# Chapter 128
I wondered what all the luggage was as my eyes wandered between the fruit basket and bouquet of flowers held in both hands.
“Why are you outside when you’re not well?”
Oh Seulbi spoke first with a slightly aloof tone to me, who had been sitting quietly while contemplating how to start the conversation. Her words contained concern, but her tone somehow sounded angry.
If I had to guess, it seemed like she had had an argument with Yoon Taeho. I had been thinking that I should contact her sometime, but it was already very grateful that she came on her own like this.
“I came out because I wanted some fresh air. …What is all this? Is it for me?”
I pointed at the enormous amount of luggage with an awkward smile. As I stood up, since I couldn’t keep sitting, Lee Jinyoung and Kim Junwoo made sounds like “oh oh” and reached out their hands as if to support me, probably because I looked unsteady.
“Ah, thank you. Thanks.”
I thanked each of them for holding my shoulders, and they opened their eyes wide. Others who had been wearing surprised expressions since I first opened my mouth also looked at each other with serious faces in response to my words.
“Yoon Taeho.”
“Yes?”
“Which of these two do you want to spread on this and eat?”
Oh Seulbi, who had called me with a serious expression, took something out of the shopping bag she was holding and held it out to me. She had a hot dog in one hand and strawberry jam and ketchup in the other.
I looked at Oh Seulbi and what she was holding with a dumbfounded expression, then reluctantly pointed at one.
“…This one.”
After alternately looking at my finger pointing to the strawberry jam and my face, Oh Seulbi opened her mouth wide and muttered quietly.
“He really has gotten better…”
At those words, I firmly closed my mouth, not knowing what to say. Even if she didn’t know about the body switch like Moon Seoheon did, she must have already noticed that something was off about me, like Yoon Taean had.
As I expected, Teacher Jaewon, who had been standing silently, calmed the confused students.
“It’s hard to keep standing here, so let’s go inside the hospital first.”
I nodded slightly at his gaze, which seemed to ask if I was okay.
* * *
“Should I put this here?”
“Yes.”
Kim Yuna began organizing the other items neatly while placing the bouquet of flowers on the table. I sat on the edge of the bed, watching as Lee Jinyoung and Kim Junwoo followed and helped, wondering why there were so many shopping bags.
“There was no need to prepare so much…”
It was too much for just a hospital visit gift. In response to my sincere words, not just something said out of politeness, Oh Seulbi sighed as she closed the door and came in.
“Half of those were things you sent back. We brought everything just in case… but it seems you don’t remember.”
It was a voice mixed with resignation rather than a sarcastic tone. Her expression looking at me was also full of concern. To think such a thing had happened, I clicked my tongue inwardly and smiled awkwardly.
A heavy silence flowed as I sat there like a guilty person, unable to say anything. It seemed like everyone, including myself, found it difficult to speak. After a while, Teacher Jaewon, the oldest among us, spoke first.
“I talked to your mother and came after hearing you’d gotten much better. I’m not disturbing your rest, am I?”
“Not at all. So everyone came to visit me together instead of doing club activities?”
Even if they all came to visit using the teacher’s authority, there must be other club members, I wondered if that was okay. Then I remembered that there were hardly any active students besides the people here, and realized it was a needless concern.
“Yes. We had something to give you anyway, and we all came together to see your face after a long time.”
Something to give me? As I expressed my curiosity, Lee Jinyoung handed me the small shopping bag she had been holding.
“What is this?”
“It’s the food product we completed for the competition this time.”
I checked what was in the shopping bag with a slightly surprised expression. A dark brown seasoning sauce filled a palm-sized sealed container. By its appearance, it looked like ssamjang, but I was a bit confused as there was only one container. Is this what they made for the competition?
“…It looks like ssamjang.”
“It’s strong doenjang. We made it while trying various things to feed you. I hope you like it.”
“…You made this because of me?”
“Well, we thought something that could be eaten easily would be good, so the kids worked hard to make it, considering various factors.”
