Somewhere in this building was a lecture hall I had gone to several times before for guest lectures.
Panting, I scanned my surroundings and finally spotted the room I had been looking for in the distance. Of course, there was no time to feel relieved—I had to sprint at full speed again.
I remembered that this room didn’t just have a front and back door in a simple layout; there was also a small side room where someone could hide.
If it’s there, I can hide.
Just as my breath reached my throat, I yanked open the lecture hall door.
With a sliding rrrk, the door moved aside, and I swept my gaze across the interior.
For some reason, two very familiar faces were sitting inside.
“…Cha Jungwoo?”
They were my classmates—Go Heemin and Kang Taeyoon. If it had been an ordinary day, I would’ve just rolled my eyes and assumed they were being sickeningly lovey-dovey again. But given the circumstances, I couldn’t even think straight.
If anything, I was the one acting ridiculous.
I quickly shut the door behind me and rushed over to them. As I hurried forward, Go Heemin’s eyes widened in surprise.
First, I grabbed his shoulder. I didn’t have anything specific to ask for, but I felt like I should at least leave a word of warning.
Behind Go Heemin, who looked bewildered by my sudden touch, I met Kang Taeyoon’s eyes—his brows furrowed.
“Hey, I’m hiding for a bit! It’s a secret!”
“What? Hey! Cha Jungwoo!”
Leaving their seats, I pulled back the curtain beside the lecture platform. It was the storage room where miscellaneous items were kept—the exact place I’d been looking for.
Since they needed easy access to supplies, the door was never locked.
There was even a latch on the inside, just in case. Perfect for emergencies.
As I urgently turned the handle to slip inside, the stale scent of old dust rushed out from the dim interior.
Behind me, I heard Go Heemin sigh, as if he’d grasped the situation.
When I glanced back, he let out a hollow chuckle, as though he’d figured it out despite my lack of explanation.
Pointing in my direction, Go Heemin spoke to Kang Taeyoon.
“Taeyoon.”
At the sound of his name, Kang Taeyoon clicked his tongue softly. He uncrossed his arms and pushed himself off the desk he’d been leaning against.
Then he threw a concerned look at Go Heemin, his tone low and serious.
“Then you—”
“You think I’m someone who’d just sit there and take it? And you know it too. I’m better at this than you.”
“…If something happens, I’m coming out right away.”
“Sure. I’ll trust you.”
With that, Kang Taeyoon picked up his belongings. After casting one last glance at Go Heemin, he strode over toward me.
Just as I was about to slip into the storage room, I looked up at Kang Taeyoon, about to ask what he was doing—
Instead, he shoved me inside.
“Huh? What the—”
Before I could even get an explanation for his rude behavior, Kang Taeyoon followed me into the storage room and pulled the door shut.
Through the narrow crack before it closed, I saw Go Heemin waving at us. Then he broke into a wide grin and straightened his posture.
Once the door shut completely, darkness swallowed the storage room. As I stepped fully inside, I heard the latch click into place.
“…Kang Taeyoon?”
As my eyes slowly adjusted to the dark, I began to make out his silhouette. Kang Taeyoon stood with his back against the door, arms crossed, guarding it.
“…Hey, why’d you come in here? It’s dusty.”
“Be quiet.”
At that moment, Kang Taeyoon opened his eyes. From beyond the door, I could hear what was happening in the lecture hall.
Rrrk. The sliding door opening.
…Min Siheon. I inhaled sharply without meaning to.
The sharp echo of heels striking the floor—the same sound I’d heard in the hallway—followed. Footsteps approached through the once-empty lecture hall.
“…Where’s Cha Jungwoo?”
Thud—
My heart dropped at Min Siheon’s single sentence. Right after, Go Heemin’s calm voice followed.
“Why are you asking me that? And wow, your expression’s no joke.”
“……”
Min Siheon didn’t answer. A long silence followed, as if he were steadying his breath. Then Go Heemin probed him further.
I’d always thought Go Heemin wasn’t easily scared, but he truly had nerves of steel.
Is this what it takes to be the main character?
The thought was so absurd that I almost let out a hollow laugh, even in this situation.
At Go Heemin’s easygoing tone, I heard Min Siheon’s footsteps again.
“You fixed your image thanks to Jungwoo. You should maintain it. You’re gonna get exposed.”
He must have stepped closer—the sound felt much clearer now.
Still, something bothered me. No matter how much Min Siheon might have a crush… the conversation between them was too strange.
Go Heemin sounded like he was teasing him. Meanwhile, Min Siheon’s tone carried a frightening edge of anger.
For people who supposedly liked the same person and his rival, this atmosphere was far too hostile. None of it added up.
Maybe I wasn’t the only one unsettled—Kang Taeyoon, still standing guard by the door, turned his head slightly.
He seemed to be peering through a small hole in the center of the door to observe what was happening outside.
…So that’s why he followed me in so easily. He must’ve known about this and intended to watch.
Then Min Siheon asked for Kang Taeyoon.
“…Where’s Kang Taeyoon?”
“Why are you looking for Taeyoon now? You’re busy these days.”
