# Chapter 18
Son Gyucheon. No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t recall who this person was. Based on Ko Kyungsu’s words, he seemed to be someone with character issues for sure. He also had some connection with Yoon Taeho, and apparently even went so far as to devise a scheme to hand over the main character Moon Seoheon while offering help.
The biggest problem was that Byeon Seungha had mentioned Son Gyucheon to me, asking if we knew each other, as if he’d noticed something suspicious.
I rubbed my face vigorously with both hands. As I sorted through the situation, a laugh escaped me as if I was losing my mind. Perhaps thinking my condition wasn’t normal, Ko Kyungsu quickly grabbed my shoulders and asked:
“T-Taeho, are you okay?”
“Ha… no.”
Whether it was because I was really losing my mind or because I felt somewhat comfortable with Ko Kyungsu, my true feelings easily slipped out. Seeing me like this, Ko Kyungsu stiffened his face once more as if making a promise and solemnly vowed:
“I won’t tell anyone. Absolutely, really, truly.”
“Ah, well…”
I wasn’t sure whether to thank him or tell him not to say such things, so I couldn’t say anything.
Recognizing my half-soul-departed state, Ko Kyungsu led me all the way to the infirmary. My weakened body genuinely needed support. I leaned on his guiding strength and was practically dragged along.
The health teacher was just about to leave for lunch, so if we had come a little later, we wouldn’t have run into her. Perhaps because she had seen me twice yesterday, the health teacher jokingly said I had become a regular. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to smile at all.
“Rest until you feel better. I’ll go eat lunch now. There’s juice in the refrigerator, so drink some if you’d like.”
“Thank you.”
“Sure. Just make sure to eat your meals properly from now on. You need to eat well at your age.”
“Yes.”
After nodding at my response, the health teacher left, leaving only Ko Kyungsu and me in the infirmary.
“Is there anything else I can help you with?”
After a brief silence, Ko Kyungsu asked, and I replied that I was fine. As he hesitantly looked at me, saying he would go too and telling me to rest well—
I suddenly wondered why Ko Kyungsu was being so kind to me even though he had heard me talking with this Son Gyucheon guy.
Until yesterday, although Moon Seoheon and I weren’t completely distant, our relationship had somewhat improved after I apologized. As a result, I had become more entangled with The Four than expected, so it was hard to say whether the outcome was good.
Anyway, most students probably thought we had fought, so they would think I disliked Moon Seoheon. And Ko Kyungsu might think I still don’t approve of Moon Seoheon.
If that’s the case, he might see me as someone who acts friendly to Moon Seoheon’s face but talks badly about him behind his back. No, if he saw me that way, wouldn’t it make more sense for him to keep his distance, even if he received help from me this morning? Why is he being so nice to me?
As I watched Ko Kyungsu’s back as he opened the door to leave, I quickly spoke up:
“Wait, Kyungsu.”
“Huh? Oh, what is it?”
Looking quite surprised as if he hadn’t expected me to call him, Ko Kyungsu closed the door he had opened and approached me.
I cautiously asked, wondering what he was thinking:
“Listen, I’m asking just in case… You don’t think I’m trying to do something to Moon Seoheon or want to mess with him, do you?”
Regardless of the truth, if he said yes, I would have to clarify that it was a misunderstanding. At my question, Ko Kyungsu was even more flustered than before and moved his arms around awkwardly.
“That’s not it! I thought Son Gyucheon forced you to do it…”
“Ah.”
“Is… that not it?”
“Ah, mmm. That’s right, he made me do it.”
I brazenly spoke while ignoring the pricks of conscience. Maybe he really was forced into it by threats. Although Yoon Taeho appeared as a villain, he wasn’t portrayed as someone who actively led the bullying.
I was relieved that he didn’t seem to see me as a vile person. Although Ko Kyungsu didn’t strike me as someone who would spread rumors, I wanted to make sure and spoke seriously:
“Look… I’m not saying this because I don’t trust you, but this is a problem I need to solve somehow. So I’d appreciate it if this remained a secret between just the two of us.”
Hearing my sincere tone, Ko Kyungsu quickly nodded.
“Of course! As I said earlier, I absolutely won’t spread rumors or anything like that.”
“Yeah. Thank you so much.”
He definitely didn’t seem like the type to casually spread rumors. Moreover, seeing his attitude, which seemed to show quite a bit of fondness for me, I finally felt a bit more at ease and smiled slightly.
“If there’s any problem, tell me too. I’ll help if I can.”
At his offer to help, I felt both grateful and sorry for dragging him into this, so I waved my hands dismissively and deliberately spoke in a light tone:
“Thanks for saying that. But it’s okay. I’m actually sorry for involving you unnecessarily.”
“No, really, if you need help, tell me. I’ll definitely help if I can.”
Unlike his mostly flustered attitude until now, Ko Kyungsu’s firm tone made me stop declining and simply nod with additional thanks.
“Then I’ll head back to the classroom. Or should I stay with you until you feel better?”
