The Applauding Extra 24

Hee-ae pointed to the wildflowers blooming beside us as he spoke. The day we saw the cherry blossoms, was it late March or early April?

“The day we studied at the café?”

“Yeah. I want to see them again.”

Hee-ae nodded his head faintly as he spoke. Does Hee-ae like flowers too? While I was thinking that, Hee-ae hurriedly added,

“I had a good time then, I mean…… hanging out with a friend.”

“I had a good time too.”

We only met and studied, but strangely it remains as a good memory. It’s strange since memories related to studying can’t be good.

“Mm-hmm, friend. Because we’re friends.”

Hee-ae repeated the word ‘friend’ as if making a vow. He’s seemed confused lately anyway, so I wonder if something happened?

“Shi-dan, we’re friends!”

Hee-ae suddenly shouted. I was so startled I almost stumbled. Hee-ae caught me as I was about to fall and made an apologetic expression.

“Of course we’re friends. Don’t worry.”

He seems to be worrying about something strangely. Hee-ae made a puzzling expression. Just a moment ago he said we’re friends, but now that I said we’re friends, he seems disappointed. I can’t understand it at all.

Hee-ae looked at the ground and suggested in a timid voice.

“Let’s go see them again next year.”

“Okay.”

Hee-ae smiled brightly and made eye contact, then quickly turned his head. I reopened my eyes that had been half-closed from smiling and tilted my head.

Hee-ae’s expression had changed to something incomprehensible. It was around the time I was having pessimistic thoughts, wondering if my smiling face was truly terrible. Hee-ae’s reddened ears caught my eye.

‘Well, his expression is more than just dislike.’

It would be more accurate to say it was an expression mixed with embarrassment and fluttering. But there’s no way he’d feel such emotions looking at my face. As expected, it seems the correct answer is that my face was so terrible it was unbearable to look at.

But he’s making suggestions first like this, and he seems to have changed a lot from before. On entrance ceremony day, I was the one who first suggested we sit together. It’s a new feeling.

“Shi-dan. Are you sure you don’t need water?”

Seon-yoon approached holding a water bottle. Next to him, In-sae was also leisurely following behind Seon-yoon.

“Yeah, I’m fine. But how many minutes have we been walking now?”

“Exactly 30. No wait, 31 minutes have passed now.”

The class president, who had followed behind at some point, answered and went ahead. We’ve walked for 31 minutes but there’s no sign of the sheep ranch getting closer. I trudged along with heavy steps.

How much longer had we walked? Gradually the terrain continued to be flat, and things that appeared to be ranch buildings started passing by. A teacher came rushing out from behind and shouted.

“We’re here. Everyone worked hard getting here.”

“It’s sheep.”

In-sae placed his hands on the fence and looked at the sheep. The kids seemed to look at the sheep for a bit, then as if losing interest, started scattering here and there. I also quickly lost interest in the sheep and started wandering around aimlessly.

“We walked all this way but there’s nothing to do.”

“Why did we even come?”

The kids grumbled while tapping their legs.

“Still, it was meaningful in its own way.”

Hee-ae muttered to himself. I thought as expected he’s positive and patted his head.

“That. Patting…”

“Sorry, I won’t do it if you don’t like it.”

I raised both hands and backed away. Hee-ae’s already large eyes had grown even larger with bewilderment. Hee-ae tidied his hair.

“This makes it more confusing.”

What’s confusing? I thought Hee-ae was passing by me, then he turned around again.

“No, because we’re friends, you can pat my head.”

He came close again and lowered his head. He keeps emphasizing the word ‘friend’ since earlier, I wish he’d tell me the reason.

***

The kids who had been playing excitedly were already exhausted by the time they got on the bus. I barely managed to push Lee Seung, who was uncharacteristically drooping, onto the bus and got on last. Likewise, Hee-ae must have been very tired too, as he rubbed his face against my arm then pulled away and sat down.

Seon-yoon and Hee-ae fell asleep again as soon as we arrived at the lodging, leaving just In-sae and me. I walked around the room once to relieve my boredom. It should be chaotic enough, but In-sae didn’t say anything.

Unlike the quiet room, outside the noise of kids chattering was loud. That was better than complete silence.

I wandered around aimlessly and felt a bit stuffy, so I went out to the balcony. I grabbed the balcony door and muttered to myself.

“I wonder if it’s visible.”

I opened the white sliding balcony door. The very narrow balcony displayed the ocean without any filter. In-sae, who had been walking slowly as if he’d become a turtle, stopped when he saw the ocean visible from outside the balcony.

As expected, the ocean is visible. I looked back at In-sae. In-sae, subtly frozen, fixed his gaze on the ocean. I caught a glimpse of the blue color reflected in In-sae’s gray slit eyes. After pondering for a moment, I opened my eyes wide.

