# 9.
“I don’t know if it’s good, but it’s fun.”
Jihan’s eyes narrowed. What he was thinking was completely obvious.
“Whatever my answer is, it won’t be as strange as yours, so don’t open your mouth.”
“What’s wrong with me?”
“Even with two mouths, you’d have nothing to say, right? You’re the only one who would actually do what the rumors say just because you misunderstood them.”
“I’m sure there are many others besides me.”
“Yes, it’s probably better for you to think that way.”
Though still prickly, Jeongwoo’s response was longer than usual.
He didn’t seem to be aware of it himself, but Jihan, who already knew this fact, was smiling more deeply. Jeongwoo was about to snap at him for constantly smiling, but he closed his mouth when he heard the bell signaling the end of class.
At the same time, students from the field rushed in, cutting off the conversation between the two.
Jeongwoo, who had been trying to catch a quick nap, naturally put in his earphones at the noise, and Jihan went to his friends who were looking for him.
“Hot, isn’t it? Let’s go get something cool to eat.”
“Hyung, I thought you were sick.”
“Are you okay now?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine. I got better after resting. Let’s go. Today, this hyung is treating!”
Jihan, in a good mood after feeling like he’d taken a step closer to Jeongwoo, shook his wallet and said he would treat everyone at the school store today. At those words, all of Jihan’s friends cheered in unison, as if they’d planned it.
Jihan led the way. Students with flushed red faces shouted out what they wanted to eat, following behind Jihan like children following the Pied Piper.
After the break ended, a lollipop, a chocolate bar, and strawberry milk were placed on Jeongwoo’s desk.
***
The first day of the first midterm exams since becoming third-year students had ended.
It had been two weeks since Jeongwoo, who had stopped going to the school gate every morning, had focused on studying.
During that time, he had ignored Jihan’s annoyances and concentrated on studying. He could see that Jihan was getting bored with Jeongwoo’s lack of response, but he didn’t have the spare attention for that.
He couldn’t ruin the studying he had worked hard on because of Jihan. Since this was the most crucial period, his focus on studying naturally made what had always bothered him disappear.
Today too, leaving behind students who were still in the classroom grading their papers, Jeongwoo packed his bag. He was heading to the study hall.
Since Sejong, the top student in school, would be grading, Jeongwoo could just borrow Sejong’s test paper after the test.
Just as Jeongwoo was about to leave the classroom, Jihan blocked his way.
“Jeongwoo, let’s go hang out.”
“I need to go to the study hall.”
Jihan, who had been smiling brightly while suggesting they hang out, frowned immediately upon hearing the words “study hall.”
Thinking that every second spent dealing with him was precious time wasted, Jeongwoo walked past Jihan.
It was strange how easily Jihan let him go, when normally he would have been clingy at least three times by now.
As if he had read this thought, he reached out his hand.
And Jeongwoo was easily caught by Jihan’s outstretched hand. This time, it was Jeongwoo’s face that crumpled.
“What is it now?”
“When the first day is over, everything is over. Why go to the study hall again?”
“The first day is just the beginning, how is it over?”
Because Jeongwoo countered with spot-on logic, Jihan was at a loss for words. While Jihan was speechless, Jeongwoo pushed away the hand holding his arm.
Not only did he want to escape from Jihan, but right now every minute was truly precious time.
Other schools were also in their exam periods or about to be, so it was obvious that the study hall would be crowded if he didn’t go early. Jeongwoo, who would benefit from going when there were fewer people and starting to study, didn’t have time to deal with Jihan.
“Let’s go together.”
Jihan, who had been watching Jeongwoo walking away with his back turned, said in a low voice. Since it was in the same tone as usual, Jeongwoo turned around, wondering if he had misheard a “goodbye.”
“Did you just say to go together? To the study hall?”
Jeongwoo asked Jihan in a voice of disbelief. His narrowed eyes were full of suspicion.
“Yes. I want to study too, with you.”
“But you don’t study.”
“During exam periods, I do.”
As if it were a secret, Jihan whispered into Jeongwoo’s ear.
