# 1.
On a spring day when a cool breeze blew under the warm sunlight.
It was a day when one would feel excited just by standing still, simply because it was spring. It was also the first day of a new semester in high school.
Jeongwoo, who had been on the disciplinary committee for three years and served as its head for two, was squinting as he faced the sun.
Even after three years, he still hadn’t gotten used to the dazzling brightness.
The committee members standing beside him were also squinting, equally unaccustomed to the sunlight.
To tell Jeongwoo’s story, as a senior in his third year, he should naturally be excused from monitoring the school gate during this time when he should be busy preparing for the college entrance exam. That’s how third-year students had always done it.
Normally, before the start of the third year, the position of committee head should have been passed down to a junior.
But Jeongwoo, who had maintained his position as the third-ranked student in school—or more precisely, had never fallen below second place since enrollment—was different.
Saying that studying was something he did regularly anyway, Jeongwoo declared he would continue to lead the juniors and stand at the school gate this year too.
The dean of student affairs, who particularly favored him, was pleased that Jeongwoo would remain as head of the disciplinary committee, but other teachers tried to dissuade him, arguing that a third-year student couldn’t afford to waste even a minute on disciplinary activities.
It was no use. Jeongwoo’s mind was firmly made up.
In truth, Jeongwoo had another, more honest reason for this.
He disliked how second-year students would give third-years a pass simply because they were seniors.
Last year, when Jeongwoo was a second-year student, he had encountered countless seniors who brazenly broke school rules and then insisted on getting away with it just because they were third-years. He had vowed never to repeat that pattern no matter what.
Jeongwoo was human too. Sometimes it was difficult to balance his studies with disciplinary committee work. But the idea that someone could be exempt from rules just because they were a third-year? That was truly absurd to him.
Rules came first, always.
He applied school regulations equally to all grades, no matter what.
For example, even when classmates who usually followed the rules made occasional mistakes and begged him to let it slide just once, Jeongwoo never made exceptions. Even close friends weren’t exempt from the rules.
“I hope this year’s disciplinary head is easier to deal with.”
“Yeah, someone with a bit of flexibility would make the year go more smoothly.”
Students who didn’t know that Kwon Jeongwoo was standing at the school gate entered boldly, breaking various rules.
Giggling with friends, third-year students strutted in thinking, “Since we’re seniors and teachers don’t care, and Kwon Jeongwoo probably won’t be here, it’ll be easier this year.” But when they spotted Jeongwoo standing squarely at the gate, they immediately became flustered.
“Am I seeing things? Isn’t that Kwon Jeongwoo?”
“Why is he still here this year…?”
“We’re doomed.”
Their intentions to slyly slip in among students who wouldn’t be checked were all too obvious.
“You there, name tag. And you, no necktie. As seniors, shouldn’t you know better?”
But with his eagle eyes that missed nothing, Jeongwoo picked out the students trying to hide. Those called out by Jeongwoo were mostly third-years, and then more third-years.
In any case, it was a day where nothing had changed despite the new semester starting.
While Jeongwoo and the disciplinary committee wrestled with rule-breaking students under the sun, students who didn’t violate any rules passed through the gate without special hindrance.
Everyone seemed to have a lot to talk about after the holiday, creating a bustling atmosphere.
“Hold on there.”
Jeongwoo, who had been frowning either because of the dazzling sun or the poorly behaved students, stopped a male student who was just entering.
The student seemed unaware that he was being called and tried to walk past. Jeongwoo blocked his way with an arm and nodded his head.
He was pointing toward the shaded area where the other disciplinary committee members were gathered.
The blocked student tilted his head with a puzzled expression. His bewildered gaze was fixed on Jeongwoo.
“Come over there for a moment.”
The student just stared intently at Jeongwoo without moving. Despite repeating the same instruction several times, there was no response; the student just stood there blankly. Jeongwoo, who had intended to speak kindly, began to feel irritated.