Lee Jinyoung sent a glance to Oh Seulbi, Kim Yuna, and Kim Junwoo who were standing quietly behind, and explained on their behalf as if asking me to understand their efforts.
“We put in shellfish and various vegetables, and since the weather is hot, we added buckwheat to reduce saltiness as much as possible. When we tried it, it tasted good. Wait a moment… look here, the response is quite good.”
Lee Jinyoung took out her phone, clicked the screen a few times, and showed me an SNS screen. As she scrolled down, there were beautifully plated food photos of porridge, stew, ssambap, sandwiches, and even spaghetti.
I looked through the recipes of all the dishes made with this strong doenjang and checked the responses. I had a dazed expression at the better-than-expected comments and number of likes.
“Is it okay to post so many different photos? I thought you had to submit just one dish.”
“Ah. These are just posted to show the various ways it can be used. What we actually submitted is this spaghetti. We thought it would fit the theme of creating a surprisingly good taste from seemingly mismatched combinations. Since they said they’ll release it as a new product if it’s selected, let’s pray it gets chosen by then.”
The result announcement date was definitely the same as the presentation day. The submission period had already ended, but there was still time until the results came out. I handed the phone back to Lee Jinyoung and looked at the kids sitting side by side on the sofa.
“Good job. And… I’m sorry I couldn’t help.”
Since I had been in the hospital the whole time, I probably wasn’t much help, but judging from how I had left the group chat and rarely answered calls, it was clear I had been keeping my distance. It was obvious that the three of them had completed the competition preparation on their own, so I was like a guilty person to them.
With complicated feelings, I slightly ruffled my hair, and Oh Seulbi crossed her arms and said.
“It’s okay. We couldn’t force someone who was sick to do it anyway.”
“That’s right. I’m just glad you seem better than when I saw you last time.”
They were more favorable than I expected, even though they had said they couldn’t help but curse at me. I was secretly relieved, but when I smiled with a bitter taste in my mouth, Kim Yuna shook her hands as if to comfort me, perhaps noticing my dampened mood.
“Thanks to you, senior, we actually came up with various ideas and had fun doing it.”
At those words, Kim Junwoo also nodded and added a comment.
“That’s right. Since we had a specific target to feed, it was easier to make.”
I glanced at the strong doenjang in my hand. In a way, the dish submitted to the competition was also a food product made for Yoon Taeho, who doesn’t eat well. It felt heart-warming even though the target wasn’t me. Maybe I’m a bit envious.
Yoon Taeho, did that guy try to put up walls against such good friends again?
“That’s good then. If I’ve made any other mistakes, please tell me.”
Seeing the kids acting so naturally made me feel less frustrated. I spoke with the intention of telling them to shake off any issues if there were any, and Kim Junwoo, who had been hesitating, straightened his upper body.
“You know, they say depression is the root of all illnesses, but you… Ah!”
Kim Junwoo closed his mouth after being hit on the forearm by Oh Seulbi while continuing his words. Oh Seulbi’s gaze at Kim Junwoo was sharp. Kim Junwoo pursed his lips and mumbled quietly as if checking the mood.
“Well, you know… friends can ask each other what kind of illness they have…”
“Don’t mind what this jerk says. Just talk when you want to talk.”
“It’s a virtue not to ask about such sensitive issues until the person themselves talks about it.”
“Is it because you hang out with those guys? Seriously, you have no tact.”
After getting scolded from all directions, Kim Junwoo raised his hand to me with a dejected face. I smiled at his apologetic gesture and said.
“My mental state isn’t good, that’s true.”
At my words, the kids’ bodies stiffened, and they twisted their upper bodies with a creak. I rubbed my cheek unnecessarily and brought up what I had to say anyway.
“If later I don’t remember again or seem to have changed, don’t be surprised and just go with it. …Instead of letting it slide because I’m a patient, if I make a mistake, curse at me or hit me a few times.”
In fact, that’s what I wanted to do to Yoon Taeho.
This incident too, and since they were kind-hearted kids, they probably wouldn’t ignore Yoon Taeho. The older you get, the harder it is to easily obtain or maintain such relationships, and Yoon Taeho needed to realize how precious such people are.
