“Do you know what abuse of authority means?”
At Jaeyoon’s question, the corner of Han Doyoon’s mouth rose slowly. Haah, a sigh escaped from his mouth involuntarily. The long Cherry Blossom Festival was finally reaching its last day. While students were giving their final bursts of energy and enjoying the festival enthusiastically, Jaeyoon had been caught by Han Doyoon, who had shown up on his own terms, and was being forced to watch a play in the auditorium.
‘So Kim Doha was in the drama club…’
Jaeyoon narrowed his eyes as he watched Kim Doha, dressed as a prince with lace adorning his sleeves and various parts of his outfit, while sipping his cola.
‘Come to think of it, wasn’t there something about a play in the game story…?’
His memory wasn’t poor, but he didn’t remember details of things he wasn’t interested in. As he frowned at the stage, Han Doyoon’s voice came from beside him.
“You really dislike Kim Doha.”
“What…?”
Jaeyoon turned his head and frowned at the relaxed sight of Han Doyoon looking at him with a smile on his face. If asked which side he was on, he did lean toward not liking Kim Doha, but that expression that said ‘I know everything’—he didn’t like it.
“The student council president seems to like Kim Doha quite a bit? Coming all the way to watch his play… Are you that free?”
That can’t be it, right? When Jaeyoon looked at him with narrowed eyes, Han Doyoon smiled, lifting one corner of his mouth. Jaeyoon’s expression crumpled. Nothing was more infuriating than a boss who didn’t work. Especially, a boss who passed his work to his subordinates was the worst of the worst. He felt sorry for the student council members whom he didn’t even properly know.
“I took care of the commotion that happened yesterday, aren’t you being too cold?”
“…What are you talking about?”
When Jaeyoon frowned as if asking what nonsense he was talking about, Han Doyoon rested his chin on his hand, smiled, and said to him, narrowing his red eyes from side to side,
“Someone came claiming you hit them yesterday and made a scene in the teachers’ office saying you should be expelled.”
After running away with his tail between his legs, to go to the teachers’ office and cause trouble like that—there’s a limit to being shameless… truly stupid and unsightly to the point of being pitiful.
“I didn’t do anything though?”
When Jaeyoon smiled brightly as if he knew nothing about it, the corners of Han Doyoon’s eyes elongated.
“Well, for someone claiming to have been hit, he was clean from head to toe without a single injury.”
“That’s because I didn’t hit him.”
In reality, Jaeyoon hadn’t hit that man. He had just restrained him by twisting his arm behind his back, and was planning to break it if he continued to cause a disturbance.
‘Ah, I did kick his knee once.’
But he hadn’t kicked that hard, so it probably didn’t leave much of a mark. Besides, since those two seemed stupid, they probably completely forgot that his knee had been kicked. With no CCTV and no classmates likely to speak ill of Jaeyoon, he wasn’t particularly worried. Even if the school decided to discipline him for using violence, it would probably just be a few days of self-reflection in the dormitory. Seeing Jaeyoon leisurely drinking his cola, Han Doyoon laughed softly.
“You’ve become shameless.”
“The student council president has always been shameless.”
Han Doyoon laughed, his eyes forming crescents.
‘Ah, that gives me the chills…’
Jaeyoon narrowed his brows and turned his gaze to the stage, then opened his eyes wide when he spotted someone there. Why is he there…? His blue eyes, filled with confusion, blinked rapidly.
‘Is this why he wanted to watch the play?’
Jaeyoon quickly turned his head to look at Han Doyoon. There was a sticky smile on Han Doyoon’s lips. His narrowed red eyes, which seemed to find this amusing, crinkled when they met Jaeyoon’s gaze.
“I wondered why you brought me here…”
“I wanted to watch the play with you.”
“Lick your lips before you lie.”
At Jaeyoon’s words, Han Doyoon slowly licked his red lips with his tongue.
“Is this better?”
