A single light mounted on the building’s exterior cast a soft glow, and as another lamp flicked on belatedly, Min Siheon’s features—now right in front of me—came into sharp focus.
He had been wearing a faint smile, but his expression now looked utterly dejected.
…Did I see wrong earlier? Between his densely framed lashes, I caught sight of moisture gathering in his eyes.
His lowered gaze, his solid build, and yet the way his shoulders drooped into a curved line—just that alone was enough to confirm his emotional state wasn’t good.
It seemed hearing the younger students badmouth him had weighed on him.
He was already someone who had trouble opening up to people. Remembering the string of filthy things they’d said, it would’ve been hard to just stand there and listen.
Even I, who wasn’t the one involved, had felt uncomfortable. It was obvious he must’ve felt worse.
If I hadn’t stepped in, Min Siheon was the kind of gentle guy who would’ve endured it alone.
And it didn’t seem like he would’ve made excuses for himself either. In a world where decent people get stepped on, I could easily picture him bottling it up and suffering quietly.
With complicated thoughts swirling in my head, I let out a deep sigh without realizing it. Min Siheon must’ve thought it was because of him, because he quickly closed the distance between us.
“Haah.”
“Jungwoo….”
“Yeah? What.”
Under the moonlight pouring down as the clouds parted, I saw just how pale his face had become.
The dimples that usually appeared when he smiled were nowhere to be seen.
After calling my name, he pressed his lips shut again. Judging by the slight tremble in them, he was clearly choosing his words.
Min Siheon withdrew the hand he had stretched out and took another step forward. Taller than me by a bit, he came to stand directly in front of me.
Then he lowered his head and rested his forehead against my shoulder. The hand that had slid up my body gripped the remaining space on my shoulder tightly.
It was a slightly awkward posture, but Min Siheon was clinging to me with all his strength.
The spot he held felt hot enough to burn.
“I’m just tired. Let me borrow your arms for a moment.”
Through the fabric of my clothes, his raw emotions seeped in. I felt a faint ache, but I didn’t have the heart to push away someone who had finally calmed down.
Feeling a pang of sympathy, I lightly patted his forearm. The cold, distinct texture of his leather jacket told me he’d been outside for quite a while.
As if confirming my gesture, Min Siheon began pressing his head deeper into my shoulder. The hand that had been gripping my shoulder slid around my back.
Then he tightened his arms and pulled me firmly into an embrace. My waist was tugged forward, and our upper bodies pressed flush together.
“…Huh? Hey, hey.”
“Sorry. Just this once.”
The thought that this was strange flickered through my mind, but between guys, this much comfort should be fine.
And remembering how dependent Min Siheon could be on others, I decided to endure it for a moment.
With his face buried near my neck, he slowly exhaled and murmured—
“…I’m glad you’re here.”
There was no way I could tell him to get off me after he said that.
Embarrassed, I lifted the hand that had been hanging stiffly at my side and placed it on his back. As my awkward fingers clutched at his clothes, his arms tightened around me even more.
His solid body moved as if it wouldn’t allow even the slightest gap between us. Through the rustling fabric, his warm body heat seeped into me.
It was truly a strange night.
***
“Back then too, Jungwoo, you were the one who helped me.”
“…Isn’t that kind of different?”
As the memory resurfaced, heat rushed to my face. I must’ve been out of my mind back then. I’d somehow gotten swept up in his pace.
Come to think of it again… I’d sworn not to get tangled up with Min Siheon, yet there I was, leaning against his shoulder.
Pressing my throbbing temple, I straightened my body.
Thankfully, this time I was able to move without Min Siheon stopping me.
I reached out clumsily, grabbed the glass on the table, and drank some water to steady myself.
As the cold water slid down, it cleared my head. In the meantime, Min Siheon leaned forward and sprawled over the table, speaking to me.
“Maybe it’s because you’re soft-hearted. You get embarrassed easily.”
“…Pff! Cough—y-you crazy bastard.”
The water went down the wrong way and slammed harshly into my throat. I covered my mouth as I coughed, my palm growing damp.
In irritation, I smacked Min Siheon on the shoulder. Oblivious to my feelings, he smiled prettily and handed me a tissue.
Just earlier, he’d looked so drained. Now his face seemed completely recovered.
Maybe because of the commotion, Yoo In-ho and Go Heemin, who had been unwrapping a gift and watching from afar, turned their heads.
“What are you two doing? And hey, Cha Jung! You give Go Heemin a birthday present, but why not me?!”
“Cha Jungwoo, you’ve got good taste. You picked exactly the scent I like. I’ll use this well.”
Beside Yoo In-ho, who was raising his voice in mock outrage, Go Heemin waved around the diffuser I’d picked out. Taking the opportunity to put some distance between myself and Min Siheon, I stood and walked over to them.
Behind me, I could feel Min Siheon’s gaze following. With half the crowd being people he didn’t know, it didn’t seem like he intended to join in.
“Birthday present, my ass. Do you know how much the drinks cost that time we drank alone? You said it was your birthday treat and drained my wallet. That alone could buy three diffusers.”
