“……Thank you.”
He unconsciously blurted out thanks. But thinking about it, it was a bit embarrassing. There was no way the other person would know which floor he lived on, and they just pressed where he was going, so it was embarrassing to have said thank you. Like he was being self-absorbed.
“Not really.”
The curt reply that came back made him feel even worse.
Come with me.
The heavy voice that suddenly came to mind ruined Woojae’s mood. The more he thought about it, the more absurd it was. At that time, Woojae had flatly rejected Gye Sajun’s ridiculous proposal.
Go where, and with who exactly? Even if he went, he’d go on his own two feet by himself. Of course, he still hadn’t received a single call from the student council, but he didn’t want to. And confirm what? While Woojae recalled the worthless memory, people gradually packed into the elevator. As a result, Woojae was pushed back and ended up standing with his back to ‘someone.’
‘It’s packed tight.’
Until Thursday came, Woojae ran into Gye Sajun quite often. Twice in lecture halls, three times at the department office. What was funny was that they hadn’t run into each other even once in the dormitory. At that moment, the person standing behind Woojae moved their body slightly as if uncomfortable.
“Ah, sorry.”
The body pressed close to his back wasn’t soft at all. He didn’t know there would be someone else dressed this lightly on such a cold day. He didn’t like feeling the body’s contours. The elevator became full and slowly began to rise.
Anyway, after that, every time Gye Sajun met Woojae, he spat out those fucking words.
– Come with me.
No different from the first time, Woojae ignored the second proposal too.
– Come with me?
He naturally ignored the third time too.
– We can meet at the dorm at 6:40.
Oh my? The fourth time, he even set an appointment time and place.
– We decided to go together.
Even the fifth time, in front of Assistant Im who brought up the general meeting, he said such things. Assistant Im said how wonderful that was and praised Gye Sajun’s sociability. It was a situation Woojae couldn’t be happy about. Since he couldn’t lose his temper in front of Assistant Im, Woojae just had to force an awkward smile.
Don’t forget we’re going together.
Stop fucking around!
As soon as Assistant Im left, Gye Sajun raised the corner of his mouth in a smirk. Woojae screamed at that smug face, but Gye Sajun’s smile didn’t waver.
‘People are getting off so fucking slowly.’
Stopping at each floor, barely reaching the 5th floor with almost no reduction in numbers, as if people were going back and forth between rooms. A cough full of discomfort was heard from behind Woojae. You think you’re the only one uncomfortable? I’m uncomfortable too. Woojae readjusted the box in his arms and let out a low sigh.
The man standing behind pushed Woojae’s back with something hard. It was probably a phone. Look at this bastard? Does he not even want to touch a beta or what? Suddenly annoyed, Woojae leaned back against the man behind him. A thick body touched his spine.
“Ha……”
“Sorry about that. It’s cramped, you know.”
I’m not sorry at all, you bastard. And like a lie, everyone remaining got off at the 6th floor. Soon arriving at the 7th floor, Woojae naturally tried to step out. He definitely tried to.
“……What the?”
But a hand that shot out from behind grabbed Woojae’s waist.
“Wh-what?”
“Do what you did earlier.”
Woojae couldn’t do this or that with the luggage in his arms and just looked around. At the sudden attack from an unknown assailant, his heart jumped and cold sweat flowed. Should he fight back? He was only grabbed by the waist—wasn’t it too weak to call it self-defense?
“What are you? You bastard!”
He tried to threaten with his mouth at least, and whether it worked or not, the large hand that had been gripping his waist disappeared. Soon after, the man who had been standing behind moved positions and took two boxes from Woojae’s hands. Needless to say, the elevator door closed in the meantime.
“You son of a……”
“From rubbing your ass to greeting me, you’re quite bold.”
“Give those back, will you? Move so I can get out!”
It was a meaningless line in an elevator that had started going down, but Woojae had no choice but to say it. An expressionless, well-formed face was staring intently at Woojae.
“You have a lot of stuff.”
“I said give them back.”
“I’m holding them for you.”
“I didn’t ask. Give them back. And fuck off.”
“……Can’t get through to you.”
“Who are you to talk!”
While Woojae engaged in meaningless bickering with Gye Sajun, the elevator headed down quickly. As if there was no one going down, it was plummeting to the 1st floor. He didn’t like this situation where he was wasting time and even mixing words with an annoying opponent.
“What the hell are you?”
“Do your lips wear out if you don’t curse?”
“Do I look funny to you?”
“A little?”
Woojae ignored the standoff with Gye Sajun and repeatedly pressed the 7th floor button, but it was a useless action in an elevator already heading down.
“Shopping addict?”
“Stop your bullshit.”
“It’s 6:30 right now, you know you have to put this down and go out with me right away, right?”
He seemed to be talking about the general meeting. The nonsense Gye Sajun had spouted last time flashed through Woojae’s mind.