This was partly because quite a few students had tried to stall for time like this before making a run for it.
Nothing was more annoying to Jeongwoo than having to chase them down, and with each repetition of the same instruction, his irritation grew.
“I said come over there. Can’t you hear me?”
Eventually, a sharp tone emerged. Only after hearing that voice did the caught student sluggishly begin to move.
Just because the student was moving in the indicated direction didn’t mean Jeongwoo could relax. His already furrowed face creased even more as he noticed the student’s persistent staring.
Whether Jeongwoo frowned or not seemed of no concern to the student, who blatantly looked him up and down with an uncomfortably intense gaze.
“Wow, you’re seriously handsome. Totally my type.”
The student muttered with sparkling eyes, but Jeongwoo was distracted and didn’t hear.
Jeongwoo quickly scanned the student from head to toe. He had to look twice more because he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
‘Is that what he calls wearing a uniform?’
It was an unfamiliar face. As the head of the disciplinary committee, Jeongwoo had a talent for remembering faces and names, but this one was strange to him. This meant the student had never been caught by Jeongwoo during the past two years.
‘Did he undergo some kind of spiritual transformation during winter break?’
The fact that the practical-minded Jeongwoo would even entertain such a ridiculous thought showed just how surprisingly improper everything about this student was.
Jeongwoo’s eyes scanned the male student once more.
No necktie, and no name tag that should be on his chest. Was he just living life carelessly? His severely wrinkled shirt had unbuttoned buttons, revealing the T-shirt worn underneath. And that wasn’t all. Piercings that were obviously prohibited on school grounds gleamed in his ears.
There was absolutely nothing proper about him, to the point where one might question if he was really a high school student.
Not a single thing.
Now, rather than being angry, Jeongwoo was amazed at how this round-headed student thought he could pass through the school gate looking like that.
From behind, even the shirt peeking out from beneath his vest was irritating.
Jeongwoo took a deep breath, closed his eyes tightly, then opened them. He pretended not to see the brown hair that had been dyed in the sunlight. At least the student seemed to have made an effort to cover it with a darker color for school.
Anyway, excluding the hair, there was still so much to point out. No, it would be faster to find the parts that actually conformed to student standards.
Just as Jeongwoo’s sighs were piling up…
“Why did you call me over?”
Asked the student, still wearing an expression that suggested he had no idea why he’d been pulled aside. This made Jeongwoo even more exasperated.
Being stopped at the gate by the disciplinary committee and asking why? If he had any sense at all, he should at least pretend to be remorseful.
“Grade, class, number, name.”
Jeongwoo asked what he routinely asked students who were caught, but somehow it felt awkward.
‘Is it because of that blank stare?’
The student’s confused face as he looked around also contributed to this feeling.
“Hmm? Here?”
Jeongwoo tilted his head sarcastically. The male student, whose eyes had been darting around, spoke.
“You’re amazing. Talking like this in such a public place shows you really don’t have any prejudice. But still, I’m a bit uncomfortable doing this here… No matter how handsome you are, I still have my privacy, and my life is important to me too. You understand, right?”
The student, who had been glancing around watching other students’ reactions, moved closer and lowered his voice.
At first, he just spouted incomprehensible words.
Starting with admiration and ending with a request for understanding, Jeongwoo also became confused.
Just as he was trying to replay what the student had said in his mind, the student leaned in even closer and whispered something in Jeongwoo’s ear.
“Give me your number and I’ll call you.”
It was so outrageous that Jeongwoo wondered if he had heard correctly.
‘Number? Call? What is he talking about?’
Standing dumbfounded at these strange words, Jeongwoo finally assessed the situation and shook his head. A sigh escaped him involuntarily.
He had almost been deceived by that innocent expression. He even had the illusion that he had actually been trying to get this student’s phone number.
