He had once read a line in some book. That in life, good things and bad things happen in turns. He didn’t know why that passage had come to mind just now, but Han-gyeom was feeling the truth of it down to his bones.
He had barely had time to feel depressed after being all but extorted and robbed of money by a suddenly appearing older brother who didn’t even share his blood. And then something happened that he truly couldn’t believe was real.
“Do you want to date me?”
The relationship he had started with Won-hyeok.
If something this good could happen, then even if bad things happened a hundred times over, he thought he’d still be okay with it.
But what are you supposed to do when you’re dating?
Sitting on the edge of his bed, Han-gyeom fell into serious thought. He had often seen people who looked like couples walking around campus. Their images drifted up in puffs in his mind—holding hands as they walked, chatting happily together.
But even so, it still didn’t feel real. Han-gyeom had never dated anyone in over twenty years of his life. On top of that, Won-hyeok was also the first person he had ever liked.
Looking at it that way, it meant he had ended up with his first love, so maybe he really was incredibly lucky after all. His thoughts bounced here and there without direction. Han-gyeom kicked his feet in excitement for no reason, then realized he had to get ready for school and quickly went into the bathroom.
He had just washed up and come back out, rubbing his hair dry with a towel, when a faint vibration sounded from the room. Without thinking, he picked up his phone, and on the screen was a message from the very person he had just been thinking about.
[Han-gyeom, are you awake?]
Oh my god, I’m actually exchanging KakaoTalk messages with sunbae. Han-gyeom didn’t have many friends to begin with, and his social circle was small, so the number of friends added on KakaoTalk was low, and there were barely any people he contacted regularly. Maybe because he wasn’t the type to use KakaoTalk actively, this situation felt even more awkward.
[Yes!]
[If it’s okay, could you send me your schedule?]
[Here!]
Han-gyeom hurried into Everytime, took a screenshot of his timetable, and uploaded it to the chat room where he and Won-hyeok were talking. Even though the “1” disappeared right away, Won-hyeok didn’t send a reply. Had he messaged just because he wanted to ask for the schedule? Well, either way, he had sent what was asked for, so just as Han-gyeom was about to put his phone down and finish getting ready, it vibrated once again.
[Aren’t you curious about my schedule?]
Han-gyeom’s eyes went wide. Not curious? He could think of at least a hundred questions he was curious about when it came to Won-hyeok right this second.
[I am.]
Then, as if he had been waiting for that answer, Won-hyeok sent over his own timetable. Han-gyeom carefully saved the photo to his gallery. Seeing the very first trace of Won-hyeok appear in a gallery that barely had any saved images at all, Han-gyeom hugged his phone to himself and grinned foolishly.
Just then, by chance, his eyes met his own reflection in the mirror hanging on the wall. The moment he saw himself with his hair only half-dried and a wide, dopey smile on his face—his cheeks even flushed—Han-gyeom lightly smacked both cheeks.
My face can’t give it away this much. Then again, that was probably why Won-hyeok had noticed his feelings so easily.
For the first time, Han-gyeom realized that he wasn’t actually very good at hiding his emotions. Of course, it seemed like that had played a part in helping things work out with Won-hyeok, but if people around them noticed, that would be a problem.
Hadn’t Won-hyeok said so himself when he asked him out? That they shouldn’t interfere in each other’s lives. Han-gyeom had agonized over the exact meaning of those words for quite a while. Then he arrived at the thought that the category of “each other’s lives” probably also included relationships with each person’s acquaintances.
In other words, if you expanded “don’t interfere in each other’s lives” just a little, didn’t it also mean that there was no need to tell people they were dating? That was the conclusion Han-gyeom came to.
“Well, if sunbae said he was dating someone like me, who would even believe it? He has his reputation to think about.”
After staring one more time at his shabby self in the mirror, Han-gyeom put on his big glasses again and left the house.
The moment he stepped out of the building, the sunlight pouring down felt unusually dazzling today. Even the scenery around him, things he normally wouldn’t have noticed, looked unbelievably beautiful. Wasn’t there a saying that when you’re in love, everything around you looks beautiful?
