“The person in question is here, so I can’t~.”
‘Wow, that’s bold.’
They’re saying that in front of all the kids. The kid who just spoke kept glancing at the Five Great Kings. Those 5 are so popular, so why on earth are they living as perpetually single? If they’re going to waste it like that, I wish they’d give me their faces and bodies.
“First love?”
When I muttered to myself, I felt Hee-ae concentrating. Hee-ae asked me.
“Shi-dan, do you have a first love?”
“No.”
Honestly, I lived without thinking about anything, so I don’t really know. At my sharp answer, Hee-ae looked disappointed. Hee-ae’s first love is probably Nam-hwi, I fell into other thoughts for a moment.
“I hope you get one soon.”
Hee-ae rested his chin and smiled with his eyes. Is he even cheering for my love life? It doesn’t mean anything else, right? I sorted out my complicated feelings.
“I hope things work out well with that person for you too.”
I answered in an awkward tone. The teacher finally couldn’t stand it anymore and shouted.
“Where are you all looking? Stop looking at the person you like and look at me, me! Let’s have class.”
The kids giggled. Here and there, saying it’s right, they were hitting their desk partners and making a fuss. Lee Seung chimed in with the teacher’s words in a really tired tone.
“Stop looking already. I’m more frustrated watching you.”
I guess he’s suffering as the Five Great Kings Fan Club president. In the end, the kids’ tricks failed and the teacher faithfully conducted class until the end.
As soon as class ended, In-sae suddenly approached and asked.
“Do you have one?”
“First love? No. What about you, In-sae, do you have one?”
“I got one.”
Is it because I thought he seemed like he’d achieve enlightenment? I can’t believe it at all. It wasn’t just me, as gasps of shock came from here and there.
“That Kim In-sae? Hey, take him to the hospital.”
Lee Seung, who had been quietly watching, butted in and pointed accusingly at me.
“You need to look at the kids from my perspective.”
“Lee Seung, we don’t need your perspective.”
“I will impose a punishment of mandatory attendance at fan club meetings twice a week.”
At the quick refusal, Lee Seung spoke solemnly in a deliberately made-up voice. In-sae made an expression that it wasn’t bad. What good would it do you to come to meetings……
“I’m sorry. I think it’s really necessary. You know my stamina.”
I immediately apologized and begged Lee Seung for mercy. Just going to fan club meetings drains me, but twice a week? I was already exhausted. Every time a Five Great Kings photo comes out, I have to clap while praising them, so I feel like I could write a book called ‘500 Ways to Praise People’ soon.
“Shi-dan, let’s build up your stamina. I’ll help you exercise.”
I do have pretty poor stamina. Somehow showing enthusiasm, Hee-ae clenched his fist tight. Hee-ae said it himself then kept glancing at me. I sighed and answered.
“Help me with something else. Not exercise.”
There are so many other good things in the world besides exercise. Nothing is as bothersome as exercise. I sleep late and hate exercising, yet it’s strange I’m over 170cm.
At my words, Hee-ae’s expression suddenly brightened. With a determined attitude, Hee-ae asked.
“What should I help you with?”
“Studying?”
I randomly said something Hee-ae would show the most enthusiasm for. Hee-ae nodded his head vigorously. He even clenched his fist and smiled brightly.
“Of course I’ll help!”
What an excited answer. Next to us, In-sae said while crunching on a candy stick.
“Me too.”
“Kim In-sae, you gave up on studying.”
A fan club kid next to us shouted in surprise. In-sae stopped chewing the candy stick as if realizing it. He pondered for a moment then said.
“Just watching.”
“There’s no such thing. If you come, you have to study.”
I immediately objected. In-sae hesitated for a very long time then finally surrendered. The friend next to him muttered that the sun would definitely rise from the west tomorrow.
“When will you help?”
“Let’s meet on the weekend.”
Hee-ae answered in a voice full of strength. It was an attitude that felt like the passion of a top-tier instructor. I resolved to preview before the weekend to keep up with Hee-ae’s passion. Hee-ae took out his workbook with a happy face and started solving problems.
Then he naturally took out hot chocolate from his bag. Hot chocolate even though it’s almost early summer? Our school is such a strange place that we do keep hot chocolate in the fridge, but that looks like he brought it from home. I asked how Hee-ae’s taste changed.
“Didn’t you originally like iced tea?”
“After you bought it for me last time, I started liking this.”
“I helped you find a hidden taste preference.”
Meanwhile, In-sae was taking out and eating another new candy, so I confiscated it. In-sae stared at the candies I confiscated. I pointed the candy at In-sae and said.
