapable, are you?”
“……I’ll do that.”
He seemed like such a normal, ordinary person.
I couldn’t bring myself to say to his face that I was avoiding him because I heard he was the stalker. I still felt uneasy around him and turned my head away, lowering my eyes.
This was all I could do for now.
On days with morning classes, I killed time in the club after class, waiting for her. On days with afternoon classes, I headed straight to her college. If I waited at the entrance, I would see her walking out, chatting with her friends.
I had already texted her to let her know I was waiting, and she naturally separated from her group and took my hand.
Her mischievous friends covered their mouths and giggled among themselves. I had a rough idea of what they were talking about. Ignoring them, I greeted her friends and left the school with her. We stopped by a café in the downtown area, planned our date course, and checked the time for the movie I had booked.
Everything was going smoothly. We had already confirmed our love for each other for three days, and my world was still painted in vibrant pink.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
