Cho-yeon said while disheveling his hair. Kids everywhere started praising him with emotion.
“To think you’d be so sincere and honest. If you’re like this, we can’t stop you.”
“I know, right?”
“Yeon-ya, should we wait for you? Even if Han-gyeol has a hard time, we’ll wait for you….”
“I don’t need it.”
As soon as the twins’ clingy words ended, Cho-yeon cut them off with a pale complexion. The Five Great Kings, who had decided to respect the other person’s answer, decided to just leave Cho-yeon behind. I like how you respect the other person’s will. Please keep trying harder.
‘But what’s with Yeon-ya again?’
I can’t get used to it even when I try. Utterly bizarre. Amid the commotion, Hee-ae turned his head. He asked in a soft tone.
“Shi-dan, do you want to wait and go home together after school?”
“No, you go first.”
“I want to wait for you. Because it’d be nice to go together.”
Hee-ae grabbed my arm while trying to hide his sulky expression. I felt sorry because Hee-ae seemed disappointed. Flustered, I rolled my eyes and answered.
“I said that because I might be late. I have some business near your house tomorrow, so let’s go home together then.”
“What about In-sae?”
“In-sae has an appointment that day and is being dragged out against his will.”
Hee-ae grabbed my arm even tighter. With a brightened face again, he smiled radiantly. But why is he holding my arm like this? One of the classmates asked in a playful tone.
“Are you two really dating?”
“What’s that, yeah!”
Hee-ae laughed once and shot back. To think that Hee-ae, who wouldn’t have been able to say anything if he heard words like this before, is responding like this. After being dazed for a moment, my competitive spirit rose. With the shamelessness I developed while praising the Five Great Kings, something that never existed in my fate until now, I also shot back.
“How many days has it been for us? Over a month?”
“Break up.”
In-sae magnificently kicked his chair and stood up. His usually calm attitude was nowhere to be seen, and as if he was immersed in a situational drama, the person next to him caught the chair that almost fell over.
Does he have a sense of humor in this area? Somehow it’s becoming like a morning drama script. Hee-ae must have been flustered too because he opened his eyes as wide as he could.
“Are they for real?”
We’re not real. Don’t get too immersed.
“I think they are.”
“Two-timing?”
No. Cho-yeon said from behind, whether it was a mutter or a whisper.
“What two-timing, three-timing.”
Cho-yeon, Nam-hwi is next to you. Five Great Kings, could you please not look at me with such suspicious eyes? It was a situational drama. What’s three-timing anyway?
“That’s enough now. I was just joking.”
“Wasn’t it just Yu Shi-dan joking? I thought it was real.”
“No.”
Hee-ae smiled awkwardly at my words. Don’t make them suspicious. I explained to In-sae who still didn’t understand the situation.
“Just a joke.”
“Yeah.”
“Kim In-sae must have thought it was real.”
At the word that it was a joke, In-sae sat down again with a calm attitude. Did he really misunderstand, then what was with saying to break up? I became confused for a moment.
“The homeroom teacher is here!”
As soon as someone shouted, the door opened noisily. The homeroom teacher greeted us in a gentle tone, different from the vigorous gesture of kicking open the door. When the teacher arrived, the kids immediately transformed into a calm and gentle attitude.
I thought about In-sae, Hee-ae, and Cho-yeon, then gave up. No way.
***
All the kids have gone home and here I am, out of nowhere cleaning. There’s not much time left until summer vacation and I don’t know what this sudden situation is. When I opened the drawer at the back of the classroom, brooms almost poured out.
“Look at the dust.”
“Come back, a bit.”
Cho-yeon grabbed me and pulled me back. Only after the dust settled a bit did he release his hand that had been holding my collar. I wanted to ask if he was stupid, but his expression clearly showed he was holding back. I didn’t care whether there was dust or not because it was bothersome.
“Why did you give up the legal opportunity to not have to clean?”
“It’s all your fault.”
“I was just watching quietly.”
Why is the conclusion me? Cho-yeon didn’t answer and grabbed a broom. While cleaning after dividing up the areas, Cho-yeon straightened his bent back and went to throw away the dust that filled the dustpan.
“YEON-YA!!!!! I’M GOING!”
I almost went deaf. Startled, I looked out the window and saw the Five Great Kings shouting and waving their hands in front of the school gate. Cho-yeon came next to me and waved his hand halfheartedly.
“Always Yeon-ya, Yeon-ya, don’t they get tired of it?”
“Han Cho-yeon. I shall also take my leave now.”
This time Han Yeo-wol greeted him. Cho-yeon stiffened his face with a haggard expression. His expression was so funny that I even bent my head forward while laughing. Then I suddenly spoke to him.
“Right, I heard that the photo I gave became a trend. Did they say you give photos to precious or beloved people?”
“I know.”
Cho-yeon raised his head while sweeping down the windowsill with his hand. It seems like Cho-yeon’s touch remained on the windowsill like a trace.
