#007
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, and the first thing you say when you come here is ‘fuck’?”
“What do you mean you don’t know! Do you think I haven’t seen one or two bastards like you? You’re trying to suck up to hyung to get something out of him!”
“What the hell is wrong with this moron?”
Yechan frowned and stood up from his seat.
Ah, we’re fucked. Kim Minho’s voice could be heard sighing quietly.
The height difference between Yechan and Choi Yeon was more than a head. When Yechan stood up, the visual dynamic between Yechan and Choi Yeon reversed.
Nevertheless, Choi Yeon was still glaring at Yechan as if he wanted to kill him.
“Hey, hey. Seo Yechan. Don’t do it. Choi Yeon, you go back to your class too. Why are you being like this?”
Minho, who was horrified, blocked between the two with his large body.
“You think you’re something special? Don’t get the wrong idea, fucker. I won’t let you get away with this!”
Choi Yeon, grinding his teeth, shouted in rage.
Even though he didn’t properly understand this situation, Yechan reacted purely to the raw hostility. He just found the current situation amusing.
“What if you don’t let me get away with it?”
Yechan replied with a crooked smile.
At that moment, the warning bell rang. Choi Yeon, who flinched at the sharp sound, fumed with his face red, then stamped his feet and rushed out through the back door of the classroom. The remaining kids murmured.
“Hey, Seo Yechan. Sit down.”
Minho pressed Yechan’s shoulder down to make him sit. Yechan’s expression, having wiped the smile from his face due to the heat that belatedly surged up, was fierce.
“What’s wrong with that kid all of a sudden?”
At Minho’s words, Taehyun, who had been restless beside them, blurted out his words.
“There were rumors that that bastard has a huge crush on Lee Jiwoon hyung. Wow, he really was a crazy bastard. Still, he’s just acting tough because he believes in hyung.”
“Hyung?”
“Yeah. That kid’s hyung is Choi Min hyung. Their families are close. I told you before, secretary. Okay?”
Taehyun, who had quickly returned to his slimy expression, winked and snapped his fingers. Ah, but what about my Korean textbook? Taehyun’s expression became gloomy again.
Yechan looked at Taehyun sprawled on his desk struggling and fell into thought.
Choi Min, Choi Yeon. And the reason that bastard Choi Yeon just went crazy at me is because of Lee Jiwoon, right?
“Hey, look at Seo Yechan’s expression.”
At Minho’s whisper, Taehyun sat up and said.
“Ah… Yechan. Let’s not do that.”
“Do what?”
“No… your expression right now is a bit… Seo Yechan-ssi. What are you thinking about again?”
Yechan didn’t answer. Minho comforted Taehyun, who sighed and collapsed on his desk again.
“…I don’t know. Ah, fuck. My Korean textbook!”
“Cheer up, Taehyun.”
Soon the bell rang and class started. The classroom became quiet again as if nothing had happened.
Yechan recalled the human relationships he had experienced so far. Most were people trying to get what they wanted from him, but among them, there were also groups that approached with malicious intent.
And each time, what Yechan chose was not ignorance or avoidance. Instead, Yechan would help them realize their place.
Choi Yeon, who had just barged in, belonged to the most stupid category among such types. This type was too easy for Yechan.
* * *
“You should have said you can’t eat spicy food.”
“I’m not unable to eat it. I just don’t eat it.”
Jiwoon, who had opened his second pack of drinks and was just sucking on the straw the whole time, said. Yechan chewed and swallowed the spicy tteokbokki while thinking of Choi Yeon.
The two had a tussle over the bill. Of course, as always, the winner was Jiwoon. Today he had moved his nimble body to snatch Yechan’s card again.
Thinking he’d have to go to the school store again today, Yechan left the shop with Jiwoon.
“Yechan eats spicy food well.”
“Because I’m stressed.”
“Why?”
“Someone came and cursed at me this morning saying they hate me.”
“Cursed? At you?”
“Yes. Hyung, I’m stressed.”
Yechan drooped the corners of his reddened lips downward. Jiwoon’s eyes instantly became cold.
“Which bastard? Why?”
“I don’t know. Some kid I don’t know came and cursed at me then left.”
“Crazy bastard. So what did you do?”
Jiwoon’s brow furrowed. Yechan kept his eyebrows drooped downward.
Fuck, cute. At the expression drooping wetly as if water had filled his white face, Jiwoon unconsciously bit his tongue.
“I couldn’t do anything. He ran away in the middle.”
“Why did he do that? Was he planning to get beaten up?”
“I don’t hit people. I’m nice.”
“But I do hit people. So am I bad?”
“Well, hyung… the people who got hit probably deserved it.”
“Right. But what should we do about Yechan being stressed?”
“Well, I’m thinking of paying him back only as much as I was cursed at.”
At Yechan’s words, Jiwoon slowly opened his eyes and raised the corners of his mouth.
He has personality. His insides felt slightly ticklish with the excitement of discovering a new side.
Yechan led Jiwoon to the school store. Choose. Oh, that was pretty cool just now. Jiwoon, who smiled slightly, pointed to several candies and an ion drink.
Yechan added a couple of chocolates to what Jiwoon pointed to and paid.
Coming out of the school store, perhaps thanks to the bright spring weather, the campus was full of students everywhere. The cheerful pop songs played by the broadcasting club added to the spring atmosphere.