“Right! If you talk nonsense again saying to get lost or whatever, I’ll beat you up!”
Oh Seulbi raised one arm with her fist clenched tightly and spoke playfully. Thinking that Yoon Taeho must have been very prickly, I couldn’t help but laugh meaninglessly.
* * *
I took a bite of the apple that Teacher Jaewon had peeled for me, stabbing it with a fork. The cool juice spread in my mouth, and I wiped away the moisture that had spilled out. I received the tissue that Lee Jinyoung handed me while listening to Kim Yuna’s voice telling me about what had happened during this time.
“So then, Moon Seoheon sunbae got into a fight. Those guys got their faces smashed and were hospitalized here.”
“…Really?”
“Yes! Honestly, they deserved it, but at that time, it was really… ugh.”
As if just imagining it made her shudder, Kim Yuna rubbed her forearm.
“Well, it was surprising to see Moon Seoheon show that side since it was the first time, but I was really! So satisfied.”
“Ahem, well… me too.”
Kim Junwoo nodded in agreement, following Oh Seulbi who raised the corner of her mouth with a smirk. I was a bit shocked and just blinked my eyes without even swallowing the apple.
I had heard about it from Yoo Wono, but to think that the High Class thugs who Moon Seoheon fought were our club members. And the fact that the fight happened because they had cursed me made my face flush.
It seems that the news about me being not only seriously injured from falling from a high place but also in a poor mental state had spread throughout the school. I recalled the faces of the guys who kept glaring at me whenever they had the chance, then glanced at Teacher Jaewon.
The teacher, whose eyes met mine, smiled lightly as if not surprised to hear his nephew’s name. Does that mean I don’t need to worry about it?
“I heard Moon Seoheon sunbae might be demoted, so I’m not sure if he can participate in the next competition.”
“Ah, that was withdrawn. I think he’ll be able to participate in the competition, so you don’t need to worry.”
“Really? That’s a relief.”
Kim Yuna, reassured by the teacher’s words, bit into a large piece of melon. Just as I was also swallowing the remaining part of the apple while looking intently at the teacher, the hospital room door opened gently.
“Oh my… Everyone is gathered here.”
My mother and father, who seemed to have finished all their busy work and arrived, looked surprised as they saw me and the kids sitting closely together.
“Hello!”
“Oh, yes. Hello. It’s been a while.”
“Hello, sir, ma’am. I’m Taeho’s club advisor.”
“Ah, yes, yes. We spoke on the phone earlier, right? I didn’t expect you to come right away…”
My parents, who shook hands with Teacher Jaewon as he stood up and extended his hand, smiled pleasantly. The teacher, who also smiled softly, soon packed his things and said.
“I thought I should come quickly. I’m sorry if I’ve intruded.”
“Not at all. Why not stay a little longer? Are you leaving now?”
“Yes. I shouldn’t disturb you, so I should go now. Kids, let’s agree to come again later and leave now.”
The kids nodded and got up, each gathering their things. I also stood up as they were about to leave, saying goodbye.
“I’ll see you out and come back.”
“Eh? What for? Just stay here.”
“That’s right. It’s inconvenient for you, don’t come out.”
“No, it’s better for me to move a little.”
Actually, I had something I wanted to discuss with Teacher Jaewon. Whether he sensed my intention or not, the teacher reassured my parents and the kids.
“If anything happens, I’ll contact you right away or send him back.”
“Ah, okay. Then be careful going out.”
With an acknowledgment, I slowly walked using my crutches, following everyone as they left the hospital room. They all walked slowly, seemingly being considerate.
Once outside, when the kids told me to go back in, I looked at Teacher Jaewon.
“Teacher, I have something I want to ask you.”
The teacher, who briefly opened his eyes wide before returning to an indifferent expression, waved his hand to the kids, signaling them to go ahead.
The kids, who had shown curiosity, saw my calm expression and left, telling me to take care of my health. As I briefly watched them returning the way they had come, the teacher spoke first.
“So, what is it that you’re curious about?”
