“I feel sad now that the school trip is over.”
“I know.”
It was nice not having class legally. I swallowed my last words. Hee-ae put down his mechanical pencil as if giving up on studying. And he stared at me intently.
“Are you looking for something?”
“No, nothing.”
But he doesn’t take his eyes off me. What is it?
“Okay.”
I put my textbook back into my desk drawer. I was spacing out with nothing to do when In-sae approached.
“Fan club?”
In-sae shook his head. I thought it was fan club related business, but I guess not. In-sae just stayed next to me. I was about to ask what he was doing here but stopped. Sometimes there are days when you just want to be next to someone, so maybe that’s the case with In-sae.
In-sae also quietly stared at me in the same way. I finally couldn’t stand it and asked.
“Why are you really staring?”
“Just because.”
“I wanted to see Shi-dan once.”
In-sae and Hee-ae each answered. Since they answered so confidently like that, I can’t tell them to stop. I just left the two alone.
Cho-yeon, who was entering the classroom, looked at us. The thought ‘you guys are really weird’ was stamped right on his expression. You’ve been making a lot of eye contact with me lately too, so it’s really weird that you’re making that expression.
***
“Shi-dan, do you also collect pictures of Han Cho-yeon-nim?”
“Uh….”
I was momentarily speechless at Hee-ae’s question. I decided to maintain pretending to be a fan for now.
“You want to, right?”
“I see!”
Hee-ae answered a bit late and nodded his head. Another kid popped out from the side. Wearing a bunch of strange bracelets, he asked.
“So there was a really passionate fan here. Then do you like Han Cho-yeon-nim the most?”
“Of course I like my parents the most.”
“Ah, I can’t beat that.”
My victory. You can’t beat parents. The boy grumbled and disappeared. Hee-ae made an awkward expression then smiled when our eyes met. Come to think of it, Hee-ae used to only look at Nam-hwi before, but these days he looks at the sky often.
Somehow it feels like his attention has been drawn elsewhere. In-sae, who had been wandering aimlessly, saw us and joined in.
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
The short boy I alone call ‘crow’ sprinted through the hallway like crazy. Not only the kids standing in the hallway, but even the kids who were in the classroom were startled and opened the hallway windows to look. At this level, he’s the neighborhood loudspeaker and informant.
“What’s going on?”
“What is it, what is it.”
The kids murmured. When the tension rose, the kid opened his mouth. He spoke in a very fine voice without even being out of breath, resonantly. It was still a high-pitched voice.
“The Five Great Kings’ appearance will be in the school promotional magazine!”
“Our school has a promotional magazine?”
I also shouted in surprise. In the midst of it all, I don’t understand why they’d put pictures of kids who aren’t even student council president in the promotional magazine. The student council president in the 3rd year classroom must feel wronged.
The kids looked at me as if asking didn’t I even know that. The kids sitting by the hallway window spoke while precariously leaning their bodies out.
“It’s a long-standing tradition.”
He stroked a non-existent imaginary beard. It’s like seeing a village chief who’s lived here for a long time. Another kid chimed in.
“Mmm yeah, yeah. Has it been about 78 years?”
Our school’s only been open for about ten years though…. I looked at the kid who gave false information with eyes that said it was absurd. The kid, whose steam had been let out, made a tsk sound and waved his hand.
“What about Han Cho-yeon-nim?”
At someone’s question, the boy became dejected. I thought he could only make high-pitched voices? The boy spoke in a surprisingly normal voice.
“He ran away….”
That’s so like Cho-yeon. There’s no way Cho-yeon would obediently accept such a proposal. Everyone nodded as if they expected it.
The kids who were Cho-yeon’s fans sighed regretfully. Lee Seung comforted the kids and cheered them on to stay strong. Hee-ae went into the classroom, brought back a few chocolates, and gave them to me. It seems like silent consolation.
“Thanks.”
Either way, chocolate profit. I smiled and unwrapped the chocolate wrapper.
“Huh? Over there!”
Somehow the kids shouted as if they’d discovered a wild animal running away. Lee Seung urgently turned around!
“It’s Han Cho-yeon-nim!”
Silver hair swayed at the end of the hallway near the stairs then hurriedly disappeared. Lee Seung spoke like a protagonist rising from trials.
“Even though he refused, I’ll ask one more time.”
Lee Seung clenched his fist and ran toward the stairs where Cho-yeon disappeared. After watching that, I went into the classroom while chewing chocolate. I said after finishing chewing the chocolate.
“But our next class is PE, what are we doing just staying here?”
The kids who were getting heated about the Five Great Kings story urgently stood up to open their lockers. I, who had already come after changing into my gym clothes, leisurely watched those kids.
“Let’s go first.”