Several female students passed by, blushing as they looked at Jiwoon. Yechan spotted Choi Yeon sitting at a parasol table in front of the school store.
Han Seungwoo was nowhere to be seen; Choi Yeon was with one kid from his group whose name he didn’t know.
“Play with me for a bit.”
Yechan, who had glanced at Choi Yeon, smiled and grabbed Jiwoon’s shoulder. Then he seated him at an empty spot under the parasol.
After a moment, Choi Yeon, who discovered the two, raised his eyes, then began glaring fiercely at Yechan.
That’s right. Easy, that type.
“Should I give you a drink?”
“No, chocolate. I’m full.”
“I think hyung’s stomach will empty soon. You didn’t eat much.”
Yechan broke apart the bar chocolate after removing the foil wrapper. When he held up a neatly broken piece and brought it to Jiwoon’s mouth, Jiwoon’s mouth smoothly opened.
Yechan’s finger brushed against Jiwoon’s lips as he put the chocolate in his mouth. Jiwoon was staring intently at Yechan.
Yechan smiled brightly.
“Is it delicious?”
“Sweet.”
“It’s chocolate, so of course it’s sweet.”
Yechan, who picked up another piece, put the chocolate in his own mouth then rubbed his lower lip with his index finger. Behind Jiwoon, who was still staring at him intently, he could see Choi Yeon kicking his table and running off somewhere.
He’s going crazy. Is that bastard gay? Yechan broke apart all the remaining bar chocolate. Jiwoon’s gaze persistently followed Yechan.
Five minutes before lunch break ended, Jiwoon, who had a toothbrush in his mouth at the sink, took off his school uniform jacket.
Even while brushing his teeth, his lips where Yechan’s finger had touched seemed to burn. His face reflected in the mirror was red.
After brushing his teeth and splashing water on his face several times, his skin color finally returned to normal. Jiwoon’s eyes were sharp as he roughly shook out his wet black bangs.
* * *
From the next day, Choi Yeon wasn’t seen by Yechan for a while. He also ate separately with some of his group members.
However, strangely, Han Seungwoo ate with Taehyun, Minho, and Yechan. Of course, Seungwoo had originally known Taehyun, and lately he seemed to have pretty good chemistry with Minho, so it made sense.
Moreover, Seungwoo had safely returned Taehyun’s Korean textbook. Taehyun was genuinely grateful.
Anyway, thanks to that, the number of people pestering Yechan to skip evening self-study and go to the PC room increased from two to three. Of course, Yechan still consistently responded with “no.”
Midterms were coming up soon.
* * *
“If you’re going to study on the weekend, want to come to my place?”
On the way home after finishing evening self-study, Jiwoon asked. Yechan thought for a moment then answered.
“Um… If it’s okay with hyung, do you want to just come to my house? My mother is busy so the house is empty.”
“Will you feed me?”
“Of course.”
“Then I’ll come.”
“Okay. Since I’ve been getting treated all the time, I’ll make you something delicious.”
* * *
Saturday, Jiwoon, wearing a cobalt blue sweatshirt and ivory shorts, roughly packed his books into his backpack.
Soon Jiwoon, who had put on his bag and stood in front of the mirror, sprayed on a bit of perfume and arranged his bangs once more. Then he frowned once to relax his facial muscles before leaving the house.
“Hi.”
“You came? Isn’t it hot outside?”
“It’s not hot.”
Yechan, who opened the front door, was wearing a casual short-sleeved t-shirt and black training pants.
Jiwoon put on the neatly arranged indoor slippers while holding out the coffee carrier he had brought. A bright smile appeared on Yechan’s white face.
“You didn’t have to bring anything. Thank you, hyung.”
“One is mine.”
“Are they both iced americanos?”
“Yeah. Do you drink something else?”
“No. I’m someone who dies for iced drinks.”
“Me too.”
“We’re compatible. My room is this way.”
Jiwoon shook his head hard a couple of times while looking at Yechan’s back walking ahead.
The room he entered smelled like Yechan. Jiwoon secretly ran his tongue over the inside of his mouth while suppressing his heart that was beating wildly on its own.
Yechan’s room was quite spacious. There was a desk and bed, and on the rug next to the bed was a study table.
Jiwoon put down his bag next to the table that looked like it could accommodate three or four people studying together.
“I’ll go wash my hands.”
“I’ll show you the bathroom.”
Yechan, who had approached quickly, pointed to the bathroom at the end of the hallway. Jiwoon nodded and went into the bathroom.
Fortunately, his face reflected in the mirror was still pale. Jiwoon closed his eyes then opened them, practicing to hide the heat that had permeated his insides.
Only after he was confident that he had regained his cold impression did he head back to Yechan’s room. Jiwoon, who sat in front of the table, started studying while sipping his coffee.
“Hyung… I’m really touched.”
Yechan, who was sitting across from Jiwoon studying, seemed to be struggling with math problems. Jiwoon looked at Yechan’s fingers holding the mechanical pencil for a moment, then at his hand with visible tendons, then at his firm forearms.
Eventually, seeing Yechan’s frowning expression, Jiwoon finally moved his pencil. Yechan stared intently at Jiwoon silently writing down solutions on the problem sheet.
Then Yechan pointed to several more problems, so Jiwoon also quickly wrote solutions next to those problems.
Soon Jiwoon, who raised his gaze, smiled at Yechan’s face looking at him with both hands together.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