Jaeyoon’s expression crumpled at the sight of Han Doyoon smiling with a natural expression. Would it be better? He sighed deeply and turned his head toward the stage, looking disapprovingly at the princess in a glamorous dress dancing with the prince on stage.
“Why did this happen? Kim Yeonwoo isn’t even in the drama club.”
“The student playing the princess role twisted her ankle yesterday while going down the stairs and got injured. So they needed a substitute.”
“But why is Kim Yeonwoo playing the princess role instead of another drama club member?”
“How did that happen?”
Jaeyoon’s brow furrowed.
“That’s not something you can just brush off with ‘How did that happen?’ With all those drama club members, a complete novice is playing the lead role?”
“In technical terms, this is commonly referred to as ‘connections.'”
At Han Doyoon’s words, Jaeyoon put his hand to his forehead. Come to think of it, there was such content… Jaeyoon narrowed his eyes and looked at the stage. There was a scene in Kim Doha’s route where Kim Doha, playing the role of the prince, and Kim Yeonwoo, playing the role of the princess, beautifully danced together on stage. Recalling the description that it was like a scene straight out of a fairy tale, he unknowingly let out a snicker.
‘The protagonist who became a princess, beating out all those drama club members…’
Jaeyoon stood up from his seat.
“Where are you going?”
He looked down at Han Doyoon, who was looking up at him, then slid his gaze to focus on the stage. And his eyes met brown eyes. The brown eyes trembled greatly, and the dancing feet became entangled. The sharp heel of the shoe stepped hard on Kim Doha’s instep. Kuk, Kim Doha furrowed his eyebrows and let out a small groan of pain. Seeing this, other drama club members quickly came to the front of the stage, dancing naturally. Jaeyoon quietly observed the two figures hidden behind the club members, then turned his head back toward Han Doyoon and said,
“Whether it’s venting or whatever, I’m done playing along.”
“I really just came to watch the play with you.”
“Sure you did.”
‘Ah, I meant to think that to myself…’
He was a bit taken aback by the words he had unintentionally blurted out, but honestly, it also felt refreshing, so Jaeyoon smiled with his eyes forming crescents.
“Then I’ll be going now, so enjoy leisurely admiring the lovely Kim Yeonwoo.”
Jaeyoon turned around, opened the auditorium door, and went outside. Watching the heavy door return to its place with a creaking sound, he let out a small sigh.
‘So this is why he forcibly scheduled a meeting yesterday?’
A self-deprecating smile appeared on his lips. If it had been Lee Jaeyoon here now instead of me, I can’t even begin to gauge how hurt he would have been again. He couldn’t understand how Lee Jaeyoon could not let go of his feelings for Han Doyoon despite being used like this every time, still hoping and being betrayed again. How could he love someone who didn’t like him back to such an extent? Why couldn’t he give up his feelings when he knew he was only being used? He couldn’t possibly think Han Doyoon was worth loving to the point of sacrificing everything.
‘Is it arrogant of me to think this way when I’ve never passionately liked someone?’
Jaeyoon’s footsteps halted as he walked down the corridor. A person was reflected in his blue eyes. The spring breeze coming through the windows touched the soft silver hair as it passed by. The golden eyes, visible between the gently swaying strands of hair, were lowered. The eyes, which had been staring blankly at no particular place with an emotionless gaze, suddenly turned sideways. Jung Jinhoo’s eyes, which met Jaeyoon’s gaze as he stood stopped in the corridor, widened like a puppy’s. The eyes, which had been cool just moments ago, lit up radiantly like flowers blooming on a spring day and curved gently the moment they discovered Jaeyoon. Somehow, Jaeyoon’s heart felt ticklish.
“Jaeyoon, what are you doing there?”
“I was on my way back to the classroom. What about you, Sunbae?”
“I’m waiting for an art club member. We’re going to transport the products to sell during the festival together.”
“You’re selling things like paintings??”
When Jaeyoon asked with round eyes, Jinhoo nodded with a gentle smile.