“Cramming is studying too, Kwon Jeongwoo.”
Jeongwoo, who stepped back at the sound of his breath, rubbed his ear vigorously. More than the ticklish feeling, he disliked hearing another person’s breath so close.
It was always like this.
When Jeongwoo was on guard, Jihan wouldn’t approach. He kept his distance, just teasing from the periphery.
But occasionally, when Jeongwoo’s guard was lowered, he would come in suddenly without warning.
Bringing his face close was common, and sometimes he would whisper secrets. Though it was called whispering, the tone of his voice changed freely. Sometimes he spoke quietly, but other times he would speak in his normal tone as if he wanted everyone to hear.
In a word, Jihan was an unpredictable person to Jeongwoo.
Since this was his first time dealing with such a person, Jeongwoo, not knowing what to do, just rubbed his ear with an irritated touch.
He couldn’t control his glaring eyes directed at Jihan.
“Jeongwoo, you’ll come with me, right?”
“Don’t call me so affectionately.”
Because it’s more annoying. Swallowing the last words, Jeongwoo eventually headed to the study hall with Jihan in tow.
As they passed through the school gate, Jeongwoo’s face subtly crumpled as he unconsciously looked at Jihan. It was because he saw the name tag on his chest and the necktie dangling around his neck.
Come to think of it, since Jeongwoo had stopped doing disciplinary duty, Jihan had been consistently wearing his name tag and necktie when coming to school.
At first, Jeongwoo hadn’t noticed because he hadn’t paid attention to Jihan. But suddenly when he looked to the side, Jihan was there.
Seeing him in the classroom earlier than usual indicated that he clearly wasn’t getting caught at the gate.
‘See, you were tormenting me. Even telling blatant lies about not having them when you clearly did.’
Whether or not he knew Jeongwoo was glaring at him, Jihan was grinning broadly, apparently pleased to be leaving school together with Jeongwoo.
The study hall wasn’t too far from school.
It was about a 15-minute walk, located exactly halfway between school and home. There was a better-equipped study hall at a similar distance in the opposite direction from home, but Jeongwoo had decided considering the route as well.
“When we get there, just study quietly.”
“Okay.”
“Don’t call me, don’t talk to me.”
“Got it.”
Jihan, who had been responding half-heartedly, stopped walking and tilted his head.
Jeongwoo, who had to stop as well, looked at him with eyes that seemed to ask “what now,” and Jihan objected, saying something seemed strange.
“Isn’t telling me not to talk to you and not to call you essentially the same thing? Do you dislike me talking to you that much?”
The moment he heard those words, Jeongwoo’s gaze changed as if to say, “Do you really need to ask that?”
However, not understanding the meaning of that look, Jihan kept tilting his head.
“It’s distracting.”
“You dislike it?”
“I’d prefer if you went into a different room.”
Though they were speaking to each other, neither Jeongwoo nor Jihan was listening to what the other said.
Nodding without really listening, Jihan pointed to a snack shop that had been tempting them with its stimulating aroma as they walked.
“Aren’t you hungry? Want to eat tteokbokki before we go?”
It was a snack shop famous among students for being spicy, sweet, and salty. It was so well-known that no student was unfamiliar with it—it was where they would come up with all sorts of excuses to eat tteokbokki whenever they didn’t like the school meal.
Jeongwoo, who had gone out to eat there a few times because of Hyewoon, was also well-acquainted with the shop.
But now was the exam period, and wasn’t every minute precious?
It was Jihan who had suggested they go together, and yet less than 5 minutes after Jeongwoo had warned him to just study quietly and not talk to him, he was already thinking about playing.
When Jeongwoo glared at him, indicating he didn’t have time for this, Jihan uncharacteristically stuttered.
“No- I just thought you might be hungry.”
Moon Jihan was still Moon Jihan. Knowing Jeongwoo would get angry if he insisted on eating first, he stretched out his words and acted cute.
“You’re not mad, are you? Hmm, Jeongwoo?”
