# Chapter 4. Yeonho Looks Good in Short Sleeves Too
It was several days after I had somewhat recovered from my constantly depressed mood when I discovered that someone had replied to the impulsive question I had posted earlier.
On my way to school, I mindlessly checked my ridiculous question, “A classmate stroked me, what does this mean?” and found that there were actually five replies.
I had already concluded that Yeonho’s actions held no special meaning, so I wasn’t interested in what his behavior might have signified anymore. But I thought it would be courteous to read the replies since everyone had taken the time to leave them. And I needed to select one as the best answer too. It absolutely wasn’t because I was curious.
[We need to know your gender to make a guess… But regardless of gender, if he touched your neck and cheek, that’s 100% that kind of meaning. Congratulations!]
[A boy in my class kept pinching my cheeks too, and I got so annoyed that I confronted him directly. He said it was because I was cute. Somehow we’re dating now, haha. Maybe that person, like my boyfriend, likes you or is expressing interest in you? Oh, and if those actions make you uncomfortable, you should firmly tell them to stop! “No,” “Don’t,” “Stop it.” You know what I mean?!]
[That’s a green light.]
[It might be a meaningless action, and you might be overthinking it. Do you have feelings for that person? Avoid causing harm by interpreting things favorably for yourself… That’s not good for you either. Just for reference, I’m sharing my experience, so please don’t take it the wrong way.]
[These are the beautiful days… Date a lot… You should meet many people… Don’t end up forever single like me when you’re an adult, and seize opportunities when they come… Hope you have a beautiful relationship…]
Most of the replies suggested that things would work out well between Yeonho and me. In other words, they were saying that my existence was special to Yeonho. …I should have mentioned my gender when posting the question.
Then maybe some people would have given more detailed explanations. Or maybe not. Perhaps I would have been criticized for overreacting about being touched by another guy.
As my stop approached, I selected the fourth person’s reply as the best answer. That was the most realistic response. Even if Yeonho touched my cheek and deliberately searched for and caressed the mole on my neck, there’s no way he could become my… boyfriend.
Because I’m not a girl.
Anyway, the time for such thoughts had passed. Now I didn’t feel sad or troubled when I saw Yeonho’s face. I think my emotions had become numb from crying so much.
***
As May approached, the weather was more like early summer than spring. I don’t like rain, but I thought a little downpour might be nice on such a hot day. Since the school-designated uniform still had long sleeves, some students rolled them up, while others wore short-sleeved T-shirts under their uniform shirts and just wore the T-shirts in the classroom. Yeonho was among the latter.
“Hi, Seungwoo.”
Before passing through the school gate, Yeonho, wearing a black T-shirt, greeted me with a bright smile. It seemed like the sunlight was shining only on him. It felt like I was properly facing that face after a really long time, so I rubbed my eyes several times before calmly returning the greeting. After that, Yeonho started walking very close to me. Afraid we might touch, I moved away, but he would somehow get close again, and our arms had already touched six times.
Don’t think about anything else. We’re just in the same class, so we’re taking the same path, there’s no meaning to this. See, he hasn’t spoken to me since the greeting.
“It’s been hard to see your face lately.”
I was thinking this as I climbed the stairs to the classroom when Yeonho suddenly spoke to me.
‘Can he hear my thoughts?’
Sometimes in fantasy movies, there are people with such abilities. Since Yeonho seemed capable of doing anything he set his mind to, I thought maybe he could do that too.
“Are you mad at me about something?”
Yeonho went a couple of steps ahead on the stairs, then blocked my path and asked. He was already tall, so I had to tilt my neck to make eye contact with him, but standing two steps above and looking down, he appeared quite intimidating. I avoided Yeonho’s gaze and turned my eyes toward the stair railing I was holding.
“…No… There’s nothing like that.”
“Ah, then are you feeling hurt about something?”
“No… I have no feelings for you…”
How could I possibly feel anger or hurt towards you, Yeonho.
“Hmm, that can’t be right.”
I saw Yeonho’s shoe step down one stair. Did Yeonho wear size 285mm? Since my foot size is 270mm, there’s quite a difference. I guess if you’re tall, you do have big feet. Come to think of it, Yeonho had big hands too.
Big enough to grasp my neck with just one hand…
“Why are you sulking, Seungwoo?”
Yeonho’s hand covered the back of my hand gripping the stair railing. My nape felt too hot. Feeling like I shouldn’t look up, I bowed my head deeply. Because of this, Yeonho probably didn’t hear me say, “It’s not like that.”
“You’re not going to answer?”
Yeonho’s other hand pressed both my cheeks and lifted them. I must have looked ridiculous, like a steamed bun. With my cheeks squeezed, it was difficult to move my lips, so I just gripped the railing tightly.
