* * *
-Hyunoh.
Without any explanation, it was a scream-like call.
I regretted it as soon as I sent it.
Hyunoh had told me not to contact him often.
He probably wouldn’t reply. He’s probably busy getting ready to open his shop.
I’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t respond.
If he does… no, premature expectations are just poison.
This is a moment I must endure alone.
Unlike in the past, Hyunoh won’t come to my rescue.
Yet my fingers anxiously fumbled over the phone screen.
I wanted to see Hyunoh.
With my head slightly bowed, I closed my eyes tightly.
The professor began the lecture.
His low voice resonated in the classroom, but I couldn’t hear it properly.
I stayed that way for a few minutes until my breathing calmed down.
As I opened my eyes after mentally reassuring myself that I was okay, I saw a reply had arrived.
Just one, right after I sent the message.
-Why
A few minutes later, another one.
-Is something wrong? What’s going on?
The breath I had barely calmed down grew rapid again.
I stared at the question mark for a long time.
I wondered why, every time I was desperate, Hyunoh reached out to me.
I don’t believe in God, but I do believe that love has its time.
All my difficult times were times when I had to love Hyunoh.
Without any reason, without knowing why, Hyunoh saved me every time. It was impossible not to love him.
My trembling hands gradually steadied.
My tense shoulders relaxed.
Anyway, I couldn’t tell Hyunoh about Park Jungsoo.
The past doesn’t exist between us.
Still, just knowing that Hyunoh worried about me made everything okay.
Nothing-
Hyunoh replied immediately.
-You contacted me for no reason
Sorry-
I had always made excuses to contact him.
I thought he’d find it annoying if I did it without a reason.
Apparently, he knew.
When I think that Hyunoh understands me even a little, I become uncontrollably happy.
Even the smallest things.
-Hey, but I made a mistake
What?-
-I thought I had work today, but I don’t
Then do you want to have dinner outside tonight?-
-When does your class end?
In about forty minutes-
-Then I’ll head to the main gate soon
It was an unexpected turn of events.
In just a few minutes, I could see Hyunoh.
My heart pounded.
Because of that, I paid less attention to Park Jungsoo sitting behind me.
For me, Hyunoh was always a sweet painkiller.
I half-listened to the lecture and read and reread the messages exchanged with Hyunoh dozens of times.
I poured all my attention into each word.
What was he thinking when he said that?
What expression did he have?
I gave it meaning alone.
Of course, Hyunoh probably didn’t think much of it.
“Since it’s the first day, we’ll end early today. See you next class.”
The professor ended the class.
I sprang from my chair and grabbed my bag.
I felt Park Jungsoo’s gaze on me again from behind.
I ignored it.
Every time chills threatened to rise on my skin, I silently chanted Hyunoh’s name three times.
Kim Hyunoh, Kim Hyunoh, Kim Hyunoh.
The chilling sensation around my chest subsided a little.
I quickly left the classroom and headed to the main gate.
I almost ran.
I wanted to reach the meeting place before Hyunoh.
When I was near the main gate, someone called out from behind me.
“Kim Chanyi!”
I already knew whose voice it was without turning around.
I hesitated to respond.
I didn’t want to ruin my mood just before meeting Hyunoh.
But ignoring him wouldn’t make Park Jungsoo leave me alone.
I slowly turned to face him.
It seemed like Park Jungsoo had run quite a bit to catch up to me.
He was panting heavily as he asked,
“Hey. You’re Kim Chanyi, right? Dongo High School.”
Park Jungsoo wore a rather triumphant expression.
“Do you remember me?”
He surely knows I’d never forget him, so he must be doing this on purpose.
To make me recall that past.
Park Jungsoo knows well what makes people feel miserable.
I looked at his face quietly. He’d gained a bit of weight since high school.
As he stepped closer, the stench of cigarette smoke hit my nose.
It was unpleasant.
I answered, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.
“Of course I remember.”
“Wow, you’ve changed a lot. Lost a lot of weight. You used to be a pig.”
Kim Hyunoh, Kim Hyunoh, Kim Hyunoh.
I chanted silently.
“Why haven’t I seen you around? Didn’t know you were at this school. Weren’t you good at studying?”
Park Jungsoo pretended to be friendly.
He even reached out for a handshake.
I wanted to spit on his hand but restrained myself.
Instead, I grabbed his hand with all my strength, as if to crush it. Park Jungsoo flinched and frowned.
“I was at the Seoul campus, but our department moved here this year.”
“Ah, the main campus. Makes sense.”
Park Jungsoo tried to withdraw his hand while smiling.
I didn’t let go.
I gripped his wrist harder.
His skin turned red.
It must have hurt.
Despite the pain, he stubbornly smiled and said,
“I re-enrolled after finishing my military service.”
“Really? A bit late.”
“I took an extra year.”
“Ah.”
“Hey, we should stay in touch since we ran into each other like this. Did you change your number?”
Crazy bastard.
I barely held back the curse that almost slipped out.
Unconsciously, I twisted his arm slightly.
Park Jungsoo’s face turned red in an instant.
“Damn it.”
Finally, he stopped smiling and glared at me.
He twisted his shoulders and snapped,
“Let go. It hurts like hell.”
“No.”
“Damn.”
When he tried to step on my foot, I kicked his knee as hard as I could.
It probably left a bruise.
He groaned and bent over, then looked up at me with a twisted face.
He sneered openly.
“Are you still mad about what happened back then?”
Park Jungsoo’s eyes were fierce, but strangely, I wasn’t scared.
Just a few minutes ago, his gaze made me feel nauseous.
Had he always been this weak?
* * *
*Summary page is only available for login users. Non-users can view the chapters on the chapter list.*