It was true that the pretty appearance contrasting with the disheveled look had caught his attention, but he certainly hadn’t stopped him with that kind of interest in mind. It was impossible for him to have interest in the same sex when he didn’t even have interest in the opposite sex.
Jeongwoo disliked dividing his attention between many things.
The only things he concentrated on were studying and his disciplinary role of catching students at the school gate.
Moreover, the student standing before him was one of the types Jeongwoo disliked the most.
A proper delinquent. If he was at least neatly dressed, it might be different. But there was no way Jeongwoo’s heart could be moved by such a rebellious, self-styled uniform.
“I think you’re seriously misunderstanding-“
“Are you shy?”
“The number I’m asking for isn’t that kind of number.”
Irritated and worried the student might misunderstand again, Jeongwoo spoke each word distinctly.
The student seemed to grasp Jeongwoo’s meaning and nodded. Hoping he’d understood properly this time, Jeongwoo opened his mouth.
“I’m asking because of your improper uniform, so hurry up.”
He was about to ask again for grade, class, number, and name when the student cut him off.
“Your voice is nice too. It really suits your face.”
Faced with that bright smile, a deep annoyance flashed across Jeongwoo’s face.
“Moon Jihan. That’s my name.”
In his two years as head of the disciplinary committee, this was the first student of his kind. Most students caught by committee members would quickly answer to avoid getting in more trouble, then practically run away. And all he’d managed to get after this verbal sparring was just a name.
Jeongwoo barely swallowed the curse that lingered in his mouth. After all, he still had three more pieces of information to collect.
He tried to calm himself, worried the conversation might veer off topic again.
“Grade.”
“Third year.”
“Class.”
“Do you always interrogate people like this when you’re interested in them?”
The seemingly innocent voice, as if genuinely curious, made Jeongwoo even angrier.
“This is my job.”
“What? Interrogating?”
“…This isn’t an interrogation, and I’m not interested in you.”
Though his voice was tinged with irritation, the student didn’t seem to care much.
Rather, he seemed to be enjoying the situation, his face full of smiles. The more beautifully the corners of his mouth curved upward, the more crooked Jeongwoo’s became.
The student’s mouth opened as if teasing Jeongwoo. There was a sliver of hope that he might finally learn which class the student was in.
If he gave the answer Jeongwoo wanted, there was some inclination to cut him some slack, to overlook how he had made Jeongwoo’s blood boil.
“Hmm, I see.”
But what came out of the student’s mouth was unhelpful.
‘Of course.’
Frustrated with the situation and the student’s stalling, Jeongwoo tapped his pen against the paper he was holding. The sound made the resting disciplinary committee members glance at Jeongwoo and the student.
“If you understand, why don’t you answer the question?”
Focused on the student in front of him, Jeongwoo didn’t notice the attention shifting toward them as he forced a smile.
Though he was smiling awkwardly, inside he was screaming, ‘Just say what’s necessary without making a scene and get out of here!’
“Good-looking guys are even better-looking when they smile.”
“Listen, Moon Jihan?”
“Yes? What?”
“Do you know how many times I’ve asked you?”
And now he was counting on his fingers. Unable to bear it any longer, Jeongwoo grabbed Jihan’s hand. He wanted to send him in and return to his post as quickly as possible.
For just a moment, a fleeting instant, Jeongwoo thought, ‘I should have pretended not to see him and let him pass.’ He pulled up the corners of his mouth even more. The forcibly lifted corners trembled.
There are two ways to deal with people who don’t listen.
One is to get angry, the other is to coax them with a smile. The Jihan in front of him seemed to be the type that responded to the latter.
Although forcing a smile was extremely awkward, he decided to somehow placate him, extract the necessary information, and send him on his way.
As he put silent pressure on the eyes he was facing, urging him to speak quickly… Jihan, who had been alternating his gaze between their joined hands and Jeongwoo’s face, finally muttered:
“Zero one zero four five…”
It wasn’t the number needed for issuing demerits, but a phone number.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
