# Chapter 54
The exam went smoothly. I solved everything without any confusion, so it went better than just “smoothly.” After all, considering how much I’ve studied until now, if I found it difficult, that would be a problem in itself.
Before the end-of-day announcements, I packed my things while hearing various comments about how the test was, how some had failed, or about targeting tomorrow’s exam. Kwon Dojin sat beside me with his chin propped up, gazing at me intently.
I ignored him at first, but as his stare intensified over time, I groaned and clutched my backpack.
“What are you doing?”
“Just thinking that Habin must have done well on the exam.”
“…Did I ever say that?”
I hadn’t mentioned anything about the exam, so how did Dojin know? Does he know I’m good at studying, or was he just guessing?
I stared at the mysteriously smiling Dojin. Knowing full well about my curiosity but pretending not to, he calmly packed his things, which irritated me enough to bite my lower lip slightly.
“Kwon Do-“
“Everyone finished packing? No closing announcements today, so you can go home. Those who messed up today, prepare thoroughly for tomorrow’s exam.”
My words were cut off thanks to our homeroom teacher, who simply delivered a brief announcement at the open front door before turning away. Thinking how terribly timed that was, I slung my backpack over my shoulder.
“Let’s take a photo of the answer key on our way out. We should check our scores just in case.”
After checking one last time that I hadn’t forgotten anything, I looked up to find Kwon Dojin standing in front of me. Not knowing when he had approached, I opened my eyes wide, and he leaned forward with his hands on the desk.
“Your eyes are red, Habin.”
Kwon Dojin gently brushed my eyelids. Naturally cupping my cheek, he wore a serious expression.
“Are you excited?”
His low voice tickled my ear. I knew he was teasing me, I definitely knew, but…
I bit down hard on my innocent lips. Feeling the heat rising to my face, I abruptly stood up and quickly headed for the back door of the classroom.
“Habin~, you’re not angry, are you?”
“Forget it. I don’t want to know!”
“I meant if you were excited about doing well on the exam. You know that, right?”
Kwon Dojin followed beside me, whispering with an amused voice. His teasing was so obvious that my eyes naturally shot upward in annoyance.
“Who would say it that way?!”
“Me?”
With his eye corners curved round and his head tilted, I couldn’t properly get angry. I pushed his chest with my elbow to distance him from me, even though he was deliberately acting mischievous.
Though he could have resisted, he pretended to be pushed away and followed one step behind me. His presence behind me was very distracting, but I tried to act nonchalant.
Just as I was about to go straight down the stairs, wanting to leave school quickly, he grabbed my arm from behind. Pulled by his strength, I turned around.
“What?”
“I said let’s take a photo of the answer key before we go.”
Kwon Dojin pointed with his thumb at the grade bulletin board behind us. Only then did I remember what he had said earlier and touched my forehead. I had momentarily lost my composure because of his teasing.
“Let’s take it quickly and go…”
“Sure.”
I rummaged through my pocket to take out my phone. Retracing our steps, I took photos of the answer key posted on the grade bulletin board. Kwon Dojin, who had been waiting leaning against the board, noticed that I had finished taking all the photos and took my hand.
“It feels like it’s been a while since we went to my house. Don’t you think?”
“I feel like I’ve been there every single day without missing one.”
There was some exaggeration in my words, but I really did go to his house often. Surprisingly, Kwon Dojin didn’t like going out much. But considering the experiences I’d had when meeting him outside, I could understand why he might dislike it.
“Today, instead of taking a taxi, shall we take the bus?”
I opened my eyes wide at his sudden suggestion. Both Kwon Dojin and Baek Han had said they didn’t usually use public transportation, so what sudden wind had blown his way?
“Will that be okay? The buses are crowded with students from nearby middle and high schools since our exams overlap.”
“Sometimes trying something different is fun.”
I was already used to buses, so I didn’t mind. Without much thought, I nodded, and Kwon Dojin gently tugged our joined arms to quicken our pace.
“Kwon Dojin.”
“Yes?”
After staring at Kwon Dojin’s consistently smiling face, I opened my lips. He immediately lowered his head to meet my gaze at my call.
“You seem unusually excited today?”
“Does it show?”
“You’ve been smiling the whole time.”
When I tapped the corners of his mouth, Kwon Dojin raised his arm to touch his lips. Thanks to him being distracted while going down the stairs, which was dangerously reckless, I felt anxious. If I had known this would happen, I should have asked later.
“You’re right. I am excited.”
“About what?”
“Well, I’ve always wanted to try it.”
“Try what?”
It was frustrating that he kept talking in circles, but I was patient. I knew he would tell me eventually.
“Taking the bus with Habin.”