I couldn’t hold back a short laugh that naturally came out at Ko Kyungsu’s concerned words and continued:
“No, I just need a little rest. Go ahead. I’ll rest a bit and then come too.”
“Okay. See you later then.”
As I watched Ko Kyungsu’s back as he opened the door and left again, I let out a small sigh from my still troubled mind.
Despite having committed some act, yesterday passed quietly without ever encountering this Son Gyucheon guy. I don’t know when Son Gyucheon might approach me, but the fact that Byeon Seungha questioned me seems to indicate there’s a problem.
I wanted to ask Ko Kyungsu in detail about what happened that day, but he might find it strange if I did.
Even though I came here to rest, recalling these troubling situations gave me a headache, so I stopped thinking about it.
Feeling better after lying down briefly—if that counted as resting—I soon got up, thinking I should head to the classroom before the bell rang for class.
Even though I had nibbled on the bread, I was still a bit hungry, so I took some juice from the refrigerator and drank it. Could I have another one? The health teacher did say to drink freely, but that probably didn’t mean I could drink everything.
With reluctance, I left the infirmary.
When I arrived at the classroom, my eyes met with Ko Kyungsu, who was sitting at the front. He asked if I was okay while examining me. As I waved my hand to indicate I was fine, someone approached from the front, casting a shadow.
“Have you been at the infirmary all this time?”
“Ah, yes.”
Kwak Junhee, standing in front of me, lowered his eyebrows slightly and expressed disappointment.
“We didn’t have much time to chat. I hope you’re better tomorrow.”
“…Yes.”
What need is there for time to chat? Although he was smiling gently, Kwak Junhee’s words seemed to have a hidden edge, but I couldn’t express my dissatisfaction and responded flatly.
“You’re really different from how you look, so weak. You should take better care of your body.”
As Maeng Moa approached from the side and spoke to me, I barely managed to control my pouting lips. That guy always speaks in such an annoying way. I smiled as if embarrassed and gradually moved away, gesturing for them to go quickly.
I deliberately came around the time the bell would ring, so why were they still here making a fuss in someone else’s classroom? As I tried to avoid them, urging them to leave, Kwak Junhee smirked and left the classroom first, saying he’d see me tomorrow.
Although I lowered my head deliberately to avoid eye contact, I could feel it—the gazes of Maeng Moa, Byeon Seungha, and Jung Hyoin, all three looking at me. Maybe because I felt guilty, I thought I might break into a cold sweat.
Soon after they left the classroom, I walked with strength in my legs and sat down at my seat. Glancing to the side, Moon Seoheon had opened a book and was reading, as if focusing on his own business. Wondering what he was so engrossed in, I saw it was a novel.
Sensing my gaze, Moon Seoheon turned his head. When our eyes met, I smiled awkwardly, and he smiled back before closing his book and stretching his arms out wide. Sneaking a peek at the book cover, I saw it was a martial arts novel. I was secretly surprised to discover this unexpected hobby of his, not knowing where he got such a book.
Moon Seoheon as seen in the anime versus in reality had many more differences than I expected. Or maybe the short animation didn’t have enough room to include all the characters’ information. Perhaps because of this, I unconsciously asked without thinking:
“Is that interesting?”
“Yeah. The protagonist is skilled with poisons and has an excellent technique for training people using toxic substances.”
“Oh, really?”
What a brutal protagonist, I thought as I opened my book to prepare for class. Just as Moon Seoheon put away his novel and opened his textbook, the bell rang.
Perhaps because of what I had heard from Ko Kyungsu, I couldn’t focus on the class again today, just like yesterday. On the surface, I appeared normal, but my troubled mind made it impossible to hear what the teacher was saying.
The one fortunate thing was that everything flowed quietly without incident until the last class approached. The main gang members, who had each visited once in the morning, didn’t show even a strand of hair.
Just when my mood should have improved at the thought of going home to rest after enduring the last class, the next class happened to be physical education. Silently swallowing my complaint about having P.E. as the last class today after having it first thing yesterday morning—wondering who had scheduled it this way—I changed into my gym clothes.
Well, thinking that exercise would be good for my health, I put on my gym clothes and glanced at Moon Seoheon while watching the other students gradually leave.
He hadn’t even worn an undershirt, so his entire body was exposed as he changed. As someone who exercised regularly, his body was extremely good. Not only his firmly defined abs but also his surprisingly developed triceps, which rippled with every movement, naturally drew my gaze to the point where I had to forcibly fix my eyes elsewhere.
What the hell, that’s too different too. While his body was shown to be good in the anime, it wasn’t to that extent. The appropriately muscular physique that looked good had actually been bulked up in reality. A feeling of betrayal suddenly welled up.
Honestly, isn’t he too muscular compared to his pretty face? It’s fortunate that at least Yoon Taeho is tall. I felt a bit embarrassed as I stroked my flat stomach, which had no fat but also no noticeable muscle. My original body wasn’t particularly good either, but at that moment, I missed my body that had been toned with everyday muscle use.
