The sound of the teacher announcing the next game order spread across the schoolyard.
Cho-yeon, who was nearby, slowed his steps and said in a commanding tone.
“Don’t walk next to me, move away. It’s weird because you smell like me.”
“Huh?”
“The wind’s blowing so I smell it again.”
Cho-yeon frowned and moved far back. I made an incredulous expression and asked.
“How can you say it’s weird when you’re the one who lent it to me?”
“Isn’t it weird to you at all?”
At Cho-yeon’s words, I brought one sleeve close to my nose. It has the fragrance that usually comes from Cho-yeon. I wondered if he sprayed perfume, but it must just be fabric softener. It does seem a bit awkward. I glanced at Cho-yeon and sat down.
Once I became conscious of it, it kept bothering me. The scent seemed to keep hovering around. I watched the game with the feeling that I’d rather just block my nose.
Then eventually, I waved my hand around to chase away the scent. But instead, the scent only became thicker. Along with the suddenly intensified feelings, I covered my face with my hands.
I faintly heard the sound announcing the next game. Next was an individual event, but my friends and I didn’t participate. I lowered my hands again and tried to say nonchalantly.
“We lost in a row in the next game.”
“There’s the relay. The relay usually has the highest score.”
When I made a regretful expression, one kid from the class answered as if comforting me. At the mention of relay, the Five Great Kings coughed loudly and went out to the schoolyard.
Because the Five Great Kings opened up such a good distance, the relay ended smoothly with our team’s victory. The teacher who was totaling the scores paused before announcing.
“Then, adding up all the scores so far, the Blue Team wins.”
The kids cheered and clapped. Now that we actually won, my mood lifted a little too. I smiled toward In-sae and said.
“We won in the end. That’s good.”
“We won but they’re not giving prize money?”
“You really.”
I let out a hollow laugh and shook my head. In-sae stood up from his seat and said.
“Now the sports festival is over too.”
“It was quite eventful.”
Hee-ae took the lead at the very front. He was the first to open the classroom door and enter. I raised my head at the rattling door sound.
“Door sound.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
All the dreams I had before ended with the sound of a door. I just suddenly remembered those dreams. I entered the classroom and gathered my bag.
“Now we’ll start after-school activities.”
“Right, after-school activities. I forgot.”
Hee-ae answered with his mouth slightly open as if just realizing. I put on my bag and left, thinking about what I should do tomorrow.
***
“What’s the date today?”
I was about to go to school when I approached the desk at Dan-a’s question. And I answered while looking at the calendar on the desk.
“You can just look at your phone. October… no, September 25th. You turned it ahead again.”
“The 25th? What have I been doing for time to pass like that already?”
Dan-a complained and went back into her room. Seeing her suddenly ask about the date, Dan-a must have some event at school too.
“You really shouldn’t turn it ahead. It’s confusing.”
I took my eyes off the calendar. It feels like yesterday that we had the entrance ceremony on March 2nd, but it’ll soon be October, time flies.
I buttoned up my shirt in order. I still can’t figure out what to do about the three of them. What if I waver even more at this rate, my worries only deepen.
Of course, the fact that I can’t separate from them even while worrying like this might already be wrong. I don’t know what to do with these ambiguous feelings.
Time is passing. I said I’d give time to the three of them, but I still don’t know. I think I need to decide clearly from now on.
I couldn’t keep being swayed by the three of them. Constantly being unable to make up my mind and hesitating wasn’t polite.
“I’ll be going now.”
Today too, I carefully approached In-sae who was waiting for me in front of the gate. I should try being a bit closer. Even after that, if I still can’t make up my mind, then I can cut them all off at that time.
***
“Hey, they said a transfer student came here.”
I stopped walking and pointed to the Class 2 classroom and said. Hee-ae, who was walking next to me, asked curiously.
“Are you interested in the transfer student?”
“It’s just curiosity?”
“Really? I would have been a bit upset if you were interested.”
Hee-ae now casually spouts such shameless lines without a care. I wonder if he’s the same person as the timid Hee-ae from before.
I checked who the transfer student was while passing by. One unfamiliar face appeared and disappeared between the gaps of the kids.
“Stop looking at the transfer student now.”
Hee-ae grabbed me and led the way. Because Hee-ae was almost running, I also walked as if running through the hallway. Hee-ae explained.
“Let’s hurry to the after-school club room. They said it’s the third classroom on the right corridor downstairs.”