“We’re selling postcards and illustrations drawn by the art club students.”
“Did you draw some too, Sunbae?”
“Umm-…”
The corners of Jaeyoon’s mouth slightly rose as he watched Jinhoo averting his gaze to the side while trailing off his answer. Jinhoo’s pupils shook as Jaeyoon approached him.
“Don’t-don’t you need to go to class?”
“It’s okay. It’s break time.”
Of course, it was a lie. The student council president had forcibly dragged him out even before the shift change. Claiming there was something to ask about yesterday’s commotion. But since Jinhoo’s drawings might all disappear before he even got a chance to see them, Jaeyoon decided to follow him to the art club. He was determined to buy all of Jinhoo’s drawings, as far as his allowance would permit. As if his determination had been conveyed, Jinhoo rolled his eyes around in confusion.
“Aren’t-aren’t you hungry? There’s a place selling delicious pancakes…”
“It’s okay. I’m not hungry at all.”
“Would-would you like some juice?”
“I’m fine.”
“Th-there’s a play going on!”
“I just came from there.”
“Um-…”
Jaeyoon looked at Jinhoo, who was trying his best to somehow keep Jaeyoon away from the art club, as if finding him cute, and smiled with his eyes forming crescents.
“Sunbae, there’s nothing more important to me at this festival than seeing your drawings.”
“…Mm…”
It felt like seeing drooping dog ears on top of Jinhoo’s head.
“Hey, sorry! The teacher didn’t come… Huh?”
The orange-haired boy who was running toward Jinhoo wore a puzzled expression when he spotted Jaeyoon standing next to him. Jaeyoon smiled brightly and greeted the boy who was blinking blankly.
“I’m here to help Jinhoo Sunbae.”
“Ah~ You’re Jinhoo’s junior?”
“Yes.”
“Oh-? I didn’t know you had a close junior.”
At the boy’s look of surprise, Jinhoo slightly furrowed his brows and glared at him. But the boy ignored the piercing gaze directed at him and turned his head to look at Jaeyoon and greeted him.
“I appreciate your help. I’m Sim Hajun. Feel free to call me Hajun hyung.”
“Okay.”
Hajun seemed to like Jaeyoon’s friendly demeanor, nodding to himself with a smile on his lips.
“Then could you carry this? It’s the lightest one…”
“I’ll carry it.”
Jinhoo intercepted the envelope Hajun was handing over. Hajun’s eye twitched dubiously. His face clearly expressed ‘What’s wrong with this guy?’ Hajun’s pink eyes looked back and forth between Jinhoo and Jaeyoon. And finally, Aha! A sticky smile appeared on his lips as if he had realized something.
Hajun casually moved next to Jaeyoon and subtly put his arm around Jaeyoon’s shoulder. Jinhoo’s brows furrowed sharply. He glared at Hajun as if asking what he was doing, but Hajun was smiling broadly as if something was very amusing. Jinhoo, with narrowed eyes, reached out his hand and grabbed Hajun’s wrist that was on Jaeyoon’s shoulder, throwing it down to the floor as if striking it. In response, Hajun demonstratively placed his arm on Jaeyoon’s shoulder again, and Jinhoo once more threw Hajun’s arm to the floor. What on earth are they doing… Jaeyoon, caught between the two, blinked blankly and then bit his lip, trying hard to hold back the laughter that was about to burst out.
‘They’re both cute.’
“Ahem, I’m doing this because I want to help!”
Jaeyoon, who had finally managed to snatch the envelope from Jinhoo’s hand, smiled brightly at the flustered Jinhoo.
“Shall we go?”
“Let’s go~!”
Hajun smiled brightly and strode down the corridor. And Jinhoo glared intently at the back of Hajun’s round head.
“Let’s go, Sunbae.”
When Jaeyoon patted Jinhoo’s back and spoke, he hesitated for a moment before nodding.
Jaeyoon discreetly ignored the lingering look Jinhoo gave the envelope he was carrying.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