“Come to think of it, I didn’t hear your answer last time.”
What answer? Before I could even ask that, Yeonho’s lips touched mine.
Those lips that curved beautifully when he smiled. Yeonho’s lips, sweeter and warmer than dreams.
“…!”
I kissed Yeonho.
It wasn’t a dream or a delusion—I was actually kissing the real Yeonho, and what felt like a very, very long time passed.
During that time, I learned that Yeonho’s eyebrows were neater and prettier than those of girls who wore makeup, that his eyelashes were light like his hair color, and that the nice smell coming from Yeonho was his shampoo.
If I hadn’t been startled by my loosely slung bag strap falling from my shoulder to my arm, I might have put my arms around Yeonho’s neck.
The bag that had slipped down contained just a few ballpoint pens, a couple of notebooks for assignments, and a self-defense spray that my older sister had given me, insisting I should always keep it in my pocket when those “seniors” called. Because of the weight of that light bag, I almost fell backward like a fluttering paper doll. Would I die if I fell backward down the stairs and hit my head? The absurd thing is that at that moment, after kissing Yeonho, I thought, “Well, I wouldn’t mind dying like this.”
In that brief moment. After just one kiss.
“Are you okay?”
Miraculously not falling, but instead pathetically sitting down, I saw Yeonho sit down in front of me and examine me.
‘Would you be okay if you were me? Why did you suddenly kiss me?’
Why did you… I wanted to confront him, but my throat was completely blocked. I wondered what you were thinking behind that expression that was unreadable up close.
The only thing I could tell was that neither of us seemed particularly normal.
Whether he knew I was cursing him with my eyes or not, Yeonho crouched down and laughed softly, resting his chin on one hand.
His eyes, beneath his light and soft-looking hair, were half-closed, and the hand covering his mouth trembled slightly every time he laughed. He laughed so well—I wonder what was so fun and enjoyable. I wanted to engrave that pretty image a little more, but Yeonho grabbed my forearm and pulled me up. He was so strong that it felt like I was being lifted up.
Only after I was forced to stand did I realize—Yeonho and I were on the school staircase. And it was the central staircase that students and teachers used most frequently. It would have been troublesome if someone had seen Yeonho and me kissing.
I quickly looked down the stairs and stretched my head to the side of Yeonho to check upstairs as well. Fortunately, since it was still early, there didn’t seem to be any students wandering the stairs or corridors.
“Seungwoo.”
While I was relieved that no one had seen us, Yeonho, who had been quiet, called my name with such an affectionate voice.
Had the name “Seungwoo” always been such a sweet name? I was told that my grandfather had named me. Thank you, grandfather.
…No, I shouldn’t be this happy. Worried that the corners of my mouth might have turned up without my knowledge, I was rubbing my mouth firmly with my hand when Yeonho said:
“I’m really curious about you.”
In such a sweet voice.
From that moment, I couldn’t hear anything but Yeonho’s voice.
What could he be curious about? That my shoe size is 15mm smaller than his, or that my birthday in May is three months apart from his?
Or that the milk I’ve been drinking every day recently is actually the product you once tasted at school and said was delicious, and that the celebrity I’ve come to dislike is the person you said you didn’t like for no reason?
That everything around me is so occupied by you that sentences about things I want to talk about can’t be completed without including the name Yeonho?
I almost impulsively said that I wanted to know about you too.
I know plenty about Yeonho, but it’s all just the surface.
Will there ever be someone who can see you reveal your inner self? Someone you’ll introduce to your friends as your girlfriend, someone you’ll kiss without hesitation, hold hands with every day, and sometimes indulge in your whims?
While I was pouring this out internally, Yeonho was still holding the bag strap hanging on my arm, placing it back on my shoulder. Yeonho’s attentive hand then touched the tips of my fingers next.
Tap, tap, very slowly.
And then Yeonho’s large hand firmly grasped my hand.
So tightly that I couldn’t escape.
“So I need to get to know you, Seungwoo.”
***
I wondered what Yeonho meant when he said he wanted to get to know me.
As I stared at Yeonho’s phone number.
Yes, today I not only kissed Yeonho but also got his number. I’m not sure why a simple combination of numbers looked so cool, but I placed my phone on the desk, turned off the automatic screen-off feature, and stared intensely at Yeonho’s number.
When Yeonho gave me his number, he told me to contact him anytime, but I didn’t think that meant to call without any specific business.
In the end, I couldn’t figure it out and didn’t contact Yeonho. Still, Yeonho’s number was saved in my phone. Even with his pretty name, Yeonho, written next to it.
I kept my phone in my hand until I fell asleep, then kicked the blanket with my feet.
‘Is it really okay to feel this happy over just a piece of data?’
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