Han-gyeom smiled to himself as he headed to school.
***
After attending a difficult required-major class from first period in the morning, Han-gyeom came out of the lecture hall looking completely drained. The other students in his year all wore the same expression. This class was taught by that notoriously fearsome professor, and just as expected, right around the end of the lecture, the professor had dropped another bombshell assignment on them and vanished.
Midterms were already coming up soon, so they were supposed to start studying for their other classes too. It truly felt like a bolt from the blue.
“Why do professors always think we only take their class?”
Han-gyeom strongly agreed with the words muttered by one of his classmates passing by. Since he had time before the next class, he naturally headed toward the club room, his steps sagging with exhaustion.
And this time, he absolutely had to get a scholarship. Even while worrying about whether he’d really be able to juggle assignments and exam prep properly, Han-gyeom looked at the timetable Won-hyeok had sent him earlier.
“Sunbae’s still in first period.”
Then I definitely shouldn’t message him. It might bother him. He shoved his phone roughly into his pocket and entered the club room, where Hyun-ah and Woo-jin, whom he felt like he hadn’t seen in a while, welcomed him.
Complaining to the two of them that the scary professor had handed out another assignment again, Han-gyeom went and sat across from Woo-jin. Hyun-ah was lying on the sofa in the head seat area, looking at her phone.
“But Han-gyeom.”
A few minutes later, Hyun-ah suddenly sat upright and plopped her phone down on the table. On the screen was a flashy message saying she had cleared a game.
“Have you had something good happen lately?”
“I literally said less than a minute ago that I’m having a hard time because I’ve got too many assignments, Hyun-ah.”
“No, not that. I mean… somehow, your whole vibe feels a little different. Don’t you think so too, Baek Woo-jin?”
When Hyun-ah nudged Woo-jin and asked, Woo-jin let out a thoughtful hum and scanned Han-gyeom thoroughly from top to bottom.
“I think your bangs got longer.”
“Hey! That’s not what I meant. I’m saying it feels like his face has brightened up a bit.”
“Can you even see his face when he goes around with those bangs covering everything?”
As usual, Woo-jin and Hyun-ah were busy bickering.
“Besides, what reason would there be for his face to brighten up at this point in the semester? It’s almost exam season. What, is Kang Han-gyeom dating or something?”
At Woo-jin’s words, Han-gyeom’s whole body froze stiff. The two of them still didn’t notice, too busy verbally smacking each other around. Was it really that obvious? Han-gyeom felt a chill at Hyun-ah’s perceptiveness and resolved to be even more careful.
Just then, his pocket vibrated.
[I just got out of class. Where are you?]
As expected, it was Won-hyeok.
[I’m in the club room!]
[Okay. Then I’ll head there too. Let’s have lunch together.]
He’s coming here? And we’re having lunch together? Han-gyeom let out a low little sound in his throat and thought about it. Did he mean they were having lunch together here?
“Seriously, Baek Woo-jin, talking to you gets nowhere. Ah, whatever, just hurry up and order delivery. Han-gyeom’s here too.”
“But if we order, the delivery minimum is too high. If one more person orders, we can make it.”
“Then you eat two portions.”
Having been eavesdropping on their conversation, Han-gyeom timidly raised his hand as if he’d just been given permission to speak.
“Guys, Won-hyeok sunbae says he’s coming here too. To eat lunch.”
“Really? Then that works out great.”
Seeing Hyun-ah looking pleased, Han-gyeom found himself hoping sunbae would get there quickly.
***
“Fuck, what the hell am I even doing?”
Won-hyeok muttered under his breath as he walked across campus. It was after reading Han-gyeom’s message saying he’d wait in the club room.
Even if he had started this relationship because he had his own reasons, it was still better to at least make it look right on the surface. It would be troublesome if Han-gyeom sensed something strange and caught on. Anyway, Kang Han-gyeom seemed like the type who’d be happy with anything Won-hyeok did for him and wouldn’t show any sign of disliking it, so it didn’t seem like it would be particularly difficult.