‘I thought he couldn’t easily open his mouth out of embarrassment, but he was just revving up to act cute.’
Jeongwoo ignored Jihan, who kept acting cute. Jihan, who had come trotting like a puppy, read the mood and closed his mouth.
Seeing Jihan following him closely, Jeongwoo wondered if he’d made a mistake bringing him along.
But it was already too late to back out.
Why was the road that usually felt so long now feeling so short? Since they were in front of the study hall, he couldn’t just leave him there, so he went inside.
As he smelled the subtle scent of air freshener and was about to head to his usual spot, Jeongwoo turned back, seeing Jihan following him.
“Where are you going?”
“You need a place to study too.”
Answering concisely, Jeongwoo went to where the manager was.
“Hyung, hello.”
The manager, who had been touching his phone with a bored face, welcomed Jeongwoo as soon as he saw him.
Though they had seen each other just yesterday, the manager, who was essentially confined to the office, was always happy to see anyone.
“Did the exam go well?”
“It went okay.”
Jihan’s expression began to darken as he alternately looked at the two exchanging greetings comfortably.
But he quickly composed his expression so that no one noticed.
“Please give one seat.”
“You already have a seat.”
“Not for me.”
Having attended this study hall for over three years, Jeongwoo was friendly with the manager. It would have been stranger if they weren’t comfortable with each other, given how often they saw each other.
The manager, who was also the son of the study hall owner, was in his mid-20s and was preparing for an exam every time Jeongwoo saw him. To Jeongwoo, it looked like he was just playing games on his phone with a book open, but being on good terms with the manager had many benefits, so they maintained a relatively good relationship.
Jeongwoo pulled Jihan, who was standing a step behind, to his side and pointed him out to the manager.
The manager, who craned his neck to see Jihan, let out an admiring exclamation.
Jihan, familiar with this situation, had no reaction. Rather, he looked the manager up and down with a face that showed his disapproval.
“He needs a seat.”
“Jeongwoo’s friend?”
“No.”
“Yes.”
The manager, who had been smiling at Jihan, asked, and the two gave different answers. As if coordinated, they glared at each other simultaneously.
“A friend who isn’t a friend.”
By this point, Jihan was arguing that they were close, while Jeongwoo was drawing a line, asking why he would be friends with him. They both turned their gazes at the manager’s voice. Finding it cute, the manager burst into laughter.
Jeongwoo laughed awkwardly as if embarrassed, while Jihan was busy glaring at the manager, asking why he was laughing.
The manager let out a boisterous laugh, saying that the new friend who was a friend but not a friend was cute even when glaring.
After laughing for a while, watching the two who looked both close and not close, the manager asked Jihan:
“You’d prefer to be next to Jeongwoo, right?”
“Yes. Please put me next to him. Absolutely.”
Jeongwoo’s gaze was unfriendly as he watched Jihan, who had been glaring just a moment ago, suddenly make his eyes sparkle. It couldn’t be friendly. Jeongwoo pushed aside Jihan, who was begging to be placed absolutely next to him, and called the manager.
“But there’s someone next to my seat. Room B, seat number 2, hyung.”
He had been there until yesterday.
Though they hadn’t spoken because he was a student from another school, he was definitely occupying the seat. So it was puzzling how they could give the seat next to him.
Since Jeongwoo sat in a corner that people didn’t frequent much, one side was a wall and only the opposite side had a seat.
“I definitely saw a male student in a school uniform until yesterday.”
Thinking that the manager might be confused because there were too many people, Jeongwoo specified the seat number. He desperately hoped the manager had misspoken out of confusion.
“Ah, that kid. Yesterday was his last day.”
But unfortunately, Jeongwoo’s hope was not fulfilled.
“He said he was going to the library because it works better for him.”
‘Why of all times…’
Though it was annoying that Jihan wanted to come to the study hall, he had brought him thinking they could go into different rooms.
Unlike Jeongwoo, who was dumbfounded, Jihan, who had understood the situation from their conversation, pushed Jeongwoo with a bright smile.
“Please give me the seat next to Jeongwoo.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