At Go Heemin’s relaxed reply, a loud bang echoed through the room.
I flinched, my shoulders jerking, but Kang Taeyoon pressed a hand against my back as he checked outside.
“…Stay quiet. It’s fine.”
His voice was low and tense, but it seemed he was honoring Go Heemin’s request. He didn’t make a move to intervene.
Listening closely, the noise sounded like a table or chair being shoved—like someone had kicked it with their shoe.
A shoe? Kicked?
My mouth fell open in shock.
Unlike me, Go Heemin acted as if it were nothing. Still leisurely, still almost teasing.
Because of that, Min Siheon seemed to give up asking him about me.
The more I listened, the clearer it became that Go Heemin was doing it on purpose.
“So what, is it gonna break?”
“…Take good care of it. Before I kill you.”
Just as when he’d entered, the sound of low heels filled the lecture hall again. Soon after, the sliding door slammed shut with a loud crash.
He just said he’d kill him.
I had never heard such a violent tone from Min Siheon before.
The gentle, soft-spoken guy had transformed, as if he might lunge forward and bite someone’s neck.
“…Sure, sure.”
Even at the end, Go Heemin’s voice carried that teasing lilt.
The first to step out after Min Siheon left was Kang Taeyoon.
He walked over to where Go Heemin had been sitting and checked him over, scanning for any injuries.
Raising both hands high to show he was fine, Go Heemin looked at me—still standing there stunned, brows furrowed—and laughed.
“Oh? Since when does Cha Jungwoo worry about me? See? I told you it was a good idea to take your side. Right, Taeyoon?”
“…Go Heemin, you really—”
“If you’re grateful, hurry and fix it. From where I’m standing, there’s only one right answer. …Jungwoo, I think it’s too late to back out now.”
The smile faded from Go Heemin’s face, turning serious again. My mind went blank at his words.
What is he even talking about?
…No. Actually, I was starting to understand.
Puzzle pieces that hadn’t fit before were slowly forming a single picture.
As I stood there absentmindedly, Go Heemin propped his chin on the desk and shook his head as if resigned.
“…We’ve received a lot of help from you too. Maybe it’s time we repay you.”
Then he glanced at Kang Taeyoon, seeming to mull something over. His expression carried a faint dissatisfaction.
“If you’re not sure, want to confirm it?”
“…What?”
“If that’s how Cha Jungwoo feels, then I should help.”
Kang Taeyoon met Go Heemin’s gaze and let out a weary sigh. The sharp edge he’d shown while confronting Min Siheon earlier had already vanished.
“Looks like we’ll need Taeyoon’s help. …Taeyoon, you don’t want to keep getting misunderstood like this, do you?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Really?”
“……”
Despite saying it didn’t matter, Kang Taeyoon stared straight at me. After a moment, he tilted his head slightly, his face devoid of emotion.
“I’ll only show you once. Decide for yourself.”
***
What the hell is going on?
I was now in the back building that Go Heemin had summoned me to.
Classes had ended, and the campus was nearly empty. Near a deserted lecture hall, I walked toward the place he’d told me about.
Following his prior instructions, I moved quietly down the hallway. Just as I was about to grab the handle of the lecture room door, voices drifted through the slightly open crack.
“……”
“……”
…This is—
The moment I heard them, I recognized the speakers.
Min Siheon. And beside him—Kang Taeyoon.
Go Heemin, don’t tell me—
I remembered his shrug, as if he’d given up on something.
I’d wondered what he’d asked Kang Taeyoon to do. It seemed he intended to show me something about Min Siheon that I didn’t know.
The urge to stop—because this felt wrong—clashed with my desire to know him better.
Unable to turn the handle, yet unable to let go, I lowered my head.
“Cha Jungwoo. You’re the one who hid him.”
Min Siheon’s rough voice echoed in my ears.
Startled, I peered through the crack. Kang Taeyoon and Min Siheon stood facing each other in confrontation.
What is he even saying right now?
At Min Siheon’s inexplicable hostility, Kang Taeyoon gave an incredulous smile.
It wasn’t the gentle expression he usually wore in front of Go Heemin—it was sharper. More aggressive.
Seeing that, Min Siheon’s expression hardened instantly. A frigid look I couldn’t have imagined even last week.
He slowly closed his eyes and opened them again. A flash glinted within his gaze.
The corners of his mouth pressed into a straight line, tension tightening along his jaw.
Though I couldn’t hear clearly from this distance, he was definitely grinding his teeth. I could almost hear the phantom sound of it scraping in my ears.
A low, rasping breath, like something clawing at his throat, echoed out.
Kang Taeyoon saw it—and smirked.
Damn. So this was it.
Now I finally understood what Cha Seung-ah had meant by an “obsessive top.”
“…Yeah. This is the Min Siheon I know.”
It felt like I’d been struck hard on the head.
“Don’t worry. He’ll never act like this toward Jungwoo.”
When I shifted my gaze again, Min Siheon’s face remained completely expressionless, even after hearing Kang Taeyoon’s words.
Another puzzle piece slid into place.