But this morning, when he woke up and saw an empty chat room, Won-hyeok had sent the first message almost like he was taking his frustration out on him. And the timetable too. If he asked first, then shouldn’t the other person naturally ask in return? If you liked someone, wouldn’t you normally be curious?
The very first thing Won-hyeok checked after first period ended was whether Han-gyeom had contacted him or not. And just as expected, even though first period had ended quite a while ago, there was still absolutely no word from Han-gyeom.
He’d naturally assumed Han-gyeom would ask to eat lunch together.
“It’s ridiculous how this keeps managing to be unbelievable.”
As soon as Won-hyeok entered the student union building where the club rooms were gathered, he let out a habitual sigh and smoothed out his expression. He opened the reading club room door with practiced ease and walked in.
“Oh? Sunbae, you’re here?”
“Hurry and pick a menu! We’re about to order now.”
“…What?”
Hyun-ah and Woo-jin brightly thrust a phone at him. A delivery app was open on the screen. As Won-hyeok’s eyes rolled, over there, as usual, was one puppy wagging its tail madly, smiling shyly and happily at the sight of its owner.
“We’re getting this, and Han-gyeom picked this one. What about you, sunbae?”
Won-hyeok’s brain started spinning fast. What the fuck was this ridiculously bewildering situation? He was pretty sure he had said they should go out and eat lunch together. Only Han-gyeom had known he was coming to the club room right now, so he must have passed along something, but…
Had he seriously interpreted wait in the club room so we can eat together like this?
“Uh, this place just opened last month, and I heard it’s really good.”
Han-gyeom’s excited voice reached his ears. Barely suppressing the laugh threatening to break out, Won-hyeok told them to order the most popular thing.
Anyway, he’d ask about this later, he thought, as he sat down next to the sofa where Han-gyeom was sitting—only for Han-gyeom to suddenly scoot his hips and widen the distance in a rush.
Because of that, Han-gyeom ended up perched precariously on the very edge of the sofa corner.
What the hell kind of bullshit is that now?
The strange behavior didn’t stop there. It was when Han-gyeom, after getting a call from the delivery driver, went with Hyun-ah to receive the food and came back.
They naturally spread the food out on the table, but instead of sitting back down next to Won-hyeok where he had originally been, Han-gyeom suddenly went and sat next to Woo-jin.
“Ugh, Kang Han-gyeom, you’re spilling again. Hey, give me your hand.”
Thanks to that, Won-hyeok had to sit there and watch Baek Woo-jin plastered right beside Han-gyeom, acting like his babysitter. He was so dumbfounded that he stared outright once, and when their eyes met, Han-gyeom jumped in surprise and quickly turned his head away.
This was… what should he call it. It felt a little unpleasant—no, very unpleasant.
After they finished eating and gathered the trash off to one side, Won-hyeok picked up his bag and stood from his seat.
“Guys, I’ve got class. I should get going first.”
Oh— Han-gyeom’s eyes hurried after Won-hyeok. According to the timetable, it seemed like he had plenty of time before his next class.
“I-I should get going too.”
Han-gyeom hurriedly gathered his belongings and left the club room. Thinking that since Won-hyeok had just left, he’d be able to catch up quickly, Han-gyeom looked around the lobby of the student union building. Then suddenly, a hand appeared from the side, grabbed his wrist, and pulled him in.
“S-sunbae.”
Won-hyeok was leaning against one of the lobby pillars. His face, after pulling Han-gyeom in front of him, was utterly expressionless.
“What a relief. I couldn’t see you, so I thought you might’ve already gone far.”
“You came out after me?”
“Yes!”
“Why?”
“Uh…”
Han-gyeom hesitated.
“Because I wanted to see you. Ah, I-I mean, ever since I opened my eyes this morning, I just kept…”
After saying that, Han-gyeom let out an awkward laugh. Somehow, after hearing those words, it felt like Won-hyeok’s grip around his wrist tightened even more.
“Han-gyeom. Are you free this weekend?”
“Of course. I always have plenty of time.”
“Then clear your schedule this Saturday.”
Han-gyeom blinked both eyes as if he didn’t understand.
“Clear it for a date.”