“Stop eating them. I can’t keep taking them away one by one.”
In-sae pretended not to know. I guess his stubbornness about candy can’t be given up.
***
I struggled with a problem that wouldn’t solve then eventually ended up lying face down on my desk. The Five Great Kings always played around and only fought, yet recorded ranks of 1st to 5th place in the whole school. Exhausted from class, I was so envious of them.
Today Hee-ae is looking at the classroom ceiling, and In-sae is sitting slumped over up front. I don’t know about Cho-yeon since he sits behind me. When I carefully turned my eyes, he was sleeping with his chin propped up.
“Maybe it’s because it’s summer, everyone seems to be having a hard time with class, but let’s work just a bit harder.”
“……”
The kids didn’t even answer and just stared blankly into space. The teacher worried even about global warming, saying why is it so hot when it’s June? Eventually unable to bear it, the teacher turned on the fan. He pressed the operation button with a clatter then shouted.
“Why is this like this? Is the fan broken?”
“Yes….”
The teacher let out an ah, sigh. Due to the fan suddenly breaking, the kids were half-dying. The one consolation was that it wasn’t July yet. If the fan had broken in midsummer, I would have already escaped school.
“Why on earth is there no air conditioning?”
“They’re installing it next year.”
Can’t they move it up just one year? I learned that a good school like this might not have air conditioning. Thanks to that, kids were even bringing and using fans they made in elementary school.
“Do you have one more fan?”
The kid in the front seat quietly asked. I, who had been using a fan since long ago, paused my hand for a moment. Then I searched through my bookbag for a while.
“Here.”
I handed one fan to the kid in the front seat. The kid who received the fan let out a satisfied sigh. I alternated between fanning myself and briefly fanning Hee-ae who was melting in the heat. Hee-ae mumbled that he felt like he could live.
“Shi-dan. Let’s go to the school store.”
As soon as break time came, In-sae approached and said. I agreed and grabbed Hee-ae and In-sae and ran. Kids were already starting to flock to the school store. The hot air warmly grabbed my running cheeks.
“It’s hot!”
I shouted as soon as I arrived at the school store. Fortunately, inside the school store was cool, so my complaints soon subsided. I chose cold water, Hee-ae chose ice cream, and In-sae chose a beverage. Leaving the cool school store again felt daunting. I made an effort to move my feet.
“Can you eat it all during break time?”
“I’ll try.”
Hee-ae said with determination. He bit into the ice cream with a crunching sound. It really does seem like he could finish it during break time. We slowly walked toward the classroom. I was walking to the classroom but it was so hot that I unbuttoned the top of my shirt. At least I feel like I can live now.
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
Seeing that sound today too, those people must be nearby. Isn’t this level like a warning sound? The Five Great Kings are approaching within 100m. Something like that.
“Kyaaaa! How do you make that sound?”
I was bored so I tried imitating the sound heard from afar. Especially that high pitch and chewy pronunciation is harder than expected. Hee-ae and In-sae were surprised at my random action and made awkward expressions.
“Kyaa?”
In-sae asked in a flat tone. It felt like he’d heard something really strange. His voice was low, so I momentarily got goosebumps.
“Wow, your voice.”
I clapped in admiration at In-sae’s voice. Next to us, Hee-ae also tried shouting kyaa, kyaa then gave up. I don’t understand why we’re getting heated over this. I patted the dejected Hee-ae.
“I can’t do it….”
“You just can’t do this. You’re good at a lot of other things.”
“I’ll work hard at it!”
“No, you didn’t need to work hard at it.”
“Really?”
Hee-ae smiled broadly, saying he didn’t know. A resonant sound came from far down the hallway.
“It’s Han Cho-yeon-nim!”
Today too, Cho-yeon pops out from somewhere and runs. Is he running away from the Five Great Kings? I twisted my body to avoid bumping into Cho-yeon and greeted him with my eyes.
Cho-yeon seemed to smile briefly then stopped walking and turned around. The Five Great Kings appeared at the end of the hallway. Today too, the twins shouted.
“Don’t go!”
“Stop clinging. Leave me alone for a bit.”
I guess these days they’ve learned to respect the other party. They followed him around like that, but when Cho-yeon shouted, the Five Great Kings gave up and turned back. Cho-yeon, who was next to us, sighed and headed toward the classroom.
“I was really surprised.”
Hee-ae said with a momentarily dazed expression. The three of us entered the classroom. In the stuffy air, I pressed the cold water bottle to my face. A numbingly cold chill is transmitted.
“Is that a mole?”
Hee-ae glanced at my open collar then asked.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
Shi-dan ah…. pretty sure their first love is you lol