Though I heard him clearly, it took time to understand. It was such an unexpected answer that I struggled to find words with my stiffened mind.
“Why on earth?”
Even though I heard his reason, I couldn’t understand it. My brows furrowed involuntarily as the question remained unanswered. However, Kwon Dojin traced a circle on my forehead with his index finger, making me frown.
“It’s just something I wanted to do.”
“You’re making me curious.”
Since it seemed like he had no intention of explaining further, I pouted my lips. By then, we had left the school and arrived at a nearby bus stop. Since I had never used anything but taxis when going to Kwon Dojin’s house, it felt strange.
While I was needlessly checking the bus arrival time and looking around, Kwon Dojin took out his phone from his pocket. Leaning over to peek at the screen, I saw a map app open.
“You don’t even know the bus number to your house?”
“I’ve never taken it before.”
It was beyond bewildering—it was absurd. How could someone not know the bus number to their own house?
“You really have never taken it.”
“Nope.”
Kwon Dojin, who had never ridden a bus, was incredibly confident. His busy alternating glances between the bus number on the app and the expected arrival bus number clearly revealed that he was a first-timer.
“Can we get there in one trip?”
“We can go in one trip, but the bus is coming in 10 minutes.”
“Let’s wait, since waiting is better than transferring.”
“Really? Isn’t it better to take an earlier bus and transfer?”
Everyone’s judgment differs, but personally, I preferred routes without transfers. Transfers require more movement, and if you’re unlucky, you might have to wait for the connecting transportation to arrive.
“Let’s just wait.”
Too lazy to explain, I spoke very briefly, and Kwon Dojin readily agreed. At that moment, I heard short gasps from around us. Only then did I realize we were at a bus stop crowded with students, and I flinched.
“Do you want to go to a convenience store nearby?”
I grabbed Kwon Dojin’s clothes and quickly whispered. While speaking, I looked around, and Kwon Dojin followed my gaze.
“Ah.”
After a short exclamation, he let out a small sigh. Then he took my hand.
“Let’s go. Shall we buy some drinks?”
“Yeah, let’s do that.”
I didn’t care what we did as long as we could get away from there.
After checking the bus arrival time one last time, Kwon Dojin led me to a nearby convenience store. I witnessed people quickly making way for him with each step he took.
Thanks to that, we arrived at our destination comfortably, and I was reminded of Kwon Dojin’s usefulness. The door opened with a cheerful bell sound. Fortunately, there weren’t many people in the convenience store, so it seemed we could relax.
“Soda?”
“Sports drink. I don’t like drinking carbonated drinks when studying.”
The fizzing sensation in my mouth distracted me from concentrating. In fact, I didn’t prefer sweet drinks either, so a sports drink was appropriate.
While he was seriously selecting a drink, I headed to where the hot bars were. Wanting to eat one after a long time, I was seriously choosing when Kwon Dojin, who had finished selecting his drink, rested his chin on my shoulder from behind.
“I like spicy ones.”
“You want one too?”
“Yes. You’re going to eat one too, right?”
“That’s true. But does your house have a microwave?”
I thought I saw one when exploring the kitchen last time, but maybe I didn’t. My memory was hazy. As I tried to recall, Kwon Dojin showed an ambiguous reaction.
“Hey.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t tell me you don’t even know if there’s a microwave or not?”
My suspicion quickly turned into certainty, thanks to Kwon Dojin awkwardly avoiding my gaze.
“Anyone would think it’s someone else’s house.”
“Well, about that-“
“No excuses.”
“Okay…”
I didn’t care whether he was sulking or not. Instead of the completely unhelpful Kwon Dojin, I racked my brain hard. Having used the kitchen only once, I was still better than him.
“Ah, there is one.”
“A microwave?”
“Yes. Last time I defrosted frozen rice in the microwave.”
Once I was certain there was a microwave, I threw away my hesitation and quickly grabbed a hot bar. Kwon Dojin followed suit, reaching from behind to pick one up.
I couldn’t understand why he was grabbing it from behind me when he could have simply stepped aside, but anyway, I was just glad we’d be able to eat hot bars.
“What should we do for lunch?”
“Your refrigerator should have side dishes and rice, right? Let’s eat those.”
“I think there might be-“
“Right. I thought you wouldn’t know.”
Having no expectations, I patted his chest with the back of my hand. Kwon Dojin, letting out a quiet laugh, took the hot bar from my hand and placed it on the counter. As soon as we finished paying and left the convenience store, I looked in the direction of the bus stop to see our bus arriving.
“Oh no.”
Seeing it too, Kwon Dojin suddenly grabbed my hand and started running toward the stop.
“Ah, wait!”
My bag is heavy, it’s hard to run!