Meet at the dorm at 6:40.
This is ridiculous. Gye Sajun put Woojae’s luggage on the floor, then took the rest of the luggage and placed it on top.
“Are you kidding?”
“You have to go up anyway.”
Annoying but he was right. The elevator arrived at the 1st floor. But whether the person who pressed the button took the stairs or what, no one got on. Staring stupidly at the closing door, Woojae firmly pressed 7 again. Gye Sajun was staring at Woojae.
“What are you staring at?”
“Staring? What’s ‘kkol-a’?”
“……Never mind. Let’s not talk.”
Having lost his fighting spirit, Woojae fixed his gaze on the rising floor number. There was no benefit in mixing words that wouldn’t get through anyway.
“It was light for luggage.”
I can’t hear you.
“You’re going in those clothes? It’ll be cold.”
So what.
“It looks like it’ll snow, so you should bring an umbrella.”
I don’t have one.
“If you don’t have one, we can share my umbrella.”
“You fucking bastard, really.”
Woojae eventually let out the curses he’d been muttering internally. Gye Sajun only frowned and didn’t protest Woojae’s cursing. When the elevator finally arrived at the 7th floor, Woojae hurriedly picked up his luggage and moved. He saw Gye Sajun bending down as if to help carry it, but that wasn’t his concern.
Shoes wet with snow squished and trampled the floor as he quickly moved through the corridor. The sound of footsteps naturally following dug into Woojae’s eardrums, but since Gye Sajun’s destination was the room next to his anyway, it couldn’t be helped. Thinking he’d expressed his refusal enough, he opened the door like a shot and went inside. His breathing was rough as if he’d run a chase.
“Fucking hell!”
“Wow. There he goes again with his shit. What is it?”
As soon as Woojae threw down his luggage and cursed, Minwook, who had been sprawled in a chair, let out a sigh.
“Ah, this is ridiculous. Isn’t he crazy?”
“What is it? Say something if you’re going to be angry. At least let me know what’s going on.”
“Forget it, I don’t want to recall it so just pretend you don’t know! Will you solve it if you know?”
“Yes yes, my lord……”
At Woojae’s attitude of rolling his eyes and shouting, Minwook tucked his tail. Why the hell is he like that? Minwook was curious about why Woojae was angry, but decided to pretend not to know for now. Because if he didn’t, he felt like he’d get hit.
“I’m going crazy.”
While Woojae plopped into a chair huffing and puffing, recalling what just happened, a knocking sound shattered the quiet interior.
“What? Who’s here?”
“No……! Don’t open it!”
Woojae, who belatedly sensed the visitor’s identity, tried to stop him, but quick-footed Minwook had already opened the door. Sure enough, outside stood Gye Sajun with his superior build, standing like a totem pole.
“Wow, uh, ah, hello.”
Minwook reacted as if he’d seen a celebrity. Woojae turned his head away to ignore that behavior.
“……Where’s Go Woojae?”
“Huh? Woojae is inside right now……”
Not knowing that Woojae’s fury was due to the person standing outside the door, Minwook pointed inside the room with his finger.
“Hey, close the door!”
“What, why are you angry?”
Minwook protested in a very aggrieved voice, but Woojae just let out an irritated scream, “Aaah.” Woojae’s eyes turned to the clock hanging on the wall. Annoyingly, it was 6:40.
“Go Woojae, come out. It’s 6:40. You should at least know how to read a clock.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Why would I go there? I’m not going.”
“We decided to go together.”
“When did I?!”
While the conversation between Woojae and Gye Sajun went back and forth, Minwook, who had figured out the date and time, clapped his hands and nodded. Even in Woojae’s eyes, an illusion arose of a speech bubble floating above Minwook’s head saying something like ‘The Liberal Arts general meeting was today at 7.’
“Hey, Woojae. Go! It’s good if you go together, why are you being like this?”
“Bang Minwook, shut up.”
He felt a bit sorry for Minwook, but that was all Woojae, who had lost his reason due to Gye Sajun, could do. Sure enough, Minwook answered with a sullen face.
“What’s with telling someone to ‘shut up,’ that’s too much.”
“Bad mouth habits.”
“Right? Hey, this guy’s better than you, Woojae.”
Meanwhile, as if they’d hit it off, Minwook and Gye Sajun exchanged something that wasn’t quite a conversation.
“Stop fucking around and go!”
“……Can’t something be done about that mouth?”
“Hey, if you’re going to pity someone, go to an animal shelter. Or feed some stray cats.”
“I am doing that, right now. Something similar.”
That bastard, I’ve been watching him. Woojae kicked back his chair and stood up, approaching Gye Sajun. His fists were tightly clenched.
“You son of a…… Want to die? Since everyone in the world rolls over like the tongue in your mouth, do you think I’m easy too?”
“Hit me. If you’re pissed off.”
“What?”
