“Are you done practicing?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you think it’ll be okay since you have a match soon?”
He nodded silently.
He probably can’t go because of that match—the school trip.
It was true that the match was more important than the school trip, but Jingi felt strangely disappointed thinking they couldn’t go together. In the original story, he thought they went. He remembered the four of them hanging out, so why couldn’t they go this time?
The night sky was dark and the surroundings were quiet. The sounds of boys gathered in groups chattering could be heard from a distance. Joo Unyoung, who was on the left, moved to the right side when Go Yeol approached. Jingi let out a wide yawn.
“I’m tired…”
“Want to take a taxi?”
It’s only three or four stops. He shook his head. Then Joo Unyoung chipped in from the side.
“If you’re really sleepy, should I give you a piggyback ride?”
“…Huh? Oh, no. Not that much.”
At the embarrassing suggestion, a strange sound came out along with his yawn. Jingi stared at Joo Unyoung oddly and then stopped. Did the kid go crazy from studying? Or was he just naturally meddlesome?
He hadn’t felt that way when reading the original, but the Joo Unyoung he met in person had a somewhat difficult personality. He made a scary face when his confession was rejected, but then turned soft and gentle once they decided to stay friends.
He seemed to have some affection issues, was a bit clueless, and Jingi had never seen a kid get so serious just because he spaced out for a moment. Jingi scratched the back of his neck and walked slowly to match Go Yeol’s pace.
“It’s uncomfortable. Because Jingi is bigger.”
Jingi liked the sound of stepping on the ground, so he walked while lightly scraping the asphalt with the tips of his shoes, avoiding the lines.
Once he started paying attention, he didn’t want to step on the lines, so he began the “avoid the lines” game he used to play as a kid. Joo Unyoung replied to Go Yeol’s cryptic words without even turning his head.
“I’m not that much different from Jingi.”
“It’s uncomfortable.”
“Really? Jingi, is it uncomfortable for me to give you a piggyback ride?”
Jingi, who was precariously avoiding the green and white asphalt lines, racked his brain over their lovers’ quarrel. What would a Cupid say at a time like this? Ah.
“No, well. It would be perfect if Yeol gave Unyoung a piggyback ride.”
Jingi gave the most appropriate answer and went back to avoiding the lines. Since he was taller and had bigger feet than in his previous life, he had to lift his heels slightly to make it work. ‘Tap, tap, tap.’ While he was walking a bit like a fool, the two were still talking.
“And… you probably can’t carry him.”
“Me? Why not?”
“…”
“Why are you looking at my arms, Yeol? I’m not weak. I even caught Jingi earlier when he almost tripped.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Ah… Jingi is light. So you’ll be able to lift him.”
“I should carry him tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Yeah, we’re meeting tomorrow.”
The way their words dragged on was exactly like the early stages of a “some” (flirting) relationship. The conversation never stopped.
I’ve never talked to Go Yeol for that long. Jingi realized one thing as he crept along with narrow steps to avoid the lines on the bricks: Go Yeol was slower than usual. It seemed he didn’t want to part ways since they were nearing the fork in the road.
Jingi felt proud of his delicate observation skills.
A Cupid should at least know this much. Later, when the time for a confession came, he would have to make himself scarce so they could be alone. Like an extra who disappears into the crowd just as the fireworks go off.
Now was not the time. Just yesterday, didn’t Joo Unyoung shyly ask him not to leave them alone? Once he connected the two and took care of Ju Hyeon-jae, Jingi’s job was done.
Anyway, Ju Hyeon-jae would drop out on his own. After the school trip and final exams, it would be summer break.
Since the September mock exams would be waiting after the break, Ju Hyeon-jae, a third-year high schooler, couldn’t join even if he wanted to.
So, he just had to protect Joo Unyoung until the break. To do that, he had to handle that senior properly in the middle.
He should meet him just enough so he wouldn’t follow him to class, but not so closely that he’d create a reason to bump into Joo Unyoung.
Just then, Joo Unyoung stopped walking. Jingi, who had been staring intently at the bricks, realized they were already at the fork and looked up.
“Jingi, I’m going now. See you here at 8:00 tomorrow.”
“Ah, yeah.”
“Don’t be late. If you’re late, there’s a penalty.”
“…Is it a bet for lunch?”
“No, it’s a secret. Anyway, don’t be late.”
He ended up being dragged into a penalty promise. Jingi watched Joo Unyoung’s back as he walked away and swept his bangs back.
If Kim Hyeyeon heard that he was waking up on a Saturday morning to go study, she would have mocked him, saying, “You?” Jingi followed Go Yeol up the hill to the left.
When he opened his eyes, fortunately, it was 7:00. Considering the first day, it was a late start, but it seemed even the “perfect” Choi Jingi woke up late on weekends.
The appointment was at 8:00, his body was still in bed, and it took about 10 minutes to reach the meeting place, so he had plenty of time. He would even have time to eat breakfast and shower.
Jingi tossed and turned before grabbing his phone from the charger. Several messages had arrived.
[Baek Jaehui: Today is the day your big brother plays soccer. Come cheer for me! 8]
[Go Yeol: Are you really going? 1]
[Joo Unyoung: You’re sleeping, haha. Sleep well~ 2]
[Senior Ju Hyeon-jae: Do you have time this week? 5]
Jingi sent “Where?” to Go Yeol and “When?” to Ju Hyeon-jae.
He didn’t reply to Joo Unyoung’s message since it was from last night, and since Baek Jaehui’s message was useless, he just sent a “No” (ㄴ).
Below those, messages from guys whose faces he didn’t even know were piling up, but he didn’t reply. Since he had no memory of them, it was clear they weren’t important or close friends.
Jingi put his phone back by his pillow and wrapped himself in his blanket. Then he squeezed his eyes shut, opened them, and stretched his body.
“Uuuugh, ugh, ack.”
It might be because his arms and legs were aching from growing. Since he was only 18, he could definitely grow more. Jingi stretched hard and sang a song in his head: ‘Grow tall, grow tall.’ Even now he was 180cm, which was tall enough, but he wanted to be taller.
Besides, with his face, he would still be handsome even if he were 2 meters tall. What would the air smell like up there? Go Yeol would know. Just wait one year, I’ll catch up.
He pulled his phone back, installed a few games, and then opened Naver to read the news. A major article related to China was trending.
‘Kidnapping abroad, human trafficking at home…’
Wow, stuff like this still happens these days?
Jingi stared at the article, his mouth agape, scrolling down with a frantic thumb. The report claimed that while no cases had been officially filed domestically yet, the possibility couldn’t be ruled out. A heavy sigh escaped him as photos of missing persons appeared at the bottom.
Looking through the related articles, he frowned in sympathy. For those who had been missing a long time, it was as good as saying they’d never be found; the police had no choice but to drop the cases, leaving the families with nothing but torn hearts.