Hee-ae said while moving a bit closer to my side. I obediently followed behind Hee-ae and In-sae. When did he excitedly go ahead first? He suddenly stopped, then Hee-ae followed closely behind me. In-sae also naturally walked next to me.
Hee-ae smiled with an expression like a pure puppy. I walked toward the playground. Kids who changed into gym clothes like lightning soon poured out like a flood.
“I couldn’t persuade him!”
Ding-
Lee Seung ran from afar and shouted. Cho-yeon walked exhaustedly as if quite tormented. The kids shouted, saying they were rooting for Cho-yeon’s choice even though they clearly looked regretful.
“Let’s have class.”
The PE teacher who came out tapping our backs had their hair neatly tied up. They looked around at us once then said.
“What about the kids who didn’t come? Their names are….”
He looked at the attendance book and closed his mouth. Then he waved his hands dismissively and pointed at the PE class leader.
“Start warm-up exercises.”
Isn’t this Five Great Kings favoritism? I want to report this corruption. The PE teacher had the warm-up exercises done with a satisfied expression as if the Five Great Kings were worth it.
Skipping class, I take back the word model students. I made an evaluation in my mind while doing warm-up exercises. It’s already tiring but I want to skip too. Of course, I won’t actually skip since I care about my student record.
“Ugh.”
In-sae made a groaning sound while stretching. I feel solidarity knowing I’m not the only one with a stiff body. At my gaze that said I was happy, In-sae looked at me for a moment. Hee-ae, who was next to us, stuck his head out and looked, wondering what was going on.
“What do you want to do today?”
Why are you asking us, teacher?
“Ah, right. Let’s play dodgeball.”
The teacher decided arbitrarily and took an extremely relaxed attitude. The kids had no complaints and smiled brightly while forming teams.
“Should we divide by attendance number into odd and even?”
“Ah, then I’m on the same team as In-sae?”
“I’m separated from you, that’s too bad.”
Hee-ae added that it was a shame. In-sae, who had been a bit away, came to the odd number kids’ side. Then he naturally stuck next to me.
“Han Cho-yeon-nim is on the even side, totally OTL.”
OTL? That emoticon of a despairing person? What great spirit to pronounce it out loud. The kids even drew a line and scattered after dividing sides.
As soon as I thought ‘I should just get hit moderately and be eliminated,’ something passed by my side.
“That was the ball, just now?”
I turned around bewildered and shouted. Have our classmates been hiding this kind of skill until now? They’re not some hidden master concealing their power, who throws a dodgeball that fast?
“That kid over there is pretty good at sports.”
A kid next to me answered while pointing at the opposing side. What is that? Really.
“Ah! Wow, wait. My arm turned red.”
Meanwhile, a kid who got hit by the ball shouted. He grumbled while rolling up his gym clothes that he should claim damages.
“If I get hit, I think I’ll have to go to the nurse’s office.”
I turned pale while narrowly dodging the ball. This is murder dodgeball. Meanwhile, In-sae caught the ball nonchalantly.
“Kim In-sae throws well too.”
As soon as Lee Seung said that, In-sae threw the ball. It’s a bit scary here. Why does it sound like that? Was there a reason In-sae has slit eyes?
The ball went back and forth at a terrifying speed. The kids’ screams followed one after another everywhere. I wondered whether it was better to get hit early and be eliminated, or not get hit and endure.
“Um, can’t you hit me gently? I’ll stay still.”
I begged for mercy from Hee-ae who just happened to catch the ball. Kind-hearted Hee-ae threw the ball gently. Success in being eliminated without pain. I thanked him and exited with light steps.
“Isn’t that cheating? I got hit hard enough to bruise my back.”
This is what you call a friend chance. I’m the ultimate winner.
“In-sae, fighting~.”
I smiled brightly and shouted toward In-sae. The eliminated kids gathered together in a huddle and were cheering for their side. I joined in and even clapped while cheering for the odd number side.
“As expected, Han Cho-yeon-nim. Today again, I shed an ocean of tears and solved the world’s water shortage.”
A classmate who seemed deeply into Cho-yeon shouted enthusiastically. Cho-yeon made an expression showing he was sick of his praise.
“Nam Hee-ae, hit me gently too.”
Seon-yoon said pitifully, but Hee-ae ignored it. Hee-ae threw the ball with all his might without caring at all. Seon-yoon got hit hard by the ball and was eliminated.
“You hit Yu Shi-dan really gently though.”
“Because it’s Shi-dan.”
Seon-yoon whined, but Hee-ae answered with an extremely bright smile. Hee-ae, who cut off the words cleanly, waved his hand at me. Even though we’re on opposite sides, Hee-ae is good at sports.
“Hee-ae, you’re doing great.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
Yeah that’s shi-dan privilege