Now that I think about it, there was one mole. I was about to lower my head but stopped. Right, it’s near my collarbone so I can’t see it myself. I must have forgotten since not many people notice it. Feeling awkward, I raised my head again and answered.
“Yeah. It’s a mole.”
I felt embarrassed by the gaze fixed on my collarbone and obediently buttoned up my shirt. I was about to enter the classroom but quickly came back out to the hallway. The hallway was hot, but the classroom was truly sweltering. It was too hot to want to go inside.
Hee-ae also refused to enter upon hearing that inside the classroom was even hotter. I wish they’d hurry up and fix the fan.
“I think it would be fine to have class in the hallway.”
I seriously suggested while sticking my face out through the window between the classroom and hallway. The kids in the third row turned their gazes toward me in surprise.
“Really?”
“Is the hallway cool? Hey, let’s go out.”
Several kids came out to the hallway and sighed in relief, saying they felt like they could live. The Five Great Kings muttered to themselves that it was strange seeing kids out in the hallway. When the bell rang, everyone went into the classroom, but some kids who refused to go in, insisting they didn’t want to, got caught by the teacher.
***
I looked at a dandelion blooming by the roadside and bent down close to it. The dandelion seeds flew away. They were seeds that had miraculously remained intact.
I walked along the road with the flying seeds. Unlike the clear summer sky, the air was hot and dry. I spoke toward Hee-ae who was approaching.
“Let’s go.”
I walked together with Hee-ae. Hee-ae kept looking at me. Lately, both In-sae and Hee-ae keep staring at me. I smiled and turned around at the gaze I could feel.
“Why?”
“Just because.”
Hee-ae answered while turning his gaze to the sky. After walking for a bit, I said to Hee-ae.
“I feel like I used to look at the ground a lot in the past. But lately I’ve been looking at the sky often.”
“Ah, that’s true.”
Hee-ae’s eyes widened. It seemed to be a change he himself hadn’t been aware of. I looked at the sky just the same. Hee-ae smiled awkwardly and urged me to hurry up.
“By the way, have you been to Cho-young Apartments?”
“It’s my first time, what about you, Shi-dan?”
“I haven’t been there either. But In-sae’s place is right at the entrance?”
“Huh?”
As soon as we entered the apartment complex, Building 103 appeared. In-sae is in Building 103, so it’s right at the entrance. I was worried we might get lost, but fortunately not. After entering Building 103, I pressed the elevator button.
The elevator arrived with a clear sound. Hee-ae seemed excited and didn’t know what to do with himself. I got off the elevator and pressed the doorbell. I heard urgent footsteps, then the door opened.
“Hi.”
“Hey.”
Together with Hee-ae, I greeted In-sae who was dressed in somewhat loose clothing and neatly placed my shoes after taking them off. In-sae adjusted his loose clothes. In-sae’s house was ordinary. Inside the house, two middle-aged people who appeared to be In-sae’s parents came out.
“Hello.”
“You’re In-sae’s friends? Welcome.”
“You can go to that room over there. Don’t feel uncomfortable and play comfortably.”
Hee-ae nodded his head vigorously and walked carefully and shyly. I was a bit nervous but greeted the two people politely. In-sae led us to his room.
The room was unexpectedly ordinary. The kids talk so much about the Five Great Kings that I thought it would be plastered with photos. There were only a few photos that appeared to be family photos and the photo I had given him last time. Did he put everything else away?
“Shi-dan. Which subject should we do first?”
“Math, probably? In-sae, don’t try to sneak away, come and sit down.”
I caught and pulled In-sae who was slowly moving away. Even though In-sae didn’t like it, he focused on Hee-ae’s voice. Hee-ae slowly looked at the problems and explained them. It was a gentle voice. I listened to the explanation and tried solving the problems.
“How is it?”
“Mmm, you’re solving them well.”
I asked, feeling Hee-ae’s gaze. Hee-ae smiled brightly and clapped for me. In-sae, who had been unable to concentrate and acting restless, got up.
“I’ll bring some water.”
When In-sae left, a subtle silence flowed. Hee-ae was staring intently at me while I just pretended not to notice and solved problems in my workbook. Eventually, I put down my mechanical pencil. Roll—the pencil rolled making a sound. Afraid of the sudden silence, I asked loudly.
“Do you have something to say?”
“I’m sorry, I keep ending up staring.”
Even Hee-ae himself seemed flustered, as if he hadn’t known. He tapped and rolled the pencil that had rolled up to him. It was an affectionate touch for something done to a pencil.
“You startled me. I thought I did something wrong.”
When I rested my chin on my hand, Hee-ae also rested his chin on his hand in the same way. I reached out and grabbed the pencil that had rolled away. The touch of Hee-ae’s fingers that had been tapping also briefly touched my hand. Hee-ae’s hand stopped.
Not knowing what it meant, I tilted my head. When I took the pencil, Hee-ae looked at my hand and fell silent.
