Chapter 74
But he talks to Shin Ji-ye without any problem? He responds well when Choi Kyung-won greets him too?
“Jeong-ha oppa! When did you come in today? I didn’t see you arrive.”
“Ah… I guess you didn’t see me because I was sitting in the back.”
“Huh? Why have you been changing seats lately? You used to sit over there.”
“I wanted to sleep a bit because I’m tired. The back row is good for slacking off.”
His voice sounds normal too. If he’s not sick, did he really go sit all the way back there just to avoid me?
At this point, Ryu Jeong-ha’s firm resolve to not even let our gazes meet became clearly apparent.
Even when I stared at Ryu Jeong-ha intently with a mind to see who would win, he absolutely refused to turn his head in my direction. It’s not like his eyes were glued in place.
Is he really going to ignore me this much? On purpose?
I still have that notebook of his. Even though he said he wanted it back, Ryu Jeong-ha was acting as if he didn’t care if he never got it back.
Although I was the one who ignored his messages first after the kiss, the reason I was sure Ryu Jeong-ha would keep contacting me was because of the notebook. He wanted it back, and from my perspective, it was awkward to keep holding onto it. I was planning to return it at an appropriate time.
But what’s with this attitude like he doesn’t need the notebook or anything else? Is he protesting just because I didn’t reply once?
My mood remained foul even after the liberal arts class ended. I came to eat at the school cafeteria for the first time in a while, but even with the food set out on the table, I had no appetite.
This situation pisses me off, but I can’t pinpoint exactly why it’s making me angry. I don’t know why I should care about Ryu Jeong-ha either.
“Why are you glaring at your phone like that?”
Just then, someone tapped my shoulder and spoke to me. It was Bae Yu-rim. She was holding a tray with bibimbap, probably having just received her order.
“Yu-rim.”
“What’s the occasion for you to be alone? You’re always hanging out in a group.”
“The guys I usually eat with left early because they have another class. What about you?”
“Oh? Then let’s eat together. I came out alone too because my friends were busy doing assignments without even eating.”
“They’re doing assignments without eating? That doesn’t seem right.”
“That’s what I’m saying. All the art students are weird.”
Bae Yu-rim spoke as if she wasn’t an art student herself.
“Sit here.”
I gestured for her to sit across from me, feeling glad to see her.
Then I noticed some food spilled on the table by other students. That’s where those guys were sitting earlier. Even if girls spill something, they clean it up themselves or don’t spill much in the first place, but those bastards ate like slobs without cleaning up, as if there were holes in their chins.
Bae Yu-rim didn’t seem to mind, but it bothered me to let her sit there, so I wiped her side of the table with a tissue.
“By the way, Kwon-oh, why haven’t you been coming to the drama club meetings lately? It feels like it’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”
“Isn’t it weird for me to participate in every meeting when I’m not even a member?”
“You used to come and hang out without caring about that before. Why? You’re not avoiding it because of me, are you? Because I’ve been chasing you around too much…?”
Bae Yu-rim looked at me with a “surely not” expression. I shook my head.
“No, I’ve just been busy.”
“Ah, didn’t you say you were busy preparing for some exhibition?”
“How did you know about that?”
“I’ve been digging around thoroughly to use you as a model. It was a wasted effort though.”
Bae Yu-rim muttered bitterly. If it had been someone else, it would have been an exhausting comment, but knowing her personality, it didn’t bother me at all.
It was just like Bae Yu-rim to honestly admit that she had been asking around to make me her art model.
“Ah, is it too much to say it so bluntly?”
“It’s not a secret, so it doesn’t matter.”
“That’s good then.”
As we talked, I realized why I felt glad to see her right away. Bae Yu-rim was not only in the same department as Ryu Jeong-ha but was also close to him. Plus, the two of them had come to the cafe together before.
As soon as I recognized the connection between Bae Yu-rim and Ryu Jeong-ha, my mouth started to itch. I wanted to ask what he’s been up to, acting so dead to the world.
I usually have a personality where I ask directly without beating around the bush when I’m curious about something, but talking about Ryu Jeong-ha was difficult.
Maybe I was being cautious because we had kissed, after all.
“How’s the atmosphere in your department these days? Is the second year in fine arts busy too?”
After thinking a bit, I decided to start by naturally bringing up department talk.
“Ah, well. We’re always cooped up in the studio, so it’s pretty much the same. It is busy though.”
“How’s that friend who came last time doing?”
“Jeong-ha? He’s always working hard.”
“Is that so?”
“He’s incredibly motivated these days. He draws all day long. He’s full of determination to get good grades all by himself.”
From Bae Yu-rim’s playful tone, I could gauge how close she was with Ryu Jeong-ha.
Well. There’s no law saying he can’t be doing well, but I thought he’d at least pretend to be troubled because of me. Looks like he’s doing just fine with his department life.