Was I really the only one who didn’t know? Not knowing any trends at all makes me feel like a person from the old days by myself, and it’s sad. Cho-yeon spoke bluntly.
“Will you give me a photo? No, receive one.”
Cho-yeon took out a photo from the front pocket of his bag and gave it to me. I inadvertently received Cho-yeon’s photo. Lately there are so many things related to photos. I already have a pile of photos, at this rate I’m going to become a photo millionaire.
Summer is too hot. Even though I only cleaned for a bit, I started sweating. How much hotter will it be in midsummer? Similarly hot, Cho-yeon with a reddened face eventually threw the broom into the drawer and shouted.
“This much cleaning is enough. Let’s go.”
“Alone?”
“Together.”
Cho-yeon answered as if snatching the end of my words and quickly turned around to zip up his bag. He shouldered his bag and stopped while grabbing the classroom doorknob. I stopped walking just the same while looking at his unmoving back.
“Not acknowledging each other at school. How long are you going to do that?”
“When did we not acknowledge each other at school? Did we do that to avoid the Five Great Kings’ eyes?”
I thought for a moment at Cho-yeon’s question, then answered with an awkward smile. I really have a lot to be sorry about to Cho-yeon. I gripped my indoor shoe bag.
“You, Cho-yeon, already caught their eye but I’m the only one who’s escaped it….”
Before I could continue saying that I’m a bit sorry, Cho-yeon cut me off.
“If you’re going to say sorry, don’t do it. We mutually agreed not to acknowledge each other before. I’m the one being fickle and trying to overturn it.”
“I didn’t think you were being fickle.”
“Ah, fine. Do whatever you want.”
“If we slowly become close, it probably won’t be that noticeable.”
At my answer, Cho-yeon turned around. He had a flustered expression. It’s a bit dangerous, but since it seemed like Cho-yeon had worried and brought it up, I couldn’t pretend not to know.
“Why is this so easy?”
“The Five Great Kings have also become sensible lately, so I don’t think they’ll show interest at this point.”
“At the beginning of the semester they were weirder.”
Cho-yeon unexpectedly agreed obediently. He must have a lot built up. Cho-yeon and I passed through the empty hallway together. And after leaving school, we walked home while acting like fans. So everyone didn’t pay attention.
“You’re beautiful and so noble today too. Cho-yeon, there’s no one around now, right?”
“You go this far?”
“It’s convenient in many ways to pretend to be a fan. You’re going in that direction?”
“Shi-dan.”
What a surprise, the kid who always called me ‘ya’ is calling me by my name and making a fuss. Cho-yeon continued speaking while fiddling with the mole on his ear that looked like an earring.
“Won’t you really tell me honestly? How old are you?”
“Try guessing.”
“18.”
“You’re not cursing, are you?”
“What are you saying, aren’t you 18? Then 17.”
“I regret to inform you that I cannot tell you.”
Cho-yeon got so angry it went to the top of his head and cornered me. I don’t know why he’s sticking so close today when it’s hot. Eventually I counted it as my loss and told him my age while pushing his shoulder.
“I’m 18. Why are you so curious about my age?”
“You?”
“Our physical ages are the same. If you possessed a 20-year-old, are you going to say your mental age is 20 so you can drink alcohol?”
“You?”
“…….”
Then say ‘you,’ what should I say? Should I not count my age before possession as age? I wish Korea’s culture of honorifics like hyung, noona, etc. would disappear.
“Actually my mental age comes out as 40, so then call me elder.”
“Is that the same as this? Try using proper honorifics.”
It’s not working.
Cho-yeon crossed his arms with an arrogant attitude and made a blank expression. Does Cho-yeon want this so much that I should do it? I wavered for a moment, but just then I arrived in front of my house so I smiled brightly and glossed over it.
“Then I’ll call you once. Just a moment.”
Bang—I quickly opened and closed the front gate. A great catch. I should live calling him ‘you, you’ until I die.
“Bye~ Take care.”
I even kindly greeted him over the gate. It keeps vibrating, so it seems like he can’t shout because my parents might be home and is getting angry through text. Eventually I opened the gate first. Cho-yeon, who had been sending texts, was startled and stepped back.
“Do you want to hear ‘hyung’ that badly?”
I will definitely eliminate the honorific culture. Cho-yeon covered his face and threw his indoor shoe bag. No, that’s a bit too much. As expected, is throwing something a habit? I barely caught the indoor shoe bag flying at my face. Cho-yeon turned his face away sharply and said.
“Forget it, it was a joke. Don’t ask seriously.”
That’s a relief. It’s a bit awkward to say hyung at this point. I found fault while returning the indoor shoe bag.
“This is a residential area, if you shout like that people will be startled.”
“It wasn’t that loud though?”
Cho-yeon immediately refuted. I ignored him and went into the house.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
Shi-dan, you’re joking but they are NOT. Hee-ae was taking his chances and In-sae was not having it