“Water.”
In-sae said as he flung the door open. I watched the scene of In-sae pouring water into cups. Hee-ae maintained the same position of his hand that had touched mine earlier. In-sae was thinking about something and the cup was just about to overflow.
“It’s going to overflow.”
When I urgently stopped him, In-sae came to his senses. The water barely didn’t overflow. After that, we continued studying and then closed our books. I released my hand that had been holding down In-sae who kept trying to escape and said.
“Let’s rest a bit.”
“It’s hot.”
Hee-ae also closed his book, and I just flopped down on the floor halfway. Hee-ae grabbed and pulled me again to sit me up straight. As soon as Hee-ae’s hand left, I muttered.
“You say it’s hot but you grab me readily enough.”
“Shi-dan is fine.”
I smiled, grateful for those words. In-sae carefully observed my change in expression from the side. I somehow felt like sleeping. I gathered my mind that was about to become drowsy and sat up even more properly. After looking around for a moment, the desk caught my eye.
“There really is my photo?”
“Yeah.”
I got up and looked at In-sae’s desk. It’s a photo I can’t get used to. What’s with that stiff, expressionless look anyway, when I smile and go around so often. I pointed at myself standing in front of the sea and said.
“I can’t get used to it.”
“It suits you though.”
“Looking at it again, you came out pretty in the photo!”
In-sae and Hee-ae said while looking at the photo once more.
“Did Lee Seung take it well?”
I muttered, bewildered by the compliment. Hee-ae grabbed the hem of my clothes and looked down at me, saying.
“Let’s take a photo together, the three of us later. Do you want my photo too? I have your photo after all.”
“Photos sound good.”
In-sae responded and smiled slightly. It suddenly became an atmosphere like we were going to have a photo exchange.
‘It would be nice to have at least one memory.’
I sat down on the floor again. Hee-ae and In-sae sat with me in the middle. After thinking for a moment, I answered.
“Alright, let’s go take one.”
Hee-ae’s expression brightened at my answer.
“Next week we can ask the kids and the three of us can take one together. I’ll accept your photos when you give them to me later.”
“Okay!”
Seeing Hee-ae even clap his hands, he must be excited. I feel pleased that the kids are happy. In-sae sitting next to me must have been bored because he kept touching my hand that was on the floor.
“Why do you keep touching it?”
I eventually turned around with a smile. In-sae didn’t answer and just stared at me blankly. Since In-sae not answering isn’t something new, I just let it go. Hee-ae, who had been watching with his eyes wide open, hesitated and then stroked my hair.
Originally stroking hair was my role. What is this, a relationship reversal or something? I looked back and forth between the two of them, momentarily confused. I shall break this affectionate atmosphere.
“We need to study.”
“Let’s rest a bit more.”
Break the atmosphere, my foot. In-sae and Hee-ae looked so tired that I couldn’t say anything more about studying. I should think about why I can’t win against my friends.
***
Rattle, rattle—the sound of the spinning fan could be heard. Lee Seung, who had woken up from sleeping, pointed at the camera on the desk. I nodded and urged him again.
“So now you’re asking me to photograph you guys?”
“You just have to press the shutter. Just do it once.”
Lee Seung whined. I pointed at the camera Lee Seung was holding and urged him. Hee-ae even sparkled his eyes as he looked at Lee Seung. Lee Seung pretended he couldn’t refuse and accepted while fiddling with various parts of the camera. In-sae looked at the camera intently, as if interested.
“What are you going to use classroom photos for? At least go outside.”
“The classroom has more romance.”
Lee Seung held the camera and stepped back a little. Since the kids had gone out to see something, the classroom was almost completely empty. Lee Seung walked backward carefully so as not to bump into chairs. In-sae and Hee-ae looked at the camera and stuck close to me. I could feel their hot breath nearby.
“Sticking together in summer, I’m taking it. One, two, three.”
I looked at the camera and smiled as brightly as possible. Click—the shutter sound rang out. A little later, Lee Seung came to us with the camera and showed us the photo.
Me sitting at a classroom desk, Hee-ae in the seat next to me, and In-sae standing beside us were all captured there.
“Where is In-sae even looking?”
“It’s fine though.”
I checked the photo and spoke halfheartedly. In-sae’s gaze in the photo was off from the camera. I don’t even know where he’s looking. I need to doubt the aesthetic sense of In-sae who says it’s fine.
“Why is Hee-ae looking at me?”
“Haha.”
Hee-ae didn’t really explain and just laughed. Other than that, it was taken satisfactorily overall. I came out okay in the photo, and Hee-ae’s golden eyes stood out. In-sae is acceptable except for his slightly off gaze.
“It’s well taken.”
Lee Seung took a confident attitude at my words. He had his own pride in taking photos. He started praising himself, saying as expected of him. Hee-ae kept looking closely at the photo.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
Oh my true to the word harem