“Where did In-sae and Cho-yeon go?”
When I looked for the other guys, Hee-ae made a disappointed expression. These days, Hee-ae seems to be conscious of people around me as competition.
“They’ll follow and come in later.”
Hee-ae opened the door to the after-school club room and entered. Inside the club room was neatly organized, and a teacher in tidy attire greeted us.
“Hello.”
I inadvertently greeted the teacher and looked around. Four-person desks and chairs were arranged in rows. Hee-ae, who sat on the right at the very front, stared at me as if telling me to hurry over.
I sat next to Hee-ae. Soon, kids from other classes whose names I didn’t know, In-sae, and Cho-yeon entered. The teacher tried to lighten the mood with a brief greeting.
“Since it’s the first day, I prepared something easy to do. Sandwiches.”
“The only easy cooking for me is ramen.”
I placed my hands on the clean table. The teacher walked around and distributed ingredients.
“This reminds me of when we did cooking practice. It’s not very different from that.”
Hee-ae said lukewarmly. The teacher kindly taught us how to make them, and later even displayed it on the screen. I grabbed a knife to cut vegetables.
“You’ll cut yourself with the knife at that rate. You need to hold it properly.”
Hee-ae pointed out and held my hand to help me cut calmly. I said with a tired face.
“Actually, I think it was wrong from the moment I applied for this.”
“We’re already selected, so there’s nothing we can do. You have to hold it like this.”
Hee-ae said while slightly changing the position of my wrist. It was a very subtle difference. I decided to leave the cutting entirely to Hee-ae and was almost in a daze.
Holding my hand and cutting for me is definitely ulterior motives. I just left Hee-ae to do whatever and watched. The vegetables were cut nicely.
“All done.”
Hee-ae let go of my hand and smiled proudly. I looked down at where Hee-ae’s hand had touched and praised.
“You’re good at this.”
“It got crooked in the middle, but it’s pretty good, right?”
“I can’t really tell that?”
At my words, Hee-ae tilted his head slightly then focused on cooking again. I blinked slowly. I was surprised for a moment when Hee-ae’s hand touched me earlier.
‘I don’t think it was just from being flustered.’
I fell into thought with a sunken expression. Gradually the cooking was being completed. The teacher went around looking at the kids and praised them.
“Clean up and you can go home.”
“Looking at this reminds me of the side dishes that will soon rot at my house. Things that will eventually spoil and become inedible if I eat them alone.”
Cho-yeon said as if for me to hear while looking at the sandwich. I pretended not to know and just laughed. We took out tissues to clean up and wiped the table.
After Cho-yeon swept up the crumbs with a broom, we threw them away. As we were going outside after greeting the teacher, Cho-yeon asked.
“You remember you left something behind when you came to my house last time, right?”
“Aren’t you going to say like last time that it’s a lie, that there was no such thing?”
I looked at Cho-yeon distrustfully. This time, as if it was real, Cho-yeon took a breath and tried to protest. I interrupted his words and apologized.
“Okay. I’ll wait in front, so bring it out. In-sae, will you be okay going home alone?”
In-sae looked at me and Cho-yeon alternately. He pondered for a moment, then stepped back and nodded. Relieved by In-sae’s permission, I followed Cho-yeon.
“I’ll wait in front of the door. Someone threatened me saying just try coming inside the house.”
I said while stopping in front of Cho-yeon’s door. Cho-yeon opened the door and said sarcastically.
“Since when did threats work on you?”
Cho-yeon went inside the house, and I leaned against the corridor railing. Through the open door, I could faintly hear the sound of Cho-yeon screaming.
“What’s wrong? Is it a murder case?”
“It’s not. Why is the floor so slippery? Just try coming in.”
“I had no intention of going in.”
I replied to Cho-yeon’s words and blankly looked outside. Cho-yeon’s house is so high-rise that it’s closer to the rooftop than the first floor. While watching the small-looking houses and people, I stuck my head inside the door and asked.
“What on earth are you doing?”
“Something you left behind? There’s no such thing, just take some side dishes.”
Cho-yeon said while bringing a paper bag. Inside the paper bag were several side dish containers. I made an incredulous expression.
“You tricked me again? That’s really too much. The side dishes are fine, you eat them.”
“I made too much for no reason. This happened because you suddenly didn’t come.”
No matter how you look at it, it’s because his own hands are big, but he’s using me as an excuse.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