“Come on, it’s different in person.”
“You shameless bastard. Then pay me back for the drinks. I’m willing to buy you a gift, so tell me now if you want one.”
“How do you manage to tell someone to shut up in such a classy way?”
At Yoo In-ho’s joke, laughter burst out from the classmates nearby. Since I had no intention of becoming the center of attention, I stepped back and slipped into the corner of the sofa behind Go Heemin.
Even amid the warm, lively atmosphere, there was one person who kept his mouth firmly shut. Kang Taeyoon stood beside Go Heemin with his arms crossed.
Kang Taeyoon spoke in a low voice. It was barely audible beneath the loud music and chatter.
“I helped you earlier today, so let’s call it even.”
“What?”
I tilted my head at the unexpected topic. Then I realized what he meant and let out a hollow laugh. He was trying to write off the debt he’d owed me.
Kang Taeyoon apparently thought that knocking over a spoon to divert attention from me was equivalent to the hours he’d spent harassing someone earlier. Shameless bastard.
It wasn’t like I gained anything from knowing this new fact, but it was… interesting.
“Hmm.”
“…You’re more of a delinquent than I thought.”
At my comment, Kang Taeyoon glanced over. He seemed to have more to say, but didn’t bother opening his mouth.
If that was how he was going to be, I didn’t need to respond either. So I chose to remain silent.
In the noisy bar, a peculiar little bubble of tension formed. I passed the time listening to other people’s conversations.
Then someone with a small frame approached my side. They’d been inching closer from afar and were suddenly right beside me.
Seeing them hesitate, I wondered what it was. Then they tugged lightly at my sleeve to get my attention.
“Who—… Oh, it’s you.”
“Sunbae. Um….”
It was her—the first-year junior I’d run into at the department club room before.
I’d seen her earlier too, but since she’d come back to talk again, she must have something to say.
I was just about to smooth over the fact that I couldn’t remember her name with a smile, when, perhaps quick-witted, she introduced herself first.
With alcohol warming her cheeks pink, she pressed her lips together and spoke softly. Her slightly long bob brushed against her shoulders.
“Chae-won. Lee Chae-won.”
“Ah, right. Hi.”
Lee Chaewon. I rolled the unfamiliar three syllables around in my mouth. Watching me, Lee Chaewon lowered her chin and neatly clasped her hands together.
“If it’s alright with you, could we continue what we were talking about last time?”
As expected, she did have something to say to me. Refusing her three times would be harsh, so I nodded for now.
Her eyes sparkled at my response. Her mascara-curled lashes fluttered.
Come to think of it, she looked like she’d put in some effort with her appearance today. There was a faint sense of pressure from how dressed up she seemed, but since it didn’t really have anything to do with me, I brushed it off.
First, I wanted to get away from the noisy chaos. And I wanted to clear my foggy head from all the beer I’d downed.
After brushing back my bangs, I glanced out the window. It felt like stepping out for a cigarette before coming back would be perfect.
Even though Lee Chae-won was waiting, I figured asking for this much understanding would be fine. It wasn’t like I was refusing her outright. So with an easygoing smile, I made a quiet request.
“But would it be okay if I smoke one cigarette first and then come back? I was on my way out when you called me.”
“Yes, of course. Um, I’ll wait near the restroom. Take your time.”
When I pointed toward the door, Lee Chae-won agreed softly. Then she gestured toward a corner near the back of the bar.
Judging by the expectation on her face, it seemed like she was hoping for something big.
…There’s nothing I can really do for her, though. I felt uneasy but didn’t show it.
“Alright. There are a lot of drunk people, so be careful. If you can, stay with your friends until I come back. Or you can wait outside.”
“…Okay!”
At my added caution, her nose twitched slightly. She beamed and turned to leave, and I noticed a few people watching us from the direction she headed.
They must’ve been her group, because once she joined them, they clapped their hands together.
“Did it work? Did it work?”
“Y-yeah….”
“Wow…!”
It seemed like a separate conversation entirely unrelated to me. One of them looked like the junior I’d seen at the department club room before; if they’d come drinking together, they must’ve been close.
She’ll be fine with them. I relaxed. Right now, I was desperate for a cigarette.
Just then, as if he’d overheard our conversation, a low click of the tongue came from beyond the sofa. Kang Taeyoon, who had been staring at Go Heemin, finally made a sound.
“Ts.”
Perhaps because he’d been silent for so long, his low voice sounded even lower.
Maybe he didn’t like how much attention Go Heemin was getting from people.
Hearing the rough scrape of his voice, I waved him off.
“What, why are you picking a fight all of a sudden?”
“There are quite a lot of people who are completely oblivious to their own situations.”
Hadn’t Go Heemin said something similar before? The novel’s protagonists were displaying eerily similar attitudes.
“I’m heading out.”
Just as I reached the entrance of the bar, having distanced myself from him, I pushed open the thick glass door—only for someone to press down right above where my hand rested.
Standing there was Kang Taeyoon, who had followed me out at some point without me noticing.
Feeling uneasy, I stepped outside and put some distance between us.