“That’s unexpected.”
I said, taking a sip of water.
“He has a surprisingly stubborn side to him. You wouldn’t think so because he looks so soft and round, right?”
“By the way, you seem pretty close with Ryu Jeong-ha.”
“Jeong-ha is the most comfortable to be around. Didn’t he say you two are taking a liberal arts class together?”
Bae Yu-rim asked curiously after chewing and swallowing the food in her mouth.
“Yeah. But I think he finds me difficult. It’s hard to get close even though we’re in the same group.”
“Hmm. Jeong-ha is shy with strangers. He’s not the type to be very affectionate, you know.”
Bae Yu-rim’s words, speaking as if she knew everything about Ryu Jeong-ha, slightly dampened my mood. I didn’t know he could be so close with a girl.
“I know. It seems like he’s too uncomfortable even though we’ve been in the same group for quite a while.”
Without realizing it, I started to embellish the situation a bit.
“I can imagine. He’s doing that because he’s timid, so you should understand.”
“Still, it would be better to get closer if we have to keep working on projects together.”
“Ah, that’s true.”
Bae Yu-rim nodded as if agreeing with my words. We ate in silence for a while. Then I spoke first.
“So, about that. Do you want to come hang out with Ryu Jeong-ha again where I work?”
“To Bucheon?”
“Yeah. I still feel bad about letting him get scratched by a cat in front of the store last time. Maybe we can use this chance to get rid of the awkwardness?”
I added a fairly plausible excuse in detail.
“Actually, when I gave him medicine for his scratched face, I told him I wouldn’t let him off easy if he filed a complaint against the store. I meant it as a joke, but I think he took it seriously and has been avoiding me since then.”
“Hey, with Jeong-ha’s personality, that’s understandable. He must have been terrified.”
Fortunately, Bae Yu-rim seemed to understand the situation I had embellished.
Come to think of it, was I too harsh back then? Saying I wouldn’t let him off easy if he filed a complaint is the toned-down version. I think I actually said I’d kill him.
Ah. Why did I speak so strongly? Thinking about it now, someone like Ryu Jeong-ha would have really been scared, right?
“But for free?”
“I’ll treat you to a meal. We have new menu items, so you can come try those.”
Bae Yu-rim shook her head as if unimpressed by my words.
“It’s fine, I’m kidding. You bought the meal last time too.”
“I’ll buy it again.”
“I said I was joking. When should we go?”
“Is this Saturday okay?”
“Sure.”
I liked Bae Yu-rim’s straightforward answer.
“Don’t tell Ryu Jeong-ha too much about it. He might feel more burdened.”
“Of course.”
After eating with Bae Yu-rim and parting ways, I went into a convenience store to buy cigarettes. At the same time, I quickly sent a KakaoTalk message to Jung Han-min.
[Me: Hey I’m taking your shift]
[Me: SaturdayYY]
[Jung Han-min: Ooh]
[Jung Han-min: Why so sudden???]
[Jung Han-min: Which one did you say to get lost]
This guy must be on his phone all day, the 1 disappeared in real-time.
Fortunately, it seems they haven’t found a new person yet. I smiled without realizing it and replied.
[Me: Oh you get lost–]
[Me: I never told the cat to get lost]
[Jung Han-min: lolololol]
[Me: I’m going to see the cat]
[Me: The cat is precious]
[Jung Han-min: Thanks man]
[Jung Han-min: Hehe]
Ah, this seems like I’m overdoing it. A beat late, I felt a slight wave of regret.
Do I really need to go this far just to see Ryu Jeong-ha’s face? He’s the one who likes me, so why am I putting on a show? Even sacrificing my weekend. I’ve never gone this far even to seduce a girl.
I’m also worried about what I said to Bae Yu-rim. Honestly, if I’m curious about what he’s doing, couldn’t I just go find him and see for myself? But then again, I don’t want to do that.
It hurt my pride to think about seeking him out first because I was curious about that guy. Meanwhile, Ryu Jeong-ha is so absorbed in his assignments that he doesn’t even think about coming to get his notebook.
Shit, did he completely forget that I have his notebook? Along with forgetting the notebook, did he forget what happened between us? We even kissed. Is this how shallow unrequited love is? He’s really living up to his face value.
“What would you like?”
The convenience store part-timer asked as I stood in front of the counter for a while. I pointed to the first row of the cigarette display behind the part-timer.
“One Marlboro Vista, please.”
“Okay.”
“This too, please.”
I picked up a Chupa Chups from the counter and waved it. Then my eyes fell on the lip balm next to the candy.
At the same time, I remembered Ryu Jeong-ha’s bleeding lips. Even the feeling of it.
After examining the blue lip balm, turning it this way and that, I handed it to the part-timer as well.
“Please add this lip balm too.”
Yeah. Honestly, it’s a face worth living up to. If it’s Ryu Jeong-ha.
*
