‘What should I do with this?’
My mood sank. The letter said if it’s a rejection, to put two pencils in the locker, but were there any pencils in my pencil case? I should look for them as soon as I go. I neatly sealed the letter again and entered the classroom.
“…bet on it.”
“That’s understandable for him. Doesn’t notice anything.”
I stuck my face between the kids and asked.
“Bet on what?”
The kids just stared at me without answering. Was it a secret bet? It doesn’t seem like they’ll tell me what it’s about. I didn’t avoid their gaze and asked with a smile.
“Staring contest?”
“You just blinked so you already lost.”
“Oh no.”
I’ll definitely win next time. I’ll come back as a staring contest master. After a short conversation, I put the letter in my bag and zipped it up.
“Shi-dan.”
Hee-ae, who had been lying face down on his desk, opened his eyes and called me. His usually bright voice was darkly sunken. He looked at me for a moment then raised one hand and poked my cheek.
Hee-ae always had warm hands because he had a lot of body heat, but today they’re cool. Hee-ae should be careful of cold hands and feet too.
“Really, you can’t. Just wait a little longer.”
Hee-ae said incomprehensible words. What kind of reaction should I give to this? My head filled with question marks. I thought for a moment.
“I’ll wait.”
I answered with the feeling of ‘I don’t know what it is, but let’s wait and see.’ Hee-ae withdrew the hand that had poked my cheek. As if to get a firm promise, Hee-ae spoke as if acting spoiled.
“Before that, you can’t fall for him. Okay?”
Fall for what exactly? Hee-ae still had a pitiful expression. Do you overlook that I’ve fallen for your expression? When Hee-ae made eye contact with a puppy-like face, my heart softened. In the end, I answered as if enchanted.
“Okay.”
“You promised.”
After getting the promise, Hee-ae made a bright expression. Hee-ae, whose expression had brightened again, opened his textbook.
The second semester is eventful from the start. I decided to look for pencils to write a rejection reply. By the way, I don’t know if I have pencils since I mostly use mechanical pencils at school.
When I rummaged through my pencil case, I barely found two pencils. I’m glad I don’t have to borrow them. I think I can just put them in before going home later. Right now I can’t do it because the kids’ gazes stabbing at me are really uncomfortable.
“In-sae, stop looking.”
Especially In-sae. He keeps staring intently as if observing. In-sae, sitting in front, still looked at me and answered.
“I don’t want to.”
That was the cleanest rejection I’ve ever heard. I was at a loss for words. Lee Seung sneered.
“Look at Kim In-sae being so stubborn.”
In-sae completely ignored him, not even pretending to hear.
***
“Is the next class art?”
“Right. We can go to the art room after eating lunch.”
Moving classrooms is so bothersome. We continued our conversation while standing in line to go to the cafeteria.
“Will they give back the paintings we drew in the first semester?”
“That really can’t happen.”
Before we knew it, we reached the front and stopped talking to receive our lunch. Today we arrived late at the cafeteria so there aren’t many empty seats. Just as I was looking around, I saw an empty spot.
“There’s a seat over there.”
“Right, we can sit there.”
I put down my tray and sat on the chair. In-sae sat facing me and Hee-ae sat on my left. Downside #1 of going around as three people: we’re not in pairs. Every time, one seat is left awkwardly so it’s uncomfortable.
“Oh? It’s Han Cho-yeon-nim.”
“Milky-colored Han Cho-yeon-nim is so precious and lovely today too. Is this what they call supreme?”
I unconsciously praised while ladling soup. In-sae and Hee-ae looked at me with eyes as if admiring me as a fierce fan. You guys lived like this in the first semester too, don’t give me strange looks now.
Praise has now solidified into a habit. As long as I’m in a different class from the Five Great Kings next year, I’ll throw away all this praising and whatnot.
Really, I’m amazing for living sincerely while praising during the first semester. I made a pleased expression while praising myself.
“Lovely?”
Is he muttering to himself or asking me? In-sae spoke while deeply lost in thought. These kinds of words are essential if you want to act like a fan, you know?
“Shi-dan likes Han Cho-yeon-nim too much.”
Hee-ae whined. It’s all an act, so I wish you wouldn’t make such a sad expression.
“I wonder where he’ll sit? I’m so looking forward to it.”
Today’s bet: Where will Cho-yeon sit? Originally, the Five Great Kings threw tantrums so he always sat next to them. For reference, today the Five Great Kings didn’t come to school because they’re catching the Fake Five Great Kings. Very delinquent students.
“Aaaah! He passed by me.”
Congratulations. You weren’t lucky. I focused on eating my food. That’s why I didn’t even notice where Cho-yeon was going.
Bang.
The tray sound is loud. Can’t you put it down gently? Is he very angry? Why is he putting down the tray so hard? While thinking such thoughts, something caught my eye.
“Han Cho-yeon-nim?”