“Ah, I know what it is.”

I suddenly realized it and became happy.

“You look like a wave.”

Even though I’d only discovered one resemblance, I became happy for no reason and laughed with my eyes even closed. Somehow it was a reaction to my gloomy mood. In-sae didn’t say anything as usual. He only stopped his hesitant steps.

I laughed lightheartedly and closed the balcony door again. In-sae muttered with a dazed expression.

“I tried not to look at the ocean alone with you.”

“With me? Why?”

“Because it suits you well.”

“That’s the reason?”

What a strange reason. Where does it make sense to try not to look at the ocean alone together just because it suits well? I answered with a laugh.

“You’re the one who looks like a wave so it suits you well. Shouldn’t I also not have looked at the ocean alone with you?”

“Yeah.”

What a truly confident answer. I wiped away the tears that had pooled from laughing.

“So do you regret it?”

“No.”

I laughed even louder than before. I don’t understand what he means by grumbling until just now, then saying he doesn’t regret it. Things that get better after trying them, is that it? I grabbed In-sae’s wrist and opened the room door.

“Let’s go eat dinner.”

Inside the room, Seon-yoon and Hee-ae seemed to burrow into their blankets then soon opened their eyes. I helped the two up and went out to the hallway. In-sae, who looked bewildered, still hadn’t come out of the room. I went back into the room and asked.

“Aren’t you eating?”

“I am.”

In-sae finally took a step. He called me before going out to the hallway.

“Shi-dan.”

“Yeah, what?”

“Let’s go see the ocean again.”

“Later.”

***

After dinner ended, it was free time.

“Yu Shi-dan, look at this. Your picture.”

Lee Seung tantalized me by flapping the photo as if he’d give it or not.

“What are you going to use that printed photo for?”

“Just, you know.”

Lee Seung said that and shut his mouth. I didn’t bother questioning further and walked to my room. Next to me, Hee-ae was lost in thought. Lee Seung looked at Hee-ae for a moment then abruptly held out the photo.

“Do you want it?”

Hee-ae seemed to turn pale at my photo being suddenly offered, then carefully reached out his hand. Lee Seung handed the photo to Hee-ae as if he knew it would be like this.

“It’s my picture, so give me one too.”

I suddenly felt playful and received a photo from Lee Seung. It’s a bit embarrassing to have it since it’s my own photo. I neatly put the photo inside my bag.

“Shi-dan, you really came out well!”

Hee-ae looked at the photo and shouted. I didn’t particularly care and laughed it off.

“They said the kids are gathering to hang out, are you guys coming too?”

Seon-yoon, who had somehow mixed into a group of our class kids and was chattering, asked. Hee-ae lightly tapped toward my hand and made eye contact. In-sae, who was next to us, turned his head.

“Shi-dan.”

“Of course I’m going.”

I answered at the same time as In-sae called me. When I inadvertently ended up cutting him off, I gave In-sae an apologetic smile. In-sae let it pass with his usual dry expression. I followed at the very back of the kids and asked.

“Where are we meeting?”

“Room 217.”

In-sae said while spinning a hair tie of unknown origin on his finger. There are no kids around who tie their hair, so I can’t know its source. Soon Lee Seung opened the door to room 217, and the kids who were already there welcomed us.

“Yu Shi-dan came too.”

I stuck my head out from the very back of the crowd and waved my hand. There was also a kid I’d done fan club activities with last time. I bit my lip weakly.

“I heard Han Cho-yeon-nim is also coming?”

I was so surprised I bit down hard and bled. When I rolled my lip in, the taste of blood wafted strongly. I licked my lips a few times and turned my body toward the kids behind me.

“Don’t lie.”

“There’s no way the Noble Prince of the Full Moon, Han Cho-yeon-nim, would join a place like this!”

The kids half wailed from the overwhelming emotion then suddenly turned suspicious. The kid who delivered the news didn’t back down even at the distrustful gazes and said,

“The thing is. He said rather than being with the Five Great Kings, he’d just come here.”

Here and there, the sounds of crashing and people falling could be heard. Seon-yoon held his head asking what kind of neighborhood birthday party invites a celebrity. I felt like I somehow understood Cho-yeon’s suffering. If it were me, I wouldn’t share a room with the twins and would have slept on the balcony.

“We can hold an impromptu fan meeting then.”

I said playfully.

“Shi-dan… you’re really perfect.”

The class president looked at me with glistening eyes full of emotion. Here and there kids were going wild with excitement. I just backed away from the impulse to escape. Anyway, I was at the very back, still in the hallway, so it was fine to step backwards.

“Huh.”

At the sensation of something touching behind me where it should have been empty, I turned my head. Why did I step backwards? My back bumped into Nam-hwi.

“That fan meeting, may I perhaps attend as well?”