Hee-ae muttered to himself, flustered. Why is hyung coming out from there…? I, who had been making a blank expression, urgently looked around.
Before I knew it, the surrounding seats were full, and it seemed like this was the only seat left. So Cho-yeon had no choice but to sit next to us.
Then what about the kids who screamed earlier? They reacted so well even though there were no seats around. They were just reaction masters. I looked around at the kids, admiring their skills.
“Shi-dan.”
“Yeah?”
In-sae, who had been quietly looking at me, got up. He swept my mouth area with his hand and said in an indifferent tone.
“You got food on it.”
I see. I passed over In-sae’s behavior as nothing much. In-sae continued looking at me then rubbed my mouth area once more. Why is he doing this twice?
“Did I get food on it again?”
I took time to reflect on myself. To think I got this much food on me while eating. I’ll go relearn dining etiquette.
“No.”
I didn’t get food on it? Then why did he sweep my mouth area? There’s no reason he would particularly want to touch my mouth area. Strange.
In-sae sat down heavily with a nonchalant manner. There must be no particular reason. His attitude is too calm to say there’s another reason.
Cho-yeon, who had been quietly eating his food, looked at me and said.
“You lent me a mechanical pencil last time and didn’t take it back.”
“Me?”
“Then who else but you, some other kid?”
Well, I haven’t seen any kid lend things to Cho-yeon besides me. I don’t know why. Before that, there were things I noticed, and things where Cho-yeon refused other kids’ things… then why did he accept things I lent?
“I should go get it…”
I gave up thinking further. Originally, there are many unknowable things in the world. I should go get it back after eating. I focused on eating my food.
Then I don’t know when they finished eating, but the three of them were staring intently at me so I stopped eating. Their eating speed is also fast. What’s so interesting about watching someone eat? I asked awkwardly.
“Why are you staring?”
“You eat well, so it’s nice to watch.”
Hee-ae answered with an eye smile. Yeah, if you’re happy, that’s enough. I tried to ignore the three’s gazes.
‘Three?’
Why is Cho-yeon mixed in without any sense of incongruity? I almost passed over it.
‘He’s finished eating, so why isn’t he leaving?’
Ah, the mechanical pencil. It seems he’s waiting for me to receive it back. As soon as I put down my spoon, the three of them stood up simultaneously.
As soon as we came out of the cafeteria, Cho-yeon shouted.
“What are you doing, not coming quickly?”
I followed Cho-yeon’s back with quick steps. His walking is also fast. Later, I was almost running to follow Cho-yeon. I called out to Cho-yeon while catching my breath.
“Han Cho-yeon-nim!”
“What.”
I stopped for a moment to catch my breath. Hee-ae and In-sae, who should have been behind, disappeared. I looked back and said.
“The kids all disappeared. Are you by any chance a race walking athlete? Even though you weren’t running, at this speed you could aim to be an athlete.”
“What race walking athlete? Stop saying weird things.”
“But this is the 4th floor. Our class’s classroom is on the 3rd floor.”
“You never lent me a mechanical pencil.”
Cho-yeon cut off my words. Then what about what he said earlier? Did he get confused, or did he lie? It seems closer to lying. I clapped my hands and answered.
“Really? Do you want to be an actor by any chance?”
“Is that all you felt?”
Should I elaborate and pour out more praise? After thinking about what to say for a moment, I spoke quickly.
“Han Cho-yeon-nim is a versatile person who can also act well. I should immediately contact a broadcasting station and have you on a TV program…”
“You’re flattering excessively.”
“I have to do this much to survive in this strange BL world.”
I stopped speaking for a moment. Right, I possessed a BL possession web novel. I forgot because I don’t even remember it well. Now I can’t even be certain if it’s true that Cho-yeon was the protagonist in the novel.
“Yeah, you’re surviving very well.”
I stopped thinking about other things at Cho-yeon’s words and answered with a smile.
“What kind of hardship is this really… Han Cho-yeon-nim was momentarily confused? That can happen.”
“Shi-dan!”
Today too, my quick wit saved me. I’m glad I stopped what I was saying and acted with formal speech. If I get caught speaking informally, there’s nothing to excuse. Hee-ae called me while running from far away.
“Where’s In-sae?”
“Don’t ask about In-sae first. In-sae is…”
“I got lost on the way, Shi-dan.”
Thank you for even kindly adding an explanation. Still, for someone who got lost, he found me quickly. Hee-ae looked at me and Cho-yeon and asked.
“Didn’t you say you were getting back the mechanical pencil you lent?”
“Han Cho-yeon-nim misunderstood. Let’s go to class.”
When I spoke, again the three followed behind me. In-sae and Hee-ae glanced at Cho-yeon following me with puzzlement. Cho-yeon, as if pricked, snapped alone.
“I was also going to the classroom, you know?”
“We’re not misunderstanding at all.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
